 RVs come in lots of shapes, sizes, and models. When our kids were young, we had a pop-up trailer we used to whisk them away from the city and enjoy some simple luxuries while camping. After about five years with that, we upgraded to a hybrid, bumper-pull, travel trailer. It had hard sides and fold-out beds, providing a small footprint with enough living and sleeping space for our family of seven. We made a lot of memories in that RV before selling it when the kids reached their teen years and didn’t want to go camping with us anymore. Once our kids became adults and moved out of the house, we sold it and moved into the 2018 Jayco Pinnacle 37MDQS we’ve been living in for the past six years. Here are four key investments we made in this rig. 1. RV driving school  Bob and I both got good at driving and backing up the 24-foot-long, 9-foot-high travel trailer. Would we do as well with a 42-foot-long, 13-foot-high fifth wheel? Just thinking about it gave us anxiety. To give us the best chance at success, we registered for RV Driving School. The organization has instructors across the country in areas popular for RVing. Instructor Jordy met us at the dealer lot the day we picked up our fifth wheel. We wanted him to drive the RV off the lot, but that wasn’t how the training worked. He talked us through exiting with the monstrosity behind our truck. Then he loaded into the truck and went with us to a vacant parking lot. There, he had us take turns doing maneuvers with the trailer in both forward and reverse. After doing that for a while, we went to lunch. Then we took the rig out on the road for some real-life training under Jordy’s guidance. I quickly learned that driving the fifth wheel can be fun. You just have to take wide corners and be mindful of low-hanging branches. We spent six to eight hours with Jordy that day. The next morning, we met Jordy again and took him with us to a mall parking lot. There, he set up cones and took us through a variety of drills to back up the rig. After our time was up, I didn’t feel super confident in my ability to back up the trailer, although I did feel positive about my ability to drive it forward. Thankfully, Bob felt pretty good about backing up. We’re super glad we invested in the training. 2. Buying used  New RVs look shiny and nice — and come with a huge price tag as a result. Buying new usually includes a warranty, which can be a big plus. But is the total cost really worth it? For us, buying used made much more sense for a number of reasons. Since we had planned to do a lot of traveling with our rig, we didn’t want to have to make multiple trips to a dealership to work out the kinks. Instead, we left that to the previous owner. Sure, we’ve had to make a few repairs to our rig, but that comes with the territory, just as it does for homeowners. 3. Separate office space  When we bought our RV, we planned for me to work full time and Bob to quit his government job. For the best results with this arrangement, I wanted to have an office space with a door I could close at the end of the workday for work-life balance. The Jayco midbunk model we bought works perfectly for that. It has a room in the middle of the unit that came with a desk and a door. That’s made it convenient for me to concentrate on work while freeing Bob to research, make phone calls, cook, watch TV, and play video games without us being in each other’s way. 4. Upgraded tires  Manufactured in 2018, our fifth wheel came with four Load Range E tires. With a capacity of 3,750 pounds each (15,000 altogether), the tires weren’t really equipped to handle a rig that can weigh up to 18,000 pounds. We quickly learned this in our second year of travel, when we experienced four flat tires.
The next time we purchased tires for the rig, we upgraded to Load Range G tires, which are equipped to handle 4,400 pounds each (17,600 altogether). They’re a much better fit for our coach, and we haven’t had any problems since upgrading. Modern rigs on the market today typically come with Load Range H tires, which can take 4,800 pounds each (19,200 altogether). As full-time RVers, everything we own is literally riding on our tires, so having them equipped for the load they carry is paramount. You might also like 12 best RV-related purchases.
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 We’ve seen more of the underside of our RV in the past couple of months than in the six years we’ve owned the fifth wheel. Since removing the covering over our RV underbelly, we learned where our slideout motors are positioned, where our wastewater and freshwater tanks are located, and where rust accumulated on the I-beam spanning the length of the coach. That exposure also gave Bob the opportunity to attach a dangling leveling sensor to the frame, add an aftermarket sensor to our kitchen gray wastewater tank, clean away rust, apply rust protectant, and add a fresh coat of paint on the frame for increased protection.  After he completed all that, it was time to reseal the RV underbelly. Here’s what the experience was like. Purchasing a replacement Our rig originally had corrugated plastic underneath. On top of that sat a loose layer of foil bubble-wrap-type material as a radiant barrier to help with insulation. Bob’s research for an underlayment replacement revealed a newer material from RecPro with the foil layer attached to it for simpler installment. We purchased a 25-foot roll that measured 77 inches across and were surprised to find that the material felt more fabriclike than the original plastic. Despite that, it’s still water- and temperature-resistant and considered “extreme duty.” Preparing for installation Bob conducted more research to determine the best way to install the new underbelly. Because the original sat in very narrow grooves that spanned wider than the beams stretching from the front to the rear of the RV, we knew that getting the new material in without cutting it (our goal) would be a challenge. Someone had installed the same type of underlayment solo by using a 2-by-4 on top of jack stands to help hold it up as he forced the material into the grooves. Although we’d be working together on the project, we decided to follow that example. We secured a 2-by-8 (which doubles as a board for under our tires to help us get level at uneven sites), heavy-duty jack stands, a chalk line, a winding tape measure, scissors, self-tapping screws, and washers. Measuring twice, cutting once Once we designated Bob as the leader of this project, the first thing we had to do was unroll the new material. Bob’s brother Tom, a fellow full-time RVer, took on this task, leaving the expanded roll in the sun to help flatten it out. Next, we laid out the old pieces of the underbelly that Bob had cut and removed to help us determine the width and length we’d need. We had to cut off about 5 inches of width the entire length of the new material. That’s where the chalk line came in. We marked our desired width measurement at the two ends and in the middle of the new material, using blue tape that we could write on to see our nicks. Then we measured again and pulled out the chalk line, stretching it the length of the new material and carefully aligning it over our markings. We each snapped it, leaving a nice orange line.  I took the heavy-duty scissors and cut the material. They were the right tool for the job. Marking points of interest Tom ran to the store to secure a yellow marker that would help us see important points on the black material. While he was away, Bob and I positioned the pieces of old corrugated plastic on top of the new material to prepare to mark the areas we’d need to be mindful of for installation, such as the spare tire holder, water pipes, slide motors, and things like that.  Tom returned and helped us make our marks, including yellow dots to indicate existing screw holes. Installing the new material We talked through our plan for installation: pulling the material in from the back to the front. Once we were all on the same page, Bob and I crawled under our rig and lay on our backs on crushed gravel to try to drive the material into place. Remember how I said the grooves were wider than the beams spanning the length of the coach? Yeah, that caused a bit of a problem. We weren’t able to get the material into the slots at the start, so we decided to maneuver it under the hitch at the back of the rig and up over the axles and the board across jack stands. We had to force the corners and sides of the stiff material up toward the trailer for this to work.  I grabbed the axles and support beams above me and scooted on my back toward the front of the rig, pulling the material as best as I could as I went. I felt like an airman from WWII dashing through the tunnel of a B-25 to the navigator/bombardier seat while on a mission. Pulling the material the length of the coach proved cumbersome, but little by little, keeping our communication open, we were able to complete the task. Attaching the underlayment to the rig Getting the material in position the length of the rig was only part of the process. Next came forcing the material into the grooves on either side of the frame and securing it. Tom joined Bob under the trailer toward the front while I moved around to work the material into place. Once we thought we had enough in the grooves and had it pretty straight, we all held the piece up and in place while Bob attempted to attach a screw with a thick washer. The metal frame didn’t want to let the screw in. Finally, the screw made a hole.  We repeated this process. But as Tom tried to help attach another screw, he accidentally kicked the 2-by-8 above his legs, knocking it onto his shin. I crawled out from under the trailer to move the board off and out of the way, finding a rock in my back pocket from my scooting adventure. Tom got a surface wound on his leg but wrote it off as part of the experience. “Every scar is a sign of adventure,” he told me. Back under the trailer, I continued to push the material into the slots, holding it up while the guys secured what they could and cut holes as needed. Once we got to the axles, Tom left Bob and me to complete the project. It took a bit longer than we’d hoped. The hardest part was cutting off excess material so that we had just enough to fit into the end cap at the back of the rig. Bob secured the underbelly, and we celebrated a job well done with a dip in a hot tub to rest our sore muscles and bruised backs, behinds, heads, knees, and elbows. We finished the project just in time to insulate the bottom of our rig from cold weather. You might also like Removing an RV TV antenna.   Our 42-foot fifth wheel, Tagalong, provides everything we need to live: a living room, kitchen, dining table, bedroom, bathroom, office space for me to work, and plenty of storage. Without a truck equipped to tow it, however, it’s immobile, even though it sits on four tires. When our Dodge Ram 3500 dually, Gulliver, started making whistling noises while towing Tagalong up a mountain in Montana, we didn’t like what we heard. We found the incessant, high-pitched sounds annoying and disturbing. Clearly something wasn’t right. We recently picked up Gulliver from Copperhead Diesel Performance in Chandler, Arizona, after 2.5 weeks of his absence. (To be fair, the 2.5 weeks included Thanksgiving weekend, when the shop was closed so that the employees could enjoy time with their families.)  Since the $8,000-plus repairs, Gulliver sounds much different than he did when we took him in — and even than he did when leaving the Phoenix area last year. It seems that’s when our issues with the truck really began, on a climb to Flagstaff, Arizona, at the start of our 2025 travels.
We thought adding a tuner to Gulliver would fix the problem — and it seemed to — but now we’re not so sure. Here’s why. Exhaust leak When the shrill whistling continued to be apparent in the cab of the truck, seemingly located on the passenger side, we figured we were dealing with some sort of leak. As it turns out, Gulliver had a cracked exhaust manifold, a common issue in Dodge Ram trucks. A technician replaced the single-compartment part, which is known to shrink and crack over time, with a dual-compartment piece. This should help prevent the possibility of another leak and reduced engine efficiency. Maybe that’s why Gulliver sounds different. As part of the project, the technician had to remove the exhaust gas recirculator (EGR) cooler, clean it, and install new gaskets. He also had to take off the turbo and put it back on, which meant a coolant change as well. Transmission tune To get to the exhaust manifold required removing the tune we installed on the transmission and draining its fluid. That went off without a hitch. The initial evaluation of the truck this time around revealed a broken transmission control module, so we had that replaced too. But when the technician reapplied our transmission tune after the fix, it broke. It seemed that the manufacturer of the tune sent the wrong code. Could that have been the cause of our original problem? Proactive repairs Regardless of the answer, an assessment of Gulliver’s fluids under the hood found a deficit for the power steering pressure hoses, so we had the shop proactively replace the lines and steering fluid. When you’re towing 18,000 pounds, you need all the steerability you can get. Since the shop already had the truck and had to take off at least one tire to get to the exhaust manifold, we also had the technicians give Gulliver an alignment to correct his pull to the right. We knew it would save us time from having to take him somewhere else to get that done. Back in action Although we’re not convinced the initial tune to our diesel engine was needed, we trust the guys at Copperhead Diesel and the work they perform. Gulliver is better than ever, even if our checking account isn’t. We’re grateful we were able to use a family member’s vehicle while he was in the shop, but we’re more thankful to have him back in excellent working condition. And we’re certain he’s in better shape to tow Tagalong on our 2026 adventures. You might also like Gulliver gets a face-lift.  Since we’ve been living in close quarters for the past six years and fixing issues as they arise, you might think we’re great at doing projects together. Oftentimes, that’s true. But there have been plenty of times to the contrary. Bob and I both like a good project. Since transitioning to full-time RVing, we’ve helped others paint, renovate a bathroom, replace ceramic tiles with laminate flooring, and more — and enjoyed each experience. But when it comes to our own projects, let’s just say they’re not always enjoyable.  Each of us holds expertise in different areas and, for that reason, we each like to lead. Add to that the fact that we both have our Project Management Professional (PMP) certifications, and you have a recipe for potential disaster. After nearly 35 years of marriage, however, we think we finally figured out the key to doing projects together successfully: having a designated project leader. One chief too many When each of us is fighting to lead a project, it produces contention. One of us wants to do things a certain way, and the other wants to do them a different way. Both ways may work just fine and bring about the same results, but not agreeing on the method results in conflicting views, frustration, irritation, and arguments. Connecting the truck to the trailer is one example. Bob sits in the driver’s seat of Gulliver to steer him into place under the fifth-wheel kingpin while I stand on the driver’s side of the rig at the leveling controls to help align the height of the kingpin with the truck hitch.  I think Bob should back up a certain way, and he thinks he should do it a different way. Fortunately, he can’t see or hear me talking to him behind the open door to the leveling controls. I don’t think he’d like what I have to say in that case. Our PMP training taught us that a project leader needs to be a servant leader. Many times when we work on projects together, we forget that mindset. Neither of us tries to serve the other because we’re too busy trying to lead and get our point across. Project leader vs. apprentice It finally dawned on us that we need to identify who’s going to lead a project from the start. The leader doesn’t always have to be the same person for every project, but there needs to be a specified manager and subordinate, or apprentice, much like the relationship and hierarchy between an executive chef and a sous chef. The apprentice isn’t precluded from sharing their opinions and thoughts, and the leader doesn’t dictate. Otherwise, we just have a different form of conflict. We can enjoy working together on a peaceful project when the designated apprentice feels free to make suggestions, knowing that the leader has the responsibility to make the final decision and face any consequences from it. A successful project example We tested this approach on a recent project to add sunscreens to our RV to protect it from the intense Arizona sun and heat, identifying Bob as the leader. Having a designated project leader immediately put us both at ease. As the apprentice, I felt free to share my thoughts and opinions but knew that Bob ultimately had the final say. Some of my suggestions he took. Others he didn’t. But overall, we were calmer, had positive attitudes, and worked well together. And we got the job done — and felt good about the experience.  Sometimes we forget that we’re on the same team. There’s no need to fight each other. We’re both striving for the same result. We need to empower one of us to lead while the other supports that person, knowing they have to make the final decisions. When we do, it’s easier to enjoy the project journey. And we get better results.
You might also like How a flat tire helped us work together.  My feet vibrated under my desk in our fifth wheel, and a grinding metal sound assaulted my ears. I went outside and found Bob under the trailer, sparks flying. He was using a borrowed angle grinder to try to remove screws sealing the underside of our rig. Most RVs manufactured today include a corrugated plastic covering over the underbelly to protect its contents from dirt, dust, debris, and rodents. We’re grateful our 2018 fifth wheel came with that. Despite that protection, for years, Bob has wanted to pull off the corrugated plastic to see if we had any issues and to get a better idea of where things are under our rig, such as slideout motors. He finally made his wish come true this year — and managed to catch dust directly through his nostril and into his sinus cavity in the process, thanks to previous sinus surgery that removed his upper and mid turbinates. Gratefully, he recovered after a day or two and didn’t develop an infection. Here’s what we discovered after removing our RV underbelly. Loose leveler We’ve had challenges leveling our 42-foot coach for a number of years, even though it came equipped with a Lippert auto-leveling system. Multiple times, we’ve had to retrain the system on what constitutes level. And we’ve learned to put plenty of leveling blocks under our mid and rear stabilizers before attempting the autolevel function to give the system the best chance at success. It never dawned on us that the issue could be something inherent to our rig — until we removed Tagalong’s underbelly protection and discovered a dangling leveling sensor, as well as an empty shelf made specifically to hold it. Now we know.  We’ll secure the loose leveler to the rig before resealing the underbelly and will retrain the Lippert system for, hopefully, the last time on the true state of levelness. Chewed wiring Although the corrugated plastic is designed to help keep out rodents, some have been able to find their way into the underbelly of our rig, and even into the interior. We managed to trap those that made their way inside, so we were surprised to find a wide swath of chewed wires in the belly of our rig. To our amazement, the culprit didn’t chew all the way through the conduit and into the wires. That could have been a bit exciting for all parties. Not wanting to leave bare wires exposed, Bob already wrapped them with electrical tape.  Dried mushrooms Speaking of rodents, remember the squirrel Twitchy that managed to get inside our rig while we were in Alberta on our way back to the contiguous states after a summer in Alaska? He hadn’t stashed nuts in our fifth wheel like we had thought. We found dried mushrooms instead.  Shocked, I did a Google search to see if squirrels eat mushrooms. Sure enough, they do. I learned they can even eat mushrooms that are poisonous to humans. And they do indeed store mushrooms for the winter. Who knew?
Ignorance is bliss. Discovery is a reason to act. In addition to addressing the issues we found, Bob took advantage of the exposed underbelly to add aftermarket sensors to our graywater tanks, as the sensors that come with a rig from the factory quickly lose accuracy. He had successfully added aftermarket sensors to our fresh and blackwater tanks years ago by cutting openings in the corrugated plastic. When resealing Tagalong’s underbelly, Bob will also mark the locations of key items, such as slideout motors, to aid in any needed maintenance in the future. You might also like Removing an RV TV antenna.  We started our sixth year of full-time RV living slowly, traveling only 8 miles to our first destination. We kept our drives relatively short throughout the summer, averaging 173 miles (2.5 hours or so) and topping out at 436 miles between Medora, North Dakota, and Bozeman, Montana. We added three states to our map: Kansas, Nebraska, and North Dakota (leaving only four to spend a night in Tagalong in). And we snuck in a few flights — to Phoenix after the tragic death of our son DJ, to Barcelona for a transatlantic cruise, and to Scotland and Ireland. Highlights of our travels included:
Of our 40 stops in nearly 7,000 miles, these were our favorite RV stays in our sixth year of travel. Favorite boondocking spot  We really got into our groove with boondocking this year, doing so at 16 locations across Arizona, Colorado, North Dakota, Montana, and Utah. With plentiful Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest land, the western states offer abundant options for camping off the grid. We relished the quiet solitude in each location, which helped prolong our slow pace. Our favorite boondocking spot was a peninsula in Sweet Briar Lake, North Dakota, west of Bismarck. The location featured picnic tables, fire rings, and magnificent views of the water out practically every window. We enjoyed watching pelicans, Canadian geese, and occasional kayakers -- despite a scary thunderstorm passing through while we were there. Favorite Boondockers Welcome stay  In addition to our 16 boondocking stops, we camped on the property of six Boondockers Welcome hosts. These are people who allow RVers in the program to sojourn on their property for up to five nights, depending on the host. Some hosts offer electric hookups for a fee, which we find especially beneficial when the weather is warmer than we’d like. We took advantage of this camping option in Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and Northern Arizona. We really appreciated our sweet host in Colby, Kansas, where we spent Mother’s Day not quite a week after our son’s passing. We told her we were grieving, and she went out of her way to make our visit pleasant and enjoyable, even offering to let us stay longer than we had booked. However, our favorite Boondockers Welcome location for the year goes to Cortez, Colorado. The former farm was set up like a campground for six RVers. We were the only ones there for most of our stopover and savored the tranquility and expansive views, which included snowcapped mountains in the distance. Favorite moochdocking stop  After boondocking, our next-favorite type of camping is moochdocking, where we stay on friends’ or family’s property and mooch their water and electricity. We did that in Arizona, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Michigan, Iowa, and Montana, catching up with dear friends and family members. We appreciated the warm hospitality at each location. If we had to choose a favorite, it would have to be our friends Norm and Susan’s, situated at the end of a dirt road in Idabel, Oklahoma, providing a wonderfully peaceful respite. They were gracious hosts who welcomed us with open arms, made us feel right at home, and provided us with unique memories, including a flight on a powered parachute. Favorite campground  Campgrounds are our least-favorite places to sojourn, but sometimes they’re a must so that we can see the things we want to see. That was the case this year in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Dakota, and Northern Arizona. We liked our time at Two Rivers Campground in Nashville, but our favorite was Fool Hollow Lake Campground in Show Low, Arizona. It holds special meaning to us as we spent many nights there as a family while raising our kids. Our youngest daughter, Becky, and her husband and daughter joined us to make more memories. Favorite state  We spent a month traversing Southern Colorado, a month with family in Michigan, two weeks in Utah, and a week and a half in North Dakota. Although we lived in the Denver area when we were first married, this was our first time in Southern Colorado outside of Colorado Springs. It was also our first time in North Dakota, and we thoroughly enjoyed both.
If we had to pick our favorite between the two, it would be Colorado for its magnificent snow-covered mountains, wide-reaching prairies, tall evergreens, and extraordinary experiences. Although we got snowed on in Alamosa on Easter weekend, we spent time in the forests, really getting a feel for the land. And visiting my college, Colorado Christian University, and a couple of friends from my college days made it that much better. You might also like 5 favorite RV destinations in 5 years on the road.  A 737 whisked us to Houston while Gulliver stood watch over Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport’s East Economy parking lot. Upon landing, a shuttle ushered us to the Enterprise rental car lot, where a Chevy truck awaited. We loaded into it and set out on a two-hour journey to visit the property we had purchased unseen (other than pictures) after five years of full-time RVing. Since it was our first time in the state of Texas after buying land there, we had to make some stops at the county seat to take care of paperwork. That done, we pressed on, eager to see the property with our own eyes. We entered the small fishing community, navigated a narrow dirt road, pulled over, and opened our doors to tall grass in need of mowing. The mower we pay hadn’t gotten to it before our arrival. Thankful I had worn blue jeans and my cowgirl boots, I set foot on our land for the first time. Bob did so in shorts and sneakers, the overgrowth tickling his legs. After a cursory review of our two plots and a meeting with the general manager of the property owners association, we discovered a few surprises. A broken pipe While inspecting our property, we successfully found the RV sewer dump, but it was in need of repair. It appeared to have been hit by a lawnmower, with plastic pieces scattered in the grass.  We like to do projects, and fixing the broken PVC pipe was definitely in our wheelhouse. Although we didn’t have any tools with us, our friends in the community, John and Kristi, whom we had met on a transatlantic cruise, did. We borrowed a shovel and a saw and found the parts we needed at the Fishville Trading Post — a one-stop shop for dining, groceries, hardware, fishing supplies, and miscellaneous finds. Bob dug around the pipe with the spade, and we quickly learned about Texas black clay. It’s soft, sticky stuff that makes up the foundation of our property and is difficult to work with and clean off. We didn’t know we’d be back to playing in the mud so soon after getting stuck in it in Northern Arizona. After clearing enough of the earth from around the sewer pipe, Bob sawed off the elbow connector for the dump, steering clear of the electrical conduit that ran diagonally from the electric pole on the property to the sewer main. This instigated emptying of the pipe’s liquid contents into the newly created hole. We couldn’t proceed with our project with all that water there.  Bob used the replacement elbow joint to bail out the water. Then he discovered a crack in the straight pipe. Not wanting to revisit this project later, he sawed off the pipe to remove the crack. We cleaned the parts, and Bob painted the connecting edges with PVC pipe primer and cement. Then he stuck them together. He repeated the process for the elbow and the top pipe, which forms the threaded section the RV hose connects to. The only thing missing was a cap for the pipe. We created a makeshift one, filled in the hole, and headed into a nearby town for a more permanent solution. There we bought a pipe cap and spray paint to help prevent another mower incident. Returning to the property, we attached the pipe cap and inserted three metal poles in the ground around the sewer dump to help our mower see it amid the tall grass. Bob sprayed the poles and cap with orange paint as an added measure.  Pests and wildlife After spending 24 consecutive years in the Phoenix area and wintering there for the past five, we got accustomed to not having to deal with many insects and pests. Texas has a whole different climate, which bugs and creepy-crawlies like. With our property being near a bay off the Gulf of America, mosquitos are common, as are mice and snakes, which can easily hide in tall grasses. I have a much better appreciation for Texans wearing boots. When we finally found our water connection on the property, seemingly hidden under tall grass, we opened the lid cautiously, not wanting to experience another snake encounter. Fortunately, no creepy-crawlies emerged. Upon examination of our electric box, we discovered two wasp nests in it. Fortunately, they were accompanied by a number of dead wasps. Bob removed the nests and cleaned out the box. In the process, we heard some creature scurrying around in the incredibly overgrown plot next to our land. We never saw exactly what it was.  A cluster of trees What appeared to be a large bush at the end of our second plot turned out to be something entirely different upon closer inspection. Surrounded by tall, prickly weeds, the “bush” comprised five distinct trees.  As I studied the cluster trying to identify the types using Google Lens, I started to notice small insects flying around my head. Then a mosquito landed on my arm. I quickly captured some pictures and moved away. As best as we can tell, four trees are hackberry, and one is mesquite. Since trees are a rarity in the community surrounding our property, we plan to clear out the underbrush when we return to make the trees clearly identifiable and remove places for creatures to hide. Attractive community From the general manager of the property owners association to fellow community residents to store workers, everyone we met welcomed us with congeniality. We found the area quiet and peaceful, just our pace. Small towns within a half hour east and west offered easy drives to get supplies. We investigated both and sampled Mexican food and fresh seafood, two staples in the area. With plentiful water views a short distance from our property, we also visited two beaches — one covered in shells and another with more sand. And our VRBO rental house for this trip, 20 minutes away from the property, stood one block from Tres Palacios Bay. The quaint, one-bedroom cottage on stilts even featured a deck that offered beautiful sunrise views for coffee enjoyment. The weather was wonderful, with daytime temperatures in the 70s. And we experienced a thunderstorm while there.
The entire weekend left us feeling extremely happy with our property purchase. We look forward to returning to spend a little more time there and do more projects. You might also like 6 biggest surprises of full-time RV living.  The RV life is one full of adventure, uniqueness, and surprise. As we’ve traveled this great country, a few unusual encounters stand out. Here are the seven strangest things we’ve experienced in six years of RV life. 1. Squirrel situation On our way back to the contiguous United States after spending a summer in Alaska, we stayed at a beautiful campground in Alberta, Canada. We enjoyed taking long walks, viewing color-changing foliage, and playing in fallen leaves.  What we didn’t enjoy was the intrusion of a squirrel that had made its way into the underbelly of our rig and even climbed up inside the back. Twitchy, as we called him, put us on our toes and gave us an incentive to seal any obvious holes in the corrugated plastic stretching across the underside of our rig. Thankfully, he didn’t stay too long. 2. Cat encounter While parked on the farm property of a Boondockers Welcome host in Yellow Jacket, Colorado, we had the place to ourselves — other than a horse keeping watch in a nearby pen. One morning, while sitting on the couch at the back of our rig, I heard “Meow.”  I had seen a cat outside, so I didn’t think much of it. But then the sound grew louder, followed by rumbling noises. I went outside but didn’t see the cat anywhere. Returning inside, I heard another “Meow.” Then I figured it out: The cat had found a way to climb up into the underbelly of our rig. Maybe it was after the nuts the squirrel had stored there. Or maybe it just wanted a respite from the cold April morning. I hit the underbelly with a broom and was able to scare the cat out. Then I had Bob reseal the corrugated plastic to prevent it from entering again. 3. Package vanishing Another day at the Yellow Jacket, Colorado, farm, we had waited hours for an expensive package to arrive so that we could go into town for dinner. Hunger overpowered us, and we decided to head out, even though the parcel hadn’t shown up. On our way to the restaurant, we received a call from a UPS driver trying to find the right place to deliver the package. Because of the cost of the item (a tuner for our truck), we turned around to retrieve the shipment. But when we arrived at our trailer — five minutes after the driver had delivered the package — there was no sign of a box. We went down the street to check with some neighbors, who confirmed that a UPS truck had been by, so we called the UPS driver. He offered to come back to show us where he put it. When the driver returned, he was flabbergasted not to see the package. But he told us he had seen a kid on an ATV. We called our host, who found the situation funny. She said that her grandson had picked up the package thinking it was for her, since it also had her name on it, and assured us he’d be right back with it. About 10 minutes later — but an hour after we had first left — we finally had the package in hand and were able to go to dinner. 4. Narrowest bridge Near Traverse City, Michigan, we encountered the narrowest bridge we’ve ever seen, as a result of construction. Approaching the structure, we saw a sign that said “9-FT BRIDGE.” Knowing that our rig is 8.5 feet wide, that gave us cause for concern, leaving only 3 inches of wiggle room on either side. White-knuckled, Bob tightly held the steering wheel, and we practically held our breath as we slowly made our way across the bridge to the other side, thankfully without incident. 5. Ladder ascent While parked at a Love’s RV Stop in Oklahoma, a van pulled up next to us one morning. It seemed odd, as the spot next to us was a designated RV site — and the vehicle was not a camper van.  The next thing we knew, a man was climbing the ladder on the back of our rig to our roof. I bolted out the door and yelled at him to get down. He obliged and apologized. As it turned out, he was a mobile RV tech answering a call for another camper three spots away.
6. Raccoon visit In Oklahoma, while we were moochdocking at our friends Norm and Susan’s place, we had a very strange occurrence in the middle of the night. It sounded like someone or something was trying to get inside our rig. I heard the doorlatch move. The next morning, we discovered three muddy prints on our door the size of raccoon fingers. If I had forgotten to lock the door the night before, we very well could have had an unwelcome visitor. 7. Noise disturbance One night, while camped near a baseball diamond in the small town of Dell Rapids, South Dakota, (population around 3,800), we heard sirens around 9 p.m. Having heard plenty of sirens in our travels, we didn’t think much of it. But then the sounds grew louder. I peered out a window and saw a brightly lit firetruck pulling into our campground, followed by a number of cars with beeping horns. The truck proceeded to the baseball diamond, as did the other vehicles. Then another firetruck and an ambulance, both with lights flashing and sirens blaring, joined. There didn’t appear to be any emergency, as this noise disturbance was followed by bass-pounding music at the diamond. Before long, the emergency vehicles turned off their flashing lights and left, followed by the cars. We never did find out what that was all about. You might also like Our most unusual experiences in 4 years of RV life.  Rain is a good thing, as a Luke Bryan country song says. It makes the beautiful greenery we enjoy in places such as Northern Arizona. It also creates mud, something we try to avoid as the owners of a truck without four-wheel drive. (We intentionally ordered our dually that way from the factory to save on gas mileage and gears to maintain.) After three-and-a-half wonderful sunny days boondocking at a Boondockers Welcome site in Northern Arizona, light rain and drizzle turned into something more substantial, thanks to the remnants of Cyclone Priscilla. We were parked near a gravel drive, so we didn’t think much of the situation — until we loaded into Gulliver in an attempt to go visit our friends Neil and Leanna and got stuck in the mud.  Gulliver needs a tow … again Rain continued to pour as we tried to determine a way out of the muddy mess. Our host heard us revving the truck engine and came over to say hi, as we hadn’t met him yet. He offered to pull us out with his Ford F-350 4x4 truck. Lew went to get his truck, and we retrieved the tow strap we had invested in after another time of getting both Gulliver and Tagalong stuck. Bob attached it to both trucks, and Lew climbed into his vehicle to take out the slack. With that done, Bob crawled into Gulliver.  I stood in the rain to communicate between the two drivers, a difficult chore given the revving engines and the sound of the precipitation. Lew’s truck successfully pulled ours, but our highway tires slipped in the mud, drawing Gulliver closer to the trailer and making Bob and me nervous. The three of us reassessed the situation. We relocated where the tow strap attached on each vehicle, and Bob closed his side mirrors. The second tow drew the truck even closer to Tagalong. Something had to change. We had Lew back up and reposition his truck in another location to tow Gulliver toward the gravel drive and away from the trailer. This time, it worked. With Gulliver out of the mud and on gravel, we thanked Lew and loaded up to visit our friends, an hour later than planned. I peeled off my saturated raincoat only to find my shirt sleeves wet. Apparently, the jacket wasn’t designed for an hour of downpour. After a wonderful time with our friends, we returned in the dark, with hopes of getting the trailer out the next day. Getting the RV out of a sticky situation Not wanting to get the truck stuck again, we took serious measures to prevent that. Bob cut and laid dead Juniper branches in the anticipated path of the truck tires for grip in the sloppy mud mess. He sent me on a hunt to find lava rocks on the property that we could use to provide traction under the truck when starting to tow the trailer. I dragged my bucket around like Igor in “Frankenstein,” watching for young prickly pear cactus along the way and discovering wild mushrooms in the process. After two bucket loads of rocks, we had accumulated enough to provide a good grip for the truck tires. Convinced we were prepared to move the trailer from its dirt perch to the gravel drive, we connected it to Gulliver. Then we went over our plan, wondering aloud if we’d be able to clear a small Juniper tree en route. Our original plan, before the rain had turned dry ground into peanut butter, was to pull forward and then back Gulliver onto the gravel drive to line us up to leave. That was no longer an option.  I was convinced Bob could clear the tree. He wasn’t so sure. We knew momentum would be key and discussed being willing to scratch the side of the trailer to keep from getting stuck. Arizona racing stripes never hurt anything. Equipped with walkie-talkies, Bob climbed into Gulliver and I tried to find a decent place to stand. From my vantage point, I could see the tree — until the trailer blocked my view. Bob pulled out. Everything looked good, so I told him to keep going. He stepped on the gas and succeeded in getting Tagalong onto the gravel driveway. But he heard a loud crunch in the process. I thought we had made it just fine. But as I approached the rear of the trailer, I noticed a tire mark awfully close to the tree. I moved nearer to investigate and found our plastic trailer fender lying on the ground in pieces, along with a light cover that had been ripped off the side of the rig.  Examining the trailer revealed remnants of the tree jammed into every crevice they could fit. The bottom right corner of the entry door had been bent up, as had the bottom right of where the fender had been attached.
As we inspected the damage, we found ourselves grateful that it was mostly cosmetic. It hurt our pride more than anything. The situation could have been much worse. An important debriefing After leaving the property, we conversed about what we did wrong and what we would have done differently. The problem came down to being in a hurry. As full-time RVers, we know that most mistakes happen when we’re either tired or rushing. Our kids were coming up to meet us at our next destination about an hour away, and we wanted to get there before them. We could have waited longer for the ground to dry out, as the sun had cleared the clouds and was working its magic. Or we could have called our Coach-Net roadside assistance service to tow us out, even though it could have taken an hour or longer for a tech to arrive. It doesn’t pay to rush as RVers. We learned that lesson early on when we first marred the same side of our rig on our very first venture out. It hit home harder after this. Regardless, we had a wonderful time with our kids and granddaughter. Bob was able to clean the mud streaks off the side of the trailer, making the damage less noticeable. He also banged out some dents and fixed the door frame so that we could open the door. We’ll get a new fender and fix the light. And we’ll take our time in the future — and not stay on dirt in Northern Arizona if any rain is in the forecast. You might also like Our top RV lessons in 5 years of RV travel.  Utah is home to five of the 63 U.S. national parks, according to the National Park Service. The state also has eight designations as national monuments, recreation areas, historical parks, and historic trails. These areas present magnificent rock formations, alluring landscapes, and breathtaking views. We visited Zion National Park a number of years ago while staying in St. George, and we toured Arches National Park in Moab in 2023 as full-time RVers. This year, while boondocking in the eastern part of the state, we decided to explore CanyonLands National Park and had no idea what we were in for. 3 parks in 1 Canyonlands is the largest national park in Utah, but it seems to be much less popular than Arches, Bryce, and Zion, perhaps because it’s not as easily accessible. A 20-plus-mile drive from U.S. Route 191 took us to the Island in the Sky Visitor Center one afternoon in September, with only one vehicle in front of us at the entrance station. Wanting to get a stamp in our National Park Passport Book, we dipped into the visitor center. It paled in offerings compared to the visitor center we had investigated at Yellowstone National Park. Despite that, we watched a documentary there and learned that Canyonlands National Park is divided into three main sections, or districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze. Park officials consider the Colorado and Green rivers, which formed the park, another district, but visitors can get glimpses of them from various vantage points in the other sections. To get to The Needles, so named for its spire rocks, and The Maze, the most remote portion, requires entering from completely different locations. The entrance to The Needles is one hour away from the highway turnoff we took, and getting to The Maze is a five-hour drive in the other direction. Canyon sighting After leaving the Island of the Sky Visitor Center, we crossed the street to get a better view of the incredible Shafer Canyon Overlook. A canyon stretched out in front of us, seemingly all the way to the La Sal Mountains on the horizon.  We carefully watched our steps as we took in the panoramic vistas, not wanting to slip over the edge into the gorge. Seeing a winding dirt road deep in the ravine gave us a healthy respect for the distance between our stance and the bottom. Although Canyonlands doesn’t reach the abysmal depths of the Grand Canyon, it’s at least twice as expansive. In fact, Canyonlands National Park spans nearly 340,000 acres, offering varied scenes of red rocks, deep canyons, and weaving rivers. Awesome overlooks From Shafer Canyon Overlook, we journeyed on, stopping at Buck Canyon Overlook, which left us even more in awe, as it spread as far as we could see into the distance. Light sandstone dotted with short green plants gave way to red rocks and brown chasms set against a bright blue sky with puffy white clouds hanging in midair, giving us great appreciation for God’s amazing artistry.  After taking in the view for a bit, we hopped back into Gulliver and moved on to Orange Cliffs Overlook, the farthest we could go before we had to turn around. Although the scenery there wasn’t quite as far-reaching, it gave us a glimpse of the Green River, but just barely. We headed back the way we came, this time going the other direction when we hit the fork in the road. This gave us an opportunity to explore Green River Overlook, where a couple was getting married against a gorgeous backdrop. We caught sight of the river, but the sun was starting to set, making visibility less than optimum.  On our circuitous way back to the park entrance, we passed a gigantic rock that looked like a whale and visited a small campground, spotting stunning rock structures and sheer cliffs along the way.
Unlike Arches National Park, where most of the scenery is visible from the road, Canyonlands — at least the part we saw — offers mystery and intrigue, with most of the sights hidden below the surface. You might also like Visiting America’s highest suspension bridge. |
AuthorThis is the travel blog of full-time RVers Bob and Lana Gates and our truck, Gulliver, and fifth wheel, Tagalong. Categories
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