Gary and I often said "When we retire we are just going to travel in the U.S. and go where we want to go." The first thing I learned was:
Travelling in an RV for two weeks is not for the budget traveller.
Getting 9 miles a gallon and having to fill up every two hours spending approximately $68 to the $80 range was rather expensive. You can figure what we spent --- 12 hours of driving from Oklahoma City to Cadiz, Kentucky and then 10 hours of driving from Cadiz, Kentucky to Rogers, Arkansas. Yes, we could have driven our car and stayed in motels.....would have been much cheaper. Knowing what we know now...would we?....No. The bonding time with family was priceless.
I thought I had to have all my groceries bought and put away in the trailer before we left time. At times it was impossible for find anything at all in the pantry because it was so stuff. It would have been better to just buy groceries locally every 3 or 4 days. So, the second thing I learned was:
Buy groceries as you go, not beforehand.
We had to keep a good eye on the gas gauge because we could not "just" pull into any service station. We were always on the lookout for a truck stop. Those places were about the only place Gary had room to maneuver the truck and travel trailer. The third thing I learned was:
Know where all the truck stops are along the way.
Water never tasted better. I can't begin to figure out how much water we drank. For some reason, when you are camping and it is hot outside...boy, bottled water is priceless. So, here we go, the fourth thing I learned was:
Take double the bottled water that you think you will drink.
When I realized we were staying at a K.O.A. I was a little hesitant. Certainly not impressed. I don't know why I felt that way. I've never been to one but I always saw a sign on the road "KOA Here." I've never had a desire to stay at one. The fifth thing I learned was:
Don't be judgmental.
The K.O.A. was much nicer than any state park I have every stayed at. Internet the first day (it didn't work anymore after Shane and Jess arrived), small grocery and gift store, nice marina, jet skis, paddle boats, mini golf course, goft carts to rent. It was almost like staying at a mini amusement park.
After a two week camping trip in an RV we were very ready to return home. When we started our adventure I think we both had a little desire to be travellers for much longer. We missed home. We will do it again but not until we trade the truck for a diesel! And, I have an RV with a washer/dryer! We do have our necessities.
Travelling in an RV for two weeks is not for the budget traveller.
Getting 9 miles a gallon and having to fill up every two hours spending approximately $68 to the $80 range was rather expensive. You can figure what we spent --- 12 hours of driving from Oklahoma City to Cadiz, Kentucky and then 10 hours of driving from Cadiz, Kentucky to Rogers, Arkansas. Yes, we could have driven our car and stayed in motels.....would have been much cheaper. Knowing what we know now...would we?....No. The bonding time with family was priceless.
I thought I had to have all my groceries bought and put away in the trailer before we left time. At times it was impossible for find anything at all in the pantry because it was so stuff. It would have been better to just buy groceries locally every 3 or 4 days. So, the second thing I learned was:
Buy groceries as you go, not beforehand.
We had to keep a good eye on the gas gauge because we could not "just" pull into any service station. We were always on the lookout for a truck stop. Those places were about the only place Gary had room to maneuver the truck and travel trailer. The third thing I learned was:
Know where all the truck stops are along the way.
Water never tasted better. I can't begin to figure out how much water we drank. For some reason, when you are camping and it is hot outside...boy, bottled water is priceless. So, here we go, the fourth thing I learned was:
Take double the bottled water that you think you will drink.
When I realized we were staying at a K.O.A. I was a little hesitant. Certainly not impressed. I don't know why I felt that way. I've never been to one but I always saw a sign on the road "KOA Here." I've never had a desire to stay at one. The fifth thing I learned was:
Don't be judgmental.
The K.O.A. was much nicer than any state park I have every stayed at. Internet the first day (it didn't work anymore after Shane and Jess arrived), small grocery and gift store, nice marina, jet skis, paddle boats, mini golf course, goft carts to rent. It was almost like staying at a mini amusement park.
After a two week camping trip in an RV we were very ready to return home. When we started our adventure I think we both had a little desire to be travellers for much longer. We missed home. We will do it again but not until we trade the truck for a diesel! And, I have an RV with a washer/dryer! We do have our necessities.
1 comment:
LOL....yes you could take your car and stay in hotel but there is something to be said about your own sheets and shower (that you know are clean) and when I figure meals out into the cost of motel room I figure we come out about even. We get about 10 mpg now with the new camper, up from between 7 and 8. Guess the V nose is better aeordynamics. And the people you meet in a campground are much friendlier.
HUGS,
Karen
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