Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.

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Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer

There are a lot of books on the market about RVs, the RV lifestyle, and travel in general. We’ve found the following to be the most valuable in our full-time RV journey.

PREPARATION: So, You Want to Be a Full-Time RVer?

So, You Want To Be A Full-Time RVer? Must read books for Full-Time RVers.John and Kathy Huggins are the inspiration for many of us that have chosen this lifestyle. Through their writing, podcast, and speaking engagements, they allowed us to see the ins-and-outs of the full-time lifestyle. They provided a very honest assessment that this was not necessarily a vacation, but it could still be a lot of fun.

The book, published in 2012, covers every aspect of full-time RVing including making the decision, preparation, maintenance, and lessons-learned. It is an easy, but extremely informative read. They cover everything you need and some things you may not have thought about, but should. We first purchased the e-book, but decided to get the paperback so we could make notes, highlight, and have it handy to show those that were curious about our lifestyle. If you want the paperback, we recommend the revised version. 

We cannot recommend this book enough. In fact, we not only recommend the book, but everything John and Kathy Huggins produced. If you enter their names into Google, there will be a plethora of material they have produced that has helped shape and influence this lifestyle.

MOTIVATION: The 4-Hour Workweek – Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

What? This is a business book. Why is this a must read? Well, this book was a Must read books for Full-Time RVers. The 4-Hour Workweek.great motivator for me in making this decision. I am still fairly young, mid-40s, and have many years of work left in me. Also, we are not wealthy and certainly cannot live on the road full-time without making any income. In this book, Tim Ferriss explains how a life of travel is possible, while still making a living.

We haven’t quite cut our life to a 4-hour work week. We still work full-time, but remotely, and are working on building Chickery’s Travels. However, without this book we would not have even ventured in to seeking permission to work remotely and most certainly would not have started working on our Chickery’s Travels blog and YouTube Channel.

This book is important because it gives a fresh perspective on how to approach the work-life balance. It is full of helpful tips on how to achieve the full-time travel life while still providing income. Most important, it is inspirational and motivating to know that this life is possible for those of us that do not want to give up working yet.

INSPIRATION:  On the Road

On The Road.Must read books for Full-Time RVers.If you are looking for inspiration to travel North America, then Jack Kerouac’s novel is the must read. The book tells the story of Jack’s travel adventures with Neal Cassady across the country. Many describe it as a novel filled with freedom and hope. It is not the easiest read, but really made me want to hit road and create an adventure across the continent. Definitely a must read if you are feeling the travel bug burning inside you. The novel has also been made into a movie if you do not like to read. Although, as they always say, the book is much better than the movie!

MONEY MATTERS: Full-Time RV FinanceFull-Time RV Finance: Learn tips for budgeting for full-time travel, earning an income on the road, and implementing techniques for saving on campgrounds and more!

In this book we discuss our financial lessons learned after 3 1/2 years of living and traveling full-time in our RV. We share easy tips that we used to allow us to pay off $91,000 in debt in less than one year. They include how to save money to purchase an RV, how to earn an income on the road, how to budget for full-time travel, and how to minimize travel expenses.

HUMOR: Tales From The Black Tank

Liz Wilcox BookThis next book provides a humorous look at some of the things that can go wrong in the full-time life. Jam-packed with laughs, guffaws, and the occasional gross-out moment, this 40+ page e-book is the read you didn’t even know you were waiting for!

 

 

 

If you are looking for potential storage space in your RV or tiny home, this book is for you. This full-color, 36-page e-book contains 75+ color photos and more than 60 RV storage ideas.ORGANIZATION: Create Space from Thin Air: Ideas for Adding Storage to Your RV (Or Other Tiny Home)

This full-color, 36-page e-book will help you discover new potential storage space in your RV or tiny home! With over 75 color photos and more than 60 ideas for storing and organizing, you cannot go wrong here. The book includes:

  • Ideas for adapting solutions to fit your needs
  • Ways to make use of vertical space for storage
  • Tips for finding and utilizing empty space
  • Ideas for modifying furniture and built-in spaces to add extra storage
  • Step-by-step action plan to help you discover the best storage solutions for your space

EDUCATION: A Complete Novice’s Guide to RV Water System’s Preventive Maintenance

After reading the previous book, you may be afraid of the black tank. Don’t be. We wrote a book on the RV’s water systems (water filtration, tank maintenance, etc.). It includes a lot of pictures on how to perform your own preventive maintenance and properly care for your RV water tanks.

Book Cover

We hope these books help you in making your decision to make the move to full-time travel. If you think we missed any books, please let us know in the comments below.

 

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MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, Florida)

We just spent a month at the MacDill AFB Family Campground (aka FamCamp). We love its central location to tons of activities and amazing beaches! It is very large with 366 full-hookup sites (electricity, water, sewer, and cable TV). Folks staying for a few months can even get an account with the local provider and get internet/telephone service. They also have several partial hook-up spots with water and electric and a tent camping area.

Main FamCamp

The campground is divided into two parts. The main FamCamp is by the base beach on Tampa Bay. This area has two dog parks and new this year, a dog beach! The main campground also has a laundry room and bathhouse. This is really the only place with a strong Wi-Fi signal, but the drawback is that both times we have stayed at this campground, the air conditioner was out in this building.

MacDill AFB FamCamp

Base Beach and Seascapes

The water is not really deep enough to swim, but you can wade in the water or just enjoy soaking up the sun. The beach also has a volleyball net and picnic pavilions. If you prefer, you can enjoy the restaurant, Seascapes BeachHouse, which is open for lunch on weekdays and dinner on weekends. The outdoor Tiki Hut bar is also on the weekends so you can enjoy a cocktail and the fabulous sunsets. On Friday nights they have Family Fun Night with a DJ and activities for the kids.

Rainbow over the MacDill AFB Family Campground Beach

Marina

The base marina is also adjacent to the FamCamp. They have boats and kayaks for rent, as well as wet slips to store your own boat and a boat launch ramp. They also sell bait and assorted sundries. Outdoor recreation rentals are co-located with the marina and they rent bicycles, tents, and much more.

FamCamp Annex

The FamCamp Annex provides another section of full-hookup sites near the golf course. The spaces here are farther apart and most have paved parking. However, there is no additional bathhouse here, so if you need that amenity you may want to choose the main campground.

Reservations

Now you’ve probably noticed that there is a ton of space right now. That’s because it is summertime and you will never need reservations to come this time of year. If you want to come in the winter, that is another story all together. In the winter, this is a snow bird’s paradise and the only way you can get into full hookups is to make a reservation a year in advance. If you call to reserve a site arriving early in the season, say October, you will likely get one.  However, if you are trying to arrive later in the season you will most likely have to get on the waiting list.

A great source of information for the MacDill AFB campground and others is the website US Military Campgrounds and RV Parks. It provides a wealth of information including which gate to enter the installation, as well as reviews.

 

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RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It

Do you shower, wash clothes, cook, or even breathe in your RV? If so, RV condensation will be a problem and there is one item you need: a dehumidifier. In this article, I will tell you why.

Condensation and Humidity

Each of the items above creates an increase in moisture in the air. Yes, even breathing expels moisture in the air. Two terms that are important in understanding why a dehumidifier is important are humidity and condensation. Humidity refers to the amount of moisture in the air. It can be affected by location, other weather, and the amount of space. Weather forecasters usually relay humidity as a percent, also known as relative humidity. Condensation is the result of the air temperature becoming too cool to hold the water as a vapor. As a result, the water turns from a vapor to a liquid.

Three Strikes

In an RV, the space is much smaller than a house, which is strike one. The smaller space has less area for the water vapor to go, which increases humidity, especially if you are cooking, showering, washing clothes, and breathing just like you were living in a traditional house.

Decreased air flow is strike two. Most RVs are not ideal for great airflow. Using the vent fans in the bathroom and kitchen, if you have them, will help. Also, opening windows will increase airflow, especially if you use a strategy that will encourage the air to flow through your RV. The air conditioner also helps with airflow and removes moisture from the air. In extreme temperatures and weather, however, it is not ideal to keep windows open or run the AC (if it is cold). The colder it is, the more you will begin to see condensation on your windows and outer walls.

Lower levels of insulation in the RV are strike three. Typically, the outer walls of the RV are not as insulated as the walls in a traditional home. This allows the surface temperature of the walls and windows inside the RV to get cold, or warm, relative to the air temperature in the RV. The temperature of the air as it gets close to a cold wall or window will allow the water to turn to liquid and condense on the walls or windows.

The Problem

There are problems with having water build up on the surfaces inside the RV. The primary problem is the material will get damaged and cause structural problems. This can lead to expensive repairs and a decrease in time spent traveling while waiting for your RV to get out of the shop. Another major problem is mold. Mold can be dangerous to your health and can cause severe illness. Removing mold can be quite expensive and can result in major structural repairs or even the loss of your RV. The last major problem is insect infestation. After the water begins to break down the material, the bugs will come running.

Best Preventive Solution

Eva-Dry Electric Petite Dehumidifier
Damp Rid Disposable Dehumidifier

A dehumidifier, or two, can be an inexpensive preventive maintenance tool to reduce humidity and condensation. The dehumidifier will pull the moisture out of the air, lowering the relative humidity within your RV. We use four dehumidifiers in our 44-foot fifth wheel. In the bedroom and in the kitchen, we have an Eva-dry Electric Petite Portable Dehumidifier. These are small but hard-working. They are also very, very quiet. We recently had to replace one because it quit working. The other one is still going strong after more than 3 years. The other two dehumidifiers we use are Damp Rid Disposable Dehumidifiers. There is one in the bathroom and one in the garage. Once they are full, we throw them out and buy a new one. They last about 3-4 months.

Other Solutions

Other things that can help include turning on the bathroom fan when showering to help pull the moist air out of the RV.  Do the same thing when cooking in the kitchen. Also, when able, have your windows open to increase airflow within the RV. Lastly, run the AC when it is warm.

We opted for a small investment upfront to prevent serious damage and maintenance costs in the future. So far, it has paid off and we rarely have any RV condensation issues. We highly recommend a similar investment to protect your RV, your health, and your time spent traveling!

Sharing is caring! Feel free to save the image below to Pinterest! 

A camper and RV's worst enemy is water and moisture! These small portable dehumidifiers are perfect for small spaces. Every RV, motorhome, travel trailer, 5th wheel, and camper van needs at least one. Mitigate mold growth before it happens. Combat humidity with a portable EvaDry dehumidifier. We’ve found these inexpensive and simple products and tips will help reduce moisture in your RV before it causes a problem. You don’t need a large dehumidifier to do it.

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