Green Goddess Glamping: A Case Study of a Self-sufficient Tiny Trailer Camper--3 Years on the Road

His June 3 Facebook post begins like this: "Day 879 in the camper." Yes, Allan Finley has been on the road with his Rustic Trails Kodiak tiny camp trailer for over two years. In 2022 I wrote three articles about Allan's travels (listed and linked at the end of this article), and now I'm back to write about his further exploits. Also, be ready to view some truly awe-inspiring photographs because Allan parks his camper in some of the most spectacular scenery in the United States.

The June 3 entry tag may have been how many days Allan and his faithful canine sidekick Finley have been on the camping trail, but the details that follow are riveting.
"Well, it had to happen sooner or later. Had one of those heart-in-mouth moments today. We were cruising along Rt 89A in Arizona on the grade down to Lees Ferry. I’m tooling along at 60 mph when this idiot driving a big F350 and pulling a 25-30’ travel trailer comes barreling down the road at 70+ and begins to overtake me. Just as the bed of the truck passes my door, he lurches to the left and then corrects, which starts wagging the tail of the trailer. I slam on the brakes as the last few feet of the trailer pass, and he just squeezes by. A moment later on the brakes and the trailer would have hit my truck. He fishtailed back and forth for another quarter mile or so before he got it under control. He was super lucky it didn’t roll over."
Allen finishes his Facebook post telling us he's back in camp, indulging with a glass of wine to settle himself down. "Be careful out there, fellow campers."

The Rustic Trail Teardrops and Friends FB group administrator Jim Cook commented with his legendary wit and insight, "So glad you are safe. The incident was all your fault. If you had not been on his road, it would not have happened." Many times traveling dangers occur because of the over-confidence and lack of experience of others. Or as Mark Twain famously said, "It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so." We can count Allan among experienced travelers with his seasons and years of camping and traveling experience.

The lead photograph of Allan's rig is a vision of self-sufficient, off-the-grid camping. Although not a standy camper, his Kodiak is tall enough to hunch and get around, and there is plenty of room for sitting and relaxing. For himself and his dog, there is plenty of room--if you subscribe to the tiny trailers mentality. As mentioned in my first article on Allan's travels, his travel trailer has a refrigerator, a propane heater, and a solar system, which he had installed when purchasing his unit. The solar panels are raised in the photo, and the propane tank is mounted on the trailer's side. Also in the photo is a table mounted to the trailer, an awning, a storage chest up front, and a bicycle hitched to the back of the Kodiak. His tow vehicle is a Ford Ranger.

February 23, 2024, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Yuma, Arizona
One observation of Allan's travels is that he spends the hot summers in the north and the winters in the south. The northern latitudes (in the northern hemisphere) are, of course, cooler; and the southern latitudes warmer--tundra or desert, to keep it simple. However, elevation is also important, and Allan makes good use of the fact that higher elevations are cooler. For instance, the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge that Allan camped at in the middle of the winter has an average elevation of 1,496 feet. It's average high and low temperatures in Fahrenheit for February are 68/49 degrees. Describing the desert, Allan said, "The desert is so green and vibrant. I feel so lucky to be here," and then he added, "The sunsets turn the mountain almost glow-in-the-dark orange. It’s extraordinary!"

September 17, 2023
The annual trip south began in September 2023. "The leaves started turning shades of amber, yellow and gold and flights of Canadian Geese were arriving south, so it was time to leave our little slice of heaven in Montana and follow them!" Allan's trip south took him to the Devil's Tower National Monument, skipping Yellowstone this year because of flooding.

Heading a leisurely way south, Allan enjoyed the fall September weather, keeping in mind that winter in the mountains was on its way. "We have been enjoying the most exquisite weather and glorious scenery as we work our way across southwestern Colorado. Some of the vistas have an almost fairytale quality, and Finley has had lots of cows to bark at! We are high up above Pagosa Springs, heading for Durango." Allan mentions on September 25, "We’ve been enjoying amazing fall weather in Colorado but winter is coming! It was 21 degrees this morning up at 9500 feet."

Summer was high up in the mountains, some of Allan and Finley's adventures taking place Idaho's Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Dog and man were camping at around 7,000 feet in elevation. Planning for the possibilities of summer weather high in the mountains in early July, Allan said, "I plan on staying at that same elevation I'm at for just over a week. Not planning on bringing a heater, though. But I do plan on bringing attire for 30-90ish degrees. I expect to see both."

Man and dog had to deal with human drama, though, even in the wilderness. I'll just let Allan tell the story.
"A very stressful occurrence and a potentially dangerous encounter has happened, both centered around Mr. Finley, which forced us to up stakes and leave our lakeside paradise and search for a new campsite……….. on a Saturday………….. in July. So explore we did and discovered an amazing campsite that may be even better!! So gorgeous up here!
"Finley had a bite incident with a forest ranger. It really wasn’t his fault, and she should not have walked into our camp, especially when I yelled at her to not come forward. I did not even know that Finley had bit her. She did not say a thing, she didn’t inspect her leg and said she was fine. She then told me about a bear sighting close by and that I should aware. (I always am.) She then left. Later in the day her supervisor, and a sheriff’s deputy showed up and asked for my ID and all of Finley’s health records. She showed me a pic of the ranger’s leg that had some scratches but no bite marks that I could see. They said that protocol forced them to report the incident and that I would get a ticket from the Forest Service. I pled Finley’s case and told them that she should not had entered the campsite without permission and that Finley was tethered. All to no avail. She told me that I should also let any neighbors know not to walk through the camp. Later in the day three dudes came along, and I told them that Finley was tethered and could they just make sure not to walk through our camp to access the lake. The oldest guy just said, 'I’ll shoot any dog that tries to bite me.' That did it for me and we packed up and left."

One important travel and camping skill is knowing when to break camp and get the hell out of Dodge. Allan displayed his experience by following his gut feelings and finding another campsite. And he found one better than his original! The two above photos capture the grandeur of his new camp.

Even with challenges, Allan and Finley's adventures have been rewarding. On January 7, 2023, Allan posted a message on Facebook about the nature of his years-long odyssey. "Well, we just passed our one year anniversary living full time in our Kodiak Stealth and what an amazing year it has been! Here are some interesting facts."

We drove 24,528 miles while visiting 19 states.
242 nights boondocking in the wild.
51 nights in Forest service campgrounds with no electric
33 nights in state parks with electric
22 nights in in state parks and RV parks (just 4 nights) with full service
17 nights with Harvest hosts no services.
I am proud to say we did not stay a night in a Walmart/Cracker Barrel/rest stop.

Allan added, "Finley and I have seen so many fabulous sights and had such wonderful adventures in this amazing country. With year 1 in our rear view mirror, we look forward to look forward to an equally inspiring 2023 which will take us north through the Eastern Sierras and up to Bellingham, Washington, to catch the ferry to Anchorage, Alaska, and all the way up to the Arctic Circle. We will also visit some Canadian provinces before spending the fall in the UP and then down to Florida for next winter. Should be a decent walkabout. Stay tuned to this channel!"

A year later, on January 7, 2024, Allan posted the following: "Yesterday was out two-year anniversary of being on the road full time in our little Kodiak Stealth. We have traveled over 40,000 miles in that time and have had countless adventures. We still have lots more of this wonderful country to see, so here’s to future adventures!" Notice the lack of statistics. It seems to me that this is an indication that Allan has really settled into his nomadic life. We don't keep track of our daily routines; for instance, exactly how many times have you done laundry this year? We don't keep track of our daily living, for the most part, and traveling through North America is now Allan's daily routine. He can glance at the odometer, though--that's straightforward!

In November of last year, Allan wrote, "I’ve gone over to the dark side, traded my gravel bike in for a new e-mountain bike. Happy early birthday to me!" Allan's bike is a Ride1Up, Prodigy XC with a 14ah battery and a mid-drive motor. I've just bought an e-bike myself, an Aventon Level 2. Like I told Allan, "E-bikes make hills and headwinds disappear!" The bike rack is manufactured by 1UpUSA.

Allan has promised to answer a list of questions regarding his multiple years on the road. He will probably email his answers . . . eventually. I'll love writing another article if he does provide me some insider's travel tips. However, I'm also perfectly happy if Allan is too busy or too in-the-moment to get that email written. With so many beautiful vistas while on the road, I actually hope that emails are not Allan's top priority. That's kind of the point, isn't it!

Earlier Articles About Allan's Travels