Anyone who has said yes to full-time travel knows this lifestyle is riddled with surprises. Sometimes they’re hard and make you want to give up. Other times, the surprises are just fun.
We didn’t expect to get another RV so soon. Many of you know we had our 2019 itinerary planned out, and expected to spend the whole year overlanding in our Jeep Wrangler.
But then I was on Instagram and this happened…
I know, who wouldn’t want the Holcombes’ RV, right? But it wasn’t just that. For us, it was:
- A Winnebago. We’ve been managing Winnebago’s official Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts for the past year, so we’re brand loyal and have been wanting to ride the Flying W.
- A used Winnebago. When we were planning our Winnebago purchase, we planned to buy a new unit. We wanted to have the latest and greatest, as ambassadors for the brand. Then there’s the warranty (a luxury we’ve never experienced). But the plan felt slightly off. Over our past five years as RVers, we have always told people to buy used. Like, always. And so the idea of buying new felt like we were cheating on ourselves-trying to be something we aren’t.
- A used Winnebago View 24J. Even though our purchase was unscheduled, it wasn’t unplanned. We’ve spent the last year looking at just about every Winnebago model that exists. We have walked through everything. From the Forza 38W (which we were originally sure we were getting) to travel trailers (which we seriously considered for at least part of a day) to every Class B (that Revel, tho!). As of October 2018, we had landed on the Winnebago View 24J.
And so, when I saw Peter’s post, which had gone up only 11 minutes before, I Knew. I walked across our San Miguel Allende Airbnb, in the interior of Mexico, and handed my phone to Eric. And he Knew, too. By the end of the day, it was a real thing. The rest was just details.
And so here we are, sitting in Chattanooga, TN, in our new-to-us RV! We’re excited to show Basecamp to our friends at RV Entrepreneur Summit in just a few days. All we need is a bison decal on the front!
How Does This Change 2019?
As far as where we want to go, the new RV changes nothing. The itinerary we shared in August (scroll to the bottom of the article) is exactly the same, minus the international trip, with the addition of Winnebago Grand National Rally in July.
The RV adds a logistical piece to the puzzle, as we need to have a place to park it when we want to overland in the Jeep only. But it also gives us more options. And, quite honestly, it gives us stability I’ve been missing over the past few months. Looking towards the longer-distance future, I’m still all-in with overlanding. But it’s a learning process that involves intentional self-deprivation, and I haven’t figured out how to make it sustainable.
Drop your questions in a comment! We’re excited to have your company as we continue our travels this year.
-B
