So here we are, just over midway through our amazing adventure. I thought I would take a moment to reflect back on some of our experiences and how things have shaped up in relation to living on the road in a fifth wheel and address some of the more common questions I receive.
First and foremost, this trip has been an amazing experience for the whole family. There have been new lessons learned for everyone at every turn in the road. I have often said to my kids that the best way to learn is to teach. This old adage has never been more true for me now that I am on the road and spending so much time with my family. In so many different ways I have learned new things from all of my kids. One particular example that stands out and made a profound impact on me was from my youngest daughter, Izabelle.
A few weeks back Katherine was organizing the kids room and found a piece of paper that Izabelle was working on that morning. After Katherine read it she brought it to me to read. The paper that Izabelle was working on was a list that she had put together. At the top of the list she titled it, "Words I will say today", she then listed out words like, Thank You, Please, May I be excused, You look pretty, I like your shirt.
I was so moved and impressed by her "List of Words for the Day" I couldn't help but think how much better we would all be if we chose our words everyday, after all, we all have the ability to chose our attitude and Izabelle had done just that. Katherine and I were so impressed with Izabelle's list that we made it a requirement for all of the kids to make a list of the words they will use each day because we truly believe that happiness is a choice and this was a great way to help reinforce this with our children.
In addition to learning from the family I have also had so many positive experiences with our fellow campers while traveling to different RV Resorts and National Parks. I have met a number of great people with some fascinating stories of their own, but what I have learned most from my fellow Americans is that this country is full of incredibly helpful and generous individuals. In every city we visit people by and large are inherently helpful and generous and this adventure has proven that over and over. I have met random strangers in every State from Montana, to Massachusetts, to Florida who, for no other reason than their loving heart, have helped us along our trip. We have had total strangers treat us to ice cream at McDonalds, help change a flat tire, lend me a canoe, offer helpful advice (mostly around fishing!), lend a hand backing in the camper. The list could go on and on. Bottom line, this country is full of some really great people.
I also, wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the more common FAQ's I receive.
HOW DO YOU WORK FROM THE ROAD?
With the help of a laptop, AT&T wireless card and a cellphone I can work from just about anywhere without a problem. I'll often leave the camper when I need to work. I find the lobby of local hotels is a great spot to camp out for the day. I particularly like the Courtyard Marriott. When in remote places I'll work from the back seat of my truck, or from the master bedroom of the camper with the door closed.
WHAT TYPE OF MEALS DO YOU PREPARE?
This probably won't come as a surprise, but Katherine has always been incredible in the kitchen and she hasn't missed a step in the camper. We have had some of the best meals I have eaten in my life while living in the camper. We can only buy enough food for 3 -5 days at a time so there is no purchasing in bulk. We shop at the local grocery stores and buy whatever is on sale for the week in order to keep the cost down. We make a lot of chicken, massed potatoes, meatloaf, tacos, hot dogs, hamburgers, oatmeal and pancakes and of course, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
WHAT DO YOU MISS ABOUT HAVING A HOUSE?
We all have a different answer to this question, but it's a pretty short list. We have adjusted well to being in a small space and still enjoy plenty of the comforts we had in the house. Katherine mostly misses some of her cooking appliances, Tristan misses the basement that he used to have to himself. For me, Ice! I love ice with water and soda, especially on hot days. I miss not having ice. The kids for the most part miss their friends. Having the technology to FaceTime or text has certainly helped them cope.
WHAT IS THE TYPICAL BUDGET WHEN ON THE ROAD?
This isn't really a frequent question, but I thought it was worth reporting on. The typical budget for a full time camper is the nightly campsite which we average about $30/night, Fuel at 8miles/gallon and food at about $200/week. We are able to stay pretty good with the budget I laid out in the beginning, but the real budget buster that I didn't have forecasted until I hit the road was the seemingly endless maintenance. From new tires to power inverters and countless items to help organize the camper there always seems to be something that kills my weekly budget.
HOW DO THE KIDS HANDLE THE LONG RIDES?
Almost since the day they were born, Katherine and I have been taking the kids on long (1,000 mile plus) road trips. Considering their age, they travel better than most adults. As an example, during a trip about a year ago, we needed to stop to use the restrooms at about 4 hours into a 22 hour trip. Sidney, from the back seat starts to complain that we are stopping and says "I haven't had anything to drink just so we didn't have to stop". Believe me when I say that they are committed to getting from point A to point B in a hurry. Since pulling the camper is a more stressful day and takes time to breakdown and setup camp we do try to limit our travel days to less than 200 miles/day. Even a short day of 150 miles can take 10-12 hours from starting to breakdown camp and be setup a the new sight.
DO YOU HOME SCHOOL THE KIDS?
Yes, but it is a struggle. We didn't home school until after we started traveling, so we are very new to homeschooling and have struggled to get into a groove. I give Katherine all of the credit for the work that she does to prepare lessons and keep the kids on track, but we still struggle to make it through a school day without going a little crazy. Homeschooling did force us to put together a schedule for the kids, and anyone who knows Katherine and I know that we don't really do schedules that well. Since putting a schedule in place it has provided some nice direction for the kids to follow the curriculum on a daily basis and helped with their progress. In addition to the core curriculum the kids are getting a great education by visiting historical sights and national parks.
And that just about sums it up!
"All that glitters is not gold, all who wander are not lost"
-J.R. Tolkien
God Bless,
Seth and Katherine
