If you spot a woman bouncing with excitement and waving energetically at nuCamp teardrops, don’t worry — that’s just Kathy DeGrenier, the self-proclaimed “nuCamp welcome committee.” She lights up whenever fellow nuCamp owners roll into the campgrounds where she and her husband work.
The couple discovered the world of work camping in May, starting as hosts at a fishing resort in northern Minnesota. After years of juggling various part-time jobs back home in Florida, Kathy and her husband, Steve, decided to take a chance on work camping — and, as Kathy puts it, everything “just sort of fell into place.”
“We were tired of doing part-time jobs here where we live in Florida,” she explained. “So, we said, ‘hey, let’s give this a try!’ … When you work camp, you have the ability to work at all different places. It’s a huge industry. There are just so many opportunities out there, which is great.”
By July, they had moved on to Lake Irwin Campground in Colorado, hosting through the end of the season in early October. Now, back in Florida, they’re tying up loose ends, preparing their house for sale, and gearing up for their next adventure. Come Dec. 1, they’ll head to Oregon, continuing their journey of travel and work on the road.
“It is a way to see some really unknown places,” Kathy said. “It helps you to really get a much clearer idea of what these places are like. We’re lucky to be able to do this.”
A Longtime nuCamp Family
Kathy and Steve have been part of the nuCamp family for years — even before nuCamp officially became nuCamp. They were grandfathered in with their 2006 Dutchman TAB after the company acquired the rights in 2009. Since then, their teardrop lineup has grown to include a 2018 TAB 320 CS-S, a 2024 TAG SE, and now their current home on wheels, a 2020 TAB 400.
As minimalist campers, Kathy and Steve loved their TAG SE — which she fondly called “the coziest little nest.” But when they decided to start work camping, they knew they’d need a little more space, leading them to the TAB 400.
“We really are very simple campers, and we really believe in the nuCamp products,” Kathy shared. “In our experience, they are better built than other campers.”
The curved design of the TAB 400 brings Kathy a sense of nostalgia. It reminds her of traveling with her father, an avid sailor who even lived on a sailboat for a time. Her favorite place to sleep on the boat was the quarter berth — a small, cozy space that hugged her as she drifted off.
Sleeping up against the curve of the 400 gives her the same, comforting feeling, she said.
Though the DeGreniers didn’t grow up camping, they’ve been RVing for more than two decades — starting in a tent, then a pop-up, then a Class C motorhome. When their kids grew up and stopped tagging along, they decided to downsize, which led them to the TAB.
Kathy was attracted to the TAB because it was perfect for two people, but still manageable if she decided she wanted to camp by herself. Since then, they’ve stuck with the nuCamp brand.
“I respect the workmanship and even if you buy used, you’re going to get a really good product,” Kathy said. “… To have a manufacturer that has people that will actually listen to you and will call you back and respond — sometimes the same day — that’s really exceptional. They’ve really stood by their product.”
Life at 10,500 Feet
During their time at Lake Irwin Campground, Kathy and Steve had the chance to meet nuCamp TAB 360 Ambassador Jenn Grover. Jenn was surprised when Kathy recognized her from her YouTube videos and social media reels featuring TAB tips and advice.
The DeGreniers also met several other nuCamp owners, including a few Cirrus Truck Camper owners, during their three-month stay. Perched at 10,500 feet, Lake Irwin is remote and primitive — no hookups, no cellphone service, and surrounded by pure wilderness.
The couple relied on solar and propane for power and used Starlink for connectivity. As camp hosts, they greeted new arrivals, provided water, sold firewood, cleaned the grounds, and served as the campground’s connection to the outside world.
One of Kathy’s favorite features of the TAB 400 came in handy during those nights in the mountains — the stargazer window. She recalled how dark the skies got with no light pollution. She loved laying beneath a blanket of stars, kept warm by the Alde Heating and Hot Water System.
“The camper was just a champ,” Kathy noted. “It was so homey to come back to.”
The Heart of Work Camping
For Kathy and Steve, work camping just makes sense. It combines their love of meeting new people with their passion for travel and adventure.
“People had all kinds of stories,” Kathy shared. From families returning to the campground to share childhood memories with their own kids to a man on a mission to summit every mountain peak in Colorado, Kathy and Steve met people from all walks of life. Many guests showed their appreciation with small, heartfelt gestures — homemade salsa, jars of BBQ sauce, handwritten thank-you notes. One young camper even brought them a chocolate bar after hearing they’d had a tough day.
She smiled as she recalled those moments — the laughter, the kindness, and the community found on the road.
“I was fascinated by the people we met out there — people from all over the map,” Kathy said. “They were just the nicest people.”
Next up, the DeGreniers will make their way to Sugarcreek, Ohio, to pick up their TAB 400 at the nuCamp Service Center after it receives a bit of repair and TLC. From there, they’ll continue west to Oregon for their next work camping assignment — a year-long stay that will bring them closer to their son, who lives in Seattle.
If your travels take you near Mapleton, Oregon, be sure to stop by Archie Knowles Campground — you might just be greeted by Kathy’s warm smile and enthusiastic wave, the true spirit of the “nuCamp welcome committee.”
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