Thoughts About Living the Fulltime RV Lifestyle
Sitting by a campfire with the ever amazing Rockies in the background.
As I ponder living the fulltime RV lifestyle, sitting on my lawn chair (do people still call these chairs lawn chairs?), looking out at a desert landscape something, I see something I have not seen in a while: clear blue skies with nary a cloud. How I missed the desert! The wind plays with my bangs on my forehead with a gentleness as I turn my head with a small pony tail caught up on top. Peace is reigning once again with a sigh of contentment. I feel so fortunate to see so many different landscapes, from desert to forests with the Rockies in between. I mean who would not want to travel and see something other than their house or a small cubicle they work in?
Turning my head slightly the other way, I am reminded of the choice I made, travel and go on adventures with my husband, see amazing places I have not when we had our house. Am I happy I helped make this choice? Another thought passed my mine as I close my eyes and think: Some days are good and sometimes they are not so good. Yet those “good days” with those occasional “bad days” are something I would rather forget. But then, a slight smile forms on my face as I cannot believe It has been nearly 3 years since we sold everything to start this new adventurous lifestyle of fulltime rving.
An old train trestle near Corbin, Montana.
Oh, I could go on about fulltime rving, what I love and hate about it (yes, hate), and there is so much to share, but I think the good and the bad (not everything is perfect) is what I will share with you in a short and sweet way. Even though I feel like I am still learning about this lifestyle, and there is much to learn, I will not sugar coat anything I say. It has been quite an adventure, and sometimes you will need thick skin and a different outlook on this RV lifestyle as it is NOT the same as living in a sticks and bricks.
What are some of the things I like:
Get to see places I could not in our house, except on t.v.
Spend time with my husband who is retired.
Take many photos of the amazing destinations we have been to.
Have a comfortable RV to live in.
Decorate the RV so it shows my taste and comforts of a home.
No debt! This is so important for this lifestyle!
Meet people from far off places that I would have not met living in my house.
Some of the things I do not like so far:
Expensive. Gas and groceries have gone up a LOT since we started.
People on YouTube LIED about fulltime rving but for a few truthful ones.
Breaking down. Kind of scary if you are in the middle of nowhere and break down!
Have to work camp to afford the fulltime RV lifestyle.
Limited on where we can go because we have a large setup.
Limited on where we go due to high diesel prices.
Limited on where we boondock because of the large setup. Some boondocking sites are small and/or sketchy.
Homesick. This is a big one for me!
This is the life: paddleboarding on a quiet lake, Helena Reservoir.
The sun is setting and it has me thinking about some of the best places we have seen: Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Glacier National Park, the Big Horns, many scenic drives outside of our home state, and my most favorite, hiking trails! These are what keep me going on this unique lifestyle. I just wish it was not so expensive!
But can you put a price on an amazing sunset? No. The bright glow in the western sky marks an end of the day, a time to rest and contemplate the day’s happenings. As I would like to end this glorious day with some final thoughts, think about this: Fulltime rving can be an adventure, an adventure only YOU can make. Yes, it is costly, and will require some money to start and keep on going. But life is short and gets shorter as we all age and move onto our next lives.
A hiking trail near the amazing Beartooth Highway!
The sun has vanished from the sky as a thin line of an orange glow, faintly disappearing as some brave and bright stars are starting to peak out. As I rise out of my chair, I think with a matter of satisfaction, despite some of the hardships we have gone through together, there is nothing like the open freedom of living on the road, meeting new destinations for the first time, creating memories with my husband on this unique lifestyle and living life to the fullest.