Nothing’s Ever Simple in RV Life

Today we’re leaving our campsite to head to the next destination — mostly interstate, about 3.5 hours according to Google.

Simple, right?

If we were leaving a house, hotel, or Airbnb, maybe. But not for us. Not today. Turns out we’re tucked into a tiny campground in a valley near Boone, North Carolina — ski town, tight roads, mountain passes, and my biggest fear: tiny campground navigation.

Here’s the size camper we should have brought into the campground. Comfortably in a Flintlock Campsite:

And…then there’s our camper trying to make it fit:

Pro tip: If people stop what they’re doing and their jaws drop as you drive by, you’re probably in the wrong campground. 😅

This campground was not built for 43-foot RVs. We somehow got in… but today we have to get out.

On top of the stress of leaving, here’s been our reality the last few days:

• We couldn’t extend both the side deck and front door. We chose the deck. Big mistake. The steps are now a permanent part of our living room.

• The campsite’s been under 4–6 inches of water most of our stay, and I’ve been walking back and forth to the creek 70 feet away checking to see if it’s rising (the campground flooded last year).

• For some reason, our 30-amp site is only pulling 15 amps — while temps dip into the 30s.

This is your living room when you use a side deck but realize you can’t get your main steps out 🤦🏻‍♂️

So yeah… not exactly “simple.” But it did remind us of a few lessons we’ve learned (and clearly forgot) about keeping RV life a little less complicated.

3 Ways to Make RV Life Simpler (Even When It Isn't)

1 - The bigger the RV, the plainer (and pricier) the campsite.

Of course this isn’t 100% true. There are times a massive rig can boondock or comfortably park in a state or national park with an epic view. However, the chances that will happen go down with each foot that’s added to an RV. Our issue is we’ve parked in some of these epic places with smaller RVs so our bodies and our brains haven’t quite aligned on what we can or can’t do in an RV the length of a small house. If simplicity and low-stress are your goals, remember: bigger usually means harder to find affordable or scenic campsites.

This seems like common sense, but time and time again, we push it.

The campground tells us the site is only 40ft and we tell them “we’ll be fine”.

Roads look a little tight but we can do it.

Comments state trees are hanging over and the RV will get scratched, but “not our rig”.

2 - Travel Pace determines Travel Stress

Choose a rule and pace that works for you.

Some prefer the 2-2-2 Rule: No more than 200 miles, Arrive before 2pm, stay at least 2 nights. Some the 3-3-3. Some 2-3-2. The 9-1-1 🤷🏻‍♂️.

The rule itself doesn’t matter — the boundaries do.

If you hate arriving after dark, make a rule.

If you drive better in the mornings, make a rule.

If you’d rather avoid traffic altogether, make a rule.

RV rules aren’t restrictions — they’re permission slips for a calmer day.

3 - Leave cushion. 80% is full

I usually say this about storage, but it applies to everything on the road.

Leave 20%+ buffer on everything

• Add 20% to whatever Google Maps tells you.

• Add 20% to your travel costs.

• Add 20% to your departure time.

• Add 20% to how tired you think you’ll be.

Driving an RV Isn't Like Driving a Car.

In a car, you’ve got maybe 6 things competing for your attention.

In an RV? Try sixteen.

What was that noise?

Is my TPMS still reading?

Google just changed the route—should I trust it?

How low are those wires?

And of course… why is the person next to me on the interstate holding their phone, brushing their teeth, and painting their nails at the same time?😳

What Matters

We’ve learned the simple life doesn’t mean an easy life.

It means choosing what matters, even when it’s messy, muddy, or just plain inconvenient.

Because every mile, every mistake, every miscalculation is part of the journey that’s shaping us into who we’re becoming.

So here’s to all of us learning how to let go of perfect — and get going on the our adventure.

Until next time, see you down the road!

- Nathan

What We Wish We Knew After Hitting the Road

The first step to RV life isn’t buying the RV someday. It’s learning to live small where you are today.

That was our motto from the summer of 2014 to the summer of 2015. Sparked by the birth of our daughter Hensley (and a few too many YouTube videos), we were dead-set on selling our house and hitting the road.

We thought once we hit the highway, it would be smooth sailing. Boy, were we wrong.

Last week, I shared what we wish we’d known before the launch in our RV:

1. Live in your home like you’re already in an RV

2. Tour multiple RVs (or go to a show)

3. Rent before you buy

4. Don’t go all-in on your first RV purchase

5. If your house isn’t your “forever home,” sell it

6. Keep a home base

7. Take a shakedown trip

This week, I’m digging into what we wish we’d known after the launch in our RV — when “It’s all part of the journey” became a little too real.

1. Stay Put for 2-4 Weeks

Decision fatigue is one of the biggest reasons people burn out in RV life. We just didn’t realize how many decisions there were.

• Where do we refill propane?

• Why have the last three stores not carried our usual bread?

• The RV broke — how do I even get a part shipped to here?

• Why does the slide make that noise every time it goes out?

Everyday life has a hundred decisions. RV life has a thousand — especially if you’re moving every 3–5 days like we were. If we could start over, we’d stay in one familiar spot for a few weeks, fix the quirks, and get our systems down before chasing the horizon.

2. Don’t Buy Everything at Once

We felt pressure to own every RV gadget and membership on day one. To this day, we still don’t have a sewer hose support — and we’ve survived just fine.

Look at this thing? Have you ever seen one at a campground looking this way in the wild? 99% of them are dragging on the ground by day two.

If you don’t have all the “must-haves,” you’ll be okay. You can always buy it later… if you can figure out the delivery thing. 😉

3. Go to a Rally (Even If Crowds Scare You)

We skipped rallies our first year — too tired, too overwhelmed. But when we finally showed up to one, everything changed.

Connection was the missing piece. We met people struggling like we were, and it reignited our fire to keep going. Even one rally a year can be enough.

Just find your one person — if you leave with one new friend, it’s a win.

4. You Don’t Need to Know Everything - Just How to Google It

Around a campfire one night, friends compared their “must-have” repair tools. Drills, jacks… then Sean held up his phone and said, “All I need is this.”

Sean wins.

There’s almost no RV problem that can’t be solved with a phone — videos, forums, mobile techs, even satellite texts in the middle of nowhere.

It’s not always cheap (and it makes me feel like less of a man), but it’s reassuring to know help is one call away.

15 minutes into our first trip in our first RV 🫣

5. Don’t Do it to Save Money

Can RV life save money? Maybe. But not the way most YouTube thumbnails promise. If you move more than once a month, you’ll likely spend more than you did in a house.

Do it for the memories, not the math.

6. Arrive Before Dark

If your mom ever said, “Nothing good happens after dark,” she was also talking about RVing. Driving, arriving, and setting up at night multiplies stress (and repair bills).

Daylight is your friend — use it.

7. You Have Wheels - Use Them

One of the biggest perks of RV life is freedom.

• If the campground’s loud, move.

• If the neighbor’s dog won’t stop barking, roll out.

• If the weather turns ugly, chase the sun.

Every time you remember that you can move, confidence grows.

The Real Lesson

RV life isn’t about perfection — it’s about persistence. Every breakdown, wrong turn, and awkward setup becomes part of the story that builds your confidence.

You’ll never have it all figured out. But that’s the beauty of it.

Get to 95%, and leap. Your dreams are worth the risk.

Until next time, see you down the road!

Nathan

This RV Trip Nearly Broke Us

We’ve had our fair share of adventures over the years, but our three weeks in Portugal might’ve been the most beautiful—and the most challenging—yet. The trip began far out in the Atlantic on the Azores Islands, hopping between Terceira, Flores, Corvo, and São Miguel. We rented a castle with friends, explored volcanoes, and soaked up island life before heading to the mainland for a whirlwind of Lisbon, Sintra’s fairytale palaces, and the charm of Porto. Then came the part we were craving most—getting back behind the wheel. We picked up a camper van, pointed it toward the coast, and hit the road ready for adventure… but Portugal had some lessons waiting for us.

Van life overseas brought plenty of humbling moments—fueling confusion (gasolina vs. gasóleo!), nights in crowded campgrounds or grocery store parking lots, rock-hard beds, and a whole lot of decision fatigue. But it also brought pure magic: camping on seaside cliffs, cruising into the Benagil sea cave, and even renewing our vows on the beach—13 years of marriage, miles, and memories later. It wasn’t the easiest trip, but it was one of the most meaningful. Because the truth is, the hardest journeys often end up being the ones you remember most.