In love with the road, influencers Danielle and Tommy share their experience with living on the road full-time.
Danielle and Tommy love adventure and hitting the road. The Instagram influencers and their two dogs have been living, working, and traveling full-time for three years in a self-renovated 1992 Toyota camper.
It took them eight months to renovate the camper before leaving their Denver apartment and heading east. They’ve since traveled all over North America, including the Baja Peninsula, Mexico, and Nova Scotia, Canada.
The initial inspiration to travel full time came from Tommy. He’d taken a family RV trip through multiple national and state parks as a child. The couple decided to take similar trips, starting with an older van they used for their business, attending makers markets around Denver. Then, during their first camping trip to Moab, Utah, they discussed the idea of trying out living full-time on the road.
The idea of renovating campers came next.
“We had always talked about the idea of designing our first home together, we just didn’t realize that home would be one on wheels,” says Danielle.
The renovation experience was overwhelming at times because they’d never done a project like that before and were learning on the spot. They completed all the interior and exterior renovations themselves with some help and teaching moments from their respective fathers.
Freedom
Living in a camper has its ups and downs, but the flexibility and freedom win out. The RV is only 22 feet long, which means they can go almost anywhere in it.
Danielle loved visiting Grand Teton National Park/Jackson Hole Wyoming, as well as Glacier National Park. Tommy loved traveling to Lake Powell, Arizona and says camping up and down the Baja Peninsula was unforgettable.
Up next, the couple is already working on a new project: renovating a 1973 Airstream they found for a budget price during the pandemic.
Exploring advice
Danielle and Tommy encourage others can get started on their own renovation adventure.
“The idea of jumping in a camper for an extended period of time is largely about freedom,” says Danielle, who advises against buying a fancy camper or van. Both of their campers were under $8,000, excluding DIY renovations.
“Have fun in your journey,” she says. “You don’t need a perfectly outfitted camper to get out and explore. Take the unexpected moments and run with them, and don’t sweat the little hiccups that will undoubtedly come along. Those are generally the best stories to tell around a campfire.”
Follow Danielle and Tommy on their travels @SlowCarFastHome on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.