noel – Page 17 – Transfercar Blog

Transfercar crew on awesome US road trip!

Picking-up-the-RV

After our successful attendance at Collision conference in Las Vegas earlier this month, we decided to get back to San Francisco by transferring an RV. Why fly when you can take a bit of time to check out the fantastic scenery that’s offered in this part of the world? We booked the free rental RV on Transfercar using my personal account and we therefore acted as a mystery client.

The whole transfer process was very smooth, so this reiterated to me what a great service we offer! You just have to be a little patient upon picking up the RV as it’s not the fastest process: after waiting in line and signing the forms, you need to watch a 15 minute long video and then be shown in person how to use everything in the RV. But once the keys are yours and as soon as you hear the engine roar, the exhilaration begins!

We took the northern route from Las Vegas to San Francisco, planning to go through Death Valley and then Yosemite National Parks. After spending a night parked at the Death Valley Inn, we thought that we were in for a very hot day and we were therefore dressed for summer with shorts and thongs.

We were more than surprised when a few hours later we got caught in a big snow storm and realized that all the mountain passes were closed due to those wintry conditions! We were certainly not prepared for this, but that was all part of the fun and adventure. The landscapes we went through were truly amazing so it was worth it …

We made the most of those few extra hours on board and continued to work on various website developments thanks to our laptops while one of us was driving. Ins’t modern life amazing? We can take our office with us wherever we go, even in an RV that’s being snowed under!

In any case we have learned a lesson for next time: check out the weather forecast before you leave and don’t assume Nevada and California are super hot all the time!

See this story in action by watching our short road trip video below:

The world’s most luxurious supervans!

You don’t like being on the water, but you want to live that superyacht lifestyle? Get a luxurious supervan!

Our favourite supervan has to be the amazing eleMMent Palazzo mobile home. This visual feast of extravaganza and luxury is actually of German craftsmanship, so made to last! The Palazzo features two floors of entertainment with a giant master suite, multiple bars and a liftable “flybridge” lounge up top. You can even extend a slide-out, increasing interior space by 80% when not on the road. The new eleMMent series 2015 is coming out soon, and we wonder what improvements will be provided to what is already an amazing motorhome, by all accounts.

Another supervan that would be nice to try is the Futuria Sports and Spa Motorhome. Another German invention! This mansion on wheels contains everything for luxury travelling: bathroom, bedroom, roof terrace with Jacuzzi and even sports car garage (equipped with the custom Toronto garage doors).

Guess where the third best supervan comes from? Germany as well!!! The Volkner Mobil Performance Bus comes equipped with a large fridge-freezer, dishwasher, microwave, Bose-Dolby-home Entertainment Surround System and a widescreen TV which can be concealed in the cabinet when not in use. Pretty cool, uh?

Think this is out of reach for you? Maybe… but do you know that you can find some supervans on Transfercar? Especially in the USA where you can drive brand new RVs for next to nothing. .. Check it out.

Reference: Hunretsville NC Garage Doors.

Transfercar a hit at Collision Conference in Vegas

3 men in their 30s spending 3 days in Las Vegas; Sounds like trouble? Fear not, I’m happy to tell you what happened in Sin City. We were three members of the Transfercar team, Espen, the co-founder and CTO, Christian, our creative mentor and myself, the CMO, attending the Collision Conference, a burgeoning confluence of startups, investors, influencers, and next-gen business and technology leaders that has been referred to as being “Davos for geeks.”

TC-at-collision

Our goal was to meet with potential partners, members of the media and investors in order to fuel our expansion in the US as we recently launched our service in America. About 7,500 “colliders” came to Las Vegas from 89 countries representing 1,000 startups, and speakers ranging from Slack’s CEO to Facebook’s CMO, so there was a real feeling of exhilaration and energy under the huge tent that had been set up for the event at the World Market Center. It felt like all the VIPs of the Silicon Valley were meeting in the heart of the desert.

Unsurprisingly, we had a great time! I am not only referring to the drinks and party atmosphere which is part of Vegas’ DNA, I actually think this was the best conference I have ever been to! More importantly, this was a real success for Transfercar. People were queuing in front of our stand as our concept was an instant hit! It was really comforting for us to see the enthusiasm that our business generates among all kinds of people. We were told a couple of times that we were one of the coolest startups of the conference, including Frank Denbow who twitted this below:

Needless to say, we came back with a suitcase full of business cards and some very serious leads for our development. We also encouraged many of the attendees to pick-up a free rental car from Las Vegas as we had quite a lot of availability for those dates. We put our money where our mouth is (so to speak as it was free) and booked one RV on our website and picked it up from a local branch in Las Vegas and transferred it to San Francisco. What an amazing road trip that was!

From forest to desert: Two State Parks that you should not miss!

We have all heard about the mighty National Parks that dot our glorious nation: Yosemite, Yellowstone and Death Valley are examples of world-famous natural reserves. Our fabulous State Parks don’t get as much publicity. Did you know that we have 8,000 state parks in the USA? Together they receive more than 720 million visitors per year… Not famous, perhaps, but very popular!

If you’re relocating one of the cars and RVs available on Transfercar, you should take the time to visit at least one State Park. Here are two suggestions of places that you may not have heard about that should feature on your to-do list, especially since they are so close to Las Vegas and San Francisco.

First of all, the phenomenal Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. The Valley of Fire is the oldest state park in Nevada, located only 50 miles from Las Vegas. The area has seriously cool geological and historical sites for you to look at, all are unique and highly interesting; from petrified trees to 3000 year old petroglyphs. Telling anyone you are going to the Valley of Fire makes you sound awesomely daring and adventurous. However, the name actually comes from the colour of all the unbelievable rock formations, rather than any daredevil lava spouts. The area is only six miles from the gorgeous Lake Mead where you can swim, fish and go boating. With lots of fantastic hikes and walks, this is a brilliant place to go camping. Spring is the perfect time to go with very pleasant temperatures.

What is the exact opposite of the desert in Nevada? It is the gigantic Californian Redwoods! Go visit Big Basin Redwoods State Park, just 1.5 hours South of San Francisco! Seeing the redwoods is a humbling experience that will inspire you and reconnect you with nature. The trees will fill you with an inner silence and acceptance- the perfect holiday for a back to nature retreat, maybe even a solo sojourn. You should note that if you go in spring you will have plenty of rain so bring lots of hot chocolate, good books and prepare to just absorb the wonder around you, while you wait for the sun to shine and hikes to begin. Even in snow, this is an epic holiday, and if you do decide to make this an awesome family experience then snowball fights will be awesome with the tree trunks as natural forts. Just watch out that you don’t pelt any bears by mistakes! If you’re going in summer, you’re sure to have a great time!

Photo from Roadtrippers.com and Tigerfruit.

10 Crazy Forms of Human Transportation

Granted, getting a free rental car or a free campervan is crazy in itself, so at Transfercar we feel we fall into the category of crazy forms of transportation.

However it seems that there is always crazier than crazy, so if you are into the most insane ways to have your body transported, check out those options.

1. Orbit Wheels (featured image above)

According to its inventors, Orbitwheels is a new concept for wheeled sports and the idea is simple: two feet, two wheels…and you’re ready to go! ”A set of Orbitwheels is a cross between a skateboard and pair of inline skates – but with more freedom and simplicity than either”… would be nice to try this to see if it’s true.

2. Segway

segway Segway is a two-wheeled, self-balancing, battery-powered electric vehicle… It’s gaining popularity, although it’s still quite rare to bump into one of those. Looks pretty weird at first glance, but somewhat stylish, right?

3. Elliptigo

Elliptigo is two-wheeler designed to replicate running, without the impact… A cross between cycling and running?

4. Wuppertal Suspension Railway

This electric elevated railway with hanging cars is unique in the world and only exists in the town of Wuppertal in Germany… It looks a little scary, which might explain why no other city wanted to give it a go.

5. Velomobile

It’s not a car, it’s not a bike…a velomobile somewhere in between. Very stable, faster than a bike, and looks pretty good too. You should order one for Christmas.

6. Basket-ride

This one requires you to jump in a wheeled-basket and pay two men with a hat to push you. Sounds awesome, the problem is that you will only find this in Madere, Portugal!

7. Beer-bike

Another German invention… the Beer Bike… It’s not really a bike, but it’s real beer that they’re serving. Interesting concept.

8. Amphibian bus

No, please don’t jump to rescue those passengers, they are doing quite alright aboard this amphibian bus designed to get in the water… yes that’s a cross between a bus and a boat. Madness, uh?

9. Shockwave JetTruck

Jet Truck Is it a rocket, is it a truck? If you go to the US, you might be able to spot this JetTruck that goes over 300 km/h… Just imagine the noise when it passes you. Calm down, don’t try this at home, this could hurt.

10. Zorb

Well yeh, we’ve got something to be proud about in New Zealand… Zorbing is probably the craziest form of transportation ever imagined. Sexy-looking, and very handy at intersections…

Road Trippin’ Route 66

Route 66 has long been deemed the ultimate all American road trip. The 2400-mile ‘Glory Road’ spans America from Los Angeles to Chicago and has inspired many authors, songwriters and directors, capturing the imagination of many. Though officially decommissioned in 1984, due to new and faster routes, it has been forever ingrained in history as one of the greatest routes of all time. Its rich history and breathtaking country vistas make this route ever popular with nostalgic travellers. If you’re looking for an all-American experience, look no further and “get your kicks on Route 66”.

The attractions on Route 66 are endless and all preserve a special time in America’s past. From the Dixie Trucker stop to The Blue Swallow Hotel, each site has a special charm that keeps driving travellers to their doorstep. Here is a rundown of some must-see stops of Historic Route 66, so that you don’t miss a thing while you’re riding, hood-down and hands up.

You can follow in Elvis’s footsteps and take a hike around the Meteor Crater in Arizona. The meteor crashed there around 50,000 years ago leaving an out-of-this-world crater nearly a mile wide (half the size of a football field).

At the El Morro National Monument in New Mexico you can bear witness to the travellers from over seven centuries before you. The huge, 200-foot tall sandstone Questa are covered in the names of those who passed before you and hold carvings of Native American petroglyphs.

The Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico provides the perfect spot to take an overnight rest. Listen to the buzz of their famed neon sign and talk to fellow travellers in their cosy courtyard. Just over the road is the Odeon Theatre. Open since 1936, it’s famed for its authentic date-night appeal.

The Blue Whale pond in Catoosa provides the perfect spot to cool down in landlocked Oklahoma. You can fling yourself off the large whale’s tail into the cool swimming pond and peek through his blowholes at people enjoying the Route 66 icon.

If love to revel in a rebel’s story, visit the Meramec Caverns in Stanton, Missouri. The cave system provided refuge for legendary outlaw Jesse James but apart from it’s sordid past, the 6000 caves that dot the Missouri limestone bedrock are a spectacular natural attraction that have lured travellers since 1935.

By the time you get to Illinois your stomach will be grumbling and your eyes beginning to droop along with your petrol gauge; stopping in to The Dixie will solve all your problems. The Dixie is the oldest truckers stop on Route 66 and in the 70 years its been operating it has been closed only one day. The old Dixie will provide weary travellers with food, fuel and things to reminisce over in the museum full of Route 66 memorabilia.

It is widely recommended to hit this Route up in a hired soft-top or American classic to maximise all that the ‘Mother Road’ has to offer.

At the time of writing we have plenty of RVs that you can take along this historical route, so click here to make your booking and get ready to get your kicks!