RV Life's Good, Bad, and Ugly

I have lived full time in the Mothership with my wife, Maria, our dog, Cocoa, and the cat Walter White for over three years! I've been giving Full Time RV life tips, tricks, expenses, workamping, domicile and so much more on this blog that I hope helps you with your transition into the full time life. I've written about my inspirations, given you a sales pitch on Stevats, the town I write about in my fiction, and movie recommendations if you get bored waiting for those goals to hit the road.

Today, I'm going to discuss RV Life's, Good, Bad and Ugly .

The Good - I was asked: Can you take showers in your RV, I thought everyone had to go to shower houses to do that?

My thirty five foot class A motorhome has a functioning, get this: toilet, shower, bed, two smart televisions, some RV's are equipped with washing machines, and I have the internet (just like your sticks & brick but with a learning curve)! I would never go into this lifestyle to just use the shower in our bathroom as a storage closet. The reason I chose to buy this size rig, 35', is so that I would have a shower that my tall frame could fit into. There are some units that may not give this kind of comfort or luxury but the Newmar, or as I call it, The Mothership, has everything I need. The shower was a must, non-negotiable purchasing factor. My first Class A, a thirty foot Airstream, had a shower that I barely fit in, but I still used it every chance I was grubby.

What does Boondock mean?

This one is simple. Boondocking simply means that you pull off somewhere and sleep. No electricity, no slide outs taken out (at least for the rig I'm in), no nothing, just you and your bed for the next ten hours or so. One of the main reasons I have a Class A is because I love the built in generator, the extra large house battery, I installed (which can invert power with my inverter) and the one hundred pound, roughly twenty four gallons, of propane it holds on board. When stopped, I can run the television and internet all night, including the refrigerator, if I wanted to (on the battery). If the battery gets low, I can fire up the generator, which runs on fuel from the gas tank (Class A's can have a seventy to even eighty gallon fuel tank). Against some popular belief, the generator uses very little fuel and doesn't even make a dent in the gas usage, they are also very quiet and built right into a basement storage (an outside cabinet).

The Bad - Do Slide Outs Malfunction?

We have a used, 2005 model Newmar and have never had an issue with slides. The only true problem I did have was I put one out and it hit a pole next to the motorhome. I manhandled it until it lined back up (I'm sure there is a better way) and this caused a small battle wound/beauty mark on the camper. When I'm dormant during a stay, or when I'm workamping for a season, I do bring the slides in and out regularly and keep the seals lubricated to avoid fading and cracking. Slide Outs are extensions that add living space to your RV, our 30' Airstream Class A had none and to say that Maria and I were "too close for comfort" would be an understatement, 😂! Here's a video tour of the Newmar's interior for those of you wondering how slides add space to your rig.

How do you empty your Shitter?

Okay, some think this is a bad thing, but it's not! Your black tank, the tank that holds your waste, needs emptied. First make sure you are using plenty of water to flush solids (shit, piss) and be sure to use the clean out (a hose that hooks to the black tank and sprays it clean when emptying). I typically empty my black tank every 7 days unless it's really hot and there's a bit of stink wafting from the toilet, then the frequency is every 3 or 4 days. Other than that, it's not a bad thing, and like everything else, if you get into a routine, and have any type of organizational skills you can do it cleanly, and without getting dirty. The gray tank, or your dish/shower water, can be emptied after the black to help clean the sewer line out afterwards, but the clean out (hose hooked to your black tank) process should take care of this.

The Ugly - My RV Truth

The raw and ugly truth about RV life on a full time basis is that you are free. You have the ability to be self contained wherever you park or wherever you roam. Your backyard is always different, if you travel. Despite some of the many misconceptions about the RV life: you are always in control, you can be clean anytime you want, by showering, and the shitter really is no big DEAL. Get a full tank of gas, some fresh water to get you to the next stop, and keep the maintenance up to par on your rig. Those steps will make you FREE. The restraints of staring at walls, wondering what to do, is no longer and adventure awaits in this life, so go plan your new goals and join the Full Time RV Life!

Thanks for reading! Sign up for my monthly newsletter and/or buy me a coffee, (click the coffee mug on the top) and help support all these goodies I give away! I also have a new link on the menu for TimTube, and a three part 1990's blog!

Tim Eagle

Tim Eagle is an author of the novellas Stolen Seed, Life Ship, and the Vasectomus Collection. He lives full time, on the road, with his wife, Maria and their dog, Cocoa. He grew up in Michigan and is inspired by the dysfunction of America. His books are available on Amazon, godless and this site timeaglefiction.com 

RV Life's Good, Bad and Ugly!