Camper Life – How May Days Without Hot Water?

While people across the country have more serious problems because of bad winter weather– power outages lasting for over a week from snow and ice storms– in my little world I haven’t had hot water in my camper for almost a week! Not from bad weather, it’s from a leaky tank. My dad and I searched quite a bit and still have no idea where the 6-gallon tank is slowly letting water out– not the pressure relief valve, any hoses, or fittings– but our best guess is that it’s somewhere in the soldering of the tank itself. We tested it a few different ways but decided it probably only dripped water when there was pressure inside, an event we couldn’t recreate with the tank propped up outside of the camper.

Eventually I had to give up on finding the precise source of the problem. I know what the results of the problem were though… water in the camper, a water pump that cycles more than it should, and tons of frustration. The solution became this: Getting rid of the tank altogether and buying a new one. I did some research and in the end I went with a tankless water heater from RecPro.

I’m excited to get this new tank installed as soon as it arrives. I ordered it last week. It was scheduled to be delivered yesterday but it’s been delayed and you might guess why. Bad weather.

-Out of the Wilderness

Crate & kids Commercial – The Secret, The Song, and More

It’s not often that I come across a commercial and have real trouble finding it online. But here we are. It’s a Crate & kids ad and I’m 99% sure I know what song they use, although it’s an instrumental version. I don’t have kids so Crate & kids as a brand was new to me. It’s an off-shoot of Crate & Barrel, another brand I’m unfamiliar with…because I’m not a woman. If you’re thinking to yourself, “Yeah, I know what kids commercial you’re talking about!” then see if this song sounds very familiar.

The Secret Sisters make great music and the addition of Ray LaMontagne is *chef’s kiss*. I love this song and you’d have a hard time convincing me this isn’t the melody in the Crate & kids commercial. I know why they used the Secret Sisters song, but why are they keeping the ad a secret? I found the video below on Instagram. I think it’s the same ad but with generic music, which makes me think they didn’t get clearance from the songwriters and/or performers to air the commercial beyond what we’ve seen on TV with the “All the Ways”.

If you know more about this ad, leave a comment and let’s get to the bottom of it!

-Out of the Wilderness

The Pepsi Polar Bear Commercial – The Choice, The Song, and More

In this corner, hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, with its mascot the mighty polar bear, it’s Coca-Cola. And in the other corner, hailing from Purchase, New York, along with its mascot— the Coca-Cola polar bear?? This is more twisted than the ending of Begonia starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons! Or was there no movie twist at all, which is a twist no one saw coming? Check out the Pepsi commercial (with a twist) below and then scroll down for more…

The Song. Taking us way back to 1984, Pepsi calls up a song from Queen called “I Want To Break Free.” Here’s the full track…

Ruthless. And at the same time, playful. For this fight between the beverage giants, we get a seat ringside– or is it more fitting to say we’re on the sidelines since this is a Super Bowl commercial? Pepsi appropriates the Coke polar bear we’ve grown to love over the years and viewers have been quick to kick while Coke is down. Remember Coke’s AI animated holiday commercial? Commenters on YouTube aren’t holding back, praising Pepsi for hiring animators and blasting Coke for the AI ads. So this commercial is a one-two punch– taking the polar bears AND using real animation, both elements that make Coke look poorly.

Pepsi delivers its final body blow of this round in the form of the top culture reference from 2025. The Coldplay Kiss Cam. Did anyone have polar bears hugging on their 2026 bingo card?

-Out of the Wilderness

Dr. Rick Job Site Progressive Commercial – Construction and Destruction

Who doesn’t love checking out a good construction site? Well, except when it messes up traffic. This love for all things “manual labor” is the sentiment behind a new Dr. Rick commercial from Progressive.

Gosh, I’ve written about two commercials that remind me of one of my favorite movies, Elizabethtown. Remember the “Rusty’s Learning to Listen” scene? Boys love construction, or in the case of the movie… DEstruction.

Have you seen another commercial that reminds you of Elizabethtown? If you guessed the Budweiser clydesdale eagle commercial for the 2026 Super Bowl, you got it! Great commercial. It sounds like someone needs to watch Elizabethtown this weekend. And that someone is me.

-Out of the Wilderness

The Chipotle Yup Yup Nope Commercial – The Music and the Fake YouTube Views?

Everybody has choices, especially when it comes to fast food. Chipotle wants us to say “Yep” to their fresh food and “Nope” to thawed out meals from other restaurants. Check it out then scroll down for more info…

The Song. From 2015, this is a song from E-40 called “Choices (Yup)”. This is a great use of the chorus for a message Chipotle only has 30 seconds to deliver to the viewer. Here’s the full track… and warning about the language. There’s a lot of foul words in this one.

I don’t have (fresh) beef with the commercial, even if my feelings for Chipotle have frozen over (like a McDonald’s nugget in transit). Why am I being cold? I find it hard to believe the YouTube video has 1.6 million views in just 3 days but only 4 comments.

Did Chipotle buy views? Yup. Are they going to get away with it? Yup. Now do I trust them with food I’m putting into my body? Nope.

-Out of the Wilderness