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Back in 2020, we stopped flying because of covid. Then in March of 2022, we decided to buy a tiny starter camper and head out on an epic three-week road trip from Massachusetts down to Florida and back. I had never towed anything before, and I wasn't really a camping person. A 3,000 mile round trip was probably not the best idea for a first trip. It was the best vacation I've ever been on. Wandering and discoveryWhen I go on vacations, I like to walk around and explore. I'm not the kind of person who likes to book structured activities or plan things out too much. I like to just wander and see what fun gems I can stumble upon. Traveling by RV (or caravan, as my European friends say) extends that experience to the process of getting to your destination. As you get closer to South Carolina, you start to see signs for a place called South of the Border, until you eventually spot a giant sombrero near an exit. We decided on a whim to get off and check it out. It was, frankly… a bit of a dump! But it's been around for decades, so it's also a bit kitsch and iconic. On the back roads in Florida, we drove past a place called the Fountain of Youth and decided to stop in for a bit. It was surprisingly educational! We learned about early colonization of Florida, and some history of the indigenous people of the area. We snagged a last-minute, two-night stay at Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida keys. We explored one of the most beautiful botanical gardens I've ever been to because it was 5 minutes down the road from where we were staying that night. Getting lostOne night while camping off-grid at a horse farm, our heater stopped work. I had a generator to run a space heater, but it was raining, so I couldn't use it. We left to go to a state park with electrical hookups, and I took a wrong turn. When I went to turn around, my headlights caught a herd of at least 30 or 40 deer wandering alongside the road and the adjacent field. It was magical. On our way to see the Shenandoah Valley Caverns (a really cool cave system), Apple Maps took me to Shenandoah Valley Campground instead of Shenandoah Valley Family Campground, where we had reservations 30 minutes further north. The campground we ended up by accident was overrun by giant bunnies that would come right up to you and eat out of your hand. It was an extraordinary experience that never would have happened if we hadn't gotten a bit lost. The peopleOne of my biggest concerns with RVing was that I think of it as a conservative people thing, and I was a bit nervous that we would find ourselves constantly surrounded by folks who very much are not our people. And sometimes, that is in fact true! But campers come in all stripes. We've met so many wonderful, generous people on the road. Families on weekend trips. Full-timers. A retired gay couple. Soon-to-be grandparents taking one last epic trip before their first grand kid was born. We even keep-in-touch with a few of them! Any time we've run into issues or been struggling with something, a fellow camper has stepped in unprompted to help out. It's a kind of mutual aid, and a glimpse into the kind of world I want more of. It's (a good kind of) exhaustingOur camper is 104 square feet of living space. The kitchen is cramped. The shower curtain constantly attacks you, and there's not enough hot water for a decent shower. Driving with a camper behind you is mentally exhausting. But it's a good kind of exhausting. I love coming home, but when I do, I also miss my time on the road. I've made a lot of great memories in just a few short years. This could be youI'd love to have more "on the road" friends. If any of this sounds interesting to you, reach out with any questions! I had a lot of them when I first started out, and I'm happy to talk through anything. Like this? A Go Make Things membership is the best way to support my work and help me create more free content. Cheers, Want to share this with others or read it later? View it in a browser. |
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