Well folks, as of the day this is published, we have officially been living in our RV for six months! It's been quite the journey thus far, even though it's only just begun. So sit back as we reminisce, look back a few of our older posts, see what worked, maybe have a laugh at some of the dumb things, and put it all into perspective.
Heading back to the first post we ever did, comparing the tent and car camping to the RV lifestyle. With the setup and tear down, it's just as complex as the tent camping, when you consider hooking up the truck, getting everything plugged in, maybe even decorating the porch. However, like everything else, it's as difficult or as easy as we want to make it. At the truck stops, just unplug the electrical to not waste the truck battery, and it's very simple. Like everything in life, once you get a system down in practice, it gets easier. Looking back, the one thing we did wish we brought was a tent or tent-topper. We know, it sounds a bit redundant. However, maybe you want to make a somewhat lengthy trip while you're at a place, perhaps 300 miles to the other side of the state to watch a rocket launch. Unlike the SUV, trucks aren't that easy for sleeping, save the tent topper for the bed in the back. Maybe a quick overnight in a tent site at a state park would have been a good idea. So much for that vow, after Delaware and Boston before the RV, of never doing that long of day trips again...
Taking a look at the kitchen stuff, surprisingly enough everything has been used, but we ended up adding a few things. First, a wonderful set of induction cookware that is able to be used on both the hot plate and the propane stove. It has served us incredibly well for anything that comes to our minds on what to eat, and is very easily collapsible for our small storage needs. Although we still use it, the large frying pan is a bit bulky, so we'll have to figure out what to do there. Secondly, a small air fryer. These don't take up much space, and work as great pseudo-"ovens" if we don't want to light up in the camper. The traditional coffee pot did not survive very long, sadly, but a stand-up single-cup maker takes up much less space and does the job, especially with many brews being sold in pod form.
As for the route planning, this was probably the biggest shocker from the moment we started the shakedown. First, line your pocketbooks, because the amount of gas you use is SO much higher when you're carrying that rig. And depending on where you go, it's not cheap, with the national average pushing $3.50 and almost all of California over $5.00 to the gallon! Second, don't expect to be able to go full highway speeds. Even over 60 miles per hour, you're going to start feeling your home behind you, especially if a semi passes you, so hang on and get used to it. You don't want to impede traffic flow, especially with higher speed limits in western states, even on the two-lane roads. Try to find a good balance. Our most common sin with travel, though, is over-compensating on the amount of time needed to get somewhere. Yes, a contingency is nice, but better to call and arrive a day late than to get there early and not know what to do. We arrived near our first planned destination about two days early, and had to sneak another trip in. Even coming to where we are now, when we told the owner and outgoing managers when we'd be there, we overshot by a full day, though we're thankful they worked with us on that.
If there's one thing we've learned in the last six months, it's this: Having a plan to Follow your Internal Compass is good, but always be on your toes, be ready to adapt, and learn from your mistakes. Here's to another six months, hopefully many more beyond that, and we look forward to seeing you on the road.
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