Quick looks, outside..
And inside.
And inside.
Monday, August 5, 2019
Friday, August 2, 2019
First Steps
It's finally happening.
For the curious, our camper is a 2019 Winnebago View, model 24J. Its dimensions are 25'8" x 11'1" x 7'6". I'll let you guess which dimension is which. For the really curious, here's a specifications page
Our first stop was Mark's mother's house shortly after we picked up the camper from Flagg RV in West Boylston. Since then we've been slowly loading it up with gear that we'll need on the road. There's a lot of plumbing related stuff like the fresh water hose, flushing hose, waste hose, hose ramp, water pressure limiter, and toilet additive. Behold the Rhino-flex 20ft sewer hose with clear elbow!
For the electric supply we were advised to get an "EMS" - a fancy power quality regulator and circuit breaker.
Apparently you can't trust campgrounds to have regulated water pressure or clean power.
We're constantly facing the conundrum of what to bring and what to leave, and we're already in danger of overdoing it. Mark's tool kit weights about 30 lbs and he still doesn't feel comfortable about what he's had to leave out. This, despite advice from seasoned RVers that they carry just the basics.
We got "zero gravity" lawn chairs after trying them in the store and liking how nicely they recline and cradle you. Someday we may even get to sit down long enough to enjoy them
But only one of the RV's seven external storage compartments is big enough to hold them. Are we wasting that precious space? Lori was adamant about getting an "instant screen house". We think it will be a godsend to allow us bug-free outdoor time in the evenings. It's 6' long, so it'll have to go in the "bunk" area above the cabin, the only place to store it "out of the way".
Yes, the preparation phase feels like one massive equipment and supplies buying spree. Diesel Exhaust Fluid? Check. Oil, coolant, distilled water? Check. But we still don't have: a bike rack, a portable grill/stove, cookware, or all the standard kitchen gadgets like a can opener. Everything must survive road travel, so forget carrying glass or ceramic dishes. Plates need to be cushioned from each other or they'll rattle on every bump. The list is seemingly endless. And that's just for daily living. What about hiking? We need the right shoes, water bottles, day packs. And how to record our adventures? Mark got a neat little gadget, the DJI Osmo Pocket.
That head unit is a gimbal image stabilizer, which he says should result in smooth pans and less "shaky cam" than with phone video. Another 10 or 20 hours practice and he'll have learned most of the features. But then what about video editing? One more learning curve.
So while we're excited to get going, this first phase is filled with lots of expense and effort and, frankly, stress and anxiety as we fumble our way through the planning. And we don't even have a single stay booked yet!
We trust that once we hit the road, and get a few stays under our belts, we'll finally be able to relax a little. Mark's office daydreams about this adventure were filled with dramatic ocean or canyon or mountain views, or blissfully relaxing camp side with a cold beer. He didn't expect to spend hours looking for the best portable air compressor, or agonizing over whether to add another 100 watt solar panel, or swap out the standard 12 volt coach battery for two 6 volt batteries with more total capacity. Do we need PhDs in RV-ology to "get it right"? Sometimes it feels that way.
But enough whining! We feel so fortunate to have this opportunity and can't wait to get going. Next will be some "shakedown voyages" to start getting the hang of this whole #vanlife thing. Stay tuned!
For the curious, our camper is a 2019 Winnebago View, model 24J. Its dimensions are 25'8" x 11'1" x 7'6". I'll let you guess which dimension is which. For the really curious, here's a specifications page
Our first stop was Mark's mother's house shortly after we picked up the camper from Flagg RV in West Boylston. Since then we've been slowly loading it up with gear that we'll need on the road. There's a lot of plumbing related stuff like the fresh water hose, flushing hose, waste hose, hose ramp, water pressure limiter, and toilet additive. Behold the Rhino-flex 20ft sewer hose with clear elbow!
Apparently you can't trust campgrounds to have regulated water pressure or clean power.
We're constantly facing the conundrum of what to bring and what to leave, and we're already in danger of overdoing it. Mark's tool kit weights about 30 lbs and he still doesn't feel comfortable about what he's had to leave out. This, despite advice from seasoned RVers that they carry just the basics.
We got "zero gravity" lawn chairs after trying them in the store and liking how nicely they recline and cradle you. Someday we may even get to sit down long enough to enjoy them
So while we're excited to get going, this first phase is filled with lots of expense and effort and, frankly, stress and anxiety as we fumble our way through the planning. And we don't even have a single stay booked yet!
We trust that once we hit the road, and get a few stays under our belts, we'll finally be able to relax a little. Mark's office daydreams about this adventure were filled with dramatic ocean or canyon or mountain views, or blissfully relaxing camp side with a cold beer. He didn't expect to spend hours looking for the best portable air compressor, or agonizing over whether to add another 100 watt solar panel, or swap out the standard 12 volt coach battery for two 6 volt batteries with more total capacity. Do we need PhDs in RV-ology to "get it right"? Sometimes it feels that way.
But enough whining! We feel so fortunate to have this opportunity and can't wait to get going. Next will be some "shakedown voyages" to start getting the hang of this whole #vanlife thing. Stay tuned!
Thursday, July 4, 2019
The Big Trip
Check. Check. Check 1. Sibilance. Sibilance. Check. Check. Check 2. Sibilance. Sibilance.
Is this thing on?
We (Mark and Lori) are planning to use this blog to update friends and family about our "big trip". For those new to this crazy scheme, it goes something like this.
0. Retire (done)
1. Buy an RV (done)
2. Fill it up with stuff (working on it)
3. Take a few practice trips (thinking about it)
4. Hit the road, sometime in late September.
5. Travel "clockwise" around the US and Canada, staying in nice weather as much as possible.
The idea is to spend approximately one year, traveling and living full-time in the RV - with the exception of a brief visit to the Boston area at Christmastime. We want to visit lots of state and national parks with a main goal of enjoying some of North America's most scenic areas of natural beauty. We've collected some "points of interest" here. We may also check out a few offbeat attractions, e.g. from the atlas obscura. If you have suggestions for "must sees" feel free to share.
We hope to see many of you soon - either before we leave, or somewhere on the road!
Is this thing on?
We (Mark and Lori) are planning to use this blog to update friends and family about our "big trip". For those new to this crazy scheme, it goes something like this.
0. Retire (done)
1. Buy an RV (done)
2. Fill it up with stuff (working on it)
3. Take a few practice trips (thinking about it)
4. Hit the road, sometime in late September.
5. Travel "clockwise" around the US and Canada, staying in nice weather as much as possible.
The idea is to spend approximately one year, traveling and living full-time in the RV - with the exception of a brief visit to the Boston area at Christmastime. We want to visit lots of state and national parks with a main goal of enjoying some of North America's most scenic areas of natural beauty. We've collected some "points of interest" here. We may also check out a few offbeat attractions, e.g. from the atlas obscura. If you have suggestions for "must sees" feel free to share.
We hope to see many of you soon - either before we leave, or somewhere on the road!
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