19. Tiny Home Travel Costs.
We've always felt conspicuous in the bigger TT at overnighting spots, like Walmart. Much better feel to us in the single vehicle size, truck and TC. So first off, there's a peace-of-mind thing. We call that "Flying under the Radar".
We've never run across an RV Park which requires a newer RV, a non-TC, etc. We've heard they exist, like Big-Foot, but we've never captured evidence. If we do, I guess we'll deal with it. Since we rebuilt Queeny, we consider her a 2018. Or a 50 year old 1968 classic restoration, RV Park Owner's choice.
Getting to the coast was 7 nights. All free except 2-Great Salt Lake State Park ($40) and 3-Death Valley ($48), so that was average $13/night. We always buy the Inter-agency annual pass (National Park Service/BLM), so that cost is built into our mindset.
Once on the coast, from Jalama Beach to Golden Gate Bridge, here's the charges (includes reservation fees). 2-Jalama ($100), 2-Oceano ($28), 2-Hearst ($78), 1-Paso ($55), 2-Big Sur ($108) for a total of $369. That's for 11 nights including SFO. So that's average $34/night on the coast. Not bad.
Coming back home was 4 nights, at no overnight costs.
So we spent $457 total overnight costs, for 22 nights, that's $21 average cost per night for the whole trip. Overnighting free when you can is highly favorable to cost savings.
And that's why we like an RV which doesn't require hookups to enjoy and use it.
Food costs were basically the same as home. And we brought a lot from home, already prepared in various states of readiness (level of frozen or thawing), and bought along the way, the same as we would have done at home. The two days we ate out was about $100 added on to the regular costs.
Fuel costs were MUCH less with the small RV than towing the TT. I don't believe the truck computer mileage (and neither should you) but my readings were noticeably higher than I have found in the past. We also lucked out with a tail wind coming home, and no wind going out. Those two factors are HUGE for our diesel.
I think tomorrow we'll talk food logistics. This is hard without pictures, and I KNOW we've got food pics.
