Lately, we have been “furiously” traveling around in our motorhome. Is it fantastic and terrific fun, or a bit of a challenge, and not so great? Motorhome travel is the best! We genuinely enjoy our ramblings around, but we have had some challenges. We have discussed those and thought about whether this particular travel adventure is working as we expected and wanted it to. Both of us and Tank and Lilly 100% agree that the benefits far outweigh any of the challenges encountered in our RV travels. Let’s talk about that.
Tank and Lilly – our dog children
Our RV travel challenges
Traveling with Pets
They look comfortable enough, huh?
Traveling with pets is not a challenge, but it definitely is a “thing.” We must always check to be sure we book only pet-friendly places. Fortunately, everywhere we’ve traveled so far, our dog children have been very welcomed. If they are not welcome, we probably don’t need to go there anyway.
It is now necessary to walk and clean up after the dogs several times a day when we travel. At home, Tank and Lilly have the freedom to go in or out through the doggie door, as they choose. Steve and I rarely walk them on a leash when we are home. It has taken Lilly, at least, a while to get used to being on a leash every day. Also, we are not ecstatic over Lilly’s desire for potty trips at 3 a.m. We can’t be too upset about a situation we set up with that doggie door at home, can we?
Tank is not a fan of the ocean waves.
Steve and I are both delighted to have Tank and Lilly with us as we travel. I believe they are just as delighted to not be left behind anymore also. They may spend a few hours alone in the climate-controlled RV while we explore without them, but most often, though, they are right by our sides.
Tank loves to have his picture taken!
On the other hand, my neglect created a situation when we wanted to take the dogs to a groomer. We’d been traveling for a very long time, and Tank and Lilly were pretty grubby and shaggy. I had neglected to put copies of vaccination records and medical histories on board. We could not take them to a grooming salon because we did not have the required proof of their vaccinations. This was a lesson learned, and now we are prepared. Pet records are essential to have in your possession if you are traveling with your pets.
Trails
Steve tried very hard to fix the problem himself.
Trails is the name of our trusty, usually very mechanically sound, high-mileage Jeep Wrangler we tow behind the RV. Back in “Alluring Apalachicola,” Trails broke down on the side of a middle of nowhere backroad, and we had to be towed back to our campsite. So yes, this was an unexpected challenge and expense. Steve quickly resolved the situation by locating a mechanic in Gainesville, Florida, to perform the repair. He hooked the non-operating Jeep up behind the RV, and we drove it to the mechanic’s shop. Repairs are part of life.
Rodman Campground
108 Rodman Dam Road
Palatka FL 32177
This was a nice campground.
We dropped the Jeep off at the auto shop, but by the time we’d driven to nearby Rodman Campground and set up our rig, we received a phone call that the Jeep was ready! After we got that piece of good news, we spent a lovely evening cooking and enjoying a steak dinner. We even had electric and water hookups! It felt very luxurious to have these amenities after our days at the primitive Bloody Bluff campground in Apalachicola.
Rodman Campground
Rodman is a pretty campground with excellent access to the approximately 9,500-acre Rodman Reservoir. I knew it would be a great place when the agent at check-in asked how many dogs we had and handed us dog treats through the window! The nearby reservoir has been rated as one of the top ten trophy bass fishing lakes in Florida. The lake water level was too shallow, and there was no water at all in some places. It would be a great place to stay for a while and do some fishing, though. Campsites sites are not terribly close together, but I believe the park was at capacity, so it felt crowded.
Picking up Trails
On our return visit to Gainesville the following day to pick up our now correctly running Jeep, we replenished our grocery supplies and filled up both vehicles with gas. We then began our drive further south, toward St. Petersburg. It was good to have Trails back and visible in our rear camera as we drove.
Some of our mechanical challenges
Flat tire in Kansas
This was not our first mechanical issue with the Jeep. When we were visiting the Chalk Pyramids in Kansas, we had a flat tire caused by a piece of barbed wire fencing on the road. That time we were on a paved road but managed to be out in the middle of nowhere. Steve makes every effort to be prepared for any situation we might find ourselves in, and he did a fine job in this instance.
What could possibly go wrong?
This was the title of one of my posts some months back about the absolutely freak problem when the lug nuts on one of the tires sheared off while we were driving. This situation could easily have ended in a disastrous nightmare, but it did not. We were very fortunate and lucky. Since that occurrence, Steve doubled his attention to every single part of our RV and the Jeep. My attitude is that we’ve already done that, making our chances of another severe mechanical issue very slim. Still possible, but just not very likely.
Yes, even the wind can cause problems driving an RV. We have had to change plans, re-route more than once because of the weather. We ended up “grounded” in Dodge City, Kansas, for three days because of high winds.
Our first RV flat tire ever occurred while we were parked at a campsite. We just woke up to a flat tire one morning at Lake Wister State Park. No rhyme or reason for this one. We called Good Sam and had the tire replaced with the spare at the campsite. Steve and I decided to stay on there an additional day to have the damaged tire replaced. I don’t think it’s ever a good idea to travel in a motorhome without a proper spare available.
And then there’s Laundry
Laundry is the one thing about RV travel that challenges me the most. I will never take the luxury of a washer/dryer for granted again! I’ve never enjoyed going to a laundromat, but that is the only option we often have available. RV parks frequently provide laundry rooms, but we rarely stay at those RV parks. It is still a laundromat – just more conveniently located.
This is THE very best laundromat I have ever been to. We were able to park the motorhome very nearby; it was an open-air facility on two sides. The entire space was spotlessly clean; there were 80 and 30-pound washers and larger dryers, and, best of all – the machines accepted credit cards! We did not have to hunt down mountains of quarters! Oh, how I would love to find laundromats like these in every town we pass through.
By the way, we have been using these washing laundry detergent sheets instead of powder or liquid. They require very little storage, clean our clothes wonderfully and are not too expensive. I think they work great.
Water
On our particular RV, Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB, the freshwater tank holds approximately 50 gallons, and the grey water tank holds 32 gallons. This is not the endless supply of water I am accustomed to at home. We have to be frugal with our water usage, particularly when boondocking without a water hookup. That translates to quick showers and conservation of water when washing dishes. The real reality is I need to check these tanks before I wash my very thick shoulder-length hair to be sure the water supply can support the entire process. Although it has never happened to me, it would not be fun to run out of water with a head covered in shampoo!
Steve has improved our water situation by obtaining an auxiliary grey water tank. It gives us a little breathing space in the water department.
Yes, RV Motorhome Travel is Great!
I’ve described damaged tires, a broken harmonic balancer, managing laundry, water restrictions, and the weather. None of these challenges have put any damper on our enthusiasm for RV adventuring. We love it all. Steve and I have met many beautiful people who all have the most fantastic attitudes and life stories to tell. These encounters would never have happened if we were sitting at home. We meet people wherever we go, but RV people, we have discovered, are an exceptional and (am I overusing that word?) fantastic group of people.
And the scenery! What beautiful sunrises, sunsets, just middle of the afternoon views we have seen. How can you have a bad day or get hung up on something as simple as a flat tire after spending it out in nature with birds and trees, the breeze, and flowing rivers and oceans?
We have been fortunate to have had the experiences we have already enjoyed and look forward to continuing these adventures. We learn something new each time, a new technique, a different approach, an easier way. We know these things from our own experiences and learn from fellow campers who are always eager to share their knowledge.
We did not set out to be RV travelers. We have always preferred international travel, hotels, tours, new places. During this COVID extravaganza we are living in, we will continue to travel and see all and everything we can and make as many new friends along the way as possible. I cannot lie, though; I am dying to go on a cruise, take an international flight, stay in a really, really nice hotel. One day!
Enjoyed your travel stories. I’ve only just begun but am only a weekend traveler. Has Good Sam had good response time?
Thank you Linda. We’ve used Good Sam twice. The first time we called Good Sam we were stranded at a pull-out on Allen Parkway, downtown Houston. A wrecker arrived within an hour, but, because of our wheel situation, the RV could not be towed. Good Sam could not help us at all in that instance. They did, however, refer us to a mobile repair person that came to our rescue. It took him several hours to get to us but he kept us informed of his expected arrival time. (https://alwayswanttogo.com/what-could-possibly-go-wrong/). The second time was in rural Oklahoma and a wonderful repair guy arrived at our RV park site within two hours, in the freezing cold. I have heard from others that Good Sam is very slow to respond but so far I think our experience has been okay on that. It depends a whole lot on where you are when you have a situation that requires them too, don’t you think?
Good luck to you. Aren’t you having the best time though, with your RV?
We miss you when you’re gone neighbors, especially Jeeps misses Tank. She runs over to the place in the fance where they meet and waits. So sad but boy is she happy when he returns!
It is really nice to be home for a few days. Tank and Lilly even miss Jeeps too, I think!
We are thinking of renting a camper van this summer before we try an RV. Thanks for the tips!
Kathy/ruschtotheoutdoors.com
You are welcome. I think renting before buying is a great way to find out about the RV world. Good luck!