Our strangest experiences in 6 years of RV life

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.

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