Girl Camper

According to Bob Thompson, transformation expert and founder of Legion Transformation Centers, in order to accomplish anything you need a strategic plan, You also have to do things that make you uncomfortable. You have to be willing to be radical. On today's show we continue our series on transforming.  In week one we talked about The Mind Game and how to create a belief in yourself. On week two's show it was all about the stumbling blocks and how we have to create an environment for success. This week we are talking about creating an action plan.

They say to succeed you need to have a plan and work the plan but, how do we know what goes in a plan? What makes one plan better from another? Is a good plan all action steps or are there other emotional quantifiers at play?

In order to get real about weight loss I had to get radical about what I was actually taking in each day. I spent one month weighing my food and counting my calories. I knew that I was not going to succeed by "cutting back." Radical behavior is what is required for radical change.

Bob's action plan components.

Set the goal. Sounds simple right? Not so fast though. Most of us have an innate self protecting gene that doesn't want to fail, be humiliated, look foolish or bite off more publicly than we are really willing to chew so we downsize our goals. I said my goal was to lose thirty pounds and Bob said, "What's the real number?" Yikes! How did he know? I really want to lose fifty pounds but that seems daunting, unlikely, too big and more than I am willing to commit to. Bob says in order to reach our true goal, the one we only tell ourselves in our heads, we have to set a goal and then super size it. We have to make it BIG! Why make it big? Because setting an audacious goal makes us work harder. Even if we don't reach 10K in savings, or fifty pounds or the whole marathon, the chances are higher that we will far surpass what our "play it safe" goal was. So... set a goal and blow it up!

Put it Out There. Most of us keep our goals all tucked inside of us unwilling to risk ridicule, unsolicited advice and looking like a quitter if we drop the whole thing by month two. By putting it out there we make it real. We're not playing it safe. We've created a scary situation and fear drives us with adrenaline and a higher level of motivation. We don't want to look like a quitter and we are now more accountable to ourselves! Creating accountability increases our chances of succeeding. Say it out loud and show the world you are in it to win it.

Be Willing to be Radical. I have to admit that I am the queen of Monday morning "cut backs." I am not even out there enough to say diet. I start each week with the idea that this week I am going low carb and high protein and I will get a walk in at least three times after dinner. That is not exactly radical behavior and it is also exactly the kind of behavior that you fall away from by Wednesday when you worked late and your husband made pasta for dinner. Because I don't put it out there, he doesn't know I am "cutting back." Bob says this is a recipe for disaster. If you want to do achieve a goal that has been alluding you, you are going to have to do things you have never done before. In the case of weight loss you may have to go old school and start weighing and measuring your food for a month. If you are getting out of credit card debt, it's not enough to keep the plastic in the hard to reach zipper section of your pocket book. You are going to have to not just cut up the cards but call up and close the accounts. You have to take a radical approach because change requires changing habits and there's no way to do that other than to rip the band aid off.

Break down the Goal. You need to set the goal and then break down the steps needed (the actions) to make it happen. Ask yourself what has to take place to achieve the goal? Put a time frame on it. Once you set a goal and a time frame for doing it you can create a month by month and week by week and then day by day plan for doing it. If the goal is to lose 52 pounds in a year you can see that works out to a pound a week. That's a 3500 calorie a week deficit. That's a 500 calorie a day reduction from where you are now. That's a loss of 2.28 ounces a day. That seems much more doable than fifty pounds. You can apply the same thing to the exercise aspect and say that a one mile walk will net you a calorie loss of between 65 and 100 depending on how much you weigh. Being aware of the actions you take and their net effect makes the goal measurable. You are not in some nebulous land where you can pretend that a donut is the equivalent of an apple. You've broken down the food, the daily intake, the minimum exercise needed to achieve it each day and in the process created personal responsibility.

Change is not easy. Nothing worthwhile is. It it's a work goal.personal achievement goal or a desire for better health, having a plan will increase your odds of making it happen.

Change is hard! Eighty percent of those that make a New Years resolution have dropped it before February first. If we are going to get serious about change we need more than a desire to change or a frustration with our current state of affairs. We need a plan and that's what we are doing for our Mini Episodes in January. We're breaking down the trip hazards of change and this week we are chatting with transformation expert, Bob Thompson about how to deal with the stumbling blocks that are inevitable when we set out to change.

Find a tribe that inspires you and get together with them often. Surround yourself with hopeful people.

Bob is the founder and CEO of Legion Transformation Centers. He has helped thousands of clients overcome inertia, stinking thinking and bad habits to reach their health and fitness goals. The techniques Bob talks about can be applied to any area in which we want to make a life change. What's your goal? Traveling more? Getting a handle on your budget? Decluttering your house? Letting go of broken systems that create a cycle of failure, lost opportunities and low self esteem will require a change of mind first. We covered that in last week's show. This week we are talking about how to deal with the friend that wants to go on a shopping day. The mother that tells you that your thick ankles are genetic and you can't fight nature. The office buddy that keeps bringing you donuts from the employee lunch room even though she knows you're trying to make better food choices.

Bob's tips for reducing stumbling blocks 

Create an environment for success. You have to shape the environment for the outcome that you want. If you are a couch potato and want to be more active, cancel cable. If you are trying to pay off credit cards, don't just take them out of your wallet, close the accounts and start paying for things with cash. If you are serious about weight loss, empty the cupboards of all junk food and don't have anything in the house that will trip  you up in a weak moment.

Surround yourself with five people that will inspire and support you. You are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with so make sure they are people who are building you up, not tearing you down. Make sure they are people who are living life fully and their attitude reflects that. Who you spend your time with is something that you can control.

Get a mentor. Having someone to help you navigate uncharted waters is really valuable. You can find a mentor in a group related to your goal. Much like a 12 step sponsor a mentor can help you pull back and look at the big picture when you might be tempted to hyper focus on the tasks or daily grind losing sight of the goal. A mentor helps you to keep your eye on the prize. If you don't have a volunteer mentor you can hire a coach in the area you need help in. A nutritionist can help you meal plan and a business coach can analyze your business plan and help you set realistic goals. Be willing to pay for help. When you pay for advice you will take it more seriously and when someone is paid for their services, they will be more serious about what they are giving you.

Find Your Tribe. Whatever you are trying to do, others are also trying to do. Find a group that can support you and that you can contribute to. Create a social media group for sharing tips, offering encouragement and venting frustrations. Having others who are traveling the same road will help you realize that "it's not you." Everyone feels like you do while change is happening.

Eliminate people who bring you down. If you are going to seriously go after a goal you many need to eliminate people who don't respect and encourage that. You don't have to break up a family over it but you might just have to detach with kindness from people who are consciously or unconsciously sabotaging your efforts. If you have a girlfriend who is a shopping buddy and you are trying to cut back and she isn't, maybe catch up with her over the phone? Don't let old friends with entrenched habits lead you off your new path.

On today’s show I’m starting a five part series on transforming. I know lots of us have made New Year’s resolutions and set goals for what we want to accomplish in the coming year.  It has been several years since I set a New Year’s resolution. I stopped doing it because I never finish them. Statistics show that 80% of people abandon their goal by February. Only 8% accomplish their resolution.  I decided to look into the psychology of why we don’t accomplish the goals we set and look for ways to tackle the obstacles to our success.

I invited transformation expert Bob Thompson to join me in delving into this topic. Bob is the CEO of Legion Transformation Centers and has changed thousands of lives through fitness. Bob’s clients are not gym rats though. They’re me! The reluctant, the pessimistic. Those that want to be fit and healthy but really don’t like exercise. How he helps them transform was of great interest to me and it all starts with the mind.

If we want to change the way we behave, we need to change the way we think. Our best (or worst) thinking got us where we are now. Bob says that changing our mind set starts with a belief in yourself. Whoa! This is my first stumbling block. I believe in myself when it comes to homemaking, podcasting, child rearing, trip planning, traveling afar etc... those are the things I know I’m good at. I have no belief in my ability to get a handle on my health! In fact I’m a proven failure in this area. I’m the direct opposite of what one needs to succeed in this arena.

Bob's specialty is helping motivate the unmotivated. In other words, people like me who have a desire to change but lack the proper mind set for doing it. Here is Bob with two of the winners from one of his 6 week challenges.

I asked Bob if you can suddenly get a belief in yourself. What if you grew up in a family where you were never encouraged? What if your whole life you have felt "less than?"  Bob says that yes, you can but you have to start by asking the "why?" question. Why do I want to lose weight, save more money, get rid of the clutter in my house, be more active? On the surface we may say we want to lose weight to look better but dig deeper. When your "why" is vanity based, it's easy to drop the goal. Over time we come to accept our shortcomings. That's how we end up thirty pounds overweight instead of ten pounds. We passed ten by accepting it and rationalizing it and got ourselves to thirty. When our "why" is to look good at our nephews upcoming wedding we may get 15 pounds off and feel better and make that good enough but when we dig deeper and find a better "why" our goals may find better staying power. If the goal is to be healthy for our grandchildren and be able to be active in their lives or to gain better health to be around for your spouse, it's loftier than vanity and more likely to have staying power.

Everyone has different goals and different motivations. It's not your starting place that matters. It's not how much you want to lose or save or get rid of. It's about where you're going and having a plan and support team to get there. Team building!!

Once we find a deeper "why" we can build a sense of belief in self in a few ways.

Have the mind set that you will not be defined by the past. You are in charge of your own choices everyday. Be kind to yourself in your own mind. Speak highly of yourself to yourself. Treat yourself as you wish to be treated by others. Don't replay a loop of past failures in your head. Stinking thinking will not get you anywhere, You are the author of your life story. Write a feel good story!! It's your book!

Remind yourself that your value comes from your own humanity. You're a human being created in the image and likeness of God who, as we know, doesn't make mistakes. He created you for a purpose and you are infinitely valuable. Remember that it is His opinion that matters most. Who cares if your boss doesn't appreciate you or if your kids don't call often? It's painful but, its them and not you. It's a broken world and when the brokenness of others spills over onto you, you have the choice to believe their narrative or pray for their healing and move on.

Count your past victories and relish them. When you start feeling like you are nothing, get a George Bailey attitude and remind yourself of all the ways in which you have contributed to goodness in this world. All the meals you've prepared and cleaned up. Feeding people day in and day out is gigantic. Count your volunteer hours and time spent on the phone with a sad friend. Working full time everyday and paying bills month after month is an accomplishment. If you don't particularly like your job or boss it's even bigger. Do you have a pet that relies on you to care for it? Accomplishment! Your past is full of victories. Don't discount them.

Set yourself up for small daily victories. Make your bed every single morning the minute you get up. Don't leave dishes in the drainboard, clothes in the dryer or groceries to be put away. Run the vacuum! Do it now. Pay bills the day they come in instead of the day they are due. Stay on top of little things and you will stay on top of bigger goals. You'll develop an attitude of accomplishment that will start to become the norm for you.

Change is not easy. You have to make the decision to do it. You have to be all in. You have to be radical to change. On next weeks podcast we will be exploring the stumbling blocks we all hit when we decide to change. Tune in for tips on creating a winning environment.

On today’s show I review a few highlights and low lights from my 2018 travels. I logged over 15.5K miles and spent 98 nights in my trailer. I set out to do more boondocking, stay longer in one place and to do some more extended “solo woman traveling.” It was a wonderful year and I am thrilled with what I accomplished.

I had a lot of fun in 2018, almost too much fun. My travel schedule was exhausting at times and I felt I was away from my family too much. When trip planning it can be easy to get caught up in the wonder of far away places thinking they’re easily accessible by only a three day drive. It’s always fun getting there but not always fun getting back.

In April I traveled from NJ to Texas on a five week trip and came home via North Carolina. In June I headed to Colorado for close to a month. I switched trailers and drove to Michigan’s beautiful Upper PI in July. I was off to Maine in August to tour beautiful Acadia National Park. I spent September roaming around Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana and finished off the year with a two week trip to Stone Mountain in Georgia and then Alabama in October.

Although I loved all of my adventures I am planning on staying a lot closer to home in 2019. I want to camp more often with the  friends I used to camp with in the past. I want to drive less! I want to really get to know Smokey Mountain National Park. I want to experience travel in a motor home.I want to get my husband out there more and reacquaint myself with old hobbies.

Listen to the podcast by clicking the arrow below.

https://girlcamper.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/2018-and-2019.mp3

 

Transforming in 2019

Because of all the things I want to do I am going to have to change some things that slow me down, starting with my health. I am  dedicating 2019 to Transforming. That will be the theme of our Podcast this year, and I do mean “our” podcast. We have become a community of friends that help and encourage each other. That is why when I think of all of those who have written to me and have been following along for three years now but, still have not taken the leap into Girl Camping, I feel I’ve let you down in some way. There’s been a gap in our help and coverage.  We used Year One to look at Overcoming the Obstacles to Being a Girl Camper by delving into the fears and misconceptions about women solo camping. We dedicated Year Two of the Podcast to Becoming a Girl Camper, covering all of the technical stuff, GVWR and Weight Distribution Hitches! Last year we looked at Finding the Right RV for you, studying  the pros and cons of everything the RV industry offers. What was left to be said that hadn’t been said? It was boiling down to one thing – emotional baggage. There are things that stall us or slow us down and stop us from doing the things we deeply desire doing. It is time to look at how we can overcome those things and that is why I chose Transforming in 2019 as the Podcast theme for the coming year.

I am kicking off our year of Transforming with a five part series with Transformation Expert Bob Thompson, In our five mini episodes in January we will explore five areas that need to be looked at if we intend to stick to any of our New Years resolutions.

We will start with The Mind Game. What state of mind do we need to be in to succeed and how do we get there if we have the desire but not the will?

In Part Two we will look at how we can Identify the Stumbling Blocks. What if we are hanging on to an old core belief that we can’t shake? What if we are sabotaging our own success?

In Week Three we will look at how to Create an Action Plan for Success. They say to achieve you must have a plan and work the plan to achieve a goal but how do you make the plan? What elements should the plan have in order to work?

It’s finally here!! All the details on our third annual Wonderful Women In Waxahachie event!!  April 25-28, 2019. Registration is now open!

To listen to the podcast with ALL the details, click the arrow and your phone or laptop media player will play it for you!

We are going to circle our wagons once again in the best little town in Texas, Waxahachie! The site will be their beautiful Getzendaner Park where any Girl Camper is welcome to join us. You do not have to be a Girl Camper already, you do not need a tricked out vintage trailer, you don’t need to know what you are doing!! Wanna be’s and those figuring it out are not only welcomed but encouraged to come and join us. It’s a great opportunity to meet women who are already doing it, to see their set ups; trailers, tents, motor homes, cars and vans styled to delight, to learn what it’s all about from those doing it and to just have a great weekend with girlfriends old and new!

Here’s the weekend itinerary.

Thursday  Arrival day. Arrive any time and someone will be there to greet you and show you to your site. Set up quickly if you want and get into town to check out the shops and restaurants or take your time greeting all of the arrivals and getting to know your neighbors. On Thursday evening we will have a group dinner in the VIP tent for the Film Festival. All of the Film Festival activities are included in your ticket. Campfire and S’Mores after dinner in the park.

Friday You’ll have a lot of choices on Friday. Take in the shows at the Film Festival. Grab a cup of coffee and meet us in the morning around our campfire for a talk by one of our Guest Speakers. Use the day to explore the City of Waxahachie, their shops, their restaurants, and  their famous Gingerbread homes. Sign up for  our Camper College RV Workshop at the Park, the details are below. You can also take a ride in the country and see the beautiful Texas Blue Bonnets in bloom. Before dinner Kate Dunbar, guest chef, will be demonstrating Cast Iron cooking techniques behind her trailer. There’s bound to be food and libations there.  In the evening we will gather again at the VIP tent and enjoy dinner, cocktails, fellowship and friends. Campfire and S’More bar afterwards at the Park. 

Saturday Another day to explore all the offerings of Friday but the Park will be open for touring. It’s not necessary to man your site but if you’re around to chat, the locals are always interested in learning what we are all about. Start the day with coffee at the Gazebo and a Continental breakfast with our Guest Speaker of the day and head out to explore. At 4 PM we will gather at the Gazebo for cocktails and to draw the winners of our tricky tray fundraiser for HoldYou Foundation. We will then commence our own walking tour of the Girl Camper set ups. We will have a final nights group dinner in the park followed by the Campfire and S’Mores bar.

Sunday Our event draws to a close. There will be a departure Brunch for the Film Festival attendees for those who can linger a little and coffee in the gazebo for those who have to pack up early and  hit the road. Our City of Waxahachie hosts will be on hand to help move everyone out safely as we wrap up another fun event.

Details 

The Film Festival – The Crossroads of Texas Film and Music Festival is an annual event in Waxahachie celebrating the historic nature of this Texas town which has been the setting for so many films. Over 30 motion pictures have been filmed in Waxahachie, three of which were Academy Award Winners including Places in the Heart. Every attendee of WWW3 will receive a VIP pass to the event which gives them access to fulm screenings, concerts, food, fun and so much more. It’s a big hit every year.

City of Waxahachie – Waxahachie is full of history and so proud of their heritage.

My summer of fun with my Mini Max by Little Guy Trailers has come to an end and the good folks at Liberty are donating her to charity!!

BUY TICKETS HERE 

She’s traveled over 10K miles across 14 states. Kept me safe and sound and warm and dry for over 60 nights. I’ve used her in campgrounds with full hookups, fields and driveways by solar power and in my own driveway as a quiet place to get work done.

I styled her to make me feel at home no matter where I traveled. I “wallpapered” the walls and reupholstered the cushions and cornices. I created a second set of cushions so that I could use it with as a single bed while traveling alone or return it to a Queen size when my husband camped with me. I asked the Tear Drop Shop to make me two covers, a big awning and a smaller visor. The visor and awning attach via a keder rail and can be used on either side of the trailer. I have loved this awning and use it as my “porch”. It’s been great sitting out at night when it’s raining and watching the weather. It’s great to have my chairs and table dry when there’s dew in the morning and it’s great being protected from the sun when I settle in to read a good book. The trailer is personalized and pre loved! Whoever wins it will get “my” trailer with its cushions and wallpaper and awnings!! The winner will also get a new set of twin bedding from Beddy’s Bed,  a complete starter camping kit from Camco Manufacturing and a $100 girft card from the Tear Drop Shop. It’s been a great cottage on wheels and I am thrilled and grateful that Little Guy has been so generous with it.

The recipient of the raffle earnings will be  HoldYou Foundation, the official charity of the Girl Camper Podcast. HoldYou is an organization that helps parents who have children enduring a medical crisis. They provide the kind of help that many parents with a sick child are in desperate need of. and that other charities often cannot offer. Keeping gas in the tank and food on the table isn’t something someone with a seriously ill child should have to worry about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to purchase tickets! 

To listen to the podcast click on the arrow. 

 

 

 

The Girl Camper dream comes in different sizes and for Jo Lynn Black, Texas retiree and quilting enthusiast it was as big as her home state! When she first dreamed the dream she thought a Class C was her destination but she took my advice and rented one before diving in. There were things she didn’t like. She kept researching and looking for a different model Class C. When she was at an RV show a salesman suggested she step into a Class A that was the same length as the C she was looking at. Eureka! Same length but because the chasis on a Class A has no step down to the driving cab it felt much bigger, like an open floor plan home.

She discovered she preferred the full wall slide out but was hesitant because she’d heard there were problems with them. She dug in online and visited the owners forums. There she learned exactly what problems existed, how they were being repaired and improved upon and the manufacturers response to the problem. She was satisfied that the early designs had been significantly improved upon and that it wouldn’t be an issue.

She also leaned heavily on the Motorhome Comparison Guide, a comprehensive rating guide featuring the products of multiple manufacturers producing Class A, B, C and B+ motor homes. It’s an expensive book but well worth the cost.

Jo Lynn took her time, used podcasts, forums, old fashioned leg work at RV shows and dealerships and rental experiences before she made her final decision.

Jo Lynn’s Tips for Finding the Right RV 

* Listen to podcasts – Jo Lynn learned much from the Girl Camper Podcast and the RV Family Travel Atlas Podcast. She listened and relistened applying the advice she learned and taking her time deciding.

* Get involved in online forums – when researching a specific product get online and learn from the actual users. Online forums are where owners of particular models share information about the operation of their units. It’s a great place for trouble shooting issues and getting advice.

* Visit RV Shows – Visit lots of RV shows but do your homework ahead of time. Know what you are going there to see and stay on task. Keep a file of what is still in the running.

* Find a reputable RV dealer that you trust – Finding the right dealer may involve going to quite a few quite a few times before you feel comfortable. Making sure that you will be getting the service that you need is an important part of finding the right dealer.

* Rent first – It’s a good idea to rent the size and style RV that you are considering buying. The cost of rental can be far less than the cost of reselling a 6 month old RV. Renting allows you to feel out the motor home for size, maneuverability, layout and mileage and help you narrow down your choices.

* Attend driving school – There are quite a few rental schools and RV ownership and use schools that go a long way in bolstering confidence and enhancing the RV walk through done at dealerships.

* Make use of the Motor Home Comparison Guide– this Guide is a comprehensive look and comparison of all the models made by all of the manufacturers.

 

SHOW NOTES

The Sewer Saddle Bag is a new product designed and developed by Jo and Dennis Baggett, long time RVers. They saw the problem of escaping methane gas at the site and dump station issues in which water pressure could cause the hose to pop out of the receptacle while dumping. They designed this saddle bag made out of 18 gauge vinyl that is nylon reinforced to solve that problem. It’s well constructed, washable and the bright yellow “caution” color makes it easy to spot. every purchase from the Sewer Saddle Bag helps Veterans in need. The bag costs $24.95 and you can get a 10% discount with the coupon code Girlcamper.

I am happy to welcome Kate Dunbar to the podcast today. She’s a former restaurateur, the genius behind Kate’s Curios Kitchen blog, Campground of the Week Podcast correspondent and hostess with the mostest at Girl Camping events all over. Kate is here to dish about her newly released ecookbook, The Campground Gourmet: Simple Delicious Recipes for Dining in the Great Outdoors.

Kate grew up on a ranch in Southern California checking the orange orchards by horseback with her sister and cousins. Sunday gatherings centered on food and family. Kate was inspired early on by the cooking shows on PBS and asked for a Weber Kettle for her 12th birthday. Today she is the one inspiring others with the recipes she’s perfected over the years.

The book has something for everyone offering appetizers, entrees, side dishes, desserts and even cocktails. The food is simple and the secret ingredient is that it’s all homemade! It seems like all cookbooks should be “homemade” but many actually contain lots of prepackaged ingredients. Everything in the Campground Gourmet,from the marinades to the rubs, is made fresh and from scratch. The simple “from scratch,” not the list of ingredients the length of your arm “from scratch.”  Kate provides a detailed list of resources for everything from the products she uses in her camp kitchen to the spices she’s curated from her favorite vendors. The book can be downloaded onto your IPad or Kindle for easy access at the campground. It’s available today or a presale price of $4.99 but will go up to 9.99 on Black Friday.

Breakfast is not my favorite meal at home but at the campground I love to break out the cast iron and make a special meal. Here’s a sneak peak at what may end up being my favorite breakfast recipe, the pancake dippers!

Thanksgiving foods rank high on the top of my list of most anticipated meals. Kate’s recipe for skillet sweet potato’s with pecans and cranberries had my mouth watering when I saw it. I’m definitely going to try this at the Thanksgiving table this year. One of the things I loved about Kate’s book is that the meals are for anywhere, not just the campground. Check out this future family classic here!

Pre-Order Kate’s Book

Kate’s Camp Kitchen Complete Product Guide is available here.

In other news this week there are a few new Camp Outs posted on the Girl Camper Podcast Facebook page under Events. You can sign up for these events right on Facebook. 

Petaluma Holiday Adventure- San Fransisco – Petaluma KOA December 7-9, 2018

Solano Spring – Lake Solano Putah Creek Rd in Winters, California April 4-7, 2019

What a Hoot Spring Event – Beaver Creek State Park East Liverpool, Ohio May 7 – 12, 2019

 

On this weeks show we continue our exploration of the different types of RV’s and their pros and cons. The Class A motohome is the largest in the motorized family ranging in length from 21’ to 45’. This list of attributes and drawbacks is not meant to be a comprehensive study of the coaches but my observations from years of viewing them at RV shows, talking with owners and former owners and as an RV owner myself.

Girl Camper Jo Lynn Black’s Class A all set up at the campground.

 

Pros

Home Feel. The Class A really feels like a stick and brick home with full size appliances, marble counters, walk-in closets and master bedrooms. For many full timers and snow birders the interior finishes may be as nice if not nicer than their house.

Storage The Class A offers incredible storage below the coach as well as inside. Many newer models have walk in kitchen pantries and bedroom closets. The basement storage offers plenty of space for chairs, grills and golf clubs or whatever hobby you want to do on the road.

Comfortable Ride Most Class A owners report a smoother ride than their Class C cousins. The bus chasis doesn’t feel the bumps in the same way as the truck chasis Class C’s have.

Amenities The Class A’s are loaded with amenities from multiple televisions, built in WiFi and Bluetooth speakers to faux fireplaces, ducted air conditioning and lighting packages.

Pet Friendly The large open space in Class A’s make them a great choice for pet lovers. You can travel with multiple pets and have room for them to roam while you’re out for the day and while you’re driving.

 Room With a View  The viewing window from the cab of a Class A is hard to beat. When you have traveled thousands of miles to see Yellowstone, it’s nice to see all of it.

Auto Leveling   Most Class A’s have built in leveling as a standard feature. No messing with cranks and blocks. The push of a button does all the work.

Larger Tanks.  With a larger coach comes larger everything, including the holding tanks. Gray water, freshwater, black tanks and gas tanks as well. This allows you to boondock longer without needing to refill or dump tanks.

Full Season  Class A  coaches have all of their plumbing contained within the motorhome. Unlike a travel trailer and some other motorized vehicles, the waste pipes are not exposed allowing them to be heated in cold weather for year round use.

Tow Ready You can tow behind a Class A motor home making  it possible to bring a day use car, boat, or trailer carrying motorcycles or a golf cart.

Cons

Big Size Limiting  The large size can be limiting in many ways.

Not all campgrounds can accommodate the length. State and National Parks that were built in the 1930s often have limited availability for motorhomes of this size.

HOA’s may have regulations against parking somethings this size in your driveway.

Not all roads can accommodate Class A’s. Tunnels and bridges are sometimes too low and narrow for them to pass through.

Tourist sites often have limited parking for vehicles this size and parking can become an issue.

Maneuverability The size of Class A’s make getting around a little harder than smaller models. It’s not easy turning around on single lane or back roads. Getting gas requires some skill and maneuvering parking lots can be a challenge.

Expensive Bigger also means costlier. More materials, more  components, more labor costs, and higher shipping rates equals bigger purchase price.

Repair costs will ge higher.  The larger the trailer, the more working parts, the more things that can go wrong. Slides, pumps, multiple AC units are all subject to needing repair. The more complicated the coach, the higher level technician needed to work on it at a higher hourly rate.

Maintenance and use will also cost more. The larger the coach the higher the cost of gas, insurance, maintenance and replacement parts.

Need a Day Use Car  All motor homes are the ride as well as the sleeping and living space  and unless you want to unhook and unplug every time you want to go somewhere, you will need to tow a day use vehicle behind you. That’s an added cost of not only the car but the trailer dolly as well.

Resale More Difficult  The higher price limits the pool of available buyers on the resale market. The resale market is also more saturated than the travel trailer market.

Steeper Learning Curve The more moving parts and components, the more to learn. Getting to know your operating system can be time consuming and possibly frustrating if you’re not inclined to technical reading material.

On this weeks show I welcome DeBorah Loomis.  Her entry into the Girl Camping World reads like an episode of I love Lucy. Every imaginable thing went wrong but Deborah just kept searching for that side door. She was determined to make her dream happen. Her story is a lesson in hope, perseverance, and faith.

It had been years since DeBorah camped but she somehow stumbled onto the Girl Camper Podcast and then the Sisters on the Fly. She felt an instant kinship with the group and made up her mind to buy a trailer and learn to tow.

DeBorah learned to tow by jumping in the deep end and just doggy paddling until she got it. Her son accompanied her from Georgia to Indiana to pick her trailer up. She just got behind the wheel and took verbal tips and encouragement on her way back to Georgia.

After two years of trip taking two or three hours from home Deborah bit the bullet and signed up to do a trip with the sisters on the fly in Texas. She caravaned from Georgia with two other sisters on the fly. It was a grand adventure and a great conference builder.