The Most Important Lesson in RV Life

From the very beginning, we approached our RV life systematically and thoughtfully. This meant that we planned out each step of the way, did tons of research, and stayed mindful of our feelings about the situation. We had many discussions with our loved ones to assure them that we were doing everything possible to be safe and happy on the road. Any questions they had, we had clear answers. When we went to pick up our trailer, the staff at the dealership were impressed with how knowledgeable we were for newbie RVers, but we didn't let that go to our heads. We knew that we would come across a multitude of learning experiences along the way, which would help us learn and grow.

Our biggest lesson awaited us, just as we were about to launch out on the road. All the preparation in the world can't really prepare you for what's to come.

We spent months downsizing our home. In fact, we began minimalist living early 2020, before even deciding to get an RV. It was our budding minimalist lifestyle that led us to the idea of tiny living. By the time October rolled around and our house was on the market, we had eliminated a large amount of our furniture and belongings, to the point where prospective buyers kept asking our realtor if we were still living there. The problem, however, is that you can get the biggest head-start on downsizing, but so much still needs to happen at the last minute. When December came, we were in a mad rush to enjoy the holidays and then immediately pack, close on the house, move into the rig, and be on the road by New Year's.

Why New Year's? Believe it or not, it wasn't a resolution thing. We simply wanted to head south before the bulk of winter weather came in (which usually happens in late January/early February in MA), and we had plans to stop in New York to celebrate our nephew's birthday New Year's weekend. We had begun booking some campsites based around a New Year's Eve launch date, and the plans took off from there.

What we hadn't considered in all our planning, was how delayed everything else was leading up to our launch. We were supposed to get our trailer in June 2021. Due to production delays, we took delivery four months later in October. Had we gotten our trailer when expected, we would have taken a couple of "staycation" trips to get ourselves and the pets used to the RV. Besides our maiden voyage after picking up the RV, we had no time for camping trips. The cold weather rolled in, and our priority was renovating the RV so it would be all set for full-time living. We didn't finish the big renovations until early December, giving us only a matter of weeks to move everything in and get settled. Holidays and end-of-year work tasks made that time dwindle even more.

Before we knew it, we were in a mad dash to empty our house before closing. The days from Christmas to closing day (December 30) were brutal. We were getting no sleep and were completely overwhelmed. On top of that was the emotional heaviness of leaving the first home we ever owned. After we closed on the house, we were emotionally drained and had hit a real low point. We knew there was no way we would be packed and ready to launch the next day. We made a command decision to halt all our plans and take some time to regroup. We were able to use Nicole's parents' yard, where our trailer had been stored, as a home base, which gave us the opportunity to utilize their resources in the house while we got our trailer ready.

It took us a while to get over our disappointment. We almost felt ashamed that we couldn't keep up with our plans. Does that mean we're not cut out for RV life? Is it a sign that we're not making the right decision? Among many deep discussions with those close to us, we were told the one, wisest sentence that turned our entire perspective around: "But you already did it." That's so true. We did do it. We did our research, made our plans, bought our RV, downsized, sold our house, and moved into a tiny living space. It got us thinking about the pressure that comes with making an exciting change. We imposed limits on ourselves without realizing how much pressure that was creating. We convinced ourselves that we had to be in certain places at certain times, when that just wasn't true. We had lots of people excited for us, and we didn't want to let you all down. We are extremely lucky to have as much support as we do. Our family and friends are eagerly following along our journey. We've made wonderful friends in the RV community who can't wait for us to experience what they do. We're so THANKFUL for all of you and want to share exciting adventures with you.

What we needed to do, though, was reframe what RV living looks like. The beauty of this life is its flexibility, and within that flexibility is the most important lesson we've learned about RV Life: We can make it look whatever way we want. Some people move into an RV and stay stationary for a year or more. Some travel to warm weather in the winter and then come back home in the summer. Some travel daily, weekly, or monthly, 100, 200, or 300+ miles at a time. We realized that our RV life isn't any less of an RV life just because we delay hitting the road, especially when it was the right decision for us. After settling into the RV and getting the pets adjusted, we could rest assured that when we do hit the road, it will be a much more enjoyable experience - and safer experience! - than if we had pushed ourselves out while tired, stressed, and overwhelmed.

As we mentally prepared to hit the road, logistical obstacles surfaced as well. These were expected, as we knew we might hit delays due to weather, scheduling conflicts, and more. We have chosen to take these obstacles in stride, and not give ourselves a strict timeline to leave.

The first obstacle came during a dark, rainy night, when someone backed into our parked truck and put a dent in it. We decided to make an appointment at an autobody place that we know and trust. This didn't really delay our departure as other obstacles had surfaced as well, but it was one item on our to-do list that we wanted to conquer before our launch.

The next obstacle was a bit different than our anticipated weather-related delays. A big snowstorm rolled into the NJ/Washington DC area, which is where we were supposed to be headed. Roads in the DC area were shut down for days. All the more reason to be patient and take our time launching. Since that storm, others have rolled in, both here in MA and further south. Winter is grueling this year, but RV life is all about being in touch with nature, right? So we're embracing the season. Thankfully we do like the winter, and even though the cold weather is guzzling up our propane heat, we've had some beautiful days winter camping and have even gotten outside for some local adventures. We have also felt much safer hunkering down in the familiarity of Nicole's hometown, instead of trying to navigate the wintry road conditions as towing newbies.

Our next delay came when we discovered that Tanner needed surgery. In his old age, he develops a lot of benign cysts and lumps, and when they form in sensitive areas, they really bother him. If he can reach them to lick them, they run the risk of getting infected, so we try to get them removed as soon as possible. Tanner's vet was able to squeeze us in on short notice as to not delay our launch further, which we really appreciate. That did, however, mean an extra two weeks until Tanner's surgery, followed by an unknown recovery time.

The surgery happened a couple weeks before this post was released, and we're happy to report that everything went very smoothly and he is cleared for travel!

Once February rolled around, we had a false-start. We were all packed and ready to hit the road when we had some big issues with the trailer that needed to be taken care of immediately. Right after dewinterizing, we discovered that our water pump is officially on the fritz. We knew we were having issues on our maiden voyage and tried multiple repairs since then. Unfortunately, we were just delaying the inevitable, and now our pump isn't drawing properly from the fresh water tank. We ordered a replacement under warranty and are currently waiting for it to arrive.

We've gotten away with a lack of running water while we were winterized, but that's not ideal on the road. Because the pump isn't pressurizing enough to draw from the fresh tank, we would always need to be hooked up to a water hose. In the winter, that's just not plausible because connecting a water line runs the risk of it freezing in low temperatures. We also want to be able to stop places without hooking up to a water source. Long story short, we did not want to head out on the road without knowing we have all of our resources. It's probably a blessing in disguise because it's better to discover this before hitting the road, but it's another disappointing setback in a series of many.

Rig repairs aren't uncommon for new RVs, so we're trying our best to take them in stride. Fingers crossed that we are coming to a point where we can finally start our adventure, but no matter what, we have learned how important it is to stay patient and flexible. The best part about this life is that it allows freedom. As soon as we released ourselves from the pressure and lifted our time constraints, we became much happier and much more understanding of what this life can be. Now, we're taking it day by day until the next chapter in our RV life can begin.