On this Labor Day weekend, we're in Southwest Georgia, after driving down from Michigan last week with some fun stops along the way. We plan to take our time going home, too, enjoying the freedom that our little Roadtrek eTrek RV gives us.
After almost two years of this lifestyle, Jen and I are finding ourselves on the road more and more. We were at our Michigan sticks and bricks home for less than a week all August. We just turned 30,000 miles on the new eTrek we picked up in December!
When we think back about the past two years, we can cite lots of things we enjoy about RVing. Here our our Top Five RV joys:
1) We can go anywhere, anytime – Freedom is what the RV life is all about. It truly is our home on wheels. We have it loaded with clothes and essentials, pots, pans, bedding. We only need an hour or so to be packed and ready to head off. By now, we have everything down to a system. Packing, unpacking, setting up, tearing down.
2) We have a small house but a big yard – That is the slogan on one of the T-shirts and sweatshirts we sell but it says it all so well. It's like the whole country is our front yard. We can set up on seashores, rivers creeks, the mountains, the woods… it's all ours to enjoy. We just open the sliding door to our Roadtrek and we are surrounded by nature. We tend to choose out of the way places off the commercial campground circuit. The most spectacular vistas are just out our windows. Our Roadtrek gives us a home with lots of acreage.
3) We have found great new friends – From rallies, our Facebook groups, face to face meetings with readers and folks who have seen the interactive map on the blog chasing us down and showing where we just happen to be, Jennifer and I have so many new friends who share our love of adventure and the open road. The RV community has been the biggest surprise we've had. I think of Stu and Winona, Jim and Carolyn, Shari and Dave, Kristi, Tim and Carole, Dan, Kathy and Les, Laura, Steve, Ginny, Lisa and Bill, Tom, Laura and Ken, Bill and Karen, Cheryl, Alan, Robert and a whole bunch of other people who have come into our RVing lives this past year or so and we feel really blessed. Sharing the road with like-minded friends is such a joy.
4) We have our own comfortable bed to sleep in – Honestly, we think we sleep better in our Roadtrek than just about any place else. Even home. Certainly hotel rooms. We need not worry about bed bugs, dirty rooms, mold or any of the other variables that make staying in hotels and motels so unpredictable. We prefer our own germs to stranger germs. Know what I mean?
5) Our dog is always welcome – We're not fanatics about our dog but we do like his company. That's why we have a dog. And he adds to the joy of traveling. We don't have to board him every time we go out of own. We can take him with us pretty much everyplace we go. Not always. There are times when we have a story to do or a place to vsit where we can't take him when well leave him with friends or family. But generally speaking, where we go, Tai can go. That, we believe, is as it should be.
Okay…those are our top five reasons why we like to RV.
What would you add?
36 Responses to “Top Five RV Joys”
Comments are closed.
May 31, 2014at9:05 pm, Michele Laganella said:
How long was your longest trip (time away from sticks and bricks and strictly in your RV)?
May 31, 2014at1:27 pm, Angelina Anderson said:
BEAUTIFUL DOG!!!!!
May 31, 2014at12:46 pm, Ramon Cisneros said:
Beautiful Dog nice picture!
May 31, 2014at11:34 am, Maggie Aparicio said:
Nice picture
May 31, 2014at11:00 am, Sandy Wagner Hinze said:
I had an Elkhound Great Friend miss him still!!!!
May 31, 2014at10:42 am, Richard Hudson said:
Now that is a wonderful picture; only lacking your RT in the background!
May 31, 2014at10:41 am, Marvin Gibson said:
need some diet dog food?
May 31, 2014at9:51 am, Bill Blake said:
We have two dogs – thinking we need something larger than your rig – thoughts?
May 31, 2014at9:38 am, JoAnne Crum said:
Georgeous dog. And where does she sleep? We are thinking of taking to life on the road and a dog would have to be part of the equation. Seems like it would be crowded. Tips, tricks, thoughts?
May 31, 2014at9:00 am, Ray Nelson said:
Nice
May 31, 2014at8:51 am, Amanda Warren said:
That’s an Elkhound and that’s about 75%fur not fat. Grew up with them.
May 31, 2014at8:42 am, Alan Kotouch said:
Nice Elkhound !
May 31, 2014at8:28 am, Clarence E. Springer said:
Nice
May 31, 2014at8:24 am, Molly Jarrett said:
Great picture!
May 31, 2014at8:22 am, Pat Mesic said:
I share your love of RVing. There is nothing like being out in the wilderness and listening to the coyotes howling at night.
April 09, 2014at12:53 pm, Sharon Nichols said:
What type of dog is he?
April 08, 2014at8:22 pm, Gerry Ficke said:
they have the same eyes
April 08, 2014at7:34 pm, Brenda Swader Doggett Cmp said:
love it. Big Question – is there good internet available at most major sites?
April 08, 2014at7:09 pm, Molly Jarrett said:
What a great picture!
December 25, 2013at9:38 pm, Steve Kaiser said:
The sense of freedom and always looking forward.
September 29, 2013at11:39 am, Mark Handler said:
Retiring in less than 6 years. Will probably get a Roadtrek before then. Can’t wait to hit the open road. So many things to see & people to visit. 🙂
September 02, 2013at8:43 pm, Liz-n-Bruce said:
We bought our 190 Popular the end of July. We’re in Nova Scotia on our first road trip, in our new RV which we call “Trekkie”. We have our little dog with us, so I’m not feeling antsy to get home. We’re having a blast. Even the dog is loving it! We had lobster for dinner to-night. (We bought it already cooked and shelled, but caught just this morning). mmmmmmm
September 02, 2013at1:27 am, Maureen said:
Judi, I doubt you’d see all 60 million (ha) but where I live at the mouth of the Fraser River in Steveston, Richmond, B.C. you could see thousands jumping as they start their journey up the river probably starting middle of September 2014 as it takes 17 days for them to arrive at the Adams river where they would have turned bright red. It will be the Adams River Sockeye run and it will be a dominant year in 2014. In 2010 we had over 30 million so they are hoping for double that next year. You can google Adams River Sockeye Run and lots of information will pop up. There is parking around the mouth of the Fraser river at Steveston. Also, the domestic and migrant orca whales are not too far away in August for the mating season and many whale watchers leave on guided tours from Steveston during this time. Of course, during the Salmon runs we also have hundreds of eagles gather at Squamish which is not far from Whistler. Lots to see through late Summer and early Fall and, for those who don’t live in the pacific Northwest, the weather is fairly mild.
September 01, 2013at8:36 pm, Doofus said:
We get home. We clean the RT. We do the laundry. We relax a bit. It takes maybe a week. And then very quickly I start getting very antsy. Where are we going next and how soon can we depart?
September 01, 2013at5:04 pm, Campskunk said:
i have to agree with Dave- i HATED having to eat restaurant food when i was on vacation before- all that money for food i could have cooked better myself. it was always a relief to come home to my own kitchen. now my kitchen goes with me.
September 01, 2013at3:36 pm, Lisa said:
Amen to all of it! What a blessing you & Jen have been to us, too, Mike!
September 01, 2013at3:02 pm, Maureen said:
You are all making me feel even better on my choice for a Roadtrek. I love the idea of searching out all the lovely little corners on our beautiful continent while enjoying visits with so many friends and relatives spread around the country. Thanks to all the info I have all my lists made from setup to travel routes. I’ll probably join them next year. I will even enjoy just driving up the street in Richmond B.C. to one of the most delightful spots where I can day camp (zero dollars) and watch the salmon jump and run the dogs on the beach. By the way, next year at this time we are expecting the big run of, hopefully, 60 million. Four years ago it was 30 million sockeye jumping and that was a sight to behold. My kids just returned from a trip with their trailer to Birch Bay Washington and Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho, visiting historical sites along the way where they learned about an extinct tribe (not included in the treaty because they were friendly). They have two small children and Silverwood was a fun place to take them and the price was right, teenagers love it too, not what Campskunk would like unless he is desperate for a great roller coaster ride. So much fun and enjoyment out there for the “wee” home owners.
September 01, 2013at4:18 pm, Judi Darin said:
Oh my goodness – where do I go to see 60 million salmon? Wow!
September 06, 2013at1:38 pm, Maureen said:
Hi Judi, I think I gave you confusing info on the salmon run in 2014 where 60 million are expected. If you are interested in being at the mouth of the Fraser River for the Adams River run then the last three weeks in August would probably be the best time. If you decide to travel to Steveston in Richmond, BC , I am just down the road so I would be happy to show you the best spots.
September 01, 2013at1:23 pm, Laura H Postema said:
Great article, Mike. I agree with everything stated. I continue to be amazed just how awesome this little home on wheels is and can be. I would add ‘flexible’ to the list. It’s great to have plans…and most of us have some sort of plan…but if plans change, no worries. Options for overnighting cover a wide gamut…even Walmart and other big box store lots offer refuge for a night! Having been caught on the road without lodging options (pre-RT) was stressful…no more! Now our stress revolves around only having 24 hours in a day. Anyone figure out how to lengthen that?
Happy travels….
September 01, 2013at11:12 am, Janet Arnold said:
There are a lot of farmers markets to visit all with their own unique flavor.
September 01, 2013at9:32 am, Cheryl Gregorie said:
Ditto to all of the above! I love that not only can you see our beautiful country but long weekends to get away to fantastic federal parks on awesome land, water and lakes for a cost of $20 or less per night!
Invite friends and family for cookouts…much more relaxed and fun than at home! You can visit friends and family … just bring your house with you and park in their driveway…enjoy them during the day but return to your house with all your stuff at night including your dog, etc. … have a snack, use your computer, watch TV, use your own bathroom, have your own bed and pillows without disturbing your host! Can you tell I love my RoadTrek?
September 01, 2013at9:19 am, Dave said:
The only thing I would add is that while you are enjoying the 5 top reasons you can enjoy the same healthy food you eat at home instead of eating out all the time. What a great lifestyle! Thanks for creating this wonderful family of friends and ideas, Bigfoot Dave
September 01, 2013at9:16 am, Linda Weisgram said:
I have another joy of Roadtreking – spending very quality time with my husband. When we’re at home, we are off doing our own thing much of the time. When we’re trekking, we’re doing most things together. Wouldn’t want it any other way!
September 01, 2013at8:54 am, Laura Robinson said:
Mike and Shari,
I agree! My life has changed quite a bit, too. It’s enriched my life a great deal.
September 01, 2013at8:42 am, shari groendyk said:
Mike, I love this article. Makes me reflect too on how our lives have changed since we bought our RT, less than a year ago. The fun we’ve had in it, the promise of even better trips coming up as we realize the limitless opportunities, and as we develop the confidence to venture further, and, bonus, the comradery we’ve experienced with all our new RT friends.
I see it as our ticket to an amazing retirement. We will not be humdrumming these years away, rather we will be having way more fun that we ever could’ve imagined was possible. Getting older can be great fun!