Since the start of my career, I’ve done the hotel life, and I’ve done the Airbnb thing, and while it worked, it brought some unique challenges to the road life. Finding places with enough parking for the boats, making sure they were in suitable areas and many other things were factors. But sleeping in a different bed all the time — and having to load in everything I needed each time we arrived at a new home for a week, then loading it all out — became parts of life I didn’t enjoy.
So, I made an investment this offseason in a truck bed, cab over camper. There were a few reasons. After Riley finished her schooling and started working on a schedule — and after our wedding — she was able to come with me more. Being able to remove some of the unknown factors of road life was another reason.
I had to search for the right camper. I drive a 2023 Toyota Tundra Limited Hybrid, so I had to get a camper that was made for a half-ton pickup. I found a gentleman who purchased one for he and his wife to use, but something happened. They were only able to use it once. So, I bought a Lance 650 that still had all of the plastic on the seat and mattress; it was basically brand new. He had outfitted it with most of the things you need to camp.
I had some work to do to set up the Tundra to tow with it. While the “startup costs” of a camper are higher than renting houses by the week, over a year’s time, we’ll break even. By next year, it will have come close to paying for itself.
I talked to the guys who have been doing the camping life for a long time. The Lowens, Swindles, Palaniuks and others have always seemed to be able to stay focused more on their fishing, and less on the logistics of traveling. I know that everything is in one place. I get to sleep in my bed, with my pillows and sheets and blankets, and I’m eating food that we prepare most of the time.
The best part of the whole thing is getting to be with Riley in our own little space and work on our own routines. We’ve built a little system that helps me focus when we’re on the road, and I have fewer distractions when it comes to getting out there to do my job.
On our way to the Harris Chain event, we met with Ark Rods’ in-house media guy, Shen, to film some stuff and do content for the website and social media. We were able to launch the Skeeter and do our work while Riley went and got our supplies for the week; it all worked out very well.
This has turned out to be a better investment than I could have even thought. I’m really glad we decided to do this.
