Why I gave up being a full-time RV’er
Let me be clear, this was not by choice! For the most part at least.
While I was working at Amazons Camperforce during the 2014 season my class c RV would not start. They were asking for 50 of us to move up to Indiana to another fulfillment center to help up there for the remainder of the season. I was picked as one of the ones that could go and get a bonus for doing it. The bonus was enough to make the move worth it, plus it was only a 2-hour drive so it was a no-brainer.
My First Mistake
I did not start my 1983 RV for about a month since I had been working there. This was my first mistake. Well, it could be my 2nd mistake because I did not do all I could mechanically before I left Virginia so I’m sure I could have prevented this.
Since this was a 31-year-old RV at the time the fuel tank was old and who knows what else that added to the breakdown. Once I tried to start it up the weekend before my start date at the Indiana center it would not start. After spraying starting fluid in the carb it would run for about 10-30 seconds then die out. I had no idea what was wrong and apparently neither did the mechanics in the area!
Check out the video below to see my state of mind and hear what was going on during this weekend when I found out I was stuck!
Any Solutions?
I had to be at the job on that Monday so I drove you there and got a hotel room for two nights. I only did two nights because the mechanic said he knew what was wrong and was ordering a new fuel pump and fuel filters. Well, needless to say that did not work! After spending more money than I wanted in those few days I decided to use my roadside assistance and get a tow to the place I would be camped at while I worked the remainder of the season.
I am very thankful for my two friends Amanda and Joe who helped me out so much during this time. They drove me back down to my RV and waited with me for HOURS until the tow truck showed up. During this time I was switching phone service and straight talk screwed up my sim cards so I had to wait on a new one to be sent. Amanda and Joe get ma an extra pre-paid phone while I waited on that to happen! Also, just having someone to be there with you and support you emotionally is big. They were life savers! Thank you!!!
Once I got the RV to Indiana I had about a month to figure things out until the season ended. I tried everything during this time. I cleaned and rebuilt my carburetor, I changed the fuel pump, fuel filters, fuel relay, fuses, etc. Nothing was working! It was starting to run a little longer, like around 45 secs before it died out but that was it. I tried forums, facebook pages, a mobile mechanic, everything I could think of. Still nothing!
Time to go!
I only have about a week left before the season ended and I had to figure things out quickly. I saw an RV dealership on the way to work so after work I stopped there and asked where did they go to get their RV’s fixed. I was then referred to a mechanic just down the road so I stopped by there. They seemed so nice and said they would be willing to help I just had to get it towed there. I should point out the fact I called every RV dealership and repair place in the area and they all said they were back up to about 6 weeks out!
I had no other option but to tow my home to this mechanic on the day I was leaving to head back to Virginia. I didn’t want to pay for a hotel to stick around and they would have it fixed for weeks. So I paid for a 20-mile tow and left my home while I head back to Virginia to stay with my brother.
While at home I kept in contact with the mechanic through email and over the phone. The whole time he seemed like he had been looking into the problem and asking the right questions. So instead of sitting around and worrying about the situation I decided to head out to Italy for the second time. Why not enjoy my winter after working hard and being stressed out. I stayed over there for 3 months and then came back to the states.
What to do?
Being home is always a reality check after a long trip like I had just taken. Trying to be okay with my decision to no longer be a full-time RV’er I put the RV on craigslist and made a video about my decision.
Saying Goodbye to My First Mobile Dwelling!
I posted her on craigslist, I drove up to Indiana, and I traded her for a 1997 Chevy Suburban. I found out during this transition the mechanic was detouring people from buying her when I would send them there before I got there. He also did not even touch my RV since I left it so nothing was done to try to fix it. Then, to put the cherry on top they broke the AC cover and zip tied it together and did not even say anything to me about it! I did not find out until after all the paperwork was signed and I was moving everything into the suburban. Instead of writing about it all, you can check out the video and see what I’m talking about.
What Happened next?
Since I don’t think I’ll ever outlive the desire to have a mobile dwelling I could not wait to get back on the road. I may not have been a full-time RV’er anymore but that was okay, I knew great things were ahead. I was now entering into a new chapter in this journey and I was excited to have gotten through the bad and see what was to come!
My only option at this point was to get my suburban ready to stealth camp in. I didn’t know much about van dwelling or SUV dwelling until this point so the researching began! The plan was to stealth camp until I could afford a trailer and then pull that behind it. As always, life happens and plans change! So stick around to find out what happened next!
