Our RVs

Below is a summary of our RV buying journey, including a truck tent to a 5th wheel. If you prefer to skip knowing our background and get right to the blogs about RV maintenance, the RV buying guide, and budgets click the button below.

In 2018, Melissa & Don bought a Bayhill by Evergreen 5th wheel they call "Bailey" and have been living full-time in it ever since. 

Unfortunately, their 32+ foot RV didn't fit in all the places they wanted to explore. For example, it would be a nightmare to get it into most National Parks and some State RV Parks. This is where our RV Buying guide will help you avoid our situation!

Not to be defeated, they began testing alternatives such as a tent system that goes over the bed of the truck. The downside was the coastal dampness and a mouse that found its way into Melissa's snacks.

Then, they converted the back of their SUV for camping. This worked for the short term, but they wanted something a little more RV-like and possibly have plumbing. 

They continued to research, plan, and save up! 

Our RV budget allowed us to save up for a cheap hardshell truck camper. Doing so allowed us to test out the likelihood of this being the right RV travel style for us. We could not afford to toss out $30,000 or more for a new truck camper if it was not going to be the right fit for us. The gamble was old and cheap, knowing it needed RV maintenance. The one we found had water damage, and all the components were from the 1990s, but structurally, it was still okay. A cheap rig also gives the ability to 'make it your own.'

The picture of the truck camper was taken at a Harvest Host site. We had the beautiful place to ourselves, and bought some eggs from the hostess. This type of camping is what we prefer and is ideal with a truck camper. 

We enjoyed our test outings with the RV truck camper, so we decided to keep it and make it ours with an interior makeover!

Here is a before picture of the late 90s style truck camper -- filled with oak wood, gold, teal accents, and pink flowers. The lighting was the typical yellow color for that era. There was no longer a curtain in front of the window. Hopefully, you can not zoom in enough to see the stained teal carpet step. Why RV manufacturers put carpet near a fridge or cooking areas always boggled our minds! 

With 2 gallons of paint (light gray and blue) Melissa painted every wood surface, including the fridge doors. She put her sewing skills to the test by making new curtains and slip covers for the dinette. Then, the kitchen backsplash received a mini makeover with faux tile. Lastly, with Don's help, new wood flooring went on top of the old or torn linoleum. 

The sewing process was done in the 5th wheel in the winter. Come spring the tuck camper was cleaned (even steam cleaning the ceiling) and the paint process began. As with all projects, the cabinate doors never seemed to line up the same as before we took them down. However, we were very happy that no hidden issues came to light!