Unhappy #Vanlifers Doing It Wrong Are unhappy #Vanlifers really doing it wrong? A recent Wall Street Journal post about the hash tag Van Life again points out the obvious. Details in Unhappy-#Vanlifers-Doing-It-Wrong-Bob Davis Podcast 1133. Nomad Coverage Firstly I have rarely seen positive coverage of the nomad experience. Hard Life Secondly the recent Wall Street Journal piece reports on a few #vanlife people complain about how hard the life is. Instagram And say Instagram has it all wrong. As a result I’ll ask again whether anyone actually believes anything they see on social media? Best Foot Of course we put our best foot forward. Or show our best face to the world. In other words analogous to cleaning your house before guests arrive. But there’s more. Negative Experience Because the article in question illustrates a number of negative experiences for the vanlifers interviewed. For example, no place to sleep. And not being able to take showers. Or being lonely because the dating life out here sucks. Finally the unexpected costs of mechanical problems and fuel. As I have said many times in many different podcasts… Not A Bowl Of Cherries In general life is not always a bowl of cherries. Overcome In fact part of the experience in #nomadlife is overcoming setbacks and solving problems. Won’t Quit To sum up the article on a positive note all of the van life people interviewed said they won’t quit. Great Potential All in all I believe there’s great potential in nomad life. And as I have noted as the infrastructure for digital nomads gets better… In time more may choose this lifestyle. Establishment Media Hates Nomads However I don’t think the establishment back home or the establishment media will give our lifestyle a break. Presently reporters and editors seem to love the idea that social media is ‘lying’ about living on the road. Don’t Dream In essence don’t dream of a different life. It’s too dangerous. Stay Back In The World Meanwhile keep paying ridiculous amount of rent and commuting four hours a day. By and large living in huge expensive cities and stepping over homeless people to get to the subway. Of course doing a digital job and being required to work in an office… When even in the present time you can work from anywhere. Just In Case Just in case you’re thinking about buying a van and dumping your absurdly expensive efficiency in said large city… Take a look at these poor idiots in this Wall Street Journal story without delay. After that you’ll accept your life as it is. Reality In reality over time nomad life can be easy and satisfying. Lots To Learn Of course there is a lot to learn. Yes You Can But if you can do it and you want to try. Go for it. Sponsored by 36 LYN The Independently Owned And Operated Refueling Station Unhappy-#Vanlifers-Doing-It-Wrong-Bob Davis Podcast 1133    

Summer Sounds 2024 Most importantly it’s still winter in the North. Perfect for a dose of summer sounds. So, put your headphones on and prepare to be immersed in summer in Summer-Sounds-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1132. Summer Sounds Podcasts Every Year Equally important is the fact that I do these summer sounds podcasts every year. No Talk Accordingly I only talk at the beginning and end of Summer-Sounds-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1132. Immersed As a result you can sit back and be completely immersed in summer. Imagine And if you need a thought starter… Imagine an undeniably weather beaten cabin on a bluff overlooking a golden lake. In the same fashion you can almost feel the breeze through the ancient screens… In like manner the boats on the lake. At length as the sun slowly sets across the lake song of the summer bugs rises to greet you. Meanwhile you can drift off with summer washing over you. While snow falls outside your window… Transported You are transported to high summer. In fact trust me… From time to time while producing this podcast I found myself feeling better and better. Disclaimers Firstly there are a few disclaimers. As has been noted I have posted several summer sounds podcasts through the years. By and large these podcasts have been a whole summer encapsulated. For example the sounds of kids at the pool… Even thunderstorms And of course the Fourth Of July Fireworks. Smooth Ambient Sound But this time I decided to go with smooth ambient sound. For this reason there are no sharp sounds to wake the listener from their reverie. Time To Run We all know that in reality in the far North winter has some time to run. Even more Spring can sometimes be even more trying. Mental Health Having Summer-Sounds-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1132 at hand can make a big difference in mental health up North this time of year. In due time summer will be here. Or you can have it right now. Summer-Sounds-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1132  

Handling Mechanical Problems On The Road Handling mechanical problems on the road is a challenge for anyone. Especially nomads. Details in Handling-Mechanical-Problems-On-Road-Bob Davis Podcast 1131. Firstly this isn’t my first rodeo. Bigger Problems Above all I have been traveling for about ten years in my current rig. So I have had a few problems to deal with. However as a full time nomad it’s a bigger problem. This Is My House Not to mention the fact that the rig is also my house. This is important to make clear when the mechanic says, when do you want to pick it up? Freak Out Quickly In addition when it happens don’t freak out. Feel It And Move On Although emotions are not always easy to overcome in an emergency you have to feel it and move to problem solving. Padre Island Accordingly I was on my way to Padre Island National Seashore. To explain I I was having a great day thinking about where I was going to camp. Volt Meter All of a sudden I looked down at Mobile Podcast Command’s volt meter. To begin with the meter was reading lower than what it should have. And it was sinking. Happened Before Because this had happened before I knew what to do. I had to find somewhere to address the problem without delay. Firstly I found an auto repair shop within a mile. In this situation it’s important to realize you have to take what you get. Lucked Out Secondly I lucked into finding a great bunch of guys to help. Most importantly I tell that story in Handling-Mechanical-Problems-On-Road-Bob Davis Podcast 1131. Alternator In the long run I learned I needed two alternators. All things considered another lesson. Money It’s going to cost you money and you have to be prepared for that. Opportunity For The Sublime However this was also an occasion to stop and realize there are always opportunities for sublime experiences. In brief an opportunity to earn how other people work and what they do. Life On The Road As well as having an experience you didn’t plan on. That’s life on the road. And I suppose life in general. Sponsored by 36 LYN Handling-Mechanical-Problems-On-Road-Bob Davis Podcast 1131

Maps Planning Arizona To Florida 2024 Time to check the maps and do some planning for my Arizona to Florida 2024 adventure. And some stories too. Details in Maps-Planning-Arizona-Florida-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1129. Firstly it’s been a minute since I was on the roads. Great To Be Back Secondly it sure feels good to be preparing for a 2500 mile road trip from Quartzsite Arizona to Sarasota Florida. On The Back Roads As a matter of fact I have been stopped down here in the desert since October of 2023. So I am ready to hit the road. To say nothing of the power of the back roads. Maps And Planning With this purpose in mind I’ll share the types of maps I use complete with the sound of turning pages. Rig Improvements In addition I’ll share some of the improvements to mobile podcast command. Planning Furthermore we’ll also discuss travel plans for this trip. Navigation And how to navigate the back roads on the fly to get where you want to be and save fuel. In view of the main objective and the distance to be traveled… I don’t need to point out there are many different options available. First thing to remember is the type of maps. In fact I started out with a Rand McNally road atlas. But recently graduated to Benchmark Maps. All things considered the Benchmark maps are very useful for navigating the back roads anywhere in the west. Places and Things Above all I like to talk about some of the places I’ve seen and roads I have traveled. Maps-Planning-Arizona-Florida-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1129 is a great opportunity to talk about these subjects. Staying Off The Interstates Certainly staying off the Interstates is a learned skill. Practice Makes Perfect If you are plying the back roads then you know it takes a lot of practice to make sure you end up where you want to. As I have shown the nomad ends up navigating on the fly in almost all these situations. To that end when it works it’s a joy. However when it doesn’t then let’s just say it’s a learning experience. Finally it’s great to be back on the road and moving again. Maps-Planning-Arizona-Florida-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1129 Sponsored by GardenGurusMn.com    

Still Captivated By Nomad Life Firstly Still-Captivated-By-Nomad-Life-Bob Davis Podcast 1130 includes a clip from a syndicated radio show because the hosts were talking about me! It reminded me that nomad life still captivates people. Old Friends Secondly a few years ago I visited my old friend Max who produces and fills in on the Bob and Sherrie show. Here’s a link to the podcast we did together a few years ago when I first started my nomad journey. Background Altogether the podcast we did together gives the listener a little background on our history. Series On The Nomad Experience Finally I have been doing kind of a series on the current state of the nomad experience. Quartzsite For The Winter In fact I am camped out here in the Southwestern Arizona desert in Quartzsite for the winter. Drawbacks As much as I love nomad life my most recent podcast talked about some of the drawbacks I have experienced this winter. And talks about my desire to get more out of the lifestyle. Audio From The Show Included So I thought it was appropriate to play the clip from the Bob and Sherrie show recently where they were talking about my experience. No End To My Nomad Roaming Days Because I really have no intention to end my nomad roaming days. Technology Even more I believe as technology continues to improve… More Nomads In addition it’s important to point out that there are many different tribes in this lifestyle. That is to say there are digital nomads as well as various workers who travel. And plenty of others who travel in a like manner. International Analogous to nomads in the US are other ‘tribes’ in Europe, Asia and other international locations. Why Are People Captivated By This Lifestyle Eventually I get to reasons people are captivated by this lifestyle. Details Coupled with a few more details some might not have heard about my own experience. Better When The Wheels Are Turning All things considered part of my frustration with Quartzsite this year stems from the fact that I do not like sitting. As I have noted I always feel better when the wheels are turning. More However I still believe I want a little more out of this experience. And I’ll be talking about that as it develops in future months. So, check out Still-Captivated-By-Nomad-Life-Bob Davis Podcast 1130… And thanks again to Bob and Sherrie and Max for talking about my nomad experience. Sponsored by Big Treat Health Still-Captivated-By-Nomad-Life-Bob Davis Podcast 1130  

Is Nomad Life Over? Firstly it’s a good time to ask Is Nomad Life Over? Details in Is-Nomad-Life-Over?-Bob Davis Podcast-1129. Fully Committed Secondly while I remain fully committed to the nomad lifestyle I wonder whether the trend is starting to fade. Reality Bites Certainly the longer I do something the more I see the reality in it. Community But these days I am not feeling the much vaunted nomad community as much as I used to. Social Media Presence Another key point are the Vanlife and Nomadlife Instagram posts. As well as YouTube videos. And videos on other platforms. False Reality? Undeniably the reality is often not the picture presented in social media. Unquestionably there are difficult days. Sublime Moments Notwithstanding those difficult days there are truly sublime moments. In fact that’s why I still want to live the nomad life. Trend Starting To Wear In view of all this though it feels like the trend is starting to wear. To put it another way I am seeing a lot more RV people out here these days than straight up nomads. Attendance Spotty In addition attendance at some venerated ‘nomad’ events has been spotty. Economic Hardship This is said to be on the account of economic hardship. On the other hand it seems to me more Americans are being called back into the work place. Therefore barnstorming around the country isn’t as easy as it used to be. With that said it doesn’t mean there is a great desire to be physically present. But there it is. Meaning and Purpose Even more I think there might be some questions about what it all means. In fact a great purpose. Negative Experiences On the negative side I’ve had some experiences and there have been some situations out here this year that should raise eyebrows. Sustainable All in all one wonders what is needed to create a sustainable nomad experience? Eventually further technology improvements will only make nomad life easier and more productive. In the meantime we’ll see you out there. Sponsored by 36 LYN Is-Nomad-Life-Over?-Bob Davis Podcast-1129

Nomad-State-Of-Mind-2024 In the first place it’s winter and a good time for this nomad to check his state of mind. Details in Nomad-State-Of-Mind-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1127. Struggling Secondly I find myself struggling a little bit as 2024 opens. Gut Check Time Therefore it’s a good time for a gut check. In the long run I like to run. That is to say I feel better when I am traveling. Staying Put Although at the present time I am still in the mode of staying put. The reason for that being higher fuel prices. Certainly over the past two or so years I’ve found solace in staying put and saving money that would have been spent on fuel. Beginning Of Change But we may be seeing the beginning of some pretty solid reduction in prices for fuel. Therefore I am feeling restless. Check List Even more I have developed a sort of check list to determine my state of mind. Mindfulness Equally important is the idea of mindfulness. Although a cliche these days mindfulness is important. Trance State The idea being we nomads might run through the same tasks everyday… and that allows the mind to float. Yes that is to say we are often in an almost trance state. Analogous to forgetting which route you took to work this morning. Or whether I took my vitamins… And brushed my teeth. Being Present In contrast being mindful is being present for all these tasks. Accordingly this is how we can also be present for the many interactions we have with people every day. State Of Mind I find above all these are important metrics to be aware of when it comes to state of mind. With this in mind I don’t really get depressed. In fact I get restless and frustrated. Even bored. In the hope that I can get back on the road soon. Henceforth Nomad-State-Of-Mind-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1127 is a peek into the day to say state of mind for this nomad… and perhaps others. Desert Winters Lastly I know winter in the desert is considerably easier to take than winter up north. Wind Storms On the other hand this podcast was recorded in the midst of a huge windstorm and figures prominently in it. Salute To A New Year Finally here’s a salute to the new year…as well as to my planning! and whatever it brings. Sponsored by Garden Gurus MN Nomad-State-Of-Mind-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1127  

2023 Gratitude Report Certainly New Year’s Eve is the perfect moment for the 2023 Gratitude Report from The Bob Davis Podcasts. Of course I do this every year thanking listeners, subscribers, contributors and clients. Travel Experience Furthermore 2023 has featured a lot of travel and experiences. Two New Year’s Podcasts So this New Year’s there are two podcasts. Click here for a review of travel and experiences. And if you contributed personally to supporting this podcast in 2023 listen to this podcast. How To Contribute Equally important is the ability to contribute to the podcast here. Educate and Report Above all my mission is to educate and report on nomad travel. Back Roads By moving around the country as much as I do it’s additionally important to point out all my travel is on America’s Back Roads. Seeing The Unique Therefore I get to see a side of this country people in urban areas don’t see. Groundwork With this in mind I also think the nomad ‘movement’ may be laying the groundwork for greater numbers of digital nomads… and mobile workers of all types. So long as we have the technology and tools to help with that effort. Thanking 2023 Supporters On this occasion the mission is to thank those who have supported this effort in 2023.Firstly I have been podcasting since 2009. Back To The Early Days So many of my supporters date back to the early days. I also am pleased to welcome many supporters who have been listening in a like manner since I hit the road full time back in 2020. Notwithstanding the fact that travels in Mobile Podcast Command date back to late 2014. Friends Finally since nomad life became my life I’ve made some friends… Therefore I thank them as well in this podcast. In conclusion I have always said people on the road and other nomads take one as they are out here. That is to say it is different experience from making friends back in the world. Lifetime Friendships With the result being the friendships here are friendships I have the impression will last a lifetime. Gratitude On balance that is something to be truly grateful for. Reward As part of an experience which has been pretty rewarding on the whole. Year Three Is History All things considered as I close year three full time… …2024 Starts Now I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sponsored by Big Treat Health 2023-Gratitude-Report-Bob Davis Podcast 1126

Nomad Look Back 2023 Firstly it’s time for a look back at 2023 from the nomad perspective. Details in Nomad-Look-Back-2023-Bob Davis Podcast 1125. No Rankings Secondly there won’t be any rankings in this podcast. Lessons Learned All in all I learned a lot of lessons this year. And share them with podcast subscribers and listeners. Here and Now To begin with there’s something about nomad life that keeps me in the ‘here and now’. As a result a year in Nomad Life can feel like ten years. Memories So our memories can be spotty. Even over a year’s time. Travel Especially when you travel as much as I have this year. Certainly I remember where I was last year at this time. After that it gets a little spotty. In the first place my plan was to hang around Southwestern Arizona until Memorial Day. But a death in the family brought me all the way back to Wisconsin by April 1st. Winter Again Because spring in the upper Midwest comes late I spent over a month parked in a big shed. Summer On The Lake Shore Finally getting to my little piece of heaven on the shores of a Wisconsin lake. On the other hand when summer finally came it was glorious. In spite of all that happened it was fires and dinners over the fire through the whole summer. Headed East Coast Then, headed across the center of the country to the East Coast. Back Roads One of the experiences I will remember afterwards forever was crossing the middle of the country on back roads. Rural America Especially avoiding all the big cities. New Hampshire Moreover spending a month in New Hampshire during the summer didn’t suck either. West Again Now I headed west again. Gaps In like manner I have trouble remembering the whole trip back west until I got to Tennessee, Arkansas and especially Oklahoma. Grand Canyon Finally getting stuck in the Grand Canyon was the best serendipitous moment of the whole summer. Back To Southwestern Arizona Then back here to Quartzsite, Arizona for the fourth year. Travel Teaches To sum up I think travel mellows us and teaches us. Back To The Now By all means the here and now focus of Nomad Life also changes. Details in the podcast. Sponsored by 36 LYN Nomad-Look-Back-2023-Bob Davis Podcast 1125

Bad Business Marketing Ideas For 2024 It’s the end of 2023 which means a lot of bad business marketing ideas for small businesses for 2024. Is doing your own podcast promoting your small business a good idea? Maybe Not. Learn more in Bad-Business-Marketing-Ideas-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1124. Define Marketing Firstly the actual definition of marketing involves identifying a need in the market. Secondly is developing a service or product that serves the needs you’ve identified. To sum up marketing is taking a service or product to market. Advertising Thirdly getting the word out is advertising. But most small business people think marketing is all those things. Bad Ideas These days there are a lot of bad ideas for ‘marketing’ your business in 2024. Be Wary In fact a small business owner has to be wary of ideas involving social media ‘marketing’. YouTube Take the case of a new idea prominent on YouTube. Podcasts Specifically the suggestion small businesses should do their own podcasts and put them on YouTube. YouTube Will Find Audience Because YouTube’s algorithms have been changed to ‘find an audience’ for your podcast. So They Say All in all a great idea. Right? What Makes A Business Successful? On the other hand you might already have a successful business. Because you’ve figured out how to super serve that need you identified when you set up the business. Don’t You Already Have Enough To Do? All of the sudden in addition to everything else you have to do… At the same time you have to produce and ‘market’ your podcast. After that your video channel and podcast have to be marketed. Advice About YouTube From Total Strangers Finally the other day someone I didn’t know walked up to me in the grocery store. Monetized? What’s more without a word of introduction he wondered if I had ‘monetized’ yet. Joe Kennedy’s 1929 Advice To paraphrase Joe Kennedy without reservation… Advice from strangers about my YouTube Channel… Peaking Trends Is the most compelling evidence the trend may be peaking. By all means I think small businesses need to advertise. Where Is Your Time Best Spent? But it’s equally important we spend our time where it helps the business the most. Do You Want Be In The Media Business Too? Compared to being in the media business at the same time. Sponsored by 36 LYN Bad-Business-Marketing-Ideas-2024-Bob Davis Podcast 1124