Living In A Motorhome - Who Really Needs A Big House?

I'm sure it's no suprise to you, but this "retired" lifestyle has not been difficult for us to get used to. Having traveled in a 28' 5th wheel trailer (no slideouts) for many years during the 1980's, we knew we wanted to travel again. We knew we could manage the close living quarters and the nomadic lifestyle. Oh yeah, and the opportunity to fish the great rivers and lakes of this beautiful country.

This time we are in a bigger RV, a 36' class A motorhome with 2 slideouts and all the niceties of a modern home. In fact, this 2008 Monaco Cayman motorhome has a lot of features and comforts that our 'sticks & bricks' home does not have. I'm sure others would not be as happy as we are and we understand the reason some need to stay 'rooted'. But we are really happy to be able to pick up and go where the weather (and the fishing) is good!

Some friends and family have asked us "What keeps you busy?" and "What do you do with your time?" And I'm sure there are some who don't really care at all. But this is our blog and we are going to try to share the pros and cons, just in case you want to give it a try someday soon.

Living in an RV would be a challenge for those who need lots of space (or a large house). There are reasons for needing lots of space (lots of stuff, needing a quiet place to get away, lots of hobbies) so as you shop for your RV, try to picture yourself living in it. There are some really large motorhomes available today, some as long as 45'. Ours is a 35SBD, and is almost 36' long. We like to say it's big enough for us to live in, but small enough to get into the remote campgrounds near the rivers. We like ours because it has the ability to carry a lot of fishing equipment and other important stuff we like to have (food, clothes, etc). The CCC or Cargo Carry Capacity on our Cayman is more than 4600 pounds. With any RV or vehicle, it's important to know it's limits. You need to be safe!

I like to think we have 5 or 6 different zones in our medium-sized motorhome (ok, that might be a stretch), not counting the great outdoor patio just beyond our front door. The two front seats swivel around and are utilized for the comfortable seating and the fabulous view we often have. Our windshild is one-piece, what they call Pana-View. When we are parked, we will sit in the front chairs at the end of the day, watching the sunset. In our living room area Rick has a very cushy leather swivel rocker recliner and Mic has a leather couch (aka queen air bed). The slideout in the living area (streetside) opens up the front of the motorhome and provides lots of space. The dinette table with cushioned bench seats is a great place for the laptops/printer, puzzles, game of chess, reading, and eating. The kitchen area is large enough for our needs, especially since Rick loves to barbeque. The bathroom area can be closed off from the living area and has lots of space for showering and dressing. The bedroom has a slideout also and can be closed off for privacy and an afternoon nap. We have lots of windows throughout that provide great views and really help to give a feeling of open space. And I mentioned our patio with the camp chairs and picnic table under the awning. If the view is not what we expect or the weather is not warm enough, we just move our home-on-wheels to another place. Love it!
This is Mic's workstation with her laptop. Great view!