RV Wanderlust

Full-time Living in Our Diesel RV

Captain’s Log: RV Wanderlust 04-26-2014

by Leave a Comment

Eric and Brittany Highland

Meriwether Navigator Brittany Highland and Captain Eric Highland of RV Wanderlust

  • Date: 04-26-2014
  • Current City: Arlington, TX
  • Current Location: Treetops Carefree RV Resort
  • Site Number: 163B
  • Wi-fi Signal: Verizon - Very Strong / AT&T - Very Strong
  • Mission: Weekend!
  • Compliment: 2 Officers, 1 Crew, 0 Guests
  • Captain: Eric Highland
  • Navigator: Brittany Highland
  • 1st Mate: Trogdor the Burninator
  • Weather: Overcast / 77°
  • Precipitation: 10%
  • Humidity: 74%
  • Wind: 5 mph
  • Fuel: 33 Gallons of Diesel - 1/3 capacity
  • Odometer: 100,620
  • Generator Hours: 4611.8
  • Estimated Date of Departure: Saturday, May 3rd
  • Next Destination: Brownwood, Texas

Special Orders: Secure Analog Antenna in anticipation of high winds.

Captain’s Remarks

20:56 - We made it safely to Arlington, TX. The Navigator and I switched out at the helm of Meriwether throughout the drive. We made the 382 mile journey in [Read more…]

7 Awkward and Fun Things Inside the RV Wanderlust Rig

by 5 Comments

People online often ask us about the inside of our RV. For those new to RV Wanderlust, our rig’s name is Meriwether and he’s 40′ of diesel-powered goodness…and he’s our home.

Brittany did an interior photo tour post earlier that folks had been asking for. But I figured I’d share some of the more fun and awkward things about the inside of the RV Wanderlust rig Meriwether, for those who follow our blog faithfully.

It will let you get to know us a bit more from a personal side too. Here we go…

1. Theodore Roosevelt

A photo of President Theodore Roosevelt inside the RV Wanderlust Rig Meriwether

Theodore Roosevelt watches Over Brittany as she cooks

Just above the convection / microwave oven is a print of the 26th President of the United States. Truth be told [Read more…]

Captain’s Log: RV Wanderlust 04-25-2014

by 6 Comments

Eric and Brittany Highland

Meriwether Navigator Brittany Highland and Captain Eric Highland of RV Wanderlust

  • Date: 04-25-2014
  • Current City: Vicksburg, MS
  • Current Location: River Town RV Park
  • Site Number: 99
  • Wi-fi Signal: Verizon - Strong / AT&T - Very Weak
  • Mission: Explore / Work
  • Compliment: 2 Officers, 1 Crew, 0 Guests
  • Captain: Eric Highland
  • Navigator: Brittany Highland
  • 1st Mate: Trogdor the Burninator
  • Weather: Clear / 79°
  • Precipitation: 10%
  • Humidity: 50%
  • Wind: 9 mph
  • Fuel: 12.5 Gallons of Diesel - 1/8 capacity
  • Odometer: 100,020
  • Generator Hours: 4611.8
  • Estimated Date of Departure: Saturday, April 26th
  • Next Destination: Arlington, Texas

Special Orders: Liberal water use is authorized until Saturday morning disconnect.

Captain’s Remarks

21:00 - One look at the skies last night, and I decided it was time to secure all exterior gear. Though the weather said clear, the clouds said “maybe.”

Not taking any chances on having to carry wet material inside our basement storage on Saturday, I decided to secure our two exterior chairs, our patio rug and I retracted all awnings. All exterior items were stowed below decks and the hatches were battened down.

08:15 - I was right. [Read more…]

Captain’s Log: RV Wanderlust 04-24-2014

by 2 Comments

Eric and Brittany Highland

Meriwether Navigator Brittany Highland and Captain Eric Highland of RV Wanderlust

  • Date: 04-24-2014
  • Time of Entry: 13:42
  • Current City: Vicksburg, MS
  • Current Location: River Town RV Park
  • Site Number: 99
  • Wi-fi Signal: Verizon - Strong / AT&T - Very Weak
  • Mission: Explore / Work
  • Compliment: 2 Officers, 1 Crew, 0 Guests
  • Captain: Eric Highland
  • Navigator: Brittany Highland
  • 1st Mate: Trogdor the Burninator
  • Weather: Clear / 80°
  • Precipitation: 10%
  • Humidity: 47%
  • Wind: 9 mph
  • Fuel: 12.5 Gallons of Diesel - 1/8 capacity
  • Odometer: 100,020
  • Generator Hours: 4611.8
  • Estimated Date of Departure: Saturday, April 26th
  • Next Destination: Arlington, Texas

Captain’s Remarks

We left Tuscaloosa, AL and arrived the same day in Vicksburg, MS on Saturday April 19th.

Tuscaloosa was not impressive. As one friend put it, [Read more…]

Visiting the Home of Tiffin Motorhomes in Red Bay, Alabama

by 18 Comments

1976 Allegro Gas RV by Tiffin

Red Bay, Alabama, where all Tiffin Motorhomes are built. Pictured is a 1976 Allegro Gas RV.

We veered away from the beauty of the Natchez Trace Parkway to make the obligatory stop that every Tiffin owner has to make: the trip to Red Bay, Alabama, home of Tiffin Motorhomes.

Yes, this is Meriwether’s birthplace. For those new to the blog, Meriwether is the name of our 2004 40′ Diesel Tiffin Motorhome, named after Meriwether Lewis. Even though we had only owned Meriwether for less than three months, there was a certain nostalgia in making the journey to where he was built. That and we needed some work done. [Read more…]

How to Liquidate Your Possessions for RV Life

by 11 Comments

Sorting for Full Time RV Life

So much to sort! Taking one container at a time

Everyone planning for full-time RV life faces the same challenge: what do I do with all my stuff? Some have gracious relatives with extra space and others spring for monthly storage. But those options aren’t always available. Sometimes, everything must go!

You’re not here for disclaimers, but I have to give two up front:

  1. Eric and I had not accumulated a lifetime of possessions before we went on the road. In fact, from the time we were married in 2011, we purposely kept our belongings to a minimum. We already had some idea that this lifestyle might be in store for us, so we only got what we really needed…with just a handful of splurges along the way! All that to say, the amount of stuff we had to get rid of is very likely less than you have - and I want to recognize that!
  2. Our 40-foot RV has a ton of storage space. I still have drawers with nothing in them, and our basement storage underneath is kind of unbelievable. If you’re making a gas RV your home, you’re facing a challenge I can’t even imagine, with no pass-through storage!

With those notes out of the way, our 700ish square feet of apartment space, plus a storage closet off the patio, held plenty that I couldn’t take with me. And yes, it was absolutely overwhelming. [Read more…]

Photo Tour: Our 40 Foot Diesel RV Just After Purchase

by 18 Comments

2004 Tiffin Phaeton RV

Meriwether, our 2004 Tiffin Phaeton

Due to my rush to start redecorating, I accidentally skipped the photo tour of our RV at purchase! For those who are new to our blog, we own a 2004 40′ Tiffin Phaeton diesel pusher. Overall, our decade-old home is in great condition. The previous owners put in a lot of upgrades that we’re very thankful for!

Without further adieu, here’s the walk-through of our beloved Meriwether. [Read more…]

The RV Wanderlust Crew Up Close and Personal

by 29 Comments

Sign that reads never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life“Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” -Author Unknown

Definitely words to live by, and we’ve taken them to heart. On Friday, February 21, 2014, we locked the front door of our stick and brick home for the last time and started our full-time RV journey.

We chose this lifestyle not to escape life, but so that life doesn’t escape us.

We have wanderlust to the extreme and hope you do too. If you are living vicariously through us, don’t hesitate to ask us questions. If you are on the fence about the lifestyle, feel free to poke and prod us.

We want to be transparent about our journey with you. Know that we’ll be sharing the good, the bad, AND the ugly. There is no topic we’re not willing to cover. Whatever you read here will be the actual experience. There is no sugar coating this journey. [Read more…]

Repairs and RV Service So Far

by 9 Comments

Camping World RV Service

Taking care of Meriwether at Camping World

Buying a used RV is definitely a bit scary. Extended warranties can be purchased, but they’re pricy and you have to decide whether you’re going to take the plunge. Rather than pay for a warranty, we decided we’d be better off setting aside a certain sum every month for emergencies. (We have a separate line item in our budget for routine maintenance.)

Determined to be risk takers, we also opted against a pre-purchase inspection. I can’t say I recommend this. We had always planned to get a pre-purchase inspection, but our purchase ended up falling right around Christmas and New Years Day, and we were having an impossible time finding a reputable inspector who wasn’t on vacation and could fit us in.

We did get a couple of inspectors on the phone. Once they found out we were buying a Tiffin with new tires and new batteries, and a diesel no less, they ended up convincing us that we didn’t need an inspection. When respected inspectors who inspect for a living talk you out of getting an inspection, things get a little bit confusing.

But what were we to do? We really felt like we had found the RV of our dreams. We knew the most-expensive-to-repair components were solid, and we were getting a good enough deal on the coach that we felt like we could pay for any other unforeseen repairs.

Not wanting Meriwether to be snatched out from under us, we turned down the crazy road through No Inspection Land. [Read more…]

First Time Here? Get to Know Us!

About Us

Welcome to RV Wanderlust! We're Eric and Brittany Highland and we're on a pretty amazing adventure. As of 2018, we're starting our fifth year as fulltime RVers and we've been transparently documenting the journey all along the way. In December 2016 we … Keep reading

Join Our Adventures

Legal Stuff

Recent Posts