Planning RV Travels Part I -> 4 General “Rules” For Planning Where To Stay & When To Go
Some time ago one of my blog readers asked me a very good question about how we actually plan our RV travels. Do we pre-plan all our routes? Do we pre-book? How do we decide where to go? And when? These are all excellent questions and make the basis of a few very nice blog posts, and thus today’s topic.
Now the truth is there is no *one* perfect way to RV, fulltime or otherwise. Every RVer will do things a little differently depending on their budget, RV size, comfort level & preferences…some wing it all the time, some boondock all the time, some plan absolutely everything. We are *very* particular about where we go especially when it comes to weather and green space + pet-friendliness, but we also like to keep things loose so, depending on the season, we actually do a mix. I’ll share my own ideas here and then you guys are welcome to add yours in the comments. Here it goes:
1/ Weather, Weather, Weather
They say buying a house is all about location, location, location…I’ll take that and say RVing is all about weather, weather, weather. We learned this lesson the hard way when we spent our first year on the road camping through a particularly humid, hot, mosquito-infested summer in the Mid-West. There was practically no-one in any of the campsites, but there was also a reason for that. The bugs were so bad we couldn’t be outside more than 5 minutes at a time, the heat so intense our RV jacks melted into the asphalt (never knew that could happen), we had a massive flea infestation and we even contracted Lyme Disease (thank goodness we caught and treated it early)!!! What were we thinking?!? Truth is, we were spoiled by living in southern CA and never thought about weather or bugs until we starting living in a 40-foot tin can with pets. That year changed our entire planning outlook and we adopted totally new rules:
Follow the seasons -> Our general goal is cool summers and mild winters, and we plan our travels around this basis. For summer this means either high mountains (e.g. CO, WY, MT etc. -> we’ve found we need to get above min 8,000 feet in the “heat” of summer to be comfortable) or the NW coast (e.g. OR, WA). For winter this means either the Southwest (CA, AZ), Southern TX or Southern FL. The rest of the months are great travel months and September is excellent just about anywhere (yes, even the Mid-West). I call this our “flip flop barometer” and we regularly use US Weather Maps and other such tools to help simplify the process. So our first planning tool is “where will we spend summer”, our second one “where will we spend winter”. The rest of the plan then flows from there.
Avoid the bugs -> We battled mosquitoes and bugs so badly our first year that I swore to avoid them as much as possible for the rest of our RVing lives. It’s impossible to be completely bug-free (although most of Western US does a pretty darn good job), but travelling through “high bug” areas (e.g. the Mid-West and SE) in cooler months will definitely make that easier. Our 2010 fall trip to the Smoky Mountains and the SE Coast (SC, GA) was an example of just such perfection. It was cool enough that there were almost no bugs so we got to enjoy the amazing fall color change and coastal beauty at it’s best.
2/ Book Ahead For Summer (And Sometimes Winter)
There are many RVers who wing it all the time. Nothing wrong with that, but given our “beastly” size and the fact that we really yearn for green, spacious spots (many of which are popular in good weather months) I’ve taken a mixed approach to booking.
Summer-Time -> In summer, especially while kids are out of school, I will almost always book all our sites ahead of time. State Parks and National Forests, especially in the mountains & on the coast get particularly crowded during the summer vacation very simply because they are the perfect places to be! I start summer planning around March and usually have all June/July booked by the end of that month. If we were smaller and perhaps had an easier time boondocking (especially in the mountains), or we were less “picky” about the kind of spots we like to stay I probably wouldn’t plan so much, but I like this part of our yearly travels to be “fixed”.
Winter-Time -> Our absolute preference for winter is the wide, spacious southwest due to its moderate weather, open land and inexpensive camping. Since we boondock many of the winter months on BLM land or go to San Diego (where it’s actually low season in winter) we almost never bother booking. Those looking to stay in particular private parks especially in the “popular” winter areas will probably need to book ahead, but if you boondock alot like us you can wing it and be fine. Our only exception to this was the year we traveled to Florida. Unlike the SW, FL has very little BLM land and it is a *huge* winter RV destination. Many parks, especially the most popular ones, will book out up to a year ahead!! For our winter in FL I booked 6 months in advance, and even then we had to move 3 times in our park north of Miami…it was a pain, but at least I knew we would get to enjoy paw-friendly State Parks and nice, green areas while we were there.
Spring & Fall -> Spring and fall are what I call the “golden” RV months. Generally speaking kids are in school, many parks open up and you can “wing it” just about anywhere. We rarely book these months unless we’re going somewhere particularly popular, and will often choose places that have a good amount of first-come-first-serve sites (e.g. BLM campgrounds in the Sierra Nevada Mountains). It’s the easiest time to RV!
Big Holidays -> The once exception to above is big holidays such as Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Spring Break and July 4th. These holidays are generally PACKED with people out camping and it really does help to book ahead. Contrary to our normal routine we’ll often book Private parks during these times, just so we can get away from the crowds and noise. This past Memorial Day we spent in a quiet park in central Portland, for example and it was the perfect way to relax on a very busy week-end.
3/ Seek Out Green (And Paw-Friendly) Sites
Our absolute preference for anywhere we go is open, green space and paw-friendly location. That means we spend almost 90% of our time on public land such as BLM, COE, State Park, National Forest etc. Almost without exception these spots will have open areas, decent site separation, places to hike with pooch and no paw restrictions. I plan a lot of our travels using these resources and we almost always end up somewhere nice. The only places we tend to avoid are National Parks, not because they aren’t beautiful (they are!), but because they generally don’t allow dogs on the trails. Almost every National Park is bounded by some kind of paw-friendly (and less visited) National Forest and that’s where we chose to stay.
4/ Take It Slow (And Smell The Roses)
One of the biggest lessons we learned early-on in our RV travels was to take it slow. Our first year, as well as making silly weather decisions, had us bouncing around every 2-3 days like tourists on a crammed vacation. By the end of the year we were exhausted and needed winter just to recover!! Our second year we slowed down considerably shortening our travel days down to ~150 miles and staying a minimum of 4-5 days in each spot. The following year we slowed down even more spending weeks (or even a month) in places we liked. Obviously if you’re a week-end RVer this may not be an option for you, but for fulltimers it helps to get out of “I’m on vacation” mode and into “this is my life mode”. Trust me, you will enjoy your travels SO much more!
The above rules are what I call our “general” plan. In part II of this series I’ll take you through more detailed route-planning including how we actually map our travels and (even) find boondocking sites.
Planning RV Travels Part II -> Selecting Pace, Map Routing & Campsites
Any apps available to find blm land or USFS spots?
Indeed there are…and I’m going to be a total tease and tell you I’ll reveal all such things in the next post 🙂
Nina
Should have KNOWN you were a tease! HAHA.. Thanks Nina you two keep up the posts and I will enjoy reading them!
Thanks for the informative post and I can’t wait for Part II. I couldn’t agree more about “slowing down”.
Yeah, it’s probably the biggest (and most important) lesson we’ve learned.
Nina
I am really curious as to where you were to take that sunset picture from an island off the Georgia coast. I even went to map to take a look
http://goo.gl/maps/qFvNf and see if I could make a guess… it’s not like you’re on an island in the FL Keys… I am really curious.
That was taken right by the fishing pier on Jekyll Island. Here’s my post on the area:
https://www.wheelingit.us/2010/11/05/georgia-on-my-mind-jekyll-island-ga/
Thank you, I took a closer look and could see the ‘land’ just below the setting sun…. it probably looked like water to me because I wanted it to! 🙂
Yeah, its a tricky shot that one 🙂 Fools the eye.
Nina
That all sounds about right to us. There are times, and places, where you absolutely need to plan ahead and the rest of the year, not so much.
As you point out, following the weather is a big consideration in our planning, too. Mother Nature, we’ve found, is a relentless taskmaster. If you want to keep drive times short, AND travel from those warm weather winter destination to cool northern ones in the summer AND hit all the awesome places in between it really does require a bit of planning. Because of that we tend to have our stops during each season pretty well mapped out in advance.
Makes total sense, Brian. I’ve found the larger distance you want to travel summer->winter (say, if you’re looking to go all the way from FL to Alaska) the more planning it takes too. Our last few years we’ve kept entirely to the west and have ratcheted down our miles alot, so that’s made planning a little looser/easier. Cheers for sharing your experience!
Nina
Great Tips! Thank You!
Great ideas. I can hardly wait to start traveling.
Hope ya get on the road soon!
Nina
Ha – I just wrote a post on the same subject, although not in as much detail. Not checking the weather, not making reservations, and trying to go too fast have all been mistakes we’ve made. I can’t tell you how much we’ve used your blog as a resource!
Well there you go…great minds think alike? Just read your blog post. Very nice! For those of you reading comments click here for Nealy’s take:
http://nealysonwheels.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/to-plan-or-not-to-plan-that-is-the-question/
Nina
You have some beautiful pictures!
As always. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Always fun to share!
Nina
So interesting, Nina! All of us still on the couch, metaphorically speaking or for real, enjoy your trailblazing and cogent remarks! A friend just gave me an old book which has some great tips, also: Cooking Aboard Your RV by Janet Groene, Ragged Mountain Press, 1993. It details planning your kitchen & compact recipies. For your next ‘series’ or at least a blog post, I’d love to know how you engineer feeding everyone on bioard
The “feeding on the road” is ON my list of blog posts! It’s an excellent topic.
Nina
…uh, on board. On our latest trip up the Oregon coast, sans trailer, we looked at most of the RV parks last week on the way, but were unimpressed with most. When we get the truck/SUV, we’re definitely joining Boondockers and using your recommended maps. Muchas gracias for your entertaining and informative blog!!
So happy they’re helpful! For many folks boondocking is the *only* way they will travel. It’s definitely fun to find spots and you can end up in some super-sweet locations.
Nina
Great comments, Nina! I’m retired Army and only into the fifth day of full time RVing and I do learn from your posts!
Mark Wise
Well congrats on the fulltiming!! May you have many happy travels ahead of you! As retired Army you also get access to some wonderful Military only campgrounds. They also tend to be in nice spots with good space.
Nina
Interesting post, Nina! And very helpful. Your points have a lot to do with the “art” of RVing full-time. Hello to Paul and Polly!
Heya Sue! How very lovely to see ya on the blog and cheers for the comment. Kisses to wiggly Bridget and Spike! Maybe we’ll see you this winter somewhere.
Nina
Great tried and true advice for us newbies! Maybe we’ll come with out RV to Jeckyl Island to meet you this fall! Renee
This fall we’ll probably be back in the Sierra Nevada mountains…staying west I’m afraid. So won’t be able to see that gorgeous GA coast. It’s a great time to go though!
Nina
Very useful information! Thanks a million!
We travel “the seasons” in a 17 foot Casita Travel Trailor. Our Little House on Wheels” This year fall is the Blue Ridge mountains.
Ann and Ken Creed
Oh how lovely! I have SO MANY good memories of the Blue Ridge mountains. That fall color change is like nothing else I’ve ever seen. It’s the perfect time to be there. The mountains are POPULAR during the color change and many campgrounds book out completely, but we managed to get by without reservations by picking first-come-first-serve only campgrounds (Rock Creek in Erwin, TN and Lake Powhatan just outside Asheville, NC). Great locations & we had flexibility to stay or move as we wished.
Nina
Your timing on this series is perfect as usual. We are picking up our new 5th wheel and heading out on the road- we have the next 3 months planned. I was beginning to scratch my head as to how far to I take the planning- very helpful hints. I look forward to the rest of your series:)
I think 3 months will be more than enough as long as you’re willing to camp a little off-the-beaten track for winter. I planned out EVERYTHING in the beginning so I totally understand what you’re doing. It’s scary, especially when you first start out, to go without reservations and just “wing it”. One thing I can recommend is seeking out first-come-first-serve campgrounds. That will give you lots of options for trying out sites without having any bookings, and give you a feel for whether you enjoy that type of travel. You’ll find your groove soon enough!
Nina
As beginners, leaving in October and going where ever.
Thank you so much for this . Only the first month planned…whew.
Nice! You’re starting your trip in an awesome month.
Nina
Nina, loved the post, full of practical ideas! The photographs are stunning! But the models you hired were the best part–they must have been expensive!!
Bob
They sure are…especially in the long run 🙂
Nina
Spooky! Déjà vu … We are in Florida; hot, mucky and bugs. Did I mention mucky? And few if any people in the rv parks we are/have stayed at. That said, we are learning, seeing and doing things we never would have done if not for our new to us motor home. Your advice is golden.
Totally know what you mean! FL is hot, hot in summer although it’s not toooo (?) bad if you can access the beach and water. Gotta get that butt in the water. Enjoy your trip.
Nina
Less than a year to go until we are full time and starting our planning now. Your helpful blog is appreciated.
How exciting! Congrats on the upcoming travels!
Nina
Nina, Howard and I are planning a summer/fall trip to Montana, Oregon and Washington and will use your wonderful and experienced advice to help plan our trip. Since retiring in August of 2006, we have travelled mostly during the winter months – south! We only enjoy staying in state, county and federal parks so we better be well prepared. (Have not done too much boondocking – yet.) Thank you for your continued, informative and wonderful posts. Yours photos, in this post, are just stunning and thanks for posting a few of yourself. Fun to see! Polly in Blue, as I call it, would win a photo contest and/or be published! As a lot of your photos.
Sounds like a fabulous trip!! Should see some gorgeous spots out there.
Cheers for the compliments too 🙂
Nina
Great post. Thank you for the information. This is something I think about a lot. Like Allen we are going full time next year but a little over 1 year from now. Looking forward to Part 2 of your post. Curt
Planning can seem like one of the most daunting things when you first start out RVing. Almost everyone plans obsessively at the start (I did!), but as you go along you’ll find your grove and comfort levels.
Nina
Great post Nina and we totally agree with all your points, now if I could just get the DH to follow the “slow down” rule instead of driving until he is exhausted! We are heading to Oregon in early August and would love to meet you, Paul and the paws. Once on the coast we are visiting friends in Coos Bay, just up the road from you, have you stayed anywhere near Coos Bay? I’ve looked at all your Oregon posts over and over, last year and this year for helpful hints on where to stay and what to see.
Oh excellent! Looking forward to seeing you! Regarding Coos Bay we’ve never stayed there, but we looked at Sunset Bay State Park which is in a great location nearby. It doesn’t have a ton of big rig friendly sites (only along the very beginning (2-way) section of the campground, if I remember correctly), but it’s a pretty spot. In a pinch you can boondock at the Mill Casino right in town. They also have a paying RV park there which many seem to like.
Nina
Good point about elevation in summer. After a week of 100° days in Zion in June, we headed up to Bryce at 8,000′ and 70° days. Didn’t want to leave!
Yup, we had the same experience traveling through Utah our very first year in the RV in June. We got relief in Bryce and also in the Dixie National Forest at around 9000 ft overlooking Capitol Reef. Gotta get high in summer 🙂
Nina
That’s one helluva rose…
Haha…yeah I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland.
Nina
An excellant blog and information. Though my wife and i are not yet rv’ers we are planning to do so in the next two years. It makes perfect sense to hit the high hills in summer and the low hills in the winter. I particularly like your point about taking it easy. I think it is so easy to fall into the trap of feeling you have to see it all “right now!!” and we tend to forget we do have time on our side for awhile. Thanks for sharing
Yeah, I really think the sooner you manage to take it slow the more you’ll enjoy your travels. Can’t tell you how many people we met who gave up after their first year of RVing simply because they were too exhausted!
Nina
Even as a weekender and once or twice a year in vacation mode, we take it slow, try not to go to far from home and generally just slow it down. My favorite thing about flying to Maui is getting to Kaanapali and literally not going anywhere for the entire time we are away. Take it slow and relax. While in our EV Weekender, we dont ever leave our space once we are there. Even though it is quite easy to move about with the van.
You’ve definitely got the right pace. Going slow will always be more relaxing.
Nina
As usual… a fantastic post full of great general guidelines.
As much as we’ve set intentions to have guidelines to follow weather and pre-book amazing spots in amazing locations in ideal climates, life seems to pre-empt us.
After 7-years on the road, I really can’t find many general rules we’ve followed in our travels for picking and planning – other than, if there’s an event we want to attend, that’s when we book a spot.
Otherwise, when we make plans we’re more often than not canceling and rescheduling and losing deposits – which has its own frustration & cost factor.
Whereas, when we allow serendipity to be our guide, it never fails us. I really can’t recall a time that we’ve been stuck without a spot in a place we end up needing/wanting to be. We’ve really come to trust that if we’re meant to be there, it’ll work out.
Although, we have been caught in unpleasant temperature ranges to be the places when we need to be – due to family, events, break downs or searches for our next home-on-wheels.
You guys definitely have a special relationship with serendipity, but you’ve also bought up an excellent point which is..no matter what your plans “stuff” happens and you’ve got to be flexible. That will most certainly be in my next post!
Thanks for sharing!
Nina
We love, love, love your blog, pics and tips. My favorite pic is the bench on the beach. We are a mile high in elevation here in Butte, Mt. Very few bugs here, it really makes a difference. 44 degrees here last night.
Lovely! Believe it or not we still haven’t been to MT. Hope to make it next year…maybe!
Nina
Hi Nina,
As we prepare to hit the road do you have any tips on organizing your closets and specifically the basement area?
Thanks!
Bettina
That’s a good one…and pretty much deserves a whole separate post! The short answer for the basement area is lots of plastic storage bins in various sizes -> almost all our stuff is organized that way. For the closet we (honestly) have so few clothes and have gotten rid of so many along the way that we’ve only got a few shelves of stuff left (not much to organize).
Maybe I’ll do a longer post on this one day.
Nina
Thanks- that is just what I needed to hear. I know I am thinking I am going to be bringing way too much:)
Nina — Another awesome post and great info! We celebrated four years full-timing in May (this is our fifth summer on the road) and I say “ditto” to most of what you’ve discovered. A couple of summers ago we downsized out travel rig so we don’t make reservations any more. This means we don’t ever feel the pressure to get from A to B in a certain period of time. Our current rig is more boondock-worthy, so we feel much more relaxed about that alternative if we don’t get a site someplace with hookups.
It really is a unique thing — but Mother Nature really is the primary Master when it comes to our decisions about travel. Even heading south again in the fall we find ourselves thinking of when the high passes might freeze and when we need to leave to get through them before that happens…. So far so good!
Love your photos!!!
I TOTALLY understand the whole downsizing idea…it’s something we’ve thought about often especially when I’m planning travel. I do think almost everyone gets in synch with mother nature after a few years of full-timing. Lovely & wise comments!
Nina
Looking forward to the continuation of this series very much. We set of goal of 100 RV days when we both retired last year, and are upping it to 120 days for 2014. We’re in the midst of our longest trip yet – two months, and still can’t believe we’re are lucky enough to be doing this!
I’m completely anal about booking in advance, and it will be interesting to see how and if that changes going forward. The way I determine how long to stay somewhere is primarily driven by how many interesting hikes of 5+ miles there are. One day for each hike is pretty much what I do! At least at this point, slowing down is a really tough concept for me. It may just be my nature to stay in a state of constant stimulation, which moving every few days provides, but again, it will be interesting to see what happens over time!
Anyhow, we are having the time of our lives, and I’ve learned so much from your blog about how to handle our increasingly longer trips, so thank you!
Hiking & green space is definitely a big consideration for us too. It’s part of the main reason we camp 90% of our time on public land…almost always some good hiking in those spots.
With regards to the planning side, it really is a very personal thing, but most fulltimers I know do become more “lose” in their planning as they spend more time on the road. Then again, I know folks who plan absolutely everything too! I think it’s just a question of comfort level. The more you travel, the more you’ll find your own personal comfort level.
Nina
Another great post, Nina! Thank you for these tips!
We have been following your travel blog for over a year now and enjoy them immensely. As a matter of fact, we followed up on of your recent posts and contacted Greg Ryder regarding volunteer opportunities on the Oregon Coast. We start tomorrow as lighthouse hosts in Port Orford for the month of August. We are on pins and needles tonight learning the history scripts, I’ll tell you!!
Anyway, thanks again for sharing so much information about being full time RVers. We are learning a lot from your site!
Oh HOW COOL!!! We’ll be in Bandon all this month so come on up and say “hi” if you get the chance. We love, love, love Cape Blanco (even in the wind) and hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Nina
Great information!! I love reading your blog and this one was great! I’ve traveled alot around the US, but my wife hasn’t, so this should help explain why I make some of the decisions where we will go!! From, Totally West Coasters!!
I do love the West Coast too LOL! I really enjoyed the year we went East, but I must admit my heart is out here in the West.
Nina
We love your blog. It is on our daily list of things to check in on. My wife and I retired two years ago and through the months have been slowly learning some of the same things that you mentioned in this post. The part about slowing down has been the hardest part. We have begun to stay in our chosen locations for a month at a time. Turns out it is cheaper that way. One question I would like to ask is about boondocking. So far we have not done a lot of that. Being newbies at this we are still a little unsure what to expect. How do you handle getting the tanks dumped and getting fresh water when you are staying in a BLM spot or some other remote area? I’ve stared longingly at some of the areas that you have stayed in, but that still comes to mind. Keep up the great work, and be well.
Thanks so much for following along!! Regarding bonodocking and dumping I put a few ideas into today’s blog post (just published), but I’ll add a link to another post which will (hopefully) answer most of your questions:
Back To Boondocking Basics -> 8 Steps To Get You Into The Wilds
Nina
Great post….yeah stuff hapens which is why our plans are always made in jello….
Indeed…jello is the core of RV travel 🙂
Nina
You mentioned San Diego as a travel spot for winter…This really surprised me. Would you recommend a park? We usually end up in Yuma for a month or so….San Diego and all it’s attractions would be a great addition.
Yup, we often spend at least a month in winter in San Diego. Our absolute fav spot is Mission Bay RV Resort -> it’s not much of an RV park (just a parking lot really), but it has good monthly winter rates in an awesome location with pet-friendly beach to boot. Our second fav is Santee Lakes -> bit further from town, but LOTS of green and space. It is more popular tho’ so you may need to book ahead for that one.
Nina
Thank you Nina…Does the monthly rate get halved with passport? Sounds real good if that’s the case.
Sadly no. Passport will only work Mon through Thursday at Mission Bay. It doesn’t apply to the monthly rate. There’s nothing that cheap on the CA coast 🙂
Nina
Great post Nina. Your wonderful tips have made our RVing time much more pleasurable. Thanks so much! 🙂
Thanks LuAnn…hope we get to caravan again soon. Thinking of you both!
Nina
We are looking forward to that day. We head to Columbus in a few hours to begin Terry’s treatments. Last night we had the paramedics take Terry’s dad to the hospital as he wasn’t feeling well. Hopefully all will be well on both fronts. Send us some more of those gorgeous OR photos soon, ok? 🙂
Oh dear. Sorry to hear about his dad. Hoping all the treatments go smoothly and you get on your way. Our thoughts are with you!!
Nina
Thanks Nina.
#4 is by far my favorite. When you spend your whole life looking up the road and never down at your feet it is sure hard to slow down. What a great piece of advice. Young or old, time is the only commodity that guaranteed to get more valuable the older you get.
It can be super-hard in this day and age of getting everything “right now” to slow down and actually appreciate the moment and the journey. Still can’t say we’ve “mastered” it, but we keep trying.
Nina
Hi, Nina. Great post. It’s hard to believe that next month will be our anniversary of fulltiming. It definitely is a learning experience. I agree with all of your points. We book in advance for peak seasons, and even have parks reserved in October for New England since June. And, yes, the size of the rig does matter. I tried to make a last minute booking at a state park in St. Augustine Florida in spring, but they only had three spots that would fit Island Girl (39 feet), and they were booked! Also having pets can narrow your choices at times. But if you are aware of those possibilities, it’s much easier to accept and make the best of it. Flexibility is key! One more important point is to understand the change/cancellation policies when you do book in advance so that you can try to avoid fees if you have to change plans. Brenda
Has it already been a year? Wow!
Sure know what you mean about booking in FL. It can be hard to get a spot last-minute, even in spring I guess. Good point about knowing the cancellation/change policy (those $$ can get you if you book and change alot). And yes, flexibility is KEY.
Nina
Agree on 1 and 2 but on no 4 I think we are guilty of still being in the vacay mood. We moved too fast. But as you would say it all depends on the goals and the state of health. We are striking hot for we are still nimble, and I am sure it will change down the road. Great post as always.
You guys have definitely travelled fast since you started! But I know you’ve enjoyed the journey too. Some people just love moving. We knew a fulltime couple who were on the road 10 years and they moved every 2-3 days that entire time!! Too much for me, but it worked for them.
Nina
I just stumbled accross your blog after googling about camping and spent my whole lunch hour lost in your adventures. I wish i could pack my two little ones and husband up and buy a rig to go riding through the country. Your travels are so inspiring. Living so free must feel like heaven. We only have a modest pop up camper and get our 7 or 8 weekends a year, but I sure hope that one day we may be blessed enough with circumstances that allow such a rich fullfilling life. Thanks for “taking me out” for lunch. Sincerely, Nicole Newton (San Antonio, TX)
Hi Nicole,
Well glad you made it over here to enjoy the blog. Getting out is great, even if it’s just a few weekends each year, and the beauty of a popup is that it can go anywhere and fit anywhere! Good travels to you!
Nina
I started on a “bucket list trip” in 2012; got as far as San Antonio, TX and found my sister (age 78 at the time) and her family a little under the weather (all 3 are diabetic). I decided to stay and help them get a little back on their feet. I stayed for a year then decided to come back home to NC and recuperate myself. I am now trying to save money to get a Class B+ Van Camper for me and my small dog, so can start out again. I have a 1998 Dodge Ram 2500, 5.9 Liter gas/quad cab, with an old antique shell over the cab camper on it that I have used ever since I got the truck in 2003. Truck had about 78,000 miles when I bought it; now has over 204,000 miles. Have kept it maintained and thoroughly checked every spring and fall, so it still runs good. Need to sell it to get the Van Camper; family is getting nervous about me climbing in and out of the back so they want me to update. It will probably be a while before can get the Van Camper, but have been picturing how to remodel a panel truck if need be.
Have traveled ever since I was about 3 years old, am now over 74. Have lived in almost every state from the Atlantic to the Mississippi; have visited a few other in the mid-west; for a total of about 20 odd states.
A favorite Boon Dock place my late husband and I used to go to was on the 420 mile marker on the Blue Ridge Parkway. You turn onto the Balsam Gap Rd and drive a little ways; at the end of the road is a parking area (not real big , but handy.) Has a lot of hiking trails, in fact, the road keeps going but has been blocked off because it gets too rough for motor vehicles, except ATVs and horses. Starting in August, you can find blueberries all along the parkway and especially there in the Shining Rock Wilderness area (That is another name for the Boon Dock area I was describing above. I am so looking forward to start traveling again and camping.
Hope you and yours have a fantastic, safe, peaceful, and relaxing journey this coming year.
Go in Peace and Prosper! as Mr Spock says.
Sincerely,
Betty ROSS BROWN
Hi! We pick up our 5th wheel in 2 weeks! We are so excited! We’ve never traveled before so this is nerve racking. We really are not sure what we are doing but would welcome all and any advice or something along the lines of a “5th wheeling for dummies”, if it exists. Seriously, things to pack, what not to bring, what to watch out for, tricks and tips, anything would help. I love your site buy the way. Thanks for any words of wisdom. Mark and Paulette
WOW! Your blog is a gem of a find!
We’re going fulltime at the end of this year and we realize there is SO much to consider/think about. We’ve been slowly planning for months but your blog is a wealth of information and such a great resource! Bookmarking it now! (and so nice to find RVers and not hipster #vanlife) lol.
Thanks for all the info! We look forward to following you and sharing our journey as well.
Yes, hipster van couple we will likely never be LOL. Very glad you found us. Enjoy the blog!
Nina
Nina,
Hope all is well and that your are progressing nicely with all things involved in preparation for your upcoming departure. Good times. Nevertheless, I have been studying your travel maps and reading the blogs on planning. In 2013 when you first wrote the blogs you state that you normally don’t make reservation with a few exceptions. Things have changed quite a bit since 2013 and as you are aware the rving/FT thing
has really taken off so much so that there is a shortage of private campgrounds many requiring at minimum 1 year in advance reservations. The NP, NF and BLM have become very popular and really tough to score spots these days or so I have read. My question is have you stayed true to your planning methods with regards to reservations as you did in years past?
TIA
Barbie
SO that’s a really good question. We’ve seen more and more campsites fill up over the past 8 years, and are finding we have to reserve further out for the specific type of campsites we like. For BLM (boondocking) we never have to do anything special, since it’s just hanging out in the desert on open land. So if we’re spending winter in the SW we don’t bother w/ reservations. But for summer we’ve found it’s a MUST, and for this winter (in Florida) it was also a MUST. We’re still finding decent availability ion the shoulder seasons (spring, fall), but we’ve definitely started to reserve out for summer & winter (in East).
Nina
Yes, we full-timers need to watch out for weather more, since our RVs aren’t well insulated and weather affects us more than people live in sticks and bricks. Especially when boondocking. That’s why most are traveling up North for the Summer and down South for the winter. And then, the bugs can be an issue, especially if there is a place nearby with livestock nearby. Great post, thank you!
Hello Nina & Mike, your site really is a gem!
I’m another RVer whose learning to appreciate the beauty of the high desert areas and
coming from this die-hard Forest/Mountain worshipper, it’s quite a pleasant discovery.
Thank you two so much for expanding my horizons, literally!