This week, I will be speaking with a solo RVer who has found tremendous purpose as a volunteer Workamper for seven years, while starting an online platform to share his adventures.

My guest today is Sam Gennawey, an urban planner turned full-time RVer who has been living on the road for more than seven years.

What began as a search for a more intentional future quickly became a lifestyle that allowed Sam to explore America’s most remarkable places while keeping his expenses manageable.

Sam travels in a 2012 Airstream Interstate, which is a black Mercedes-based touring van he affectionately calls Darlene.

He has put nearly 200,000 miles on the vehicle, boondocking across the country, sleeping in unexpected places, such as minor league ballparks, and navigating everything from flat plains to rugged mountain passes.

Along the way, he has lived and worked in some of America’s most iconic national parks as a volunteer interpreter and campground host.

Big Bend, Death Valley, the Redwoods, North Cascades, Aztec Ruins and Sequoia National Park are just a few of the places that have become temporary “home.”

Sam’s experiences offer a valuable look at the realities, challenges and joys of long-term RV travel, and how volunteering can make the lifestyle more sustainable, meaningful and affordable.

Sam offered terrific advice for anyone considering the RV lifestyle, especially those people over 60 who want to travel with purpose.

He encouraged people to take an honest assessment of their personalities to determine whether they enjoy long stretches of solitude or if they’d thrive working alongside other people.

Whichever the case, he said the lifestyle requires flexibility, resilience and the willingness to work through unexpected weather, repairs and delays.

He noted that RVing is often more difficult and more expensive than people expect, which is why maintaining a realistic mindset is essential.

Something will always need attention or  break, and the weather will not always cooperate. Yet the rewards are immense.

Living inside national parks, hiking trails before the gates open, seeing landscapes without crowds and learning from park rangers are opportunities that don’t come with any other lifestyle.

Sam also urged newcomers to travel like a bison by walking into challenges rather than running from them, because persistence helps you reach the other side faster.

For him, volunteering has been the key to keeping expenses low, preserving his van’s lifespan, and experiencing America’s popular places more deeply.

People can follow Sam’s ongoing travels, photos and stories on Facebook. He posts regularly about the parks he lives in, the routes he takes and the adventures that shape his life on the road. You can also buy Sam’s book, “Sacred Landscapes,” on Amazon and in other bookstores.

If you’d like to be inspired by someone who is squeezing every drop out of life, you’ll enjoy connecting with Sam and following his remarkable journey.

Would you like to be featured in an upcoming episode of The Workamper Show? I encourage you to schedule an interview with me at workampershow.com.

We’d love to hear about your Workamping experiences, how you got started RVing, and what you love and dislike about the RVing lifestyle. Help others explore all the different ways to live this great lifestyle by sharing your story.

If you are an employer of Workampers – we invite you to be on the podcast, too. Share all of the details of your Workamping jobs in a future episode. It only costs a little bit of your time.

Schedule an interview with me today by going to workampershow.com. You’ll find the schedule buttons at the bottom of the home page.

That’s all for this week’s show. Next time, I will be speaking with an executive from Love’s Travel Stops about the new overnight RV parks the company is developing all over the country.