In case you missed it, last month RV Life Magazine hit the big screen in “Rudderless,” a well-done, heartfelt movie about redemption, rediscovering your passion and creating your own definition of “home.” What a thrill it was to see the magazine up on the big screen with movie star Laurence Fishburne talking about his full-time RVing dream while holding up one of the issues that features my column, On the Road for Good.
The Great American Road Trip is the subject of dozens of classic songs, books and movies, from The Who’s song “Going Mobile” to Steinbeck’s book “Travels with Charley” to the embarrassingly bad flick “RV,” starring the late Robin Williams. These epic road trip voyages are the stuff that full-timing dreams are made of, often leaving lasting impressions on vagabond spirits. Some people will inevitably ignore their highway lust and discard their feelings as as childish fantasies with no place in the daily grind, while others will shelve them for that elusive “someday.” A few of us will find a cure for our asphalt fever, by making the leap to a life on the road – but in my opinion, not nearly enough of those who dream about it actually do it.
If you’ve always wondered about what it would be like to see the country by RV, without an itinerary or a time constraint, what’s kept you from doing it? Whatever what your reason, I’m going to bet that there’s at least a thousand other full-timing dreamers with the exact same one. Some of the most common excuses I’ve heard people give for not living out their full-timing dream include:
• I don’t have enough money
• My wife/husband/kids don’t like the idea
• I’m too old
• I’m a single woman
• I don’t know anything about RVing
Does any of this sound familiar? It should: I guarantee you that there’s not one full-timer who hasn’t reached for these excuses, or sometimes doubted their choice to go full-timing. Like life itself, the road is full of ups, downs and sharp curves, but it’s nothing you can’t ride out with the help of smart planning, good friends and a beautiful sunset to end a stressful day on the road.
No matter what you think is stopping you from full-timing, there’s always method to work through it without heading for bankruptcy or divorce court. Tons of great resources like RVing Internet groups, blogs, books and this column exist just to help future full-timers lay out a road map for living the lifestyle. You’ll even find conferences like the annual Escapees Boot Camp gathering, tailored just for new RVers or those just thinking about it.
Don’t let your excuses put that full-timing dream aside for good. It may or may not work out as a permanent lifestyle, but can you face death someday knowing that you never gave it a chance, even for a few months? Everyone is scared of change sometimes, but only those strong enough to look fear in the eye will take their last breath knowing that lived the kind of life they dreamed about.
Rene Agredano and her husband, Jim Nelson, became full-time RVers in 2007 and have been touring the country ever since. In her blog, Rene chronicles the ins and outs of the full-timing life and brings readers along to meet the fascinating people and amazing places they visit on the road. Her road trip adventures are chronicled in her blog at LiveWorkDream.com.
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