I've lived the better part of the past decade paying attention to how difficult or how easy something I'm doing is. I don't mean in the sense that if it's too hard I quit. I mean more around the outside influences. Of course, I don't always make the best decisions based on those measurements.
But that doesn't change the fact that when I spend more time fighting against the flow of something than I do actually learning and growing from the process, it's time to take a step back and re-evaluate. This doesn't always mean I will abandon an effort; I may just choose a different path or seek different benefits to derive. Or I may choose to continue to beat my head against the wall because I haven't figured out exactly how to change my path or approach. Ultimately, that all comes down to reassessing what I was hoping to achieve or experience, and figuring out if those results or benefits are worth finding a new way to achieve them.
When I first moved to Austin, literally everything fell into place. My house went under contract and I had a job interview and house rental viewings scheduled when I went to scope the city out. In that short 5-day visit, I had a job offer and found the perfect house to rent. In just over 30 days, I had wrapped up my old life and completely set up my new one 2100 miles away. There was no question in my mind that moving to Austin was the right move. It just so happened that it was also the right time in my life.
I approached this full-time RVing thing in much the same way. It has been a challenge from day one though. Nothing has come easily; there was no falling into place. From finding my rig to orchestrating a whole new way of living and working, everything has been an uphill climb. I'm by no means afraid of exerting effort. I don't believe the only things worth doing are the ones that come easily. That said, I also don't think that the path or journey should be all uphill.
The long and short of my current situation is I bought the wrong rig for what I wanted to accomplish. Wrong in setup, wrong in size, and wrong in every other possible way. It would be one thing to tough it out in a rig that wasn't ideal; I could do that without issue. It's entirely another to face problem after problem in a new travel trailer because of shoddy craftsmanship. This rig would be completely fine if I were a summertime, weekender kind of camper. Driving and towing it from place to place, putting on serious mileage, and living in it full-time, however, are another story.
The repair list is growing and it's been nearly impossible to coordinate with dealerships in my travels for a variety of reasons. The issues are ALL warranty related. From a persistent water leak in the bathroom to a broken window that cannot be locked in place for security or transit to a leaking skylight and rear closet wall, these are issues that shouldn't go unaddressed for as long as they have. The cosmetic things, like repairing and replacing wall boards with water stains can wait, but at some point, they'll need to be fixed so that I stand a chance of selling it.
Given these issues and the stress increase it all has had on my daily life, I've decided that, for now, I will be staying in Texas. The reality is that I will likely call the Lone Star State my home for years to come, but despite Round Rock feeling like home, I cannot continue to move this trailer from place to place watching it fall apart mile by mile. I'm disappointed and honestly, I feel a bit stuck. But better to be stuck in a place I feel at home, than somewhere out on the road where I don't know a soul.
So, to recap, I'm done with full-time RV traveling. For now. I'll continue to live in this rig until I get everything fixed and try to sell it this spring. I actually enjoy the more minimalist lifestyle, and being so close to my tribe is a huge bonus. I can't say that I'm done with RVing forever. There are aspects about it that I like and would love to be able to experience more of without the endless headache of a poorly made structure on wheels. I absolutely expect that at some point in the future, I will find the right rig for me, and I will continue the adventure. Until then, I'll be flying to see places and friends, and enjoying as much of this life as I possibly can.
I had to laugh when you first posted photos of your camper because it's super hard to tow these as is. If your trailer keeps falling apart, see if your seller will repurchase it. Get your state AG's office involved too. It's probably easier, although far more expensive, to use a Mercedes Sprinter van from companies like Outside Van to travel the U.S.
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