My husband and I will be taking our first long RV trip this fall from Wisconsin to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. The plan is to take about 3-4 weeks from start to finish. We've taken 2-week trips, but the kids were still coming home from school on weekends.SO, how do I get past the nervousness of leaving the house, leaving our baby (dog) ;) with our daughter, and everything that goes with leaving your house??Any insight from those who have 'been there-done that' would be greatly appreciated.THANKS!

What I have found is that for some reason I too am nervous about all this stuff before each trip. As long as I've left good instructions and have a good caretaker of the property, AKA son and daughter in law, they have our cell, we check email frequently, then I don't worry. I make a checklist of what to turn off, etc, for the trip, so that helps too. I also have the neighbors checking on things for us and leave them our son and daughter in law's number in case they notice something. Once you get on the road you will feel relaxed.

Every time we get ready to go an another adventure, I spend so much time planning and looking forward to the trip that the trip itself is almost anticlimatic - not good. It never occurred to me to be nervous about leaving my house - it'll always be there to come home to. Yellowstone and the Tetons are on our bucket list. Enjoy your time away! Look forward to coming home to your house (and maybe your washing machine and dishwasher - our travel trailer seems to be missing those amenities). :) We left our kitty with our daughter when we left for six months, Mac enjoyed it and so did our daughter. But it was good to get back and pick him up! Reunions are always great.

With modern electronics and communications, cell phones and laptops can be the next best thing to being there. Thanks to streaming video, we recently got our first look at our brand new great granddaughter just minutes after she was born while we were still a couple of hours away from arriving there. We stay in touch with our two daughters, our grandkids, and several friends via cell calls, texting, Facebook, and video conferencing. In the winter, we keep track of the temperature in hour upstate NY lakeside cottage with a remote temperature sensor that transmits its signals to the Internet. Our daughters live near by and also check on the place periodically. If you're only going to gone for a month though, just cell calls would likely be enough. We spend around 10 months on the road each year, and even when we're at the cottage, we usually keep right on living in the motorhome.

Focus, focus, focus. Focus on all the fun you will have on your trip. You are headed to a beautiful area. Look at campgrounds and attractions you plan to see. Do all the planning and go have safe fun. Be not afraid. May God bless and protect you.

You've gone for 2 weeks but 4 weeks is bothering you? It should be no different. Keep thinking of the snowbirds who spend 6 months away in winter. Now....do you feel better? :) Everything will be just fine. Enjoy the trip.

Nervous..no, anxious about first long trip | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

2gypsies1
Explorer III
Jan 25, 2017
The OP has completed the trip and it went well. Folks need to read the posts to keep up-to-date. :)
ppine
Explorer III
Jan 25, 2017
Four weeks is a lot for many people. It is natural to have some apprehension. Just remember that the trip is supposed to be fun. If at any time it isn't, slow down, take a rest day, shorten your trip. Do what ever it takes to get comfortable. The most important thing on a long trip is getting along with your travelling partners, not seeing everything.
DeanRIowa
Explorer
Jan 20, 2017
We once took a trip and at the time our area of town was experiencing home break ins, so we had a friend stay at our home for 3 weeks. We left our phone number, blank checks, and checked in weekly. Gave me some piece of mind.

Letting your neighbors know and having family(friends, co-workers, church family,...) stop by to check things should give you piece of mind.

You could pay a house sitter.

If you live in a smaller town(like myself) you might let your local police know, and they would most likely do more frequent drive bys.

Good Luck.

Dean
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Jan 18, 2017
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Jan 18, 2017
Thanks for returning and giving us your outcome. Sounds like you had a fantastic trip.
doxiemom11
Explorer II
Jan 18, 2017
Take your baby with you. Many, many rvers, both short timers and full timers travel with their pets. Just get him/her used to the rv before the long trip by spending time inside with favorite toys, a treat, playing and maybe a weekend trip. Most pets travel very well.
viddsk
Explorer
Jan 18, 2017
I know it's been a while, but our trip was WONDERFUL! There was so much to see and do, I hardly had time to fret about home. Thanks for all the responses and advice. Now....on to planning our next trip.
dapperdan
Explorer
May 19, 2016
You're "over-thinking" your trip! You should have a back-up plan (insurance) in place for road side problems, if they happen deal with them WHEN they happen.

Next try to "plan" your near future not your whole trip at once. It's great to develop an itinerary to use as a "general guide" but remember this is a vacation NOT a mission. I try to look at where we're going to be and see what if anything there is there that we want to see and plan from there.

Like others on here have said with cell phones and laptops you can stay in touch very easily. Face Time or Skype when you can, you'll be amazed as to how well that works!

Look at your whole trip as a series of "mini" one or two day trips, continuing until your reach Yellowstone or where ever it is your goal is to be. That might help to take the stress out of your vacation.

Dan
djsamuel
Nomad
May 19, 2016
Good to see I'm not as different as I thought? Even after trips from Florida to Arizona and Utah as well as Tennessee, I still get nervous. I think I tend to "overanalyze" things; thinking about what could go wrong.
Steve_B_
Explorer
May 19, 2016
I guess I'm normal after all! I love planning my camping trips but when the time comes to hook up and go, I don't want to leave home. Once on the road I start to relax and when I reach my destination, I'm fine. Now that I'm retired and I go to Florida for a few months in the winter, the same thing happens. I had a hard time shutting the house down to go and thought about just hibernating in for the winter and not telling anyone I hadn't left. Once I was in our place in Florida, I didn't want to leave there and didn't think much about my house up north. I guess it's human nature and the nesting instinct. Either way, once I'm home that feeling like I never left hits and all is well. Don't overdo the lists either! If someone at home has a key, they can check on anything that comes to mind. I'm also trying not to take so much with me - there are Walmarts everywhere! Remember that you're lucky to be able to enjoy a trip like you have planned, and make the most of it.