2: Trial & Error

I started this not knowing anything about RVs or vans. No background. No checklist. No expert phase. NADA. Just an idea, a feeling of wanting the freedom to come and go when I wanted, to be able to travel with my dog, a decision, and a willingness to learn as I went. Or as my mom would say, to roll with the punches.

What I noticed early on was how often other people questioned it. Their concern showed up as advice, most of it unsolicited. Their doubt showed up more as jealousy than caution. Some wondered if I really understood what I was getting into. Others quietly assumed I would change my mind once things became complicated or once I saw the price tag.

I listened to what was useful and let the rest go. If you know me, then you know I do not do well with being told what I cannot do.

The folks at La Mesa RV gave me practical advice that actually made sense. Start small. Stay local. Learn the systems without the pressure of being far from home. So that is exactly what I did.

Paradise by the Sea RV Resort in Oceanside became my first real test. Power. Water. Sewer. Full hookups. Then there was leveling. Why did that even matter? Turns out it does. It matters more in older RVs, but if nothing else, it matters for water drainage and for actually being able to sleep. Everything was new. I made mistakes. I double checked things. I learned quickly what worked, what did not, and what I needed to understand better next time.

Unfortunately, I also learned that my AC was broken. Pissed off was an understatement. It was a long, hot two days.

Still, I am glad I took that advice. That short trip was not about proving anything to anyone else. It was about gaining experience on my own terms. Trial and error really is the best way to learn. When you make your own mistakes, chances are you do not make them again. Experience is a far better teacher than YouTube.

Since that first trip, I have been on a few more. Each time I get better. Each trip I learn something new, whether it is about the van, a packing or storage trick, or the little things that make a campsite more comfortable. Every trip gets better and better.

And honestly, the best part is keeping those that had doubts in mind. They have a funny way of making a good trip even better.