Category: Operating an RV

My First Trip in Big Mama

I was excited to set up my new RV on an idyllic site, next to a body of water, and unplug for a few days. I spent hours on the Internet trying to figure out where to go on my first trip. Some of my favorite websites for research are:

Passport America

Florida State Parks

Good Sam

Camp Florida

Some of the websites are easier to navigate than others, but they are all good for research.

The first thing I discovered in my research is that it is almost impossible to get a good site during Florida’s tourist season, which starts in November and goes through April. It seems the snowbirds come to Florida during these months and stay for months.  When my neighbor Kim mentioned that she and her husband were going to Cedar Key because “it was her favorite place,” I immediately started researching the RV parks there.

I chose Sunset Isle RV Resort in Cedar Key because there’s a great picture of some docks on the bay on their homepage, they had full hookups, and better yet, space for my rig (yeah, that’s what it’s called) right on the water.  Sunset Isle is located on Cedar Key Bay, off the Gulf of Mexico.

I was so excited to leave that Saturday. The groceries were in the RV, my bike was on the bike rack on the back, and my barbecue and paddleboard were in the RV’s garage. I loaded the dogs into the RV and prepared the rig for departure, using my handy checklist as a guide.

I need the checklist because there are about one hundred different things you have to do before moving an RV. Some of them you have to do in a special order. I learned all of this reading operating manuals and watching YouTube videos.  In case you’re interested, you can download my RV Checklist.  I use it every time I move the RV.

So, I was ready to go. I turned the key in the ignition and paused; worried I may have left something undone. I decided to take one last loop around the house and the RV to make sure everything was as it should be. When I went back to get in the RV, I discovered that I had locked myself out of the rig—and the RV was running with my dogs inside.  Luckily, Orlando RV had a master key and one of their guys came to my house and let me into my rig. I was finally on my way.

The trip to Cedar Key took two and one-half hours. It’s was super windy and it tried to blow the rig all over the highway. I held on tight and made it to Cedar Key safe and sound.

I loved staying in my new motorhome. It was cozy and had all of the comforts of home. I think the dogs liked it, too. We spent a lot of time walking and hiking. I also rode my bike a lot. I spent most of my time sitting on a zero gravity chair under the RV’s awning reading a book and listening to music. Toward the end of my trip, a storm came in during the night and rain pelted the roof of the RV. The wind blew hard across the water and it got real noisy, but the dogs and I were comfortable inside the coach. The next morning I was happy to see that I didn’t have any leaks.

I also met some great people in other motorhomes. I met a couple from Tampa and another couple from Gainesville. We hit it off immediately. My friend Heidi and her Dad Hughie joined me on the last night. Her Dad just bought a new travel trailer and he got the site right next to me.

Driving home was a lot easier than the drive over because the wind had died down. In fact, it was a breeze (sorry) and I really enjoyed the scenery, especially driving through Dunnellon, which was beautiful. The spring wild flowers were in bloom and the highway was a mass of color.

The hardest part was trying to back the rig into my driveway. None of my neighbors were around to spot me, so I tried to do it alone. Big mistake. I forgot I was storing Heidi’s big blue pot with a palm tree in it next to my fence. Not only did I break the pot, but I also broke the fence, and dented my brand new RV.

I must laugh, though. It’s my own fault for not asking for help. After I told my neighbor Jeff what happened, he said, “If you’re not wrecking it, you’re not driving it.” Therein is the point of my RV world. If I’m not out there wrecking things, I won’t be living my life to the fullest. I’d be sitting at home, scared of experiencing all that the world has to offer.

Special note the Federal Trade Commission asks me to include on my website: “I’m an affiliate marketer with links to online retailers on my website. When people read what I’ve written about a particular product and then click on those links and buy something from the retailer, I earn a commission from the retailer.”

My pledge to you: If I include a link to a product or service, it is because I personally purchased the product or service and I believe in the value of the product or service.

This is a list of things I bought after my first trip: