Preparations

We have always loved to travel and having spent a year on a boat, we decided our next journey was going to be across land. Having only seen very small parts of Canada and the US, we were keen to take our time to explore beautiful North America. 

Making a lifestyle choice like this requires a significant amount of Planning. We started the process about 3 years ahead of when we left, looking at various RVs and Motor homes and trying to figure out what type of vehicle would work for us. Purchasing a Springdale 28 trailer, helped tremendously to narrow down what we did and didn’t like.

The milestone date for starting our journey was Derek’s work retirement date of July 1, 2021. It was only when we realized it was only a year and a half away that we started to put our countdown plan into action and buckle down to some serious decision making. And then COVID hit. For a while it seemed that travel was a far off possibility, however once vaccinations started rolling out we saw the light at the end of the tunnel and decided to bite the bullet and move forward once again.

There were a number of important decisions that we needed to make to move ahead with our plan – 

Motor home vs Fifth wheel?

We would highly recommend developing a RV Wish List and prioritizing it. This will help drive what type of vehicle to purchase. 

After looking at many different models of Trailers, Motor Homes and Fifth wheels we formulated our Wish List and decided that that a brand new Grand Design, Solitude 678MBS 40ft Fifth wheel ticked all our boxes and more. Up until that point we were still trying to decide whether we would pull our Jeep behind a Motor home or have to buy a Truck. Having decided on a Fifth wheel solved that dilemma. It had to be a truck – and a big one! This was Derek’s baby to handle. He did his research and figured that the RAM 3500 would be the best option to pull our big rig. We wasted no time in trading in our Jeep and getting the RAM. Just as well as I don’t know how we would have managed the months leading up to getting the Fifth wheel if we didn’t have it.

This was the Rutherford RV Wish List:

· Modern interior with plenty of storage (lots of stuff!)

· Comfortable seating facing decent sized TV (don’t want to crane my neck)

· Plenty of slides (space…)

· Fireplace (cozy and warm in winter)

· Full-sized fridge, stove and microwave

· Good counter space (love to entertain)

· Lots of natural light

· Washable, wearable flooring (no carpets or tiles)

· At least 2 extra beds for family and friend visits

· East/West slide for bed

· King sized bed

· Comfortable headboard (read in bed)

· Bedside tables (phone, coffee, books)

· Ample storage for wet and dry clothes

· Washer/Dryer

· Good sized office with entrance off the side of passage (don’t takeaway kitchen cupboards)

· Air conditioning and Furnace for all year round comfort

· Blinds on windows for privacy

Sell the house or rent it out while we travelled? 

It was hard to finally let go of the family home but selling and investing seemed the best possible outcome as the Victoria market was going through a bit of a boom. However, as our house was built back in the 80’s, we felt a refresh was due if we wanted to capitalize on it as much as possible. We got in contact with a Realtor, did a walkthrough of the house and discussed the areas we should concentrate on renovating. And then the hard work began.  Over the next 5 months we went through all our stuff – sorting, donating, dumping, selling, storing, all the while, managing a bunch of contractors who were working on various areas of the house.  This was a busy time as Derek also had his 60th birthday and retirement celebrations. One month in, he developed Shingles and ended up flat on his back for a few weeks. When I look back I am amazed we got through everything and sold the house in a couple of days. Never underestimate how much work there is just getting to the point of switching to a new lifestyle.

Continuing to manage our business

Continuing to manage the business was hard enough during the downsizing/renovation period, especially as I had to physically move all the business stuff from room to room as we renovated.  Each time packing, repacking and feeling totally overwhelmed from the disorganization. 

We had an unstaffed, walk in, dog wash store which needs constant cleaning and management. Luckily for me I found a very reliable person to handle this and over this period was able to train and support him. We also had to add storage inside the closet in the store so we would have a larger stock of supplies for the store. 

Another big part of the business is local shipping – we found a storage company close to the dog wash store to hold all our supplies. Then I trained my daughter Lucinda, to take over the shipping function and set up a small supply area as well in her house.  She was also able to provide us with both a personal and business mailing service. The rest of the business could be managed, virtually from the comfort of my office in the RV. Gradually things started to fall into place. 

Travelling with our Dog and Cat

Travelling without our rescue dog and cat – Jax and Angie (affectionately know as Minnie Min) wasn’t even a consideration. It was a matter of how to make this as easy as possible for all of us. If we were moving from place to place all the time, there was a concern that Minnie Min or Jax may get lost. So one of first things we bought were air tags – one for each of them to wear on their collars. We also bought Minnie Min a harness and leash. It was so funny watching her with the harness as she had never used one before. She was so awkward in it, taking a few steps and then flopping over on her side.  As she has always been an inside/outside cat we also invested in a fold up catio and used the time while we were still in the house to encourage her to try it out.  

Travelling is definitely not Minnie Min’s thing. She meows continuously and hated her hard shell carrier. So instead, we bought her a soft carrier with net all around so she would have a better view out, which we hoped would help with the anxiety. It also had a removable bottom which we line with pee pads in case she has an accident. Another investment we made was to replace their beds. For Minnie min we bought a mouse house with a dark, plush interior so she could have her own little escape room. For Jax, we bought a soft, dark grey, doughnut type bed that can also fit into the back seat of the truck for travelling. Both a hit!! 

A couple of other investments included a Furbo so we can see what the animals are up to if we have to leave them in the RV – Fantastic! and a temperature sensor which will alert us if the power goes out or the temperature/humidity go outside of the ranges we set.  Lastly, I made sure we had at least 6 month’s supply of flea treatments for Jax.

Ready, Set, Almost Go

Fast forward to the day when we finally went to take possession of our brand new Fifth wheel. After receiving registration details from the RV distributorship, we went to the Insurance office. This is when we discovered we could not even drive our RV off the lot as Derek needed to have a special endorsement on his licence. You would have thought the dealership would have advised us about this – but they didn’t, so it was a complete surprise. This put a wrench in our plans as we had already planned and booked our first trip to northern BC in a couple of weeks. 

Over the next few weeks Derek researched the licensing requirements and got his learners for a house trailer endorsement to tow a recreational (house) trailer above 4600 kg GVW (gross vehicle weight). Technically the GVW of our Fifth wheel is just above 7000 kgs. To have this endorsement, neither the truck nor the trailer may have airbrakes. If they do, then you need to get a Class 1, 2 or 3 licence.  So lesson learned, find out if there are any licence requirements for your RV and give yourself plenty of time to book and take the learners and the test before taking possession.

Not having the licence endorsement meant staying in one spot for about 6 weeks which in retrospect was very helpful and recommended. Not only did it allow us to get used to RV living and the mechanics in the RV, but it also helped to flush out what items we absolutely needed to keep in the RV and what we could put back into storage. Everything needed to have a spot and the spot needed to be secure when we travelled. We also needed to be cognizant of weight and replace heavy items with lighter items where we could. There were several items we added to make life easier. 

Organizing our new space

Trying to optimize space within the RV was challenging. Here are some of the things I did to help organize our area. 

For the pantry, I was able to pick up a number of same sized plastic baskets and was able to fit about four side by side on a shelf which was helpful. I also purchased a circular, Lazy Susan, type of dish which I use for items I use regularly, like favourite sauces and oils. Adding metal shelves inside some of the taller cupboards provided extra storage space. For my spices, I purchased stick on plastic holders that you place on the inside of the cupboard doors. The only downside to those is if you close the door too hard, the spice bottles come crashing down on the floor.  I replaced our heavy ceramic crockery with Corelle dishware and our heavy blender with a lighter version. I also bought nesting bowls and collapsible containers wherever I could find them and a bunch of lightweight, material collapsible containers for other items. 

We had a combined Splendide washer/dryer fitted in the already prepped closet in our bedroom.  The combo does take a little longer but is less heavy than having a separate washer and dryer.  

Setting up an office

After shuffling files around for a few months, I was really looking forward to having my own office space again, so one of the first things we did was remove the double sleeper couch in the mid bunk room and install a desk instead.  There was plenty of space for a decent sided desk with drawers as well as a light weight filing cabinet on the side under the bunk.  We also purchased a smaller, flatter printer to fit on the shelves opposite.  We kept the bunk raised above the desk and converted the one side into an area for Minnie Min to hang out with her mouse bed and used the rest of the space to store some business files. The mid bunk is on a slide so it faces a window and has windows on either side, however it can get a little dark at night so we added some flat, motion detector LED lights under the bunk.  For some reason, Grand Design, does not provide a ladder for the bunk and as it is quite high off the ground, we assembled a cat tree to provide a way for Minnie Min to get up and down off the bunk.  The mattress of the bunk is soft and furry so we protected it with a waterproof pet car seat cover.  The mid bunk room has plenty of cupboards reaching right up to the ceiling, so we were able to fit everything we needed into the space as well as a white board and notice board on either wall.  The cupboards are also accessible from the passage side, which is very useful. 

Where to put our cat’s litter box?

One of the joys of travelling with a cat is dealing with the inevitable, stinky litter box. This presented a real challenge for me. I did not want to have the litter box in the shower and have to move it every day. I wanted it somewhere out of sight but certainly not near food in the kitchen or under our bed. I found that the cupboard under the bathroom sink was the best solution. I managed to find a plastic container that fitted the space and use plastic liners to keep the litter box and area clean. When it comes to litter, after experimenting with a few types I have found small crystals to last the longest and they seem to absorb the smell the best. They might be more expensive than the clumping types, but they are worth it. We always know when the cat has done her business as we hear her scratching in her litter box. I then immediately dispose of the poo in a doggie bag and put it outside of the RV. So far, so good. Smell is under control!!