Help Me Improve My Journalism Travel Setup

Last year, I built a small trailer and loaded it with "glamping" gear. The plan? Travel cheaply and do more "boots on the ground" journalism.

The sad truth is that freelance writing doesn't pay big money, and most publications can't afford to pay for travel costs. I write for sites like CleanTechnica, The Truth About Guns, and Shooting News Weekly because I'm passionate about these topics. But, I also realize that sitting at home and regurgitating information from the internet doesn't have the impact that getting out there does.

To make this kind of travel cost effective, I've been working on eliminating hotel and meal costs, which would leave only gas or charging. So, I built a little cargo trailer, got some Shiftpod shelters, and got other things like a portable toilet, fridge, and cooking gear.

On some test trips with this setup, I figured out that I had barked up the wrong tree for most writing trips. In many places, there's no safe and legal place to set up camp for free near where the work is. Even paying for RV parks, the long and noisy setup time means you have to arrive before dark, which cuts down the miles I can travel each day (especially on trips where it works to tow with the Bolt). Add in time to set up and strike camp, and this setup is only really useful for trips where I can stay in camp for days at a time (something I still plan to do on some trips).

So, to really be effective traveling cheap for business, I need to get a small hard-sided travel trailer. This would make it possible to safely "boondock" in places like Walmart parking lots. Minimizing setup time would also mean I could show up late and leave early to make good time on the road, while still being able to cook all meals and get a quick shower to be presentable.

To keep fuel and charging expenses low, I'm going to go with an Aliner camper. The goal amount for this campaign is for the nicest option that would fit my needs: the Aliner Evolution or Amp . It has hard sides, but folds down to save fuel or get better range while towing, while also having a shower. If I can't raise enough money for that, I'll go for cheaper model like the Aliner LXE or a used Aliner with a shower.

If we get beyond the goal, I'll hang onto the extra for fuel or charging expenses on the first trips. So, every dime goes toward the goal of improving what readers get.