We’re on the road living the RV life, slowly moving to the west. Now that we are mobile, we’ll be sharing more content with you. Check out our You Tube channel, Ruff Road RV Life, to see the places we visit and RV life lessons learned. We will be posting at least once a week, unless we are in a no service/ limited service area. It happens even with Verizon.
How has the journey been so far? We have loved every campground to date. We have enjoyed the perfect combination of water and woods. The Ruffs, Terra and Luna, are loving the water and the wooded walks. We are enjoying colorful sunrises and sunsets in addition to our healthy walk- abouts throughout the day.
Is it what we imagined? Yes indeed, and more! We’ll be sharing these experiences as we travel. We’ve settled into a regular routine but we are flexible. For example, we went to lunch one day and learned about a nearby museum. So off we went for longer than expected visiting this museum. We love the varying window views as we move from place to place. We’ve enjoyed the benefit of 50 amp service and sewer hook-ups so bathing and laundry was no problem.
Follow along! Let us know if you have any questions about full time RV life. If you are full-time rving, share your experiences, we’d love to hear. If you have a website or You Tube channel, comment and share so we can learn from you. Below are the links to our You Tube Channel and to our latest posted video. Subscribe so you’ll know when we upload. Ruff Road rolling on…”We like looking at freedom.”
Our “Hit the Road” To Do list is done! Our “so long for nows” are said. Our parking place for the last 19 months is empty. We are mobile full-time RV life, finally!
We began our journey a little over two years ago when we made the decision to become full-time RVers when retired. We went RV shopping in December. We were just looking. We fell in love with Ruff Road and ended up purchasing our motorhome within one month. That was two years ago. I was still working. Gary had recently retired. This made it easy to bump my retirement date up! We’ve never looked back.
Fast forward to today, our dream of traveling across this beautiful country living in our RV full-time has become a reality. We are especially thankful for all of the RV full-timers who have shared their experiences and expertise. Had it not been for learning that this lifestyle is possible, we wouldn’t be here. Our hope is that we can inspire others, in addition to documenting our own journey of full-time RV life. Months ago, we stared out our large front RV windshield and said, “We like looking at freedom.” We are loving full-time RV life.
Follow along! We will share campground reviews, places we visit, and full-time RV life tips. Subscribe so you don’t miss a post. Leave a comment. Ask a question.
I am a list person but this one was overwhelming! Our TO DO list for full-time RV Life really began when we made the decision to travel and live in an RV full- time. That was about two years ago! We have been living in our RV, Ruff Road, for over a year at this time. Our plans were to be in travel mode before now, but circumstances and my Appalachian Trail hike delayed our launch. We did go on a few camping trips to get our travel feet wet and of course, living in Ruff Road everyday allowed us to get to know the ins and outs of RV living.
So my one piece of advice if you decide to become a full-time RV dweller and before you make your own TO DO list for full-time RV life is to be flexible. There were circumstances beyond our control that required us to delay our plans. That’s ok. We have lived happily as stationary full-time RVers. We are looking forward to finally “hitting the road.”
Final load plan- what goes in the car, what goes in the RV, what stays behind (trash/ donate)
Make sure bank cards don’t expire. Replace if needed.
Do taxes!
Scan pictures and copy videos- as many as I can get done, organize remaining picture/ video totes in my daughter’s shed.
How are we doing on our final TO DO list for full-time RV living?
Well, I’m happy to say that most items have been checked completed. We still had a few weeks to go at this point. This list is not a comprehensive list of all we’ve done. However, it includes the things that we needed to purchase and/or to do before we begin our full-time RV travel life. In addition, it includes items that we didn’t even think about initially such as check bank cards.
The Roadmaster Baseplate Kit installed to use with our Roadmaster Falcon All Terrain non-binding tow bar.
We are moving forward with our plan to “hit the road” soon. One important task for motorhome owners is to determine how to tow a vehicle with their RV. That was a biggy on our TO DO list in terms of cost and decision making. We learned about different methods to tow our car. Then, we made our choice and began the process.
What was our reason for a second vehicle?
Ruff Road is a class A motorhome and we wanted a second vehicle for our journey. We have taken trips without a towed vehicle and in some locations that worked out okay, however as full timers we want the flexibility of a smaller vehicle to run errands, get to trailheads, sightsee, and of course to transport our toys.
We have heard of others who found that renting or ubering when they arrive at their destinations is more cost effective since you don’t always need a second vehicle. That is an option to research or consider if you are traveling in a motorhome. We have not tried that and with our two lovely shedding 55 pound dogs, I don’t think it’s even an option. Yes, we have the extra maintenance and the insurance on this towed, however the benefits for us outweigh these factors. So, we dived into how to tow our vehicle with our RV.
What are the different ways you can take a second vehicle with you?
There are four ways to take a second car with you while traveling in a motorhome. We explored each method when deciding how to tow our vehicle with our RV. However, the first method doesn’t involve towing at all.
Your partner can simply drive the second vehicle. I know there are rvers out there doing this. We’ve done it ourselves on some trips. Pros: You have a second vehicle with you. You avoid the expense of adding a trailer, dolly, or tow system. Cons: You don’t have that ride time with your partner- that could be a pro for some, however. You will be paying more for gas/ diesel to cover miles in two vehicles. Your vehicle will experience more wear and tear driving the extra miles which could increase maintenance costs. Entrance to some campgrounds could cost more due to the second vehicle. Many campgrounds consider a motorhome with a towed car as one vehicle. While we haven’t had any experience with campgrounds that charge extra, they are out there and you could end up paying a daily fee to have that extra car. Cost: No extra cost for equipment.
Another option is to trailer your vehicle. You would need to pull a flat trailer behind your motorhome with your car strapped to it. Pros: This one is probably the best to save wear and tear on your second vehicle. You can back up if you find yourself in a tight spot. A trailer can tow any vehicle. This is a quick way to just get rolling- no installation required outside of a hitch. Cons: You will need to find a place to store your trailer at your campsite. There may or may not be room at the site requiring you to park it at a designated overflow lot. We have limited experience with getting a car onto a trailer, however in our experience it is just a little stressful. Although with practice this should become fairly easy and straightforward. You will have the cost of the flatbed trailer plus maintenance and insurance. You also have the extra weight. Of course, you will need to purchase a tag yearly. Cost: $2,700 – $4,200 approximate costs, varies based on weight and size of the vehicle you are trailering
The third option is to tow your vehicle on a dolly, two wheels on the dolly and two wheels on the road. Pros: This tow option will take up less space in your campsite. Dollies are cheaper than flat tow trailers and do not require installation of equipment that flat tow vehicles require. It is a quick and easy way to hit the road. Cons: This, for me, would be another stressful option driving the vehicle onto the dolly correctly and insuring it is strapped down appropriately. Not all vehicles can be towed by a dolly. Check your owners manual to determine if yours can be dolly towed. You will have to ensure that your vehicle’s running lights, brake lights, and turn signals are connected to the motorhome. Cost: $1,600 – $2,000 approximate
The final option is to flat tow your vehicle behind you. We researched the other options but went with flat towing when deciding how to tow our vehicle with our RV. We really wanted to keep our truck but the only way we could have towed it was on a trailer or to back it onto a dolly- yikes. So we went with our older, but still great, Acura. Pros: You will not have to store extra equipment at your campsite. The tow bar folds out of the way and you are done. It’s easier (read less stressful for me) to hook up to a tow bar than the dolly/ trailer option. Cons: You can’t back up. Not all vehicles can be flat towed- check your owners manual. This method requires installation of a baseplate to connect the tow bars. It also requires the purchase of a braking system mandated by many states. Additionally, you will need to ensure that your lighting system is connected either through your vehicle or through magnetic attached lights. Cost: $2,363 for our system- Roadmaster Falcon All Terrain non-binding tow bar, Roadmaster baseplate kit, and Blue Ox Patriot II Braking System- purchased from etrailer.com. http://etrailer.com We had to add a six inch hitch adapter which added another $115. We did not pay for installation since we did it ourselves. Installation cost can be $1,200.
Moving on, we are flat tow ready!
Deciding how we would tow our vehicle with our RV was the first step. Then we purchased the equipment and made a date to install it. We “did it ourselves” or rather Gary and our son-in-law did it themselves. They installed the baseplate on our Acura MDX so we can connect it to our Falcon All Terrain non-binding tow bar. The install took about four hours and since they did the job we saved approximately $1,200.
I’ll admit that it was scary as Gary sent me pictures throughout the morning of our car in parts. However, it all hooked up fine except there were more than three inches from the center of the RV hitch receiver to the center of the base pin on the baseplate. This meant we had to purchase a high- low hitch adapter to ensure we were towing safely and to not void our warranty. Our next step is to tow our car to the dump station next week.
How do you tow your vehicle with your RV? Share any lessons learned or tips in the comment section. We’d love to learn from others. Our decision is based on our situation and of course, your decision on how to tow your vehicle with your RV will be based on your specific situation and your needs.
This brings us one step closer to finally “hitting the road”. If you want to see that baseplate install, check it out on our You Tube Channel, Ruff Road RV Life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpyvKQkis74&t=18s
Check out our latest video, Fun With Fuses! We are excited that we solved three electrical issues in Ruff Road. We became more knowledgable and saved money by solving these issues ourselves. https://youtu.be/qJrbbYTsexM
Together again! I’m home after 600 Appalachian Trail miles. I have 278 miles to complete the entire trail. It’s been a great journey but I really missed Gary, the pups, family, and my cozy Ruff Road bed. It’s good to be home. If you want to check out my Appalachian Trail Journey, go to Trail Gator Trail Tales on YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDhM9jZwVlQ
Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Together again- What are we doing?
We have a list as we begin our plans to officially hit the road. We have been living in Ruff Road for a year and three months now. Our plan was to be on the road by now but with my hiking, hiking injury delay and other obligations we are still living at home base in Florida. We will be wintering here as we complete final tasks necessary before hitting the road. We will be sharing our prep list in the next post since it will include things we’ve done to date to prepare and our final TO DOs.
Our major TO DO for this week was to purge and reorganize inside cabinets and outside storage bays. My post from April stated: “They say if you haven’t used it in a year, it has to go. I think in a small space like an RV you need to assess the clutter more frequently.” This is definitely true since we have had more than one purge and organize in a year’s time. This time was more thorough for cabinets in the front of the coach. since kitchen and bedroom areas have been thoroughly reworked in recent months.
How much did we purge?
We threw away five bags of trash- mostly from the inside of the RV which included outdated and unnecessary paperwork. I know that’s a lot! I couldn’t believe it myself but when we moved in it was quick so some notebooks or folders were stored without a close review of contents. For example, our notebook containing product manuals contained a few manuals of items we no longer owned. Our outside purge yielded one large trash bag full of items not suitable for donation. In addition, we filled one tote of items for donation. This included those items that we thought we needed but never used.
Our Biggest Accomplishment
The biggest accomplishment from our reorganizing this time was better utilization of space. For example, when we moved in we planned to group like items together. When that space was filled, we plugged in excess items as logical as we could but still had like items in two places. Also, we have learned over the course of a year, which items we used most frequently and moved them to the easiest accessible bay. We started out with what we “thought” would be important in grouping items and what to keep. However, as we put that into practice we learned that changes were necessary based on day to day reality. We realize that as time goes by, we will revisit our newly reorganized areas and go through the process again…and again…and again. That’s ok. That’s RV living.
Our cooler stores all of our kayak equipment. Vacuum items are now easier to access.
Purging is like losing weight. It can be hard to do. It is easy to creep back on you. However, when you lose it or purge it, you do feel better.
Upcoming Posts:
TO DOs for Hitting the Road
What did Gary do while I was away for months hiking the Appalachian Trail and hanging out in Colorado?
Yes, we have uploaded our first “official” You Tube video. This one is short and just introduces us. You will see where we were living and our RV, Ruff Road. Check it out!
The two Ruff Road dogs, Terra and Luna. “We like looking at freedom!”
Month eight of RVliving has brought out the creativity, especially in Gary. What about me? Well as our RV becomes overrun with backpacking gear and Appalachian Trail prep, I couldn’t take it anymore. Things that have not been used just had to go and our RV, Ruff Road, was in need of some better organizing.
RV Living Yields Creativity- Gary the songwriter!
As you may know, Gary is a musician and a very talented one at that. He plays the guitar, bass guitar, and piano. No we don’t have a piano in Ruff Road but we do have multiple guitars. Comment below if you need or if you have guitar storage ideas!
Creativity! This month he has been busy writing lyrics and music to songs. We needed a theme song for our very young YOU TUBE channel. He has now cranked out three songs and the instrumentals will be used for background music on our channel. No music copywright issues here!
Having the freedom to be creative through music, writing, singing, and photography has been a bonus of retirement. We are loving having the time to use our right brains to create.
RV Living Can Lead to Clutter! Clutter Control-Purging and Organizing
This month’s challenges were an overstuffed clothes closet, clutter due excess gear clutter on top of the regular clutter and an ineffective dirty clothes receptacle. They say if you haven’t used it in a year, it has to go. I think in a small space like an RV you need to assess the clutter more frequently.
Decluttering Clothes Closets
Gary had already gone through his closet and made a donation pile. He was ahead of me. I faced my clothes closet- it contained the remnants of my walk in closet from my big house life. It seemed I was always cramming, and I do mean cramming, my clothes in any nook or cranny I could fit them in because my cute little organizational square clothes totes and other containers were overfilled. In addition, unstuffed items would fall out when I opened the door. Now I probably wouldn’t have jumped right into this project just yet but in addition to this I now have backpacking gear taking up space. This caused me to re-evaluate the other items, especially items that seemed ineffective, unnecessary or unused.
I took everything out of my closet. Next, I went through each clothes container and pulled out items I haven’t worn or wasn’t planning on wearing. I did accumulate a small pile to donate along with some of the baskets and an old drawer I was using for storage containers. They were not the best use of space. So not only were there too many clothes stuffed in my closet but I did not utilize the space effectively. In the small space of an RV, optimizing space is a must!
Closet organized. Seldom used items are easy to find.
Organizing Tip: Make a diagram of your closet. This will help to quickly see where infrequently used items are stored.
Making More Floor Space
Next, I looked around my bedroom and the items taking up floor space. I had tried a tall Thirty-One double hamper for awhile. It came from the big house but was too big so I gifted it to my daughter. I then tried a smaller Thirty-One tote I had on hand as a hamper. It wasn’t working out either because of the location being hard to reach. I discovered that it was a perfect fit for my closet. This tote became the holder of my bike shoes and equipment getting them off the floor and out of yet another tote they were housed in. Now I had the most effective storage in my closet to hold all of my clothes except underwear and work out clothes which are stored above the bed. As a result of reorganizing this area, we gained some much needed floor space in our bedroom.
Dirty Laundry Solution
What about our laundry though? We now store our dirty clothes in store recycle bags. Gary has one in his area. I have one hanging up on my purse hook. We have a third one stored in the shower for any nasty laundry. This is a new system so we’ll let you know how it works out. So far so good.
Let us know if you have any laundry solutions. Share on social media and subscribe to follow us on our journey.
Follow Sharon’s Appalachian Trail prep and hike on our Backpacking and Hiking page: http://ruffroadrvlife.com/appalachian-trail-section-hike/
Ruff Road RV Life in month seven has been busy. This month was dedicated to clearing out brush and trees, fixing our fence, and final to dos so our home can be appraised and sold. In addition to all of this busy and physical work, we have both made sure that all doctor and dental visits are up to date, including Terra and Luna’s shots. Finally, Appalachian Trail prep has taken over Ruff Road making it seem just a little smaller.
Our lush woods
Before
After- Nice and Clear
Downsizing to Sell
Our home sits on approximately one acre. We have lots of trees and lots of tree saplings. I love the natural look so our back yard was like a forest with ferns, trees, saplings, cabbage palms, and all sorts of brush but beautiful in their own right. In preparing for a good appraisal and to have our fence repaired, the forest had to be thinned. It was a fun family effort with my daughter and her family. Bonus- Campfire every day! It was like camping in our own backyard. Our downsizing to sell list is now done! Well, except for the most time consuming scanning and copying of pictures and home videos.
Medical, Dental and Veterinary Visits
It looks like February and March are our annual medical, dental, and veterinary appointment months. We wanted to make sure we were all up to date since take off time is quickly approaching. Our goal is to head west in August!
I continue to plan for my upcoming and final section hike of the Appalachian Trail. This will be my longest section hike which really comprises three sections. When I am finished this year, I will have walked every mile of the Appalachian Trail! Read about my progress on our Backpacking and Hiking page.
Stay tuned for more RV living updates. Share this on social media and subscribe to see more updates. Happy hiking, happy camping and happy fishing!
