From Hiker to RVer

Anyone who knows me has heard me starting to talk about EarthTone and LoGear's next Adventure.  We are planning on embarking on the Full Time RVer life.  

I know that I still need to finish my first traverse of the Appalachian Trail and that is still at the top of my To Do list, but over the last several weeks I have watched hundreds of videos, bookmarked dozens of websites and spent lots of hours researching what it takes to get rid of our stuff, sell our sticks and bricks, buy something that moves and head out on the road.  Saying that it has become my latest obsession is an understatement.

The Quest continues

When we first started discussing this new Adventure, we weren't sure what it took to make it happen.  When I started looking into it, I immediately became overwhelmed. After taking a deep breath and reminding myself of the technique of eating an elephant (one bite at a time), I started learning.  

I have been searching online for a nice used truck to buy to tow a Travel Trailer and we have already gone to three RV shows and visited two local dealers to look at a few coaches.  At first we were looking into the Class C.  That is one the midsize one that you drive yourself.  The large Class A were a little too big for our needs.  

Class A

After looking at a lot of Class Cs, we decided that if we went that route, we would need a vehicle to tow behind so we could be mobile when out camping without having to pick up the whole rig and break camp every time we want to head out.  Next we looked at a couple of 5th wheels, but then focused our search on a regular old Travel Trailer.  

Class C

As I learned more, I decided that I don't want anything much more than 30 feet long.  We are trying to find that sweet spot of big enough to be comfortable, but not too long to challenge my towing skills or restrict where we can take it.  The Goldilocks Trailer.  

I now know what the model name codes mean and can get an idea of the layout just by reading the code.  We really don't care if it is a Rear Bath or Front Living or any of the other layouts.  As long as it has a bathroom of a decent size, a kitchen with the essentials a couch and dinette table, heater, AC, TV and a decent amount of storage.

5th Wheel

Travel Trailer

My truck search has been a task.  My mind keep changing about what I need/want.  I've gone from an overpowered diesel to something that would work, to a regular truck that should be able to handle what we buy.  It hasn't been easy and I'm still suffering from sticker shock at the price of heavy duty pickup trucks.  I have been searching the webs and visiting dealerships, driving a few and comparing their options.  

As a kid, my family used to spend a lot of the summer renting a small Scotty trailer that somehow fit the six of us and we would go up and down the east coast staying at campgrounds.  Those fond memories still linger in my mind as I think about what LoGear and I will be doing in the hopefully not too distant future. I have plans of visiting all of the lower 48 states and maybe even do Alaska and Canada. There are so many places in this great country that I want to see or re-visit.  I am excited to get started.

My childhood trailer was like this

So now I'm learning new terms like boondocking, black tank, dump station, lithium batteries, brake controller, sway bars, bunkhouse, rear living, converter, toy hauler, full hookup, slide-out, and the list goes on and on.

I have found that the RV community is a lot like the Hiker community.  They have their own language and the camaraderie is just as strong.  And just like hikers, RVers talk a lot about poop.  

Each day I pick a topic to research and learn about and I take my notes, bookmark another site or two and watch several more videos.  

We are slowly trying to get rid of all the "stuff" we have accumulated over the last few decades and we are planning on attending another RV show this winter.  We have a nest egg that we put away several years ago, not knowing what we would use it for, but using that seems like the perfect way to get on the road without increasing our debt.  

Once we sell our sticks and bricks house, we will re-egg our nest.  

Spending so much time on the Trail has instilled in me a need to simplify my life, decrease my "stuff" and keep Adventuring before I'm too old to do what I want.  

So, the Quest continues, but has once again evolved into seeing all I can in this already Great Country.  

Peace,
EarthTone and LoGear