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Geocritter's avatar
Geocritter
Explorer
Oct 09, 2014

Some thoughts about full time travel

Hi all y’all,

It’s 7:00am, I’m sitting here in my home-on-wheels in Port Angeles WA enjoying my morning coffee contemplating my first year as a full-timer traveling this beautiful country and also thinking of my upcoming journey back to Texas.

This year’s journey’s been interesting and eventful. I’ve called it my Grand Western North American Tour and Shakedown Journey. As I’ve often mentioned, I didn’t pay much for my RV, it was (and I suppose still is) a monument to neglect and deferred maintenance. I spent about three months making it roadworthy and livable before I began this journey. It’s far from done and of course, being a shakedown journey, other annoying issues have come to my attention along the way.

The most important thing I’ve learned is that while I like my home-on-wheels to live in, and I like being able to change my scenery periodically, I really dislike driving the thing. I realized this sometime back when I found that I’d started calling my 33’ Class A “The Behemoth”. The thing is, the machine runs and drives just fine. I installed new shocks, the steering and brakes are in good shape and work well. My problem is the SIZE. Thank God I didn’t become a truck driver, the stress would’ve killed me by now. Not only do you have to be constantly alert while driving and I mean 100% alert 100% of the time, you also have to be very alert and careful whenever you leave the highway for anything be it to stop for gas, pull into a rest area, or a restaurant parking lot, that you don’t tear something off the roof, or become trapped. In addition, there’s been several times when I wanted to stop and visit friends on my journey but having to deal with the Behemoth made it too much of a hassle for a short visit. Now I don’t even bring it up unless I know for sure that I have a place to park my machine (and toad).

The Behemoth’s a total pain to travel in! Now that I got that off my chest, I now know to research and plan my journeys well in advance, including fuel stops and rest areas. If I have a friend along the way I’ll research where to park the Behemoth before I even suggest a visit. If there are two routes, I now know to choose the flatter one, even if it means driving farther. And finally, I always keep in mind the carrot dangling on the end of the stick, the one thing that makes driving The Behemoth all worthwhile, that when I do finally get to my destination, wherever I am, I’m home! BTW, thank you Tioga-George for drawing my attention to that reality!

Steve

20 Replies

  • I've ridden motorcycles off and on for nearly 50 years, everything from a Honda 50 to a 1200cc Indian Chief. My current cycle is a Kawasaki KLR250. I learned early on that you were often invisible to other drivers and to drive defensively. Actually, I found for motorcycles being too timid could get you in trouble too. I finally developed an offensive/defensive style of riding. Offensive in that I'd take my legal right-of-way, but defensive by realizing full well that I'd come out second in any collision and that if the big bad car wants to go first, the road is all his. I won't even flip the moron off. If he's that aggressive and dumb I don't want him to use his car as a weapon against me.
  • You have to be 100% alert when driving anything. Not just your RV. The only problem I have is other drivers. Riding a motorcycle for 30 years helped. Have to be more alert when driving an invisible truck or car, as I have found out.
  • Geocritter hits it on the head when he describes seeing "this beautiful country" while doing his first year as a full timer.

    In just under 2 years as full timers we have covered almost half of the country, stopping and visiting some of the most scenic and best places the U.S. has to offer. Even though we have traveled thousands and thousands of miles in the past two years, we have still managed to visit all of our family, get all of our mail in a timely fashion, make all doctor's appointments, bank some extra money, and be "home" each and every night.

    I enjoy hooking up to a 39' 5th wheel and traveling down the road. I agree you have to be on top of your game and pay attention 100% of the time. If you are a defensive driver, slow down, and obey all the traffic laws your chances of accidents are extremely slim. I applied the same principles during a lifetime of riding motorcycles that kept me safe.

    Other tools/equipment to make life easier and safer while traveling in a RV include a new RV GPS. We use the Rand 7720 like many others. We also keep a new version of a Trucker's Atlas and consult it each evening for the next day's travel. The Trucker's Atlas breaks down each state for height limits/warnings among other things. No RVer should even own another regular road atlas again because they do not provide the correct information you need.

    We feel the full time RV traveling lifestyle is about the best kept secret out there. It just doesn't get any better than this!
  • You will get used to it over time! Patience is key. We now find ourselves scanning the roadway mirror-to-mirror and it is second nature. We also feel comfortable scouting out the gas stations and parking lots. This time next year, you will have it all mastered and will feel much more comfortable.
  • Most issues you discussed get better with time! As you travel keep a record of fuel stops and parks and routes, this info will help on the next trip. A good GPS is a must when you RV. I have the RVND 7720 and it helps a lot with the unknown. I felt as you do when I switched from a 32 footer to a 40 footer. I even had a accident the second day to add to my stress level. I'm leaving Chimacum tomorrow headed home to Yuma and all excited about the drive as I have been sitting here for three months enjoying one of the nicest summers since coming here. Weather wise it was the best summer in many years since we have been coming to the NW. Time will tell. Give it some.
  • Not only do you have to be constantly alert while driving and I mean 100% alert 100% of the time,


    Welcome to the RV world! Paying attention 100 percent of the time is what should be part and parcel for everybody that tows a travel trailer, tows a fifth wheel, rides a motorcyle, drives a car, or even rides a bicycle on the road. The only difference is that some are smaller and some are larger but all require 100 percent concentration for driving/riding. I am 55-56 feet long (trailer and truck) and it does require lots of planning for changing lanes, finding fuel stations, parking, backing, etc. Keep at it and you will get used to it. Thousands of folks drive large motorhomes or RV's every year almost everywhere with no issues. You will too!
  • donn0128 wrote:
    Funny. Most people get used to driving large rigs pretty quickly and it becomes a non issue. If it really bothers you that much trade it for something smaller. But also remember the trade off will be a lot less living space


    Therein lies the problem, if The Behemoth weren't my full time home I'd go with a smaller rig in a heartbeat. As big as it is, it's still darned small at times. For that reason I wouldn't want to go smaller. I do expect driving/traveling to be easier next year now that I have this years experience under my belt.
  • Now you are starting to realize that once you are in a large vehicle you not only have to drive your vehicle you have to watch much closer at the small car drivers who have no clue what is going on much less care. They are too busy texting.:B
  • Funny. Most people get used to driving large rigs pretty quickly and it becomes a non issue. If it really bothers you that much trade it for something smaller. But also remember the trade off will be a lot less living space