RVs for Rookies

Welcome to RVs for Rookies: A Practical Guide to Simpler Living, Smarter Camping, and Full-time Traveling. The purpose of this book is to prepare you for your RV without a degree in mechanical engineering. Whether you’re planning a weekend escape or full-time life on the road, I aim to provide you with the insights and tools to make your journey smoother. You’ll find tips, tricks, and honest tales from someone who jumped in headfirst and managed to stay alive. My journey began with a mix of excitement and sheer terror. I needed a safe place to go, and I needed it fast, so my visions of the open road became a safe retreat with family gatherings around a campfire, stunning sunsets over a picturesque lake, and lots (and lots) of laughter. But intrusive thoughts of breakdowns and endless repairs also plagued me. I quickly learned that RV life is about balance, just as it is in real life. It’s about finding joy in minor victories—such as successfully emptying the black water tank without wearing its contents. This book is for everyone who has ever felt the call of the road. Maybe you’re a senior looking for a new landscape or a family hoping to create memories that will last a lifetime. Maybe you’ve found yourself in survival mode, like me. Perhaps you’re just tired of staring at the same four walls. I get it; I’ve been there, too. Whatever your reason, I want to help you embrace the journey with confidence. You’ll learn how to tackle those little surprises that come with RV life and create priceless memories along the way—even if you don’t recognize them right away. Let me give you a quick look at what you’ll find in the chapters ahead. We’ll start with the basics: choosing the right RV and getting it road ready. Then, we’ll dive into setting up camp, troubleshooting common issues, and maintaining your home on wheels. I’ll share stories of my blunders and triumphs so you can learn from my mistakes without making them yourself. And yes, we’ll cover the dreaded but necessary task of winterizing your RV because nobody wants frozen pipes or cracked valves. I want you to join me on this journey of discovery and learning. The road is full of ups and downs, but it’s also packed with breathtaking views and unexpected friendships, plus the thrill and relief that comes with independent freedom. So, loosen up, and grab your sense of adventure and a good sense of humor. After all, camping is about finding or rediscovering the joys in nature. We’ll hit the road together and see where it takes us. Remember, every expert was once a rookie, and every rookie must start somewhere. Why not start here and get a jump ahead of that steep learning curve! **I chose the RV lifestyle, because I needed space and time to live at my pace and on my terms.** I stood there staring at a behemoth of a vehicle that looked like it could eat a house for breakfast. It was my first RV, and I had no idea how to get it out of the driveway and even less how to maintain and operate it. I was completely ignorant, but man, was I excited to start! So now, to tackle the bigger problem. How do I begin without running over the mailbox or driving into someone’s car? I felt like all the neighbors were watching and most likely placing bets on how long it would take me to crash into something. Yet I felt like a kid who had just received the keys to the candy store—or, in this case, a candy store on wheels. I managed to convince the previous owners to bring the RV to my campsite and set it up for me. Once they got there, I trailed behind every display of instructions, like a puppy with my phone, videoing everything they said and pointed at. They provided a quick rundown on where each component was and what I should do during daily operations. As well as, what to do if anything went wrong. I was nervously nodding and agreed that I understood what they were telling me because (at the time), it all seemed like common sense. They finished leveling the beast, disconnected the hitch, and away they went. I must have looked like a deer in headlights, with my mind overflowing with words that held no anchors, and my only source of reference just sped away like thieves in the night, never to be heard of again. Gazing into that vast unknown; my reality started setting in, as the only training source I had vanished. As I stood there in the middle of the crowded RV park, more than a thousand miles away from what had been my comfort zone, clutching a tangled mess of hose and wires, I slowly began to realize that my RV life had truly begun. And from the looks of it, I could tell that it was going to be as graceful as a moose on roller skates. What I had envisioned was a serene escape, but instead--what I got was an impromptu course in heating and air, plumbing, and electrical engineering, as a short, verbal list of what to do and what not to do! Most people would regard this scenario as sink or swim. Unfortunately, I have been through a few of those to know, I will most likely swim, so, I better get a grip. As I continued to wrestle with the water connections and muse over what I had gotten myself into, a seasoned RVer stood beside me, chuckling. “Rookie, huh?” I nodded, trying to hide my frustration while wondering if I’ll ever get it right. I’m sure I looked as bewildered as I felt, because she chuckled again, and then added reassuringly, “You’ll figure it out!” I mustered up as much courage as I could find, including a convincing smile, only to squeak out, “I hope so.” The idea of a home on wheels is meant to be the ultimate symbol of freedom, a new chapter just waiting to be written in the many books I have yet to write. But as I stood there with the keys in my hand, I couldn’t shake the questions swirling in my mind: Can I actually manage life on the road? Was this a bold leap forward? Or just a wild idea; a fast getaway, from a life and security that seemed to have swallowed me whole. My heart raced with excitement and a fair bit of trepidation. This wasn’t just a vacation or temporary lodging-it was a big change, a lifestyle decision. And I was soon to find out what life could be like beyond the entrapment of boundaries and a fixed address. I took deep breaths and decided to ease into my RV journey one day at a time. I discovered that there was a lot to learn, often on the fly, from ceiling leaks and power outages to figuring out where the heck to stash the spare hide-a-key after unknowingly being locked out, on the very first day of ownership. Each new experience became a lesson. Over time, I learned to savor the unpredictability, finding joy in the highs and growth in the challenges. It’s much like keeping a journal about you and your children’s developments and the precious daily moments that somehow become forgotten over the years. Those moments are a cherished record that you can look back on and smile about. The same principle applies here. RV life is never just about miles; it’s about what happens in between, the stories you gather along the way, and the freedom to explore life the way you want to live it, with no strings attached. I tried to remember all of it, and now I’m passing it on to you: A guiding light through the learning curves, a resource for those who are ready to embrace their own lives on wheels. Whether that be planning a weekend escape or dreaming of an endless stretch of open road, I’ll be sharing everything I’ve learned, from practical tips on setting up camp to insights on routine maintenance. We’ll go over the basics: choosing the right RV, organizing your space, staying safe, and preparing for the unexpected, but we’ll also go deeper, exploring the emotional rewards of life on the road, and the sense of connection that comes from simplifying, slowing down, and just being present.