after years of working hard and struggling to survive paycheck to paycheck, we realized we were not living. We realized the best things in life are those things you can truly enjoy. We wanted to go places but not able to come up with the funds to go anywhere. We would brainstorm on things we would like to do at some point if the opportunity ever presented itself. Every place we thought of would cost more money than we could come up with plus we had dogs and cats to consider if we were to go anywhere. Living close to one of the nation’s interstates and using it on a weekly basis, we saw camper after camper of all types going down the road and the thought process started with what if we could buy one. 

We started by searching on websites of the local RV dealers in our area to see what do these campers cost and can we afford the monthly payment. We got a bit of an idea on the financials but had many more questions that the websites couldn’t answer. We went down to the most popular RV dealer to talk to them and to get the process started. We had a better idea on price, but no idea what we wanted in terms of floor plan. A nice sales gal took us around to all the camper configurations they had that would fit our budget and likely work with the truck we purchased earlier in the year. This walk though gave us a better idea as to what would work for the two of us and our two dogs. We made the right decision to go home and think about what we had looked at. This thinking led us to look at all inventory the other dealers in the area had within our price range and tow rating.

When 2020 hit and I found out my only option for summer fun (a weekend long concert) was being postponed until 2021, we felt the walls of our home closing in on us. We HAD to get out somehow. At this point we got more serious about buying a camper. We went to the dealer’s lot and found the smallest layout we could stand and in the perfect price range. The salesman did up all the paperwork and told us we would get a call when the camper came in and we could schedule a walk though. We got notification a week later that the trailer had arrived at the dealership, but they were so busy that we couldn’t schedule a walk though until the following month. We were anxious but that gave us time to gather all the essential camping gear suggested by campers on YouTube. 

After bringing our Gray Wolf 23MKBL Travel Trailer home, we made reservations for an electric only site at a state park about an hour away. We thought we had everything we needed when we left the house. All meals planned and everything packed for a weekend away. I found out quickly on the first night that I had made a mistake which changed our dinner plans. I had forgotten a can opener, and a paring knife. Even though Wal-Mart wasn’t too far away we laughed about the lack of necessary kitchen equipment and made do with the other meal options I had available. We found out what it was like to have to fill your potable water tank using a 6 gallon water jug and a funnel. We found out that the mattress that came with the camper had to go (it was a backbreaker). We also had one dog that was dealing with a side effect of her medication that required frequent breaks outside and our other dog was so stressed out that it was not an easy weekend dealing with him. This being my first camping trip (outside of a tent in a friends backyard), I enjoyed myself more than I had in over a decade. I was ecstatic we purchased our travel trailer regardless of the setbacks.

My husband turned me on to some of the YouTube videos he had watched while researching what we needed to get started. There is a family (if I can get permission from them I will update this to say who), who started RVing fulltime with 3 kids and their old dog. The adventures they went on are everything I have always wanted to do. Watching this family and finding others out there who fulltime RV got my thought process working again. I don’t want to wait until I retire. Family history shows me that this thought of traveling full time with an RV would never happen if we waited that long.

We knew with our Gray Wolf we wouldn’t want to stay in it longer than a week at a time, due to space, storage, and an improper set up for pure relaxation. We stumbled on videos made by RV reviewers, and found what we liked and what we didn’t like in terms of floor plans and storage. The price and a truck to tow with are different stories. First we need to find what we like and figure out how to obtain everything to make this new found dream to happen. While doing the research, we lost our older dog. Months later we adopted a puppy that was over 12 hours away from our home. We hooked up the camper and headed down to get her. The hypothetical thought of fulltime RVing turned into a serious, “I want this new dream to come true”. Our next camping trip was a month after we drove from Iowa to Texas to pick up the new puppy. One older dog and one younger dog was fine for us in the Gray Wolf. A 3 month old highly energetic puppy and a 2 1/2 year old dog was not a good mix in the Gray Wolf when they were sparing in the open floor space and you were doing dishes or trying to cook. We knew we had to find something that worked better with these two dogs and for us. We went back to searching the websites for an affordable camper that both fit the budget and filled the storage needs we were lacking in the Gray Wolf.

We got really lucky and everything fell into place with our Puma 30RKQS. Bringing the new camper home and spending some time in it we have fallen further and further in love with what we saw as a compromise. This unit has more storage than I know what to do with. After one weekend, I was ready to sell our home and hit the road. Our only hurdle is finding work that allows us to travel. After looking, I realized I could easily start my own online store, helping people find necessary and/or useful products to help make their adventurous dreams a reality. I have also decided I would like to make this website a tool for others, with helpful hints, places to go, and anything else that can be related to Adventures.