The Vistabulist Vol. 1 Issue 1

RALLY REFLECTIONS: 2023

  2023 marks the end of another successful Vistabule Rally season. With multiple rallies, gatherings, and meet-ups this year, so many members of our little community got together to build upon old friendships, form new ones, share stories, swap tips and tricks on getting the most out of their trailers, and everything in between. These gatherings are some of the biggest highlights of our year, and we hope that they continue to grow, and that more and more of you decide to come along for the ride!

The Official Vistabule Rally up in Itasca State Park in Minnesota was packed full of events this year, with over 90 Vistabules in attendance (and almost 200 of their owners!) We saw seminars covering a wide assortment of topics; how to best manage and store all of your food supplies for meals, tips on boon docking, how to power and maintain your trailer battery effectively, how to plan your own rallies and Vistabule gatherings, and the much anticipated “State of Vistabule” presented by “El Jefe”, Bert Taylor.

There was a catered breakfast from The Minnesota Nice Cafe, live musical performances, artist exhibitions, as well as a presentation from long-time, full-time Vistabulists, Kurt and Edwige Moses. Attendees also got to see the first glimpse of an exciting new Vistabule prototype. More on the latter in the near future! All told, it was a great time of fellowship, education, and fun. With smaller rallies and gatherings happening around the country, don’t let another year go by without making the trip to meet up with your fellow Vistabulers. Stay connected to the community through the Vistabule Owners and Vistabule Enthusiasts page(s) on Facebook, and see what might be happening in your neck of the woods!

On The Solo Road With Lesley (Vistakat #201)

Planning a trip can be a great undertaking, especially when it involves coordinating with other people. From scheduling conflicts to agreeing on where to go, there are often so many hurdles in traveling with friends. But what is stopping someone from just picking up and heading out into the unknown with the person you know best; yourself? Fellow Vistabuler, Lesley, did just that!

Lesley spent 2 months traveling solo in her Vistabule, VistaKat (#201), across the USA, often hearing the refrain “You’re traveling alone? Wow, you are brave.” It’s an unfortunate fact that solo female traveling is seen by many as a potentially dangerous endeavor. This valid concern has likely kept many women from considering such a trip. But Lesley refused to let the what-if’s stop her from experiencing life on her own terms.

 “ I have always been an explorer. I have never had a problem initiating conversation with new people and seeking out new places and experiences by myself. These traits put me in a good position to stretch my comfort zone on this trip and try new things.”

Beyond safety concerns, some might find the prospect of traveling all that time by oneself to be a lonely experience, but Lesley had this to say about her experience.

“I realized very quickly that being alone is very different than being lonely. To combat the loneliness, I started with how I planned the itinerary; I made sure to build in stops with friends. I also searched for activities available at each stop that included gatherings of people. This would provide a greater probability to meet and talk with other people. And the most important thing I did was to define projects with purpose as well as focus on my hobbies; photography and hiking, so during downtime I would be able to feel I was working toward something.” 

Like any good traveler, Lesley made lots of preparations and took precautions wherever she could.

“I have aways been a planner but putting together a 2-month trip required thought, research, and flexibility. I started with why I wanted to drive cross country, and what I wanted to see. For me it was the National Parks, National Monuments, and Historic Sites. I know people that have focused on Presidential Libraries, or Baseball Fields. Once I had my focus, I then decided on some basic rules for the trip.

• I would not drive more than 6 hours in a single day from point A to point B and I would always leave in the morning. This ensured I did not drive tired, and I arrived in daylight. 

• I stayed at least 2 nights at every stop, to ensure I had time to enjoy the community and experiences. 

• I did not eat in the car, only drank. I knew that if I did not have built-in breaks, I would keep driving. Stopping to eat (often picnic breakfast or lunch) built in a break and time to stretch my legs.

I also had a plethora of apps and resources with me to enable me to change plans quickly if it became necessary.

• Compendium and RVParky  - helped finding new campgrounds when plans changed.

• GuideAlong - a National Park GPS guide, explaining what you are seeing in the park, like having your own Park Ranger Tour Guide.

• Yelp - finding good restaurants in new towns.

• DriveWeather - type of conditions I should expect when moving between locations. 

• Google - for everything else.

The most critical part of the trip planning was around how I would stay safe on the road.It was also the biggest concern of my friends and family. I spent months watching YouTube videos of single women sharing their safety measures. Then I evaluated what I thought was appropriate for me.

I decided to use the following methods for staying safe on the road:

• I took a self-defense course over the winter before the trip.

• When I booked campgrounds, I chose national parks, state parks, and private campgrounds. I did not stay in BLM lands or national forests due to the limited to no resources or oversight from rangers.

• I made sure I had tool to monitor weather conditions so I could change course if it became necessary.

• I had a few people back home tracking me using Find My Phone (iPhone, Android might have something similar). It became a game - “Where in the World is Lesley?”

• I put Air Tags in my car, my VistaKat, my keys, and my computer. Just in case anything was stolen, I could have the police help me get it back.

• I did not post on Facebook, instead I started a WhatsApp Group (encrypted communications) and posted everyday with pictures and a short synopsis of what I had done. The group knew if I did not post for more than two days to call out the calvary to find me.

• When the trailer was in camp and I left for the day, everything was put away, including power cords, eliminating temptations.

• The built-in safety features of the Vistabule were quite helpful too.

• Door locks inside were activated when sleeping

• Windows all around the unit helped me to see what was happening outside before venturing out. In some campgrounds bears were a concern.

• The extremely well-built sturdiness of the Vistabule also protected me from storms.

• I also had pepper spray, bear spray, and a knife on the trail with me.”

By now you can tell that Lesley embodies all of the wisdom and forethought of a seasoned road warrior. But, as she will tell you—-

“Nothing ever goes as planned. The saying is ‘Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.’ That was so true on this journey across the USA.

I took a wrong turn in Texas and found myself driving down a clay mud dirt road the day after a rainstorm. I was extremely lucky I had the presence of mind to not stop or hesitate. As long as the trailer was attached, I just kept moving so that I did not get stuck. If I had, I still do not know what I would have done. I got to the other side, and my host had a high-pressure hose to clean the mud that was above the doors of the trailer and tow vehicle. 

I rode out 4 thunderstorms throughout the trip. I was very fortunate they were all at night and only a few hours, but two of them had 55 mile an hour wind. The Vistabule rocked something fierce, but it never moved off the chocks, and because I was watching weather reports, I was prepared by closing windows, and putting everything away. The pass-through window was beneficial so that I could eat dinner and watch the storms.

One night in Kanab, UT, I managed to get a splinter underneath the nail bed of my right middle finger. Oh, did it hurt. With tweezers, I could not get the splinter out myself. The next morning, I ended up at the local clinic to make sure it would not get infected. The doctor recommended I have a short course of antibiotics on hand if it starts to get red/infected but that I wait and let the splinter extricate itself as the nail grew. Within 3 weeks it had pushed itself out. Remembering my medical documents and HSA card was extremely helpful.

The 2 months of the trip went by in the blink of an eye. It was an amazing experience…I was not completely convinced I wanted to go home, so it is wonderful that I have the ability and freedom to plan another trip in the future. See you out on the road!” 

 Employee Spotlight: Jason

 Repairs/Retrofit Info

As much as we all wish it wasn’t so, sometimes things need repairs. And sometimes you realize after a few chilly nights camping during the winter that you do want that propane furnace after all. Well that’s where support@vistabule.com comes in. Email our staff with any repair/retrofit related questions and we will do our best to get back to you in a timely fashion with a solution. We are here to help!

Attention Vistabulers!

We want to hear from you! Send us your favorite pictures of you and your Vistabule, even your furry travel companions.

Please send all submissions (make sure to include your name and trailer #) to trent@vistabule.com

When posting your photos to Instagram, be sure to use the hashtags #vistabule and/or #vistabulelife.