The need to leave
A light breeze wraps around the roof tent, bringing warm air with it as the sun pops over the horizon and paints Joshua Tree National Park in morning light. Renée (opens in new tab) turns over in her sleeping bag and is reminded where she parked up the night before.
Renée is working to design her life in a way that provides balance. The busy rhythm of a life in the city, with grounding experiences in more natural environments, is key to keeping her creativity flowing. Renée is best known for the visually rich travel content she produces. Over the past decade she has documented her experiences from all over the world, from skiing in the Alps to freediving in the Red Sea. Her stories are infused with independent exploration, so here in the Californian desert, she’s right at home.
“I’m happiest in the mountains or the desert, where all of my senses wake up — the scale of the landscape, the sounds of birds, the feeling of moving on a trail.”
“Escaping the city means removing the constant distractions that pull me out of my body and out of the present moment. I love living in LA, but it’s absolutely essential for me to get out every couple of weeks.”
Exploring Joshua Tree
There is little time to enjoy any relief before the temperature rapidly rises. A quick and easy pack down of the Dometic roof tent gets Renée out of bed and thinking about the day ahead.
“We spent time exploring around Indian Cove Campground in Joshua Tree National Park, drove Berdoo Canyon Road in our 4x4, and explored the Yucca Valley area where we camped at a Hipcamp site.”
This part of the world is well-known for enjoyable hikes that snake through the intersection of two desert ecosystems. Harsh, rugged terrain where only the most durable equipment survives. “It was extremely hot during our trip, so we leaned into the Ford Raptor’s amazing A/C and explored by car. We drove Berdoo Canyon Road, which was such a fun way to experience the park from a different perspective.”
Venturing into harsh climatic conditions such as this can test even strong adventurers like Renée. Time to explore on foot was reduced due to the staggering heat, and more focus was put on scoping out comfortable camp locations. This trip was more about adapting and making the most of each stop.
Camp life
Fueling the adventurer so she could focus on being out there, absorbing the experience, were the incredible chefs at Wilderness Collective HQ.
“My favorite meal was the steak, finished with a rich brown sauce. The Dometic grill top cooked it to absolute perfection and it was easily one of the best steaks I’ve ever had.”
As the sun sets, Renée pops open the roof-tent and prepares the car for another night under a blanket of stars. In addition to the tent, the Ford Raptor is also carrying a range of Dometic camp gear to make living on the road fun.
“I’m obsessed with the GO Camp Light. The adjustable color and that warm Dometic orange glow create the perfect ambiance at night.”
Practical essentials are covered too. The 2 Cook stove is a classic piece of gear that allows any adventurer to cook restaurant quality meals in the most remote of places. “The grill plates made cooking and cleanup effortless, and everything from bacon to steaks washed off perfectly.”
Used constantly for hand washing, cleaning dishes and filling water bottles was the Dometic GO Hydration Water Faucet. The functional design allows you to detach the faucet and reach over to do things like fill pots on the stove with water. And to round things up, the bamboo table was a standout for Renée. “It’s beautifully designed, super sturdy, and I loved the adjustable height. Using it low to the ground gave meals a more relaxed, almost Japanese-style dining feel.”
A few nights in nature may be all that is needed to reset your body. The most typical car can be converted into a micro home-on-wheels, and all that is needed is to kit it out with the necessary essentials.
Find out a way to cook, and somewhere comfortable to sleep, then you will unlock a whole new world of adventure. Even if that looks like two nights away at the weekend just a few hours from home.
“Being in nature is when I feel most like myself. I feel active, alive, present, and creative” Renee ends.
Follow Renee: @wrenees (opens in new tab)
