Completed my first x-country trip! Thank you ALL!

[amarie1]

Hi foiks!

I want to say thank you. This forum and all you contributors have been a godsend for me as I made my first long-distance trip in my new-to-me 2017 Thor FE29 motorhome. For this older gal who traveled solo with her doggos, it felt so great to have you all in my back pocket with good advice. 

I went from Chicago to Oakland in mid-August, spent a month with my daughter and her family, and just returned to Chicago. This is my first morning back and I'm marveling at the wonders of a house like toilets that flush and waste that goes... somewhere ... what do I care ... lol ... and water I can leave running for a minute, 2nd floors with bedrooms, laundry rooms that don't need quarters, and so on.

You all helped me navigate mountain passes, Tow/Haul mode, downahifting, coach batteries, tank heaters, leveling, electric monitoring systems, and so much more. 

I'm feeling much more comfortable these days and am excited to start planning future trips. 

Such a wonderful, warm, and helpful community. Thanks again!

 

 

[Kirk W]

Thanks for the update and it is good to hear that all went well for the trip. It is always a good think when a first trip goes off without any glitches as that is often the key to a good RV experience. As you continue to travel, keep in mind that at some point you will probably experience some of the little issues that happen to most of us, but do not let something small ruin your future experiences. In the many years we have been traveling by RV there have been a few bad days, but the good times far outweigh all of the difficulties. 

[amarie1]

Thanks Kirk. Oh there were a few glitches but they were minor. I had to call a mobile rv tech at one rv park because the coach heater was blowing cold (and it was freezing at night), and the radio/rearview camera stopped working. He fixed both in a couple hours. 

Another time my TPMS gave a warning about a low tire (again, while I was parked, yay) and the valve had worked itself behind the hubcap. I fished it out gently with a needle-nose pliers, then broke out my portable air compressor for the first time (first time inflating an RV tire that is) and it worked. 

I think having these small glitches happen and overcoming them will help prep me for the inevitable larger glitch. I keep reminding myself that in the 20+ years I've owned my house, I've dealt with flooded basements, roof replacement, furnace repairs, and more; and you just have to roll with it. 

[amarie1]

BTW for any lurkers, here's my first post here from July asking for help in planning this trip:

 

[JimK]

Congrats on a successful maiden voyage and shaking the bugs out of the RV.  It sounds like you were actually only on the road for a few days.  On our first trip, it seemed to take about 3 months to get used to RV life.  Initially it was disorienting to wake up and have no idea where I was.  Sometimes with that morning fog I could not even remember the State I was in.  Later on it did not matter.

Even now after a long time without travel it takes a few weeks before the RV really seems like home.  The only thing I really miss is long, hot showers.  My RV travels typically mean a Navy type shower with 1 gallon of water.  Now I periodically look for campgrounds with showers and I let the water run for long periods of time.

[2gypsies]

You had a great solo trip.  Many women would hesitate doing what you did!  Congratulations!!  Now you need to get out of the Chicago winter and head South.

[amarie1]

Thanks!

Jim K, I took 10 days to make the trip, each way. Stayed in Oakland for about 5 weeks.

Google Maps says it's a 32 hour drive. It took me 10 days because I only wanted to drive about 4-5 hours a day, and a couple places I stayed an extra day just to have the luxury of not having to disconnect/tear down and reconnect/set up for 24 hours. 😉

But toward the end I was like, you know what? I can drive 6 or 7 hours, easy, if I start early and take a break in the middle. So I did that a couple times.

If/when I make the trip again, I'd like to be able to stop many more places and sight-see. 

AM

 

[sandsys]

5 hours ago, amarie1 said:

toilets that flush and waste that goes... somewhere ... what do I care

LOL! It is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

Modern conveniences we used to take for granted become something special after RVing.

Linda

[fpmtngal]

Congrats on a very successful first trip!  It was fun following along with you, I enjoyed it.  Thanks for sharing your big adventure with us.

Now you can start planning your next trip.  Go find all those little interesting places you always wanted to visit.  Spend some time doing it.  Head south for the winter, like so many of us.  Just have fun with it.

[2gypsies]

Did you boondock at the Tetons as you had planned?  Wondering how it went.

[amarie1]

Yes, I did boondock! One night at the Teton Reservoir in Wyoming. It was COLD that night and my coach heater wasn't up to the task. I put a "Mr. Buddy propane heater" on my shopping list.  

Bessie in the morning:

The Teton Reservoir:

Full moon that night:

Edited October 9, 2020 by amarie1
added pix

[2gypsies]

You've certainly experienced RVing all-around.  Looks like a good spot!

[fpmtngal]

Looks like an awesome spot!  I’ll have to keep that in mind next time I’m up there, thanks!

[2gypsies]

11 minutes ago, fpmtngal said:

Looks like an awesome spot!  I’ll have to keep that in mind next time I’m up there, thanks!

Here's the web site.  Don't know how we missed that one when in the area.

https://thedyrt.com/camping/wyoming/wyoming-teton-reservoir-recreation-site

Edited October 9, 2020 by 2gypsies

[jules2go]

Nice! Thank you for the inspiration. Glad you had such an amazing adventure! Onward!