Dry Camping VS Full Hookup

        Each RV is obviously different and depending on the size of the RV it will have different tanks or battery needs. Our 5th wheel has a 50 amp hookup( but we did buy a 30amp adapter for the sites that don't offer 50amps), two 30lb propane tanks, 2 batteries, and we bought a generator. 

      The RV needs to be plugged in to a power source in order for any 110v lights or power outlets to work. So if you are dry camping you won't be able to charge your phone unless you are using the generator, which I'll talk more about that later:) Also, the moment you plug your RV to a power source the refrigerator automatically switches from using the propane to using the power. The a.c does not work unless you are plugged into a power source of 30amps or more. Being plugged in to a power source makes life in the RV very easy and extremely comfortable. 

      Don't get me wrong here, the RV is great whether you are dry camping or being hooked up, but it takes a lot more effort to make things work while not being hooked up to a power source. When dry camping the batteries make the lights work( the non 110v lights), and the furnace could run off of the batteries too, but we haven't tried that yet. The batteries would drain after a couple days of use without recharging it, and it would take about 72hrs for the batteries to be full again when plugged into a power source. That is why the generator comes in handy. The generator not only gives 30amp plus power to the RV, it also charges the batteries, so it is suggested that when dry camping use the generator a couple times a day for a few hours to keep the battery from draining completely  and to enjoy any 110v, air conditioner, or the microwave. We have a 5 gallon generator that when full it can power the RV for 12 hrs, so we always keep a gas container full for backup if we need it. 

     The propane tanks run the oven, water heater, and the refrigerator(only when you are dry camping). With both propane tanks full you would have enough propane to last you a little less than two months. That's if you don't leave the oven on all night because you forget to shut it off...oooppps!!:) Each propane costs a little less than $30 to fill depending on where you buy it from.

 

      All of this may sound extremely boring, but it was one of the things that you need to learn the fastest because when it storms it creates a whole new challenge. We've had a few times where the storms have been so bad we've lost power which involves a little process to get things running again. First off if the power gets shut off on the sites main breaker you have to go outside and turn the breaker back on, but before you do just make sure to turn the a.c. switch off, so you don't mess anything up with the air conditioner. After you turn the breaker on outside(if it was needed) double check that the breaker panel inside the RV didn't shut anything off automatically to protect the RV (our RV has this feature, but some don't). If everything is set you have to wait 5 mins before turning the air conditioner back on or it won't work. One of the storms we had was so severe the air conditioner didn't go back on after we did all these steps, and a lot more work was needed but that was because the ac switch was left on and it was running without enough power, so it is important to really know what to do in these situations so that a small problem doesn't turn into a big problem. 

      Another interesting fact about the air conditioner that no one told us before is that you can not refill the freeon, so when it's done, it's done. Also, when the temperature is extremely hot outside the ac it is not capable of keeping things cool like you would want it to, it will be able to stay about 20 degrees less than the outside temperature unless you have a second air conditioner, which some RVs aren't set up for a second unit. You also have to be plugged into a 50 amp power source if you have two air conditioners. So far we only have had a problem with extreme heat once, and when that happens just be ready to take a million cool showers:)

     When dry camping you may have enough propane to last you a couple of months, and with the generator you can keep things running smoothly in terms of power, but the fresh water tank lasts about two days, and the grey, black, and galley tanks need to be emptied about 1/week depending on how much water you are using to do dishes and take showers. So be prepared to have to move the RV all the time to fill water and empty the holding tanks. It is an extreme pain to set up the RV and break it down, so I suggest that when you can, find a place with full hookup because it is worth not having to deal with the hassle of moving the RV every other day. When you travel between destinations then dry camping is fine because you can fill up the fresh water stay a couple days, and then empty your tanks before traveling to a new destination. You never want to travel with the RV holding tanks full.

     With a full hook up site not only do you get power, you get water, and your own emptying station, so once you are set, you don't have to worry about anything else unless you lose power, but that's usually a quick fix, and then you are back to enjoying the RV life:)

RV life is truly the best!! YOU should try it!

      Things just feel so comfortable in our RV. It's neat to see how much happier, healthier, and rested we are by being surrounded by nature all the time. Living minimally has so many wonderful perks. It takes the stress out of so many issues I've dealt with in the past from apartment renting or city living. The RV life may not be for all, but it is perfect for us:)              

      Thunderstorms are 10x louder in the RV and it's quite the experience! The other day we had a storm that lasted for about 5 hours overnight. You could hear every drop of water on the roof and the thunder sounded incredible. Our power shut off a few times but came back on right away. I love thunderstorms so It's as if we were outside experiencing the sound, seeing the RV light up by every lightening, and not have to get wet. Brody didn't like it at all, but I was happy to stay up and make sure he was okay:)

      The weekends are the greatest because it's great to have Rich with me and the pups. One day this weekend we filled the pool for the pups, sun tanned, played corn whole, volleyball and frisbee(Brody and Jasper are always trying to steal the ball so it makes it much harder to play a game), and BBQ all day. To me that is by far the greatest way to spend your day. It didn't involve going anywhere, or eating out, it was filled with smiles and relaxation. This is how we've enjoyed our weekends since we've been in the RV, and I couldn't be happier. 

     I've always appreciated the small things in life, but being disconnected from the world makes it so much more rewarding how great it is to be here. Also I'm happy to announce that my weird neighbor with the crazy dog has officially left the campground, which makes this place perfect!!! The secret really works!:)

Our neighbors

    The RV life has introduced us to many new and interesting people. Most have been over 50, very nice, and full time RVers, but we have run into a few people that I would consider them total nuts. I mean we are all a bit nuts, but these people just take it overboard. 

    At the state parks most people were just vacationing and they use the RVs during the summer months to travel. At the RV campgrounds most people live full time, but there are the occasional people who just come for a holiday or the weekend with their families. Those people usually live in town and just do little getaways when they can. For the full time RVers that we've met in this campground, they are well over 65 and the RVs range from looking a million years old to some that look like a very nice stretched house. Everyone waves to each other and they are all intrigued to know their new neighbor. I welcome the company during the day, and by now everyone knows the pups, which helps when Jasper decides to wonder a bit far beyond our area:) On the 4th of July we were even invited to our neighbors family BBQ. 

       Amongst the very nice people, there are also the not so nice ones. So far I've encountered a couple in our journey, and let me tell you...it wasn't pleasant. When we first arrived to the campground there were many open spots, so we were lucky to find one that suited all our needs (grass for the boys, full hookup, and some space from the other RVs). We first found this spot that was perfect, but unfortunately the only RV in that area had two dogs barking their heads off, and the RV itself looked in rough shape. After finding our spot that we are currently in now, we walked the dogs around the lake path, and we could hear those dogs going crazy in there. I immediately felt bad about them being locked up in the very small RV all day long without having a chance to go outside. 

     A few days had passed and I decided to go for a run. Usually, I always take the boys with me, but Rich was home and Brody had injured his leg the day before, so I left them behind. As I started my run I noticed the two dogs from that RV, a huge German Shepherd and a black lab, were loose and the owner was trying to bring them back with his van by chasing them with it. Even though I thought it was odd, I continued running and headed for the lake. I had almost finished my first lap and I see the German Shepherd running straight towards me, no tail wagging, just coming straight for me. I immediately stopped and noticed how rough this dog was. It was missing spots of hair and it looked too thin.  I put my hand out by my side so the dog could smell my hands first, but he just circled me with no happy reaction at all. My heart was pounding, and this fisherman noticed and told me to stay calm as the dog circled me. The fisherman came over and got in the way of me and the dog, and I yelled to see if the owner could hear me and get his dog back. This old guy comes out of the RV with a gun and shoots it at the air twice and the dog runs back to him. I couldn't have been more grateful that our dogs weren't with me, and for the fisherman helping me out. 

     I'm a dog lover, but that dog, unfortunately, seemed to have been raised by this crazy guy. We contacted the superintendent of the campground and he told us that this isn't the first time he has had complaints and to call 911 and him again if this happens again. I usually avoid going for runs now when his van is there, and since the 4th there have been a few other RVs near his area, so he has kept the dogs locked up. After speaking to another neighbor he says those dogs are crazy and not supervised, so I've started running with my pepper spray just in case. 

     Aside from this crazy guy and his dogs, this park is extremely safe:) We have a weekly farmers market, people fishing or exercising on the lake all day, park employees, and police officers are constantly driving by throughout the day. Whether you are in an RV campground, a neighborhood, or a public location there is always someone out there who doesn't have the best intentions, which is why I wonder about protection. I'm not for guns or against them, it's just never been part of my life thus far, but it makes me wonder if in this journey is it worth to have a way to protect yourself against that one crazy person or animal?

Must haves for the RV so far...:)

     We have been officially living in the RV for a month now, and I have a list of things that are a must have. I'm sure I'll come up with more the more we live in it, but these have been crucial in making it a happy place to live:)

-All Stays camp and RV app. It's a $9.99 app but worth every penny! It tells you which roads to avoid in an RV for height purposes. It helps you narrow it down campsites based on what you need. The database of places is huge, and I didn't find this cute place we are staying now anywhere else but on this app! Very informative on RV overnight parking and places to fix your RV along the way in case something happens. 

-Small size everything! Baking sheets, dish drainers, pans. I thought I had the perfect tiny baking sheet for the RV and when I tried it, it didn't fit at all. So keep in mind that the space you think you have is probably still smaller. Also, counter space is so important that the normal sized dish drainers would take up the whole place. They sell the RV sized ones that are perfect for daily use:)

-The refrigerator bars are perfect for travel, and for the shower the suction holders are great to keep the shower things in their spot while traveling. For the cabinets we used bungee cords that kept the cabinets very closed so even if things moved around, it wouldn't come flying out of the cabinets. To keep appliances in place we bought Velcro and attached all the appliances to their spot. 

-Fly swatters!! As much as we try to keep the screen door closed, or just avoid leaving anything open for too long, flys still get through:(( we tried the tape but nothing happened, so the swatters are perfect for getting them all!  Jasper helps too which is great;) 

-A handy cordless vacuum cleaner that folds easily into nothing and can do carpet and tile. With the pups I find that the floors are always dirty, so this helps me keep the place very clean:) I also have a foldable broom and foldable mop, but for quick daily use this is the best!

-A stepping stool! Some of the cabinets are too high and I can't wait all day for Rich to be back to help me ( he can easily reach everything:) ), so the stepping stool is perfect for me. It also folds down so I can put it away and it won't take up space. I also love using it for my workouts! 

-Waterproof high cut boots. So far every place we have been to there is high grass that the boys love going into, or we've had some days that it rains so hard that some parts flood. I recommend Muck boots as that's what I grew up with my parents using. They are comfortable and will always keep you dry!:)

- For the dumping of the grey and black water I recommend a few things: gloves, sanitizing spray ( to pray the hose and connector after use), and  a sewer hose supporter 

- A water purifier attachment. You have to switch this every 3 mo, but it's worth to be safe about the water you are drinking and showering with. 

- A generator. This is more for dry camping, which we've only done when stopping at the rest areas overnight, but it is amazing to have! The a.c. and outlets only work when there is enough power, so the generator provides that power when we aren't plugged in to an energy source. We've also been looking at solar panels, which would be great to have for dry camping:) 

-For relaxing outside we have tiki torches and citronella candles and coils to keep bugs away, a table cloth for the picnic table they provide at the site, and zero gravity chairs( these are by far the best way to relax outside!!!!). For the pups we got them a plastic pool to keep them happy all summer long:)