Is there a url I can use to go direct to my custom feed., as opposed to the general website > how to feed > custom feed > get started, the select my receiver each time?
While I get that watching locally is preferred due to bandwidth, etc. Sometimes I'm not local. That said, derek - your click path could be optimized as follows: General site -> Other Tracking Info -> Custom Feeds. (Don't chase further down the menu path). Once the VRS is up and running, pick your Receiver and you should be good to go. Mine remembers which receiver I've picked from the last time, so it's easy to bring up when I'm at work and curious about a bird overhead. One caveat - this may hinge on being logged in to the main website.
No need to be logged in. It should remember. I'd look into ZeroTier for your Pi image. Install is easy and it works really nice, we are using it for our in-house images. I might release it for public use eventually. https://www.zerotier.com/download.shtml