When I left California for Texas in my RV, I had no idea what the future would be like. I absolutely loved my trip and had dreams of full-time RVing but I didn’t know if that could be a reality. Would I choose full-time RVing or part-time travel from a home base?
Related: Epic 40-day California to Texas RV Itinerary
I knew that once I had spent some time with my dad in Texas, I wanted to get back on the road and explore the Gulf Coast, Midwest and East Coast. In the back of my mind, I figured that I would probably just take extended trips from my home base rather than full-time RVing as long as my dad is still living. My mom and dad divorced when I was only 9 and this is the first time I’ve really spent any time with my dad.
So, if you’re wondering why I haven’t been anywhere in my RV since I arrived in Texas in November, even just on one of those extended trips, here’s the scoop.
Full-time RVers – Always Chasing the Weather
People who are RVing full-time and don’t have a home base are constantly chasing the weather or running from it. I’ve avoided doing that by staying stationary at my home base in Texas. It was raining when I arrived, it continued to rain and be cloudy and when it wasn’t raining and cloudy it was windy. In spite of all that, it was much better than weather on the East Coast or in the Midwest, so I saw no reason to get on the road and leave a place with relatively mild weather.
Full time RVers are always chasing the weather or running from it. #rvlife #travel Share on XI had planned to attend a blogging conference in St. Louis in May. For some reason, I just couldn’t get motivated to prepare for the trip. As it turns out, it was a really good thing.
The weather in the Midwest turned brutal. Along the entire route I had planned to take, there was torrential rain, flooding and tornadoes. A family I follow on YouTube was in the area I would’ve been in and had to leave their rig and take shelter from a tornado at a casino. I think leaving my rig, not knowing if it was safe, would terrify me.
Related: Survive the Storm — Be Prepared for a Natural Disaster
What I’m Doing Instead
The weather to the west was decent and I could’ve headed that way but I had just come from that direction and didn’t want to do that. Instead, I decided to take the opportunity to spend more time with my dad.
I’ve also made good use of the time by exploring what there is to see and do here locally while I’m on this extended staycation. This falls right in with my mission to explore every nook and cranny where I live. I’ve discovered some great places and hope you’ve enjoyed reading about them on the blog. There’s still so much more to see and do here so stay tuned for more Texas adventures.
Related: How to Plan the Perfect Staycation
What’s the Plan, Stan?
Second Half of 2019
When will I get on the road? That’s a good question and one I continue to try to answer. I have two trips on the back burner. One is up the Gulf Coast of Texas and the other is exploring Texas Hill Country (wine tasting — YAY!) in the center of the state. Texas Hill Country will probably come first since now it is hurricane season along the Gulf Coast. I’m planning 3-4 weeks for each of these trips.
Planning for 2020
I’m pretty exited about what is coming in RV travel for me in 2020. The conference I had planned to go to in Missouri this past June is being held in New Jersey in July next year. I’m planning to go and make that a 2-3 month trip. I’ll be hoping for better weather than this year!
I’m even more excited about the International Food Blogger Conference (IFBC) that will be held in El Paso next November. I last attended that conference in 2017 in Sacramento and it was amazing.
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From El Paso, I will probably go back into New Mexico and Arizona to do some more exploring. This time, it will be the southern part of those states. I’m hoping to take 6-8 weeks for this trip.
I’m also anxious to find out where the 2020 Wine Media Conference will be held. This year it is in Australia and that didn’t work for me for several reasons. I was lucky enough to be able to attend this conference in 2017 in addition to IFBC. It was held in Santa Rosa, just a couple of hours drive from where I lived.
Related: Wine Bloggers Conference 2017 Recap — Part 1 #wbc17
Related: This One’s All About the Food – #wbc17 – Part 2
The Condition of My Trailer
My trailer has been parked without moving since I arrived here in late November. I kept thinking I would go on a trip but it just never happened. Periodically, I would think about my batteries and bringing them up to the house to keep them charged. That never happened either. So, now that I want to get it ready, both for a trip and to be ready to evacuate in case of a hurricane, my inaction is coming back to bite me.
Now that I want to get my trailer ready, both for a trip and to be ready to evacuate in case of a hurricane, my inaction is coming back to bite me. #rvlife Share on XI took my batteries to be charged a few days ago and, of course, they won’t hold a charge now. They are five years old so it is not a total surprise but now I have to decide what to do about new batteries. I’m debating between new deep cycle 12v batteries or golf cart batteries.
Once I have new batteries, I’ll move the trailer to the house where I can work on it. It needs cleaning up and a good going over of all systems.
Full-time RVing Life vs Having a Home Base
Living in south Texas for the past seven months and having the weather have such an impact on the decisions I make, has really made me appreciate the weather in the southwest. It has also made me think long and hard about full-time RVing. I have an inexpensive home base in an area that is known as a mecca for snowbirds during the winter. Since I don’t have to chase the weather, I am pretty comfortable with the decision that I will spend winters in the Rio Grande Valley and travel other places based on the best weather for that area. And, of course, I can head west pretty much any time of year.
How much do you let the weather influence your RV or other vacation choices? Have you been effected by a serious weather phenomenon while on vacation or in your RV? What tips do you have to share? Let us know in the comments.
I think it’s wise to keep a home base and live a real life when you’re not traveling. Especially if that gives you more time to be with family.
Very true, Tami. Spending time with family is so important.
I am glad you had a nice time with your dad and that you have decided on a great plan for how you are going to live/travel with your RV. I have always wondered what makes people choose the RV life and you have certainly given me a little bit of insight into that.
I love the freedom of RV life and the discovery of new things around every corner. I think having a home base will be a nice balance for now.
The weather definitely plays a big part in our destination choices. While I like rainy days inside at home, it’s not so great when we’re on vacation. I enjoyed reading about your RV adventures; it’s sweet you got to spend time with your dad too 🙂
Since I lived most of my life in California, I am SO not used to so much weather!
It’s always good to get someone’s perspective on this. My hubby and I RV’d full time for 18 months, we went into it thinking it would be permanent but my husband missed having a home and hated the worry about RVing.
I continue to be amazed by the number of people I run across who have RVd full-time for at least some period of time. Interesting that it was your husband who missed having a home.
So glad to learn more about you, plus more about the conditions facing someone who is living in an RV. I don’t think I could do it, but I love the idea of tossing everything aside and hitting the open road for an extended amount of time. Glad you are getting to be with your Dad, I’m sure he is thrilled, plus you are already in the best state of them all. 😉
Hitting the open road is a fantasy for many people. It was for me from the time I was a teenager but I never thought it would happen. If it is something you really want, you definitely could do it. Everything is all about attitude. And I agree with you about being in the best state.
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The most clear reason a great many people decide to full-time RV is travel. Numerous individuals love to travel and doing it in a RV is an extraordinary decision.