FAQ's (& Our Answers) for Those Seeking to Hit the Road!

Are you seeking to go full time or even take an extended trip in an RV?  We've been asked a ton of great (and sometimes hilarious) questions over the past few years.  Here are a few bits of advice for folks seeking their own adventure.  For this and a WHOLE LOT MORE, check out the online RV + Travel Summit.  We were invited to share our story on Day 3.  Enjoy hundreds of tips, advice, great stories, etc. from veterans who have lived full time in their RV's. 

Here are some of the most FAQ's (if you have others, please feel free to comment/ask and we'll answer them here)

What do you eat?  Food…good healthy whole, often organic and local, food.   We have a 2 burner propane stove, a small grill, and we almost always have a campfire pit in which we can use our fry bake or Dutch oven.  We just recently bought a small toaster oven to use when we are plugged in.  We have whittled our kitchen supplies down to a few things that have multiple uses (e.g., a metal colander that can steam veggies, drain pasta, and be used as a grill basket).  With these items, we can make everything from homemade soup and pizza to brownies and coffeecake, and just about everything in between.  Here's a bit more info about our culinary delights.

You don’t have a bathroom!  How do you go to the bathroom?  Just like everyone else.   Most of the time, we are parked in campgrounds with pit or flush toilets.  We also take care of business at gas stations, fast food restaurants, rest stops, etc. Otherwise, we use the great outdoors (just like backpackers) and use Leave No Trace methods.

What about showering?  When you are on the road and spending your time in the great outdoors, you don’t need to shower every single day.  You can certainly use wet wipes to clean the “important parts” daily, if need be.  Ladies, this is your chance to leave your makeup and jewelry at home, throw your hair in a ponytail and put your ball cap on.  With this said, many campgrounds and truck stops have very clean showers, recreation centers/YMCA’s have day use passes with minimal fees, and there’s always the solar shower.  Just fill the black solar shower bag with water and let it sit in the full sun; come back from a day of hiking and strip down to your bathing suit and waaaallllaaa…a warm shower waiting for you!   And, if you don’t have sun, you do have a kettle to boil water in just a few minutes.  We also have a small “dorm style” shower caddy in the camper and just take it into the shower with us.  

Do you ever see yourself going back to work at a university?  Probably not in the same capacity, though we would enjoy teaching a seminar or being invited to give guest lectures.  We enjoyed it for many years, we learned a ton, we have both great memories and not so great memories, and we thank that experience for leading us to many other wonderful life adventures.  For now, we’d like to work seasonally in different parts of the country (such as the National Park Service and other places we can use our Environmental Education skills), and keep traveling!

Do you ever see yourself living in a house with a yard again?   We don’t know.  It certainly won’t be a traditional house.  It will probably have wheels and be smaller than 200 sq feet.   Most houses seem way too big and there is too much to clean, maintain, and mow.  Now, we have the biggest front and back yard of anyone we know, and we don’t have to mow it and, trust us, we have found better ways to spend our time.  It’ll definitely have a veggie garden though.

Do you have children?  Not that we have to pay for, but we have hundreds of former university students that we call our kids and have visited them all over the nation.  We’ve gotten the chance to meet their partners and their kids.  It’s been fantastic to spend time and adventure with them!

Are you ever worried about people stealing your stuff?  Not really.  We lock everything when we walk away from it and we have insurance in case something happens to it, but we don't worry about it.  It's just stuff.

Have you ever run into any scary people?   Well, Shari was born and raised near Los Angeles, CA, Hutch lived in Boulder, CO and we have traveled all over the world, so we’ve met our fair share of unusual people.  But, we haven’t had any run-ins on the road…not a single one.  Everyone has been unbelievably friendly;  our unique camper draws people to us and we end up having some amazing conversations with strangers.  

How do you deal with your mail/bills?  98% of what we get and need to deal with is online.  The other 2%, Shari’s mom lovingly scans/mails to us.  Online/mobile banking makes all of this possible, and we can deposit checks any where we have wifi or a 4G signal...even the front seat of our truck.  If you have the funds, you can also hire a service to do this for you.

Where do you get online?  Public libraries, coffee houses, McDonalds, Panera Bread, etc.   Buy a little something and hop on their free wifi.  We also just launched ourselves into the 21st century with a 4G SmartPhone.  It’s all the technology we could possibly need and it fits inside a pocket. 

How do you deal with your taxes?  Just like everyone else.   We complain about doing them, procrastinate, then get them in by April 15^th.  When you work in different states and have to claim income from them, it’s a bit trickier, but not so tricky that we would give up this lifestyle.  Everything you need is online via the IRS and state websites.

How do you deal with renting your house when you are not there?  This is probably the most difficult thing we've dealt with as we've had our fare share of flaky renters.  We have a great friend and former neighbor with handy skills; we pay her by the hour to be our on-call property manager.  But it is the least fun part of this whole enterprise.  Anyone want a beautiful 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath house in the Blue Ridge Mountains?  Make an offer....

How do you get health insurance?  We have a great plan with BCBSNC.  The Affordable Health Care Act has really helped, too.  We are definitely huge fans, despite the amount of headache we dealt with in 2013 to get enrolled!  It's getting better...

Did you win the lottery?  If not, how do you make money?  No, we've never even bought a lottery ticket, but we feel like we have!  Actually, we saved quite a bit of money before we left our jobs in 2012.  We didn’t just wake up one day and hit the road, we planned for this new lifestyle.  Also, there are a ton of different options for finding work on the road. 

How much do you have to budget for each month?  That depends on what we are doing.  If we spend time volunteering on farms or at national parks, we don’t spend much at all.  Lodging and/or most of our food is taken care of, we don’t spend much on gas, so it’s just the normal daily/monthly stuff like insurance, retirement contributions, etc..  This is a great way to stretch your budget.  When we are on the road, we seek out as much free camping as possible and prepare our own meals.   About $1000 a month per person will cover it if you are really on the move and staying in multiple campgrounds where you have to pay for a spot.  If you are staying put and have a free camping spot, you can easily live on half that amount.

How do you save for retirement?  Just like everyone else.  We each have a Roth IRA that we contributed to when we were working full-time and still do each month, we have retirement savings from our previous jobs, and we will have Social Security.  And if we don't have those things when we decide to settle down, we will have bigger problems as a country than where to find a toilet.

How well does your solar panel work?   It depends on how much sun you have available to you.  Solar power is a simple technology based on how much you gather, store, and use.  Figuring out how to balance that equation is very individual.  We made the choice to go minimal – using it to run LED lights, charge batteries, run the computer on occasion, and run our 12-volt fan/vent.  We mounted our solar panel on the tonneau cover on the back of our truck so we could easily take it off and put it in the sun, while our camper is parked in the shade.  This makes a huge difference!  On the other hand, we park the camper in the sun during cold weather seasons, and while aluminum isn’t exactly a superconductor, it helps heat it up.  Use passive solar “technology” to your advantage!  Lots of here great info here.

How did you downsize your life from a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath house to 72 sq feet?  Just like most things in life, it was a process that we revisited many times.  After several rounds of garage sales, donations, selling things on Craigslist, etc., we are down to a very small amount of stuff that we’ve stored in a friend’s basement.

Where all have you been?  We have now traveled over 50,000 miles, through 48 states and 3 Canadian provinces, been to 50 national parks, monuments, etc. volunteered on 4 organic farms, and countless other public lands. Thus, this question became harder and harder to answer after just a couple of months, so we simply update our blog post titled "Oh the places we've been..." and direct people to our Wanderlust Photography site for photos.

Your camper is so small, how do you live in such a small space?  Keep in mind, we don’t live IN it much, we use it as a place to sleep and eat/hang out when it’s cold.  Mostly, we live outside because we want to enjoy Mother Nature via hiking, cycling, kayaking, snowshoeing, etc..  We’ve spent way too much of our lives living inside of windowless offices, classrooms, and houses that are much too big for us.  But we can come inside on a nasty day, make tea and brownies, turn on the heater/fan if we need it…and pick up a book or blog.  It’s amazingly comfy in there…like your tree/club house when you were a kid.

Do your parents/family worry about you?  We think they did at first, but since we have settled into this lifestyle, they don’t worry as much anymore.   We are safe, reasonable people and have had no trouble finding work when we need it.   We stay in touch via calls and emails…and we’ve taught our 70+ year old parents how to Skype!  We probably actually see/talk to them more often than when we were working 60+ hours per week and had a full time house.

Don’t you worry about breaking down?   We certainly don’t worry about it, but we have flexed those “Now What?” muscles a few times already.  We had a major accident in Canada that totaled our first truck, caused by an impatient commercial van that felt the need to pass us (and 3 other vehicles) in the rain on a two-lane highway while we were trying to turn left.  Thankfully, the truck took the brunt of it and no one was hurt.  We’ve also had some other issues, but with the help of our road angels and towing on our insurance plan, we’ve been fixed up in no time and have made some great friends along the way.  

Where did you find your camper and how much was it?  We found it on eBay for $900.  It had been a hunting trailer and was in a bit of a state when we got it, but it had great bones.  We did nearly all of the labor ourselves and put about $1500 into it, including the solar powered system and the custom bike rack.  Since these vintage trailers have become quite popular over the past few years, we could probably sell it for $8000 now, but it’s not for sale!  Here’s a link to some photos from its restoration.

Why did you name it Hamlet?  It has nothing to do with Shakespeare’s tragedy.  It is a “canned ham” style travel trailer and it is a small house = Hamlet!

What caused you to make the decision to hit the road?
Well, that’s a long story that is better told by some of our blog posts.  It wasn’t just one simple thing or some major life changing event that set us off seeking a different path, it was simply time to do something different.

How well does your truck pull your camper?
Well, we have gone over 50,000 miles pulling it with our Nissan Frontier 4x4 truck and it seems to be doing well.  We’ve had a few issues with the truck, but it’s a 2000, so that is to be expected.   We don’t believe it had anything to do with the camper.   It’s a bit slow uphill at times, but not too bad, but we aren’t in any hurry.

What advice do you have for people who are thinking about doing this? 
 

Set a date and stick to it!  “Someday” can easily slip away and you will regret that you didn’t do it before.  We’ve seen people with kids (multiple kids even) hit the road and homeschool -- using the National and State Parks as outdoor classrooms.  Just imagine learning Geography, Geology, History, Social Studies, Art, Biology, etc. via the natural environment.   Ranger programs are a great way to get kids involved, too.  You are sure to raise some of the healthiest, happiest, smartest kids out there.   And, you don’t have to drive them to soccer practice 3x per week, as they’ll be getting plenty of exercise in the great outdoors.  This lifestyle will make you and your family happier and healthier because you’ll be out and about doing what you love, not wishing you were. 

Don’t bring your TV or too much technology with you.  You can always watch your favorite shows and get your news online or via the radio.  And, you can use RedBox and the public library for movies -- you can pick up a movie in one town and drop it off at the next.   Fill your time with things that will make you healthier and more active.  Build fires, star watch, read books, write, take pictures, hike, bike, kayak, go to ranger programs, etc.  Learn a new hobby, one that you’ve always wanted to do but never had the time.  You are never too old to learn/try something new.

Don’t buy more camper/trailer than you need.  People often buy too big of a house, then later regret it.  We’ve met a good deal of people who see our Hamlet and tell us they are going to downsize soon.  Every foot adds more that you have to pull, back up, and pay for gas to haul.   Use your camper as a place to cook/eat/sleep (maybe get away from the mosquitos during “bug thirty’), but spend your time outside and enjoy the biggest front and back yard that you don’t have to mow or weed!

Don’t buy a camper that requires a restoration if you don’t have the skills, time, or tools to work on it.  It will sit in your driveway, basement, etc. forever.  We had all of the above and it still took us 1.5 years (with about 6 relatively focused months) to get it ready for travel.   But, if you want to learn, this is a great way to do it with low $$ investment.   Also, don’t feel like you have to restore it back to its original status, unless that is your goal.  Have fun with it, let some things be, and don’t worry about it being perfect.  You are the only one that is going to judge you.  Make it your own and get it back on the road.  You will spend a good deal of time and money trying to find the exact version of this or that special item.  If that is what you are up for, do it, but our advice is “perfect is the enemy of good enough.”  You bought it to go camping, right?  Not for it to sit in your driveway and cause the neighbors to wonder if that eye sore is ever going to go away.  There are lots of great resources out there.  

Don’t fill your life with reservations.   Guaranteed, you will fall in love with a place and want to stay longer than you had planned, but you feel like you need to get to the other campground you’ve already reserved.  Traveling without reservations is one of the most freeing things we’ve ever done.  Once you realize that you are towing your home and can pull over anywhere, anytime, you stop worrying about where you will sleep.  We have traveled for over 2.5 years without a single reservation.  Sometimes that means that we are not able to stay IN the national park, but we always find camping nearby -- often free camping on BLM land, in national forests, rest stops, etc.  There is a ton of free camping, you just need to know where to look for it. 

Don’t drive faster than you can stop.  This is one of the most aggravating things about being on the road.  People are simply in too much of a hurry and very impatient.  If you are new to driving an RV or a truck with a trailer, remember that you have a ton of momentum at highway speeds.  Stopping takes half again as long as a regular automobile.  For those of you who make a habit of pulling out in front of RV’s at the last minute because you don’t want to be “stuck” behind them, think again.  And, whatever you do, don't take your life (and others lives) in your hands and try to pass on blind curves, hills, etc.  It's just not worth it!

Funny comments that have fueled our travelin' souls and have assured us that we are doing the right thing...

We have found that Hamlet creates community and smiles no matter where we go…campsites, gas stations, grocery stores, on the road -- just about anywhere.  People strike up conversations with us everywhere and want to know more about the camper, its history, our travels, etc.  Below are some of our favorite comments from curious onlookers:

While walking into a Dairy Queen in Port Arthur, Texas, a middle-aged woman saw us walking from our camper to the store and said, “I’ll trade you my job and car for THAT (as she point to our rig)!”  “What’s your job?” Hutch asked.  She laughed and said, “I’m the regional manager for Dairy Queen. “ “No, thanks,” we said.  “Man, I can’t even give this job away!”  

“I dig your trailer, man!”  Heard from hundreds of passerbyers in campgrounds and gas stations across the nation.

"Are you trying out for some sort of Survivor Show or sumpthin'?" asked one of the farmers (upon first greeting us) who we volunteered with in Florida.

Some comments are nonverbal…Honk, honk, then BIG wave out the window as we pass other canned hammers on the road!

“Dude...how’s that trailer for lovin’?” asked an old friend, to Hutch, when he got a tour of it in his driveway in Utah.

“Wow…is it old or just made to look old?”   “Him, or the trailer?” Shari asks.  Heard from many people all over the nation.    

“I traveled across the country in one of those with my grandparents when I was 7!”  Heard from many a 65+ gentleman with a big grin on his face. 

As we first entered the state of Maine and were wandering around the area trying to find the local WalMart, a lady next to us at the stoplight motioned for us to roll our window down.  She hollered in the best of all Mainer accents, “Where are you from?  We responded, just as enthusiastically, “North Carolina!”  To that she simply said, “Well…welcome to Maine!”  “Where’s the WalMart?” we asked.   She proceeded to give us the most detailed directions ever from the passenger seat of her car.  

After parking our camper and heading out for a hike in the Grand Tetons National Park, Wyoming, a couple of fellow tourists stopped us and asked us about our camper and where all we’d been.  After we shared our story, the woman simply responded with, “Bitches!”

While sitting in a parking lot at a grocery store in Alabama, Hutch went in for a few items while Shari was resting with her head back in the passenger seat for a few minutes.  Within a couple of minutes, Shari felt like someone was looking at her.  She opened one eye to see a woman taking pictures of the camper.  Shari rolled down the window and said hello.  “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, but I LOVE your camper!  Do you mind if I take a few pictures?  I’ve been looking at these trailers on eBay and I just love them.  I want to travel the country in one.”  “Well, that’s what we’ve been doing,” Shari replied.  “Really?  Oh my god, oh my god!”  she exclaimed.  “Would you like to see the inside?”  When Hutch returned, Shari was giving a tour of the inside and he walked up and said, “I see you’ve made a new friend.”  

While backing into our spot at a very crowded campground in southern Florida, a group of retired campground buddies stood along the side of the road by our campsite and proceed to give us a round of applause after we had successfully backed him into his spot.  No sooner were we out of the truck and out came the stories and questions.  Before we knew it, we were touring their campers, too.  Gotta love that kind of southern welcome!

“Is it called the Passion Palace?  You should rent it out to people who want to take it on a date!”  said some of Shari’s colleagues at a bank in northern Michigan.

“Oh good…we caught you before you left this morning!  We’ve been watching for you to come back, but keep missing you.  We love your camper and want to show you ours.”

“What’s my dream camper doing in your driveway?”  This message from a friend/neighbor in North Carolina was on our voice mail shortly after we got Hamlet home.

“You are the coolest grown-ups we’ve ever met!”  exclaimed by a group of youngsters at a campground near the Ocoee River, Tennessee who adopted us from the moment we pulled into the campsite.

“You are livin’ the dream!”  Heard from countless people across the nation when they hear our story.

“You must REALLY like each other!” stated by a man of retirement age, when his wife/partner wasn’t around.  : )

“Do you have to go outside to change your mind?” questioned a gentleman pulling a much larger trailer at a gas station in South Carolina.

“I’ve always wanted one of those!” exclaim many fellow travelers who come up and talk to us everywhere we stop.

“Now there’s some folks who really know how to have fun!” exclaimed some folks in a campground in Oregon.

“Man, I wish I’d done that 20 years ago…awesome!”  Heard from countless people 20 years our senior.

“Awesome, simply awesome!”  Heard again and again from fellow campers/travelers.

“Looks like Ricky and Lucy have arrived!” exclaimed the neighbor of a friend we were visiting in Burlington, Vermont.

“Wow…you are brave!”  While we don’t really understand this one, we’ve heard it hundreds of times from people all over the nation.

 

I guess we must be doing something right.