I want to embrace this lifestyle!

[Aigean]

All new to me :
My husband and I planned to do this together but God had other plans !
I lost my husband within two months , sold house and moved into my camper full time ! I pulled it from Wilmington,NC to Springfield,Mo for my first trip ! I wanted to kiss the ground ! My daughter lives here but I want to travel but would like to find a group to travel with ! I’m really interested in heading towards southwest , northwest and west coast! I really would love to build my knowledge and boost my confidence! I thinking of converting my truck bed into a camper for long trips while leaving 33 footer parked until I feel I can manage it ! Any advice or tips is much appreciated! Blessings!

[LynnD]

Hi Algean! We are members of Escapees, they have special interest clubs you might find interesting, I believe they call them "Birds of a Feather". Becoming involved with one of their local clubs may be of interest to you. Also known as SKP, they are all about full timing but also have part-timers like us! There are a number of great forums on this board as well, take a gander at them!

Welcome to IRV2! It’s good to have you here, I look forward to reading about your adventures. Sit back, relax and please, above all……stay safe out there!

[MSHappyCampers]

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We’re sure glad you joined the gang here!

So sorry for your loss!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

[Solo_RV_Guy]

Originally Posted by Aigean

All new to me :
My husband and I planned to do this together but God had other plans !
I lost my husband within two months , sold house and moved into my camper full time ! I pulled it from Wilmington,NC to Springfield,Mo for my first trip ! I wanted to kiss the ground ! My daughter lives here but I want to travel but would like to find a group to travel with ! I’m really interested in heading towards southwest , northwest and west coast! I really would love to build my knowledge and boost my confidence! I thinking of converting my truck bed into a camper for long trips while leaving 33 footer parked until I feel I can manage it ! Any advice or tips is much appreciated! Blessings!

Welcome to the iRV2 forums.

What aspect(s) of your RV are unmanageable to you?

[Old-Biscuit]

WELCOME!!!

Sorry for your Loss.

You seem resilient, capable and adventurous.
Good for you!

Post info about your Truck and your Trailer (Year.Brand.Model)
That will help so responses are more specific

[vtwinwilly]

Aigean

Welcome to the forum. Lots of people here willing to help.

Not trying to be the “Negative Nancy”, just want to be sure you’re jumping in with both eyes wide open.

There is another thread going called “What broke while on your last RV trip?”

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f64/what-broke-while-on-your-last-rv-trip-555737.html

This - in my opinion - will be the biggest obstacle. RVs have lots of parts, and it seems something is always breaking. Your ability to handle those mishaps will go a long way in determining how much you enjoy the lifestyle.

Some people are very handy, and carry an assortment of tools and spare parts. Others feel a cell phone and a credit card is all they need!

One thing’s for sure . . . You won’t know until you give it a shot!

[Souljourner]

As a fellow woman traveler who often travels solo, I’ll share some words of encouragement -

I bought my first camper 2 years ago. The only thing I had was an adventurous spirit, a desire to learn, and a desire to be independent. I had never towed anything before and was intimidated by my camper and all its systems.

The first thing I did was to learn how to tow it safely and how to back up. I spent hours in a parking lot, then driving on local less traveled roads. I cried my share of tears, and drove with a death grip on my steering wheel. I was literally crying and just about hyper-ventilating the first time I pulled out of my driveway alone. But I did it! I listened to soothing music, took it slow, and kept reassuring myself I would be OK. And I was.

The second thing I did was ask lots of questions and do lots of reading. IRV2 was an invaluable resource, and I still read the posts almost every day to make sure I know what I don’t know I need to know. (Thanks Guys!) I wanted to understand how everything worked, how to do routine things well (like emptying those tanks!) and most importantly, I wanted to understand those important safety things that the salespeople don’t tell you - things like proper weight distribution, payload, batteries and tire pressure.

Two years later, I can drive without white knuckles, back into a site without embarrassing myself, dump my tanks without holding up the line or making a mess. I know that my weight is appropriate for my setup, how to use a CAT scale, and that my tires are properly inflated. I have solar on my roof and lithium batteries and understand my power usage and that my system is appropriate for my needs. I know how to winterize and dewinterize my camper, clean my hot water tank, and use and maintain all of my systems.

But the best thing is - I have spent over 200 nights on the road over the past two years in my ADORABLE camper that is my peaceful respite from a busy world. And I did it all on my own!

I have accomplished many things in my life of which I am proud. But the accomplishment I am most proud of is mastering my RV. And the reason? It was so far out of my comfort zone and I had to learn many things that were not intuitive to me. But my desire and passion were there and I stuck with it until all these things now unfold with ease.

There’s nothing better than tackling something you want to do, doing whatever it takes to do it, and then enjoying the satisfaction of mastering your perceived limitations and fears.

If the RV lifestyle is something that appeals to you - then do it! My philosophy is life is short, as sadly you know too well, and I want to grab the life I have and use it fully. I want my tombstone to say, “She was all used up.”

One more comment - if the only reason you’re thinking of getting a truck camper, instead of the TT that you have, is intimidation, master that which intimates you rather than trading comfort for size. You can learn to be more comfortable (I did!) but you can’t get back those precious extra feet of living space.

Wishing you all the best and many happy adventures.

[TandW]

Welcome aboard!

[Aigean]

Originally Posted by Aigean

All new to me :
My husband and I planned to do this together but God had other plans !
I lost my husband within two months , sold house and moved into my camper full time ! I pulled it from Wilmington,NC to Springfield,Mo for my first trip ! I wanted to kiss the ground ! My daughter lives here but I want to travel but would like to find a group to travel with ! I’m really interested in heading towards southwest , northwest and west coast! I really would love to build my knowledge and boost my confidence! I thinking of converting my truck bed into a camper for long trips while leaving 33 footer parked until I feel I can manage it ! Any advice or tips is much appreciated! Blessings!

I have a 33 ft 2019 Coachmen Catalina travel trailer that I pull with a 2018 Chevy Silverado!

[Aigean]

Originally Posted by LynnD

Hi Algean! We are members of Escapees, they have special interest clubs you might find interesting, I believe they call them "Birds of a Feather". Becoming involved with one of their local clubs may be of interest to you. Also known as SKP, they are all about full timing but also have part-timers like us! There are a number of great forums on this board as well, take a gander at them!

Welcome to IRV2! It’s good to have you here, I look forward to reading about your adventures. Sit back, relax and please, above all……stay safe out there!

I’m not sure if I am replying where I’m supposed to but someone can set me straight if I’m not !
Thank you ,LynnD

[Aigean]

Oops I think this is where I was supposed to reply ! Lol ! I’ve got lots to learn!
Thank you so much LynnD

[Aigean]

Thank you happy campers!

[Aigean]

Well I got stuck in a rest stop for 6 hours because I didn’t know how to back up ! I know I have to do it ! Also it’s the hooking up that’s intimidating!

[Aigean]

Souljourner thanks so much for sharing ! You described my first trip perfectly! White knuckling ect…
Yes I think you are right that the truck thing is because of my intimidation! Also the spot I have is only 400 bucks a month including all utilities! I don’t have a home base so I was going to use this place as one ! I’m still figuring everything out !