Just as quickly as the previous trip began, so does it end, and the next adventure begins. However, just as quickly as we had plans for this one, so are they changing.
When living in the RV full-time, it's important to also be mindful of events that are going on around you. For general living, that means avoiding a number of the tourist traps. For example, we were intending one particular destination. A major motorcycle event, though, meant that the lots were either full or had their rates dramatically raised. The beauty of the full-time life, though, is that we can just go somehwere else. So, we've decided to stay a few hundred miles outside the original destination until everything calms down, and then come in.
Sometimes, holidays exist that cannot be avoided. These are times such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, to name a few. As these are national holidays, you can't dodge the crowds. What's a couple to do? Well, trip 1 was around a holiday weekend, and we found an up-and-coming campground that was under construction but trying to generate some income. If we're able to score a "workamping" deal, that would clearly help, especially also during events. Family and friends could also be visited as able.
No matter where we are or what's going on around us, it's a great adventure being on the road. Who knows where our internal compass will take us? All we have to do is follow it.
Our next trip is upon us, and this time, there is no return. The house and tiny plot of land have been sold. All the strife of suburbia is behind us. Now it's time to be on the road for good. As this is being typed, the realization has come that we fell flat on our faces.
As we pulled out of our former driveway for the final time, the trailer and the truck were jam-packed. The entire aisle between the dining area and kitchen was filled. The beds and couches were packed, as we hoped a bump or a quick yellow-to-red light wasn't hit to send everything flying. Even now, after consolidating and packing away more stuff, barely enough space was made to fit the Raspberry Pi used to type this. What seemed to be the biggest mistake was that we had two living spaces established: The RV, and our former house. Had we been able to turn the clock back about a month to try this again, the game plan would be to live in the house with what we used to live in the RV during our first trips.
The biggest culprit in double living for us, thus far, has been clothing. We had a number of clothes packed for the RV, but then also had more for the house. A week's worth of clothes has been endorsed by some outlets as a good target for how much to have. You may want to adjust based on your personal preferences, or how often you go through a particular article. It may take a couple rounds to decide what you really want or need, and you can always replace clothes as they wear out. Care needs to taken for adverse weather, business, and formal conditions as needed, but in lesser quantities.
Aside from clothes, there were several other areas where our planning could have used some improvement. Kitchen and dining left room to be desired. It wasn't until about a week or two before the closing that we finally ditched our house dinnerware for what we have in the RV. Flatware also had multiple sets, we were still using breakable glassware as opposed to travel-friendly tumblers, and cookware we bought as a result of lessons learned, but never began to use until late. Emergency storage is also an adjustment. Although meals ready-to-eat (MREs) aren't the most desirable, we may have to pare down some of the supplies, even though we'll be saving a bit on groceries, especially for travel days. Tough decisions with personal items also had to be made, although we've thus far made the best with the room we have. Thankfully, we are still close to a storage point so we have a final opportunity to make these adjustments.
A little bit of organization time later, and we seem to be much more stable. Another storage trip or two later, and we should once again be ready to follow our internal compass.
We received an interesting question from one of our followers wondering about our place of residency. We mentioned that we were thinking about becoming citizens of a particular state, and then we were asked how long we'd be there. This leads to a quick discussion about permanent addresses.
Each person in the United States, for purposes of census, income tax collection, identification, and voting, are allocated an address. This is typically designated as a person's "permanent address". This doesn't necessarily mean that they are spending most of their time at that location. Let's consider college students as an example. They aren't spending most of their time and money at their permanent address. Instead, they're living in a dormitory or apartment near their studies, and going back to their original location for a couple months out of the year. They'll still retain the original address and citizenship for the aforementioned purposes, so they're legally still "living there", even if they aren't physically there.
For those who are living full-time in their RV, the concept and execution really isn't that different. There are mail handling services available that will also offer the ability for the patron to use the address as a permanent location, and help them establish necessities associated with citizenship, such as driver's licenses, vehicle registration, voting address, and so on. These services are usually found where there aren't any state income taxes, and municipal responsibilities are minimal. Once again, although we'll establish citizenship in a particular state, we're not necessarily going to be there. We may not set foot in the particular state for a couple years, but we'd still be citizens of the state.
When looking into becoming citizens of a state, there are plenty of things to review. Are there residency requirements to receive services? Taxes are a big issue, and you'll likely want to save some money by being a citizen of a state without a state income tax. Income isn't the only tax, though, as you'll also want to consider vehicle registrations and driver's licenses renewals, if property tax is charged on vehicles, potential municipal taxes, health care taxes, and also taxes related to a small business you might be doing on the road to generate some income. Vehicle maintenance is also important; are you going to want to have to go back to a state every year to get your RV and any other vehicle inspected, or will preventive maintenance during your regular oil changes and tune-ups suffice? If you have or plan to have children, a state may also have some red tape surrounding their home schooling. There may be other things important in your life to consider.
At the end of the day, we simply intend to choose a permanent address for the legal basics, and hit the road. Less time worrying about the day-to-day red tape will give us more time to follow our internal compass.
Sometimes, you make plans, things don't pan out the way you want, other anomalies happen, and all of a sudden, you find yourself moving on. This is what occurred with our most recent boondocking adventure. The original plan was for two weeks, and we made it all of six days before heading out.
We had a couple lessons learned on this one. First and foremost is to make sure everyone stays in good healthy shape. Packing (since we're still in transition), and rushing to do so at that, in the hot and muggy summer did not bode well. Although we don't anticipate this step when we're on the road because we'll already have everything with us, it's still important when it comes to picking up supplies and re-organizing storage. Tack on trying to keep the RV at a reasonable temperature with a generator while you're consuming double the water you were expecting, as well as some immune responses to flying insects, and you may just have a bad time.
Secondly, over-anticipating supplies will still bring you short. As mentioned before, water consumption went up on the hot and muggy days. However, the potable water tank was running low after only a few days, even with bringing drinking water separately. Thankfully, there was a good amount of rainfall to replenish the latter, although you have to be careful about where you collect rainwater, as some states and municipalities have strict regulations, or have even made it illegal. Water isn't the only supply, though, as fuel can also be a concern. This isn't limited to gasoline and propane, as dry wood can be a problem, especially if it rains. Even with the RV, a campfire is a very good heat source, as well as a way to keep insects away.
This isn't to say that boondocking is coming off the internal compass, though. It's still very enjoyable to "get away from it all" for a while and go back to primitive ways and means. We've figured out that trying to do it for two weeks isn't going to work, but a couple nights is easily doable. It could also work well if we're ahead of schedule for our next destination. Plus, the beauty of the full-time RV lifestyle is that we aren't as easily tied to one place. Sure, we might reserve a campground site for a longer period to lock in a better rate, but if we want to pack it all up and go somewhere else, we can do that. A number of people our age don't want to feel tied to a location, so why not exercise this freedom?
After all of what we experienced, we're still looking forward to the full-time RV lifestyle, but our internal compass tells us to try to keep the boondocking to a minimum and enjoy the RV parks. Needless to say, once we're back on the road, we will certainly follow our internal compass.
Before selling off the house and going completely full time on our RV adventure, there is one more trip we need to make to give ourselves full information on what we can handle. Enter our first boondock adventure. After about four days or so on the road for this one, here's what we've found.
Boondocking is a term those in the business use to describe what most would consider actual camping. We're in the wilderness, typically a national forest or state preserve. There are no amenities such as electric, plumbed water, or sewer. We'd be lucky to have a fire pit, picnic table, and natural body of water. We still have the RV with us, so it's not the "pure" experience one would think with a tent, like one of our adventures before the RV. It is, however, a true test of our ability to survive both the environment and each other. Think similar to the show "Survivor", except we're not voting each other out (as much as the urge may pop up once in a while), there aren't any reward challenges, and no one's giving us a million dollars, at least not today.
The biggest thing we've figured out thus far is to ensure we have a boondock pack list. Even though the non-consumables are always going to be with us, and is something we are trying to emulate with this trip, there is much more. There are plenty of tools that are needed. Your typical rake and shovel are important. So are buckets and totes, because you never know what you might need to collect or carry. Insect repellents are also something to keep in mind. Maybe you'll want a few tarps in reserve as well. Unlike many RV campgrounds and resorts, you aren't as easily able to send out for supplies, and they're more expensive than an urban big box store if you do find them.
In speaking of preparation, along with food supply, you can never have enough drinking water. Although the rig comes with a potable water tank, we still prefer drinking something filtered, so our drinking water is carried separately. Commercial pitchers and dispensers are nice for a plumbed supply, but when you are limited to what you're carrying, we're trying to conserve the potable for kitchen and bathroom use. Drinking out of a river isn't the best option because you have to boil the water before it's potable, but it's not a bad option for bathing. If you've ever seen documentaries on people trying to save a buck by reusing water, although parts of what they do are extreme, you begin to recognize that some of their odd ways make sense in the woods.
Food and water is important, but fuel supply is a big concern. Do you have enough propane and/or gasoline? We picked up a dual fuel generator to bring with us for times like these, but how often is that going to be run, and for what would it be used? Are you simply charging your rig's battery, or do you want to use it on a central air system? Can you spare propane for the generator, or is that needed for a reliable cooking system such as a portable grill? Wood is something you must either find or purchase locally; are you wanting to build a campfire, and what is its use?
These are some of the lessons we've learned thus far on our boondocking adventure. Check back for more about how we've been living on this trip. Will boondocking remain on our internal compass?
With a few trips under our belt, and also transitioning ourselves to full-time living in the RV, we've been able to experiment a bit with our electronics situation. This is what we've learned so far, and hopefully you are just as able to take advantage of what we've learned when you start your adventure.
The first is internet. We did decide to switch service providers to one that's more friendly towards unlimited data and hotspots. Sadly, this came with a hidden termination fee for unlocking the phone to be able to switch carriers, and it was a policy that changed recently. Let's just say they didn't want us to "kindly do the needful". Once that headache was completed, the next step was to hooking up the wireless router because the phone only afforded one hotspot connection. The good news is that the router was able to setup properly, and even now we're using the hotspot for our internet, shunning the wired connection we've had at the house. Remember that public wi-fi is not dependable, not to mention you want something encrypted for personal matters, such as banking and bill paying.
Some of you reading this are probably wondering how we hooked up everything. The first thing is to configure the router. There are tutorials from Smart Domotik, Wi-Fi Planet, and Quick Fix that can help you with your setup. To get your phone's subnet information, you should be able to simply connect a computer directly to your phone's hotspot; in our case, we didn't have to change the router's subnet. I also recommend using "Client" mode instead of "Client Bridge" because you want to be connecting to your router even though it will have the same name as your phone. The next and most important step, especially when you're given only one hotspot connection, is that the order in which everything is connected matters. You have to turn on the router first, then your hotspot, and only after the router and hotspot are connected can you then add other devices. If another device gets the IP Address first, the router won't be able to connect because the one address is gone. Third, once you have everything set, keep an ethernet cable attached to your router, even if you don't have the other side connected, because if something goes down, you may need to hook a computer to that wired connection to be able to troubleshoot the router.
Once you have connectivity, start looking at your devices. During Trip 1, we found that the bulky desktop wasn't used at all, even though we brought it along. The shakedown had it as a sort of file storage area, but was a little noisy and cumbersome to put together. A small solid state drive with a smaller computer should do the trick for what we need. Since we don't have a toy hauler with an office room equipped, there's no reason to bring the desktop and we can live without the heavy gaming apps, so that will likely go to storage. As for computers, some people prefer cell phones today for accessing internet and apps, but it's still good to have a straight computer with you. Laptops are nice to have, but one newer invention we seem to like is the Raspberry Pi. These are small, inexpensive, yet powerful computers able to do what we need, and we're also able to do small electronics projects not only to entertain us, but also for potential rig improvements. They also have HDMI outputs, meaning you can connect it to your TV, not needing an additional monitor. Round it all out with a video game system doubling as a Blu-Ray player, along with a streaming video device, and we're good to go.
Sometimes you're going to have lessons learned while you travel, and looking at our situation, we find ourselves ready to go. We can spend less time worrying about our living arrangement in terms of electronics, and more time following our internal compass.
If you're like us, you've taken a couple of trips, and have decided to commit to living the full time RV lifestyle. However, it's not necessarily something that you can do overnight. There's going to be a transition period, and we hope to help those making the decision through their transition.
You'll need to be able to deal with the old quarters. This is going to depend on your situation. If you own a house or something similar, you're going to need to get that on the market, especially if you live somewhere with habitation requirements. If you rent an apartment or equivalent, you'll need to look at your contract, since there are usually early termination fees. Maybe you live with family, or are newly married or engaged and are ready to move together, and that may seem easier from that standpoint. Maybe you aren't ready to give it up right away, but remember you'll still have to pay all the associated taxes and costs, not to mention winterize if that's needed in your area. Figure out what's best for you, make a plan, and have some contingency options in case things don't work the way you'd like them to happen.
Just like when you pack for your first adventures, you'll need to still be able to live in both places. Some pack things as soon as possible because of the daunting move, while others may wait for the last second because they don't want to end up in a situation where something they need has been moved. A compromise will make this smooth. Go room by room in your old quarters and take an inventory. Everything you come across, figure out how it was last used, and place it into any of several categories:
Remember that these categories are going to overlap. Common items, such as clothes and kitchen utensils, are things you're going to pack, but you'll also need at your old place. Keep them around, but make sure there's room. Furniture items, like your couch or kitchen table, you'll still need during the transition, but you aren't going to take with you. Decorative things, like the knick-knacks on the window sill, are typically something where you can make a decision and act right away. Don't feel like you have to give up everything, either. Very commonly, when someone gives away something, they'll recognize the need for it within a week. We're not saying that everything you have should be hoarded, though. Find a balance. Hopefully some family is willing to help you store what you want to hold, or you may need to rent a small garage in the multitude of storage services across the country. Yard and garage sales are also a good way to help get rid of what you're not taking, and can generate a small amount of income.
Your other affairs are things you'll need to keep in mind. If you're in a physical location job, there will be a time you'll have to resign. Maybe you have memberships with various stores or clubs, and you'll need to think about how those are going to be used. Utilities are something you'll need to be ready to cancel. How are you going to deal with your vehicles? Do your bank and/or credit union accounts allow for good online access, and how accessible are they should you need brick-and-mortar services, such as cash deposits? Make sure to have a plan, but remember you'll have to still live with all of these through your transition.
Transition is hard, but with careful planning, you can ease the stress of change. Once you're through these tough times, you'll finally be freely able to follow your internal compass.
Our first trip found us staying at the Hidden Haven RV Park in Pine Level NC, situated on US Route 70 just outside Smithfield. Since we're new RVers, why not stay at a brand new campground? Reviewing Hidden Haven at this point is a bit difficult; not necessarily because of our level of RV experience, but because the park is so new (and being constructed while we stay) that we have to factor in potential for what this place could be. However, we'll give it a go.
First, the grounds itself. The park is presently accessible on one side of a divided highway requiring a U-turn when arriving from the interstate, or through a co-owned trailer park with several relatively high speed bumps that would do a number to a rig's suspension or underside amenities. Potential points are given as the beginnings of road clearing can be seen from the business route exit off the highway. In addition, the "main roads" within the grounds are not clearly marked to help someone around without potentially pulling through an unoccupied site, or what could be interpreted as a "main road" but is blocked by equipment. The new entrance would potentially change this layout, so we recommend keeping it in mind for then. A greenbelt surrounds the grounds, which greatly helps quell noise coming from both the highway and the trailer park.
Second, the sites. Numerous pull-through and an assortment of back-in sites are available (160 in total when this was written; no tent sites), with numbering on one side of the control box and a system that could prove confusing to a driver who didn't receive a map at the entrance without signs at "street" entrances. The sites are level yet unpaved with loose stone similar to the "streets" and "roads" in the park, and a level mixture of grass and sand for other things. Pull-through sites have limited shade, especially with the connections being on what looks to be the north side of the rig in the presently developed area, but there are potential points given for a tree being planted at many of the sites, and plenty of room remaining to place a trailer's awning. Electric and sewer hook-up was easy, with the water faucets having a very short spigot that proved difficult for some standard hoses and connectors to be attached.
Third, the staff. Anyone who has heard of, yet rarely experienced, "southern charm" will find it at Hidden Haven. The staff was friendly, courteous, and accommodating, with visible smiles on their faces that one would expect when visiting any sort of establishment. This is not only limited to the family of owners; it extends to the cleaning staff and maintenance crew. The one recommendation I would make is to try to have a night/weekend/holiday host on the grounds, whether permanent staff or a work-camping couple receiving a site, to help with check in/out, quick fixes such as toilet paper running out or internet going completely down for a couple days, and peace keeping if necessary.
Fourth, the amenities. Because it's a new park, these are very limited when we stayed. With 160 sites, there is one code-locked bath house with three toilet and three shower stalls, one of each ADA accessible, for each sex. The house could use some motion detectors by the showers, as the automatic lights could go off on you during a long shower, and it's difficult to figure out how to get back to the other side to turn them back on. There is also one pavilion with a patio fire table and a couple of patio chairs. A farm exists in the back. No fire pits were seen. The owner had mentioned a fishing pond, dog park, and pool would be constructed to add to the potential for amenities. Wireless repeaters exist at about every utility pole to help with internet service, although it is fully open and unencrypted, with peak usages as one would expect campground internet to be.
Finally, the atmosphere. Hidden Haven is, for the most part, a quiet, safe, and well lit park. They are also friendly towards all dogs that stay with their human owners. Occasionally a boisterous family will stay, but everyone is very respectful of the surroundings. A municipal deputy was seen patrolling the grounds on one night, speaking to the commitment of the local constabulary. Not very many sites were occupied, which was surprising for a holiday weekend, but potentially owing to the fact that the park is very new and still under construction, as we only heard about the park from some locals. We were very happy to be able to check-in at an early time, given the proximity from our "night dock" point to the grounds, and the owners were willing to allow us to choose a more suitable site given the present state of the grounds. There are the obvious marks for construction happening while we're here, but given the cost of building anything like this, it's completely understandable to want to generate income, and we're happy to help them out.
Overall, we would give Hidden Haven RV Park about a 6 rating out of a possible 10 at the time the article is written. However, this place has every potential to receive a 9 or even a 10 rating once everything has been completed. We would definitely look forward to returning to see how the park has improved, should our travels bring us back to this location. We would also recommend this park to anyone who is looking to bring the RV to this part of North Carolina. All you have to do is follow your internal compass.
Our trip to North Carolina has been a wonderful first trip thus far. As part of the trip, we had a welcome surprise arrive at our doorstep: Visitors! Quit looking up, because we're not talking about extra terrestrials. Some family stopped by, so we decided to host!
We've had people stop by during our shakedown, but for the first time, we invited a couple of the younger members of the family to stay with us. Normally, this would test our ability to entertain outdoors, but the weather wasn't cooperating whatsoever. This is where we were glad we brought what we did. As with any trip you take, be sure to prepare for any possible contingency. Somehow with us millennials, any contingency is possible. The kids were thoroughly entertained with our game closet, we had some good snacks, and even without any sort of electronic equipment, it was a fun time!
The biggest lesson learned about the visit was the test on our space. For those who have seen the rig, even if it's only a floor plan, you'll know it isn't that large of an area. We had been using the bunk as a bit of a storage locker, but all of a sudden it needs to be used for sleeping. Luckily it wasn't packed to the brim, so use of the dinette was a good swap once we were ready to pack it in for the night. The good news is that we have learned a lot about what we do and don't need with us. The desktop computer and monitor aren't needed any longer, now that we have a TV monitor and intend to get a few more Raspberry Pi computers we can either hook to the TV, or have a touchscreen.
With four people and a pup in the trailer, we were definitely at our limit for moving around. Sure, they say this can sleep seven, but we don't know how you could do much else. Moving around with two fully grown adults and a pup is tough enough as it is. At least we were able to gather at the dinette for games and breakfast the next morning. With some advance notice and clever planning, two kids over again is something that is very doable for us. This also gives us confidence for when we're ready to expand our family.
So when you're out with the RV, don't feel like you can't entertain, because it's very much possible. Invite your family along so they can follow their internal compass.
We're here on the first trip of our RV adventure, in beautiful Johnston County of North Carolina. When many people visit this state, they're likely to go to the Outer Banks along the coastline, the Research Triangle of Raleigh-Durham, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or even Charlotte. However, there are some hidden charms here that you may find interesting.
Situated along Interstate 95, Johnston County is home to the cities of Benson, Clayton, Selma, and Smithfield. This is the same Smithfield that serves a brand for America's favorite pork, ham, and food products. North Carolina is historically famous for its tobacco crop, with several major brands of tobacco products bearing the names of cities in the state. If you head over to Kenly, you could visit the Tobacco Farm Life Museum, which pays tribute to not only tobacco, but farm life in the southeastern part of the country. Johnston County was also the birthplace of the famous mid-20th century film actress Ava Gardner, nominated for several film awards and once wife to Mickey Rooney and Frank Sinatra. Ms. Gardner lays alongside her family in Smithfield, and a museum in town pays tribute to her life and accomplishments.
If American history is your cup of tea, you could head down to the southern part of the county, to the town of Bentonville. This was the grounds for North Carolina's largest battle during the waning days of the American Civil War. As General Sherman marched north to meet up with General Grant after his famous "March to the Sea", it was in this town in March of 1865 where he attempted to merge with the forces of Generals Slocum, Howard, and Mower, in the process facing Generals Johnston, Bragg, Morgan, and Hardee in a three-day battle. The battlefield is able to be visited in a driving tour which takes you around the grounds, supplemented by additional information and testimonials of what happened during those days.
Next time you head through North Carolina, consider making a stop in Johnston County. Let us know some of your favorite places if you've been here before, and remember, as always, to follow your internal compass.
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