Most people hit the road for good because they have a long-standing wish to explore North America by RV. But others jump into it when life throws curveballs. Here are five full-time RVers with the most interesting and unusual reasons for full time RVing. Maybe their stories will inspire you to give it a try too!
Out of Depression and Into Sunshine, by Andy Potvin
My wife battles an extreme form of depression with a level of social anxiety that’s painful to watch. After years of treatment, and trying every medication available, we learned that there was nothing that would help. This was something that we were just going to have to find a way to live with.
During those years of treatment, though, I noticed that if I took her for a drive and explored someplace new, she would climb out of the abyss and remain in a good place for a few days. When we ran out of new places to explore, the positive effect wore off, so we’d drive further away to find new places.
The Potvins are happier full time RVing.
I realized that to keep this up, we’d need to move every few months, and then it dawned on me—move into a motorhome! We could move whenever, wherever we needed to. We could even chase the sunshine if the weather got cloudy for too long.
It took a year to convince her, and a year to organize our circumstances. We’ve been living in our 38′ Class A for just over two months now, and it seems to be working. With everyday as a new adventure, and the freedom to change that adventure whenever we need to, we’ve been able to tackle the depression and lessen the anxiety.
Life has become enjoyable again, and much, much more adventurous!
The Electric Gypsy, by Pete Koski
Being an Industrial Electrician needing to super charge my 401Ks, I discovered that I could earn much more money on the road than being local. DW bought into it!
The Koski pack loves working from the road while full time RVing.
First RV was a 98 bounder, which we loved. Now we are in a 2012 Coachmen Chaparral, which we love. Best part is we travel all over, moving every 2-4 months. On time off we have seen Niagara Falls, Lake Tahoe, Reno, the Pacific Coast Highway, and Yosemite.
Very few of these places would we have seen, had it not been for our gypsy lifestyle.
A Full-timing Family on the Fly, by Walter O Bingham
I was working in Montana for several months while my family was in Illinois. I got a call from the landlord (parents) in mid-January that they are evicting my family, 30 days.
The Bingham family turned an eviction into a blessing by full time RVing.
Came home as soon as I could, searched for weeks for Class A MHs and finally found one. Bought it and took a good 3 weeks to pack up the RV, get everything out, and took off down the road.
Have not returned in over 2 years. Full-time in a 36 foot gas Class A MH with five children and my wife. Pull 12 passenger van on tow dolly behind MH and drive a pickup as well.
New Job, New Life, by Sue White
I’d been downsizing for two years with an idea to try the tiny home life. I landed a job where I could work anywhere. The lightbulb clicked, 3 months later I bought an older Class A 32-foot RV for cash that was perfectly fine but 1998 ugly as in interior.
Sue White’s big dogs love the new RV home.
Spent three months gutting/renovating, and here I am 6 months later living where I want, in a 2017 interior tin can tiny home, and loving it to pieces!
My large dogs love it, too. A total 180 from this time last year.
Divorce, New Life Style by Stephanie Arwine
I went through a divorce and in the process lost everything but personal belongings. I had no furniture, broke and confused. I had been thinking about buying a motorhome for travel. The divorce settled the issue. No furniture to buy, no big rent to pay. I now had more freedom and my "new to me" home was fully furnished. I work for myself designing websites for other business' (full disclosure: blue skys rv park is one of my clients) so I can work from home anywhere.
So, in 2017 I bought this 1997 Fleetwood Bounder. At first, I found a nice RV Park to stay long term. WOW, my first surprise was how affordable living in an rv was over renting a home or an apartment. If there were any mistakes to be made living full time rving, I made them my first year.
Once I learned how the plumbing worked (LOL), I was proud that I could make some repairs myself, and I was amazed at the family atmosphere in the park as well as the friends you begin to make who are more than happy to help out when they can, and share their stories.
Three years later, I have found someone who loves to travel and at the time of this article, we are getting ready for another travel adventure through the Panhandle of Texas.
Looking for a place to stay in SW Missouri? Come on by. Blue Skys RV Park has both short term and long term parking. We are a no frills, affordable, family friendly place to stay. Free Wifi and a laundromat. Whether you are looking for overnight, weekly, or long term, Blue Skys RV Park is the place to be. The owners will go above and beyond to make your stay a pleasant one. Check us out: https://blueskysrvpark.com
