Nomad Notes #1: The Unplugged Dream That Needed More Juice
Inspiration on Wheels
My wife and I had long been admirers of the nomadic lifestyle, vicariously following the adventures of those who dared to break free from the conventional. Among them were the Wynns, whose channel we’d been following since their days traversing land in their RV, accompanied by their pets. Their journey sparked a thought, a whisper of possibility: what if we could do that too? The idea of not being tethered to a single place for work, of embracing exciting adventures every month, began to take root in our minds.
Nomad Notes #1: The Unplugged Dream That Needed More Juice
The Spark of an Idea
As the world grappled with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, that whisper turned into a roar. The dream of becoming digital nomads took hold, and my wife and I set out to make it a reality. We envisioned a life unbound by traditional constraints, a life where our home was wherever we parked it. We legally laid the groundwork for a new way of living, one that promised freedom and adventure.
Choosing Our Steed
Our trusty Tesla Model X, with its 5000-pound towing limit, guided our choice. We needed a travel trailer that could keep up with our eco-conscious ethos without sacrificing the comforts of home. Enter the No Boundaries (NOBO) travel trailer, a beacon of lithium-powered autonomy, adorned with solar panels to harness the sun’s embrace.
The Power Beneath Our Dreams
Our quest for energy independence led us to a setup that was modest yet functional. Beneath what would have been our “queen-sized” mattress lay the heart of our power supply—a compact battery storage compartment. Here’s a glimpse of the batteries that promised to fuel our unplugged aspirations.
Concealed Power: The battery setup that would have lived under our bed
The Reality of ‘Unplugged’
But as we delved deeper, we discovered that ‘unplugged’ was a term laden with compromise. The modest tank sizes, the reliance on propane, and the presence of a black tank—all were stark reminders that our vision of untethered freedom was still tethered to the grid in ways we hadn’t anticipated. Below is a photo of the top of our rig, showcasing the limited solar capacity and the ‘extras’ that came along with it, which you can see hardly matched our needs for energy independence.
The Reality of ‘Unplugged’: A Glimpse of what would have been our initial solar setup
A Waiting Game
As the RV industry boomed, our order became a waiting game. Months turned into seasons with little progress. Then, the call finally came—the trailer was ready. Yet, as we prepared to take the final step, the ground shifted beneath us. Banking changes and logistical hurdles turned our excitement into a lesson in patience and adaptability.
A Credit in Limbo
With a $1000 credit tied up at the dealer, we faced a new challenge. It was a reminder that not all journeys follow a straight path. This credit, a vestige of our initial plan, now awaited a new purpose, a new adventure.
Life’s Beautiful Detours
As we navigated these uncharted waters, life blessed us with its greatest detour—a daughter. Her arrival, while shifting our priorities, never dimmed the nomadic flame that burned within us.
The Unplugged Nomad That Wasn’t
Our dream of the unplugged nomad life remained just that—a dream. But in its place, a new vision began to take shape. A vision not of a pre-fabricated solution, but of a creation uniquely ours, a testament to our resilience and adaptability.
Reflecting on Our Journey
As we navigated the twists and turns of our early nomadic aspirations, we quietly formulated a project we called Unplugged Nomads. It was a concept in its infancy, one we hadn’t yet announced. In hindsight, we’re thankful for that silence, as it allowed us to refine our vision without the pressure of expectation. Today, what you see as HV Nomads is the culmination of that process—a more polished, deliberate, and sustainable vision that we are thrilled to share with you. It’s a testament to growth, learning, and the power of transformation. We invite you to join us as we turn this vision into reality, sharing our journey with the world.
Stay tuned for Nomad Notes #2, where we explore the twists and turns that led us to the aluminum gem that would become the heart of HV Nomads.