We Bought An RV!

“Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about.” -Winston Churchill

Do you have something in your life that you keep thinking about over and over? Is it a dream vacation, starting a family, buying a house, moving to another state, getting a new job, or maybe you’ve spotted a fixer-upper cottage on the beach or lake?  We all have something we are dreaming about, no matter what it is, right?

However, the older we get, the more keenly aware we are that life is short. Why are we waiting for that special occasion to use the good china or expensive perfume? What is that magical someday that we’re waiting for to take that dream vacation ? Why do we have to be so practical all the time? What about you? What is holding you back?

We had a dream and kept asking ourselves, what are we waiting for? We had an “excuse” to not make a big purchase for a while that held us back. But we dismissed that excuse knowing that time is short and nothing is permanent. The dream that we talked about and returned to repeatedly was the dream of owning an RV. 

We researched for two years, shopping at no less than four RV shows, and watching all the YouTube RV families that we could find. We knew where to get the RV we wanted, how much it would be, and we knew what gear we needed to get started.   We even rented an RV and took a long weekend trip to make sure we agreed that getting an RV would be a good fit for us. We had a great time and decided that we were ready to make our purchase.

When the day came, we made an appointment to meet with the salesman that my husband had been in touch with, asking those final questions. But for some reason, before we headed to the dealership that day, my husband and I agreed, “We’re not buying anything today.”   

I know what you’re thinking but bear with me! 

Because of our in-depth research, when we got to the dealership, we had no questions.  We had seen our exact RV at the 2020 Florida RV Supershow in Tampa just a month before . So, what was left?  That’s right.  I’ve already spoiled the surprise in the title!  We bought an RV! I mean, regardless of our agreement before leaving the house, why were we really going to the dealership anyway if we weren’t going to make a purchase?

Our someday finally came and three weeks after kicking things off, we picked up our new hobby and headed off on our first camping weekend.  It was scary, fun, terrifying, and we had a ball!  We are loving it!  Wouldn’t you agree that some of the best things in life scare you to death?

Our 2020 Grand Design XLS, lovingly named Blanche, is a conservative 26 feet long and she’s the perfect size for us. We’ve camped close to home exploring our state’s wonderful state parks, taken her over mountains, and we’ve taken her across state lines to lounge in a luxury resort close to the beach. We’ve learned to safely pull, back in like pros, and if you saw us and didn’t know better, we look like we know what we’re doing. As a team, my husband and I have our specific jobs when setting up and breaking down camp but safety first is our motto so we check behind each other over and over before we ever start to pull.

Our long-term plan is to get out there to see the U.S. in our RV.  We have a bucket list of spots we want to go and now we have the gear that can get us up close and personal if we plan it right.   

Our thinking in all of this is that we want to be sure that we don’t wait for someday or until we have the money, or worse until we retire and have the time.  We want to go, see, and do as much as we can NOW! The fact of life is, we are not guaranteed tomorrow.  We work hard, we save our money, we plan a trip and we go!  In that, we are blessed, that is for sure! 

The best advice we got out of all the research and study that we did was to get into what you can afford and get going. And while you might be surrounded by people who don’t get it, it’s your dream. Who cares what “they” say? Go after what speaks to your soul.

What is your dream and what are you doing about it?  I want to pay it forward so let me encourage you to find your someday and go after what speaks to your soul. Why are you waiting? Make it happen if you can! Make sure you aren’t dreaming your life away.

If you see us on the road, beep & wave. If you see us set up in a campground, please say hello! We’ll see you out there!

Safe Travels!