Tag Archives: technology

Oct 6 2025

šŸššŸ”„ Amazon Prime Deal Days: Van Life Edition!

Itā€™s that magical time of year againā€”Amazon Prime Deal Days are here! šŸŽ‰ Starting tomorrow, October 7th and 8th, the deals are rolling in hot, and weā€™ve rounded up our favorite van and bike camping essentials that are tried, tested, and totally loved. Whether youā€™re gearing up for winter camping or getting a jump on Christmas gifts (yes, itā€™s already that time), weā€™ve got you covered.

After fully transitioning from our trusty truck camper to our beloved Storyteller Mode LT Transit vanā€”aka Goldilocksā€”weā€™ve spent a full year chasing seasons and soaking up the van life. Spoiler alert: sheā€™s just right. Weā€™ll gush about her in another blog, but today, letā€™s talk gear.

šŸ§ŗ Van Life = Organized Life

When youā€™re living in a tiny space for months at a time, organization isnā€™t just helpfulā€”itā€™s survival. Weā€™ve tested everything from clunky plastic bins to heavy metal cabinets, and finally found our groove with these soft trunk organizers. Theyā€™re lightweight, easy to move, and roomy enough for everything from packaged food to our Berkey water filter.

These felt containers are our go-to for sundries, first aid, cooking gear, and snacks. They keep everything snug and rattle-free in the cabinets. And donā€™t get us started on these cabinet hooksā€”theyā€™re the unsung heroes of van organization.

This paper towel rack is a van essential. Pro tip: add a clothespin to the end so your roll doesnā€™t unravel while driving. Trust us, it works.

We tag our bikes, bags, and anything we canā€™t afford to lose with Apple Airtags. Peace of mind, always. And when winter rolls in, this compact space heater keeps us cozy without overworking the vanā€™s heating system.  The first one we saw that has many great reviews and wish we got, the second we have its trusty, dependable and pretty inexpensive. 

If you are like us and just not ready to pay for Starlink, we find our t-mobile with the Weboost we get reception in almost everywhere. A also nice for winter camping is this Southwest sherpa blanket it brightens up the space and is a nice snuggle for your bed. So youā€™re not fighting over it we like the 60×80 size and have twin Pendleton blankets with duvets on them.

šŸš² Bike Touring Must-Haves

Weā€™ve been pedaling through some epic bike tours lately, and these storage organizers are a game-changer. They fit perfectly in panniers and your van cabinets, keeping clothes and gear neat and accessible.  These are our favorite panniers waterproof, durable and on sale! Navigate trails and snap pics on the go with this sturdy bike phone holder. Itā€™s a small upgrade that makes a big difference.  If bike camping or in the van, that late night relief you need to see, these rechargeables are great head lamps.

Weā€™ve included some shots of us using these items in actionā€”because nothing beats gear thatā€™s been road-tested by real vanlifers. Hope these picks help you save a few bucks and make your adventures smoother, warmer, and more organized.  Happy Deal Days and even happier trails! We will be back for Christmas must haves soon. šŸ•ļøšŸš“ā€ā™‚ļøšŸŽ

  • Panniers
  • Hooks, Towel Rack
  • storage containers
  • Trunk Organizer
  • camp towels for drying dishes, hands and body.
  • We boost
  • inside organizer
May 23 2018

Rane Stempson: Helping Central Oregon Startups and More Create Diverse, Inclusive Workplaces

Thank you Kelly Kearsley, reposted from Startupbend Community visit their site.

 

So Teri approached me and asked if I would help develop a equity, diversity and leadership workshop series targeted at startups and small businesses that would offer practical knowledge on these topics at an affordable price? As the former principal research director for Microsoft, I focused on diversity and specifically bring more underrepresented groups into computing, so this was in my wheelhouse. I opened theĀ Ranemaker InstituteĀ and began developing the TAO workshop series, researching, and working with the City of Bend and the Bend Chamber on how we could better support our Cityā€™s equity needs.

 

As a result, TAO launched theĀ Diversity Leadership SeriesĀ a few months ago.Ā These workshops, which I lead, are for all industry sectors not just technology and provide hands on learning for our businesses, non-profits and government agencies at an affordable price. The workshops will help employees, managers and senior leaders determine how to deal with unconscious biases, harassment, recruitment, retention and advancement of a diverse workforce, managing across generations and a number of other topics to help businesses better serve their customers and increase employee satisfaction.

 

Thereā€™s been other progress as well. The City of Bend passed a unanimous resolution on March 7thĀ to aspire to be the most inclusive city in Oregon and in America. Bend also wants to be proactive in supporting our growing community. Most of our population in Central Oregon works for businesses with less than 100 people. These businesses create goods and services that must meet the needs of a diverse population that either visits the region or is distributed globally. I launched the Inclusive Innovation Initiative to provide a committee to tackle difficult equity and inclusion issues facing our city, the workshop series and free advising.

 

Iā€™ve also been offering advising hours to start-ups and small businesses via the SBDC at COCC. Iā€™ll be advising businesses on issues such as diversity, inclusion and equity. Iā€™ll also provide support for under-represented groups considering starting a new business.Ā You can schedule a meeting today.Ā 

When we suggest we need to expand organizational diversity it doesnā€™t mean ā€˜affirmative actionā€™ per se. Instead it often means looking at the broader definition. Asking ourselves, do we have members on our team that are adding value because of their different race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, veteran status, abilities, age, skill set, knowledge, culture, education, and training? Do these members push us to think, approach problems, and create solutions in different ways.

 

Bend is growing at an exceptionally fast rate, and our regionā€™s diversity is growing. Inclusion helps us recognize that everyoneā€™s voice and opinion matter and there are different strategies we should take to ensure each voice has the same level of importance.Ā In speaking with organizations, I explain that, ā€œMost people have good intentions and with a little education, such as utilizing strategies to better connect, we can work more effectively with each other and remove a lot of misunderstandings.

Especially in the technology community, we have a lot of equity and inclusion issues. And while we are driving so hard to innovate before the next person, we forget the time we need to invest in our innovative teams to ensure they are performing at their best.ā€ We understand the importance of technical training but often forget the soft skills is what is necessary to really drive innovative teams and successful companies utilizing the full potential of all their employees.

Check outĀ the next course in the diversity series workshop. You can also catch me at theĀ next City Club forum on June 21. Iā€™ll be moderating a panel onĀ Gender Partnerships in the Workplace: Where We Have Been, Where We Can Be.Ā You can schedule a meeting today. for free small business advising in diversity.