2024 was a wild ride! 🚐
Truly Transformational! ✨
This past year was an intense journey of self discovery filled with epic adventures, incredible experiences, stunning scenery and challenges.
We're grateful to be back in Chattanooga, but nothing's the same. Big changes coming to Outshine Adventures in 2025. Check out our 2024 recap video to relive the journey and watch to the end to find out what's changing in the new year.
❄️ Happy Winter Solstice! ❄️
May the longest night and the shortest day of the year bring rest to your mind and soul. As we pause to acknowledge the darkness and stillness that winter brings, we're reflecting with gratitude on all the adventures we shared in 2024.
We paddled rivers, climbed mountains, explored hidden caves, drove thousands of miles and camped under a million stars. We pushed our limits, challenged our fears, and discovered the incredible strength and resilience within ourselves. These experiences shaped us, connected us, and filled our hearts and souls with joy and wonder.
Learning to embrace the cycles of nature, we look forward to the promise of the light returning, brighter days and new beginnings.
Big changes coming in 2025!
#outshineadventures #wintersolstice #naturelovers
💦 Part 2: how we shower while living in a van.
Vandoit offers an innovative build out that allows us to shower inside and outside the van.
In this video we show the exterior shower set up. Last week we showed off the interior shower set up so scroll back and check that out.
Vandoit offers a shower stall that can be attached to the rear doors for privacy, or there are a variety of other ways to rig up a privacy curtain.
Since having top surgery, I feel free and confident enough to take off my shirt and do a quick hippie bath out in the open. Plus, it is totally legal for me to be topless in public now! Glad I got all that off my chest. 😂
This rear sprayer also comes in handy for cleaning bikes and paddle boards before loading them up in the van.
The last way we shower is by staying at campgrounds with shower facilities or friends houses. We know we can get a planet fitness membership or go to truck stops, but we prefer to be in nature and remote locations, so the options that Vandoit provides plus a mix of established campgrounds + reconnecting with friends as we travel work best for us.
Plus, as a trans non-binary person it can be uncomfortable and unsafe to use gendered shower facilities, so I'm incredibly grateful for Vandoit's innovative interior shower set up! 🏳️⚧️
Drop a comment below and let us know how you handle hygiene and showers while traveling.
#OutshineAdventures #QueerNomads #Vandoit #vanlife #vanshower #roadtour #happycamper #lgbtq #Trans #transmasc #transnonbinary #nonbinary #queerowned #queertravelers #travel #Transformation #transformationvan #topsurgery
We've been traveling and living in a Vandoit for 4 months now and people often ask if we have a shower in the van.
At first glance, you won't see one, but look closer, and you'll discover Vandoit's innovative design for adding an interior shower without taking up any usable floor space!
We wanted to show off how this totally rad and functional shower setup inside Vandoit's MOOV model works. We've put it to use often and are so grateful to have the ability to take a quick hot shower inside the comfort and privacy of our van when we're in remote locations or campgrounds without facilities. But we're also glad it doesn't take up a bunch of space inside the van when not in use.
This is just one of the three ways we shower while living on the road in our van. Stay tuned for part 2!
#outshineadventures #QueerNomads #vanlife #vanlifediaries #vandooit #showerontheroad #vanshower
We're so stoked for Roam Fest this weekend in Fruita, Colorado!!! For those that don't know, @thisisroam is the biggest and most fun all femme bike party in the whole world!
We've been fortunate enough to attend the past two years in Knoxville and are so stoked to be joining the festivities in Fruita this year! We're going to be set up in the vendor area in our @vandoitco all weekend dishing out high fives, rainbow Skittles and a safe space for LGBTQ+ folks to chill. 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
We'll be leading a workshop on Friday on the gritty reality of vanlife and @outshineyoga will be leading a gentle yoga session each morning to get everyone ready to shred and crush the trails!
Last but not least, we're partnering with @julianabicycles to lead the pride ride on Sunday for all our queer friends and allies! This video of @ang_adventures riding at Roam Fest in Knoxville last year is the epitome of queer joy and we can't wait to be there feeling all that joy all over again!
#OutshineAdventures #QueerNomads #RoamFest #ThisisRoam #PrideRide #FemmeFolks #FemmeParty #LetsRide #BikeParty #BikeFestival #mtbfest #mtb #LGBTQ #queerpride #QueerJoy #Biking #MountainBiking #Vanlife #TwoWheelTuesday
How we handle our biz while traveling in our Vandoit - Toilet secrets revealed
The number one question we get as vanlifers is do you have a toilet? 🚽
For all those wondering how we handle our biz while we're traveling, we're going to let you in on our secret! 🧻
We have a @laveobydrydlush toilet in our van! It's hidden in plain sight thanks to the custom cabinet and slide out drawer in our MOOV model Vandoit 🚐
This waterless, portable, battery operated, go anywhere toilet was a must have for us as we travel across the country!
It allows us to boon-dock and camp for free in places that don't have facilities. It has also come in handy when we're in rural or sketchy places and Sunshine doesn't feel safe using the public gendered restrooms. 🚻 It's nice to have the option to go in the comfort and safety of your own van!
Now, if we're being honest, it's a true test of our relationship every time one of us has to take care of business in the van with the other one sitting just 2 feet away, but when you gotta go, you gotta go! Luckily we love each other a lot, Vandoit gave us 2 exhaust fans and the LAVEO Dry Flush seals off smells with each flush, so we are still married and in love with each other! 😜
So that's it, that's how we handle the most glamorous part of vanlife.
Drop a 🚽 in the comments if your team toilet in the van. Drop a 🚻 if you think that's gross and prefer to use outside facilities. It's a heavily debated topic and we want to know how you feel about it!
#OutshineAdventures #QueerNomads #Vandoit #Vanlife #Laveo #Dryflushtoilet #campervan #roadtour #nomadbehappy #trans #nonbinary #genderedrestrooms
Sip coffee from @wyldsagecoffee and see inside our Vandoit van, this Saturday, August 3 from 9am-12pm MT.
Support a wyld Wyoming, women owned coffee shop, learn about the Nomad Be Happy rental fleet and how you can rent your campervan to earn passive income.
#vandoit #moov #vanlife #nomadbehappy #nomadcommunity #siplocalcoffee #wyldsagecoffee #greybull #wyoming #outshineadventures #sipandsee
Rate this view! 😍 1-10
After we left the Grand Canyon and drove North, we took a small detour to enjoy this spectacular view of Horseshoe Bend in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
This incredibly popular spot has a $10 entrance fee. It's a short hike to this overlook with an option to connect with other trail systems to view Glen Canyon. Since it was so hot, we just did the short 1.5 mile round trip hike.
Have you been here?
#OutshieAdventures #queernomads #nomadbehappy #Vanlife #explore #exploreArizona #travel #hike #horseshoebend #outdoorphotography
Vandoit has played a big role in transforming our lives!
From selling our house to vanlife full time for 6 months, we're incredibly grateful for the opportunity to travel the country, immerse ourselves in the healing power of nature, connect with new + old friends, and bring awareness to the issues facing the queer community and other marginalized folks as we travel.
Big thanks to Nomad Be Happy for the support back home and helping drive this dream forward!
We hope you'll follow our adventures! ✌️🩵🚐
🚴🚐 Roll through Memphis and into Arkansas with us!
Memphis is the most iconic place to see and experience the Mighty Mississippi River. It's also rich with history, home of the Blues and the birthplace of Rock n Roll. Don’t take our word for it, check out these highlights from our recent visit.
We went to Memphis to lead another bike tour for the Bike TN initiative with Tennessee Vacation. Despite some rain and thunderstorms, we took a few detours and found creative ways to explore the city!
Memphis River Parks Partnership is working to connect the city's downtown parks via paved pathways along the riverfront for a healthier community! We got to explore some of these including Mud Island Park and the Big River Crossing.
Big River Crossing is a pedestrian / biking bridge over the Mississippi River that connects Tennessee to Arkansas. We got to stand in two states at once high above the Mississippi River! We highly recommend exploring Memphis by bike because it allows you to slow down and really soak in all the sights, sounds and smells this lively city has to offer!
We also explored Beale Street - Memphis sober and visited the National Civil Rights Museum at Lorraine Motel where MLK Jr. was assassinated. All this in just 24 hours with our Vandoit van serving as our reliable bike hauler!
#OutshineAdventures #BikeTN #Memphis #bikememphis #bigrivercrossing #mississippiriver #tnvacation #queernomads #vandoit #travel #adventure #Tennesseeadventure #visitmemphis
