“We love adventuring and enjoying time away camping with our children,” owner Emmily Ocker tells us. “We’ve taken our kids camping since they were 6 months old and have some favorite spots we return to annually.”
Emmily and her husband Justin even have some fun camping traditions. “Every camp trip we go on, my husband brings his Camp Chef Pizza Oven attachment and makes gourmet pizza,” Emmily shares. “Whether we’re camping seaside, boondocking, or in a luxury RV park, we always have the best food!”
As far as camping memories go, Emmily was quick to come up with a favorite. “My best specific camp memory was July 2020 when we hiked to some rock waterslides,” she says. “We used garbage bags to slide down and it was such a surreal experience. Won’t be forgetting it anytime soon!”
While the Ockers have enjoyed camping as a family for quite some time now, they haven’t always had a rig of their own. “Until we purchased our RV trailer last summer, we borrowed my parents’ tent trailer that I grew up camping in.”
As much as Emmily loves her parents’ old trailer, the family eventually decided it was time to find a trailer of their own and began the hunt for the perfect RV. “After a year of scouring Marketplace and Craigslist in a competitive market, we found her,” Emmily tells us. “We knew it as soon as we walked in.”
“We purchased Blessie (an affectionate combination of Blessing and Ol’ Bessie) in July 2020,” she continues. “We spent the fall renovating, which essentially meant gallons of primer, paint, and polyurethane. I’d sneak out to the trailer armed with a glass of wine, a good podcast, and a paintbrush after getting the kids to bed. I spent countless hours ushering Blessie into the 21st century.”
All that hard work paid off. The Ockers’ rig is now an absolutely adorable and modern RV that couldn’t be more comfortable. In fact, it’s so cute that Emmily and Justin decided to share it with the world. “After pouring so much love into renovating Blessie, we thought it would be a shame for her to just sit 49 weeks a year,” Emmily explains. “We added up all the days we would be using our trailer in a year, and it only came out to 21 days or so a year. I find the refreshed trailer a bright, pleasant, aesthetic place to be, and I wanted others to be able to enjoy it when we couldn’t!”
Fortunately, the Ockers knew just where to turn to ensure their Blessie was being used as often as she deserved. “We had a handful of friends who had positive experiences hosting through Outdoorsy,” says Emmily. “We had also rented a trailer through Outdoorsy in May 2020 and we liked the experience! Plus, we love that Outdoorsy leads the industry in their insurance coverage. That’s a huge point of concern for prospective renters, so we feel that Outdoorsy cares about our investment and property, so we can trust their platform.”
It would seem others thought Blessie was pretty cute too because the trailer received interest right away. “We had multiple rental requests the same evening I posted our listing,” Emmily recalls. “We were shocked to see so much interest.”
Justin and Emmily listed their trailer just a month ago and it’s already gone out twice. “We loved our first two renters,” Emmily tells us. “They were so respectful and easy to communicate with. The first family enjoyed a trip over the 4th of July. When we showed up to pick up the trailer, they even said, ‘We really like you guys! You have our number, just give us a call if you want to be friends.’ Love that! What a fun way to connect with other young families.”
We’re certain the Ockers will have the opportunity to connect with many more amazing people on their rental journey. As they do, the couple has high hopes that their RV can bring joy to each and every one. “I hope that families who don’t have an RV can enjoy the ease of camping with one and see themselves camping regularly in the future,” Emmily shares. “It’s such a special way for families to spend intentional time together, whether they’re hiking, playing games, or sitting around a campfire.”
All About Emmily
Favorite morning beverage: “ Half-caff cup of coffee with light cream.”
Favorite campsite meal: “Gourmet pizza that Justin makes in his Camp Chef Pizza Oven attachment.”
Music you like to play on the radio: “Country.”
Best game to play on the road or at your campsite: “Ticket to Ride or cards.”
Favorite season: “Summer or fall camping.”
If you could travel anywhere in an RV, where would you go? “Glacier National Park.”
