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.
As part of the not-so-risk-free trial for transitioning towards the full-time RV lifestyle, a shakedown trip just isn't enough. So we now go on our first real trip: One week in North Carolina. To get there, though, a travel day, or in our case days, is needed.
As was mentioned in the previous trip, driving with the RV is quite a bit different from just driving a car, or even a pick-up truck without something in tow. However, the fuel costs were quite exorbitant. Merely going approximately 650 miles one way made quite a dent on the pocketbook for fuel. And that's with the mistake of both filling AND splashing the tank in a high priced state. There wasn't much of a choice because of how much of the trip was done there, but some clever planning can help. Know what states are relatively cheap for gas, and try to do fill-ups there, with large or small splashes elsewhere.
The traffic was quite the interesting dynamic. When you have one person who hates heavy traffic, a driver who thrives in it, an easily anxious pup, and then add an additional 25 feet of length to the back, you can have an interesting travel day. Usually you want to avoid rush hour times on your trip if you can help it, but why not experience the Capital Beltway during the evening peak, even if it's only for masochistic tendencies? Surprisingly enough, the pup did just fine with it, but you really must have potentially different habits when driving with a trailer. You're not going to be able to weave through traffic, so commit yourself to a lane. Try to get a feel for how things flow. Make sure you allow for more room from the guy in front of you, but be ready for "that driver" who will cut into the spot and slam on the brakes. Also be sure there's enough room in the back before you switch lanes. And don't get too annoyed if everyone's passing you; you're not necessarily going to be able to get up to full highway speed when pulling, and some states will have a lower limit.
With our first trip came our first "boondock", courtesy of a popular gas and travel station chain. We filled up to make sure we were a customer, and were able to secure a spot in the lot to park for the night. Needless to say, the trailer was quite warm on the inside, despite a cool breeze outside, and the shock of southern workers turning on the heat and wearing sweatshirts in 60 degree weather. Opening some windows to get the air flowing certainly helped, and although it wasn't as comfortable as a few times during our car camping days, we made it work.
Posting here from North Carolina, it is a bit on the hot side, but a very nice place, and a great journey to get here. More on the area will come in a later post, but for now, remember to follow your internal compass.
After six days, hundreds of miles, four arguments, and twelve ticks, the initial shakedown is complete.
First, we'd be remiss if we didn't acknowledge a few people. First, we'd like to thank Roadabode Productions for both inspiration to go on this adventure, as well as many helpful tips from their years of experience. Next, we'd like to thank our host for the shakedown who has been more than accommodating in many different ways, not just land and amenities. Our respective families also need to be thanked for all of the love and support they have given from the time we decided to start doing this, to today, and throughout the future. A "thank you" also goes to Jersey Girl Beauty for managing our T-shirt sales that help to fund the website, as well as supplement our travels. Lastly, but most importantly, we want to thank all of you for reading, watching, liking, subscribing, and sharing with your friends. It's your support that helps us to keep these pages going and hopefully inspires others to embark on this adventure.
We've learned a few things on this shakedown. The most important is that we're going to need checklists for just about everything. This includes packing, hooking up, unhooking, setting up, tearing down, and some other procedures. Sure, putting them together is tedious, and it will seem somewhat time consuming to constantly "do the checklist", but with our proclivity for neglecting things, it's something we very much need. These checklists are not only procedural, but to make sure we take everything we need. Needless to say, we have a somewhat extensive list of things we didn't bring with us and either had to borrow from our host or worked around. Those will be fixed for our first real adventure, and we'll probably have to fix a few other things as well, but it's a learning experience as we go. Secondly is the importance of hydration. With the three of us being outdoors much more, the sun takes its toll, and heat exhaustion is no fun whatsoever. This isn't limited to just regular water, but also nutrients your body needs to survive. Finally, all three of us must love and support each other in everything. This not only includes the two humans involved, but also the pup. Each of us is an integral part of th ejourney, and we must be there for each other. Openly trusting yet solidifying each of our positions to make the best possible choices in everything, and hopefully limit the number of arguments.
With that, it is now time to announce the location of our first official trip: North Carolina! It will be one week in the south, along with some travel time. It's the first time that the three of us will be on our own with the RV. What adventures will we have? What will become of our journey? You'll have to keep reading, as well as following our social media, to find out.
Always remember to follow your internal compass.
Shakedown continues for us in our not-so-risk-free trial. Be sure to visit our social media pages, links in the title bar, to see our video on Day 3.
Day 4 involved one of the dirtiest jobs of the RV lifestyle: The emptying of the tanks. This included both the grey tank, which is used sink and shower water, and the black tank, which I'm sure you can imagine as to its contents. It's a messy job, but it must be done to not only keep the weight down, but so we're able to continue living. Normally it's a simple hook and dump, but when the RV isn't level because of the location, some interesting things can happen. Needless to say, the sensor readers are not exactly something to be trusted.
As we progress from day to day, one common annoyance that seems to creep up quite a bit is the amount of accumulated garbage. This includes food wrappers, compost, and especially the number of empty bottles of water. Sure, we brought tumblers to carry with us, and we have a hook-up for potable water, but that doesn't always mean it's the best to drink. Back in the house life, we were lucky enough to get a commercial water dispenser with a decent filter for our water needs, but no such dice on the road. Tack on that many places we go will be truck-in-truck-out, and some solution will need to be found. It may be as simple as smaller litter bags and gas stations.
One of our major lessons learned, if we're banking on the generosity of family, friends, or even the house we still have in preparation, is to be cautious of electricity usage. We're up to three breaker trips from overloading household electricity. Although the trailer is rated for 30 Amps, that doesn't mean we can run everything at full blast, as most household breakers are only rated for 15 or 20 Amps. The air conditioning and water heater seem to be the biggest culprits, although the refrigerator and electronic entertainment options could play a factor. There's still some time left in the shakedown to get it right, so here's to hoping we find that sweet spot.
Just a little time left on the shakedown before our first real trip begins. We'll be announcing that location very soon, so be on the lookout. And always remember to follow your internal compass.
In order to pull your RV, you need a hitch. Finding the right hitch, as well as the right truck, can be overwhelming. Here's some of our experiences to help you with finding the right equipment for your RV adventure.
The first thing you'll need to do is to select a truck that can actually pull the type of trailer you want. When shopping for a truck, you'll want to look at some very important numbers: Curb weight, Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), and Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). Curb weight is how much the truck weighs without anything in it. The GVWR will be your curb weight plus your payload, or what is carried along in the truck, including yourselves, as well as part of the trailer setup itself. The GCWR is maximum amount that you will be able to carry, trailer and all.
When looking at your trailer's capacity, consider the full load, not just the dry weight, because you're going to want your stuff along for the ride. The best rule of thumb is to take the truck's GCWR, subtracted by the GVWR. However, because the trailer's tongue is sitting on the truck, that weight needs to be considered on the payload of the truck. Generally, this is about one-tenth the trailer weight. Sometimes, your hitch itself will only be able to carry a certain amount of total weight, so you'll need to take that into consideration.
With all the weights down, now you'll need a hitch. Some trucks will already come with one, and that's great news! However, you'll need to be mindful of the type of hitch to use, whether it's a simple receiver hitch, or a fifth wheel hitch. The receiver hitch is perfect for a smaller to medium size trailer. This hitch is installed on the underside of the truck, located by the bumper. The fifth wheel hitch is needed for fifth wheel trailers and some toy haulers. This hitch will be located in the center of your truck. Whichever one or ones you need, make sure your truck can handle the hitch, along with the weight of the trailer.
Hitches are something that can be self-installed, however it is recommended to be done professionally. The representatives are typically very knowledgeable, and will make sure you have what you need for your truck to pull the trailer. The best places to go are the service mechanics that deal with the trucking industry. We highly recommend against big box store servicers, especially U-Haul. These companies will take your money for the product, hook it up incorrectly by taking shortcuts, and then blame the manufacturer for the inferior job they do, especially when it comes to wiring.
With all of this knowledge in hand, you should be ready to put together a setup for your RV adventure. Happy travels, and remember to follow your internal compass.
Living the RV lifestyle full time is quite the adventure. We move the home from place to place, work camping as we go, usually for a site hook-up, and perhaps also a small stip-end for groceries and fuel. All work and no play, though, would make life on the road quite boring. We have to find some way of entertaining ourselves.
The easiest way for us to find entertainment in our spare time is to step outside the RV. Each time we setup and un-pack, it’s a different environment to allow for good variety. Sometimes it will be as simple as taking a walk around the grounds. Usually the place is rural enough that there are trails or natural features to intake. We could be at a national park or forest, which offers plenty of goodness in nature. If we’re parked near a small or mid-major city, the local Chamber of Commerce may sponsor free concerts and events in a park during warmer weather to bring business traffic. Even if it’s just a night on the town, many of these cities offer free parking in the evening.
Sunny days don’t always come to home, even if you’re in a desert oasis. Remember that you may need to pack a few things to be able to do inside the RV. Card games, board games, and puzzle books are always a nice choice. If you prefer the electronic route, you could hook up a video player and bring along a collection. Remember that you may not have internet access, and streaming videos will chew up a lot of your data quota (running videos all day on a streaming service can easily get up to 10 GB per day), so be prepared. Maybe you want to program something for a laptop, a tablet, or even a cell phone that could entertain you. So long as you have room to be able to store it, you can do just about anything. Remember that a wireless router will still work to connect devices between each other, even if it’s not connected to the outside internet.
There’s always some way to entertain yourself when RV living full time. Take stock and consider what you want to do, and if necessary, how much you’re willing to spend. All you have to do is to follow your internal compass.
The not-so-risk-free trial begins! With everything packed, we begin the shakedown adventure and prepare ourselves for our lives ahead.
The first thing we figured out, with an attached trailer, is that gas mileage goes out the window. When we say "out the window", we mean that the efficiency was nearly cut in half, down to about 10 miles to the gallon. It's not that surprising because we're carrying more, but the realization of fuel costs has arisen, so it would seem all the more reason to take advantage of monthly and even seasonal rates, and to mosey our way to different parts of the country instead of making cross-country trips.
Settling in was the next challenge. The shakedown is being done at a location that isn't exactly the most truck-friendly, not in terms of allowances and permissions since our host has been more than accommodating, but in terms of turn radius. It's good practice for when we have to back into a campsite or a truck stop, since "pull-through" spots are more expensive or sometimes plainly not available. The two of us seem to have a good system down, having picked it up almost immediately. Setup took some figuring out, but we have ourselves in a good spot.
As with any couple, we're not going to agree on everything. The argument count has already reached two, barely 24 hours into the adventure. Surprisingly enough, parking the trailer wasn't one of them. Details won't be disclosed on the arguments themselves unless we somehow landed a reality TV show contract, though the best "ratings" would come from the first 30 days of the adventure. For any aspiring producers out there, although it doesn't "push the envelope" as much as some of the offerings out there, it may help to promote the RV lifestyle.
With Day 1 complete, we leave you with some lessons learned that we hope will help you on your upcoming RV adventure:
Happy travels to all, and remember to follow your internal compass.
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