Thanks for watching everyone! We would love to know what you would do in this situation - we always want to be transparent and we LOVE van life, but this is a reality and being prepared makes you (and us) more equipped to deal with dangerous scenarios when/if they happen! Let us know in the comments and big love to everyone from all four of us!
I think you guys handled the situation very good and just the fact that there was 2 of you and the 2 dogs is alot better than some VanLife dwellers ........ i am very please that you told the story as it helps others see the other side of living in your vehicle ........... you just got a new subscriber
@@Thom1973 thank you SO much for that validation! Welcome to our channel, thank you so much for following us! You are very kind and we appreciate your comment so much, we are happy to be on the other side of the situation safe and happy, and feel even more prepared going forward. Take care!! ❤️🫶
@@Frostflwr69 thank you so much for saying that, it has been our goal from the beginning to be true to us and share our daily life: the good, bad, and the ugly 😉 Thank you for seeing us!! All the best to you!! 🫶❤️
I’m so sick and tired of men acting like assholes! As a married man and the father of three boys I’m proud to say my two remaining sons are respectful, loving men who treat their partners with love, respect, kindness and understanding! I’m glad you shared this experience, the reality of misogynistic behaviour seems to be even more prevalent as our world slips back into the 20th century and I hope that the men watching this can witness just how impactful their behaviour can be! I’m so sorry you’ve had this experience, I felt sick to my stomach watching you both share this and I’m sure you know that many men watching will feel as I do! Stay safe! Respect from Ontario! I’ll sub for sure! Rick
Thank you so much for your comment, Rick. I think a lot would change in the world if more men would react this way, with kindness and respect and with the intent to make the world a better place, which you clearly have 🙏🏻🩵. We really respect your comment, and appreciate you taking the time to write it. It means more than you know to have a man stand up and say these things, and provide a better example. You are awesome, and we’re so glad you subscribed 💙. Thank you from all four of us.
Great decision to leave. Sometimes they lurk and come back. Anyone who does not listen and keeps walking towards barking dogs could be dangerous. I keep several items that double as weapons, including a heavy long distance lantern that I can blind someone with if necessary and a police siren. I also try to stay connected and had an app that sends automatic emergency signals to family/friends and local law enforcement. (will be looking for a new one.) Next trip, I will install my motion sensor lights on the side of my van, set to emergency flashing if something as tall as a human gets near the van at night.
@@LoveLivingLoveNow We thought so too, his behaviour was so disturbing, thank you for validating our feelings!! ❤️🤗 Thank you so much for sharing what you use for protection! A police siren! 🚨 That would be amazing! Motion lights will definitely be in our future as well! We use find your location with friends and family, but if there’s a better app for that let us know!! 🙏 Thank you so much for watching and sharing with us!! It is so much appreciated! Stay safe out there 🫶❤️
Personally, I'm very glad you shared this part of your story! I'm a single female vanlifer. Any and all tips are welcomed!! We never know in these days who's who! I'm glad your dogs knew it wasn't a good situation and happy you are both safe!❤
Vanlife full time for 5 years now. Ex-military. I’ve got a big dog and a gun. I woke up one night with someone climbing in my front seat. Situation resolved rather quickly. Sorry there are shitty folks out there. Btw. I heat lemon eucalyptus and peppermint oils in a diffuser in my van to keep the bugs at bay
5 years! Thats amazing!! Ahh that situation is definitely a nightmare. we’re glad you were well equipped to handle it, and I’m thinking that person will think twice before doing that again. Great advice for the bugs, thank you!!!! We will try this!! 🙏🏻 🦟
Having grownup in Manitoba I can attest to the fact that outside of the cities that get sprayed the mosquitoes are relentless and guaranteed to drive one crazy
I'm so glad you told your story bcuz other women out there need to be aware that these things can happen. Please continue to be safe & give your dogs some big love from me ❤😊
I liked this video a lot. I'm a 70 year old woman and living in my minivan with my dog and cat. I'm so happy you shared the situation as a single woman these things are scary. You took care of yourselves and it's a good lesson for all of us who van life.
My daughter is traveling nurse so she travels all over the country working at different hospitals or medical center so one day at her van this random guy try to hit on her but she refuses his advanced he didn't like it and decided to harass her but all girls carry and know how to change your attitude so after she warned him to leave she quickly revealed her glock and he willfully agree to leave her be
I’m glad she handled it, and knows how to handle herself - I bet it def eases your mind as a parent. There are people with bad intentions and it can really suck. Canada has very strict regulations regarding weapons - you’re not even permitted to have pepper spray here, which I think is unfortunate. But we do our best with what we got haha
Just landed on your channel looks great. Here in the USA my wife and I are super alert/protected on the road being two women alone. We've lived the van life. Back then we had just our Aussie. Sorry, love him and he would die for us but it wasn't enough for me to go back on the road. We recently picked up a new trailer and a new puppy. Our Doberman is full grown now. He's 95 pounds, and he's ready to roll. I don't think I would try to stop him from eating a man who stopped to yell at my wife. I'd say, do your thing boy. If that didn't work, my unfriendly male stranger would then meet Mr. Smith & Wesson. I'm done playing ladies, I'm done playing. After a young female couple was murdered in Utah at Moab national park that was it for us. Around the world we are under attack and here in the states it's real bad. We are done playing around. I'm a combat veteran and I'm done playing with these guys.
Thank you so much 🙏🏻. We understand what you mean about your Aussie - Cleo is half Aussie and she would do anything for us, but she’s only 40 lbs. We have talked about getting a shepherd or a dobbie - we love both of those breeds and want another dog eventually (sooner than later haha). It certainly is unsafe times, and we’re very glad you and your family are protected and safe. Please stay safe, and thank you so much for your comment and support. We appreciate it 🩵
"I'm done playing." I sooo get it, and that doubles for me. I've had to write license #s down, call police for extra patrols after midnight, take pics of harassing men on foot or in cars...it's exhausting. Document, ladies. We MUST fight!!
@@Wifepack My dad had a police german shepherd. They are smart, heavy and obedient and will attack in a heartbeat. I once brought a creepy guy home as a teenager with noone home...he did not let him past the front door! Also, at police dog training, the guy would train rottweilers as his sentry dogs to put in stores at night. They are all muscle mass and these were trained to kill sadly. Actually, the dobermans have more of a looking scary aura than a real life scenario fierce attack. They do not use them as police dogs.
I have just subscribed from London UK. Mostly because of your gorgeous doggies but saying that, I am glad you are safe and OK. It drives me mad, having 2 daughters of my own, that women can't live free anymore! much love x
Thank you so much for subbing! So happy you’re enjoying the doggos, we love them so much, it’s ridiculous 🥰❤️. Yes it’s a crazy world - I (Tonella here) have a 21 year old daughter and this world stresses me out for her too. Big love back at you, thanks so much again for being here, and we hope to see ya next week!
He was probably creeping and watched you shower. No matter how remote you think you are I would never be showering out in the open, invest in a pop up shower tent and watch out for each other x
That is great advice 🚿 🫶Typically we hang our shower curtain off the back doors or in the van using an awesome foldable pet pool. It’s sad feeling like we have to watch our backs all of the time, but we do what we need to be safe ❤ thank you for watching! Take care 🤗
@@Wifepack it is sad and I hate to say but it's the way the world seems to be going, so many opportunists and soulless creeps (male and female), watching your back is crutial in everyday life, people with vile hearts will always embrace/turn to jealousy when seeing others 'living the dream'....greetings from Australia, safe travels x
Manitoba is called Friendly Manitoba , maybe like a Manitoban he was trying to be friendly and didn't have gaydar and recognize two rug munchers who seem to think the worst of friendly people , I understand to be cautious but the way a person is being instantly deemed a creep is very unfair . My apologies for my insinuations myself . Peace & Love and hope your stay in Manitoba was enjoyable and a good memory .
You guys have a vacuum……. that’s what I use at night when I have mosquitoes. I turn all the lights off except one and the mosquitoes will go to that one light and then you just vacuum them all up.👍😎
@@Wifepack I don’t even have bug screens on my van…. If it’s dark outside, and my lights are on in the van and the doors open, it’s the same thing. All the bugs from outside will be attracted to that light and they will come inside……. So I do close the doors before dark or at least turn all the lights off……… but even if they do…… the vacuum mosquito hunting season is on once I pick that thing up 😁👍….. they don’t stand a chance.😊
The one I use ….I use for building also…. It’s a DeWalt handheld……. I’m sure at some point in my build videos it’ll be in one of my videos.👍😎 (I’m about six months behind in my videos.) but mind is a Dewalt… if that helps
@@BryanConnelly You are brave without screens!! We went a month I think without them, and between bugs and the heat we need our doors open without the intruders lol. So we just got one of those magnet screens from Canadian Tire! They are Velcro bordered, works pretty good but might invest in a magnet one as the adhesive wears down so we have to replace it now and then. We don’t have windows other than the front, and that is divided off to separate us from the heat and safety reasons! Doors must be open! Haha.
@@BryanConnelly PS we did start using your vacuum idea though!! Thank you it works so well! Especially the little tiny bugs that get in regardless of what we do lol Thank you!! 🙏 🤗
Yup. My partner and I were snoozing at a quiet rest stop on Vancouver Island. We were the only car there when a car came in and did controlled skids and donuts directly at our vehicle...laying down a lot of rubber. It then went and idled a little way away for a minute and then started again. We eventually started up and slowly drove past them when they parked a second time. One of us took footage of some of these dangerously close skids while the other hopped into the driver seat. We called the RCMP when we were safely on the highway. There was a recorded message inviting us to leave a message. No one ever called us back. It was truly scary.
That’s a terrifying experience, and we’re so sorry that happened. It’s so difficult when you’re in these scenarios because you really don’t have any time to stop and plan out the best response. Glad you reported it, but that’s awful there was no response. I think it’s important to tell these stories though, so we are all aware of things that could potentially happen and talk about the best way to handle them. 🩵 big love from all of us.
I did van life in canada and I was stalked on a trail.I had two dogs and the guy would not stop.So I whipped out my phone and called my friend who was an r c m p officer and put her on speakerphone. I literally had to tell the guy to leave and go away and then he left and he was waiting for me in the parking lot. Luckily I was still on the phone with my friend. Some guys are f****** creeps.Don't go alone ladies.
You did the right thing in sharing that scary story No matter where you go you can bet your going to come across WACOS Being Im a 68 year old female Ive had my share And now I have 2 firearms A baseball bat just wont cut it anymore So sad but true I wish the 4 of you nothing but safe and fun travels GOD BLESS
Thank you so much for sharing and you are right, no matter where you go whether it is out in the wild or in the city we will come across people that may not have good intentions. Arguably we feel we are safer out here 😂 thankful you are well protected, and although we are not in the same way, we definitely are mindful from this experience! All the best to you! And thank you so much for watching and sharing with us!! ❤️
I just found your channel and I’m from Manitoba. I am so sorry your experience here wasn’t the best and hope you visit again, this province is beautiful and can be a great experience. Glad you are all safe
My god, you need to know that it was good to have two of you there, he sounds like a real creeper, and definitely not safe. He kept driving away and returning, signs he was not safe.
@@studiotezart You are SO welcome, we think so too! Our mission is to share our real life realities, be true to us, and be completely transparent in our content. Thank you so much for watching, your support means the world to us!! Take care, all the love from us 4 🫶🚐💨👩🏻🤝👩🏼🐺🐕
Moab, Utah had an unpleasant case a couple of years ago concerning a female couple , who were disperse camping and didn’t follow their instinct (or maybe didn’t have time )…I am a female solo Van Nomad, I am very aware when I’m off in the bush , as I’m sure you both are..Safety and security are Always a good topic to keep us on our toes.
The problem with parking in the middle of no where , in a spot that most likely locals are VERY aware of ( that it's remote, and people often seek out remote while traveling) , it can be very risky. So glad you are OK!!!
@@missycitty9478 hmm that’s a great point, thank you for bringing that up. We will definitely be considering this as we go! Thank you for sharing and the support of watching us!! ❤️❤️🫶
There have been a lot of theses stories lately (men scaring or harassing vanlife women). We women have to be very mindful and have protection, whether it be dogs or something else. Hope the rest of your trip is better!
New subscriber here I’m so glad you guys got the heck out of there. That was the smartest idea ever and thank God you have your beautiful dogs protecting you.
Just found your site, looks interesting. I lived in a Motor home for five years and traveled around the U.S. Have camped just about everyway from on the ground, picnic tables, cars, trucks, trailers, motor home, and now have an older van. Living in Tucson, Az at present. Rarely leave the state for travel anymore, health issues. But it doesn't stop me from wandering. I have a couple dogs, Datson is 16yrs, Harlee is 3yrs. Mostly Harlee with me, Datson is getting to old for walks and getting in and out of van. I look forward to seeing more of your content. Stay safe and travel far. P.S. Nice to see a couple traveling together and being truthful about it.
Wow you are a very experienced camper!! Besides tent camping, we have also spent time in a car previous to the van, definitely was a welcoming upgrade 😂 you are lucky to live in a state that is so accommodating to the lifestyle, we spent some time there in the winter and look forward to getting back! So happy to hear you are not stopping even with health issues ❤️🩹. Thank you for sharing some of your life with us and your dogs! As you can maybe tell our dogs mean the world to us and keep us motivated to explore 😊 thank you for the well wishes and all the same to you!! We appreciate SO much your acknowledgment of us being honest in the way we live, it means a lot to be noticed that way as it is what we strive to share. Good luck out there and safe travels as well!! ❤❤
Thank you for this story! I love to travel and now I find myself alone. I’m contemplating a trip from Alaska to the lower states ( I love Canada) in a few years. I agree with the wasp spray idea?. Safe travels , ladies!
@@IsleBurk thank YOU so much for watching and sharing with us!! Alaska is our dream!! Would love to head north that way someday!! 💙 happy travels to you as well!! Canada IS amazing eh, we are so proud to live and travel here 🍁Be safe out there!! All the best you!!! 🫶
I’m glad you told the story about the guy. We need to know the truth about what happens out there. I am just wanting to get on the road in a van myself and I want to know how well to equip myself for protecting myself.
@@annabellegettingwell1531 Thank you for your support! Yes we are happy we shared too, the amount of advice and support we received from everyone is amazing! Good luck in your travels! Be smart and safe and ENJOY! ❤️❤️
@@Susan-h9z totally agree, we have definitely learned a lot from the advice of you all and will add that to the list!! Thank you so much for your support!! All the love 🤗❤️
Good morning ladies. Hope your travels have been nothing but wonderful. I have a couple more tips I thought I would share, and maybe you could pass along to others. If you use an ice chest, or your frig gets sunlight we bought the silver insulation that you put on windows, and cut it to fit around the ice chest. Then take velcro that is sticky on one side and glue it to the insulation where it over laps around the chest. After that, cut a piece to reach from just below the lid in the back to just over the lid in the front and add velcro there. That way it is sealed all the way around. The velcro on the front allows you to still use the chest. As long as you keep it from direct sunlight it will keep ice for days this way. I also bought a large heavy weight piece of canvas and stitched an emergency (reflective space blanket) to the canvas, then put snaps on it and screwed snaps into the outside frame around the windshield. When you put this on it will cut the heat about 20 degrees. You have to stop the sun from hitting the glass to keep the temps down. This also works on all windows. You will be amazed how much of a difference there will be. Also holds heat in when it is cold. Stay safe.
@@AndreaWoodby Wow thank you so much for your advice!! We will definitely share with others, thank you!! Our fridge runs dc so it is always staying nice and cold, we currently do not have windows in our home but if we did that would definitely be great solution! Wasting power to constantly keep the fridge cold would not be ideal!! 🙏 We LOVE your idea for the windshield!! It gets insanely hot in the front which we often use as our office space when we are stationary. That is an amazing solution and we will definitely think about doing something similar! Thank you so so much, you’re so awesome for sharing with us!! ❤️❤️
Long time solo traveler here, and I won't camp on crown land anymore. I don't know what has happened to people. It's not the same and not as trusting as it was years ago. It's a shame because travelling on my own is such freedom. I still do it. Just way more organizing is involved and way more safety measures are put in place. Be safe out there!
Just watched all your videos from the beginning and really loved all of 'em😃😁 plus wowza, you're both very inspiring ppl!!!!😃😀 One's a Olympic champion and one is a music teacher/singer and amazing artist soon to be tattooist 🤗 you's are both so creative and you's make an amazing team 💪💪👍 and obviously LOVE your adorable kota and cleo.....tooooo much cuteness 😍 lovedxseeing Kota as a tiny, wee puppy awwww!!!! 🥰 loved you's making lots of friends at the vanlife pride get together, looked like a fun time🤗😊 I'm so glad you's are all okay after that wee scare with that guy!!!! Stay safe guys and can't wait til the next video 🙂 ✌️❤ 🏴🏴
Oh my goodness thank you so so much!!! ❤❤ You are so kind and your support means the world to us!! We feel so lucky to have found each other and we love sharing our life with you all! And of course our babies are the real stars, we know 😉🐺🐕. We will let you in on a secret, a couple we met at VanLife Pride will be meeting up with us soon so stay tuned! That event was life changing for us and we are so happy you enjoyed seeing it. Thanks again for your kindness and support❤We will definitely be safe and hope you are as well! Best wishes to you!! ❤❤
Always trust instincts, and even more dogs instincts. Always get a license plate and description and share with friends, the driving backwards and approaching over limits, glad you all have protection in van and dogs are one of them, unfortunately we don't want our pups in threatening situations, but they will protect those they love.
Honestly we learned so much from this experience, from the advice of all of you and reflecting what we could have done differently. Fortunately we are all ok and the situation was diffused, but we will be sure to get license plate/description, etc., next time. It’s crazy what you don’t think of when in it! We are so grateful to have our dogs (we trust their judgement entirely!!) and you’re right we don’t want them in threatening situations either!! They are our babies! 🐺🐕❤️ thank you so much for your advice and keeping up with us, it means so much to us 4 🫶
Glad you stood your ground. I agree about listening to your animals. I had a man not listen and my dog bit him while she was on a cable on my property. His response, " I can't believe your dog bit me!" My reply, " I told u 3xs and you didn't listen." She didn't break the skin but left a bruise and her teeth marks. I worried he would try to have her removed by animal control but he didn't. He died of a heart attack a week later. That part was sad.
@@lovesomeone7285 Oh my goodness well I would think from our experience our dogs would do the same thing!! Blows our minds that someone needs to be asked more than once to stay back!!! Oh dear, him having a heart attack is definitely sad 😟 Thankful for our protective puppers though 🤍🤍
Wow, so happy you guys are safe! I just found your channel thanks to this story… it pisses me off to realize that in 2024, we are still not safe as women. You guys handled it great and so did the puppies! Only blue skies ahead!
@@artscraftymama Thank you so much for saying we handled it well! We have received so much advice from you all, we are so appreciative and hopefully won’t be a next time but definitely feel more prepared! 💪 Hope you have a fantastic day, and thank you so much for watching!! ❤️❤️ All the love from us 4 🚐💨👩🏻🤝👩🏼🐺🐕🫶
Thank you for watching!! Hope you stick around, we love sharing our adventures, the ups and the downs as you can see lol. All the best to you as well ❤
Just found you ,,you're both(and sweet pips) Great...I,m solo 75 female,in my 18ft Skoolie, for 5 years now....only one semi scarey encounter,,,which I handled.So,we go Onwards...stay happy n safe
@@carolclover1238 thank you so so much!! 5 years solo at 75!! You are an inspiration! Thank you for sharing, having only 1 encounter ourselves we felt it was important to talk about but it doesn’t deter us from living this way! Keep on keepin on!! Happy safe travels to you too!! ❤️❤️🚌
Just found your channel. Don't know if you are from Canada or just traveling there but, the feeling you had while that guy was walking towards you.... That, mostly, helpless feeling... That is why we have the second amendment in the US. It's not because we love our guns or deer hunting. It's because our right to self-defense is endowed by our creator. I've had that feeling that y'all experienced. Where the other person had every ounce of control over me and there was nothing I could do. I will not feel that way again.
Recommend > whether it's true or not Consider to clarify you're NOT alone and point in the van and also in the forest, but also advise them THEY are ALREADY on broadcast Audio/Video to your show on youtube. Dang, that 'male dominance', creepy driving around, entering your camp, approaching against your warning, against your dog(s)..., really hate to see that guy and you're not commenting, but I hope you got him and his vehicle on video. Because likely NOT first time and he'll keep-up until it's expensive legal wound to him. And may Rangers already have reports? know him ?
I just discovered your channel. I’m now subscribed and will back up and start your videos from the beginning. 😊 But wow, scary situation. I’m glad you’re both safe. I do want to say that this is the first van I’ve seen with kennels built in under the bed. Genius! Only people who kennel train their dogs know how important this is!
@@kathyd8958 oh my goodness thank you so so much for your support!!! 🤗 That means so much to us!! The kennels are a must have in our opinion!! Both our pups were crate trained as babies, so the transition was seamless moving in! They have their safe space, and we get a break while they’re in their sleep and treat zone 😂😉 What we lost in storage makes up exponentially in our (and theirs) peace of mind 🤗 Thanks again for watching!! All the love from us 4! 🚐💨👩🏻🤝👩🏼🐺🐕🫶
lol! Alberta is dry and there are no mosquitos! I grew up here but lived in Vancouver, BC for a long time. IMO there's a ton more mosquitos in AB, I live in northern AB and I have to use bug spray with I walk in the trails. In BC I didn't.
@@BillieHurtman Thank you so much for saying that! We have had mass majority agree and we are so glad we shared. We opened up the conversation with all of you and received SO much encouragement, advice, love, and well wishes. Thank you so much for your validation and kindness, we are so grateful 🙏❤️
Morning ladies. I haven't seen the top of your van, but I you are using a bucket for your shower. When we camped in our truck with a canopy on it we mounted a 4" pvc pipe with a vent cap on top, and a hose connection on the back end. Hook a hose to the end and open vent to fill with water, close vent until ready to shower. Water heated by the sun, crack the vent and hook up the hose and you have hot water to shower. Drop a bar of soap in an old nylon and tie it where you are going to shower- never falls, and never dirty. Enjoy your days
@@AndreaWoodby oh my goodness thank you for this! We love hearing what others do and always looking to improve our systems :) any chance you have a picture or diagram? Would love a visual! Thanks again, and we appreciate so much for watching!! ❤️❤️🤗
@@DawnHightman Ah us too, no to the creepers out there!!! Thank you so much, we love our little home 🫶🚐💨 We are grateful too, thank you for watching!! ❤️
I live in Australia there has been several people losing there lives .Take great care,always have car keys with you not left in ignition great you have dogs,thank you for sharing your story 😮😢😮
@@lydiaredl9879 Hi there!!! 👋 thank you for watching us and giving your advice! You are so welcome, we are sad to hear of other unfortunate stories and grateful we were able to come out of the other side of it and share with you all. Hope we encourage others to be cautious but still enjoy their life and not live in fear. Bad things happen to everyone unfortunately, but some of these things we women need to keep talking about more!! Thanks for watching we are so grateful to see you here!! ❤️❤️
New sub, and I am enjoying your video and your puppers. It's sad we have to be on such high alert and as you cannot carry in Canada, Bear spray is an option but wasp spray may be a better one. Bear spray is pepper spray and once you shoot it off, unless you are with the wind the spray back can affect you and your dogs as well. Keep alert and stay safe.
@@the_mum hi!!! 👋 Thank you so much for kindness and support!! Happy to hear you are enjoying the video & our puppers, we enjoy them as well 😉🐺🐕 Thank you so much for the advice!! 🐝 We appreciate it so much, and only want to keep our pups and ourselves safe the best we can!! All the best wishes to you, thanks so much!! 🫶❤️
Sorry I forgot. Have you thought of a slingshot and a bag of small irregular rocks? Check on standing your ground in the travel areas. Bear spray too I heard is quite effective and not deadly. It all really depends on the situation. Sometimes the person needs some help and would benefit from a paper and pencil to write down his challenges as a mute. Stay calm. Have you taken any good self defense classes?
Hopefully, based on the description you gave of the dogs actions when that guy approached, the dogs growl and bark at night if anyone approaches your van… If not, Get some motion sensors to attach to the 4 corners of the van with magnets. That way you will be alerted if anyone sneaks up to the van at night. Also keep your blinds closed..alot of nuts use night vision googles to spy. Lock and load kiddos…there are a bunch of weirdos out there!!!! ❤
@@mikrettop6501 Yes they are very sensitive to the noise going on outside the van, thankful they do bark and growl if they hear something concerning!! Motion lights are definitely on our list, thank you!!
not sure why your video popped up today - am definitely a bricks and mortar gal - don’t even drive anymore - but as a single young senior with obvious disabling health concerns I try to be aware of my circumstances - you don’t have to be out on crown land in the prairies to be concerned these days - am two hrs west of Toronto and after living quietly for 26 yrs where I am - met a private security guard going floor to floor in our bldg this past week - asked him if I should be worried and he shook his head - but as he walked down the hall - he said “just be aware” - gads - then your video - double gads - sorry for what you went thru - glad you have each other and your dogs - lots of good caring useful comments (glad the trolls seem to have kept away) - stay aware stay safe (no mosquitoes on the ninth floor north - just Pharoah ants - so nothing I can add) - enjoy this great country of ours 🇨🇦🙏
Oh my land, we had no idea and were not prepared for the armies of mosquitos and for the ticks!!! Haha but we did visit in August before and it wasn’t nearly as bad so we will save our visits for that season ;)
I am sorry, I do not have any pics. If I did it wouldn't help, I am kind of behind on smarts when it comes to electronics and don't know how to send pics. You can make the pvc the length of your van, or run more than one. A shower head with the on/ off slide workers great. Hope this is something that helps you. We always got wet, shampooed and shut the water off and soaped everything else, and rinse once. Saved a lot of water. I am enjoying about 110o these days, how is your weather? Stay safe
@@AndreaWoodby No worries, Andrea! You have described your system very well and it sounds amazing! Maybe one day down the road we will try out something similar, so thank you for sharing!!! We have a heat wave up here in Canada as well! Stay cool!! ❤️❤️🤗
Think it’s important to be transparent about these unpleasant and scary aspects of Van Life. Always listen to your Dogs and don’t neglect listening to your instincts. Stay Safe.
Thanks for sharing the story ... I've been using a french press for 30 years and have never needed to let it sit and percolate ... I press right after pouring and stirring and have robust, yummy coffee every time.
I’m going to try that tomorrow - I think the issue is we like it so strong, and the longer it sits, the more like jet fuel it becomes hehe. But we will try that ;)
@@Wifepack I like it strong AF too. I'm going with a Keurig mini in my van build for space, water usage reasons etc and am still trying to find pods that are comparable.
@@markratzlafffrom our Keurig days, pods we have liked for good strong coffee is McDonalds and Tim Hortons 🇨🇦!!! We would love a Keurig again, but it’s crazy how much the garbage collects and to avoid using power where we can! Love hearing what other vanlifer preferences are, thanks for sharing!! ❤☕️
sorry that happened to you both. please pick up 3 bear spray bottles. one for each door pocket and maybe by the sliding door or somewhere easy reach. if it stops a bear it will stop a man. dont tell anyone you got it tho or for its use other then bears. hope you went to a near bye RCMP detachment and made a incident report for the record. this way the RCMP are aware and can keep a lookout. also they might tell the local natural resource officer too about it. praise the dogs and give em extra treats,
I live on a van too. And have been in mosquito country. And discovered to wet a paper towel... and swat at the buggers. Somehow they don't move so quickly away and it is much easier to kill them.
Great video! Just found your page and I’m subscribing immediately! 💜 your dogs are too cute, and I’m so glad they were ready to protect you! I have a pitty mix and she is the same way. I’d rather her act crazy than to look like an easy target.
Thank you so much for subscribing, we’re so happy to have you along for the journey!! Aw yes we love them so much. A pitty mix 😍!!! She sounds like she has your back. We totally agree - especially out in the wilderness.
I use one of those cheap tennis zappers for in the van and it works a treat! But that was an insane amt of mosquitoes omg. Tics, mosquitos = all i ever hear about Manitoba lol. AND you got a bonus random freakster---> time to go! 😬
Really enjoyed your video. Glad you got out safely. Situations can change so quickly..you can never be too careful. Along with everything else in Los Angeles..we have coyotes in some areas…not great when you have chihuahuas!
Yes, it’s always best to try to diffuse situations, but can be hard to think on your feet during them, so we are trying to be more prepared now. Coyotes!! We have those too, definitely not great with the chihuahuas 🥺!!! Stay safe and thanks again for your comment!
I'm glad you kept safe. No man would be afraid of my small dogs, even though they would bite in that situation. This is the part of nomadic life that scares every woman, but it is a reality. There are, unfortunately. Many young nomadic ladies on RUclips who are not smart or prepared. I hope this is a good reminder to those who believe the world is a safe place. Our choices and preparedness are what make our worlds safe. Thank you for sharing.
@@Wifepack they may be midsize dogs, but they could do some damage, especially together. Predators like easy prey. Your dogs were not going to allow that.
@@michellecoleman9849 Also thank you so much for saying that, like we said in the video we debated telling it but you are so right. If we can help anyone at all feel more prepared because we shared our situation, which gave space to all of you sharing your experiences and advice, then we feel like we did the right thing ❤️ thanks again! 🫶
@@Wifepack I get that. I would be afraid that someone would kick mine in their heads. I wouldn't want them to attack. I hope never to encounter such a situation.
Sorry you had to deal with that situation. I would be freaked out as well. As a Manitoban, please come back again. You likely drove past where I live, Brandon.
I'm glad nothing more happened with that unwelcome visitor. Good puppies.... ❤❤❤. Yes, it's important to share the bad situations too, otherwise ppl don't get the full and true story of your travels. Stay safe and hopefully big free.....
@@merklingassoc We agree whole heartedly! And we hope that our conversations reach others so they are prepared, but also not deterred from still living their life, whether that is in a van or an apartment in the city. Thank you so much for watching us!! We truly appreciate your kind words and support ❤️❤️🤗
@@Wifepack Thank you for sharing. Also, so glad you also share the importance of keeping yourself safe on walks. In my younger years I worked in a pretty bad area of San Francisco and commuted daily to Marin County. Often getting home late at night. I carried one of those scream alarm blasters on my key chain. Us women out there alone (or even not alone) need to keep ourselves safe... I'm now 70, but loved traveling when I was younger. I'll not be one of those wishing I'd done it when I go. Stay safe, but have a great time while doing it..... ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Just became a sub.... 👍👍👍
I once pulled over to sleep in the algonquin Mountains just as i was drifting off i seen a fashlight in the woods coming at me ! I jumped up half asleep and lucky got myself out of there it had no house anywhere scary moment
@@shanacookthecanukgypsy9527 Ahh that’s terrifying!! Better to be safe than sorry 🚐💨 Glad you are ok, thank you for sharing with us!! Safe travels to you!! 🫶 Thanks for watching!!
I just found your channel... I'm glad you two got out of there. I'm a 62-year-old gay woman; I've known so many wonderful men in my life who really get it. Many of my best friends are men and they all understand - to the best of their ability - what women encounter out in the world. I was astounded, however, during the recent 'Would you rather see a bear or a strange man in the woods?' conversation, at how many guys STILL don't get it. Guys, THIS is what women deal with. Being 'scoped out.' Being approached for no good reason. A woman (or women, in this case) who has driven out into the middle of nowhere is probably looking for solitude. She is not sitting there hoping that some man (or anyone else, for that matter) will come along to keep her company. There is absolutely NO reason to approach her. Ladies, I do look forward to seeing all of your future - hopefully, uneventful - travels.
Come to BC! They gassed the shit out of this place in the '60's, so we have no bugs but we do have bears. Many bears! Bring bear spray. Lots of bear spray. (works on men too) Good & Bad right? Such is life. Stay safe sisters, xo
Haha aww well that’s perfect because thats our end destination to this cross Canada trip - we can’t wait!!! And no problem, we will take the bears 😂. Loading up on bear spray for all aforementioned reasons! Cheers friend and thanks for the comment 🥰🙏🏻🩵
You need doggy snacks try rosemary or laavender spray keeps away mosquitoes also coffee and close mix add wick then melted candle wax let cool and light they haye the smell hope these solutions help.
I'm vanlifing in SK (my home) for the summer...if you plan on spending any time here let me know and I can give you some good spots, provide a shower, or laundry!
Oh my goodness thank you so much you are so kind!! We did find an amazing campground in Indian Head, Sk with the best amenities! Stopped there quick for those luxuries but we will definitely keep ya in mind! Thanks so much ❤❤
Thanks for watching everyone! We would love to know what you would do in this situation - we always want to be transparent and we LOVE van life, but this is a reality and being prepared makes you (and us) more equipped to deal with dangerous scenarios when/if they happen! Let us know in the comments and big love to everyone from all four of us!
Welcome to Alberta!
I think you guys handled the situation very good and just the fact that there was 2 of you and the 2 dogs is alot better than some VanLife dwellers ........ i am very please that you told the story as it helps others see the other side of living in your vehicle ........... you just got a new subscriber
You did good but get some protection
Lock and load or mace
You ladies are amazing
Please keep posting ❤
I hope you guys are carrying!!
@@Thom1973 thank you SO much for that validation! Welcome to our channel, thank you so much for following us! You are very kind and we appreciate your comment so much, we are happy to be on the other side of the situation safe and happy, and feel even more prepared going forward. Take care!! ❤️🫶
Getting more realistic videos about van life is so important! Not just happy fantasy life but real van life!
@@Frostflwr69 thank you so much for saying that, it has been our goal from the beginning to be true to us and share our daily life: the good, bad, and the ugly 😉 Thank you for seeing us!! All the best to you!! 🫶❤️
I’m so sick and tired of men acting like assholes! As a married man and the father of three boys I’m proud to say my two remaining sons are respectful, loving men who treat their partners with love, respect, kindness and understanding! I’m glad you shared this experience, the reality of misogynistic behaviour seems to be even more prevalent as our world slips back into the 20th century and I hope that the men watching this can witness just how impactful their behaviour can be!
I’m so sorry you’ve had this experience, I felt sick to my stomach watching you both share this and I’m sure you know that many men watching will feel as I do!
Stay safe! Respect from Ontario! I’ll sub for sure!
Rick
Thank you so much for your comment, Rick. I think a lot would change in the world if more men would react this way, with kindness and respect and with the intent to make the world a better place, which you clearly have 🙏🏻🩵. We really respect your comment, and appreciate you taking the time to write it. It means more than you know to have a man stand up and say these things, and provide a better example. You are awesome, and we’re so glad you subscribed 💙. Thank you from all four of us.
I never thought men paid attention to the a$$hole creepy men out there. We need more of you! Great comment
It's constant, unfortunately.
Thanks for being the change Rick. ❤
I'm with you bro!
Great decision to leave. Sometimes they lurk and come back. Anyone who does not listen and keeps walking towards barking dogs could be dangerous.
I keep several items that double as weapons, including a heavy long distance lantern that I can blind someone with if necessary and a police siren. I also try to stay connected and had an app that sends automatic emergency signals to family/friends and local law enforcement. (will be looking for a new one.) Next trip, I will install my motion sensor lights on the side of my van, set to emergency flashing if something as tall as a human gets near the van at night.
@@LoveLivingLoveNow We thought so too, his behaviour was so disturbing, thank you for validating our feelings!! ❤️🤗
Thank you so much for sharing what you use for protection! A police siren! 🚨 That would be amazing! Motion lights will definitely be in our future as well! We use find your location with friends and family, but if there’s a better app for that let us know!! 🙏
Thank you so much for watching and sharing with us!! It is so much appreciated! Stay safe out there 🫶❤️
I used the Citizen app while on my last trip. i really liked that there was a live feature to video and alert police!!
Personally, I'm very glad you shared this part of your story! I'm a single female vanlifer. Any and all tips are welcomed!! We never know in these days who's who! I'm glad your dogs knew it wasn't a good situation and happy you are both safe!❤
I'm glad you have dogs who barked.
Vanlife full time for 5 years now. Ex-military. I’ve got a big dog and a gun. I woke up one night with someone climbing in my front seat. Situation resolved rather quickly.
Sorry there are shitty folks out there.
Btw. I heat lemon eucalyptus and peppermint oils in a diffuser in my van to keep the bugs at bay
5 years! Thats amazing!! Ahh that situation is definitely a nightmare. we’re glad you were well equipped to handle it, and I’m thinking that person will think twice before doing that again. Great advice for the bugs, thank you!!!! We will try this!! 🙏🏻 🦟
@@Wifepack maybe you could vacuum those bugs right up from the inside.
I'm glad you are both safe!
Is that bug doping pet friendly tho...
Having grownup in Manitoba I can attest to the fact that outside of the cities that get sprayed the mosquitoes are relentless and guaranteed to drive one crazy
@@JamiroquaiBirnie-mc3qi I am wondering that as well... I remember hearing that some (or was it most?) essential oils could be BAD for DOGS
I'm so glad you told your story bcuz other women out there need to be aware that these things can happen. Please continue to be safe & give your dogs some big love from me ❤😊
I liked this video a lot. I'm a 70 year old woman and living in my minivan with my dog and cat. I'm so happy you shared the situation as a single woman these things are scary. You took care of yourselves and it's a good lesson for all of us who van life.
My daughter is traveling nurse so she travels all over the country working at different hospitals or medical center so one day at her van this random guy try to hit on her but she refuses his advanced he didn't like it and decided to harass her but all girls carry and know how to change your attitude so after she warned him to leave she quickly revealed her glock and he willfully agree to leave her be
I’m glad she handled it, and knows how to handle herself - I bet it def eases your mind as a parent. There are people with bad intentions and it can really suck. Canada has very strict regulations regarding weapons - you’re not even permitted to have pepper spray here, which I think is unfortunate. But we do our best with what we got haha
This 👆... Gun rights are women's rights!!!
@@Wifepack A nice oak baseball bat is kept by my bedside and that was given to me by a male friend. I agree the regulations are too strict.
Good for your daughter!
@@Wifepacksick of these creeping men. Mandemic. Do what you have to do
Just landed on your channel looks great. Here in the USA my wife and I are super alert/protected on the road being two women alone. We've lived the van life. Back then we had just our Aussie. Sorry, love him and he would die for us but it wasn't enough for me to go back on the road. We recently picked up a new trailer and a new puppy. Our Doberman is full grown now. He's 95 pounds, and he's ready to roll. I don't think I would try to stop him from eating a man who stopped to yell at my wife. I'd say, do your thing boy. If that didn't work, my unfriendly male stranger would then meet Mr. Smith & Wesson. I'm done playing ladies, I'm done playing. After a young female couple was murdered in Utah at Moab national park that was it for us. Around the world we are under attack and here in the states it's real bad. We are done playing around. I'm a combat veteran and I'm done playing with these guys.
Thank you so much 🙏🏻. We understand what you mean about your Aussie - Cleo is half Aussie and she would do anything for us, but she’s only 40 lbs. We have talked about getting a shepherd or a dobbie - we love both of those breeds and want another dog eventually (sooner than later haha). It certainly is unsafe times, and we’re very glad you and your family are protected and safe. Please stay safe, and thank you so much for your comment and support. We appreciate it 🩵
"I'm done playing." I sooo get it, and that doubles for me. I've had to write license #s down, call police for extra patrols after midnight, take pics of harassing men on foot or in cars...it's exhausting. Document, ladies. We MUST fight!!
@@Susan-h9zso true
@@Wifepack My dad had a police german shepherd. They are smart, heavy and obedient and will attack in a heartbeat. I once brought a creepy guy home as a teenager with noone home...he did not let him past the front door! Also, at police dog training, the guy would train rottweilers as his sentry dogs to put in stores at night. They are all muscle mass and these were trained to kill sadly. Actually, the dobermans have more of a looking scary aura than a real life scenario fierce attack. They do not use them as police dogs.
I have just subscribed from London UK. Mostly because of your gorgeous doggies but saying that, I am glad you are safe and OK. It drives me mad, having 2 daughters of my own, that women can't live free anymore! much love x
Thank you so much for subbing! So happy you’re enjoying the doggos, we love them so much, it’s ridiculous 🥰❤️. Yes it’s a crazy world - I (Tonella here) have a 21 year old daughter and this world stresses me out for her too. Big love back at you, thanks so much again for being here, and we hope to see ya next week!
We have never been free
He was probably creeping and watched you shower. No matter how remote you think you are I would never be showering out in the open, invest in a pop up shower tent and watch out for each other x
That is great advice 🚿 🫶Typically we hang our shower curtain off the back doors or in the van using an awesome foldable pet pool. It’s sad feeling like we have to watch our backs all of the time, but we do what we need to be safe ❤ thank you for watching! Take care 🤗
@@Wifepack it is sad and I hate to say but it's the way the world seems to be going, so many opportunists and soulless creeps (male and female), watching your back is crutial in everyday life, people with vile hearts will always embrace/turn to jealousy when seeing others 'living the dream'....greetings from Australia, safe travels x
@@mysticalsouls mostly men
Probably
Manitoba is called Friendly Manitoba , maybe like a Manitoban he was trying to be friendly and didn't have gaydar and recognize two rug munchers who seem to think the worst of friendly people , I understand to be cautious but the way a person is being instantly deemed a creep is very unfair . My apologies for my insinuations myself . Peace & Love and hope your stay in Manitoba was enjoyable and a good memory .
You guys have a vacuum……. that’s what I use at night when I have mosquitoes. I turn all the lights off except one and the mosquitoes will go to that one light and then you just vacuum them all up.👍😎
@@BryanConnelly that’s so smart!! We need one with a better battery then 😆
@@Wifepack I don’t even have bug screens on my van…. If it’s dark outside, and my lights are on in the van and the doors open, it’s the same thing. All the bugs from outside will be attracted to that light and they will come inside…….
So I do close the doors before dark or at least turn all the lights off……… but even if they do…… the vacuum mosquito hunting season is on once I pick that thing up
😁👍….. they don’t stand a chance.😊
The one I use ….I use for building also…. It’s a DeWalt handheld……. I’m sure at some point in my build videos it’ll be in one of my videos.👍😎 (I’m about six months behind in my videos.)
but mind is a Dewalt… if that helps
@@BryanConnelly You are brave without screens!! We went a month I think without them, and between bugs and the heat we need our doors open without the intruders lol. So we just got one of those magnet screens from Canadian Tire! They are Velcro bordered, works pretty good but might invest in a magnet one as the adhesive wears down so we have to replace it now and then. We don’t have windows other than the front, and that is divided off to separate us from the heat and safety reasons! Doors must be open! Haha.
@@BryanConnelly PS we did start using your vacuum idea though!! Thank you it works so well! Especially the little tiny bugs that get in regardless of what we do lol Thank you!! 🙏 🤗
Thank you for sharing about the stranger. It is something that needs to be understood that us women deal with.
P.S. I need a dog
@@brendazorn7591 YES you do!! ❤️🐺🐕🫶
Yup. My partner and I were snoozing at a quiet rest stop on Vancouver Island. We were the only car there when a car came in and did controlled skids and donuts directly at our vehicle...laying down a lot of rubber. It then went and idled a little way away for a minute and then started again. We eventually started up and slowly drove past them when they parked a second time. One of us took footage of some of these dangerously close skids while the other hopped into the driver seat. We called the RCMP when we were safely on the highway. There was a recorded message inviting us to leave a message. No one ever called us back. It was truly scary.
Rocks work real well for unarmored vehicles. Real well. Best thing, there are soo many rocks on the ground.
That’s a terrifying experience, and we’re so sorry that happened. It’s so difficult when you’re in these scenarios because you really don’t have any time to stop and plan out the best response. Glad you reported it, but that’s awful there was no response. I think it’s important to tell these stories though, so we are all aware of things that could potentially happen and talk about the best way to handle them. 🩵 big love from all of us.
I did van life in canada and I was stalked on a trail.I had two dogs and the guy would not stop.So I whipped out my phone and called my friend who was an r c m p officer and put her on speakerphone. I literally had to tell the guy to leave and go away and then he left and he was waiting for me in the parking lot. Luckily I was still on the phone with my friend. Some guys are f****** creeps.Don't go alone ladies.
You did the right thing in sharing that scary story No matter where you go you can bet your going to come across WACOS Being Im a 68 year old female Ive had my share And now I have 2 firearms A baseball bat just wont cut it anymore So sad but true I wish the 4 of you nothing but safe and fun travels GOD BLESS
Thank you so much for sharing and you are right, no matter where you go whether it is out in the wild or in the city we will come across people that may not have good intentions. Arguably we feel we are safer out here 😂 thankful you are well protected, and although we are not in the same way, we definitely are mindful from this experience! All the best to you! And thank you so much for watching and sharing with us!! ❤️
You’ll know if he comes back… your wonderful dogs will alert you!! Stay safe and have a better trip ladies!! 😍😍
Thank you so much!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thanks for revealing this event - reality of these things is better to be aware of - Thanks!
Glad you girls are fine and safe.im surprised you didnt film the event
I just found your channel and I’m from Manitoba. I am so sorry your experience here wasn’t the best and hope you visit again, this province is beautiful and can be a great experience.
Glad you are all safe
My god, you need to know that it was good to have two of you there, he sounds like a real creeper, and definitely not safe. He kept driving away and returning, signs he was not safe.
@@Postitnews2024 totally agree with you there!! Very unsettling situation for us, thank you for validating our experience 🫶
It is VERY important to show the bad situations too! I am happy that you both are safe!
Thank you for this.
@@studiotezart You are SO welcome, we think so too! Our mission is to share our real life realities, be true to us, and be completely transparent in our content. Thank you so much for watching, your support means the world to us!! Take care, all the love from us 4 🫶🚐💨👩🏻🤝👩🏼🐺🐕
Moab, Utah had an unpleasant case a couple of years ago concerning a female couple , who were disperse camping and didn’t follow their instinct (or maybe didn’t have time )…I am a female solo Van Nomad, I am very aware when I’m off in the bush , as I’m sure you both are..Safety and security are Always a good topic to keep us on our toes.
The problem with parking in the middle of no where , in a spot that most likely locals are VERY aware of ( that it's remote, and people often seek out remote while traveling) , it can be very risky.
So glad you are OK!!!
@@missycitty9478 hmm that’s a great point, thank you for bringing that up. We will definitely be considering this as we go! Thank you for sharing and the support of watching us!! ❤️❤️🫶
@@Wifepack Just want you both to always be ok!!! 🧡🧡🧡
@@missycitty9478 you are so sweet!! 🥰 and we all appreciate it 🫶
@@Wifepack 💚💚
There have been a lot of theses stories lately (men scaring or harassing vanlife women). We women have to be very mindful and have protection, whether it be dogs or something else. Hope the rest of your trip is better!
Thank you so much!! 💛 we agree, we have to be mindful and prepared. Cheers and ty again for the comment
Thank you for telling us. Yoursmart & brave. Good job doggies!
@@lisajones2992 Thank you so much, you’re so kind!! And the dogs thank you too 🐺🐕❤️ All the love 🫶🤗
I do believe that making your van camouflage colored is a must ❤
New subscriber here I’m so glad you guys got the heck out of there. That was the smartest idea ever and thank God you have your beautiful dogs protecting you.
First time watcher here. I'm in Toronto, but, I'm from Montreal. You have a great show, thanks for sharing!
MJ
Just found your site, looks interesting. I lived in a Motor home for five years and traveled around the U.S. Have camped just about everyway from on the ground, picnic tables, cars, trucks, trailers, motor home, and now have an older van. Living in Tucson, Az at present. Rarely leave the state for travel anymore, health issues. But it doesn't stop me from wandering. I have a couple dogs, Datson is 16yrs, Harlee is 3yrs. Mostly Harlee with me, Datson is getting to old for walks and getting in and out of van. I look forward to seeing more of your content. Stay safe and travel far. P.S. Nice to see a couple traveling together and being truthful about it.
Wow you are a very experienced camper!! Besides tent camping, we have also spent time in a car previous to the van, definitely was a welcoming upgrade 😂 you are lucky to live in a state that is so accommodating to the lifestyle, we spent some time there in the winter and look forward to getting back! So happy to hear you are not stopping even with health issues ❤️🩹. Thank you for sharing some of your life with us and your dogs! As you can maybe tell our dogs mean the world to us and keep us motivated to explore 😊 thank you for the well wishes and all the same to you!! We appreciate SO much your acknowledgment of us being honest in the way we live, it means a lot to be noticed that way as it is what we strive to share. Good luck out there and safe travels as well!! ❤❤
Thanks for sharing. I think ya'll did the right thing.
Thank you!!! I think so too, given how quickly we had to make decisions!!! But glad to be ok and back on the road hehe
I'm terribly sorry that happened to you but, those stories need to be told too. Safe travels
Thank you so much!!! 🙏🏻❤️
Thank you for this story! I love to travel and now I find myself alone. I’m contemplating a trip from Alaska to the lower states ( I love Canada) in a few years. I agree with the wasp spray idea?. Safe travels , ladies!
@@IsleBurk thank YOU so much for watching and sharing with us!! Alaska is our dream!! Would love to head north that way someday!! 💙 happy travels to you as well!! Canada IS amazing eh, we are so proud to live and travel here 🍁Be safe out there!! All the best you!!! 🫶
I’m glad you told the story about the guy. We need to know the truth about what happens out there. I am just wanting to get on the road in a van myself and I want to know how well to equip myself for protecting myself.
@@annabellegettingwell1531 Thank you for your support! Yes we are happy we shared too, the amount of advice and support we received from everyone is amazing! Good luck in your travels! Be smart and safe and ENJOY! ❤️❤️
I think following your gut feeling is the best way to go and leaving the place was a good way to go.
We agree! That’s our best protection honestly, the guts and the dogs!! Thank you for watching!! ❤❤
@@WifepackWhat about having a phone number of a sheriff or Ranger/Mounty of the area you're staying in?? These jerks must be reported!
@@Susan-h9z totally agree, we have definitely learned a lot from the advice of you all and will add that to the list!! Thank you so much for your support!! All the love 🤗❤️
Good morning ladies. Hope your travels have been nothing but wonderful. I have a couple more tips I thought I would share, and maybe you could pass along to others. If you use an ice chest, or your frig gets sunlight we bought the silver insulation that you put on windows, and cut it to fit around the ice chest. Then take velcro that is sticky on one side and glue it to the insulation where it over laps around the chest. After that, cut a piece to reach from just below the lid in the back to just over the lid in the front and add velcro there. That way it is sealed all the way around. The velcro on the front allows you to still use the chest. As long as you keep it from direct sunlight it will keep ice for days this way. I also bought a large heavy weight piece of canvas and stitched an emergency (reflective space blanket) to the canvas, then put snaps on it and screwed snaps into the outside frame around the windshield. When you put this on it will cut the heat about 20 degrees. You have to stop the sun from hitting the glass to keep the temps down. This also works on all windows. You will be amazed how much of a difference there will be. Also holds heat in when it is cold. Stay safe.
@@AndreaWoodby Wow thank you so much for your advice!! We will definitely share with others, thank you!! Our fridge runs dc so it is always staying nice and cold, we currently do not have windows in our home but if we did that would definitely be great solution! Wasting power to constantly keep the fridge cold would not be ideal!! 🙏 We LOVE your idea for the windshield!! It gets insanely hot in the front which we often use as our office space when we are stationary. That is an amazing solution and we will definitely think about doing something similar!
Thank you so so much, you’re so awesome for sharing with us!! ❤️❤️
That was my thought: bear spray. It can be used for more than just bears. Machete is good to have as well.
We definitely have said devices and keep them closer at hand 😉 thank you!!! ❤
Long time solo traveler here, and I won't camp on crown land anymore. I don't know what has happened to people. It's not the same and not as trusting as it was years ago. It's a shame because travelling on my own is such freedom. I still do it. Just way more organizing is involved and way more safety measures are put in place. Be safe out there!
Just watched all your videos from the beginning and really loved all of 'em😃😁 plus wowza, you're both very inspiring ppl!!!!😃😀 One's a Olympic champion and one is a music teacher/singer and amazing artist soon to be tattooist 🤗 you's are both so creative and you's make an amazing team 💪💪👍 and obviously LOVE your adorable kota and cleo.....tooooo much cuteness 😍 lovedxseeing Kota as a tiny, wee puppy awwww!!!! 🥰 loved you's making lots of friends at the vanlife pride get together, looked like a fun time🤗😊 I'm so glad you's are all okay after that wee scare with that guy!!!! Stay safe guys and can't wait til the next video 🙂 ✌️❤ 🏴🏴
Oh my goodness thank you so so much!!! ❤❤ You are so kind and your support means the world to us!! We feel so lucky to have found each other and we love sharing our life with you all! And of course our babies are the real stars, we know 😉🐺🐕. We will let you in on a secret, a couple we met at VanLife Pride will be meeting up with us soon so stay tuned! That event was life changing for us and we are so happy you enjoyed seeing it. Thanks again for your kindness and support❤We will definitely be safe and hope you are as well! Best wishes to you!! ❤❤
@@Wifepack ✌️🥰
Always trust instincts, and even more dogs instincts. Always get a license plate and description and share with friends, the driving backwards and approaching over limits, glad you all have protection in van and dogs are one of them, unfortunately we don't want our pups in threatening situations, but they will protect those they love.
Honestly we learned so much from this experience, from the advice of all of you and reflecting what we could have done differently. Fortunately we are all ok and the situation was diffused, but we will be sure to get license plate/description, etc., next time. It’s crazy what you don’t think of when in it! We are so grateful to have our dogs (we trust their judgement entirely!!) and you’re right we don’t want them in threatening situations either!! They are our babies! 🐺🐕❤️ thank you so much for your advice and keeping up with us, it means so much to us 4 🫶
Glad you stood your ground. I agree about listening to your animals. I had a man not listen and my dog bit him while she was on a cable on my property. His response, " I can't believe your dog bit me!" My reply, " I told u 3xs and you didn't listen." She didn't break the skin but left a bruise and her teeth marks. I worried he would try to have her removed by animal control but he didn't. He died of a heart attack a week later. That part was sad.
@@lovesomeone7285 Oh my goodness well I would think from our experience our dogs would do the same thing!! Blows our minds that someone needs to be asked more than once to stay back!!! Oh dear, him having a heart attack is definitely sad 😟 Thankful for our protective puppers though 🤍🤍
Wow, so happy you guys are safe! I just found your channel thanks to this story… it pisses me off to realize that in 2024, we are still not safe as women. You guys handled it great and so did the puppies! Only blue skies ahead!
@@artscraftymama Thank you so much for saying we handled it well! We have received so much advice from you all, we are so appreciative and hopefully won’t be a next time but definitely feel more prepared! 💪 Hope you have a fantastic day, and thank you so much for watching!! ❤️❤️ All the love from us 4 🚐💨👩🏻🤝👩🏼🐺🐕🫶
Good luck ladies. Enjoy your travels and thank you for sharing ❤
Thank you for watching!! Hope you stick around, we love sharing our adventures, the ups and the downs as you can see lol. All the best to you as well ❤
I love y’all!!
Just found you ,,you're both(and sweet pips) Great...I,m solo 75 female,in my 18ft Skoolie, for 5 years now....only one semi scarey encounter,,,which I handled.So,we go Onwards...stay happy n safe
@@carolclover1238 thank you so so much!! 5 years solo at 75!! You are an inspiration! Thank you for sharing, having only 1 encounter ourselves we felt it was important to talk about but it doesn’t deter us from living this way! Keep on keepin on!! Happy safe travels to you too!! ❤️❤️🚌
Just found your channel. Don't know if you are from Canada or just traveling there but, the feeling you had while that guy was walking towards you.... That, mostly, helpless feeling... That is why we have the second amendment in the US. It's not because we love our guns or deer hunting. It's because our right to self-defense is endowed by our creator. I've had that feeling that y'all experienced. Where the other person had every ounce of control over me and there was nothing I could do. I will not feel that way again.
Most of the world does not live in fear of strangers as those in the usa do.
I am manitoba it is very safe.
Recommend > whether it's true or not
Consider to clarify you're NOT alone and point in the van and also in the forest,
but also advise them THEY are ALREADY on broadcast Audio/Video to your show on youtube.
Dang, that 'male dominance', creepy driving around, entering your camp, approaching against your warning, against your dog(s)...,
really hate to see that guy and you're not commenting, but I hope you got him and his vehicle on video. Because likely NOT first time and he'll keep-up until it's expensive legal wound to him. And may Rangers already have reports? know him ?
You should have filmed him and posted it
Yes exactly makes u wonder doesn’t it.
I just discovered your channel. I’m now subscribed and will back up and start your videos from the beginning. 😊 But wow, scary situation. I’m glad you’re both safe. I do want to say that this is the first van I’ve seen with kennels built in under the bed. Genius! Only people who kennel train their dogs know how important this is!
@@kathyd8958 oh my goodness thank you so so much for your support!!! 🤗 That means so much to us!!
The kennels are a must have in our opinion!! Both our pups were crate trained as babies, so the transition was seamless moving in! They have their safe space, and we get a break while they’re in their sleep and treat zone 😂😉 What we lost in storage makes up exponentially in our (and theirs) peace of mind 🤗
Thanks again for watching!! All the love from us 4! 🚐💨👩🏻🤝👩🏼🐺🐕🫶
It’s good to share those stories. People need to know it all.
lol! Alberta is dry and there are no mosquitos! I grew up here but lived in Vancouver, BC for a long time. IMO there's a ton more mosquitos in AB, I live in northern AB and I have to use bug spray with I walk in the trails. In BC I didn't.
We love you're trueness❤❤❤
you are awesome, thank you !!
It is good to tell of the not so great happenings. In the world today we need to let people know all is not perfect.. so glad you have the dogs
@@BillieHurtman Thank you so much for saying that! We have had mass majority agree and we are so glad we shared. We opened up the conversation with all of you and received SO much encouragement, advice, love, and well wishes. Thank you so much for your validation and kindness, we are so grateful 🙏❤️
Morning ladies. I haven't seen the top of your van, but I you are using a bucket for your shower. When we camped in our truck with a canopy on it we mounted a 4" pvc pipe with a vent cap on top, and a hose connection on the back end. Hook a hose to the end and open vent to fill with water, close vent until ready to shower. Water heated by the sun, crack the vent and hook up the hose and you have hot water to shower. Drop a bar of soap in an old nylon and tie it where you are going to shower- never falls, and never dirty. Enjoy your days
@@AndreaWoodby oh my goodness thank you for this! We love hearing what others do and always looking to improve our systems :) any chance you have a picture or diagram? Would love a visual! Thanks again, and we appreciate so much for watching!! ❤️❤️🤗
God I hate creepers! - opportunistic creepers. Thank god for dogs! ❤ nice van 😊 happy to see it turned out ok.
@@DawnHightman Ah us too, no to the creepers out there!!! Thank you so much, we love our little home 🫶🚐💨 We are grateful too, thank you for watching!! ❤️
I’ve always wondered- how do mosquitoes feed when there are no people to bite?
Animals.
I live in Australia there has been several people losing there lives .Take great care,always have car keys with you not left in ignition great you have dogs,thank you for sharing your story 😮😢😮
@@lydiaredl9879 Hi there!!! 👋 thank you for watching us and giving your advice! You are so welcome, we are sad to hear of other unfortunate stories and grateful we were able to come out of the other side of it and share with you all. Hope we encourage others to be cautious but still enjoy their life and not live in fear. Bad things happen to everyone unfortunately, but some of these things we women need to keep talking about more!! Thanks for watching we are so grateful to see you here!! ❤️❤️
New sub, and I am enjoying your video and your puppers. It's sad we have to be on such high alert and as you cannot carry in Canada, Bear spray is an option but wasp spray may be a better one. Bear spray is pepper spray and once you shoot it off, unless you are with the wind the spray back can affect you and your dogs as well. Keep alert and stay safe.
@@the_mum hi!!! 👋 Thank you so much for kindness and support!! Happy to hear you are enjoying the video & our puppers, we enjoy them as well 😉🐺🐕
Thank you so much for the advice!! 🐝 We appreciate it so much, and only want to keep our pups and ourselves safe the best we can!! All the best wishes to you, thanks so much!! 🫶❤️
Sorry I forgot. Have you thought of a slingshot and a bag of small irregular rocks? Check on standing your ground in the travel areas. Bear spray too I heard is quite effective and not deadly. It all really depends on the situation. Sometimes the person needs some help and would benefit from a paper and pencil to write down his challenges as a mute. Stay calm. Have you taken any good self defense classes?
Hopefully, based on the description you gave of the dogs actions when that guy approached, the dogs growl and bark at night if anyone approaches your van… If not, Get some motion sensors to attach to the 4 corners of the van with magnets. That way you will be alerted if anyone sneaks up to the van at night.
Also keep your blinds closed..alot of nuts use night vision googles to spy. Lock and load kiddos…there are a bunch of weirdos out there!!!! ❤
@@mikrettop6501 Yes they are very sensitive to the noise going on outside the van, thankful they do bark and growl if they hear something concerning!! Motion lights are definitely on our list, thank you!!
Oh, yes! ALWAYS trust your dogs!!! What a negative and possibly dangerous situation. I'm glad he left. Those near misses really reset perspective.
not sure why your video popped up today - am definitely a bricks and mortar gal - don’t even drive anymore - but as a single young senior with obvious disabling health concerns I try to be aware of my circumstances - you don’t have to be out on crown land in the prairies to be concerned these days - am two hrs west of Toronto and after living quietly for 26 yrs where I am - met a private security guard going floor to floor in our bldg this past week - asked him if I should be worried and he shook his head - but as he walked down the hall - he said “just be aware” - gads - then your video - double gads - sorry for what you went thru - glad you have each other and your dogs - lots of good caring useful comments (glad the trolls seem to have kept away) - stay aware stay safe (no mosquitoes on the ninth floor north - just Pharoah ants - so nothing I can add) - enjoy this great country of ours 🇨🇦🙏
Born and bred in Manitoba and 10 years in The Pas… mosquitoes are monsters and millions of horse flies, deer flies, etc…
yes and the winter is even more harsh! xo
Oh my land, we had no idea and were not prepared for the armies of mosquitos and for the ticks!!! Haha but we did visit in August before and it wasn’t nearly as bad so we will save our visits for that season ;)
I am sorry, I do not have any pics. If I did it wouldn't help, I am kind of behind on smarts when it comes to electronics and don't know how to send pics. You can make the pvc the length of your van, or run more than one. A shower head with the on/ off slide workers great. Hope this is something that helps you. We always got wet, shampooed and shut the water off and soaped everything else, and rinse once. Saved a lot of water. I am enjoying about 110o these days, how is your weather? Stay safe
@@AndreaWoodby No worries, Andrea! You have described your system very well and it sounds amazing! Maybe one day down the road we will try out something similar, so thank you for sharing!!! We have a heat wave up here in Canada as well! Stay cool!! ❤️❤️🤗
Melita pour overs, #2 filter. Best thing ever, husband kept busting his french presses, keurig died, so kettle and pour overs it is!!!
Think it’s important to be transparent about these unpleasant and scary aspects of Van Life. Always listen to your Dogs and don’t neglect listening to your instincts. Stay Safe.
Always tell when somethings feels off try to capture him on cam just in case
Thank God for our dogs. Be safe.
Imagine if there were no men in the world for just 1 month. The things we could do! I dream.
Thanks for sharing the story ... I've been using a french press for 30 years and have never needed to let it sit and percolate ... I press right after pouring and stirring and have robust, yummy coffee every time.
You enjoy weak coffee
Okay
I’m going to try that tomorrow - I think the issue is we like it so strong, and the longer it sits, the more like jet fuel it becomes hehe. But we will try that ;)
@@Wifepack I like it strong AF too. I'm going with a Keurig mini in my van build for space, water usage reasons etc and am still trying to find pods that are comparable.
@@markratzlafffrom our Keurig days, pods we have liked for good strong coffee is McDonalds and Tim Hortons 🇨🇦!!! We would love a Keurig again, but it’s crazy how much the garbage collects and to avoid using power where we can! Love hearing what other vanlifer preferences are, thanks for sharing!! ❤☕️
Belated welcome to Manitoba 🇨🇦
@@CountryWilly thank you so much!!!
sorry that happened to you both. please pick up 3 bear spray bottles. one for each door pocket and maybe by the sliding door or somewhere easy reach. if it stops a bear it will stop a man. dont tell anyone you got it tho or for its use other then bears. hope you went to a near bye RCMP detachment and made a incident report for the record. this way the RCMP are aware and can keep a lookout. also they might tell the local natural resource officer too about it. praise the dogs and give em extra treats,
Thank you so much - very good advice and happily received. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I live on a van too. And have been in mosquito country. And discovered to wet a paper towel... and swat at the buggers. Somehow they don't move so quickly away and it is much easier to kill them.
@@BohoBlueVan what a great idea!! Thank you!! 🙏 ❤️🦟
Great video! Just found your page and I’m subscribing immediately! 💜 your dogs are too cute, and I’m so glad they were ready to protect you! I have a pitty mix and she is the same way. I’d rather her act crazy than to look like an easy target.
Thank you so much for subscribing, we’re so happy to have you along for the journey!! Aw yes we love them so much. A pitty mix 😍!!! She sounds like she has your back. We totally agree - especially out in the wilderness.
Listen to one's spidey senses! Always. Manitoba is beautiful ...but buggy!! 👍😎🇨🇦🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟
@@marianfrances4959 Agree 100%!! 🕸️ Manitoba is SO beautiful!… if you can see through the swarms of mosquites 😂😂🫶
❤❤❤be careful out there girls God bless you on you're journeys
I use one of those cheap tennis zappers for in the van and it works a treat! But that was an insane amt of mosquitoes omg. Tics, mosquitos = all i ever hear about Manitoba lol. AND you got a bonus random freakster---> time to go! 😬
@@saltyscuba Definitely outta there 😆
Love following you guys!!!! great content and very inspiring. thankyou... there are weird people all over unfortunatley.
bear spray not only for bears. deffo.
You ladies get you a pow pow!! Dont be afraid to use it
Your nacho bowls are actually a staple dinner for us 😂
Love it!!! They are for us now too 😂 it was a happy accident :)
You guys are sooo dang cute, all 4 of you!
Happy travels 🐾
Be safe 🤍
@@lisbel.D aww thank you so so much!! 🥰 🫶
Really enjoyed your video. Glad you got out safely. Situations can change so quickly..you can never be too careful. Along with everything else in Los Angeles..we have coyotes in some areas…not great when you have chihuahuas!
Yes, it’s always best to try to diffuse situations, but can be hard to think on your feet during them, so we are trying to be more prepared now. Coyotes!! We have those too, definitely not great with the chihuahuas 🥺!!! Stay safe and thanks again for your comment!
On the third warning that is when you turn the dogs loose..
That little shower setup is pretty cool, you weren't lieing about the pressure.
@@larryshipley7645 Truly gets the job done 👌🚿
Continue njoying your beautiful lifes always be ready trust No one loved your video❤❤
That coffee looks so good
Ya'll did a really nice job with your van! Much love from the coast of Maine 🤙
@@robertbailey2342 thank you so much!!! 🙏❤️
It's good to know these things there's one in 10 chance meetings with people like that ,but there out there.
I'm glad you kept safe. No man would be afraid of my small dogs, even though they would bite in that situation.
This is the part of nomadic life that scares every woman, but it is a reality. There are, unfortunately. Many young nomadic ladies on RUclips who are not smart or prepared. I hope this is a good reminder to those who believe the world is a safe place. Our choices and preparedness are what make our worlds safe.
Thank you for sharing.
@@michellecoleman9849 honestly our dogs are only 60lb and 40lb max, but fortunately they did look vicious enough to get em’ out of here!!
@@Wifepack they may be midsize dogs, but they could do some damage, especially together.
Predators like easy prey. Your dogs were not going to allow that.
@@michellecoleman9849 Definitely agree, although we are terrified to let them being our babies!! 🫣
@@michellecoleman9849 Also thank you so much for saying that, like we said in the video we debated telling it but you are so right. If we can help anyone at all feel more prepared because we shared our situation, which gave space to all of you sharing your experiences and advice, then we feel like we did the right thing ❤️ thanks again! 🫶
@@Wifepack I get that. I would be afraid that someone would kick mine in their heads. I wouldn't want them to attack. I hope never to encounter such a situation.
Sorry you had to deal with that situation. I would be freaked out as well. As a Manitoban, please come back again. You likely drove past where I live, Brandon.
@@trevorbryant4360 don’t worry we will come back! It is a gorgeous province we have yet to properly explore! But we may need bug suits 😂😉
I wouldn't do van life unless I had multiple guns inside there😢
I'm glad nothing more happened with that unwelcome visitor. Good puppies.... ❤❤❤. Yes, it's important to share the bad situations too, otherwise ppl don't get the full and true story of your travels. Stay safe and hopefully big free.....
@@merklingassoc We agree whole heartedly! And we hope that our conversations reach others so they are prepared, but also not deterred from still living their life, whether that is in a van or an apartment in the city. Thank you so much for watching us!! We truly appreciate your kind words and support ❤️❤️🤗
@@Wifepack Thank you for sharing. Also, so glad you also share the importance of keeping yourself safe on walks. In my younger years I worked in a pretty bad area of San Francisco and commuted daily to Marin County. Often getting home late at night. I carried one of those scream alarm blasters on my key chain. Us women out there alone (or even not alone) need to keep ourselves safe... I'm now 70, but loved traveling when I was younger. I'll not be one of those wishing I'd done it when I go. Stay safe, but have a great time while doing it..... ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Just became a sub.... 👍👍👍
I once pulled over to sleep in the algonquin Mountains just as i was drifting off i seen a fashlight in the woods coming at me ! I jumped up half asleep and lucky got myself out of there it had no house anywhere scary moment
@@shanacookthecanukgypsy9527 Ahh that’s terrifying!! Better to be safe than sorry 🚐💨 Glad you are ok, thank you for sharing with us!! Safe travels to you!! 🫶 Thanks for watching!!
I just found your channel... I'm glad you two got out of there. I'm a 62-year-old gay woman; I've known so many wonderful men in my life who really get it. Many of my best friends are men and they all understand - to the best of their ability - what women encounter out in the world. I was astounded, however, during the recent 'Would you rather see a bear or a strange man in the woods?' conversation, at how many guys STILL don't get it. Guys, THIS is what women deal with. Being 'scoped out.' Being approached for no good reason. A woman (or women, in this case) who has driven out into the middle of nowhere is probably looking for solitude. She is not sitting there hoping that some man (or anyone else, for that matter) will come along to keep her company. There is absolutely NO reason to approach her. Ladies, I do look forward to seeing all of your future - hopefully, uneventful - travels.
Come to BC! They gassed the shit out of this place in the '60's, so we have no bugs but we do have bears. Many bears! Bring bear spray. Lots of bear spray. (works on men too) Good & Bad right? Such is life. Stay safe sisters, xo
Haha aww well that’s perfect because thats our end destination to this cross Canada trip - we can’t wait!!! And no problem, we will take the bears 😂. Loading up on bear spray for all aforementioned reasons! Cheers friend and thanks for the comment 🥰🙏🏻🩵
@@Wifepack **Also, get a Deer whistle for your van. They are cheap & effective. Seriously, look into it. Life is wild! EnJOY~~
You need doggy snacks try rosemary or laavender spray keeps away mosquitoes also coffee and close mix add wick then melted candle wax let cool and light they haye the smell hope these solutions help.
@@myriampierre7315 thank you for the advice! We will have to try that!! 🫶
Be safe ladies.
I'm vanlifing in SK (my home) for the summer...if you plan on spending any time here let me know and I can give you some good spots, provide a shower, or laundry!
Oh my goodness thank you so much you are so kind!! We did find an amazing campground in Indian Head, Sk with the best amenities! Stopped there quick for those luxuries but we will definitely keep ya in mind! Thanks so much ❤❤
Actually we should take you up on the spots for SK, whereabouts do you recommend!?