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Three weeks in an RV: 12 lessons learned on the road

| Updated Sep 3, 2012

Three weeks in an RV: 12 lessons learned on the road 1The RV is washed and cleaned now, squashed bugs rubbed off the front end, clothes and supplies unpacked, rugs vacuumed, fridge emptied.

Here's our stats: 5,209 miles driven in 12 states. Fuel cost –  $941; Campground cost – $650

Now, three days after returning from a three-week trip out west – we're both ready for our next adventure.

So…people ask… how was it?

What they really want to know is how can two people live for three weeks in a 22-foot motorhome.

The answer is… very well. We were surprisingly comfortable, in fact.

It's a given that traveling west is always awesome. I don't think I've every been more amazed at the wonder of God's creation than after experiencing Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Tetons, the Badlands, the Black Hills, the sandhills of Nebraska. Stunning all. You can scroll around and see the stories and photos we posted each day during the trip.

Our RV travel is aimed at seeing this great land. But it's also a chance for me as a longtime journalist now in my retirement years to go back, at my own pace, and discover the people and places and stories that you seldom hear in mainstream media. To that end, the trip was also exactly what I hoped it would be. I have a slew on video stories that I'm now editing and you'll see them here on the blog in the weeks ahead.

In no particular order, here are 12 lessons learned on this trip, lessons that have confirmed to us we're on the right plan for this stage in our life, in the right RV.

1) You are never alone – You are also never, or very seldom, out of Internet range. Whether by smartphone or through something like the Verizon Jetpack that creates a hotspot, it's pretty easy now to find high speed access. And that means you have access to help from hundreds of other who have gone before. In the Back Hills of South Dakota, I messed up, downshifting too much and redlining my turbo, sending the motor into “limp home” mode, which limits speeds to 45 mph or so.  I pulled into the parking lot of the Crazy Horse monument and fired off an email to the CyberRally, a service of the Roadtrek International Chapter of the Family Motor Coach Association. I described my problem and, in less than five minutes, I had several people correctly diagnose the situation, direct me to the nearest service center and explain the error of my driving. In North Platte, Nebraska, I posted another CyberRally SOS when I couldn't get my house battery to charge while driving. Instead of an email, a chapter member actually phoned me, walked me through opening my hood, removing a cover near the battery and discovering that a fuse had blown.

2) You will make mistakes – I have written before how I am about the most unhandy handyman you will ever encounter. The only mechanical difficulties I experienced were self caused, or, as one CyberRally friend joked, the result of “the nut that sits behind the steering wheel.” That would be me. Hopefully, I've learned from those mistakes. I've kept a list of things I need to understand better about my RV and I'm going back and re-reading the instruction manuals. I've learned that while it's important to know stuff, what's more important is to know where to go to find out the stuff you don't know. I return from this trip absolutely convinced that the best investment I have made in my RVing life was joining the FMCA and the Roadtrek International chapter. No matter what motorhome type you have – A, B, C – no matter what brand, there is a chapter devoted to that model and you will find a whole community of people willing to help.

3) Campgrounds vary greatly – I don't want to be negative. I did enough of bad news reporting as a journalist. But I will say that it is scandalous how bad some campgrounds really are. Twice, I consulted guide books to find places to stay. Both had high rankings. Both were dumps. One, in Wyoming, appeared to be a work camp. I learned later tat many of the occupants were living there while working in the nearby fracking fields. We woke up in the morning to see a bulldog chained outside a neighbor's fifth wheel. The poor creature has no more than five feet of rope. There was a doghouse it could barely get into, some dirty looking water, surrounded by the poor dog's excrement. I complained to the manager of the campground. “He looks happy to me,” she shrugged.  I wanted to chain her up. In Missouri, another highly rated park had a pile of uncollected burnt garbage in the firepit next to us. The restrooms were loaded with spiders. I showered with six of them. The window was busted out. Bugs were everywhere. A rusty shower dripped constantly.  The only commercial campgrounds we found that were consistently clean, quiet, well-maintained and neat were KOA campgrounds. They set the standard for commercial excellence. I will choose them every time from now on.

4) Stay where you play – We did find a great commercial campground in the Yellowstone National Park entry town of West Yellowstone. We used it as a base to explore the park, returning each night, heading out each morning. Then, towards the end of our stay, we stayed in one of 12 Yellowstone campgrounds. Wish we had done that all the time we were there. Being in the park, rather than outside, was by gar the best experience. We boondocked in the Indian Creek Campground. No generator, no power, no flush toilets. No problem. We had battery power for lights, our own bathroom in our RV and we realized that, once darkness comes, a campfire and a lantern are all the light you need. Our LP refrigerator uses very little battery power. We could boondock for a week, easily.

5) Don't over-schedule or drive too much – I did. Largely because we were on a tour sponsored by FMCA and had to be in certain towns for media interviews, we had a schedule to keep to. We learned that unexpected delights crop up everyday, things to see, places to visit off the beaten path that you never expected. Several times, especially on the return when we had to drive 1,000 miles in two days to get to a live TV interview, we found ourselves disappointed and cranky at missing things we would have liked to have lingered over. Like pretty much the entire state of Wyoming. We will build in margin on future trips. I once thought 400 miles a day should be the maximum. After this trip, I think 250-300 miles a day should be tops.

6) Get to your destination at least two hours before dark – I would have avoided some of those dreadful campgrounds if I had done this. You need some downtime after driving. Chill out. Explore your location on foot or bike before you settle in for the night. Plan the next day together.

7) Don't book campgrounds in advance, unless absolutely necessary – Because our travel was delayed, we lost deposits and had to pay a penalty because our plans changed en route. One was $45 and the other was $22. I called, more than 24 hours ahead of time, but their policy was, you cancel, you pay. I understand during peak times, reservations are necessary. But the nature of RV travel is that things come up. Plans change. We will only selectively make reservations from now on. Wasting money is never a good experience.

8) Avoid discount travel clubs – I joined one of those clubs that purports to give you a 50% reduction in overnight fees. Read the fine print. It's always at the discretion of the campground. On this trip, even though the campground was a member of the discount program, they said they never gave that discount in the summer, when business is good. Ah, excuse me, but summer is when we do most of our RVing. This happened once before, on another trip. Several experienced RVers told me the same story. That's another $79 I wasted.

9) Home is where your RV is – No matter the scenery, we were always home. All our stuff was with us. Everything we needed was at hand. Our favorite foods, a change of clothes, raincoats, cameras, computer, whatever we needed. I said above how surprised we were at being so comfortable. While neither of us thinks a 22-foot motorhome is big enough to be fulltime RVers, we both agreed that we could have stayed out there on the road longer. Every day, we organized better, found different places to put things. I think we now have our routines established and our RV truly feels like home, not a van. It's so much more convenient than even a hotel room.

10) Sometimes, it's easier to eat out than in – We expected to do more cooking in our RV. We didn't. We ate out most meals. It was just more convenient. We picnicked a few times, once along the Mississippi, a couple of times in Yellowstone, once in a Rest Area in Minnesota. But most meals, we stopped and found a local restaurant. We ate in Mom and Pop places, mostly, cowboy bars, Tex-Mex places, a couple of truck stops and the surprisingly good grills in the Yellowstone service centers in Mammoth Hot Springs and Grand Village. This was also a vacation. Jennifer does enough cooking at home. I made my own coffee every morning in the RV. Sometimes we'd have oatmeal or yogurt and granola for breakfast there, sometimes we'd be on the road an hour or so before we stopped and had breakfast. Once we rode bikes into town for eggs and sausage. Because our days were so jam packed with sightseeing, neither of us felt like cooking at the end of the day. We avoided fast food places, always choosing local color over the chains. None of the meals were fancy and, overall, our monthly food expense last month – with three weeks of traveling – was only around $200 more than what we usually spend at home.

11) Turn off the TV – The idea was to get away from it all. We turned our TV on just once, to find news about a wildfire we has seen burning in Montana. I was amazed at how many people sit inside their RVs watching TV when, outside, around them, there are a gazillion stars in jet black skies that they're never see back home, or mountain vistas and sparkling waters and clean, clear non city air. Craziest thing I ever saw. People choosing to watch TV rather than experience nature and quiet. Thank God most campgrounds have silent hours after 10 PM. One night in Yellowstone, I heard wolves howling. Coolest sound I have ever heard. In the campground all around me were people locked up inside their RVs watching DVDs on their television. They hadn't a clue. To each their own, I guess. But please tell me I'm not crazy when I think they are.

12) Make new friends – That we did. To that end, we are glad to have met a lot of people. They include: Kirk, the Colorado guy enjoying his 7th year of sobriety and getting his life on track who was our neighbor at the Indian Creek campground at Yellowstone offered delightful company as he shared his discoveries in solo wilderness camping there for a month each year. The Ann Arbor, Michigan couple we met at the Old Faithful picnic area who had rented a Class C to experience RV life who now are so excited they plan to purchase a Type B motorhome like ours. The owner of the Badlands, SD, KOA campground, who sat around our site at sundown one night and talked about what it's like living in such a beautiful, but desolate spot. To many others, we thank you for your company and kindness – especially Chuck Woodbury, Jim and Chris Guld, David Bott, and fellow Roadtrekers Frances Griffin, Dick McGarrity, Stephen Kroman, Stu Kratz, and John and Sally Hearne. Thanks also to the many readers of this blog who passed along encouragement and suggestions via email.

Look for videos of this tour to be edited and start appearing in the next week.

Our next trip will be next week, to Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. Then, in mid October, out to New England for the fall colors.

We're hooked!

Mike Wendland

Published on 2012-09-03

Mike Wendland is a multiple Emmy-award-winning Journalist, Podcaster, YouTuber, and Blogger, who has traveled with his wife, Jennifer, all over North America in an RV, sharing adventures and reviewing RV, Camping, Outdoor, Travel and Tech Gear for the past 12 years. They are leading industry experts in RV living and have written 18 travel books.

28 Responses to “Three weeks in an RV: 12 lessons learned on the road”

April 17, 2017at7:39 am, Barbara Mansfield Wilson said:

we are looking forward to an extended road trip within the next 2 years. Love your suggestions. thanks.

October 23, 2016at12:59 pm, Bill said:

I’ve been vacillating between a Roadtrek and a truck camper. I’m widowed and need a daily driver, so the truck plus camper looks attractive but I keep thinking a Roadtrek Agile 4×4 could also work as a daily driver.

I really liked this piece. We loved staying in the parks and forests. Yes we ran low on hot water, battery, and sewage capacity traveling with our two sons in a 19′ travel trailer but it was totally worth it. BTW, I think love developed a list of never-stay-there-again campgrounds too. ?

May 29, 2016at6:25 pm, howell7272 said:

It’s getting harder and harder to be spontaneous when camping. Most weekends in the summer, state and national parks are filled with weekend warriors and many of these places are going to reservation only sites.

May 28, 2016at6:00 pm, Twyla Nix said:

Hello ! my work colleague filled in a blank Request for TA Recoupment Waiver – Withdrawal for Military Reasons copy at this site http://goo.gl/OvRzkg

May 27, 2016at10:27 am, LoreeKitson2 said:

Invaluable post , I was enlightened by the insight ! Does anyone know if my company could grab a sample GA MS27-1 form to edit ?

March 15, 2016at2:14 pm, Shannon Lawson said:

Hi there – I know this is an older post but thanks for the info – excellent tips. I enjoy your podcast as well. We are picking up our Zion next week and really looking forward to the change in lifestyle it will give us. Was wondering – when you are traveling a distance and want to stay in an area for a few days – what tips do you have for leaving/returning to your campground? Leave out certain items (chairs/coolers), repack everything, or something in between?

May 20, 2015at7:11 pm, Tom Morgan said:

Thank you for offering a site to enjoy and add experiences. Here are four suggestions from my experiences over the years of RV’ng across our great country (east coast to west coast):
Here are four basic RV’ng suggestions I believe that all novice travelers (and seasoned RV’ers) should understand when considering taking round-robin sight-seeing trips:
1. Each couple should select the RV solution for the type traveling lifestyle they expect to encounter. That is, just the two of you and on a budget? Then consider a Class B or B+ (18′ to 24′ length). Short-term boondocking during overnights? Consider a built-in generator. And, it’s okay to park at almost any Walmart Centers (Rule: if you see other RV’rs there, it’s probably okay to overnight).
2. The RV should become your bedroom and not your typical living room. Having a RV okay but your RV’ng should be improvised with creativeness! i.e. board games, painting, etc. Your RV is your means to get there and back! So, get a travel trailer if you prefer short-term camping at your destination with all the amenities of overnight stays.
3. Don’t take everything you own for the trip and don’t load your RV with “I might need this too” stuff. Anything you might need can be bought while on the trip. You would be surprised to find during your trips of the interesting styles of clothing. It is fun to shop at the different places you visit and wear evidence of your trip back with you!… simply have a written packing-list to checkoff as you put stuff inside your RV (guys should like this!).
4. Your trip route should always consider weather-related issues for the season in which you travel. For example: Our RV air-conditioner was marginally cooling so we took the northern route. During a winter road trip, we miscalculated our travel time and encountered ice and a snow blizzard over our route without tire-chains. Also, we didn’t have plumbing heaters so our water and sewage valves became frozen. High mountainous travel routes should also be avoided if your rig is either underpowered or heavy! Use truck stops to confer with truckers to determine your best route when in doubt! (truckers are human too!)

There… you have the answers to the four basic questions I’ve been asked many times! And, I learned from many trips of the joys of RV’ng that you now have in one blog!

May 20, 2015at2:45 pm, Tom Morgan said:

love it! Yeah, wife and I with our small dog-friend did a round-robin from rural Georgia to Palo Alto in a 1985 19′ LeSharo RV last year. 15 days – wonderful trip! We came back in a severe winter storm and will write about it someday (i.e. what not to do and how to develop a cross-country route). Oh yeah, we goin’ back next week to do it all over again!
Tom and Rhonda Morgan, Concord, Georgia. morganlawoffice@aol.com

May 18, 2015at3:39 pm, Carl Ball said:

Mike we lived for 4 months plus each winter in our Roadtrek. We finally decided that for the type of use we needed a class A. But will always have great respect for Roadtreks.

December 31, 2014at3:02 pm, Bj Thomas said:

Good post! After 20 years of fulltime RVing we agreed with all 12 of your points!

December 31, 2014at1:16 pm, Chief Moore said:

Only 3 weeks? We go out 3 months every year during the summer to get away from the heat. We have our home in the southwest and our 2nd home on wheels gets on the road 2 or 3 times a year but always 3 months in the summer in our 31ft 5th wheel.

December 31, 2014at1:06 pm, rhiebert said:

Scheduled vehicle maintenance should be on your list of “Lessons Learned…” If synthetics are part of this list of lessons I hope “Roadtrekers” don’t learn this the hard way.

December 30, 2014at3:18 pm, Emmanuel Sims said:

Roadtrek in NJ wrote a really good list of RV necessities for you campers out there.

November 17, 2012at6:26 pm, Gordon Meggison said:

Got all the little stuff fixed except the bed. Mechanical bed is the most uncomfortable, tortuous bed I have ever slept in. This is strange because I had the same bed in my 2011 210 Pop and it was quite comfortable. I have sent the pics and info to RT for analysis, but haven’t heard from them yet. Been about a week. Hope that come up with something so we can sleep in our class B. Other than the bed it is working well now that everything is put back together.

November 17, 2012at2:52 pm, cloosh said:

Just itchin’ to get going…..Retired and waiting to sell the house and move from east to west coast, find another home then get on the road.
Great comments above. In our lives so far we have had everything from a tent to a motor home. Each have their advantages and disadvantages and no matter what we decide to retire with it will be the right choice complete with advantages and disadvantages, because there is no perfect solution.
We agree the people we meet on the road are generally fine people. We even had one fellow camper replace the ‘O’ ring on a toilet in our unit. Can’t get better neighbours than that!
Life traveling is just plain fun. We once went down through Washington State heading for the California Redwoods, and never got any further than mid Oregon. The beauty of the area, the quality of the State Parks, a serious case of rubber necking and “lets stay another day and catch up tomorrow”, resulted in one of the best times ever, and a very minimal cost for the rewards.
You have it right Mike. Hope our trails cross someday

September 22, 2012at7:35 pm, Gordon M said:

Will be taking our first long trip in the new RS Adv will be going for fall colors, and Octoberfest in N Georgia. We go every year but always in a 5th Wheel, this will be first trip in a little B. As we discussed when last we talked I put together a 6×11 trailer to tow behind. It has cabinets, 110v, closthes storage (across front). Bicycles beneath cabinets, 3 way cooler (gas/elec/gas)ice maker. The plan is still to drop it and make local trips overnite then back to pickup TT and move on. This allows us to provide for 3 seasons w/clothes, staples. and compensate for the 3.8 ref which for us is just too small. Would like to hear from you about how you store things in the RV, I read you don’t cook, so there is no need for groc. Just coffee, which I also enjoy. Good to follow you and your adventure especially since we both have the same type Class b.

September 22, 2012at4:51 pm, Alex said:

Mike, are you going , in mid October, to New England for the fall colors?

September 17, 2012at9:16 am, Gordon Meggison said:

Glad to see you’re doing so well. Last time we talked you were just getting started. Remember I just bought a 2012 RS adv. I didn’t know you could shift down the RS, is that a good thing to do? I have 6 gears in my Chevy and can go manal. But the RT I thought was all automatic, no shifting down?…

September 13, 2012at2:13 pm, Kyle Golembiewski said:

Mike,

I love reading your work. You explain things in a very down-to-earth way and aren’t afraid to have your opinion of the things going on around you.

Glad you were able to learn a lot from your extended trip out west. We’re currently in Mitchell, South Dakota waiting to do Badlands National Park this weekend. I can’t wait to take photos shoot video, and experience the beauty of our first proper national park.

Hope your next trip comes with less headaches and more awe inspiring sceneries and experiences!

Kyle @ learnsponge.com

September 06, 2012at2:05 am, Karen said:

We just spent our first summer learning the purpose of the various buttons of our Class C and laughing at the “nut behind (or beside) the wheel” experiences.
We won’t mention that post that nearly greeted us when backing up, even with the camera. We travelled through Idaho, Montana, California, Oregon and Washington. For those who like “boondocking” we also had amazing, quiet, well cared for camping locations in British Columbia. The provincial parks have no hook-ups but are clean and do not usually require reservations. The cost: $16 – $22/day. Deer grazed at the neighbouring picnic table, eagles sat on the tree tops and more than once the loons called at dusk. Yes, we saw campgrounds that masquerade as parking lots, usually those in or near large urban areas, but many have trees to offer privacy and shade. There’s a string of lakes on Highway 24. Not for party types.

September 04, 2012at11:15 am, Maureen said:

Thanks again Mike for all the wonderful information. I look forward to reading about your upcoming October trip. I was pleasantly surprised on how your LP fridge performed as there always seems to be so much controversy on fridges. Perhaps you could elaborate on your levelling procedures.

September 03, 2012at8:34 pm, James and Cathy said:

We would like your recommendations on what brand of motorhome Class B we should look at. You write about Roadtrek a lot but what about Leisure Vans or Pleasureway? Comparisons would be helpful. I retire Jan. 1 and we believe a Class B is in our future. You obviously like your Roadtrek. Have you tried the other brands?

September 08, 2012at2:09 pm, Lane Watkins said:

Folks, If you are open to other opinions, I have owned 2 Class B units on the Sprinter chassis and would have nothing else. After a lot of research we presently own the Pleasureway Plateau. While we love this unit, I am growing tired of creating (and making up) a bed and drying out a wet bath after a shower. Also a little more outside storage would be welcomed. Check out the Leisure Travel “Unity” with the murphy bed. It has a large rear bath with a separate shower. I do not like any models with the corner bed that one has to climb out of. If I were starting out as you will be soon, this is what I would consider for a little more breathing room. Good luck with your adventure! Lane

September 03, 2012at12:29 pm, Mike Jaye said:

Mike,
First let me again tell you how I have enjoyed reading your blog posts. It has truly reinforced my belief that my next road vehicle will be a Roadtrek. I’m still debating on whether I want the Popular or the RS, but that will depend on how much I have to spend at that time.
I would like to get mine before retirement so I can hit the road just to get away. However your 12 tips are great! I need to heed them even before retirement. I was told once at a RV show that KOA are the way to go whenever possible. I will definitely heed that advice!
Please let us know how is that new piece of equipment you had installed at the FMCA in Indianapolis that is going to reduce the sway in your RS. It may make the difference in my selection.
And again, I’m looking forward to the video’s and more blogging from you!

September 03, 2012at11:13 am, Melissa said:

If you are looking for 1 night “camping” spots, check this site: http://www.overnightrvparking.com/ You have to join but it’s only $25 a year. It’s a huge database of spots where you can park overnight for free – most are Wal-Marts or Cracker Barrels or truck stops. I have stayed at several wal-marts and 2 interstate rest stops on my travels this summer (and yes, I’m a single gal RVing alone and I’ve felt safe in all these places). These spots though offer great flexibility in travel – no reservations, you can drive right up until sunset since there’s not much to do once you get there, you can get up and on the road early in the AM, and if you need something, just walk into the Wal-mart! I will say that some spots are noisy all night, but you learn tricks to deal with that! The best park about the database is that it’s maintained by other users – as you stay at places or discover places you can update the database and the owner adds free weeks to you membership for updating the info!

September 03, 2012at10:10 am, Pam Hicks said:

Hey Mike – Another great blog! I tend to feel a great deal of confidence in your conclusions. So, like my new camera equipment (thank you very much), I will join FMCA & stick with KOA’s! Looking forward to your future posts 🙂

September 03, 2012at9:35 am, Daryl said:

We’ve camped for years in a popup and are seriously considering a Class B like you have now that we are near retirement (next spring). But the two dealers we have visited are very high pressure. Felt sleazy. They reminded us of the used car salesman stereotype. How do you find a good dealer? We are not sure of brands, either. Seems they all claim the same thing. Advice and recommendations will be most welcome. We figure fall is a god time to get a bargain.

September 13, 2012at2:15 pm, Kyle Golembiewski said:

We have a 1989 Chevy Horizon Camper Van. It’s rather compact for two people but 2 weeks into our trek across the country, we absolutely love it.

I’d highly recommend the versatility and ease of a Class B! Or “Type B” as the non-snobs wanna call it 😉

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