Just In Case You're Wandering - A Full-Time RVing Podcast
What Surprised Us Most About Full-Time RV Living?
Recorded in Sunriver, Oregon
Brad and Becky podcast about full-time RV living while working from the road.
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What surprises people the most about full-time RV living?
Many new full-time RVers are surprised by how quickly they adjust to living in a smaller space, how deeply the RV feels like home, and how much they enjoy the constant movement. Emotional reactions, routines, and unexpected joys, like discovering a love for tinkering or a sense of freedom, often differ from what people expect before hitting the road.
Episode 4: What Surprised Us Most About Full-Time RV Living?
Recorded at Sunriver, Oregon
When we first hit the road full time, we had all kinds of ideas about what it would be like. But the truth is, most of those assumptions were wrong. Some surprises were beautiful. Others were challenging. All of them shaped our journey.
In this episode, we unpack the emotional, practical, and even humorous surprises of full-time RV living. From the reality of moving days and managing internet on the road, to unexpected emotional growth and the weird rituals we didn’t know we had, this is our honest look at what has (and hasn’t) gone according to plan.
Key takeaways from this episode:
- The emotional shift that makes an RV feel more like home than any house ever did
- Why we don’t miss “stuff” as much as we expected, and what we do miss
- How much work moving days really take
- RV community dynamics: from warm welcomes to quiet solitude
- Our most unexpected habits and routines
- What it’s really like working remotely from the road
- Tiny moments that made us realize: this might actually work
Whether you’re dreaming of RV life or already deep in it, our reflections might help you prepare, or remind you that you’re not alone in your surprises.
Want more insight into RV living? Explore the full transcript below or check out our community.
TranscriptThis transcript has been generated automatically and may contain errors and edits for clarity and brevity.
Becky: Hi everybody, I’m Becky. Brad and I are coming to you from beautiful Bend, Oregon, with another episode of Just in Case You’re Wondering.
Brad: Yeah, we made the move away from the ocean, which always makes us a little bit sad. But it’s beautiful here in Bend. Spring is springing, the skies are mostly blue, and we’ve had just a little rain.
Becky: We’ve also had a couple of days in the 80s and absolutely gorgeous. Hopefully, we’ll get a few more of those before we leave. We’ll definitely be back to catch some of that Central Oregon summer.
Brad: Which means you can’t hear the ocean anymore, which is a little sad. You probably can hear that some folks are camped pretty close to us. Kids, dogs, and now our dogs are answering them. A little moment of chaos, which just happens.
Becky: The dogs are saying hello.
Brad: Right after that chaos, I had to cut real quick and let our dogs inside. Although you can probably still hear our neighbors’ dogs—very excited to know other dogs are nearby.
Becky: This is life on the road.
Brad: Yeah, and since it’s Friday night as we’re recording, you may hear other campers rolling in. Parks tend to fill up on the weekend.
Becky: Summer is just about here, and it feels like it. As we travel around, we’re noticing more and more people hitting the road.
Brad: Yeah. I also hear birds in the trees, although this spot is weird. At dawn, there’s a whole chorus, but during the day, the birds go totally quiet. Not sure what they’re up to, but it’s different.
What Surprised Us Most About Full-Time RV LifeBrad: So today our big question is, what surprised us most about full-time RV life? I know we’ve touched on this before, but we’ve got some different angles today. Just a reminder, I’ve organized this podcast into seasons, and season one is all about getting started. So some of these questions may sound familiar, but it’s all part of figuring things out. And yes, I cheated and prepared ahead of time.
Becky: Cheating, cheating, cheating. You do this all the time.
Brad: I’ve invited you to take over question-writing and put me on the spot, so anytime you’re ready to do that…
Becky: One of these days. One of these days.
Brad: Alright, so let’s start here: was there a moment early on that made you stop and think, oh, wait, this is not what I pictured?
Becky: There were a lot of those moments. I don’t even know how many times I thought, wow, this isn’t what I expected. Living stationary wasn’t what I pictured either. I thought it would feel really crowded or get old quickly. But it didn’t, which surprised me.
Brad: We were lucky though. That first park we stayed at while stationary had huge spaces, which is not typical.
Becky: Not normal at all. It wasn’t your parking-lot-style RV camp. And it wasn’t just the outdoor space—inside the RV too. I thought we’d get on each other’s nerves, but we didn’t. I should’ve known better. Back when we first got married, we rented this tiny little travel trailer. I don’t even know how we did it.
Brad: But we didn’t own anything back then.
Becky: Right, just a mattress on the floor and a stereo. We were basically kids. But even then, it was a smaller space, and we were newlyweds, so you’d think we’d struggle.
Brad: That’s true.
Becky: Another surprise was moving. I thought moving every three to four weeks would get old fast. But it doesn’t. By the time we hit that mark, I’m ready to hit the road again, even if we’re heading to a place we’ve already been. I just really like the change of scenery.
Brad: I definitely thought that too.
Becky: We’ve stayed in some places just a week, and now that feels rushed. I wouldn’t want to move more than once a week or even more than every two or three weeks regularly. It’s nice to plant for a bit and get to know the area.
Brad: With our package, we can extend stays a couple times a year to a full month, which is great. We usually use those around the holidays when we want to be closer to family.
Becky: Yeah, that helps us build in a little longer break. What about you? Any “this is not what I pictured” moments?
Brad: Oh, there are a few. One I’m not sure I can talk about on the podcast.
Becky: Oh no, we’re being honest here. You have to say it.
Brad: Now I’m going to dig at you a little.
Becky: Let’s just say that the intimate life in a camper is not what I pictured. Everybody knows what’s happening if you’re not careful. It feels like everyone’s listening, even if they aren’t. So that’s all I’ll say about that.
Brad: It definitely feels that way, yeah. Moving on… one of my big surprises was during our first move. We were heading to Florence, and if you’ve been to that park, you know it gets muddy. I got into a site I couldn’t get level. I stacked one side as high as I could and still couldn’t get it. So I ended up digging a hole on the other side, in the rain and mud, under the slide-out, to drop the wheels down and finally get level.
Becky: He actually did that. I remember it now.
Brad: And it worked. I filled the hole back in before we left. Nobody would’ve known.
Becky: Because we’re big believers in leaving it better than we found it.
Brad: Yeah, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. And I’ve had to do it more than once.
Becky: But that was the biggest one. Lots of digging. And probably lots of swearing too.
Brad: Yeah. There were definitely moments of “why are we doing this?”
Adjusting to RV Cooking and Holiday TraditionsBecky: You know what else wasn’t what I pictured? Cooking. It’s not that we don’t have a full kitchen—it’s functional—but it’s not a full-sized kitchen. We have an oven, but we don’t really use it.
Brad: Well, we do have one, but we use it for storage like a lot of people. Only those amazing, rare people we’ve talked about before use the oven for actual cooking.
Becky: The oven fairies. Or maybe oven geniuses. I don’t know. Magicians. Either way, we’ve thought about taking it out and putting in a convection oven or maybe even a small freezer.
Brad: That would be nice.
Becky: So yeah, cooking isn’t exactly what I thought it would be. Now, emotional stuff—was there anything early on that caught you off guard, good or bad?
Brad: Yeah.
Becky: Our first Christmas in the RV was both good and bad emotionally. We’ve always lived in places where I could put up a huge real tree and all the decorations. I love Christmas, and I go all in. So that first year, I had to pare way down. It was fun to figure out how to make a small space feel cozy and festive, but also kind of sad that I couldn’t put up all the things I used to.
One of our favorite Christmas touchesBrad: That makes sense. For me, the surprise was how much it feels like coming home when we get back to the RV, more than any house we’ve rented or owned. And we put a lot of work into some of those houses. Still, this feels more like home to me. Even though the place changes, the RV feels cozy and familiar.
Becky: Yeah, you’ve said that before. I didn’t expect it either. I still love our stick-and-brick house that we had, and I always will, but I wouldn’t go back to it now. I love the life we have.
Brad: Yeah, for a lot of reasons outside the scope of this podcast.
Discovering New Things About OurselvesBrad: So what did we discover about ourselves being out on the road full time? We’ve already talked a bit about how our relationship has changed, but what about personal discoveries? I can go first if that helps.
Becky: Yeah, go first. I’ve got to think about this one.
Brad: I’ve always liked tinkering with things, but I’ve discovered I actually really enjoy working on the RV. Fixing things. Improving things. You might laugh at that.
Becky: Positive affirmation here. We should talk about this with your therapist.
Brad: Even ask me while I’m in the middle of a project. Even then, I think it’s empowering. It’s fulfilling to figure things out, even when it doesn’t go well—which is often. But at the end of the day, I solve it, and there’s a sense of accomplishment I don’t get from many other things. My job doesn’t have instant gratification, so I really enjoy the hands-on part of RV life.
Becky: I can see that. You’ve done some great projects. We should talk about those sometime.
Brad: Definitely. That’s on the schedule.
Becky: That’s one of the awesome things I’ve really enjoyed. All the modifications and solutions you’ve figured out to make life on the road work better for us.
Brad: It really does feel more like home when you customize things and make them fit your life.
Becky: I wonder if that’s part of why it feels like home, even more than that one house we fixed up. Still, I think one of the biggest things I discovered about myself is that I don’t need the kind of roots I thought I did. I had this whole story in my head—get married, live in one house, raise kids, have grandkids visit on the porch swing, all of it. But it turns out I’m just as happy, maybe even happier, with the life we’ve built now. My roots are still down. They’re just not tied to one place. I’ve got people I love, I stay in touch with friends, I have my kids and you and the dogs, and that’s what matters. I’m fulfilled. I didn’t expect that.
Brad: That’s actually a great thing to discover.
Becky: I’ve also found that I’m more adaptable than I thought. And you know, we talked about moving earlier, but I really didn’t expect to like moving this often. I thought the frequency would be too much. You had to talk me into that membership that required moving every few weeks. But I’ve ended up really liking it.
Brad: Yeah, moving days are still a lot of work.
Becky: They are. We’ll never like moving days.
Brad: But I do like moving every two to three weeks now. I get an itch if we’re parked too long.
Becky: I like that it forces us to do a deep clean. We pack everything up, wipe everything down, and when we unpack it all again, it feels fresh. I never set things up exactly the same way twice. I’ve discovered I like that.
Brad: This might come back to the pillow thing.
Becky: The pillows are definitely part of that. We should post a picture of the pillows sometime.
Brad: I think I will. If you’ve listened to the last episode, you already know about the pillows.
Becky: They’re making a reappearance because I’ve learned that I like changing up the look of the RV. I used to move furniture and decor around constantly in our house. You can’t do that in an RV, so now I get creative with pillows and smaller decor. It keeps things feeling fresh and new. The pillows are staying.
Brad: We might have to do a poll about that.
Becky: I’ll tell you right now, no matter what the poll says, the pillows are staying. And you’ll keep complaining.
Brad: Some things never change.
The RV Learning CurveBrad: Let’s talk about the learning curve. Do you think RVing was steeper or easier than you expected?
Becky: It was actually easier than I expected. I thought packing up would be a lot harder. I mean, other than the infamous instant biscuits episode and a few other little things, it’s been easier than I thought. It’s becoming a rhythm, and I think that’s what appeals to me so much. I like things that have a rhythm.
Brad: The process almost has to become a rhythm.
Becky: Oh yeah, and we’ve created some pretty solid routines. That helps a lot.
Brad: For me, in at least one way, it was harder than I expected. I like tinkering and doing my own repairs, and I assumed, like with a car, there’d be a manual. There isn’t. At least with RVs, almost none of them have wiring diagrams. The factories wire each one a little differently. There’s no authoritative manual, so it’s all a bit of a mystery. That’s fun sometimes, but when you really need to fix something, it’s not.
Becky: I’ve heard some moments that didn’t sound fun.
Brad: Yeah, and there’ll be more of those, I’m sure.
What We Miss (or Don’t)Brad: So did we overestimate or underestimate how much we’d miss certain things?
Becky: I definitely overestimated. I thought I’d miss things a lot more than I do. I mean, sure, I miss some stuff, but not as much as I expected. The stuff I do miss would’ve been the same even if we’d stayed in a sticks and bricks house. Like having the kids far away. That was going to happen no matter what.
Brad: Yeah, and you could argue RV life makes that better. But when two of your kids live in New York state and we’re out here on the West Coast, it costs a fortune to haul this house out there.
Becky: We are thinking about it though. There’s a lot of the country we want to see.
Brad: Yeah, once our jobs give us a little more flexibility to get farther from the Northwest.
Becky: That’s your job.
Brad: It is. But once we can, we’ll definitely go explore more. Still, I sometimes think I underestimated how much I’d miss four walls that don’t shake in the wind. But not enough to want to stop.
Becky: I get that. But for me, it’s more about the places we’ve discovered and then had to leave. Like burritos.
Brad: Oh my gosh, if you’re ever near Aberdeen, Washington, find the little restaurant called La Salvadoreña. Their burritos haunt me. I can’t stop thinking about them.
Becky: You think about them even when we’re nowhere nearby.
Brad: Exactly. And it’s not just burritos. It’s scenic places too, or relaxing spots that I fall in love with. Sometimes I think, I’d love to live here for a year. But then after a few weeks, that itch comes back.
Becky: That itch is strong. I always want to keep going more than I want to stay.
Brad: Something I also underestimated is just how much driving we have to do. A lot of the parks are outside of town, so a grocery run is 30 to 45 minutes each way. And medical care, like when we drove from Bend to Portland for a dental appointment. We put a lot of miles on our little tow car.
Becky: Same when we were in Newport and had to get to Portland. That car saves us. We’d run our truck into the ground if we used it for all that driving.
Brad: This is the argument for not buying a Jeep.
Becky: He really wants a Jeep.
Brad: I do. But we’d be broke on gas.
Becky: That’s why we don’t get a Jeep.
Brad: Yeah. So there’s more driving in this lifestyle than I expected.
Work Routines, Internet, and Unexpected PerksBrad: How did our routines or work habits get unexpectedly disrupted or improved by living full time in an RV?
Becky: Internet. That’s probably the biggest thing that interrupts my work. But in terms of improvement? Totally. I’ve worked in offices my whole life, and now I can work wherever I am. I’ve got flexibility and comfort. My own chair. My own space. It’s such an upgrade.
Brad: I’d add one caveat. I think it’s even better because we’re on the road. My mental health is way better in this lifestyle. When I worked in a school, every minute of my day was accounted for. Now I’ve got meetings and classes and things, but when I get a break, I can walk the dog. Not just around the same block I’ve seen forever, but in a new, beautiful setting every couple of weeks. It’s relaxing and empowering in a way I didn’t expect.
Becky: That’s true. I just meant the work-from-home part would’ve been better no matter where we were. But yeah, I can’t imagine going back to an office.
Brad: That’s one of my biggest worries—that something happens and we have to go back to full-time, in-person work.
Becky: We’re not going to talk about that. I’m not hearing that.
Brad: Alright. But the internet thing is still more disruptive than it would be in a sticks-and-bricks house. No matter how good your mobile setup is, it’s never as consistent as a high-speed cable line running into a building.
Becky: That’s true. But we did finally upgrade to the Peplink router, and wow, that was a journey.
Brad: Yeah, getting it dialed in took a week of troubleshooting. I was trying to do some really specific things with it, and it just kept failing. But I think we’ve got it now, and it’s working really well. Fingers crossed.
Becky: We’re still holding our breath, but yeah, it might have solved some of the internet issues.
The RV Community (and a Little Kravitz-ing)Brad: Were you surprised by how welcoming or not the RV community was?
Becky: This makes me think of when we were stationary and you were Kravitz-ing on the neighbors.
Brad: You have to explain what that means.
Becky: Kravitz-ing comes from the show Bewitched. Mrs. Kravitz was the neighbor always peeking out her window, watching what Samantha the witch was up to. That’s you. You Kravitz.
Mrs. Kravitz from BewitchedBrad: I think everyone in RV parks does a little Kravitz-ing.
Becky: It’s true. Our dogs do it too. They sit on the back of the couch and watch out the window. We call it dog TV.
Brad: Most of my Kravitz-ing is gear related. I’m just curious about other people’s setups—cool fire pits, interesting layouts. Not spying.
Becky: Sure, sure. But I think that’s part of what surprised me. Some people in the RV community are super friendly and outgoing. Others are quieter and keep to themselves. There’s space for everyone.
Brad: We’ve almost never had someone knock on our door. If you’re inside, people usually respect that. But if I’m out working on something, people will chat. Especially if they’re walking dogs.
Becky: Everyone’s been nice. And if you open a toolbox, suddenly people appear. It’s like sending out a bat signal.
Brad: That’s true. I was also surprised by how many lonely people are out here. A lot of solo travelers, looking for connection. If I say hi and ask how someone’s day is, sometimes I end up with a new best friend who watches for me to come outside.
Becky: He prefers to Kravitz.
Brad: Yep. Just from a distance.
RV Park Rules and the Ten-Year Rule FrustrationBrad: So this isn’t really about the RV community itself, but it’s definitely related: RV park owners.
Becky: Just the way you said that made me nervous for a second.
Brad: Just in case you didn’t know, a lot of RV parks won’t accept rigs that are over ten years old.
Becky: Anybody who’s been RVing more than five minutes learns that quickly.
Brad: And it’s frustrating. We bought our RV just under the ten-year mark, so we were fine getting in at first. But we were looking at other places to move while we were stationary, and we got turned down by several because our RV was now technically over ten years old.
Becky: Even though ours looks great. We take really good care of it. Some people say as long as it looks nice, parks will let you in.
Brad: That may be true sometimes, but it’s hit or miss. And we’ve definitely had trouble with it.
Becky: I get it to a degree. We’ve seen parks where the rigs look like they’ve been sitting there untouched for decades, moss growing on them, nothing maintained. I can see why a park would want to avoid that.
Brad: Totally. But there should be more flexibility. It’s not just about age. And it becomes a real challenge.
Becky: That’s one of the things I love about Thousand Trails. No age limit. You see a mix of older RVs in great shape and brand-new flashy ones. It’s a nice blend, and it feels more welcoming.
Brad: I love that mix. That’s my favorite kind of Kravitz-ing—what kind of house do you drive?
Becky: I knew it. You’re Kravitz-ing again.
When We Knew This Might Actually WorkBrad: Was there a moment when you realized this lifestyle might actually work for us?
Becky: I don’t remember a specific moment, but there was definitely a shift. One day I realized I didn’t miss our old life. I thought, yeah, I like this. I don’t want to go back.
Brad: I had a few aha moments. One was the first time I backed into a really tricky site. It didn’t go smoothly, but I got us in and leveled. I remember thinking, if I can get into this site, I can handle most places. It helped that I used to drive semis in my early twenties, but still, I was nervous pulling into that park.
Becky: Walkie talkies help a lot on those days.
Brad: They really do. We use ours for all kinds of things. Another big moment for me was when we finished a full week of work and it all worked. Internet held up. No emergencies. We got everything done. I thought, if we can do one week, we can do another.
Becky: That happened for me during the pandemic, when I got to work from home for the first time. I realized, hey, I don’t need an office. It was a big deal. Not specifically about RV life, but it set the stage.
Brad: Another big one was financial. That first month we didn’t have to pay rent, utilities, or garbage and water bills. It felt like we had a little flexibility again.
Becky: It’s not a cheap lifestyle, especially with payments and maintenance, but still, that was a great moment.
Surprises That Still Catch Us Off GuardBrad: So what’s one surprise that still catches you off guard, even now?
Becky: I think I still get caught off guard by the fact that this is our life. Every time we pull out of a campground and hit the road, I’m following you in the car, towing our house, and I look up and think, that’s my whole life right there. Everything and almost everyone I love is in that rig in front of me. It still just hits me sometimes—whoa, this is so cool. I never thought this would be my life.
Brad: I have the same feeling. As soon as we’re set up somewhere and I get to sit down in my recliner, I think, we live here now. Like, we live in Bend. Or we live in Newport. Or we live in California. Wherever we are, we live there. That little thrill catches me off guard every time. It makes me really happy.
Becky: That’s true. It is a thrill.
Brad: The other thing that still surprises me is how much work it takes to actually move. Every time. I forget how physically exhausting it is.
Becky: Move days are tiring. It’s not one huge thing—it’s all the little things. But it adds up fast.
Brad: A couple solid hours of lifting, packing, securing, checking tires, wondering if the truck will start or if the slide will come in. It’s a lot. That always surprises me a little.
Becky: It’s getting easier though. We keep fine-tuning things every time we move.
Rituals, Habits, and Lucky CharmsBrad: I’ve got a couple of listener questions here that I’m not sure how to answer, so help me out. Have we developed any weird little travel rituals or habits?
Becky: Weird little habits… I don’t know if they’re weird, but we do have a few things we always do. Like, as soon as you pull out of the site and I’m following behind, I always ask you to check all the lights.
Brad: And we always say goodbye to the place. We say it over the walkies. “Thanks, wherever we are. Goodbye.”
Becky: Yeah, that’s true. That is a little ritual.
Brad: We used to order pizza the day before a move, knowing we’d be too tired to cook after setup. Leftovers were easy and perfect.
Becky: We did, but now that we’re eating healthier, it doesn’t work quite the same way. But yeah, it was a thing for a while.
Brad: Alright, next question. Do we have a good luck charm we always bring with us?
Becky: A good luck charm… I don’t know if I’d call it that, but there are things I always put up right away that make it feel like home. Like the drawing our youngest daughter commissioned of us and Finn. That’s one of the first things I hang up and one of the last things I take down.
Brad: Yeah.
Becky: And I’ve got this little lady Buddha statue I bought when I worked at the community mental health center. She’s peaceful and meditative, and I set her up with little stones and crystals I’ve collected on the road. They go in a little dish with driftwood or beach things. It’s probably weird, but it feels like good energy to me.
Brad: I love that. The only thing I could think of is my little Don Quixote statue. If you don’t know who that is, he’s a character from a really old novel, kind of a role model for me. I’ve got a tattoo of him and everything. So he comes with us and sits up by my desk. Though he’s missing the tip of his spear now, and his arm broke off on this last move.
Becky: We’ll fix it.
Brad: Maybe. Not sure what that says about my good luck charm if he’s in pieces.
Becky: Good luck comes with occasional bumps. That’s profound.
Brad: You talk to people all day and come up with these little gems.
Is RV Life Better for Introverts or Extroverts?Brad: Last question today. Do you think full-time RV life is better for introverts or extroverts?
Becky: All of the above. Because if you’re an introvert, you can keep to yourself. You don’t have to get out and do stuff. You can choose how social you want to be. This life can be whatever you make it.
Brad: Yeah.
Becky: And if you’re an extrovert and you love meeting people and getting involved in activities, there are plenty of campgrounds with things going on. You can explore new communities, meet other RVers, join online groups. There’s a lot out there.
Brad: I agree. I think we lean more toward the introvert side, but we’ve definitely seen plenty of very social folks living this life too. You find whatever version of the lifestyle works for you, which is one of the coolest parts.
Becky: Totally.
Brad: I think that’s going to wrap it up for today. Anything we need to tell them before we go?
Becky: Drive safe out there.
Brad: Yep, drive safe if it’s a move day and you’re listening while going down the road. We’d love to hear from you. You can visit us at jicyw.com, which stands for just in case you’re wondering dot com. Or email us. I’m brad@jicyw.com.
Becky: And I’m becky@jicyw.com. Come say hi on the website.
Brad: Also, if you listen on your favorite podcast app, leave us a rating. Give us some stars or a review if you’re enjoying the show.
Becky: We’re not asking for anything that doesn’t feel right to you, but if you like what you hear, help us get the word out.
Brad: Yeah, even better, tell someone you know who might enjoy it. We’re not doing this for money or trying to monetize. This is just our way of connecting with people out there in the world.
Becky: Tell your RV friends too. It’s just for fun.
Brad: There’s also a community space on the website. Click “Community” on the main page. You can ask general questions, suggest podcast topics, or leave thoughts on specific episodes.
Becky: That’s it for now. Thanks for wandering with us again. We’ll be in Bend for a couple more weeks. Not sure where we’ll record next, but we’ll be somewhere around here.
Brad: Yep. Say hi if you see us, and we’ll post some pictures soon. Bye.
Becky: Bye.
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