A fond look back at our 1st year on the road
Weather
42 foot coach too big?
When researching RV’s we repeatedly heard that coaches over 40ft are not allowed in many parks. This has simply not been the case. Yes, there are parks that cannot accommodate us, but there are lots who can and the benefits of the larger coach & the things it provides (king size bed, separate bathroom areas, cargo carrying capacity, tag axle) far outweigh the additional research it takes to find locations that work for us. When it comes time to trade in, would we go larger? If the amenities & floor plan justified it.
Miles per day/Length of Stay
Year 1 we had a 3 month stay camp hosting in Oregon & a 2 month stay wintering in Florida but otherwise we travelled staying about 1 - 2 weeks per location. On the east coast it was easy to travel no more than 250 miles between destinations since everything’s so much closer together, we’ll see how that works in the west.
We hit the road June 2010 with lots of tee shirts, shorts & flip flops on the assumption that we would only travel to destinations with temps between 60 - 80 degrees. We quickly discovered that planning a trip based on weather averages is as reliable as picking a NASCAR race winner based on driver’s historical finishes... There are absolutely no guarantees what the weather will be like!
We also realized weather plays a much larger role in an RV lifestyle than it did in the working world simply because we spend much more time outside. We now carry a mix of sweaters, rain gear and socks to insure we’re comfortable no matter what the weather may bring.
We also realized weather plays a much larger role in an RV lifestyle than it did in the working world simply because we spend much more time outside. We now carry a mix of sweaters, rain gear and socks to insure we’re comfortable no matter what the weather may bring.
Budgeted
200
100
470
325
400
40
340
500
140
100
470
325
400
40
340
500
140
Year 1’s Average Monthly Expenditures
Auto fuel
Clothing
Dining Out
Entertainment
Groceries
Internet
RV Diesel
RV Parks
Telephone
What can I say? We spent more than we’d planned in virtually every category despite 3 months of work camping. It was an incredible year and a well deserved reward after a combined 60 years of county service!
Actual
292
181
709
858
709
77
435
804
128
292
181
709
858
709
77
435
804
128
Lessons Learned Year 1
|
○
|
There really are an awful lot of incredible people in the world
|
|
○
|
Toll roads don’t equate to better roads
|
|
○
|
We are very proud to be Americans
|
|
○
|
There’s still a lot more beautiful country in the US than we could have dreamed of
|
|
○
|
Rural areas today remind us a lot of life growing up in Sacramento; and that’s a good feeling
|
|
○
|
Our Tiffin Phaeton 42 QRH was a great choice
|
|
○
|
Walgreens is awesome for refilling prescriptions on the road
|
|
○
|
Once a month is plenty to get snail mail forwarded
|
|
○
|
Most of the US still does not recycle
|
|
○
|
Travel days are more stressful than stay put days but the change of scenery and adventure is worth it!
|
|
○
|
We really are living the dream
|
|
○
|
We re-sync with our old life each time we get together with family
|
|
○
|
Truck stop pumps are much easier to manoeuvre than pumps designated for RV’s
|
|
○
|
Govt campgrounds give you substantially larger spaces with more nature than privately run RV parks.
|
|
○
|
Someone needs to invent a cheap but effective bug repellant
|
|
○
|
The year was a blast, we’re definitely having a year 2!
|
Blue List vs. Pink List
Before we hit the road I was convinced that we would not fall into the typical blue list/pink list division of chores that all Rvers seem to adhere to. After all, I was the one who did the yard work at the stick & brick house while Steve did the cooking, why should being on the road be different?
Well I can’t say why but I can attest that it has come to be. Back in Oregon I did the dump station duties but Steve somehow took that over once we hit the road. I assumed responsibility for indoor cleaning previously done by a housekeeper while Steve kept the coach and his toys shiny. Having more free time and a smaller, less intimidating kitchen perked my interest in cooking. 1 Year down the road & we have assumed 100% of the typical Rver roles!
Well I can’t say why but I can attest that it has come to be. Back in Oregon I did the dump station duties but Steve somehow took that over once we hit the road. I assumed responsibility for indoor cleaning previously done by a housekeeper while Steve kept the coach and his toys shiny. Having more free time and a smaller, less intimidating kitchen perked my interest in cooking. 1 Year down the road & we have assumed 100% of the typical Rver roles!
PC vs Mac
We retired from the IT world with our music on an iPod but otherwise exclusively Windows & Android devices. Afew months later I switched from a PC to a MacBook Air. Steve has a close eye on the iPad 2 over Android tablets. I can’t wait for OSX Lion’s release next month and will switch to an iPhone when my contract comes due next year. We’ve converted....