Escapees Profiles: Chuck Crowe & Michelle Dahlin

Who is with you?

Just the two of us

How long have you been on the road? Full-time or part-time?

We launched full-time 4 years ago in May 2017

What kind of RV do you have?

Class A – 2008 Tiffin Phaeton 36QSH (Queen Natasha)

Toad – 2009 Buick Enclave (Boris)

Van conversion in progress – 2019 Ford Transit 350XLT (Lady Gwenivan)

What got you interested in living the RV life?

We had been performing as an acoustic duo together all over Southern California for 4 years. We decided we’d had enough of living in Los Angeles, and wanted to go on tour to see America by road. Also, the idea of downsizing our possessions, and trading experiences for stuff was most appealing

How do you fund your travels?

By day, Michelle works full time as a Strategic Customer Success Manager for a software company. Chuck is retired after 32 years in telecommunications. We have a couple of investment properties, and we play gigs regularly along our travel routes

Tell us more about the band. What kind of music do you play?

The Status Crowes Acoustic Jukebox performs more than 1,300 cover tunes from multiple generations of pop, rock, & country music, and we can play a few hours’ worth of original music, too. The fun for us is playing music people love and songs people know, songs that bring back good memories and make you want to dance & sing along. We thrive on taking song requests from the audience. Every day with a gig is a great day

What is your camping style?

In the beginning, we only stayed in campgrounds. We ate a ton of cancellation fees back then, because our work/gig schedule didn’t always jive with our campground reservations. As we made friends through the Xscapers Convergences and Escapees Hangouts, we were introduced to how amazing off-grid camping could be! Gradually, we outfitted our Class A RV with solar panels and lithium batteries, as well as portable fresh water and wastewater transport solutions, to extend our off-grid stays. When we roll to a new destination, we try to keep our travel days short: 2-3 hour hops. However, to accommodate our show schedule, we sometimes have to log 8+ hours/day to get to a gig on time. We prefer to travel on weekends, stopping at Walmarts or Cracker Barrels for quick overnight stays. Arriving late afternoon on a Sunday or early on a Monday morning when the seasonal campers have typically gone home, usually means we snag a good boondocking spot for the week

What do you seek out when traveling?

We are usually moving from show to show, so we enjoy taking in the local flavor wherever we land. It’s fun to find places and attractions that others may have passed right by. Nearly every destination has something it wants to show you, no matter how small or large it is

Whenever possible, we seek out the Escapees/Xscapers we’ve met at convergences, and meet up at a destination. Visiting a brewery, going to a concert, jeeping, hiking, or just hanging out in a gorgeous location is always more fun with friends

Favorite experience so far?

Xscapers Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Convergence

Worst experience so far?

Breaking down at 4pm on the Friday before a 4th of July weekend, and having to spend the entire holiday in the repair shop’s parking lot

How many Escapees events have you attended?

Escapees Events: 2

Xscapers Convergences:12

Introvert or extrovert?

Chuck is a huge introvert. Michelle likes to say she’s an introvert, but compared to Chuck, she is definitely an extrovert

Tell us something weird about yourself

Chuck is a huge geek! He is a Dungeon Master for Dungeons And Dragons. He hosts regular weekly games online with a group of Xscapers, friends, and relatives

Would you rather deal with a leaky sewer hose or a flat tire on the RV?

Easy! A leaky sewer hose can’t stop you from moving on to your next destination…which should be a Walmart to buy a new hose

Do you have any advice for others?

Get solar and lithium batteries installed on your rig. They are liberating in more ways than you’d expect