Chilly temps, big mods, and bigger trip tips. Garrick installs a DC-DC alternator charger (Bluetti Charger 1) to turbo-charge his EcoFlow River 2 Pro and talks solar (220W), safer fridge power connectors (DC5521 + Anderson swap-ends), and why cigarette lighter plugs keep letting overlanders down. Melody breaks down our Vancouver Island playbook—ferries (Black Ball vs. BC Ferries), border/dog docs, bear-country camp hygiene, and how we actually find great camps (Gaia/OnX/Trailforks/Backroads Mapbooks + Overland Trail Guides)—including the backup-your-pins lesson we learned the hard way. Plus quick PNW ride notes from Roslyn to Grand Ridge (hello, cougar signs), and gear fails & fixes (air compressor, tire gauges, and the case for a compact propane fire can).

In this episode:

• DC-DC charging 101: stepping up voltage for real alternator watts
• Solar realities, fridge “eco mode,” and solid DC5521 outputs
• Vancouver Island logistics, reservations, and camp-scouting workflow
• PNW ride recaps: gravel loops & weeknight singletrack
• Bear-country habits that actually help
• Gear talk: redundancy that matters (power, gauges, fire)

Random Recs:

• Dessert hack: dates stuffed with almond butter
• Thrift smarter: the Depop app for graphic tees & trail-town fits

Relevant Links:

• Remote Trails Radio on YouTube
• Remote Trails Radio on Instagram
• Ecoflow 220W Solar Panel
• Bluetti Charger 1
• Timber Bell
• Jasonoid’s guide on creating a better 12V power cable

Say hi on Instagram @RemoteTrailsRadio and catch episode uploads on YouTube—like & subscribe to support the show. Questions or trip tips? RemoteTrailsRadio@gmail.com

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