Here’s what I learned while living and traveling in an RV with my husband for 1,353 days.
We also added 18 square feet of red-and-white wallpaper to the bathroom.
It depicts a happy couple dancing with their dog in a desert-like country oasis (another prophetic choice).
Credit:Jessica Dawson
A lesson wed learn many times over: Dont expect anything to work as advertised, and reinforce everything.
That night, we drove eight miles off-road to boondock with a front-row view ofMount Lassens snowcapped peak.
(Unlike living in a cramped apartment, the thin walls of anRV have their benefits.)
Jessica Dawson
We realized that (most) rest stops are actually surprisingly clean and safe.
We also learned firsthand the difference between petroglyphs (carvinginrock) and pictographs (drawingonrock).
It was worth it for the most spectacular, unobstructed views of the sleeping giants.
Jessica Dawson
We sipped martinis and ate medium-rare burgers at Stewarts in Saint Paul, Minnesota (now closed).
We heel-toed through the streets ofNashvilleand walked the yellow bridges ofPittsburgh.
We woke up near Mount Tabor in Green Mountain National Forest to a barred owl roosting outside the window.
Jessica Dawson
We walked 21 miles in two days inWashington, D.C., fueling up with sandwiches at Bub and Pops.
I almost stepped on an alligator in Brazos Bend State Park.
We spent our first Christmas alone in the Everglades eating mussels and attempting to learn chess.
Jessica Dawson
Though joyfully married, the uncharted territory afforded no alone time and came with a steep learning curve.
On the flip side, early morning hikes and drives were uniquely calming and never disappointed.
The relief of finally getting a full tank of water again.
Jessica Dawson
The marvel ofwatching the brightest starsin an International Dark Sky Park.
In short, the vast, beautiful country was our backyard.
The journey was completely unpredictable, downright frustrating, and awe-inspiring in equal parts.
Jessica Dawson
The amount of space and alone time is startling.
In the RV, Id have to squeeze by Brian just to get from the bedroom to the kitchen.
Now, I can be in one room and not see or hear him for hours.
And dancing is a common occurrence.
