Is This The Year You Buy Your Travel Trailer?

Our Concerns
We wrestled with that question for years, dismissing the idea for a variety of reasons; cost being our number one concern. Also, we didn’t want to be “ those people.” The ones struggling up a mountain road with a huge trailer in tow, holding up a string of impatient drivers who would shake their fists and hurl obscenities as they raced past us on a straightaway.

Curiosity Beats Misgivings
When our three boys officially entered their teen/preteen years we stretched the budget and (somewhat impulsively) bought a small pop up tent trailer. Money was tight, but it was decision we never regretted. In the five years we owned it, we traveled up and down the California Coast, into Oregon and as far east as Rocky Mountain National Park. For us, there was no comparison between the freedom of camping versus a cramped hotel room — especially with our three rambunctious kids. Our boys loved our camping adventures in the trailer. I don’t think Brad ever truly forgave us for selling it. As the boys grew up, we tabled the idea of trailer life, but we never let go of the dream.

Retirement Changes Everything
After retiring in 2012 and selling our California home, we moved to Oregon, a camping paradise. We were also kicking around the idea of driving across the country, another long-held dream of ours. I returned home from a walk one morning with news of an old VW camper van for sale in a nearby neighborhood. I began my sales pitch.
“Wouldn’t it be more fun to camp our way across the country in a classic VW van rather than in the Prius? Didn’t you always dream of doing that? No more hotels and restaurant meals! Think of the stories we’d have. Haven’t you always wanted to write a book?”

Size Matters
Reg did not see the romance of traveling in a 1970s era VW and that’s how, fourteen years after selling our tent trailer, we found ourselves owners of a new 22’ Rockwood Mini Lite 2109S travel trailer, pictured below.
I’ll admit, this was (again) a much bigger investment than we had planned for, especially since we weren’t sure we’d even like the lifestyle. Would it be too much work? Could we figure out how to do everything? Would we find comaraderie among fellow campers? What about those dump stations? Could Reg do all the driving? Would I/could I ever learn to tow a trailer?

Our maiden voyage was spent on the Oregon Coast at Bullard Beach State Park. Our designated spot was positioned at an angle where three roads converged, not the easiest spot to test backup skills. Shouting and waving my hands, I tried to guide Reg into our slot. After multiple trips around the loop to reset, Reg got us in. It was time to establish our first camp. A new way of life had begun.

The Big Test

In 2017, one year after purchasing our trailer and still very much beginners, we took a leap of faith and set off on a cross-country tour that took us through 25 states in 61 days. We wrote about our adventure in a post Backroads Across America. Needless to say, we learned a lot and had an absolute blast!

Trading Up
Since that trip, we’ve traveled many, many miles and seen far more of our country than we had ever thought possible.
In 2020, we traded our Rockwood in for a slightly larger Winnebago Micro Minnie 2306BHS (left), and continued our travels, often packing our bikes under the bunkbeds.

We spent two months in Tucson, Arizona last winter (2024) as first-time snowbirds. It was there our next big trip took shape (a trip from our Oregon home all the way to Newfoundland in Canada. I began to lobby for a real bedroom door rather than the flimsy curtain we’d always had at the foot of the bed.
It didn’t take much to convince Reg, and suddenly we were proud, happy owners of another Rockwood trailer, a Mini Lite 2515S (right). Only slightly longer than our Winnebago, this one had a separate bedroom with the real door I had so badly wanted.

No Regrets
We no longer have doubts that trailer life is for us. The freedom, the adventure and the simplicity the lifestyle offers are all intoxicating. Would we go full time? That depends on whether you ask me or Reg.
So, did we make it to Newfoundland? Find out here on our blog site carryoncouple.com where we share all our adventures, misadventures and the good things life has to offer. Don’t forget to click the +subscribe button so you don’t miss a thing.

Is this the year you satisfy your curiosity? Send us a comment and let us know what you decide.