ROVA Forty-Eight: April/May 2025

What’s the most luxurious thing in your life? Some folks might say the king-sized bed that they have in their tricked-out Sprinter, or their new toy hauler trailer with a pull-out terrace for sunset aperitifs. Some might say aperitifs! But of course, this is a trick question. I’m thinking along more philosophical lines, and I believe that the greatest luxury in my life—anyone’s life, really—is choice. Faced with endless options, from what to eat to who to spend time with to where to go, those of us who are fortunate and privileged enough have the opportunity to choose what best suits us. If you look at it through that lens, life on the road is about as luxurious as it gets. Every day holds an abundance of choices, and although…

Okay Music choke enough, the debut album from French singer, producer, and DJ Oklou (pronounced “okay lou”), is a glittery, ambient, sonic journey that will leave you feeling nostalgic, Zen, and wanting more. Oklou’s minimal approach to club music sees traditional bass drops and heavy kicks pushed to the side, and instead embraces gentle piano, dreamy vocals, and subtle drop-ins. Her intricate production navigates the tension between extremes, seamlessly merging ’90s electronic music with the trendy hyperpop bandwagon of the 21st century. Listen to “endless” when driving along windy roads, “take me by the hand” when watching water ripples glisten in the sunshine, and “obvious” when meandering through a lush forest. oklou.com Juice Up Without the Hassle Running low on battery? No worries—the slim, MagSafe-compatible Juicebox 5,000-mAh portable charger has…

Ready, Set, Spark If your worst nightmare is being stuck in the woods while cold and wet, and desperately trying to get a fire going with damp kindling, maybe you need the Zippo Emergency Fire Kit. It’s your reliable backup when Mother Nature’s doing her best to ruin your day, and it will no doubt soothe any anxious thoughts about everything going wrong (we’ve all been there). With five paraffin wax–coated tinders that burn for up to five minutes, and a flint spark wheel that ignites with just a spark, this kit makes starting a fire a breeze—even in the worst conditions. The water-resistant storage keeps everything dry, and the ergonomic design ensures you’ve got a firm grip, even when you’re working one-handed. Small, durable, and always ready for an…

The first time I set out on a road trip at 19 years old, I imagined a perfect adventure: sunlit hikes in Colorado, cold swims in clear rivers, meeting fascinating strangers, and blossoming into a braver version of myself. What I didn’t picture was the loneliness, the tears, or the hard lessons I’d learn as a young woman traveling solo. I was overflowing with expectations. My idealistic young mind had me convinced that once I hit the road, everything would fall perfectly into place. I was quickly struck by a harsh reality: traveling alone, especially as a young woman, is hard. Navigating entirely new experiences every second of every day was exhausting in ways I had not expected. My first independent solo travels were, in all reality, miserable. Yet, they…

For the past 18 months, we’ve been living an extraordinary story that blends family, adventure, and a deep love for nature. Full-time RV life is a learning adventure— sometimes pristine, often messy, and always unpredictable. Our 40-foot fifth wheel has been christened with countless layers of mud, sand, and sticky toddler handprints, each a testament to our unfiltered exploration. With my husband, Logan, at the helm and our two toddlers, Theodore and Emerson, in tow, we’ve transformed road travel into an art form. Some days, our RV looks like a hurricane hit a toy store. Other days, it’s a perfectly organized mobile base camp for adventure. Sand finds its way into every crevice, mud decorates our shoes, and spontaneous learning moments erupt between giggles and occasional meltdowns. This isn’t just…

Trailers have come a long way from the pop-up Coleman campers of the 1990s (although those vintage rigs are still very cool). They’ve become lighter and easier to tow, and there are even some out there that come with full living quarters, kitchens, and bathrooms. For many reasons, they can be pretty hard to say no to! Why Choose a Trailer? You should choose a trailer because it’s less annoying to back a trailer than a motor home, and it’s cheaper than a hotel. Okay, but actually, trailers offer a lot of versatility that motorized RVs don’t, all while carrying more gear than your 4Runner. Fuel Economy Trailers lower your fuel economy, but they don’t hemorrhage fuel like motor homes do. Some of these towable RVs get your economy down…