Hello Steemians!
How about waking up in your comfortable bed on a top of a mountain or on a shore of a beautiful ocean? How about having a cup of your favorite coffee in your own mug on the crisp morning in the middle of nowhere with breathtaking view? How about taking your home with you wherever your adventures may take you?
If that all sounds awesome, then get comfy and prepare to take some notes - I'll tell you how you absolutely can achieve all that.
For starters, I must confess as adventurous as I am I still love comfort. I prefer my mattress and my sheets over a hotel bed. I love to be able cook a simple meal and have my cup of coffee on my cozy couch...
Yet, I am a gypsy at heart - I looooooooove waking up to ever changing scenery, navigating in new places, meeting new people and making new friends. So if you are a rough tent-type of adventurer, all power to you, but I may not be a good fit for you. I am sorry. You are still welcomed here, of course!
If there is such thing as reincarnation, then perhaps in my past life I were a cat: independent yet very relaxed and a bit lazy.
So if you can identify with me then instead of looking for adventure while carrying a tent you may be better off converting a van, getting a travel trailer or obtaining a class A, B or C motorhome! Equip it with solar, a container big enough to carry a few gallons of water, preferably a toilet and you are ready. Don't forget your bed!! Remember to bring along your bike or a paddle board. Or BOTH!
If you are going solo and on a modest budget, you may want to check out a van setup. Convenience of vandwelling is in ability to be super mobile and stealth if and when needed. That means you can simply pull onto some parking lot or a quiet neighborhood street for a short nap or staying overnight. Make sure to check parking regulations though. Places that are open at night seem to be the best for that. Otherwise you may get asked to leave. Which mostly is not a big deal as long as you aren't trespassing. Private property is respected here! And protected.
Next up is a travel trailer. You will need to get a vehicle to hitch and pull the trailer. In short, when you choose either you need to focus on weight: how much your trailer will weight loaded - all the stuff that goes in plus water storage - and how much weight your tow vehicle can pull. Generally people choose pickup trucks to pull their trailers, though some small teardrop ones can be pulled with a regular car. It all depends on how much space you are comfortable with and the maneuverability you want. I love trailers because of functionality and better mobility. Yet maneuverability can be a b.... Practice backing up!
Travel trailers are also a better solution for families with kids. In RVing every inch of living space comes with great value. More people = more stuff.
Another up is a family of motorhomes: A, B, and C.
Class A - a full-size bus with bed (or beds), good size kitchen, bathroom with shower or even a tub.
Class B is basically a large sprinter van with bathroom, kitchenette, and sleeping quarters.
Class C is normally a box with sleeping (or storage) above the cabin. Just like this one:
Depending on your needs you have plenty to choose from. We personally have chosen a larger setup. Class A fit our needs for privacy and mobility. Our motorhome is short enough to be fairly maneuverable yet it is comfortable enough for 2 people and 2 dogs.
Let me know if I can help you with more information and ideas!
Thank you for visiting! Safe travels!
Until next time.
Mwah!
We just bought our travel trailer about 6 months ago, and we couldn’t be happier. We call it our “lake house” because that’s all we currently use it for. But we really enjoy it so much!! I am with u on having your own sheets and bed, I completely agree. 👍 Tent camping is definitely not for me. 😂
Hooray and congrats!! Travel trailer was our first choice and we had great fun with it. Took it to west coast down the Hwy 1 and then went east coast.... Incredible memories! Life truly is about experiences and relationships. Memories and people - those keep our souls lifted and hears warm.
Great post. I am working on a plan to do lots of road tripping in the future. I'm leaning towards a trailer since I have a truck and my parents had an RV for a bit but said it's a pian to maintain an entire vehicle compared to a trailer. I'm going to start looking for something used and affordable for me. I also am curious if trailers have a good resale value since you aren't putting miles on an engine. It's really just how nice the trailer is.
Congrats on your plans! Moving into an RV (or travel trailer) is a huge step.
As far as retaining value travel trailers definitely are depreciating much slower than motorhomes. But regardless of which you choose to buy my advice would be to avoid buying brand new. Any new RV automatically loses 25% of its value the moment you drive it off the lot. At least here in the States. Try to buy gently used. Ask if anyone lived in it full-time, had pets in it, or smoked (that you can do by both asking and observing the seller). All of the above aspects will affect your enjoying your new home on wheels one way or the other. Don't worry about the looks of the interior too much: I've seen people do a marvelous job painting walls, reupholstering seats, and sometimes ripping off the carpets and replacing them with hardwood flooring. If you are handy you can buy your first home cheap and then turn it into a real gem. Granted resources are also available.
I agree with your parents saying that it is easier to take care of a travel trailer. You can also use your tow vehicle to go around explore after you check into a park. But when it comes to things break, it happens to both motorhome or a trailer equally - imagine your home going through a series of earthquakes (that's what it looks like every time you move around). Of course things will get loose, you will be spending some time fixing things around. That is true to both tt or a motorhome.
In the end think about your lifestyle and your level of necessary comfort. Motorhome fits ours: we have a bunch of remote controlled airplanes, 2 scooters, 2 bicycles, a paddleboard and a raft. All those toys we tow with our house on wheels. It is just seems to work out better for us. I would suggest for you to think of you needs for recreation. If you don't need much, maybe you can even try out to convert a van (I've seen really interesting ideas on the web) and go explore while young. You can always upgrade later. :)
Good luck!!
Thanks for the great reply. I'll be researching for a year or so. I have some time. I will have lots of recreation equipment. At least a mountain bike. I've been watching lots of great videos on trailers and remodeling them. Very cool stuff out there to get ideas from.