Hey guys! I’m back from my camping trip and I had a blast. As some of you may know, I’m planning on making a huge lifestyle change. I’ll be living and working on the road in a fifth wheel trailer for a year. I’ve never done this before, so I’m super excited. I’ll be doing this adventure with Mark Daughn, and we’re going to be recording and sharing our adventures as we go. About a month ago, we purchased a truck and a trailer and have since installed a fifth wheel hitch. We’ve also spent some time learning how to drive the rig and back it into a driveway. Because neither of us has ever owned a fifth wheel (or any other type of RV), we wanted to take it out for a practice run before the big move.
Where we went:
Twin Dikes Campground in Brookeland, Texas. On Google maps it shows as being a 4 hour and 45 minute drive. In reality, with stops included, it took us about 6 and a half hours to get there from Austin.
Researching campgrounds and picking a spot:
At first our idea was to camp somewhere along the gulf coast, like Galveston or Corpus Christi. We both enjoy going to the beach, but after looking at a bunch of RV resorts and campgrounds, we changed our minds, realizing that we’d be hard pressed to find a site that was situated under a tree in the shade. With temperature highs in the 90’s, being parked under shade was one of our main priorities. So, back to searching I went until I finally picked an area near the Angelina Forest. Although it took a while to find a campground, once I found one, the reservation process was pretty straightforward.
What we set out to do:
Our main objective for this trip was to get an impression of what life would kind of be like on the road in an RV. We didn’t intend it to be totally reflective of reality – we also wanted some time to step away from our work and relax a bit.
What we were worried about:
Several people have asked me if I had any concerns about living in an RV as opposed to a typical house and staying in high end hotels while I travel. While I’ve never been much of a camping person, I grew up in Hawaii, so I’m no stranger to the outdoors. I also think I can handle living in a 300 square foot trailer – it’ll just take an adjustment period to get used to it, hehehe.
A few others expressed concern about safely operating an RV and dealing with the practicalities of buying and owning one. This is something we’re definitely concerned with. We dedicate a lot of time and effort into researching everything we could possibly want and need to know about it. It’s fun learning new things and we continue to learn about the RV lifestyle daily.
What we accomplished:
We completed a lot of ‘firsts’ in terms of using our RV like flushing the black tank, cooking in the kitchen, and hooking up to power, water, and sewer. We got to experience setting up camp as well as loading up everything to leave camp. We ran into some issues, but nothing too serious. We forgot to bring the grill (this was a big one, as we wanted to grill some of our meals and cook outdoors), we retracted the awning without realizing there was a broom in the way, thereby almost damaging our awning railing, and we managed to pick one of the curviest, most crooked sites to back into. The process of backing into it took us a good 30 minutes and we put on quite the show for our neighbors! Oh, and one day I poured diet Coke in one of those reusable water bottles that come with a straw. Upon opening the container, I sprayed almost 16 ounces of diet Coke all over the inside of the truck. So, we learned some lessons.
What we didn’t accomplish:
We didn’t tackle the internet or working on the road, which obviously is a priority, but we’re researching several solutions to be able to work online and update our websites with content while we’re RVing.
What we loved and enjoyed:
Disconnecting from the Internet for a few days, nightly sunsets, eating meals outdoors (even though it was really hot out!), hiking, driving around town and getting a feel for the area, driving out to other campgrounds and parks to see what else is out there. It was a very relaxing trip and we learned a lot. I’m also happy to report that the trailer itself is really comfortable.
What’s next:
I’m going to have to sell and give away a bunch of stuff, due to weight and space limitations. This is something I’m ready to do, as I’ve recently become more interested in minimalism and living with less. We plan to move into the RV at the end of July. Our first destination is Maine, where we hope to see the beautiful fall leaves turn colors. We’ll then head south towards Florida. We intend on creating a YouTube channel dedicated to documenting and sharing our adventures with everyone.
Again, I’m so excited about this new journey and I cannot wait to get on the road! I’ll be sure to let you guys know when the YouTube channel is up. Hope you guys have a wonderful week ahead!
