Gasoline Vs. Diesel -- An Age-Old Dilemma

When we bought our tow vehicle, Matt and I talked to other full-timers about whether we should go diesel or gasoline. The general consensus was that diesel would get you more power going up a steep incline, but that if you didn't spend a lot of time in the mountains, gas would be fine. However, no one ever discussed the concept of "altitude" with us -- and we learned the difference between the two the hard way as we just drove through the Rockies for the first time this past week...

Overnight Parking At Truck Stops -- The Full-Timer's "Motel 6"

When you're on your way from somewhere to somewhere and just need to stop for the night, RVers definitely have the advantage over car travelers. You have your home with you, you don't have to worry about hotel reservations, you can sleep in your own bed and eat your own food for breakfast. But you can't just pull off the side of the road and you may not be able to find an affordable RV park in the middle of nowhere for just one night. What do you do?

Casino RVing In Vegas

We just spent a couple of days in Las Vegas -- this is the first time that we have parked our Airstream at a casino RV park. Aside from the fact that it's hotter than an oven outside and we have to run our air conditioner 24 hours a day just to keep from melting, I think Vegas is a fantastic place to RV. And I'm definitely on board with this "casino RVing" thing...

Airstream -- The Last Handmade American Product

This week I spent a good deal of time watching a Ren Fest blacksmith at his forge and talking to him about metalworking. The conversation reminded me of our trip last summer to the Airstream factory. We saw travel trailers being put together from the ground up -- and I was amazed to find out that every last component on these things is entirely handmade. It may be the last American product out there that doesn't come off of an assembly line...

Regional Grocery Shopping -- A Perk Of Full-Timing

We just took a day-trip from Los Angeles over to Palm Springs. We stopped at a shop run by an orchard and got some of the most delicious California black dates (which I then stuffed with chevre and walnuts) -- a few dollars for a treat which would have cost us 5 times more anywhere else in the country. This small yet tasty diversion reminded us that one of the central joys of full-timing is having easy and inexpensive access to local foods...

Three Tools You Need To Cook Great Meals In An RV

Non-RVers really just don't understand that a travel trailer is a fully functional home. I have actually had people ask me if we live off of Ramen noodles and canned soup! Yes, we have a "real" stove and a working refrigerator -- Matt and I cook the same kinds of meals in our Airstream as we did in our house. I do find, however, that three important tools are instrumental in helping us eat well on the road with less mess and effort...

10 Years Or Younger -- A Ridiculous Rule

Many RV parks have instituted a rule that only rigs 10 years old or younger are allowed to stay for more than a month. Let me just take a second to outline why this is an entirely stupid, discriminatory, and illogical policy...

Frugal Entertainment While Full-Timing

Full-timing puts a person in an interesting situation -- you can either see it as an opportunity to live incredibly frugally, or you can be in constant "vacation mode" and go broke in the process. It's taken us some time to find a balance between the two...