Lauren and Jesse Stuart may be Outdoorsy owners now, but before they became owners, this couple experienced Outdoorsy as renters. “Our first-ever Outdoorsy rental was in October of 2019,” Lauren tells us. “We rented a C-Class Coachmen Prism from a kind man out of Cornville, Arizona.
“From Flagstaff to Sedona to Havasu Falls to Page to Monument Valley, we zigged and zagged through some of the prettiest parts of the United States. That two-week Arizona road trip was the start of our first, and quite possibly favorite RV road trip to date.”
That said, this awesome trip was not without its mishaps. “That trip was our first time in an RV, so it’s safe to say that we knew nothing about the importance of making campsite reservations,” Lauren says. “We headed into Grand Canyon National Park with no reservations and no plan for where to stay. Total rookies, we know.
“Surprise, surprise, there were of course no day-of reservations. So, we decided to dump out before we spent the next few hours tracking down a place to call home for the night.
We struck up a conversation with a nice man from the Netherlands (of all places!) who was dumping out next to us. He informed us that he and his family had their fill of Grand Canyon National Park and were cutting their planned trip a day early. When he learned we were looking for a place in the National Park to stay, he offered us his site at no charge.
“Well, we were going to give him something. We settled on a six-pack of Mother Road Brewing beer we’d picked up in Flagstaff a few nights prior, and batta-bing-bada-boom, we had ourselves a campsite in Grand Canyon National Park for the night!”
In the end, all was well, Jesse and Lauren had a place to stay, and they had an incredible time. In fact, the Stuarts had so much fun, that they were back for another RV trip not long after that initial adventure. “Our second Outdoorsy rental was a few months later in July of 2020,” Lauren recalls. “We rented a Starcraft travel trailer and headed to southern Missouri for a long weekend at the lake.”
Even before renting RVs, the Stuarts had a serious case of wanderlust, and the experience of RVing only fueled that, leaving them wanting more adventure. Unfortunately, the pandemic came along and put a kink in things for the wanderers. “When 2020 hit, and travel became uncertain—and in some ways, obsolete—the absence of travel and exploring was felt by both Jesse and me big time,” Lauren explains.
“During the rise of the pandemic and all the uncertainty that followed, we needed some level of control back,” she goes on. “We already knew we loved RVing and life on the road! So, it didn’t take a lot for us to connect the dots that not only would buying an RV bring travel back to our lives, but it would do so safely. We could visit places in the US, work remotely, and enjoy life in the great outdoors exploring some of the best places the U.S. has to offer.”
At last, Jesse and Lauren were back on the road, and they couldn’t have been more thrilled. They wanted to share their happiness and freedom with others, so they turned to renting out their RV. “We knew we wouldn’t be spending 100% of our time in our camper, so we wanted to make sure it was getting used when we weren’t using it,” Lauren shares. “We knew the joy that renting other people’s RVs gave us, so we wanted to return the favor. Plus, we’d be lying if we’d say making a little money on our rig wasn’t enticing.”
Naturally, the Stuarts turned to the platform they had used before, but not before doing a bit of digging and looking at it from an owner’s point of view. “We did our research,” Lauren tells us. “Other owners had nothing but great things to say about their experience through Outdoorsy. Plus, having rented through Outdoorsy prior to buying our own rig, we had nothing but great experiences as well.
“We feel very safe renting our camper on Outdoorsy. The insurance coverage and renter verification that Outdoorsy provides for its users give us peace of mind that it would be taken care of if something were to go wrong. Plus, having perks like free roadside assistance and 24/7 customer service is a great service not only for owners but renters as well.”
This next step on the Stuarts’ journey has been an exciting one, but considering who they are, it certainly does make sense. “Travel is a big part of who we are,” Lauren says. “It’s a shared passion, a shared calling, and a shared love of ours. We love creating content and inspiring others through our travel blog, Wandering Stus, and now we can share our passion in another way.”
All About Lauren and Jesse
Favorite morning beverage: “Freshly ground black coffee. Really, there is nothing better.”
Favorite campsite meal: “Our camper comes with an outside griddle, so we use that thing all the time! Anything from fried rice to veggie bowls, we are all about! And in the Fall, SOUP. Sheesh, we love some soup bowls. Campfire soup is the best.”
Music you like to play on the radio: “Depends who is driving! Jesse is for sure country and electronic dance music. We know, complete opposite genres, right? As for Lauren, she is a little bit of everything, but classic rock, any form of Indie, and hip hop is what’s on her playlists.”
Best game to play on the road or at your campsite: “We love a good game of bocce ball at the campsite.”
Favorite season: “Fall is hard to beat. We love the colors and the crisp air.”
Last photo you took: “What else would it be, but of our pop Huey. But if you’re talking camping, it’ll be Maine.”
If you could travel anywhere in an RV, where would you go? “New Zealand”
