Living Full-Time in an RV

Life in an RV

It’s been 25 days since I’ve left my old life and began traveling across the US. I traveled quite quickly across the country following Route 66. I have since learned, I do not like that pace. I prefer the slower travel style, giving myself plenty of time to handle “everyday” tasks like laundry, paying bills, cleaning, and “normal” life. While I LOVE the places I have seen so far, I feel like my four days at the Grand Canyon were almost perfect.

Many RV parks can be booked for one week. I think that will be my goal. 5-7 days at a park, travel, spend a night at a Harvest Host, and then 5-7 days at another park. It will take me longer to get places but I think it will help my sanity…lol

I found myself spending 2 nights at most parks. I would arrive around 3 pm, set up, and then have to think about my next move, which did not allow me to enjoy where I was, spending more money on gas than I wanted.

When I moved across the country to LA, I did it in 2 1/2 days. Woke at sunrise drove till dark. It is definitely easier in a car.

Technically, I’m already in Ohio, the videos are behind (intentionally). I will be with family for a little more than a month handling a few #rvrenovations and spending time with them during the holidays. I was hoping to avoid the snow but it seems like we will be getting our first hit this coming weekend. (ugh)

I have been enjoying the autumn weather, the color-filled trees, and my dogs are enjoying the sheer number of squirrels (and deer), to the point in which they forget why we are outside in the first place.

I spend most of my time on projects, work, editing the remaining video, and borrowing a car to run errands and visit friends.

What have I learned?

• Dry-Camping is not that bad, while intimidating, not bad; I still want to add solar, but that will be a project down the road.

• I do not like driving the rig in bigger cities. I have found that most drivers do not care that it takes you longer to stop. It stresses me out. I know this is something that I will eventually get used to, but I’m still learning the rig, still figuring out the in-and-out of how it handles.

• The dinette area is now my bed. I have two dogs that seemed to want to jump on the table every time I left, since one of them is 12 years old, I did not want to worry about him hurting himself…so the dinette is no more. It is now officially “the bed”

• The jack-knife sofa is not that great, so while I am home my brother and I will be making a few changes to the rig (video to come later).

• I need an e-bike. Just have to find the right one. I was going to look into getting a scooter but the bike just makes more sense (no gas) and If I’m staying a couple of miles away from something, it’s easy to handle, maneuver, and park to run errands.

• I need to get a few things fixed/completed.

  Kitchen sink and shower leak.

  Air-bags in the suspension seems to not hold (on one side)

  I need an alignment.

  I need to install my WeBoost.

• I need to purge again…so much…so much crap I’m not using!!!!

• I need warmer clothes!!

Where do I go from here?

South. AWAY from the snow…

Haven’t really figured that part out yet. I plan on heading to Louisiana to see some friends and possibly the driving along the coast. That will get figured out. I have the National Geographic Scenic Highways and Byways book and will be researching more of the routes south.

I’m excited to see what stories I can find, what history I can uncover. There is so much of this planet that I want to explore and learn. I love finding these little nuggets, places that seem to hold a story waiting to be told. I love talking to other travelers. I’ve met so many amazing people on my journey so far.