ROVA Thirty-Nine: October/November 2023

I'm going to let you all in on a little secret—something that many may judge me for. Are you ready? Okay, here goes: I love fall. You're probably reading this, thinking, “Okay? So what?” But as an Australian, if your favorite season isn't summer, then people look at you as if you're a weirdo. Okay, so I'm exaggerating a bit. But regardless, the fact remains that fall is my favorite season by far. There's something magical and whimsical about the way the leaves transform, turning from a lush green to golden browns and reds, slowly floating down from their perch and coming to rest on the earth. It's mesmerising. So much so that I have a tattoo of a fall maple leaf on my upper arm. There's a lot to…

Put a Poster On It If you're anything like us, you love a good national park and a great poster. Your teen years were probably spent admiring the coolest indie bands or the hottest flared-jean-wearing heartthrobs plastered on your bedroom walls. Now as an adult, you get to put your posters in fancy frames and hang them up around your abode (van, RV, or—God forbid—a regular house). Combine both your loves—the great outdoors and pretty pictures—with National Park Posters. Created by photographer and graphic artist Rob Decker, these posters showcase unique, compelling designs that have an air of nostalgia about them. Not only do they look amazing, but they also feature information about each park's history, ecology, and geology. The posters are printed on high-quality, sustainably sourced paper, and make…

The Perfect Pack Trying to find the perfect backpack can make you feel like Goldilocks slurping up porridge, waiting to find one that is just right. Skip the trials, tribulations, and fairy tales, and pick up Duluth Pack's Wanderer Pack. This go-to backpack is optimized for the outdoors, and is made of durable, rugged canvas with hand-cut leather reinforcements. Complete with a range of storage compartments (two side pockets for water bottles… need we say more?), the Wanderer Pack will take you from the sand to the slopes, the beach to the forest, and everywhere in between! duluthpack.com, $310 Hangin’ Around Who says hammocks are only for the summertime? Not us! Admire the changing leaves this fall from the comfort of Parks Project's Two-Person Hammock. Whether you snuggle up to…

Alex and Kristal We made the bold decision to sell everything we owned and convert an ambulance into a camper so we could travel full time with our dog, Lincoln. We spent months meticulously planning and designing our new home on wheels. Now, we roam the country, exploring new places, and meeting interesting people. Our journey has taught us to embrace minimalism and live life on our own terms. We wouldn't have it any other way. Instagram, YouTube and Facebook: @emergencygetaway Megan I grew up road-tripping everywhere with my family. I drove off-road for the first time when I was six, so I fell in love with the road long ago. I knew that's what I really wanted to do, and I decided to figure the rest out along the…

Travel trailers are the most popular category of RV, with sales approximately five times higher than any other type. There are over 200 travel trailer brands in the world, and 90 percent of them are manufactured in the United States. With literally thousands of different floor plan options, there's a trailer to fit almost every budget and family. This edition, we're concentrating on midsized trailers, which appeal to the vast majority of campers. Before we get into available options, though, let's take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of mid-sized trailers, in no particular order. Pros − They're Lightweight: Since mid-sized trailers can be very light, they can be towed by a wide variety of vehicles. If you plan to use your existing car or truck, double-check…

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming a promising solution for our transportation needs as the world shifts to sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives. As EVs revolutionize the way we travel, the way we road trip will have to evolve, too. EVs have come a long way in recent years, with advancements in battery technology pushing more and more environmentally conscious drivers to make the shift from traditional vehicles to electric ones. Sustainability is one of the main driving forces behind making the switch to electric. While it does take more energy to manufacture an electric vehicle, EVs still produce 54 percent less carbon pollution over their lifetime when compared to their gas-guzzling counterparts. And even after it's kicked the bucket, an EV's battery can be refurbished or repurposed, saving even more…