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Nothing’s Ever Simple in RV Life
Published 3 months ago • 3 min read
Today we’re leaving our campsite to head to the next destination — mostly interstate, about 3.5 hours according to Google.
Simple, right?
If we were leaving a house, hotel, or Airbnb, maybe. But not for us. Not today. Turns out we’re tucked into a tiny campground in a valley near Boone, North Carolina — ski town, tight roads, mountain passes, and my biggest fear: tiny campground navigation.
Here’s the size camper we should have brought into the campground. Comfortably in a Flintlock Campsite:
And…then there’s our camper trying to make it fit:
Pro tip: If people stop what they’re doing and their jaws drop as you drive by, you’re probably in the wrong campground. 😅
This campground was not built for 43-foot RVs. We somehow got in… but today we have to get out.
On top of the stress of leaving, here’s been our reality the last few days:
We couldn’t extend both the side deck and front door. We chose the deck. Big mistake. The steps are now a permanent part of our living room.
The campsite’s been under 4–6 inches of water most of our stay, and I’ve been walking back and forth to the creek 70 feet away checking to see if it’s rising (the campground flooded last year).
For some reason, our 30-amp site is only pulling 15 amps — while temps dip into the 30s.
This is your living room when you use a side deck but realized you can't get your main steps out 🤦🏻♂️
So yeah… not exactly “simple.” But it did remind us of a few lessons we’ve learned (and clearly forgot) about keeping RV life a little less complicated.
3 Ways to Make RV Life Simpler (Even When It Isn't)
1 - The bigger the RV, the plainer (and pricier) the campsite.
Of course this isn’t 100% true. There are times a massive rig can boondock or comfortably park in a state or national park with an epic view. However, the chances that will happen go down with each foot that’s added to an RV. Our issue is we’ve parked in some of these epic places with smaller RVs so our bodies and our brains haven’t quite aligned on what we can or can’t do in an RV the length of a small house. If simplicity and low-stress are your goals, remember: bigger usually means harder to find affordable or scenic campsites.
This seems like common sense, but time and time again, we push it.
The campground tells us the site is only 40ft and we tell them “we’ll be fine”.
Roads look a little tight but we can do it.
Comments state trees are hanging over and the RV will get scratched, but “not our rig”.
2 - Travel Pace determines Travel Stress
Choose a rule and pace that works for you.
Some prefer the 2-2-2 Rule: No more than 200 miles, Arrive before 2pm, stay at least 2 nights. Some the 3-3-3. Some 2-3-2. The 9-1-1 🤷🏻♂️.
The rule itself doesn’t matter — the boundaries do.
If you hate arriving after dark, make a rule.
If you drive better in the mornings, make a rule.
If you’d rather avoid traffic altogether, make a rule.
RV rules aren’t restrictions — they’re permission slips for a calmer day.
3 - Leave cushion. 80% is full.
I usually say this about storage, but it applies to everything on the road.
Leave 20%+ buffer on everything
Add 20% to whatever Google Maps tells you.
Add 20% to your travel costs.
Add 20% to your departure time.
Add 20% to how tired you think you’ll be.
Driving an RV Isn't Like Driving a Car.
In a car, you’ve got maybe 6 things competing for your attention.
In an RV? Try sixteen.
What was that noise?
Is my TPMS still reading?
Google just changed the route—should I trust it?
How low are those wires?
And of course… why is the person next to me on the interstate holding their phone, brushing their teeth, and painting their nails at the same time?😳
What Matters
We’ve learned the simple life doesn’t mean an easy life.
It means choosing what matters, even when it’s messy, muddy, or just plain inconvenient.
Because every mile, every mistake, every miscalculation is part of the journey that’s shaping us into who we’re becoming.
So here’s to all of us learning how to let go of perfect — and get going on the our adventure.
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