Hitting the Road
Designing spaces is my passion. I’ve spent years building and living out of vans, and I’ve designed and built multiple rigs for myself and others. Even now, outside of work, I’m deep in my current project: a 20-year-old Dodge Sprinter van build. So I like to think I’ve learned a lot about what works (and what doesn’t) for living on the road.
That’s why I obsess over the details: using space efficiently, placing things where your hands naturally land when you reach for them, and designing layouts that feel good to spend time in. Making it look good, but also making sure those designs hold up over miles of real world use.
So when the team started discussing shipping a vehicle all the way across the country to the Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa, Ryan and I volunteered to tow it instead.
I’ve camped in Pebble Flow several times before, but this trip would be different. This would be my longest stretch living out of Flow, the kind of trip where design meets daily reality. Like Ryan and Nuh’s road trip to another trade show late last year, it wasn’t only a transport plan, It was a chance to live with the product, learn from the product, and meet community members along the way. Like the prior trip, we planned a series of “Sunset Social” meetups at DC fast charging stations along the way where reservation holders, followers, and curious passersby could walk through Flow, ask questions, and see how it handles real-world use.
Into the Storm
Inevitably, coming back from the New Year’s holiday break we ended up getting a late start leaving Fremont on Sunday. Ryan and I packed quickly and headed south straight into a storm on I-5. Between traffic and weather, we were forced into improvisation mode immediately, trying to make up for lost time.
At one point Waze routed us off the freeway and onto a dirt road, which is not exactly ideal while towing. Mud splashed up on both vehicles, but Flow stayed stable and easy to control behind our R1S tow vehicle. A few miles later, back on the highway, the rain intensified and effectively power-washed everything clean. Then the clouds broke and revealed a double rainbow. It felt like the universe was telling us we were on the right track.
We arrived a few hours late to our first Sunset Social in LA, but it was worth it. Seeing the reactions of the people who stuck around to see Flow in person made the chaos of the day fade away. After wrapping up, we continued on and rolled into our first campsite in Palm Springs, late, drenched and exhausted, but smiling
Towing + Charging
After our Phoenix stop, we stumbled across “The Thing,” a roadside attraction filled with aliens and dinosaurs. Equal parts ridiculous and perfect. Driving Flow across the country drew plenty of stares at rest stops and charging stations, so stopping somewhere dedicated to the unusual felt fitting.
I rarely tow, so I felt some nerves heading into a trip this long. But Flow towed beautifully. Easy Tow, regenerative braking, and brake assist made the experience feel natural, even in heavy rain and stop and go traffic. If hitching and towing feels intimidating to you, Pebble Flow removes nearly all of that stress.
I also worried about charging logistics before departure. Managing both the Rivian and Flow at each stop sounded complicated. In practice, it was simple. We pulled in, unhitched Flow, and used the iPad to Remote Control it and position it at a charger while the Rivian charged separately. Then after unplugging, we'd simply Remote Control it back up behind the Rivian, press Magic Hitch and within a minute we were back on the road.
Finding Our Rhythm
Not long after, we fell into a rhythm: drive, charge, InstaCamp, eat, sleep, repeat.
A few nights we rolled in late and cooked inside Flow instead of finding a restaurant. Pizza one night. Pasta another. This wasn’t “camp food.” We had all the spices, the counter space, and all the comforts of a real kitchen, which makes a huge difference when you’re tired and trying to stay on schedule.
And the Murphy bed impressed me every single day. A comfortable mattress. Quick setup. No fighting with cushions. In the morning I’d toss the pillows up, leave the sheets on, fold it away in seconds, and we were moving.
After six nights of this, I found myself comparing it to my Sprinter back home. The speed and simplicity of Flow’s setup was a real advantage, especially when you’re tired and just want to keep moving.
Meeting the Community
Austin was a highlight. We decided to stop at the ChargePoint chargers along Electric Drive (because of course we had to charge on Electric Drive) and ended up with a huge crowd: fans, reservation holders tracking the trip, plus strangers who wandered over because they saw something different.
Once things quieted down, we grabbed groceries at the Trader Joe’s nearby, then took a quick ride in a supervised Robotaxi hosted by our friends at Tesla. A cross-country camping trip isn’t typically where you expect to get a glimpse of the future of transportation, but that’s part of what makes this job fun. Pebble isn’t an old-fashioned RV company, and I love seeing the industry change in real time.
At each Sunset Social, we answered questions and guided first walk throughs. As a designer, these moments matter. You see what people notice first, what they reach for, where they pause, and what they ask without prompting.
These meetups reveal real reactions. People light up when the bathroom or exterior Smart Glass switches between opaque and transparent, or when the Murphy bed lifts to reveal a wide workspace. Often, I find that five minutes with someone ready to live with the product teaches me more than a week in the studio would.
The Home Stretch
Before leaving Atlanta for Tampa, we made a surprise stop at Porsche HQ and met up with a friend for a quick tour. While we were there, I got my first real look at one of the newest EVs capable of towing a Pebble Flow: the all-new Cayenne EV. Seeing it up close was a treat.
By the time we reached Tampa and loaded in for the show, Flow didn’t feel like a trailer. It felt like our moving home base, proving its ease of use, comfort, and robustness across the entire country.
What I Learned
This trip gave me a renewed perspective on the product: towing, charging, daily routines, and real conversations with future owners. I left this trip with a long list of things I’m proud of, and a new list of things I want to improve next. And honestly, that’s exactly how it should be.
Thousands of miles. Highways, city traffic, charging stops, and dirt roads. Flow handled every mile, and exceeded my expectations.
This experience reinforced something I learned early on at Pebble: the best design decisions aren’t made in an office or meeting room. They’re made on the road, living with the space.
- Joah W.
A few notes from my copilot, Ryan L.
Last year’s drive to Dallas was the warm up lap. This trip was the real test. More miles each day. A tighter schedule. Winter weather the entire way. Fremont to Tampa in seven days, towing coast to coast with an electric truck and an electric trailer, something many would not attempt.
On my last trip, Nuh and I saw the Northern Lights in New Mexico. So before we left, I joked with Joah that she had big shoes to fill, as if she had some kind of influence natural phenomena. Then, on the first day of this drive, as the first storm cleared, a double rainbow stretched across the horizon. From that moment, I knew this trip would be something special.
These road trips, and the Sunset Socials along the route, are one of my favorite parts of working at Pebble. It gives us a real look at how the product performs under pressure and for many who have not seen a Pebble in the real world yet, it turns the Flow from a photo on a screen into something they can step inside, explore, and picture in their own lives. Watching that moment of excitement never gets old.
- Ryan L.
