Each of us decides how we will experience life. We make decisions based on the environment in which we are raised, our surroundings and abilities. Many adults, get a job and may never leave their hometown or state. Seeing the world may not be on their bucket list. If it is on your list and you yearn for adventure, a change of scenery and a freeing lifestyle, consider the recreational vehicle (RV) lifestyle.
Is an RV just a place to sleep for short weekend trips or is it a lifestyle? As kids, we grew up tent camping with our families, scouts, and church retreats. When we married, we camped in a tiny two-person tent, then upgraded to a larger tent as our family grew. Our first RV was an old used pop-up which we later upgraded to a bumper pull, followed by a couple of fifth wheels before taking the motorized plunge. We have great memories camping with our families, regardless of the rig we owned at the time. That pop-up was ugly, but we made it work and enjoyed sleeping on better beds without the bugs. We had a 40 year lesson learning what we liked and didn't like. We're now on our third coach, our dream coach, a beautiful 45’ 2024 Entegra Cornerstone Class A Luxury Diesel Pusher (LDP).
Like many people experienced, the 2020 pandemic changed our lives. We did a lot of soul searching, shed a few tears and asked ourselves, what makes us happy? In the end, we sold our home, left Texas (and nearby family), moved into our first Class A LDP and never looked back. Our families thought we were nuts (maybe we are). They questioned our decision, but it wasn’t our responsibility to get them to comprehend or believe in our vision, we were following our hearts. The beach makes us happy and so does exploring the world, so why not make it happen? Why settle for going to work, then home, chores, sleep, and repeat? Technology allows us to be Digital Nomads. I still go to work (from the coach), do my chores and sleep, but we explore in the evenings and weekends. We live on the beach in Florida half the year but get anxious to hit the road every Spring, where we live in the coach the other half of the year. Our coach travels seem to be stretching a little every year, and I wonder if we might eventually be full-timers? Who knows? We never thought we’d own a Luxury Diesel Pusher (LDP), but here we are in our beautiful Cornerstone. We are living our dream, exploring America, making new friends and enjoying God’s beauty. Our families love seeing our pictures, hearing of our travels and we wonder if they might finally be seeing our vision.
RV shopping is somewhat like eating at a buffet. You must try a little bit of this and that before you determine what you like and what suits your lifestyle the best, at your current stage of life. For us, since I work full-time from the coach, we needed a place that felt like home and private workspace. Our Entegra Coach is filled with all the luxuries of home and then some. I can easily work during the week and then we enjoy adventures on the weekends as we travel across America. I'll share a few tips on how we chose the best RV for us at each stage of our lives.
- First and foremost, have a purpose for your RV. Don't buy one to sit in the driveway, buy it to use it. Do you plan to enjoy weekend trips, full-time living, or adventures across America for longer durations? When we were younger our purpose was to enjoy weekend camping trips with our family, as our day jobs prevented longer trips. In this chapter of life our purpose is to explore and see America while we are both healthy and I can continue working remotely.
- When you shop for an RV make a list of non-negotiables to fulfill your purpose and make the most of your experiences. Interview friends and family to learn what they like about their RV. Ask them what their top 3 or 4 favorite items are in their rig. Don't be afraid to also inquire about what they don't like. I can tell you that I hated that pop-up, as there was no A/C, no bathroom or refrigerator. We quickly determined we had nonnegotiables. As we upgraded with each RV, we learned that we really liked the comforts of home. When we were shopping for our Class A, we had a specific list with 4 nonnegotiables, as well as a longer wish list and preferences. Number one, since our purpose is to take longer trips (4-6 months at a time), we needed a residential refrigerator. We both enjoy cooking and take the entire contents of our home-based refrigerator with us every year. We also pack out our basement freezer (I know, that’s a lot of food). Next on the list is a king-size bed, a washer and dryer, and finally a bath and a half. We both like our space, and our cat, Sophie needs a little room too (she shares the half bath with me).
- Decide your size and style. As you might expect, when we were younger our kids took their friends, and we took a few also. We needed more room with more beds and not too many frills. We quickly learned that we do not enjoy camping with a bunch of people in our RV. Not everyone takes care of it like you do and I certainly did not enjoy making beds and washing linens for the extra beds. It was our second home and I know I should be a gracious host, but it made me cranky. Nowadays, we like our own space. We tease all the time that our coach serves beverages for six, dines four and sleeps two - just the way we like it. Of course, we have air mattresses to use when guests join us.
It's time! Ask yourself what makes you happy and make it happen! If traveling is on your bucket list, rent an RV and try it out. If you like it, go RV shopping, and don't settle for anything that doesn't fulfill your purpose and satisfy your non-negotiables. If it’s not for you, be brave enough to walk away with no regrets, then try something else. Live your best life and do more of what makes you happy!
Entegra Coach Ambassadors: Cornerstone
In 2021, Jeri and Kenny Saulsbury sold their home in Texas, moved into
their Entegra Coach, and hit the road with their cat, Sophie, living the digital
nomadic lifestyle. When not on the road, they call Panama City Beach, FL
home during the winter.
