Consider the appeal of the open road, the liberty to travel wherever your large, fuel-consuming vehicle can take you. The vision of discovering the great outdoors, not from a cramped hotel room, but from the convenience of your mobile residence.
This is the quintessential American dream of traveling in a spacious 5th-wheel RV. This behemoth dwarfs even a school bus.
We began this journey so that you, dear reader, could experience our adventures vicariously without having to handle the actual, ahem, challenges of navigating a mobile home.
Here are the insights we gained.
The Dream vs. The Reality
The Dream: You imagine waking up to the natural sounds, with a new and stunning view outside your window each morning. Your home is wherever you park it, and the world is yours to explore.
The Real: You awaken to the noise of your neighbor’s generator and discover that a not-so-well-aged Winnebago obscures the stunning view. Additionally, you find yourself parked in a lot that resembles a busy Walmart parking area more than the tranquil wilderness you had hoped for.
FYI: Here’s how to actually camp at Walmart
A Test of Our Marriage
Driving can be a true measure of a marriage. If you’ve always wondered about the resilience of your relationship, try maneuvering a 40-foot 5th Wheel through tight city streets or attempting to park it at a campground built for vehicles much smaller.
It’s akin to playing a high-stakes game of Tetris, except this time, the blocks are your home, and there are no do-overs if you make a mistake.
Hookups, Not as Fun as They Sound
In the world of RVs, “hookups” refer to essential connections for water, power, and sewage rather than thrilling evening encounters.
Nothing quite compares to living the dream as you put on rubber gloves to connect your 5th wheel to a sewage line while trying to recall the proper order of operations for dumping your tank.
The Great Indoors
The lavish and spacious interior of a 5th Wheel may give the impression of luxury. However, in reality, it can still be a challenge to navigate without bumping into furniture. It may also require a complex plan to cook a meal.
Your kitchen will be more spacious than a smaller RV, but your fridge requires much power. If you’re not connected to hookups, all your chilled goods may spoil.
That is why we have an RV lithium battery system.
Nature, Up Close and Personal
We had imagined leisurely mornings enjoying coffee while observing deer grazing nearby. However, our experience with nature turned out to be more intimate than expected.
For instance, a family of mice made our undercarriage their home. We were also greeted by a swarm of moths so eager in their welcome that it was almost endearing, if not for the month-long eradication that lasted the entirety of our summer RV trip.
We Tried It, So You Don’t Have To
In conclusion, our adventure in our large 5th Wheel RV was indeed a journey. It became clear to us that while the less-traveled roads held beauty, accommodating a vehicle the size of a small house was a challenge.
We also experienced the pleasures of minimalism, not by preference but out of necessity, as we discovered just how little hot water one needs for a shower. Our hot water tank is no larger than those on much smaller RVs.
Most importantly, we realized that adventure may not always offer easy comfort, but it does provide enduring stories.
For those of you who strongly desire to travel, we suggest considering something a bit more compact. Alternatively, you can enjoy our story and leave it at that.
Adventure awaits, but so do RV parks, and they are closer together than you might expect.
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