Baptism By Ice: Digging Out

Here in NY this winter has been unusually mild. It was 65 degrees on Christmas Day and we’ve yet to have any snow fall. As we look forward to our second trip just two months away, I can’t help but compare this year to last. It was a brutal winter. We seemed to have a snow storm every few days or so, and the subzero temperatures assured that the snow would stick around well into the spring. The RV was stored at my in-law’s house in Lexington, NY in the Catskill Mountains. It was very generous of them to let us stow it there and at the time it seemed ideal - until it came time for us to hit the road.

We were leaving on Wednesday, March 4^th and heading down to Florida for the month, but before we could do that we had to dig out the RV from her frozen slumber in the hills. Bill, I and my brother-in-law met at his upstate home the Sunday before we were scheduled to depart. The plan was to plow a path from the driveway to the RV, a distance of about half a football field. We‘d then move her to the front of the house for easy access. We expected it would take a few hours.

However, it proved to be more challenging than any of us expected. The first issue was plowing the path. The snow was a foot deep and partially frozen, and it took half the day to reach the RV. Once we did, we quickly realized that during the warmer weather the RV tires had sunk 6 inches into the ground which was now frozen around the wheels. Bill and his brother chopped at the frozen ground with crowbars, hammers and shovels. They had to smash the chocks which were firmly frozen into the ground.

I had a clear view of all of this through the sliding glass doors in the living room. I provided them what support I could, running tools and hot coffee to and from the house, making phone calls to find a storage spot for the RV a little further south and rescheduling campgrounds reservations; because we now knew we’d need more time at our stopovers. The weather report was predicting more snow all along the east coast over the next week, and we decided we had better not take any chances. All the while I wore a path into the living room carpet as I paced and watched, paced and watched; and worried.

After much work to release the wheels, Bill hitched the truck to the trailer and gave it a tug. She didn’t budge. They went back to chopping and digging. Bill tried again with no luck. There was more chopping and digging. On the third try she rocked forward a bit but failed to come free. It had been dark for hours by now, it got colder by the minute, and it was snowing again. Finally, my brother-in-law hitched his truck to the front of our truck - which was hitched to the trailer - and on the count of three they both floored it. Eleven hours after we began the process, the RV lurched forward and was at last liberated.

There was no celebratory cheering. We were too exhausted. There was, however, a great sense of relief. The thought that we would not get her out, that we would have to cancel our trip, crossed all our minds that day more times than I can count. Mind you, in the week prior my Dad was in the ER because of a severe blood sugar drop and my mother-in law had broken her hip. Mere days before, after a month long search, I had finally found an RN to help my parent’s manage their meds and my mother-in-law had successful hip surgery. So, we were already stressed and the possibility of canceling had already loomed.

The next day Bill cleaned the snow off the roof. Then, with a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, we towed her down the mountain to a gated, paved, regularly plowed, rented, Extra Space Storage RV parking space in New Paltz, NY. That parking spot was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

We thought we were out of the woods - pun intended - but turns out, not so much...

-Diane

  

Gifts of Christmas Past

Last year our Christmas was all about the RV. All our gifts consisted of practical things we could use in our travels and funny cute RV themed items. I’m not usually into kitsch, but this year was the exception. I loved it all. The cutest thing I got was the RV Salt & Pepper shakers Bill got for me. 

But the best was the miniature replica of our rig that I got for Bill. He said he wanted it as a learning tool. He thought that it could help him better understand the dynamics of towing and driving the RV, specifically making turns and backing up. However, I think maybe, he just wanted it because it was super cool. Either way, I think he liked it.

Whatever your wishes this year, we hope they all come true.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

-Diane and Bill

The Best Laid Plans

Even before we bought the truck or picked upped the RV, we knew our first trip would be a month in Florida visiting our family and friends. Planning our route, coordinating visits, and booking the campsites fell to me. Little did I know this would be an adventure all its own.

I did not have the Big Book of RV Campsites. I knew nothing about truck stops. I had no knowledge of apps or other RV resources. I had no idea that you had to book the March before to go south the following February. Eleven months, that’s the magic number. Seasoned snow-birders know it. We didn’t.  We actually thought four or five months was plenty of time to plan our first RV excursion. We were so naive.

The first step was to plan where to stop on the way down. Bill didn’t want to drive more than six hours a day. That makes me laugh now. Did I say we were naive? Boy, oh, boy, we were so clueless. I used Triple A’s TripTik Travel Planner to find campsites and approximate how far each location would be from the other. Based on this, I chose a site in Maryland and a site in South Carolina as our stopovers. I booked one night at each stop. As you will learn in future posts, due to many factors, assuming that one night each would be enough time was like wishing on rainbows and fairy wings.

We were visiting four places in Florida: Cape Canaveral, Jupiter, Dunedin and The Villages. I contacted the people we would be visiting and set up a schedule. We would stop in Cape Canaveral first then in Jupiter. Next we would head to Dunedin and up to The Villages. Going home, we would retrace our steps and again stay in South Carolina and Maryland.

Sounds grand, yes? We thought so, too - until I tried to find campsites and make reservations that matched our timeline. You see, we knew we couldn’t escape the entire NY winter, but we had our hearts set on missing at least part of it. That is why we bought our rig. I’m chuckling to myself as I remember the ensuing insanity. At least, I can laugh about it now. It was the beginning of what would be a series of challenges we would face on this trip.

Anyhow, I soon realized February was a no go. So, we rescheduled everything for March. After what felt like a million hours online and a trillion phone calls, I managed to piecemeal together a trip that looked surprisingly similar to the original, but in reverse: The Villages, Dunedin, Jupiter, and Cape Canaveral.

We learned a lot from this experience. We booked our upcoming trip much earlier. Thanks to the RVers we met along the way, we know that truck stops are an option. We know that the drive time is never going to be what the online map says. We have better resources and are much better prepared. Most importantly, while nothing ever goes as planned, we now realize that’s part of the adventure and we welcome it.

-Diane

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're thankful for many things.

The people we've met through our blog is one of them.

Thank you all for your support.

Happy Thanksgiving wherever you land.

Bill and Diane

Last Train to Trucksville

After we bought the RV, we needed to buy a truck to tow it. Bill did all the research and shopping around. I went with, but he was the one who did all the hard work. He’s good like that. As you know, we decided on a Ram 2500 with a 6.4 Hemi engine. What you don’t know is that, even though we live in Long Island, we bought the truck from a dealer in Kingston, NY. Kingston is a good 2 hours north by car. 

Danny Boy

Begnal Motors did not just offer the best deal, they also offered the most comprehensive customer service. They are still operating on old fashioned principles. I have always hated car buying. It’s a torturous, frustrating experience. Not this time. These guys are fantastic and remain so a year after our purchase. We still keep in touch with our salesman, Dan. https://www.facebook.com/Begnal.Motors.cpov

Because of the great distance, when it was time to pick up the truck, we planned on driving up in our Honda. Bill would drive the truck back while I drove the Honda. I am not the most experienced long distance driver and the trip back would have been a challenge. I would have done it, but I wouldn’t have liked it. But what choice did we have? Well, the guys at Begnal offered us another option. They suggested we take the train to Poughkeepsie, half an hour from Kingston, and they would arrange for someone to pick us up. Not only did this make things easier for us, but it made for an exciting adventure.

Grand Central Station

It was late November. The day started out clear and sunny, but chilly. We took the LIRR to Penn Station, rode one stop on the local subway to Grand Central Station, then boarded the Metro North. I had never been to Grand Central before. I have lived in the NYC area my entire life, but I’m a downtown girl. I’m comfortable there. When I’m uptown I feel like a tourist. After nearly two hours of the most stunning scenic views, we arrived in Poughkeepsie. It was bitterly cold and snowing. Jim was our ride to Kingston. He was a lovely man, and as we chatted, we learned he was retired and worked part time moving cars for Begnal.

We pulled into the dealer’s parking lot and our truck was parked right by front the door. The paperwork was quickly completed. Keys in hand, we climbed into our beautiful new pick-up for the first time. Dan took us through all the features and even set up our phones on Bluetooth. Then he offered to take us out to celebrate. We drove to a spot a few blocks away and the three of use toasted our new purchase. 

Brown Betty

We spent the night at my brother-in-law’s in Lexington. The next morning we drove our Brown Betty home. The heated seats kept my buns nice and toasty all the way.

-Diane

I Gotcha Covered?

The day we bought the RV we bought a cover for it - my idea.  The cover cost around $500.  A good investment to keep the RV clean and well protected when it wasn’t being used; well worth it to extend the life of our new second home.  It was a no-brainer.  In spite of that, for the better part of a year I found reasons not to put the cover on.  “We’ll be coming back in a month. No sense putting it on if we’re just going to take it off so soon.”  “It’s springtime. There won’t be any leaves falling on it.”  A couple of weeks ago I ran out of excuses.  It’s fall. The leaves are falling.  And we won’t be going back to the RV until March - time to suck it up.

Putting the cover on wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be – it was much worse.  This is not a little tarp.  It has to cover a pretty big vehicle.  I did a quick calculation and the cover measures around 1400 square feet!  Just laying it out on the ground was a pain in the butt.  It didn’t help that the instructions were pretty useless.  There were straps and rings and strings all over the place with hardly an explanation as to what connects to what.  The instructions did go into great detail about getting a line under the rig from one side to the other.  Check this out…

“Tie an end of the supplied rope onto one of the D-rings along the bottom hem.  Put a small rock into the provided toss bag, close the top and tie the free end of the rope to the bag D-ring.  Now toss the bag and rope under your 5^th wheel to the D-ring on the opposite side.  Take the rope off the bag and, allowing enough to make a knot, cut it off and tie it to the D-ring.  Repeat with the other D-rings.  To keep the rope ends from fraying you can carefully melt the ends with a match or lighter.”

 

Compare that with the instruction on how to get the cover to fit properly around the nose of the rig.  “Locate the hook and loop straps on the upper parts of the flaps that fold in under the nose of your 5^th wheel.  Adjust them to fit your cover to the exact length of the nose of your 5^th wheel.”  How do I locate the right parts?  Like I said, there were straps and rings and strings all over the place – especially on the nose.  And adjust them how?  How about a couple of pictures?

After a couple of hours I got the cover on.  I doubt seriously if it’s on right.  But the rig is covered.  Hopefully the cover will stay on until March.  Then I’ll have the unenviable task of taking it off and folding it up - should be fun.

-Bill

Truckin'

I have begun the daunting process of learning to drive our pick-up truck. I need to do this for several reasons. I may never tow the RV, but when we’re camping I can not leave all the local running around to Bill. It wouldn’t be fair. Especially because he does all of the long haul driving. Also, what if an emergency occurs? Using the truck when we’re home will definitely come in handy. But, most importantly, conquering my fear will bring me a great sense of accomplishment.

The truck stands 6’ 6” high, is 22’ long and weighs 10,000 lbs. I am 5' 1½”. I have no corresponding length, but I’m a person of great depth. My weight is nobody’s business. All you need to know is that it’s considerably less than the truck’s. I could not be more intimidated by the prospect of driving this beautiful beast.

I didn’t get my license until I was in my late 20’s and didn’t use it regularly until my early 30’s. My late start has left me feeling less than confident in my driving abilities. I make up for that with caution. I am afraid I will not be able to handle such a large vehicle. My biggest fear is that I’ll make a mistake and damage the truck in some way. So, I’m taking things nice and slow. 

For my first lesson Bill took me to a large empty parking lot and ran me through some drills. I did OK. Better than I expected. He gave me an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. Next step - local street driving. I’ve assured my family and friends I will give them plenty of notice so they can plan to stay indoors during this phase.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

-Diane

Yes, We Have No Toothbrushes

Do other part-timers have trouble remembering what they have stored in their RV? We do. Are we the only ones? Our last trip upstate was to get the RV ready for winter storage. When packing to go we were unsure what we needed to take and what we already had. Not the big stuff like pots & pans, dishes and cups, towels and sheets. I'm talking about the little things like deodorant, shampoo, paper towels, toilet paper, and most importantly, toothbrushes. We had planned to buy extra toothbrushes and leave them there. But did we?

Since long periods go by between visits we find it hard to remember. Subsequently, we go through the same routine every time and as usual we took some things we didn’t need and forgot some that we did. So, because we won’t be back in the rig until March, as part of packing up I decided to take inventory of everything we have. And being a hyper organized nut I created an excel spreadsheet of said inventory.

I’m not suggesting anyone else do this. Honestly, I known it’s a little OCD. I also know it will be a big help to us. I now know what we have and what we need. The more we can keep in the rig the easier each trip will be. The less we have to pack and transport the more pleasant the adventure. After all, isn’t that part of the charm of owning a second home on wheels. Unlike taking a trip for a week or two to some hotel or resort - where you have to take everything - my ideal is to just throw some clothes in a bag and go.

You might think we would have done this before, but we are still learning all the ins and outs of this Rving thing. Every time we do it something new comes up. This is just another lesson learned and I’m certain there are many more to come. One day, with a little luck and a lot more experience, we will have it all down pat.

As it turns out we didn’t have those extra toothbrushes. Luckily, to be on the safe side, we brought the ones from home with us. I’ve updated my spreadsheet accordingly.

-Diane

The Long Goodbye

We were back in Saugerties, NY this week. My Dad was with us this time. Mom didn’t want to come. It’s not her thing. It was his first time seeing the RV let alone staying in one. He’s wanted to see it since we got it, and we finally had the chance to make that happen. I was so excited to have him with us, to share this with him. Plus, it’s always beautiful in the Catskills in the Fall. 

The trees were still mostly green in Ulster County, so we took a drive north into Greene County in search of the Fall foliage and to show Dad where my two brother-in-laws have their houses. It was a pretty day and we saw some great color. We stopped in Windham and had lunch at the Catskill Country Store then picked up some fresh produce from RSK Farms in Prattsville.

On the way back, we stopped by Wolff’s Maple Breeze - the Catskill resort we used to stay at when I was a kid. You’ve seen the movie “Dirty Dancing,” right? Well Wolff’s is just like Kellerman’s. Every summer during my pre-teen and teen years we spent a few weeks there. The place hasn’t changed a bit and our visit brought back so many fond memories.

We spent the rest of our time preparing the rig for storage. We had several tasks we wanted to complete before we put her down for her winter nap. We made a few minor repairs and cleaned her from top to bottom, inside and out. Just before we left, we put the RV cover on for the first time. More on that later - it's still too soon to talk about it.

Our next big trip will be in March; one week in New Orleans and then a three weeks on the beach in Pensacola, FL. I’m sure the time will fly, as it tends to do, but right now it seems so far away. I think I’m suffering from a mild case of melancholy. I hate this part. I don’t like being away from the RV for long. I miss her. I worry about her. I guess, until we embark on our next adventure, I will just have to sustain myself revisiting the memories of this last year and dreaming about the new ones we will make in the future.

“And Winter slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!”

-Samuel Taylor Coleridge

-Diane

The GPS Blues

I wrote recently about my shortcomings as an RV owner in a post titled, “It’s Not the Tools, It’s the Carpenter;” however, sometimes it IS the tool.  And of course, my sir name being Murphy and all, sometimes it’s both.

Which brings me to my RV’s GPS – which must stand for Goshdarn Piece of S...!  My RAM 2500, of which I’ve written glowingly, did not have an available navigation system that was suitable for RV’s, trucks, or other commercial vehicles. I found this a little strange since owners of heavy duty pickup trucks frequently encounter pesky things like height and weight restrictions – not to mention that a 2500 or 3500 registered in New York State requires commercial plates.

So, being the conscientious RVers that we are, we purchased a GPS that was specifically designed for RVing.  You actually enter the height, weight, length, and width of your vehicles into the GPS and it’s supposed to keep you off roads where you don’t belong – theoretically.  When I tell you that I’ve screamed at this device at the top of my lungs to do something that is anatomically impossible – I’m not exaggerating. When I tell you that I’ve gently cajoled the machine in an effort to get some clear guidance – I’m not exaggerating. When I tell you that my wife took the machine’s side in an argument – I’m not exaggerating. When I tell you that this thing took us down a snowmobile trail – I’m not exaggerating.

The first time I towed the rig (other than training) was when we picked it up in Pennsylvania and took it to it’s storage location in the Catskills.  For some unexplainable reason the GPS took us off Route 17 (major highway and truck route), put me onto a road with low vertical clearance – where I was forced to make my first u-turn, and took me up and down an ice-covered mountain.  When I say mountain – I mean mountain.  It was over a mile up and over a mile down.  At times the pitch was 45 degrees. And it was covered with ice.  The truck screamed while climbing.  I screamed while descending. Even in low gear, the brakes were about on fire by the time I got to the bottom of the mountain.

On a stop-over in Maryland we were buried in snow.  It was around 8 P.M. when the snow finally stopped and we had to leave very early the next morning.  Cleaning off the roof was pretty simple but we had the slides out and I had no way of getting up there to clean them off.  I needed a ladder.  We looked up the address of the nearest Home Depot and I plugged it into the GPS.  Me and snow plows were the only things on the roads.  The GPS got me to the neighborhood of the Home Depot but then the fun started.  “Drive 500 feet and make a U-turn.”  OK.  “Drive 500 feet and make a U-turn.”  “Drive…”  You get the picture.

Anyway, I give up on the GPS, find a poor local digging his car out, and he gives me directions to the Home Depot.  Turns out that the GPS had me driving in a circle past the street I needed to turn down to find the store.  I don’t know why – unless she was ticked off about me cursing her out.  So I pull up in front of the Home Depot.  Just to be clear, I’m looking at the giant sign and I’m about 20 feet from the door.  As I put the truck in park I hear, “Drive 500 feet and make a U-turn.” My reply cannot be printed here.

-Bill

Seven Years...And Now Always Itching To Go

Today is our first anniversary! One year ago today we bought the RV. Oh, and it's our 7th wedding anniversary, too. That's right. For our anniversary last year, we went RV shopping. We had been waiting for Bill to retire which he'd done earlier that month. After tons of research we had narrowed down our choices. We were set on a fifth wheel, a floor plan, the length, weight, price and brand. Just to make sure we really wanted to do this, we had rented a 25' class C and taken a short trip to D.C. and Gettysburg. That trip sealed the deal. We were  finally ready to take the plunge and couldn't think of a better way to spend our special the day.

The show was in Suffern, NY, a pleasant two hour drive from home. We had been there before, but back then we were just browsing. This time we were ready to buy. We didn't count on finding what we were looking for, but we were hopeful. The fact that we could buy if we found something we liked was very exciting. As it turned out, and lucky for us, the model we had in mind was not on display that day. When does anything ever go as expected? It didn't matter, though. We never tired of checking out those that were. We learned something new from each one. 

Then we walked into "The One." We spotted it from a distance. It had a new feature we'd heard about but had never seen before. It was a 2015 Cougar High Country 338PAT. What a beauty! We loved the decor, wood floors and cabinets, leather furniture, center island, stainless steel sink, extra large fridge, fireplace, washer-dryer hook up, full-sized shower. It was everything we wanted and more. But, the most amazing part...the rear of the rig was a modified toy hauler that converted to a patio with an outside kitchen.

Bill was sold immediately. I wasn't. The problem - it was 6' longer, 3,000 lbs heavier, and more expensive than we had planned. We were first timers. Did we really want to take on that much vehicle right out of the gate? The dealer was Chuck Neer of C. Neer RV. He took us through the rig showing us all its features. It was clear he knew his stuff. I trusted him and the more he talked the more enamored I became. However, I was still concerned about the size, weight and price. Chuck answered all our questions and addressed all our concerns with great patience. I finally came around. You know how it ends. After some discussion and a brief negotiation, we bought her.

Best. Anniversary. Ever!

- Diane 

P.S. I took these pictures immediately after the purchase. I don't know who these people are (expect for that guy in the kitchen), but I remember thinking at the time, "Stop walking through my baby! You're gonna mess her up!" Apparently, in those very early moments, my alternate RV persona had already begun to manifest itself.

P.S.S. And the RV even sent me an anniversary card. It's true love indeed.

So Many RVs...So Little Time

When we started looking at RVs one of our first stops was a local RV show. Until that day we had no idea how many different types there were and this new found knowledge left us feeling overwhelmed. There are so many options that deciding on type, tow option, floor plan, length, weight, make and model can make your head spin. Fortunately, because we did not plan to buy until Bill retired, we had time. On and off, over a five year period, we shopped around and educated ourselves before finally making our purchase.

Wherever you land when traveling in your RV, most of you will need a get-around vehicle. So, you either need to tow said vehicle behind your rig or tow your rig with that vehicle. Deciding which you prefer will determine the type of RV you buy. If you choose to tow the RV, the length and weight will determine whether or not you can tow it with a car, SUV or a pick-up truck and the size and type of pick-up. In order to choose you need to understand the different types.

Class A Motorhome:
Commonly referred to as the conventional motorhome, the Class A is entirely constructed on a bare, specially designed, motor vehicle medium duty truck chassis, or in many cases, on a custom undercarriage. They are spacious and available with every conceivable luxury. The engine may be gas or diesel. Sizes ranges from 21 to 38 feet* and can sleep up to 10 people. They may or may not have slide-outs (which allow a portion of the RV's exterior wall to slide outward as much as 4 feet to enlarge the living area). No special license is required for operating a Class A.  

Class A Motorhome

Class B Motorhome:
Commonly referred to as the van camper or van conversion, Class B motorhomes are fully self-contained, with a refrigerator, sink, hot water, air conditioning, heater, and sleeping facilities. The engine may be gas or diesel. Sizes range from 16 to 22 feet* and can sleep up to 4 people. They are the most economical, versatile and maneuverable of the motorized RVs. Many have showers and toilet facilities including holding tanks for fresh and waste water. They make a good towing vehicle for small camping trailers, boats or other small towable toys.

Class B Motorhome

Class C Motorhome:
Commonly referred to as a mini motorhome or just mini, Class C motorhomes are built on a custom automotive manufactured van frame including an attached cab section. They provide all the conveniences of a larger motorhome in a smaller version and at a lower price point. Sizes range from 20 to 39 feet* and can sleep up to 10 people. They usually have a sleeping quarter over the cab in addition to a bedroom in the rear and sometimes allow more sleeping space then a Class A. They are normally equipped with kitchen, dining and bathroom facilities. They may or may not have slide-outs.

Class C Motorhome

Travel Trailer:
Designed to be towed by a pick-up truck, SUV or a car (for ultra lite weight trailers) by means of a bumper or frame hitch, Travel Trailers are available with all the modern conveniences of home for sleeping, showering, cooking, and dining. Sizes range from 12 to 39 feet* and can sleep up to 10 people. As with all towables, the unit can be detached at any time allowing you to use the tow vehicle for other things.. They offer many different floor plans and options. They may or may not have slide-outs.

Travel Trailer

Fifth Wheel:
Designed to be towed by a pick-up truck with a special hitch in the truck bed, Fifth Wheels are split level and can provide the most living space of all towable RVs making them extremely popular with full-timers. Sizes range from 20 to 45 feet* and can sleep up to 10 people. They can be unhitched at any time freeing up the tow vehicle for other uses. With the main bedroom and the bathroom located over the truck bed, there is more room in the living section of the trailer. Most models offer at least one slide-out. Due to the special hitch, all fifth wheels require a properly equipped full-size pick-up truck or a custom tow vehicle. They offer a wide range of features and appliances from the basics to the high end including fireplaces, dishwashers, washers and dryers, etc. Firth Wheel toy haulers provide rear storage space for large "toys" such as dirt bikes, motorcycles, and ATVs. In some states, if the combined weight of the fifth wheel and tow vehicle exceed a certain weight limit, a CDL license may be required. 

Fifth Wheel

Folding Camping Trailer (Pop-Up):
A lightweight RV with sides that collapse for towing and storage, Folding Tent Trailers offer a kitchen area, dining and sleeping facilities and may contain amenities such as stoves, refrigerators and showers. Sizes range from 8 to 13 feet* when closed and 15 to 25 feet* when open and can sleep up to 8 people. The low price and easy storage appeals to many new RVers. The relative low weight allows for towing by most vehicles (check with your dealer). These units generally have very limited storage space. 

Pop-Up

Truck Camper:
A camping unit mounted on the bed of a pick-up truck, Truck Campers offer a full range of amenities such as refrigerator, stove, air conditioning, and full bathroom facilities and are especially popular as rental units. Sizes range from 18 to 21 feet* and can sleep up to 6 people. The camper is removable to allow full pick-up truck usage. You can take this type of RV just about anywhere your truck will go, so they are a good alternative to motorhomes and travel trailers, especially for those new to RVing. 

Truck Camper

While I hope this brief over view helps, I realize that it may only serve to render you as overwhelmed as we once felt. Don't get discouraged. The more you shop around the more you'll learn about each type, what they offer and what works best for you. I did a lot of perusing online at sites like eBay (http://www.ebay.com) and RV Trader (www.rvtrader.com). That combined with our RV show visits helped us sort if all out. We are careful people. Research is a must for us. It allows us to be comfortable with our decisions. We may over do it at times, but I am convinced purchasing an RV is not one of those times. I can not stress strongly enough how important it is to take your time and learn all you can before making a choice. The end result will be worth all the effort.

-Diane

* The lengths and sleeping capacities provided are an approximation as RV lengths and accommodations vary by type and manufacturer and are ever changing. Custom units, especially, may exceed these specifications.

Dare To Dream

Driving along a familiar road, the kind you take for granted because you travel it so often, we passed a local RV campground. Located off a busy main street, its part of a local state park and from the road it doesn’t look like much more than a parking lot with beach access. It’s not the most luxurious or secluded, but it once helped fuel our dreams of becoming RV owners. We would drive by and longingly gaze upon the RVs parked there and say to ourselves, “One day.”

This time, as we drove by, it brought me back to the days when we were still just dreamers. As we often did in the past, we admired the rigs wondering where they came from, where they were going, remembering when we once envied them so. It’s almost a year since we bought our RV and I still have to pinch myself.

As the anniversary nears, I find my self feeling nostalgic. I recall the first time we discussed the idea. How the seed of that idea grew. How we researched and educated ourselves. How we saved and planned. How we attended every RV show within driving distance. How we talked about it with anyone who would listen. All the while, deep down, trying to ignore a nagging doubt that it would ever really happen.

But it did happen, and now when I pass that park I see it differently. I am no longer the kid with her nose pressed against the glass of the candy store window wishing for that sweet treat. I’m now the candy store owner.

Dreams really do come true.

- Diane

Home Ain't Bad Either

Maybe we can't RV full time just yet, but that's OK, because where we live is pretty awesome, too.

We spent the first day of September living like the Summer would never end...

The Seafood Shack (Tobay Beach, NY)

Sunset on the Great South Bay

Fire Island Lighthouse

Fire Island Lighthouse

Will The Real Diane Please Stand Up

Bill and I both agree we could easily live in the RV full time. We love the life; traveling from place to place, meeting new people, experiencing new things. But it's more than that. We're also discovering new things about ourselves and each other. It's like we're different people on the road.

I like to cook. No, I love to cook. OK, mostly I love to cook. Doing anything routinely can become tedious, and sometimes I run out of ideas. I do enjoy the experimentation, trying new spices and flavors, or attempting to duplicate a delicious restaurant meal at home. I especially like to take our favorites and make them healthier without sacrificing the taste. Not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty good at it. So, yeah, mostly I love to cook. But cleaning...uh, not so much. I don't like it and I'm not good at it. I do it because you have to clean. Right? However, it would never be something I choose. Or at least I thought so.

When we are camping I'm relaxed and happy. I take things in stride and roll with the punches. I don't get stressed out by things the way I might at home. And I clean! Willingly and regularly. I can't bear it if the stove top is greasy. The water spots on the stainless steel sink are intolerable. You could eat off the shower floor. Every mirror is gleaming. The bed is always made. The floor is always swept. Everything is put away, because I disdain the clutter. I keep the rig as close to pristine as possible. Most surprisingly, I enjoy doing it. Of course, this fact is not lost on Bill. Actually, he'd have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to notice the stark contrast, and he teases me about it.

You could say it's because I'm away from my everyday life, but it's not like I'm free of my responsibilities. I have my cell phone and computer. I am usually only a few hours from home. I still have to pay the bills, make sure our parents have what they need, that the condo is taken care of, etc. All the same stressors exist. I just seem to handle them better. I am like water, I go with the flow. And, for some unknown reason, I feel the need to clean.

So what is it that transforms me? Well, it's a mystery. One I don't feel the need to unravel. Why look a gift horse in the mouth? But it does beg the question - which Diane is the real Diane? Is it the occasionally overwhelmed condo dweller who would rather stick hot needles in her eyes than vacuum, or the laid back neatnik RVer? Perhaps I'll never know, but I'm growing rather fond of that easy-going RVer chick.

-Diane (or is it?)

I Could Do This Full-Time...

Willie Joe Billy Bob (my RV persona)

Even with the little experience I have RVing, I know I could do this full-time. I'm 61 years old but it makes me feel like a kid again. I enjoy the challenges RVing has posed: overcoming my fear of driving and parking the giant beast; learning the different systems; solving problems; fixing things; using my mind and getting my hands dirty. I love seeing this country and I'd love to see the whole, beautiful thing. Not to mention BBQ’s, a cold beer, and sitting around a campfire.

I don’t think I could just sell the condo and take off. Being the cautious guy that I am, what I’d like to do is rent out the condo for a year and give it a shot. We’d still have the condo to fall back on and have some help with the expenses. That’s what I’d like to do.

The reality of the situation is that Diane and I are both very family oriented and most of our family members are here in the NYC / Long Island area. I have 3 brothers – the longest drive to one of them is 20 minutes. My son and his family - including 3 of my grandchildren - are 2 blocks from me. Until very recently, my 96 year-old mom, was 2 blocks away as well.

Which brings me to the biggest reason we can’t just up and go – we both have elderly parents who need and deserve our help. My mom is currently in a nursing home after breaking her hip at the end of February; but we’re doing everything possible to get her well enough to go home. There are daily, sometimes multiple visits to the nursing home, trips to various doctors, and we try to get her out of there as often as possible – not to mention the insurance nightmares. Fortunately, the aforementioned big family helps – but, it’s a big commitment. Diane’s parents have health issues of their own.

So, like I said, we can’t just up and go whenever we want. There will be no full-timing. For the time being we’ll have to settle for short trips and a once-a-year, month-long adventure. Our parents are worth it. But we can dream…

-Bill