A Day in the Life of a Full-Time RV Nomad

Not everyone feels comfortable moving into less than 300 square feet and relocating their home every one to four weeks. But that is the life we chose in May 2010, one year ago, when our home became a 32-foot recreational vehicle—a fifth wheel—pulled by a one-ton Ford truck.  The transition wasn’t without effort—including a major downsizing of belongings—but when you can select the scenery, climate, and pace of the day, it was worth the trouble to make it happen.  Each day, we can open all the windows and be pleasantly overwhelmed by the scents unique to each area—the salty sea, the rich loam of the forest, the spicy desert sage after an unexpected rain or the freshly cut hay from the field down the road.

Our typical day includes:

7:00 a.m. – Morning Coffee

Daily morning coffee is enjoyed with views out our large living room windows.  Mike says he cannot remember where he is until he opens the shades each morning.  And each morning is a delight—whether it is a foggy mountain view of the redwoods or the vast vistas of the desert.

8:30 a.m. – Planning Our Day

Our daily plans are dictated by our mood, the weather, local scheduled events or sights or people we want to visit (new friends, familiar friends or family),  or simply daily housekeeping.  And plans can easily change throughout the day.

10:30 a.m. – Daily Walk

Walking provides our daily exercise, but it also allows a thorough look about of the region.   Nothing feels better than getting your blood flowing by hiking in the crisp, fresh air; and mentally nothing sends your spirits higher.

12 noon – Executing the Plan of the Day

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2:30  p.m. – Errands

A weekly visit to grocery store or a farmer’s market has become a ritual.  Maintaining a location in a warm climate allows access to fresh vegetables and fruit; and each region has a ‘protein’ specialty--salmon, cod, oysters, lobster, beef, bison, or wild game.  Without much effort, we are now eating healthy and living green.

4:30 p.m. – Dinner at Home

A super-efficient kitchen means meals run smoothly.  Honestly, a tight kitchen is a huge advantage. We are not running back and forth all the time from the fridge to the counter to the stove.  We are fortunate to have a brilliantly designed kitchen with a large Corian-topped island and lots of storage (wonderful pantry).  We rarely eat our meals out.

6:00 p.m. – Evening Reflection

Warm evenings allow us to sit and talk and enjoy the night and relive the day.  Most likely, a bottle of wine will be opened and savored slowly.  Because we usually stay away from the nearest city, you can really see the stars and the occasional shooting star.  Nature’s fireworks.

I think we hitched on to a lucky star, don’t you think so too?