← LGBTQ Outdoors Podcast
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- [00:00]
Amanda Benson
Honestly, this is like a really evolutionary lifestyle. Like, personally evolutionary. Most people that I've talked to, when they get into this life, it's really hard for them to throw their things away or get rid of them, and then they continue to kind of accumulate things in those same patterns. But most people that get into this will really embrace the if I don't have room for it, doesn't come home with me mentality.
- [00:30]
Justin Yoder
What do you do when you come out as LGBTQ and love the outdoors? What do you do when you see outdoor spaces ruled by older white CIS men and desire a diverse community of outdoor lovers? Accept it, change it, create it. I am Justin Yoder, and this is LGBTQ Outdoors. Hey, everyone. Welcome to the LGBTQ Outdoors Podcast. I'm Justin Yoder.
- [00:57]
Patrick Thompson
And I'm Patrick Thompson.
- [00:59]
Justin Yoder
We're so glad that you're tuning in today. We have a great show, like usual for you.
- [01:05]
Patrick Thompson
Well, could you imagine if we started off like the podcast, y'all? This one's not so awesome, so you might want to.
- [01:11]
Justin Yoder
But please stay tuned.
- [01:13]
Amanda Benson
Yeah, yeah.
- [01:13]
Patrick Thompson
No, like this one. This is going to be fun, for real.
- [01:18]
Justin Yoder
We always have great episodes, I think educational at least. Yes, I'm excited as always, and fun.
- [01:25]
Patrick Thompson
But let's catch up with a little bit of LGBTQ outdoors reminders, news, stuff like that. Yeah. So right out of the gate, we want to talk about our local chapter events. That's kind of the nuts and bolts of what we do here at LGBTQ Outdoors. We've got probably, what, 50ambassadors peppered throughout the country, and every other month or so, they have local meetings or gatherings where they'll go hiking, fishing, camping, stargazing. Like, anything outdoors. You name it. It's your localized queer community getting together and hanging out outdoors. Safe space to be yourself, to be real, but also to let your guard down and enjoy all that nature has to offer. You can find out all of our upcoming events@lgbtq outdoors.com events. So check it out if there's not a localized chapter in your area and you feel so compelled. We're always on the lookout for new LGBTQ Outdoors ambassadors as well.
- [02:37]
Justin Yoder
Yeah, definitely. And I also want to touch on, like, the Trailblazer Society. Yes. The Trailblazer Society is a group that really helps our organization continue doing what it's doing. They are people that believe in our organization, and they donate on a monthly basis. They get some cool kickbacks and benefits for different levels that they join as well. And I know a lot of people are just like, oh, asking for money again. You know, but the reality of it is we need it for us to be able to do what we are doing, especially in the time that we're living in, it is becoming a lot more challenging to get especially government funding. Um, and we really need to re rely more on our community that enjoys what we're doing and making a difference in the outdoor world and outdoor community, within the LGBTQ community. So I really believe, of course, of what we're doing. Thousands of people come to our events and they believe in what we're doing. So whether you can sign up for a little or a lot, it all makes a huge difference and we really need it. So if you go to our website, LGBTQoutdoors.com, click on Trailblazers, Trailblazer Society, and you can learn all about it and get signed up to be able to make a lasting impact with us.
- [03:58]
Patrick Thompson
Yeah, and the thing with the ongoing monthly contribution is that that allows us to plan so that we can see, like, okay, what we have this much committed to come in this month. This is what we can do with that money. Otherwise, we're just kind of like crossing our fingers and, and, and hoping for the best. But we get to be more strategic about it when we know what's coming, definitely.
- [04:28]
Justin Yoder
So the other thing that I want to mention is Switchback Spring, which is this cool event that they've asked us to be a partner with them. It's going to be in Nashville this year in June. There's going to be a ton of different outdoor vendors that are going to be there. So if you are in the outdoor industry and you want to come and meet a lot of cool vendors, this would be a great place to do it. You will also see us, so be sure to stop by our booth and say hi. If you come, go over to switchback events.com and you could learn all about it and the other events that they have around the country as well.
- [05:01]
Patrick Thompson
Yeah, that's going to be awesome.
- [05:03]
Justin Yoder
It is going to be awesome. All right, I am ready to jump in with our guest today and super excited to have Amanda Benson with us. Amanda is a solo full time RVer, lifetime traveler, DIY enthusiast and emergency management professional who has spent over a decade working as a firefighter and remains a medic. Today, in 2022, she faced a period of uncertainty, sold her home, and jumped headfirst into the RV life, a decision that she never looked back on. This adventure became a journey of freedom as she built a platform called Dusty Trail RV to teach others how to become self Reliant. She works to share her insight and experience so that others feel empowered to embrace an adventurous life. Her mission is to show that this lifestyle can be accessible to anyone who desires it. So, Amanda, welcome to the LGBTQ Outdoors Podcast.
- [06:01]
Amanda Benson
Thanks for having me.
- [06:02]
Justin Yoder
Absolutely. I think first, we just might mention that Amanda is coming to us from Florida today in her rv. So if you do hear a little bit about back noise, background noise, that is part of the RV life, so you're getting to experience part of it.
- [06:22]
Amanda Benson
It is. There's a constant hum. If you like a little bit of white noise or brown noise, it's the life for you.
- [06:27]
Patrick Thompson
I swear, it's like being on. If you're a Star Trek fan or Star wars fan, like, anytime you're on a ship, you hear this in the background.
- [06:37]
Justin Yoder
I mean, I feel like it would make me sleepy all the time. Oh, yeah, Not a bad thing. But welcome. Tell us a little bit about you in your own words. We'd love our guests to be able to learn a little bit more about you, connect with you, and then we will dive into learning more about RVs and the adventurous life that you live.
- [06:59]
Amanda Benson
Perfect. Well, I was raised most of my life on a farm in the Midwest, and we were about 40 or so minutes from the nearest grocery store, so we were completely, like, sustaining. And so because of that, I have a very unique skill set of just figuring it out. And I've been diying life since before it was probably safe to, like, if you can imagine, like a child with power tools or chainsaws, that, like, that was my life. So I can relate, right? Yeah. So I end up kind of down this. This journey where I think a lot of people end up a little intimidated, and it's just full bore ahead. And I am a problem solver, I'm a critical thinker, and I am a passionate adventurist. I love to travel. So I kind of lumped all these things in together and made it my life. And then I realized, you know, there's a ton of people out there who wish they could do this, but they don't feel confident in their ability to do it. So that's why I started putting together content online, just things that came easily to me that maybe do not come easily to other people. So I put that out there so that they can become more confident and empowered to do this stuff, which is.
- [08:26]
Patrick Thompson
Also, like, y'all need to check out Amanda's content online. Like, I was just kind of, like, pre stalking Amanda, as I tend to do with our guests. And there's a video, and it's just about, like, washing your. I. Your not IV rv, including, like, mopping the solar panel, or it might not have been a mop, but, like, cleaning the solar panel on the roof. Like, that's not stuff that I would have thought about, or making sure that the sides are clean just because that extends the life of the vehicle. Like, you know, just. Yeah, simple stuff. So really, really interesting stuff.
- [09:08]
Amanda Benson
Yeah, it's the daily stuff. It's kind of like being a homeowner a little bit, too. Like, when you want to. When you rent your whole life or something like that, you never have to think about all the different things that go into keeping up your home. And an RV is just a mobile version of that. And I think that you kind of get in these routines, and it makes it a lot easier to live that life and have it be sustainable if you just know these things.
- [09:33]
Justin Yoder
Definitely. Let's jump back just a little bit, though. What led to you being living the RV life and deciding to do this because you had a very different life beforehand, Right?
- [09:48]
Amanda Benson
Right. Yeah. No, I would say trauma. No. I was a firefighter and a medicine, and I was in the Midwest, and I had what I like to call, like, an upheaval in my circumstance. I faced a lot of sudden uncertainty. And I had this bungalow. It was like, the first home I ever owned, and it was 120 years old. And I literally poured my blood, sweat, and tears into this house. I updated everything. I remodeled everything. And it was like a labor of love. And I think I was in it for maybe six, seven years. And I was faced with this. This situation where I was like, I actually have, like, a lot of uncertainty ahead of me, and I need to relocate. I'm not exactly sure where I'm going to go, though. And so what happened was I was looking at my house, and I'm like, okay, this is. You know, this has been my home base. And that was the. That house was the longest I'd ever stayed in one place. I was a very poor kid growing up. I'd been disowned when it came out. And I kind of lived that very normal, kind of vagabond type of existence where I bounced around a lot, and from place to place, I rent here, I'd bounce over here. And so this was, like, the first place that was my home. And so when I was facing this change that was traumatizing to me, and I. I knew I was going to end up headed. Heading south, but I didn't exactly know where I would go. And then I was just thinking about, okay, I'm going to have to. When I'm figuring out what fire department I'm going to go to, I'm. I'm going to have to rent. I'm going to always have to find a new apartment because I might bounce around a little bit until I figure it out. And it just was so overwhelming. I was like, if I'm going to do this, I have to figure out a better way to do it. And so I was like, you know what? I'm just going to take my home with me. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to get an rv. I'm going to make it my own little hidey hole. It's going to have my bed, my blankets, the familiar things to me, the smells of my home, my own refrigerator, everything set up the way it is. Because those things are so important. It's just that feeling of your space. And so that was what I did. My intention at the beginning was to do it until I found like a new, a new home base. But I mean, we're going on like three years and I've, I'm here, I'm not. I like this area, but I just, yeah, I just stayed in the RV and I'm like, actually this is really nice. I like it a lot.
- [12:37]
Patrick Thompson
Nice. And I, It's a bold choice, I think. And I think that that's fair to say bold, but probably nerve wracking. And um, but I also think that trauma is, can be a really strong catalyst for change. And it sounds like your change was a healthy one. I, I think it's very easy to veer off into trauma responses that are not beneficial to, to healing and whatnot. So it led you to this brand new adventure, which is fantastic. Also, before we forget, for your firefighting and your medical expertise and being a first responder. Thank you. Especially right now in the wildfires and just all the things. Thank you for being somebody that gives back to the world. It's a big deal.
- [13:48]
Amanda Benson
Thank you. I appreciate that.
- [13:50]
Justin Yoder
Yeah. What do you think some of your biggest challenges were when you switched from your bungalow to an rv? I would imagine the biggest thing that most people would think about is not having the room that they want for maybe even all their things, which I feel like most of us probably have too much things anyways. But what do you for you were like, what was your biggest challenges like? Was there a point when you got into this and you were like, what have I Done or was it just smooth sailing for you?
- [14:29]
Amanda Benson
I. I'm the type of person that, like, I'll just trudge through it. Like, as a firefighter, for example, we get interrupted, you know, anytime during the day. In the middle of your meal, in the middle of going to the bathroom, in the middle of taking a shower, you haven't slept, and you've been up three times since midnight. So that's kind of like you just go, and you just, like, kind of trudge through it. So I'm kind of that person anyways, by nature. But I would say I didn't mind getting rid of stuff that was never, like, incredibly hard for me. I'm one of those people that doesn't put a lot of emotional value into things. I don't like a lot of clutter anyways. So if I haven't used something in, like, six months, like, I'm the annoying person that throws it away. And then, like, in a year and a half when I need that, I'll just go buy a new one and be like, gosh, well, whoops. But I think one of the hardest things for me was my tools. I know. It's hilarious. Lesbian tools.
- [15:43]
Patrick Thompson
I wasn't gonna say it, but, I.
- [15:45]
Justin Yoder
Mean, you said, I'll say it.
- [15:47]
Amanda Benson
I'll say it. But I. I am, like, a hobbyist, like, woodworker. I love doing construction. I love building things. So I had, like, an entire wood shop in my house that was hard to leave because then I had the downsizing. I'm like, well, which tools do I actually need? And so I have, like, tools that are important for the rv, but the other tools, like my wood shop, and it ended up actually in a storage unit. And I haven't decided if I'll ever try to just, like, get us, like, a space to use it or if I'll just sell it eventually. But that alone was the hardest thing, is just, like, a hobby like that. But honestly, this is, like, a really evolutionary lifestyle, like, personally evolutionary. Most people that I've talked to, when they get in this life, it's really hard for them to throw their things away or get rid of them. And then they continue to, like, kind of accumulate things in those same patterns. But most people that get into this will really embrace the if I don't have room for it doesn't come home with me mentality, because it's so much more important to have a good feeling in your RV and, like, clutter free spaces and a clean space than having just, like, junk. So luckily, I trained the People in my life a long time ago that I don't like a lot of random things so I don't have to deal with like people giving me things. But you know, you have to train your loved ones. Right. Be like, yes, you can give me that and it's going to live in your house.
- [17:24]
Justin Yoder
Yeah, that sounds like a challenge in itself. Yeah. So let's also like talk about the aspects when it comes to rv, where a lot of people are on the road all the time, where they're at with their RV versus some that are more stationary with a job or a job that moves around. You share a little bit more about like how that is with you. Do you travel much with your rv like a lot of people do, like the national parks and stuff like that, or what, what's, what's life look like in your rv?
- [17:57]
Amanda Benson
So it's kind of a mix of both because I am, I have a physical office now. I, I moved into emergency management, solely emergency management less than a year ago. So I have a, an office because of that. I know a lot of the RVers really push for remote work because it gives them a little bit more of that free. But what I tend to do is stay full time in one area. I have like a home base, but I also have the freedom to go whenever I want to and that's what I really like. I'm in kind of the Tampa area and there's like a ton of, of things to do here that are things that I like to do. There's a ton of springs, a lot of places to explore, a lot of nature here. So it is very easy for me to hook my RV up and go somewhere for a week, a weekend, anything I want. But I do have that long term spot. So it's basically like, it's very seasonal down here. So it's hard to find long term spots because you have all the snowbirds that come down seasonally. So what a lot of people end up doing is either renting out place on people's property, which is actually not allowed where I live. They have a lot of restrictions against RVs on personal property. So most of us either find a few long term spots in the parks or a lot of mobile home parks. If they've like torn down one of the mobile homes, most of them will turn that into an RV spot and you can find those kind of situated. So I hold onto my spot and I can come and go as I need to. And it's just like it's, it's, it would be like paying rent someplace, um, and then just going on vacation whenever you want to, but instead of having to pay for an Airbnb somewhere, you. You bring your house with you.
- [20:01]
Justin Yoder
I suppose another benefit, too, is, like, especially with you being in Florida, if hurricane cubs, like, you just can move your whole house and get out of that.
- [20:09]
Amanda Benson
It's. It's funny that you bring that up because I was literally just having this conversation because in, like, as a firefighter before I went strictly to emergency management, I would get deployed to natural disasters as, like, on one of the FEMA user teams. And funny enough is, since I've been emergency manager here, I've only been able to move my RV once because I'm working, like, round the clock. And I didn't get to move my RV for either Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton. And it, like. And I. I literally just, like, called my insurance company and I was like, can we talk about what my coverage is? And then I just, like, crossed my fingers and it made it through each time. But I always tell people, do as I say, not as I do. So bring your rig inland, and it's super easy. Yeah, just go bring it in an hour or so, and then if you have to work in the area during a storm, like I do, then find a couch to crash on or something like that.
- [21:15]
Justin Yoder
Yeah. Talk about. Let's talk about representation a little bit, because we love. We love talking about reputation representation in the LGBTQ outdoors world anyways. But when it comes to RVs, a lot of people are doing this solo, and I feel like, to me, somebody like you, and I've got so many lesbian friends that I feel like this would just fit them perfectly, you know, But I will have to think, like, there has got to be some that don't maybe know much about maintenance or know as much about. Might be a little bit more on the fearful side to be a solo female traveler, stuff like that. But what has been your experience when it comes to representation as far as, like, solo female travelers and just queer people in general in the RV world?
- [22:12]
Amanda Benson
I think it's a little. It's interesting because I've not met many others like me. I. I am part of a few groups of solo female RVers, and they have, like, such rich communities, and they are just. They embrace each other so, so much and they support each other and they, you know, help each other kind of learn and. And stuff like that. But what I do notice is that there is a lot of eating. Eating our own in the community. And so some of the platforms that would be highly beneficial for people like. Like me or like anybody. They're kind of, like, pushed out of those zones when they go there for help. Because you have such. This. It's typically. What's the best way to say this? It's typically straight couples, straight older couples that are in this community. And when people don't see, like, their community in there, but then they also come into that space and are met with negativity. So let's say somebody gets on one of the Facebook groups or something like that and takes a picture of something that's wrong with their RV and they need help. So they come to this platform and they're already kind of putting their neck out there because this is a. There's not a lot of visibility for. For lgbtq. There's not a lot of visibility or patience for solo females. So they come to this platform and they'll post, this is what's going on. And they will be inundated with this negativity from. From. And we all know the people. We. You close your eyes, you know the people, they are very patronizing, very cruel. They make people feel stupid. And because of that, I think people feel overwhelmed, and they get out of this line of work, and not line of work, but this. This type of lifestyle. And because of that, I think there's a significant disconnect, and I think there's a lot of people maybe like me that we just haven't crossed paths. We haven't really found the community because most of the RV spaces are overrun with people that aren't like us and who have very strong opinions and are cruel to new people that don't know as much.
- [24:56]
Justin Yoder
Well, of course, incredibly disappointing to hear, but I think that that's even more reason why there needs to be more representation and visibility. And we all. We do have a Facebook group ourselves, so. The LGBTQ Outdoors Nomads. So if anybody is listening, and you do want a strictly queer group to. To join that's focused around the nomadic life or RVs, just. Just go on Facebook, search LGBTQ Outdoors nomads, and you'll find our group that you can join as well, a smaller group, but it's growing, and obviously you won't have those. Those issues. And so maybe we can get Amanda to join it as well, and then she can be. She can be a. A voice, because I know that you have tons of knowledge when it comes to keeping up your RV and have that passion for teaching people at the same time. And later on, we'll get to your social Media too, where people can follow you. Because I think that people, you could be a good resource for people looking to get into this. For sure.
- [26:09]
Amanda Benson
Yeah. And I will put a disclaimer out there. When people post things that have gone wrong or that they've tried to do, some of them are absolutely hilarious. But I will never make you feel like you're. I, I will, I will make us both laugh about what just happened in your situation. That is what it is. It's with positivity and be like, that is hilarious. I've never seen anybody do that before. Let's laugh about this for a second and then let's figure out how to fix it.
- [26:39]
Patrick Thompson
See? And I feel like that's the perfectly compassionate way to handle that. I mean, like, the Internet is amazing for connecting people, but also the Internet sucks because there are some big jerks out there who want other people to suffer. Like in some of my Facebook groups that I'm in for my, the, the area of work that I do, there's some people who will help, but there's some people who want you to make the same mistakes that they did because it's like somehow better learning or whatever. Like, and I'm like, that's such a jackass way to handle stuff. Like, especially if it's in. Within a community that is intended to further education, you know, so I hate that that happens. But you know, like Justin said, I'm glad that you're out there being a compassionate voice for your community. I think that's awesome. How do you, like, we can kind of bridge a couple questions together like this. You are a solo traveler. Do you ever feel any, just any physical safety concerns or, you know, how do you stay healthy and safe physically and mentally? How's that happen?
- [28:19]
Amanda Benson
Yeah, I think it's interesting because I, I'm like six foot tall. I'm like not a small female. And because of that, I have some privilege. It's like one of the only avenues in my life where I have some privilege because I can walk through and I'm mask presenting, right? So I can walk through a neighborhood after, after dark. I can get up at 4 o'clock in the morning and go running through the neighborhoods. And I don't typically worry about the same thing that smaller females might have to worry about or more feminine presenting females have to worry about. But just because that is my privilege does not mean that I am not entirely aware of what is happening around me and things that make other women not safe and even me, I'm not. So I'M not so foolish as to believe that I could never become a victim. But I do know that if anybody tries, they're going to have to try really hard. And most people are. It's their crimes of, of convenience, availability, proximity. And so they're not looking for something that is going to like give them the fight for their life. You know, they're looking for something easy. So that's a privilege that I have. But one of the things that I frequently tell women is to take self defense stuff and that's, that's not everybody can defend themselves physically. We have people in the community that have physical limitations that don't allow that. Right. But having groups, having a bit of community, so the accountability, letting people know where you are. Because when you're kind of nomadic, it's really easy to like go off on a few side quests and then you've never told your loved ones that you were going here. You know, it's super easy to do that. And one of the things I did, this is actually funny, it was when it was before I was in an rv, but I would get deployed down to hurricanes and I would share my location with my family members just because it's like I'm going to be busy but just you'll know where I'm at. You know, you'll see me moving around so you know I'm alive. And then so like a few years later I was at the grocery store. It was after I sold my house and I was staying with my brother and sister in law and I was at the grocery store and I get a text from my sister in law and she's like, hey, are you still at the store? Will you get, will you get this? And I was like, I was like, I had this moment, I'm like looking around me, I'm like, what is going on? And it, because I'd never stopped sharing my location. And so, but stuff like that, I, you know, everyone has an opinion about guns. If you're one of those people that's comfortable with one and you're a female traveler, you know, I'm not going to say go out and get one or don't, but do what makes you comfortable, makes you feel safer, go do it. I know women that carry tasers, I know women that carry pepper spray. I know women that carry a bully, like a, like a billy club, like a literal billy club or one of those tire pressure clubs, you know, so that's a really, really big thing about personal safety. Women have to have their head on A swivel. But they. They can navigate this world as almost. Almost as freely as they want to. They will never be able to walk through the world as freely as a man can, but they can live this life. They. It's just little things. Putting out outdoor lighting. Right. Setting up outdoor lighting on the outside of your rv. Getting to know your neighbors maybe a little bit. Always locking everything. Just simple things like that. Keeping an eye out if there's weird people kind of hanging out your area.
- [32:24]
Patrick Thompson
Yeah.
- [32:25]
Amanda Benson
But when it comes to, like, like health, like emotional or physical health and maintaining that, I'm, like, really active, so I'm, like, always doing something. But I. I like to carry either regional or, like, nationwide gym memberships. I had a Y membership for a long time, and there's, like, a couple of gyms that are, like, really regional for Florida and the southern states. So I'll. Or I'll have a membership for those or something that is in most places. And I always keep one of those because anywhere you're going, you will be probably within, like, 10 miles of a gym, unless you're, like, completely off the grid somewhere. So that's important. I know there's not a ton of room in my rv, but there's plenty of room for me to put a yoga mat down to stretch, um, meditate. I am not very good at yoga, so I call it stretching. But it's a. It's a. It's. It's an ongoing adventure that I. Maybe someday I'll be able to touch my toes. We'll see. But that's. That's really big. And then food wise, it's easy to kind of get into these routines where you're eating junk. You know, if you're traveling. And a lot of people, when they travel, they're going out to restaurants every single place.
- [33:56]
Patrick Thompson
It's.
- [33:56]
Amanda Benson
It's convenient. But most RVs will have some sort of cooking surface, and it's a lot cheaper. And I know I have a medical condition called gsid, which means I don't digest starches or sugars. And so I literally have to cook, like, all of my own meals. And so that's, you know, it's investing in the tools that you need. So it's not just personal safety, but invest in those tools. Physical safety, but then, like, nutritional safety. And I say safety because that's what it is. It's setting yourself up for a really healthy lifestyle and a more fulfilling lifestyle. Because if you're not eating right, your mental health can suffer. Physical health can suffer. All those things, so it's. It's an important piece of the pie.
- [34:47]
Patrick Thompson
I think that's a really, really strong point that often gets overlooked. So thanks for bringing that up. I'm gonna take a quick little break so that some of our sponsors can take a look, but we will be right back.
- [35:04]
Justin Yoder
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- [36:10]
Patrick Thompson
And we are back here at the LGBTQ Outdoors podcast, chatting with Amanda, who's an RV aficionado, an RV guru. I'll say that she's got some fancy, really important stuff on her socials and her content. It's very educational, but I want to know about some of. Tell us a couple stories of adventures, misadventures, lesson learned, things that are funny or notable or inspiring. Anything jump to mind.
- [36:56]
Amanda Benson
It's funny because there's probably a lot of things in my life that are just like, oh, that just happened. Okay. I would say, gosh, I. Yeah, I've just traveled so much. I'm trying to think of a really good story to tell you. I would say that. Okay, here's one we went out to. And I say we. I met with some family members out in Washington outside of Seattle, and we were basically. We love. We love to hike. So we'll meet all over the country, usually between, like, in a mountainous area. So whether it's Colorado or Washington, Oregon or something like that. We go. So we go out to Washington and we are. It's like cold. Like, sink into your bones cold. But it. When you look at the. When you look at the temperature gauge, it's actually not cold, but like, you feel it in your soul. It's like, it's like you're damp and you just never dry off. And so we're out there and I'm like a drowned rat the whole time. Like, I'm just, like, soaking wet. But we're. We're. We're getting these awesome views. And we just hiked to one of the peaks and it started, like, coming in. You could see it from the top, like, starting to get a little drearier than it been dreary all day. But it was like, that smell. And you're like, oh, great. This is going to be awesome.
- [38:44]
Justin Yoder
So.
- [38:46]
Amanda Benson
So we're going down this mountain and we are just like, at, like, we're clipping along. Like, you ever, you know, like, when you're like a little kid and you, like, start running down a hill and you're like, oh, no.
- [39:00]
Patrick Thompson
Yep.
- [39:01]
Amanda Benson
I'm like, my legs and the rest of me aren't really going the same speed. And so one of the people that was with us and we'd been going like, it was like, autopilot. No one was talking. We were just like, going, like, wide stride going. And there's, like, rocks everywhere, and it's like slippery rocks kind of. But no one at that point had, like, any issues. And all of a sudden, like, we just hear this crunch. And one of the women that were with us had totally face first, like, on her knees, slid. And we're just like. Everyone just kind of stops and we're like, oh, oh, no. And I'm like. I turn around and look at her. I'm like, are you okay? She's like, I think so. And I. I look and I see, like, this, like, a L L shaped like, little tear in, like, the knee of her pants. And I'm like, oh, you tore your knee. Like, you tore your pants. Like, she's like, oh, no, that's horrible. Because it's like, I just bought these. I'm like, ah. Well, then I start seeing, like, blood, like, blossoming. And I was like, oh, no, let's look at this. And two of the people that were with us do not. Do not do blood anything. Like, white face, turn around. And I'm like, okay. And I'm looking, and you can see like, like the bone, like her patella. Oh, in there. And I was like, oh, we actually have an issue here. Okay. And she's bleeding, and one of the guys who does not do well with blood, and he's just kind of sitting there and he's like, he, like, went behind her and like, put like, a. His. His backpack under her so she could sit there. But then it's immediately, like, turned away from her. Like, I can't. I can't. I can't even look at you right now. You're wounded. And he's going through his bag, and he, of all people. Of all people had a first aid kit, and he just, like. He just, like, throws it to me. He's like, just. Just do it. Do what you need. Also, he's gay, by the way, so, yeah, he came prepared, so he's like, get away. I can't. I can't even look. Take what you need. And so I was like, wrapping this. This girl's knee up, and I'm like, can you walk? And she's like, yeah. And we're probably, like, a good mile and a half from, like, the bottom. And it becomes very obvious after, like, a few steps that she is not going to be walking down this mountain. And the two. The two guys were both, like, very flustered and, like, not having what was happening at that moment. And so I, like, gave her a piggyback ride for a mile and a half down to the bottom. Oh, well, if it was uphill, she would have lay laid there until, like, you know, we would have. We would have come back.
- [42:15]
Justin Yoder
And the guys didn't help.
- [42:17]
Amanda Benson
My cousins.
- [42:21]
Justin Yoder
What's their names? No, I'm kidding.
- [42:23]
Amanda Benson
My. My cousins are fabulous, fantastic men, but they. They're like, thrive. Like, what they bring to the table is abundant in so many ways. But not that.
- [42:46]
Justin Yoder
But not that.
- [42:47]
Amanda Benson
No, not that.
- [42:48]
Justin Yoder
And did they at least wait for you?
- [42:52]
Amanda Benson
Yes, they were there. They were the cheerleaders. They made sure there was nothing in the path ahead of, like, they had it. They had it taken care of.
- [43:02]
Justin Yoder
I still would have wanted a video if I was you. Like, I'm the one carrying her down while the guys are not right.
- [43:10]
Amanda Benson
And they're like, this is what you do, right? This is. You carry people. I'm like, well, yeah, like, yes, but.
- [43:18]
Patrick Thompson
This is my day off.
- [43:22]
Justin Yoder
It's funny, though. I'm, like, totally opposite. Like, I'm good with somebody else's blood. It's my own blood that I have an issue with. Like, I've even. Cause like, before doing lgbtq, outdoors photography was my main, main job, and I even photographed two C sections, and absolutely, like, incredible. And loved it. But, like, if I'm gushing blood out of my thumb or a hand, as I was on one of our adventure trips, you know, like, it's like, oh, all right. Not feeling so good right now.
- [43:54]
Amanda Benson
I am the same exact way. Which is hilarious. Since I've been a medic for so long. I literally could, like, see a wound that is, like, gushing blood, like a gunshot. I can literally put my fingers right in it and be like, okay, we're handling this. And that's, like, the things I've seen and touched and whatever. But one time, one time, I had a little bit too much to drink when I was a lot younger, and my friends had this, like, recipe card. There was, like, a recipe card that was on the floor, and I was sitting on the floor, and I had this, like, one of their, like, little switchblades. And I was, like, cutting it, cutting the recipe card, and I accidentally cut the tip off of both my fingers.
- [44:36]
Justin Yoder
No.
- [44:37]
Amanda Benson
And I literally was like, I'm okay. I'm okay. I stood up and passed out. And so I looked at it and passed out. So I'm like, you know, I can handle other people's stuff, but if anything happens to me, I don't know. I don't know what's going to happen.
- [44:54]
Justin Yoder
Well, hopefully you're never alone when you have an emergency yourself.
- [44:59]
Amanda Benson
Right. I'd always tell people I am the best person to have a medical emergency around, but if it's me, I'm like, we're all in trouble.
- [45:11]
Patrick Thompson
Having the ability to travel and get on the road, go explore, go adventuring, really centered around the outdoors. What does the outdoors mean to you? How has that become, like, a supportive tool in your. In your life, just in general?
- [45:38]
Amanda Benson
Yeah, I, you know, I was raised on a farm, and I spent my whole childhood outside like a feral animal. Truly, I still, to this day, don't like wearing shoes. But I. I would say that. So I have ptsd. It's from my line of work. And when I was really symptomatic at different points in my career, I would find I would be looking for those things that would help me center. And I quickly figured it out that a lot of my centering is around the outdoors. It is being outside. It is being away from urban areas actually, entirely. And I never like being in a place where it takes me too long to get somewhere where I don't see any buildings, you know, and just being outside, sometimes even just 30, 45 minutes to an hour in your day, would be enough to kind of reset me. And I noticed that that was one of the most beneficial things that I could do for myself would be, you know, I'd have all these boxes. I'm checking for my mental health. Right. My sleep. No, no alcohol. Consumption, healthy eating, all these things. And then there's just something else that's not quite lining up. So what I. What I find is having a relationship with the outdoors. Having a really. Whether that's just nature itself or animals or whatever you're specifically, like, feeling the most connected to tends to be like, foundational in. In mental health and just overall emotional well being.
- [47:27]
Patrick Thompson
Wow. Having a relationship with the outdoors. I have not heard anybody say that phrase before, and I think that is really a powerful way of looking at how to engage with the outdoors. Hang on. My mind is blown a little bit. So. Wow. What do you have a travel bucket list?
- [48:02]
Amanda Benson
I can't take my rv, but I'd love to go to the Galapagos Island. That's like one of the things I spent. And I don't know if I could do this in the RV as well, but one of my favorite trips of all time that I did, I backpacked through Mexico for like three weeks. And this would have been back in like 2017 or so. Started in Mexico City, ended up in Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita, and then down to Oaxaca and this little place called Zipolite. By the way, I'm super, super white, so all of my pronunciations are butchered beyond reason. But, like, going down there and just absorbing that culture and being exposed to that culture, going into ruins and just like standing. I love ruins. I love places where. And this brings it back to nature, where nature has taken things back. Right. You have like, like bones of our past that are literally like nature again. And I just love nature and history together to kind of see the way that humanity's role has kind of shaped things but then kind of ebbed and flowed over time. So I, I would love to go back to the Oaxaca area especially, because there's just so much there that I, I like. I could stay probably a few months there, a few months there, and still like, have things to explore. So that's a big one for me as well.
- [49:45]
Justin Yoder
That's very cool. Let's do. Let's do a little bit of a lightning round questions with you, and I'm going to kick it off with one. What is the favorite place you've ever visited?
- [49:59]
Amanda Benson
Oaxaca.
- [50:01]
Justin Yoder
All right.
- [50:01]
Patrick Thompson
Okay. What's your favorite go to road trip snack?
- [50:07]
Amanda Benson
Nuts.
- [50:08]
Patrick Thompson
Okay.
- [50:09]
Amanda Benson
I just like nuts. Yep.
- [50:12]
Patrick Thompson
Particular kind.
- [50:14]
Amanda Benson
Pecans and walnuts. I just plain pecans and walnuts. Like, it's going out of style.
- [50:21]
Patrick Thompson
Interesting. Okay.
- [50:22]
Justin Yoder
All right.
- [50:22]
Patrick Thompson
Right on.
- [50:23]
Justin Yoder
Do you have a favorite campsite you've ever visited?
- [50:27]
Amanda Benson
Yes. I really liked So I went to this place. It's near Sebastian, Florida. It's kind of like a national park. And it's by. By the water out there, and there's like a Sebastian inlet that. That's like a really big fishing area. But the. The. The parks out there have been phenomenal for RVing. But if it's just like, exploring Pacific Northwest all the way, nice.
- [51:04]
Patrick Thompson
What's one tool that you always have with you?
- [51:08]
Amanda Benson
I have a tool, a toolbox that's always with me.
- [51:12]
Patrick Thompson
Okay, okay. You found a loophole. But I'll accept that.
- [51:16]
Amanda Benson
I would say. I would say, honestly, something that I use the most since I've been here has been just like a screwdriver with. I usually have, like, a bunch, but because I'm limited for space, the screwdriver with the adjustable tops, you can switch the tops out. That is something that is in my kitchen because I frequently am grabbing it. So.
- [51:38]
Justin Yoder
Yeah. Most surprising part of the RV life.
- [51:44]
Amanda Benson
Most surprising part of the RV life, I would say. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. I. It. It is like such a. It's like camping every single day of your life. It's like, you know when you're a kid and you have that, like, fort that you like, I wish I could live here. That's like, what it's like to be in an rv, that life. You're like, this is my fort. I can do whatever I want in it.
- [52:12]
Patrick Thompson
I love it. And speaking of doing whatever you want, you just did a little upgrade modification to your RV to bring in a new family member. You want to tell us about that real quick?
- [52:27]
Amanda Benson
Oh, yeah. Most RVs come with dinettes in them, and I can't stand them. They're uncomfortable, and they're just like. They take up a big space. And I had, like, a workspace, and I'm like, oh, but here's this dog. This dog I need. So Rowdy came to me as a Doberman. He'll be my, like, third Doberman in my life. So I know, like, he'll get big. So I'm like, well, I need space. So I ripped the dinette out and I built a custom desk that's, like, shorter than the dinette was wide, so that I had room right next to it for a large. A large size kennel and put a. A piece of wood over top of the kennel. So it. It is almost like a wraparound desk because that's one of the desk surfaces now. So, yeah, room for him. He's not Thankful, I can tell you that much. He wants more all the time. It's never enough.
- [53:30]
Patrick Thompson
But he's cute.
- [53:31]
Amanda Benson
He is adorable.
- [53:32]
Justin Yoder
Yes, I love that.
- [53:34]
Patrick Thompson
And like, you've actually got a ton of really good, great pro tips for having a dog in your RV life as well. Like really great information.
- [53:47]
Justin Yoder
All right, so in wrapping up, is there any other final tips, suggestions, advice you would like to give anybody that might be listening?
- [53:57]
Amanda Benson
Yeah, if you think about this type of life and are like so many people and think, can I do this? I'd love to do this someday. Don't wait till you're retired. Just start researching it and do figure out your financial situation and if you can afford it and then figure out if you can physically do it and just do that long term research and you can easily make it happen for yourself. And the only way to really figure out if it's right for you is to try it.
- [54:27]
Justin Yoder
I love that. I'd love to try anything once. At least that's what I always say. Where can people follow you and learn more about you? You?
- [54:35]
Amanda Benson
Yeah, so I have a blog, it's DustyTrailRV.com and that is where all my written, my written advice and, and content is. And then I also have a YouTube channel at Dusty Trail RV. You can also find me on both Instagram and Facebook and I have a Tick tock as well, all with the same handle.
- [54:56]
Patrick Thompson
And you get to see Rowdy.
- [54:58]
Justin Yoder
Yes, and get to see Rowdy, your new puppy. So cute. Well, I want to thank you so much for coming onto our podcast and sharing a little bit about your life and your passion for RVs. I loved getting to know you better and excited for what the future holds for you and in the RV world because I think that you're making a positive impact, especially when it comes to the queer community and educating people on how to rv.
- [55:26]
Amanda Benson
Yeah, absolutely. And maybe our paths will cross sometime.
- [55:30]
Justin Yoder
I would love that. That would be great. All right everybody, thank you for tuning in to this episode of the LGBTQ Outdoors Podcast. Until next time, get out there. Thanks for listening to the LGBTQ Outdoors Podcast. Catch past episodes on your favorite streaming platforms and connect with us on Instagram or or Facebook by searching LGBTQ Outdoors. Support our mission by joining the Trailblazer society@lgbtqoutdoors.com Trailblazers to learn more about our local chapters, LGBTQ Outdoor Fest, Adventure Trips, or to sign up for our newsletter, visit LGBTQoutdoors.com if you enjoying the show, be sure to follow, rate and review. It helps keep our mission going.