RV life
- laurenlcoon
- Sep 7, 2017
- 7 min read
For the past couple of years we have talked about converting a Sprinter van into a home and driving around the country. Or should I say, Brandon has talked about it and I have always said, "But I like showers!"
I decided if this was something he was really considering, why not rent an RV first (vans are hard to find) so we can see if we even enjoy this mobile life.
I did a bit of research and there are plenty of sketchy looking camper and RV sites that are very expensive or cheap but include nothing so the add ons will kill you. I found Happy Trails Campers and the reviews seemed good, the pricing fair and it was far enough North of us that it wouldn't add too many miles to our total trip. I loved the name Happy Trails since Liam does therapy with Happy Tails and this rental company also allowed dogs.
The RV we decided to go with was a 23 foot Winnebago Fuse. We thought this was small enough to give us a real feel for what a van would be like but also would sleep us both comfortably. The layout is pictured below:
We planned to rent the RV over Labor Day weekend for 3 nights but the company reached out to us on Thursday saying we could pick up the RV on Thursday for no additional charge as they had so many appointments for Friday. We happily agreed so that we would have the opportunity to pack the RV at our home and hit the road after work on Friday.
This gave Brandon an opportunity to drive it, get a feel for it and for me to see the RV and decide what things we'd need. Below are list of things I brought and was glad that I did:
My own sheets (higher thread count than the ones provided)
2 of our pillows from home (I am picky with pillows :))
2 hand towels
4 full size towels
Clorox Wipes & dish towel
Extra paper towel roll and toilet paper roll
Scented candle and room spray
French Press & coffee grinder
Citronella candle and bug spray
Extra garbage bags
Dog blanket for Liam
Makeup remover wipes
Dry Shampoo
We parked the RV in our driveway and made a few trips back and forth gathering up random necessities and stocking the fridge with food we'd gotten earlier.
The next day, we got off of work, quickly showered and changed and grabbed our packed bags to hit the road. Brandon was nervous driving it at first but once he had been on the interstate for a bit, he felt much more comfortable being on the side roads.
Liam was very confused and did not understand his house being on wheels so he needed to be constantly held and snuggled with to feel at ease and I was not complaining.
We hadn't really come up with much of a plan or itinerary but had some general ideas in mind so we set out for Pisgah National Forrest in North Carolina. About half way there, Brandon realized he had not packed his HIKING SHOES! This made us reroute a bit so that we could hit up an REI the following morning.
We decided to stay on the South side of Pisgah and since we got in so late, most of the first come, first serve camp grounds were full. The one we did find that was available, required cash or a booking online. We had neither cell service or cash so we decided to find a spot off the beaten path and set up camp for the night. Below are pics of where we ended up staying. A bit creepy but also neat that we could sleep anywhere.
The next morning, we woke up around 8am fairly exhausted from going to sleep around 1 or 2am. We made breakfast and french press coffee and enjoyed a slow morning. We then changed and headed into Asheville to hit up REI for those shoes Brandon needed.
We headed inside but this little guy made sure to keep a lookout. I couldn't leave him for more than 5 minutes as I am terrified of someone stealing him, so I left Brandon to shop and hung out in the RV with Liam. The cool part of the RV is you can block out the windows with the curtains and they have perfect fit sun shades so the RV stays cool and no one can tell if you're inside or not.
After Brandon found some new hiking shoes, the exact same kind he has in 2 other colors, haha... we hit the road for the North side of Pisgah National Forrest. We had decided on Black Mountain Campgrounds and decided to stay in one of the free first come lots. It was a beautiful spot but unfortunately had not been well taken care of. Sadly we clean up a lot of camp sites we stay at but this one was the worst by far. We filled up an entire trash bag of rotted garbage, rusted cans, coat hangers and cigarette butts. We combed over the area really well so Liam's paws or nose didn't find anything we missed. Being far out does not bode well for emergency vet visits!
We set up camp, Brandon chopped some firewood, Liam ate some sticks and I cooked us some tacos for dinner. It was great to get a little more set up, build a fire, explore the creek nearby and toast some s'mores before heading to bed.
The next morning, we cooked another full spread for breakfast and then set off for Mount Mitchell. We filled our water tank at Black Mountain Camp Grounds and chatted with the grounds keepers, dumped our bag of trash and headed for the trail head. Sadly, the RV would not fit at where we had originally planned to park so we had to go further up resulting in only a 1.5 mile hike, 3 miles round trip. We ideally like a good 6 or so miles but the hike was beautiful.
We saw SO many butterflies, beautiful moss, trees and plants. By the time we got through the forrest and to the top, Liam had his paws covered in mud and it went from windy and chilly to sunny and warm! We stopped off at the little shop at the end to buy some strawberry and bourbon jam, a balsam stuffed billow, natural dog soap and a postcard for my Mom! I always try and send her one from our travels!
After we made it back down to the RV, we ate a quick snack and decided to head to Tennessee and check out a camping spot in Tellico Plains that Brandon had been wanting to check out.
I loved the mobility of the RV and the spontaneity we could have. I love to plan things normally but this was a trip I was excited about not having a set itinerary for. So off to Cherokee National Forrest we went!
As soon as we arrived at where we planned to camp, we found the last spot available! It was right off a creek and although the proximity was much closer to other people, our neighbors were so nice and even brought us firewood! The only thing I would have done differently is stay here longer!!
Once we set up shop, I popped some rosé to celebrate a great trip with my man!
Liam and Brandon took a dip in the creek and then we grilled steaks for dinner. At this point, we were running pretty low on water from cooking, flushing the toilet and washing dishes. So we could only have a quick shower before bed. We ended our night with some s'mores, red wine and the park ranger asking us to turn down our music! ;)
The next morning we made eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, polenta and french press coffee before taking another dip in the creek! Once around noon hit, we decided to pack up and head back towards Atlanta so we could drop our RV off in Canton before the lot closed for the day. It was so bittersweet to end our trip, I was ready for a hot shower but was sad to leave RV life behind us for now!
We had about a 2-3 hour drive back to the drop off site and made sure fuel up and clean before returning it. We had saved our grocery bags and used them to pack up leftover food, wet clothes and garbage. We did a quick sweep and wipe down before heading back to Happy Trails.
They helped us pull up the Jeep and let us unload, take a walk around to check for no damage and we were on our way... next stop... a hot shower!
All in all, RV life is amazing! We will rent again and think we plan to try out a camper next. It is more affordable and you can drive your car/tuck to a trail head easier than with an RV. Below are some things I'd recommend or do differently next time.
Bring cash or book your campgrounds ahead of time, especially if you're traveling on a busy weekend like Labor Day
Bring an AUX cord for playing music in the cabin, the living area has bluetooth but radio stations are spotty
Don't forget hiking shoes ;)
Make sure the van is level when you cook, you can use the level in your compass app on your phone- pots and pans slide all over if you're even 1 or 2 degrees off
Bringing a handheld vacuum would have been ideal for all of the dirt that gets drug in by shoes and paws
Over plan for water... we felt dehydrated a majority of the time
I used the dog's blanket when I got cold so I will be bringing one next time for sure
Things people have asked:
The RV took diesel fuel and was about 20 or so mpg so not much worse than our Jeep
You do not need a special license to drive an RV
The bathroom is resembling of an airplane bathroom so room spray is a must ;)
If you can stay at an RV camp site where electricity and water is provided, hot showers are much more accessible!
Most places have a mileage limit and fee for going over, so planning out the miles is important, we had 600 miles to use
Mention you heard about Happy Trails from Brandon & Lauren Coon and get 5% off your rental! You'll then be a part of their Happy Camper Club and eligible for 10-15% off all future RV, Camper and beach condo rentals!
Here is a snapshot of our driving:
What food should I bring?
Below is a summary of the groceries we bought, we had plenty of storage:
2 dozen eggs
Package of bacon
Hashbrowns
Polenta
Trader Joe's Cowboy Caviar for scramble
Granola
1 onion
3 avocados
2 apples and a jar of peanut butter
1 loaf of bread (GF. sorry Brandon)
1 package of sliced cheese
1 package of turkey
Taco Shells
Corn tortillas
Ground Beef
Shredded Cheese
Shredded lettuce
Greek yogurt
Burger patties
Burger buns
Steak
Green Beans
Broccoli
2 bottles of wine
1 bottle of Rosé
Hot chocolate
Graham Crackers
Marshmallows
Chocolate bars
Salt & Pepper
Coffee Beans
2 cold brews
Comments