How to Prepare for our Cross Country RV Road Trip

/ mark

We purchased an RV!

A nearly 40 year old RV.

A 1977 Dodge Rockwood to be exact.

20 Feet of Moving House.

It gets a whopping 10 mpg (motor homes in general don’t get great mpg) – and I can’t really drive it any faster than 60 mph – but I still think it’s GREAT.

Sure it’s just a little older than I am (OMG) but the fact that it’s still running and in great shape means that it’s age is kind of meaningless. It’s been taken care of with a lot of work and maintenance done on it. The last owner especially reworked the thing and that’s one of the main reasons we took a chance on this purchase. It’s the same reason we felt comfortable buying our 2001 Subaru Outback – because the previous owner put in the effort to keep the vehicle in good shape. (Since we don’t buy new cars, or cars from dealerships either.)

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Rebuilt engine, new radiator, alternator, blah blah blah – stuff that should be broken but isn’t because it’s a new(er) replacement part. Sure there are things that are still original (like the interior) but those things are easier to replace and deal with (than say, a dead engine).

SO YEAH.

RV Road Trip

After my last wedding on July 4th here in Atlanta – we’re driving across the country to the Washington coast.

And back.

There’s kind of an endless list of things to do but when you get down to it – we just need to pack everything in and start driving. That’s the core of any road trip right? It doesn’t even matter where you’re going – just start going. And maybe you’ll end up there and maybe you won’t. But that’s okay too.

Most of what I have to do for preparation involves learning everything about keeping the RV running. Making sure the tires are inflated properly. Making sure the engine area doesn’t overheat/breakdown. Making sure everything else… will work. And even then we have road side assistance.

It’s a strange thing – this beginning RV Life of ours. It arrives at the same time that I want to be… away.

Just away.

And a little gone. Or disappeared. And more gone.

 

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mark

Mark is an award winning wedding photographer and sales coach. He is the main photographer at LeahAndMark.com, and works with other photographers to build their businesses through one-on-one coaching sessions.
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