Last week I met Todd & Sheila—new Bronco owners and Nation members—at their home in Tampa which sits atop 18 wheels, measures 53 ft. long and was custom designed with the mission of creating community in the Great Outdoors.
In just a few short years—by living, capturing and sharing their life on their YouTube channel, Switch it Up—the couple has built a welcoming, grass roots collective who gather to adventure together and give back to both people and planet.
What Does “Switch it Up,” Mean?
Sheila: In 2019 Todd lost his mom in August and my dad passed away in December. My dad had an RV and always planned to travel the country once he retired. Well, that retirement continued to get delayed and inevitably he passed before ever seeing his dream of adventure travel come to life.
Todd: Shortly thereafter the world shut down, so we took her dad’s RV out to the lake to experience what it was like to camp—we had never done that before.
Sheila: Then, Todd had this great idea that we should “Switch It Up,” do something different and go live the life my dad wanted to live.
Wait, you never camped before 2019 and you’ve been on the road, camping, ever since!?
Sheila: Yes! We’re getting ready to start year number four of living full time on the road! And we had zero experience. I was in Girl Scouts, but that doesn’t really count!
Tell us about your Switch Crew? Who are they?
Todd: Nobody talks about the dirty secret of living on the road—it’s lonely. So, Sheila used her background in events and love for community to change that.
Sheila: We invited our YouTube followers to come camp with us and to try a new adventure like white water rafting and zip lining or simply going for a hike. We wanted to get out, have fun and experience the outdoors together.
Todd: There is strength in numbers. At some spots, over 100 people were showing up. So, we took that sense of community one step further, and now at each “Huddle,” as we call it, we complete a community service project, as a team.
Who is invited to the Switch it Up Huddles?
Todd: Everyone. We don’t care if you are on the road full time or if you’re a weekend warrior. We don’t care about the size of your rig or if you have one at all. Come one, come all. We’d love to meet other members of Bronco Nation. Bring your Bronco, sleep in the back, on the roof, on the ground beside it, we don’t care.
Sheila: What we do care about is creating a movement of people who experience the outdoors as a community, impact the world and inspire others.
Switching gears, you are the newest members of Bronco Nation and proud new owners of a Ford Bronco. Tell us about your rig!
Sheila: Yes, we are, and we love her! She is a four door, Wild Track in Carbonized Gray with the Sasquatch package. We even incorporated her color into the design of our new 53 ft. toy hauler. It’s going to look so great!
Todd: We first experienced Bronco at the Chicago Auto Show where we took it for a fun test drive. Until then, we thought we’d be a part of that other off-roading community.
Sheila: We did, but as soon as I got behind the wheel, I knew the Bronco was different. It’s a more comfortable ride. It feels sturdy and solid. I’ve already driven it in snow, and I felt amazingly comfortable.
How will you transport your Bronco on your cross-country journey?
Sheila: Todd will be driving the Mack truck and pulling our new rig, so I’ve decided to chase behind. I really enjoy driving and don’t get the chance to do it too much anymore. I love the feeling of being on the open road.
Have you taken it off-road yet!?
Sheila: No, we’re going to do that with Bronco Nation! I’m excited to learn how to drive off-road safely.
Todd: We just got it a few months ago and we are ready to do a Bronco Off-Roadeo. Now, we just have to choose a location.
Sheila: Yes, and I plan to attend an upcoming Bronco Off-Roadeo Ladies Day. Who needs their husband telling them how to drive!?
To follow Todd and Sheila on their RV and Bronco adventures or attend one of their upcoming camping Huddles, check out the Switch It Up website or YouTube channel.
Curious to know more about life on the open road? Have questions about camping with your Bronco and RV? Leave them here and we’ll ask Todd & Sheila to chime in!
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