RV Living

December 3, 2019 by Julie Leave a Comment

Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review

Another year of full-time RV life is in the books! This year we celebrated our 5 year nomadiversary. Click here to read our lessons learned and biggest regret.

We finally made it to the west coast and then traveled back across the United States to Florida. In all we visited 17 states and driving just over 9,000 miles towing our RV (see blue markers in the map below). This included stays in 14 private, 5 public (state/county), and 5 military campgrounds in addition some dry camping along the way. We also flew to a few places for Sean’s job (yellow markers) and RV shows (purple markers) and spent 77 nights in hotels.

January – Tucson, Arizona

We started the year at the Tucson Lazy Days KOA. We loved this RV Resort with 2 pools, 2 hot tubs, and a bar & restaurant. We also really enjoyed our time in Tucson and went on several terrific hikes. The weather was really nice most of the time. We actually said if it wasn’t so far away from family, we could see ourselves living there.

While there we traveled to several RV shows & rallies to speak. This is a new venture for our business, Chickery’s Travels. We enjoyed it so much, we’ve already booked several more shows & rallies for 2020. You can see our schedule here.

February – Arizona & California

In February, we decided to try out our new solar system with some dry camping. We also wanted to use our new Harvest Hosts Membership. Harvest Hosts is a program that lets you dry camp overnight at wineries, breweries, museums, and more! During the month we stayed at the oldest winery in Arizona, a new craft rum distillery, and the General Patton museum just outside of Joshua Tree National Park in the California desert.

n February, we decided to try out our new solar system with some dry camping. We also wanted to use our new Harvest Hosts Membership. Harvest Hosts is a program that lets you dry camp overnight at wineries, breweries, museums, and more! During the month we stayed at the oldest winery in Arizona, a new craft rum distillery, and the General Patton museum just outside of Joshua Tree National Park in the California desert.

March – Seal Beach, California

Next we headed west to Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, just south of Long Beach, California. We loved the weather and the beaches to the south. We did not love the traffic in Los Angeles. However, when Justin came to visit we did take him to the tourist locations as well as Universal Studios and Disneyland.

That’s our friends Nick & Julie’s St Bernard, Lucy, at the Huntington Beach Dog Park.

April – Nevada

On our way to Las Vegas, we stopped for a week to speak at an RV Show in Scottsdale, Arizona. While there we bought a new RV. It’s a 30′ Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel and we love it! Click here if you’re interested in why we chose this particular RV.

We took it to the Nellis Air Force Base campground for a month where Sean upgraded the solar set up. While at Nellis, we enjoyed some hiking around the local area including Valley of the Fire State Park and Mt Charleston in the Spring Mountain Recreation Area.

Enjoy enjoyed some hiking around the local area including Valley of the Fire State Park and Mt Charleston in the Spring Mountain Recreation Area.

We finished out the month at a gorgeous campground just outside of Reno, Nevada, Gold Ranch RV Resort. It was the perfect base to visit the local area and Lake Tahoe.

May – California & Oregon

We put a lot of miles on the new rig in May. First we stopped to see the Redwoods. There are simply no words for how impressive they are! Our photos can’t even do them justice. We stayed at the Crescent City Redwoods KOA, and would highly recommend it to anyone. They even have cabins if you don’t have an RV, but the best part is they have a nature trail that goes through Redwoods right there in the campground!

We stayed at the Crescent City Redwoods KOA, and would highly recommend it to anyone. They even have cabins if you don't have an RV, but the best part is they have a nature trail that goes through Redwoods right there in the campground!

Next we drove up to La Grande, Oregon to see where our RV was made. We were able to tour the factory and it really confirmed our decision to purchase an RV made by Northwood Manufacturing.

June & July – Central California

Sean had several business trips in June and July so we stayed in one place. On our way back down to Central California, we made a quick side trip to see Big Sur. Then we drove a little further south and stayed at the campground at Vandenberg Air Force Base for almost 2 months. This base is located on the central coast and has over 30 miles of coastline. We enjoyed its private beaches without worrying about crowds. Julie was fortunate to spend time with a good friend from her military days. In fact, they were stationed together at Vandenberg in the 90’s. Justin payed us a visit here too.

Vandenberg Air Force Base is located on the central coast and has over 30 miles of coastline. We enjoyed its private beaches without worrying about crowds.

August – Tucson, Arizona

As we started to make our way back east, we decided to stop for another month at the Tucson Lazy Days KOA. Some folks might think we’re crazy that we stopped there in August, but we loved it just as much as in the winter. We bought bikes and took advantage of Tucson’s more than 100 miles of paved trails. We also did some hiking up at the higher elevations on Mount Lemmon.

we decided to stop for another month at the Tucson Lazy Days KOA. Some folks might think we're crazy that we stopped there in August, but we loved it just as much as in the winter. We bought bikes and took advantage of Tucson's more than 100 miles of paved trails. We also did some hiking up at the higher elevations on Mount Lemmon.

While in Tucson, we also flew out to Northern Virginia to see Richie & Agata’s new house! They bought a 1,500 square foot townhouse near Dulles airport. They also got very familiar with Home Depot as they started to remodel their home and really make it theirs.

September – San Antonio, Texas

Of course we had to stop by San Antonio to visit Justin & Donovan. We were in the area for about six weeks and stayed at two different campgrounds. The first was our usual, Alsatian RV Resort southwest of the city. We still love Alsatian, but also wanted to see a little of the Texas Hill Country, so we also moved to Buckhorn Lake RV Resort northwest of the city for a couple of weeks. It also really nice and we’d recommend either one. To us, the best part is spending time with our sons.

We love spending time with our sons in San Antonio.

October – Arkanas & Tennessee

In October, we went to our first Workamper Rendezvous to lead a seminar on Budgeting for RV Travel. We had such a terrific time, we’ve already put it on our calendar to return next year. After that, we went to Tennessee to spend a week with Julie’s parents. Between Arkansas and Tennessee we were fortunate to experience some gorgeous fall colors!

November – Galveston & Disney

November was an exciting month as it marked the third annual Full-Time Freedom Week, the largest online event for RVers that Julie co-hosts with 3 partners. This year, in addition to the online event, they held a live rally in Galveston, Texas at the Jamaica Beach RV Resort.

After all that fun (and hard work), we went to Disney World. If you’ve never stayed at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, you need to put it on your list now. It is 100% worth the expense, and they also have cabins if you don’t have an RV. This trip was extra special because we spent it with Sean’s podcast partner, Kenny & his wife Sabrina. They’re great friends and serious Disney aficionados. A highlight of the trip was the Wild Africa Trek we took with them at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We went on a private guided tour that included a rope bridge over hippos & alligators, as well as a private safari ride and dinner overlooking the savanna.

Disney's Wild Africa Trek is an amazing experience!

December – Key West

We finished out the year in Key West staying at the Navy Sigsbee Campground. Our campsite was steps from the water, and we had amazing weather most of the time. The entire month was fun-filled, but the highlight for sure was taking a seaplane out to Dry Tortugas National Park. Click here to see more from that amazing day.

We’ll be updating our annual expenses shortly so we can share how much we spent over the full year of RV travel.

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Full-Time RV travel is one of the best ways to see the country because you can travel as slow or fast as you want. See how this couple traveled coast to coast from Oregon down to Key West Florida with many stops in between. The year included stays at military campgrounds, state parks, and private RV resorts with several dry camping stays as well.

September 18, 2019 by Guest Post 10 Comments

5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret

We can’t believe it has been 5 years already! First, we just want to say that overall it has been terrific, and we are so happy that we chose to embark on this full-time RV journey. However, there were growing pains and sometimes we miss the comforts of a traditional home (believe it or not). It has been a learning process and we wanted to share some of our lessons learned along the way. We rarely have regrets in life because even mistakes can cause growth, but we will share one regret that we do have from our full-time RV lifestyle.

Note: It’s been a year since we wrote this article. We updated the post to ensure it is up to date. Feel free to watch the two part video series below or read on for a few more examples and details.

Lesson #1: Find Your Travel Style

Find your own travel style and don’t worry about anyone else. In other words, do you! Do what makes you happy. Ask yourself:

How far do you want to drive in a day?
How long do you want to stay in a location?
What types of places do you want to stay at?

Don’t let anyone tell you there is a right or wrong way to RV. And watch out for social media. It can give you serious FOMO – Fear of Missing Out and lead to travel based on someone else’s ideal rather than your own.

Wondering what works for us?

We are still working full-time from the RV so we like to stay in a location for at least a month. This gives us time to enjoy the area. It also gives us time to go back to places we enjoy — we’re not “one and done” kind of people. If we really enjoy a park, farmer’s market, or restaurant, we’ll want to visit it again.

Because we’re staying in one place for a month (or more in the winter), we usually travel farther in between. We often make big jumps between stops and by that I mean 12-15 hours driving time. We’ll typically drive two long days (Sat & Sun due to work commitments).

We typically stay in urban areas. We need to be within an hour of a major airport for work and we need good enough internet for video teleconferences. Internet has been an ongoing struggle for us over the past 5 years. Click here to read what we’ve tried and what we’re currently using.

We also like to stay at RV resorts that have all the amenities especially a good fitness room, swimming pool, and hot tub. Two of our favorites that we’ve been back to more than once are the Tucson LazyDays KOA and the Alsatian RV Resort near San Antonio, TX.

We do mix it up from time to time and do a little boondocking, as well as stay at COE Campgrounds or State Parks (Florida has some of our favorites). We do that for 1-2 weeks maximum and usually when we can take a little time off work.

Finally, we have access to military campgrounds since we both served 20 years in the Air Force. We love these because it feels like going home to us. Also, even though the campgrounds don’t necessarily have many amenities besides full hook-ups, the bases usually have great gyms, pools, and more! If you have access to military bases, check out our Guide to Using Military Campgrounds.

Lesson #2: RVs Require A Lot of Upkeep

Not only is there a lot of routine, preventive maintenance, things on RVs break. A lot. And usually at the worst possible time. So, have an emergency fund and try to learn how to do things yourself as much as possible. Here are just a few things we’ve had to pay to get fixed over the last year:

New truck tires
2 new RV tires
RV refrigerator – although it was under warranty we paid for the mobile repair tech’s service call and some parts when we tried to fix it ourselves. Plus we had to trash the groceries in the refrigerator and freezer.

Of course, you know how things go…a couple of years ago, right AFTER the warranty ended we discovered water damage to the deck on our toy hauler. Neither the extended warranty, nor insurance covered water damage, so we had a hefty $7,000 bill to replace it!

In addition to routine maintenance and repairs, you may want to modify or upgrade your RV systems. A few years ago, we upgraded our power system to include solar panels and lithium batteries. When we downsized to our current fifth wheel earlier this year, it came “solar ready,” but we added panels and moved our lithium batteries over from our previous RV.

Lesson #3: Be Flexible

It’s life. Things are going to happen. I’m a planner and have reservations several months in advance. However, I’ve learned to be a little more flexible and only make reservations at places that have a liberal cancellation policy. In fact, my rule is that I don’t make a reservation at any place that will charge me more than $15 to cancel or make a change.

A couple of years ago, we had to evacuate Florida for Hurricane Irma. When we returned to Florida after the storm, we still had quite a few reservation changes to make because the parks we planned to visit in the Keys had not recovered.

You may also just change your mind about your current itinerary. We did that this year. We were tired of being cold, so we diverted to Arizona after two months in the Pacific Northwest.

Lesson #4: You Don’t Need as Much Room as you Think

We thought because we had a large 2400 square foot home, that we needed a large RV. As a result we purchased a 44′ Fifth Wheel toy hauler. Here’s a tour of it:

After a few years on the road, we sold our toy and realized we didn’t need such a large RV. Of course it took us 2 more years to pay it off before we would allow ourselves to get a new RV.

This year we downsized to a 30′ Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel and love it! Learn why we chose this particular make and model below:

There really is a lot that goes into choosing the right RV for you. I wrote this article earlier this year on some things that everyone should consider when trying to determine which RV to get.

Lesson #5: It Doesn’t Have to Be Forever

We like to say we’re making for now decisions, not forever decisions. That applies to our full-time RV lifestyle too. Change is really second nature to us after having served 20 years in the military. In fact, we moved so often that our first RV was the longest we ever lived in one home — 4 1/2 years!

So we went into this full-time RV life knowing that we would do it as long as it felt right to us. Once it doesn’t, we’ll move on to the next thing — whatever that may be. We actually never owned an RV before we moved into one, but now we know RVing will always be a part of our life. However, we do think we’ll move back into a traditional home (still small though) one day and part-time RV. Even then, we’ll still allow ourselves the flexibility to change our minds.

One thing that really helps with options, is money. That leads us to our one regret…

Biggest Regret: We Didn’t Start Debt Free

We were so excited to get started one our full-time RV life that we rushed out and financed an RV instead of saving up and buying it. In fact, our RV wasn’t our only debt. We financed a truck, had a Parent Plus loan from one of our son’s college semester abroad, and some credit card debt.

A couple of years ago we read The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, and it changed the way we looked at money and debt. It took us two years, but we are now debt free. Click here to read how we paid off $139,000 in 2 years while traveling full-time.

It was not always easy that’s for sure. For example, we knew we wanted a different RV, but we wouldn’t allow ourselves to get another until we paid off the last RV AND saved up enough to purchase the next one outright.

So even though we had to really prioritize what was important to us and make sacrifices, being debt free allows us to save even more money. Our savings provides us with more options for the future, and keeps us from stressing out too much when things happen (like needing new truck tires and a new refrigerator in one month). We only wish we had started out debt free because we know how much farther ahead we would be now. Still, we don’t dwell on that because all we can do is change our future, not our past.

Want to Learn More About Full-Time RV Travel?

Full-Time Freedom Life is an online library of everything you need to know about full-time RV life.

More than 20 RV enthusiasts share their expertise on topics such as:

Purchasing and maintaining an RV
Building community on the road – for solo RVers, families, and RVers of all types!
The financial side of full-time RVing: making money and saving money on the road
Full-time RVing for families: children, road-schooling, pets
Helpful RV memberships, gear reviews, renovations/modifications
Transitioning and overcoming challenges of life on the road

Learn more now!

Hope We Helped

We hope this article has helped you as you plan your full-time RV journey. We don’t expect yours to be exactly the same as ours, but hopefully we’ve given you some things to consider.

Learn more about our Nomad Story here.

If you have any questions, please feel free to send us an email. We answer each and every one.

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After 5 years of full-time RV living and traveling, we share our top five lessons learned and biggest regret. While we don't expect your RV journey to be the same, we hope we can give you some things to consider. We also share some tips and ideas for enjoying your RV life whether you are traveling in a motorhome, fifth wheel, or travel trailer.

July 2, 2018 by Guest Post 14 Comments

Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel

Full-time travel sounds pretty glamorous, and we really enjoy it for the most part. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t drawbacks to it as well. In this article we’ll discuss pros and cons of full-time RV travel. Watch the video below or continue reading for the top 5 advantages and disadvantages to the full-time RV life.

You know how people ask if you want the good news or the bad news first? Well I always choose the bad to get it out of the way. So that’s what I’ll do here. First I’ll list what I consider the challenges of the full-time RV lifestyle, and then the benefits.

Drawbacks of Full-Time RV Travel

We’ve experienced each of the following to a certain extent over the last four years of our full-time RV journey. Believe it or not, some of them more recently than others. So, just know these aren’t necessarily things you only experience in the beginning of your full-time RV travels. In fact, you may be so enamored of the freedom of your new lifestyle that you may not notice the challenges your first year or two.

Continual Upkeep is Required. No matter what make or model of RV you buy, regular maintenance is a fact of life for full-time RVers. Think about it, you are driving your home down the road at 60 mph on a regular basis. Also, since RVs are meant to be mobile, they are also built to be lightweight–so the fittings and fixtures aren’t as high quality as a traditional sticks & bricks home. Then add in that you either have automotive systems in your RV or tow vehicle. Plan for routine maintenance and be flexible in your plans when the unexpected occurs. Most importantly keep a sizable maintenance savings fund. We will be writing another post soon about out of pocket expenses we’ve incurred even with the manufacturer and extended warranties.

Fluctuating Expenses Wreaks Havoc on the Budget – With so many variable costs (maintenance, fuel, campgrounds, etc.) it is very difficult to stick to a regular budget. We are very strict about maintaining a budget and have gotten better at anticipating changes before they occur. The most important thing you can do is track your expenses. We use the every dollar app and immediately log each and every penny that we spend. This helps us maintain awareness of where our money is going and make changes where needed. Click here to see our full-time RV travel expenses for 2017.

Internet Woes. A couple of months ago we finally broke down and purchased a Weboost Cell Booster to go with our Verizon hotspots. They aren’t cheap, but we’re still working remotely, and it was getting more and more frustrating trying to get a decent signal. Even when you get a good signal, mobile internet just doesn’t reach the level it did in the house. Click here for a very informative guide on staying connected using cellular data.

It Can Be Lonely. Hitting the road means leaving your family and friends behind. It can be difficult and costly to get back to visit regularly. Also when you’re traveling full time, you rarely spend a substantial amount of time in one place. Because of this, it can become very hard to build meaningful relationships. When you do make genuine friendships, you often leave shortly thereafter.

My greatest full-time struggle is missing my sons!

Uncertainty. Some people like the spontaneity of the full-time travel lifestyle. However, I’m a planner. For people like me, the uncertainty of long time travel can be disconcerting. Not having a clear plan for the future, and in some cases not even knowing if you’re going to make enough money for the future, can be a very daunting and stressful experience.

While these are all legitimate downsides of full-time travel for me, they may not be for you. Everyone is different and every journey is unique. For me the following advantages make it worth continuing this full-time travel lifestyle for now.

Benefits of Full-Time RV Travel

Experiencing New Places. I have always loved travel! I enjoy visiting small towns and big cities alike. I take solace in a walk on the beach or the woods and equal pleasure at a national park or museum. Traveling by RV allows me to keep moving and experiencing new places.

Rainbow Springs was one of my most favorite places we’ve visited so far.

No packing. Extended travel is so much more enjoyable when you have your stuff with you. One of the things that I have always had a hard time with is packing lightly. I always want to have options of clothing. In addition, traveling by RV allows you to take all your toys (bikes, kayaks, snorkel gear, etc.) with you when you visit new places.

Having Time to Smell the Roses. One of the main reasons we wanted to travel full-time in an RV was so that we could enjoy slow travel. We enjoy staying in a location at least a month. During the winter we often stay for up to 3 months in one spot. This gives us a chance to experience more of an area and get to see it as locals do. Click here to read more about our slow travel style.

Growing our Relationship. After raising three boys, we thought we had a very close relationship and we did. However, living and traveling full-time together in this small space has brought us even closer together. We have learned how to communicate with each other better and our relationship is stronger for it.

Learning Flexibility. I’ve always been a planner and have a contingency plan for the main plan. Traveling full-time has taken me out of my comfort zone because there are too many variables to anticipate. It has helped me learn to be more flexible and dare I say, spontaneous.

Want to learn more about how you can live full-time in an RV? Click here!

The Verdict

The full-time RV travel lifestyle so different from any other. Though it’s filled with undeniable benefits and brings you incredible experiences, it is by no means an easy way to live and comes with a lot of its own challenges. These are just a few considerations to make when deciding if full-time RV life is for you. What other concerns do you have? Drop us a note in the comments and let us know.

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