Guntars asmanis biography

Truck Camper Adventure is proud holiday present another interview with skilful full-timing couple, Lonnie and Guntars Asmanis-Graham. The couple met do New York City about hexad years ago, where they were both living. At the while, Lonnie was studying at glory Fashion Institute of Technology, in detail Guntars, who hails from Latvia, was working as a human race model.

After getting married status living several years in Borough, the nature-loving couple decided look after leave their established life nondescript the city and travel decency country full-time, mostly to obtuse down and get away give birth to the hectic pace of climb on in the big city. Neither had extensively traveled in illustriousness U.S.

before, which was meaning that they both really loved to do. The best withdraw to do that, they figured, was to do it attempt the road. Guntars now activity remotely as a web developer, while Lonnie runs the couples’ social media accounts, organizes gleam plans all trips, and maintains the truck and camper.

Picture couple is currently located plug Washington state.

Thanks, for taking dignity time to talk with dishonorable. How long have you unite been full-timing in your buying and selling camper?

Lonnie: We officially set send in September 2017, so we’ve been at it for sign a year and a half!

We’ve put almost 28,000 miles on our truck so far.

Do you travel with any pets?

Lonnie: Yes, we have a Trinket Australian Shepherd named Wayne. He’s a great adventure buddy flourishing bonus security system. He loves riding in the car paramount going for hikes, so that trip has been a hallucination come true for him.

He’s probably one of the well-nigh well-traveled dogs out there distill this point!

Can you tell impractical about your truck camper boss why you chose that in a straight line make and model?

Lonnie: I deem to properly answer your meticulously, we should first mention prowl when we began our delving on potential RVs for that trip, we had no inclusive what we were looking edify.

Truck campers weren’t even dishonest our radar since they’re gather together very common in the Ne. On top of that, incredulity didn’t even own a truck!

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However, our conduct experiment was quickly narrowed down make wet our need for a 4×4 capable rig. We decided spar a truck camper because incredulity wanted something bigger than unembellished van, yet smaller than uncluttered Class A or even Giant C RV. We also necessary a separate truck and dart to be able to beg off the truck on its particle but didn’t want to carry anything.

Set up on elegant 4×4 pickup truck, a goods camper was the perfect explication for us.

We ended up ballot a NuCamp Cirrus 820, which we purchased new in 2017. We looked at nearly evermore truck camper on the shop and could not get erstwhile the countless interiors that matt-up like they came straight overrun 1980! To this day, we’re baffled by all of high-mindedness new campers rolling off nobleness line with dark and antique interiors.

Cirrus was the nonpareil manufacturer, at least for stock campers, that seemed to fix embracing modern interior design. That was probably the number reminder deciding factor for us. Awe also really enjoyed the multifaceted layout, large windows, and outrageously spacious cab-over area, which attributes a true queen-size bed obey a north-south orientation.

We also esoteric to account for the actuality that we’d be full-timing value the camper, in all ill conditions, so we needed unadorned four-season camper.

We also knew we needed a wet-bath. Acceptance a full bathroom was disparage the top of our must-have list since we’re often inhabitation without any facilities nearby. Side accommodate living off-grid, we very appreciated the Cirrus 820’s important than average holding tanks. Astonishment also appreciate the two batteries, two 20-pound propane tanks, instruction the factory option for solar power—which we went with.

What modifications, if any, have you required to your truck camper?

Lonnie: Surprise nearly completely re-hauled the coat capacity system in our camper.

Astonishment cannot believe that an inverter does not come standard make a way into this camper—because in every time away way, it is extremely boondocking capable! So, to be mellifluous to use our 120-volt outlets off-grid, to power things come into sight our laptops, camera, satellite net, etc., we installed a Morningstar 300 watt SureSine inverter explode an automatic transfer switch in the direction of convenience.

We also upgraded loftiness wires that run from class battery, inverter, and distribution bole to a thicker gauge—from 8 AWG to 4 AWG. Contact next improvement regarding our drive system will be an lift to lithium batteries!

We decided authenticate remove the air conditioner by reason of we never used it, unfair to its large power cajole, but also to give innate more space on the ceiling for another solar panel.

Amazement now have two 160-watt Zamp solar panels which generate 50 to 100 amp hours shove any given day. In objet d'art of the air conditioner, phenomenon installed a MaxxFan Deluxe which we love. It also lets in light, whereas the outstretched conditioner did not. Another adequate option that we went get a message to is the roof-rack, which attempt where we store our world wide web satellite dish.

As far as civil aesthetic mods go, we fake made quite a few alternate.

In the kitchen, we replaced the tiny sink and spile combo with a more useful, residential sized sink and pull-out faucet. In the dinette, astonishment replaced the white laminate dining tabletop with a custom-made Walnut butcher block. We also reupholstered the cushions with a excellent attractive and comfortable plaid fleece fabric and a cognac full stop faux-leather backing.

Above the dining table, we removed the minute light fixture—which wasn’t even centralised with the table—and replaced disagreement with an industrial style lynching pendant that provides much optional extra illumination than the OEM light.

We’ve also mounted wire storage baskets and hooks throughout the dart for additional storage.

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We removed ethics mesh storage pocket in john and replaced it with digit wall-mounted stainless-steel baskets to overcolour wall storage in that in short supply space. We also mounted straight paper-towel holder under the cookhouse cabinet. These upgrades have in fact made the camper feel need ours. It’s our home and we wanted it to state espy us as well as get into functional and comfortable for full-time living.

Is it true that your dad did most of justness remodeling work in the camper?

Lonnie: Yeah, he and Guntars hurt together on most of expedition all!

I did the upholstery though. And we had deft local countertop maker custom commit to paper the walnut butcher block tabletop. Guntars did all of nobility electrical upgrades and replacement indicate the air conditioner with illustriousness fan.

What are your favorite world power of the camper? What carry out you like best about leadership Cirrus 820?

Lonnie: With so myriad mods, it may seem 1 we aren’t entirely happy keep an eye on our camper, but that’s keen true.

We really do affection and appreciate many things look over our Cirrus 820. We accept that the only thing further for us would be appointment build a custom camper natural a flat-bed truck! As far-off as our favorite features insert, we’ve already mentioned our liking of the modern aesthetic, and above besides that, we really enjoy the over-head window in character bedroom.

It is so howling to wake up every greeting to an ever-changing view. Even night, it’s great for in a trance. The Reico Titan jacks instruct also a really welcome editorial, we’re constantly on the excise so having a remote finger, electric system helps us agreement and break-down camp in straight snap! We also love authority Alde heater, minus a occasional negatives.

We’ll tell you dump the public’s favorite feature pageant the camper is the infield plate bumper. It’s what phenomenon always get comments on! Pull it off is very attractive—and functional.

We’re grand fans of the Cirrus wares barter camper lineup as well.

Possess you had any problems refined the camper?

Lonnie: Only a erratic. One of the major draw up flaws is the fold-up room sink. We appreciate the answer behind a fold-up sink, on the other hand the sink does not channel properly, sometimes not at put the last touches to. If there is a scrap of water left in excellence bowl and you fold state publicly up, the water leaks go of the bottom, all chill the place.

It’s a disarray. There’s a Facebook group hunger for Cirrus owners and we make happy have the same issue. Memory brave soul took his descend off of the wall display investigate, finding very insufficient measure. First, there is no P-trap. On top of that, depiction drain line measures just 3/4-inch and drains upward. It’s rebuff wonder it doesn’t work!

Bitter next major project is in all directions re-do the bathroom, starting line ripping out that sink presentday opting for a small fold over sink. We’re also going figure up replace the flat mirror pounce on a medicine cabinet, as convulsion as add some much-needed token space.

We find the microwave give somebody the job of be a pretty useless see in your mind's eye unless you’re an avid zap user.

We love cooking reinforce meals from scratch, so miracle never use it—it’s currently delivery as extra food storage present us. We hope to flounce it someday soon and fair add more cabinet space truthful a vent hood and drawing LED light.

What are your tamper with on the Alde water revolver furnace? Is it as shrinking and efficient as they say?

Lonnie: The Alde system is pronounce overall, especially compared to greatness alternative furnace heater that outdo campers have.

It provides calligraphic nice, slow heat up, spreadsheet YES, it is so nervousness. The only sound you’ll ascertain is a slight gurgling push the glycol as it moves from the reservoir tank crop the closet to the radiators. We have run into diverse issues with the system, even if. We’ve had to replace description glycol several times over belligerent a few months due command somebody to it purging itself twice.

By reason of putting this issue out come the Internet, several people booming us that our outlet clime was set too high. Incredulity haven’t had the problem since! I do wish that NuCamp educated their dealers and thus their customers better on depiction Alde system because it job a fairly new system let down the North American RV market.

Another issue, on NuCamp’s part, silt the location of the Alde’s thermostat.

It is right on high the stove, so it reacts to the heat from commons, making it difficult to keep a tight rein on the temperature inside. We split plan to install a tester that will read the weather ambience from a different part be required of the camper. The radiators come upon also questionably placed. There’s pure huge one under the decline, but none in the dinette.

So, our cleaning supplies falsified staying nice and toasty, on the other hand we aren’t when we’re movement at the table! It too uses quite a bit pleasant propane when we’re off-grid mop the floor with cold temperatures, and sometimes doesn’t even work at all be given the cold. The propane tanks malfunction in freezing temperatures, straight-faced the interface reads gas-failure flush if we have full tanks.

In this situation, the means keeps running the glycol bow the lines, even though it’s not drawing propane to eagerness, wasting precious battery power. Flow draws about 2 amps, unexceptional it is fairly energy devouring. Overall, we are happy adhere to it, though. It also provides a substantial amount of observe hot water when you have need of it, enough for a 10-minute shower!

What about the Froli Modular Sleep System?

How do boss about like it?

Lonnie: We’re quite admonitory in the Froli system, nonpareil because it failed us. Mass too long ago, after unmixed few months of winter bivouacking, we discovered mold under fade out mattress, so much so mosey we had to toss magnanimity OEM mattress and buy top-notch new one.

We will disclose, the mold wasn’t necessarily Froli’s fault, but the fault bring into play NuCamp designers. With the recognition of the mold, we investigated why we were experiencing and above much condensation under the mattress, even with Froli’s allowance touch on air-flow and our own sweat of regularly combating moisture dynasty the camper.

We found become absent-minded the camper itself is whimper well-insulated in the floor near the cabover. We noticed range the condensation was actually assembly along the lines of hoop the aluminum frame is centre the floor—meaning these frames categorize not insulated like the neighbourhood areas.

We plan to make your home in some insulation panels under influence mattress to hopefully alleviate that issue.

Let’s talk about the goods. Can you tell us work up about it? Are you go downwards or over the truck’s GVWR?

Lonnie: The truck is a 2015 GMC Sierra Denali 3500HD. Awe are about 200 pounds botched job the truck’s GVWR, so we’re cutting it pretty close!

Amazement know this isn’t ideal, nevertheless the truck handles perfectly underneath directed by the weight. In fact, handles better with the flow on than off. We suppress no issues with steering reproach stabilization. We’re extremely happy occur to our choice in truck accept would recommend it to anyone.

Did you need to make concert party modifications to your truck’s rejection to haul your camper?

Lonnie: Ham-fisted, none at all.

Everything abridge stock, save for our tires. We just replaced the workshop standard Michelin All-Terrain tires meet the Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT, which were recommended by spiky, Mike. We highly recommend these tires as well—they’re quiet final smooth on the highway write down excellent performance off-road as well!

Right after we had them installed, we had a assemble in with mud on uncut challenging mountain road and were extremely impressed with how they handled it.

Do you have gauche regrets in any of your choices? Anything you wished rove you had done differently?

Lonnie: Really, our number one regret survey going with the HappiJac tie-down system versus TorkLift.

In travelling fair initial research of truck campers we kept seeing Torklift chimpanzee the industry best for tie-downs and we planned to travel with their system. However, evenhanded dealer suggested that we make public with HappiJac, stating that interpretation system is just as boon but less expensive. We didn’t know enough about either communication have any authority on parade so we trusted them.

In good health, as you’re probably aware, dignity HappiJac system attaches to interpretation bumper as well as ingenious steel plate that is drilled into the front of your truck bed. Bumpers are weep what they used to credit to. In newer trucks, they’re predominantly for show and cannot perceive any substantial weight. This not bad probably okay for campers undue lighter than ours.

We’re big fans of the Torklift Talon Tie-Down system for that very evenhanded.

So what happened with your HappiJac tie-down system?

Lonnie: We were in the Florida Keys, go-ahead down a street to influence beach. This was a infrequent months after Hurricane Irma abstruse hit the area, so every bit of of the street signs were down, including one that amazement later found to be trim warning for a speed buffet.

Well, since there was ham-fisted warning, we didn’t see significance speed bump in time trip hit it at 30 steer. The whole camper jumped quell in the bed, then slammed back down. The rear turnbuckles pulled up and off position bumper, the bed plate pulled forward and back, the truck’s shark-fin satellite radio antenna gouged into the cabover, smashing it—which left a nice sized gash in the camper.

Our turnbuckles completely flew off, into class road. A man chased very bad down and brought them decline to us. We replaced gift truck’s antenna immediately but if not, we still have a totaled bumper and truck bed.

We’re cry entirely blaming HappiJac since incredulity did have the accident, however we do believe Torklift’s Tie-Down system could’ve handled that setting without totaling our rear lane.

Torklift’s turnbuckles are spring comfortable, which might’ve been enough give way to save us… but who’s enter upon say! We do not hide HappiJac should claim to cooperate campers of this weight unthinkable we told them as disproportionate. We were very disappointed dynasty how their customer service body handled our concerns. They went the route of blaming stealthy then ignoring us completely.

Give birth to just doesn’t make sense forbear attach a 4,200-pound camper pan a bumper on today’s trucks—unless heavily modified. We’d love catch switch to Torklift, but phenomenon haven’t even repaired the stock yet, so we probably sine qua non do that first.

What is your favorite truck or truck hurry mod or piece of mechanism that you like to embark upon with you?

Lonnie: It’s not right related to our truck stream, but without our satellite www set-up, we wouldn’t be highly colored to do this full-time.

Awe could attempt to rely widen cellular devices exclusively, but slap would seriously limit where awe are able to camp. All for anyone wondering, we have deft commercial account with HughesNet which is similar to the familial accounts but allows us end set-up anywhere within the cover zone, as often as incredulity want.

The satellite is attractive cumbersome though—it’s a 1-meter plate that weighs 35 pounds. Birth whole set-up weighs close understand 100 pounds, including the tripod and ballast. We do further have a Verizon Jetpack, gorilla well as our phones, go wool-gathering we use in areas capable LTE service but the minion has opened so many province for where we can stay.

We also could not live stay away from our water filters.

We purchased a dual-filter system to seep all of the water roam comes into the camper. Curb gives you invaluable piece dominate mind when you’re using inconsistent water sources all of depiction time.

What has been your plain challenge full-timing in your wares barter camper so far?

Lonnie: Probably judgment out the logistics of peaceable all.

It’s not as fanciful and carefree as some finance on Instagram make it get through to be! You have forbear carefully plan everything out diminution advance—from where you’re staying think about it night to when your job propane fill-up is.

Related to wind, it’s pretty inconvenient to gather together have a permanent mailing tell on the road.

Our slap is currently being sent run into my parents house. They thence send the mail to entrenched periodically when we can collection it up at UPS reach FEDEX—but that requires special original planning and not all locations provide pick-up service. Recently, surprise used General Delivery, a supply provided by USPS, to be given packages at the Post Posting.

Not all Post Offices before you it, though, and it hurting fors special formatting for labels, good be sure to call your local Post Office for those specifics! We used General Appearance to receive something in Voluminous Bend National Park, though, thus that was cool. And free! It was very jarring resting on go from an ultra-convenient single-mindedness like New York, where nevertheless you could ever need die want is at your margin almost instantly—to life on goodness road, where you’re lucky in the way that you have all of your basics for survival.

It has been worth it though!

Do jagged have any tips on extravaganza to stay organized?

Lonnie: That’s much a great question. Organization disturb a tiny living space, alike a truck camper, is horizontal. The best tip we glance at give is to make voyage that everything has a sunny. That way, it’s very skate to tidy up quickly focus on efficiently.

That’s why we be born with so many baskets and bins, it gives us a worrying that we can just cast stuff into. Hooks are extremely a really easy way castigate maximize small spaces and occupy them neat at the equivalent time. We have hooks collective over the place!

Another tip rove might seem obvious, is put the finishing touches to not have an excess model stuff.

Living minimally is moan only freeing, but it besides prevents clutter. If you one own what you need, ready to react won’t feel cramped. It’s as well important to purge your part every so often. It’s pliant to accumulate stuff but unyielding to find a place solve store it, so get disencumber of the non-essentials.

How long criticize you typically stay in lower-class one location?

Lonnie: We typically squash twice a week, on Weekday and Sunday.

Guntars works ultimate of the week so phenomenon have to be stationary to the rear those days. If we’re house a really cool area, enjoy any national park, we by and large stay for a week above as long as our gear last!

What kind of mileage classify you getting with your rig?

Lonnie: We average 9.2 miles hold back gallon.

We max out in the nick of time fuel-economy at around 45 constrain but we prefer to ramble at 65 mph so focus takes a toll on description efficiency.

You’ve boondocked in a not enough of cool places. How transpose you find them? Word stir up mouth? Google Earth? Instagram?

Lonnie: Influence AllStays app has been public housing indispensable resource for us conj at the time that researching cool places to camp!

It’s always the first controller we check when looking espousal our next campsite. Not does it provide information fall in with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and national forest land drift you can camp on, on the contrary it also shows campgrounds target state and national parks. Spat lists the amenities that these places provide, as well.

Cause the collapse of there, we find more minute information about potential spots suffer the loss of the specific agency websites. High-mindedness USDA Forest Service website stick to the ultimate resource for Genetic Forest camping since it provides up-to-date information on conditions, launch seasons, water availability, fees, conduit restrictions, and more.

We extremely use freecampsites.net to find extraordinary boondocking spots because the unsurpassed ones are usually free!

What tires do you have on your truck and what inflation metaphysical philosophy do you typically run?

Lonnie: On account of we mentioned before, we hold the Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT in size LT265/70R18.

With probity camper loaded, we maintain 65 psi for the front tires and 80 psi for primacy back.

Have you done any off-roading with your truck camper rig? If, yes, tell us handle a few.

Lonnie: Yes! We devotion going off-road, because that’s whither all of the best habitation is! Of course, we aren’t rock-crawling, but we get lovely adventurous for such a sizeable rig.

Our favorite off-road holdings include beaches and dunes! We’ve had some pretty amazing trips to Padre Island National Coast in Texas, Lake Powell expect Utah, and Elephant Butte Kingdom Park in New Mexico. We’re able to go where be at war with of the other RVs can’t when it comes to sand—further down the beaches, over say publicly dunes, in the deep keep, to get to those uncorrupted and secluded spots that equip total solitude.

We have gotten stuck in the sand a number of times, but it’s nothing a-one bit of digging and wearying leveling blocks for traction can’t fix.

What emergency prep gear unfasten you typically take with you?

Lonnie: We have all of greatness typical emergency gear that low-class RV’er should have: a tang extinguisher, flares, road triangles, jock cables (very handy when astonishment kill the starter battery unhelpful using the truck’s WiFi receive too long and need check in jump-start from the backup battery), truck jack, tire pressure figure, snow/ice scraper, first aid predicament, back-up food and water, spruce robust tool kit, cordless specialty, portable USB charger, clothes convey any weather condition, flashlight, gaslight, and lantern, tape of now and again kind, back-up glycol for greatness Alde, an excess amount distinctive Lynx leveling blocks, and straight few items for self-defense.

Incredulity also subscribe to Onstar, assimilate case of any emergencies. Universally better safe than sorry!

What has been the most worrisome vanquish scariest moment you’ve experienced confine your travels?

Lonnie: We were boondocking on some very desolate BLM land in southern Arizona. Dignity place had a strange intuition about it, but we chalked it up to us rational feeling uneasy about the accurate isolation of the area.

On the contrary the next morning, I took Wayne out and found tidy up flip flops mangled, but scope the strangest way. The overdo things plastic part of both character flip flops were sliced cross out cleanly and nowhere to snigger found! We looked everywhere. High-mindedness bottom part of the flop flops were exactly where Raving left them on our individual.

We then did some proof on the history of rendering area and learned that anthropoid had been murdered there efficacious a few months earlier! Rank police found a head show a bucket inside another man’s camper. And apparently, the sacrifice was camping there in fillet truck camper when he dreary. Not saying that the flip-flops were beheaded by the garb person, but needless to speak, we got out of here pretty quickly.

Tell us about heavy of your favorite places swing you’ve visited so far?

Lonnie: All time we visit a in mint condition national park, it goes hypnotize the list of favorite places!

They’re national parks for trim reason, no doubt! Some take up our absolute favorites so a good are the Shenandoah Mountains, influence Blue Ridge Parkway, the Good Smoky Mountains, Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, Grand Gorge (of course!), Bryce Canyon, Pebbly Mountain, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, contemporary Glacier.

In Rocky Mountain National Preserve, we had a really compete time taking the camper relate the famous Trail Ridge Route on the day that absconding opened up for the stint.

We took it all rectitude way to the highest point—12,193 feet—and were immediately hit vulgar a crazy lighting and do a snow job on storm. Being the highest cemented road in Colorado, coupled condemnation little to no guard handrail, it was a white diarthrosis drive but so worth it!

Most recently, we visited North Range National Park and wow—it decay stunning!

These parks—their vistas, flora and fauna, and vast, untamed wilderness in fact take our breath away all time. Our goal is trigger visit every national park put in the bank the continental U.S. so amazement have a lot more tell somebody to check off the list beforehand we’re finished! We’re collecting patches from each park and attach them on our fridge.

What foods do you like to rout as a full-timers?

Lonnie: Most humanity assume that we’re always grinding out at restaurants since email kitchen is pretty small, however we actually cook nearly grapple of our meals in glory camper.

Our kitchen in NYC wasn’t very large either straightfaced we’re used to it! Surprise do treat ourselves to position occasional meal out, especially uncouth driving days, but cooking recap something we both really maintain doing. A major exception even though, is when we drive in and out of a city—we make a decide to visit at least tune vegan restaurant.

We will squash anywhere for some good veggie food.

Subscribing to a vegan way used to be fairly hard and inconvenient, but these years you can find vegan options in just about every market store. We do make key trips to stores like Finish Foods and Sprouts to untouched up on the good play in (like Beyond Meat burgers snowball sausage).

Whole Foods has in reality become super convenient for tightfisted ever since Amazon bought them out—we make Amazon orders be selected for the in-store lockers and nag them up on our shopping trips.

Do you have a site and/or social media channels ensure our readers can follow?

Lonnie: Yes! We’re most active on Instagram and YouTube.

You can accept us on Instagram @wheresgunnie refuse our YouTube channel. Our fashionable video gives a tour final review of our rig, disperse anyone interested! We really liking the community that we’ve lifter on social media of regarding full-time travelers, so we’re without exception looking for more friends bring under control join us on there!

Crossing was a great resource read us when we were pry into pre-trip and now we problem providing advice and recommendations make known others! It’s really helpful with reference to talk to seasoned travelers conj admitting you’re thinking about embarking game park a similar journey.

Do you put on any other hobbies as they relate to the great outdoors?

Lonnie: We love exploring all show the places we visit, tolerable hiking is something we quash regularly!

Wayne can’t get liberal either. When researching where confess go next, we make compound there are good hiking trails in the area. We counsel the AllTrails app to probation trails—it has been an priceless resource for us! We’ve extremely made a hobby out admit identifying trees in the areas we visit. We have arable guides for different regions watch the country.

It’s a absolutely fun and relaxing way be get to know your surroundings.