Unity for Us, Stories for Many, with Our Leisure Travel Van

A shiny, sleek, silver 2022 Unity Murphy Bed graces us with its presence for our travels around North America as of February 2023. It’s a step up for us for space and comfort.

Since 2014 and just before the pandemic, worldwide travel has been central to our lives, living out of one suitcase apiece with two small carry-on bags. We’re travel content creators and need flexible, easy-to-use modes of travel for our work. Our LTV is the solution to our North American travel demands.

But ownership of our LTV was almost not to be.

Patience on the Road to Perfection

For some, the road to ownership of an RV can be a long, serpentine journey where life decisions that span decades impede action. Careers, family, and money can constrain our time and ability to make choices and commitments. We are among those who put off buying an RV for decades because of these constraints.

Constraints aside, our consistent assessment has been that RV offerings were too large or too small for our needs. Large class-A motorhomes and pickup trucks with trailers are just too long, and we need the ability to move in and out of places that would allow a pickup truck. Class B and C motorhomes were also off-putting—they were too large or too small for our needs, and none offered the versatility we sought for RV travel.

What do we mean by versatility? We wanted something to engage the continent’s roads where RV size, capabilities, and features are complements and not constraints. We were also looking for a full-size standup shower, no wet shower and toilet area, a queen or larger bed, and comfortable driver and passenger seats. A visit by our friends Phil and Peggy in their 2020 Wonder stands as our introduction to this spectacular RV. The variety of designs and builds showcases the LTV as the first RV to meet our needs for North American travel. But to find an LTV during the COVID pandemic was challenging, and a three-year waiting list for new builds meant no near-term satisfaction.

Serendipity: They Who Hesitate Are Lost

Fast-forward to January 2023. A casual visit to a new RV dealership near our home in coastal Georgia to look at Airstreams led to a question by the owner, “What are you looking for?” We replied, “An LTV—but they’re hard to get.” His response? “I think I just got a cancellation on an order—let me check.” Within 15 minutes, we found our 2022 Unity. The features were all we would have ordered for a build, and the best news is that we would not wait three years to get our coach. We put down our deposit immediately and did not sign a non-refundable deposit waiver popular with many dealers today.

The following three weeks were a whirlwind of tasks to complete our buy. The coach arrived at the dealer less than three weeks after our deposit, and we might have our LTV in less than four weeks!

We scrambled to research the LTV forums for information; bought items owners would recommend; and set up the financial, insurance, and administrative solutions; we also joined several RV associations. The Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) partners were central to our finding the best insurance and useful internet service solutions on short notice. We would take possession of our coach in mid-February 2023—about three weeks from the date of our deposit.

Taking possession of our LTV

The day before delivery, the dealer reports an error code light from the Mercedes chassis would cause a delay. The problem? A faulty SCR valve—part of the diesel exhaust system and a typical problem for a diesel vehicle given present-day emission control systems. Mercedes fixed the problem quickly, but the journey to get the coach to the dealer and back set back our delivery for about a week. What was our rush to get the coach? A deadline to attend a travel journalists conference in the Dallas-Fort Worth area was before us, and we wanted to go in our LTV.

Our friends Phil and Peggy stopped by after we took possession of our coach and graciously helped us prepare for our maiden voyage. Their contributions to those little tidbits of information a new owner needs to know that only another LTV owner would know were invaluable. Weary the night before our departure, we were ready for our first trip.

New Adventures on Story Road–FDR State Park, Georgia

We took off from the Georgia coast in early March for the F.D. Roosevelt State Park, near former President Roosevelt’s summer home in Warm Springs, Georgia. The Georgia State Parks are iconic, and this park is no exception. The campsites at the edge of a serene lake lead to hiking trails through quiet forests chock full of wildlife–a perfect setting to unwind and reconnect with nature and oneself. Our site was an electric/water hookup near a restroom/shower/laundry facility. The cost? $38 per night + tax. For those over 65 years, there is a discount on this rate.

Weary from our day-long drive trying to vary the engine RPMs for the break-in period, we were happy to set up camp for the night and try out the Murphy Bed. The seven-inch thick mattress was welcome. With windows open to let in the cool mountain air for the night, we were off to sleep after watching the news on our pop-up coach TV. Yes, we had a cellular connection at the park to make our first-night stay, in some ways, just like home.

On departure from the park, we checked in with staff, bought an annual pass ($20 for seniors), and had a credit back to our credit card as a senior discount for registration.

The Road to Texas on and off the Beaten Path

With our first overnight stay out of the way, we were off for Vicksburg, Mississippi. An overnight stay at a nearby commercial campground led us to Natchez, Mississippi, the following day for a look-see to assess whether a return visit would be in order.

Yes, our LTV met our expectations. One can easily do a look-see in an LTV—a central reason for our purchase. The LTV will fit in spots that accommodate a long-bed pickup truck, and many pickup trucks park along the streets of the United States. Lunch at the Natchez Brewing Company was a delight—a tasty local-style brewery pizza with a large Greek farmers-like salad. We’ll go back, and next time we’ll stay at the first-rate River Town RV campground just across the Mississippi River from Natchez at Vidalia, Louisiana.

RV Windfall at Poverty Point Reservoir State Park

Back on the road to Texas, we could not resist the opportunity to backtrack to stay at the 5-star Poverty Point Reservoir State Park in Louisiana. With scenic campsites, hiking trails, and a rich Native American history, this park is a must-visit destination for RVers. A section of iconic cottages on stilts juts out over the crystal-clear azure waters of the lake in this park, a significant waterway in and of itself. The campsites are level and as clean as a whistle. Hookups with water are available, and an easy-to-access dump station on level ground awaits RVers on departure at the campsite area exit.

Bigger Everything in the Dallas–Fort Worth Area

It may seem counterintuitive to subject an LTV to big-city traffic. Yet, with its smooth handling and easy maneuverability, our coach cut through the dense Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) traffic like a knife through butter. Our travel around town near our conference hotel at Irving was also a breeze. Our LTV fits nicely into the standard parking spaces at our conference hotel parking lot at the Texican Court Hotel. Our gracious hosts, the City of Irving, presented a delicious slice of all that was and is Irving and Texas for our group of travel content creators by linking Texan icons with the hi-tech modernity of Irving. Stetson hats; a bull Longhorn whose horns were wider than the length of his body; a foodie tour of diners, dives, and drive-ins; the Toyota Music Factory; and a cruise in authentic Italian Gondolas in a canal under the bridge of locks were all part of the scene.

Our adventures as travel writers are even more rewarding than ever with our LTV. Instead of living out of one suitcase as we did for our overseas jaunts, we now travel in style and comfort to and from our destinations with all our gear charged and ready for work. If we need a change of clothes, a bathroom, or a nap between our tasks, our LTV provides the refuge we need.

The weather in the DFW area was hot during the day and cold at night during our visit. Our coach was at rest at the curb on a public street in front of the home of one of our children during our visit. High winds pummel the DFW area at night, but the EQ leveling system on the coach ensured reliable stabilization against the strong Texan plains winds that sweep across the area frequently.

With our whirlwind visit to Texas behind us, we set out for our farm in Arkansas. Two Buc-ees were along our route, but we didn’t stop. Our queries at other Buc-ees and Internet searches reveal a 20% biodiesel mix in their fuel. Since our coach is new and in the midst of a break-in period, we opted for a Shell station on our way out of the area.

On the Farm in Arkansas

We find the LTV is an ideal rig to boondock in rural areas. For many among us, Harvest Hosts provide this opportunity. For us, a family farm in rural Arkansas was the perfect spot to boondock on our return trip. With careful maneuvering to avoid low-lying branches and power lines, we got the coach level on irregular concrete slabs in the driveway of a relative’s home using our EQ leveler system. We recommend the EQ system for the LTV; it reduces motion in the rig during stays and keeps the refrigerator level to maintain power when the coach is stationary. Yes, some view the EQ as “just one more thing to break down,” but what a difference it makes while it works.

Stops in rural areas do not always mean a complete departure from civilization. A quick trip with family members to the town of McGehee allowed us to snap a photo of the town mural, an artwork by local artist Erin Ashcroft, and there are great places to eat in the Arkansas countryside. For dinner, a stop at Hoots BBQ led to an order of fresh Gulf oysters on the half shell.

McGehee, Arkansas Public Mural

Life on a farm at night provides a different audio experience for those trying to sleep in RVs. Roosters compete with one another for vocal dominance all night long—so much for the notion they crow only at dawn. Coyotes howl, guard dogs howl back, and bark, foxes scream, and a resident donkey brays from time to time with sharp hooves ready, daring the resident wolf population to stalk the goats. At dawn, it’s hard to stay asleep. The roosters prance underneath our LTV to crow endlessly.

Jekyll Island, Georgia—Our Favorite Anytime Getaway with Our LTV

Georgia. The mere utterance of the name invokes images of the Deep South and Savannah, with its antebellum homes, wrought iron gates, cobblestone streets, Spanish moss, and lush green scenery. However, there’s more—much more.

Many of us traverse the 110-some-odd miles of I-95 spanning the South Carolina and Florida borders at one time or another without seeing the Georgia coast. Yet the curious venturing only minutes down a coastal road less traveled off the interstate will discover historic sites, folksy rural restaurants, and barrier islands, some accessible only by boat. The Georgia coast is home to 11 major barrier islands (depending on how the counter includes islands in the count), and it is our home along the Atlantic Coast. For us, the best quiet beach getaway all year long on the Atlantic coast is Jekyll Island. If we’re not traveling during the Christmas holiday, you might find us walking on the beach during the day in 85-degree weather on Jekyll. Or, you might find us at night soaking up the island’s annual 12 days of Christmas light tour.

Jekyll is easily accessible with an RV and hosts a noteworthy campground on the island’s north end facing St. Simons Island. Plus, getting around Jekyll in an LTV is a breeze as both the island and the coach are compact. The island is home to various ecosystems, including salt marshes, maritime forests, and beach dunes, all teeming with wildlife like sea turtles, dolphins, and shorebirds.

A must-visit site is The Georgia Sea Turtle Center, where efforts are underway to preserve the rarest sea turtles that roam the waters of the Atlantic. But Jekyll offers more than just natural beauty. Its historic district boasts stunning mansions from the days of the island’s heyday as a winter retreat for the wealthy of the turn-of-the-century industrial-age families, as well as shops, restaurants, and local art galleries. Other than the beach, there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy, from kayaking and fishing to biking and golfing.

Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island, Georgia, with St. Simons Island in the background

A visit to Jekyll entails a daily entrance fee at toll booths near the visitors center on the causeway from the mainland to the island: $8 for cars and $12 for oversize vehicles. An annual pass is available for purchase at the visitors center. Travelers tip: Buy an annual pass if you plan to drive off the island more than 7-8 times during your stay; you’ll save money. Also, the island vehicle registration database does not include the LTV as an oversized vehicle, but it contains entries for the Mercedes Sprinter or Ford Transit vans. Registration as either of the latter will set the cost for an annual pass at $75.

The Leisure Travel Van Value Proposition

We love our Leisure Travel Van and view it as the ultimate travel companion for an RV life and our travel work. Its versatile design and compact size make it the perfect RV for those who want to travel in style and comfort without sacrificing mobility. Our LTV is a platform from which we can discover new and exciting travel stories for our readers at RoverTreks.com and other publications. We love that our LTV comes with all the amenities we need for a comfortable and enjoyable life on the road, from a fully-functional kitchen to a cozy sleeping area, and with various floor plans, buyers can pick a model that fits their unique travel needs.

The LTV addresses our “must-haves,” as cited earlier, and it is a superior experience to living out of one suitcase. The LTV owner base is more akin to family than a group of disparate customers. An active, happy customer base on Facebook matters in owners’ lives. This group is critical to owner satisfaction, can be a vital source of information, and complements LTV customer support. Concerning customer support, prompt, common sense support by LTV is obvious and central to owner satisfaction. A phone call, email, or message for help sent via their website, generates a positive, helpful response from someone at LTV within 24 hours during regular business hours. Who can ask for more than that?

But what sets the LTV apart from the competition is its versatility. These RVs can easily navigate narrow roads or tight parking spots, making them perfect for exploring cities or national parks. As those who experience the RV life know, the subtle, less apparent outcomes of RV life that are not as easy to quantify do matter. RV travel can and usually occurs slower, translating into a less harried, more enjoyable travel experience, and then there are those calm, quiet, crisp, cool mountain night air nights that ensure a tranquil and full night’s sleep at a campsite, away from the everyday hustle and bustle we experience in our brick and mortar homes. For us, our LTV makes our journeys so much easier.

We plan to travel throughout North America for three to five years in our LTV, and we look forward to meeting our LTV colleagues on the road or at events.

About Me

Imagine growing up in the part of the world that many think is a “must see before you die” location. That place was Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and its beautiful rocky mountains, mixed with a cowboy country work ethic, was a magical place to grow up. Looking back over my 60 years makes me realize that where your roots come from makes a big difference in your outlook on life.

I am a Canadian by birth, who also happens to have American citizenship, thanks to the decades I lived in the U.S. This mix of perspectives gives me a bioptic lens through which I look at life. I am a proud mother of two successful young men who hope to one day bless me with grandchildren, but I am not in a hurry for that to arrive. For now, I am free to rewrite the ending of my own story and to remember the bright, shining light I once was.

My family loved the outdoors and traveling, where my wanderlust began. To us, vacations were 5000-mile road trips or hiking in the beautiful mountains in our own backyard. I became an accomplished horsewoman and was fortunate enough to spend my summers at a girl’s ranch in Montana, riding to my heart’s content. That was a life I loved so much, and I even tried out for the Stampede Queen contest one year.

I graduated from the University of Calgary with a degree in International Economics and a letter of internship to work for someone at the world bank in Kenya. It had always been a dream of mine to work and live in Africa; thanks to my childhood hero Jane Goodall, this extended period of time propelled me to seek out new and exciting places. When I returned home and married, it was my strongest wish to have my children grow up living in different cultures and learning different languages. This translated into moving first to Scottsdale, Arizona, and then to Houston, Texas. Our decision to do this negated my own ambitions, and I settled into being the glue that held my family together.

I have been a professional photographer, worked in high-end jewelry, designed and built 4 of our family homes, was the registrar for two of the largest soccer clubs in Houston, Texas, administrating over 30,000 children from recreational to college-level players, and was a constant volunteer at my children’s schools and in our communities. When the boys were successfully launched in their careers, I was moved back to Calgary.

My boys

My hobbies are quite varied. Athletically I love hiking, biking, kayaking, volleyball, basketball, yoga, swimming, skiing, and Tai Chi. Artistically I paint, embroider, sew, garden, devour jigsaw puzzles, and continue to grow in photography. Most recently, I have added ceramics which has helped me heal from trauma as it can be quite hard and ceramics helped calm my mind and refocus my heart. I enjoyed it so much that I now have a successful ceramics business. I continue to be a horsewoman and have successfully ridden most of the continental divide atop four legs. Probably one of my most meaningful jobs, though, besides being a mom, was creating a group that has helped thousands of survivors of abuse find happier, safer, and healthier directions in their own lives. If I had stayed married, It’s hard to imagine where I would be.

Wanderlusting to Calm the Soul

I was born into my love of travel, and my family has nurtured me wanderlusting my whole life. My father’s desire to see all the places he only dreamed of as a young boy watching movies in Hungary fueled our focus. From a young age, our trips consisted of a steady dose of 5000-mile road trips, and my first overseas journey was at the tender age of 14, and that two-month journey through Europe sealed my fate. As I branched out on my own, I continued to explore Europe, Africa, and Scandinavia by plane, train, and ferry. During my marriage, we added cruising to our traveling repertoire. We became intimately familiar with most Caribbean, Mediterranean, Mexico, New Zealand, Hawaii, Tonga, Somoa, and parts of South America. When my boys were 10 and 8, I took them on a month-long backpacking trip through Europe by train, which ironically fueled their own wanderlusting souls. I have now been to Africa on three different occasions and have driven through and explored over 18 countries on the continent I call my second home.

Once my marriage ended, I was hard-pressed to rethink how I could continue traveling on my own. It was my therapist’s homework assignments that helped direct me to my new RV lifestyle. She ordered me to be mindful of nature every day to reset my nervous system and calm my soul. What grew out of these daily encounters was a burning desire not to go back home. I wanted to find a way to connect to nature in a more intimate way and stay where I found peace and happiness. I remember the first time I brought up the idea of RVing because I had always thought a trip across Canada in an RV would be wonderful, so why not do it now? My therapist was elated, and my children felt it was an excellent way to add to my traveling experiences, but my friends were afraid they would never see me again. It was one of these friends who directed me to Leisure Travel Vans. She and her husband had been researching RVs for their own retirement, and she felt LTV was a perfect fit for me. So, off to my local LTV dealer, we went. It didn’t take me long to realize the quality difference between an LTV and the other motorhomes they had in stock. I was impressed with the chassis options and floorplans LTV offers its customers, and after some pretty deep contemplation, it took less than two weeks before I was back in the dealership ordering and building my new home on wheels. I was drawn to them by how their product made me feel–safe, happy, and hugged.

Traveling Solo

Since the delivery of my rig one and a half years ago, the longest time I have been away from my beloved Bee being five months. Six months ago, I had one of my knees replaced, so I have been recovering. Had it not been for that, I think I would already be living in my LTV full-time.

Just weeks after my LTV arrived, I jumped off a huge mountain ledge, and that was the best thing I could have done. It forced me to get very familiar, very quickly, with my new home. The more obstacles I overcome while I am RVing make me want to do it more and more. I love long journeys; the longer, the better. There is always a steady mix of campgrounds with boondocking, and I have quite a soft spot for quaint harvest host locations. These stops connect me to the most amazingly hard-working people following their own dreams. Researching has always been a huge passion of mine, thanks in part to being the glue that made my family work, and have now applied these skills to my RV adventure with incredible results.

As a brand new, solo female RVer, I prefer to prebook my campgrounds so that I always know where I am going to be staying each night. This helps me feel safe in what I am doing, and it removes one level of uncertainty from my day. I prefer to stay in regional, state, provincial, and national park campgrounds because they are cheaper than private locations, and they are usually why I have come to an area, so why not stay at the park itself? There is also Love’s parking lot, where I will stay in the RV section, not the trucking lot, and this allows me to drive later in the night and not waste time hooking and unhooking the rig. However, I have not yet overcome my fears of staying in the middle of nowhere by myself, but I am hoping to continue to build my connections within my LTV world to maybe meet up with others to enjoy this level of freedom.

Bee–My Superpower

I travel in my Bee to find purpose and to feed my lifelong obsession with learning. I build travel itineraries based on my interests. Civil war battlefields, lighthouses, outer bank islands, civil rights, First Nations history, places of my childhood, National and State Parks, and finding those obscure “largest in the world” icons towns create. Where I put the Bee each night is just as important to me as the place I have come to see or experience.

My Bee also tows a car which has become my built-in safety, in case I break down on the road, and it is also a way for me to bring my real kayak and a wonderful road bike. It has also provided an easier way to get to a remote trailhead or boat launch. The tow allows me to use my rig as a boutique hotel room instead of a glorified car, something I look forward to returning to after a hard day of exploring. The tow car also makes extended travel easier for a solo RVer. When I move my rig, I am responsible for everything that needs to be done inside and outside the rig. That can add to a lot of work, so the tow car eliminates the need to break down camp to go to the store for more food.

This year I am also using the rig to reconnect with people. As a member of the Solo Female LTV Travelers Group, I am trying to create meet-ups with other solo ladies at destinations so we have others to share an experience with, heightening it for everyone involved. I am utilizing the driveway stay LTV Group as well to meet as many people as I can, which has finally allowed me to meet so many of my new virtual friends in person, and I will finally get to experience my first LTV rally in April with the Flamingles.

Most importantly, I am using my RV to give back to the LTV community, which has been so encouraging and welcoming. Through my posts, on the LTV Facebook pages, and my social media pages, I am trying to encourage people to get out and use their rigs to go places they might not have thought before. Mexico was this year’s significant addition to my RV destinations which has opened the door to so many new discoveries. My interview with Brandon Hensley of Pagosa Travels has resonated with so many people who have reached out to let me know how much my own journey has emboldened them to start one of their own. My children like to use the word influencer a lot, but I see it as giving people the tools, space, and encouragement to find their own superpowers.

RVing Changed My World

The question of how RVing has impacted my life was asked, and it resonated deeply. If you would have told me two years ago that simply buying an RV, learning how to use it, and then getting in it and seeing North America would have produced such life-changing physical and mental benefits, I would not have believed you. But this is precisely what it has done. In just six months of continual travel, I lost 35 pounds, stopped taking four heart medications because my blood pressure had normalized, and developed healthy eating and sleeping habits, something I never thought could be part of my world again. These changes were so measurable by my doctor, neurologist, and therapist that they collectively ordered me back to my beloved Bee.

Outside of the physical benefits, I think it is the effects RVing has had on my mental and spiritual health that has changed my world the most. I want you to sit and think of what it would be like to wake up tomorrow morning and have everything that makes your world whole disappear. No home, no family, few friends, loss of purpose, and a realization that all those lifelong plans you had been cultivating over your life no longer apply to your future. That is a very scary place to find yourself. RVing has allowed me to rediscover what a beautiful, resourceful, strong, resilient, intelligent, loving, and capable woman I am. It has relit the shining flame that makes me, me, and has helped me find a new purpose and joy in my life. For this alone, I will be forever grateful I bought my LTV.

Favorite Travel Destinations

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is one of those places that takes a lot of effort to get to, but once you’re there, you’re so glad you made an effort. I had zero expectations on my first visit, but that quickly changed once arriving at the park boundaries. Located about 3 hours south of Phoenix on Highway 85, you first pass through the delightful little town of Ajo, the location of a closed copper mine. If you like burritos, stop at the Chevron gas station and grab one of the homemade ones next to the till. I promise no other burrito will ever come close to these.

A fun fact is that Organ Pipe is the only Park in the U.S. that has a sister park in a neighboring country. Mexico and the U.S. have a joint project to protect the migratory paths through both sides of the park.

Twin Peaks is the name of the campground at Organ Pipe, and it has over 200 sites to choose from. It is a dry camping location but does provide potable water, solar showers, restrooms, and a dump station. There is a very informative visitor center that has educational displays and rangers eager to help you plan your time in the park. Many walking trails are easily accessible, and I highly recommend the trail from the campground to the visitor center. The desert-scape in this area is amazing and diverse, and this trail takes you through many different areas. Dogs are allowed on some trails but must be leashed at all times.

Several things make this park special to me. The remoteness keeps crowds at bay, and the limited generator hours allow you to listen to the diverse bird and wildlife populations or just the lovely silence. There is an amphitheater that hosts day and evening ranger talks about things in the area. I have attended many of these sessions, and they are informative, very well put together, and interactive. There are two drives you can do inside the park. The more moderate, 2-hour drive winds around, up, and over the beautiful Ajo mountain range, and you can download an excellent narrative of the area from the National Park website to play on your journey. The second drive is more rigorous and takes 5 hours to complete. Ask before attempting the drive; there can be flooding at times.

The very best part of visiting Organ Pipe is the staff. There are over 60 staff, rangers, and volunteers who work hard to make your stay special.

Death Valley National Park, California

Don’t let the name Death Valley dissuade you from visiting this uniquely vast area of Eastern California. Centered within five different mountain ranges, any part of the park provides amazing vistas, thrilling off-road travel, and picture-perfect sunrises and sunsets. Death Valley boasts one of the lowest spots in North America at 288 feet below sea level, and it is one of the hottest places on Earth. Two resorts in the park can provide a great meal or cool drink. There are also eight campgrounds; some are reservable, some are first come, first serve, and some are quite remote. The main campground in the park is Furnace Creek. It has the only sites with hookups and reservable sites in the park. Close to the visitor center and the Ranch Resort, Furnace Creek has 18 full hook-up sites that can be booked six months ahead.

Activities in the Valley are quite numerous—hiking, biking, horseback riding, and golf. Tours and off-road vehicles can all be booked or rented. Stop by the visitor center to get the informative visitor guide for more information.

What makes Death Valley special is its sheer size and diversity in landscapes and vegetation. You can find dunes of sand and barren salt formations, a multicolored layer of rock, and high mountain peaks. This is not an overly dog-friendly location, and there are rules to be followed if you travel with a fur baby.

The major sites are numerous and far apart, so be ready to travel a lot when visiting Death Valley. The more popular ones are Dantes View, Zabriskie Point, 20 Mule Team Canyon, Artists Palette, Desolation Canyon, Devid Gold Course, Mustard Canyon, Borax Works and Museum, Bad Water Basin, Artists Drive, The Devils Golf Course, Panamint Springs, Stovepipe Wells, the old Borax operations, Scotty’ castle, The Racetrack, and Emigrant Canyon Road to name a few. Dogs are not allowed on trails, and they may not be left in a closed car alone. Death Valley is also an internationally recognized dark sky location, and the desert comes to life once the people have gone to bed.

There are multiple entrances to the park, and I suggest a quick call to the visitor center before choosing your route because flooding has caused road and site closures this past year.

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Jekyll Island was one of my favorite outer bank islands stops last year because it has a little bit of everything–camping, beaches, good restaurants, biking, hiking, golf, shopping, turtle conservation, and several museums can be easily accessed by car or bike.

Jekyll was once a private hunting and social club for some of America’s newest industrialist barons. People were invited to join based on their connections and their pocketbooks. Sporting of all kinds was the focus of this group, and many industrialists built beautiful mansions and a huge clubhouse on the island. A motorized train will take you on a history tour of this compound and allow you to go into some of the old fine homes. The income tax laws forced many to abandon these homes when Georgia finally extended its control over the island. The back taxes were enough to wipe out many, so they chose to walk away from their property. There is a museum dedicated to the slaves and servants of these wealthy island owners and even the old town where the servants were forced to live. Slave ships are associated with the island, which is well documented in writing and oral history.

The sea turtle sanctuary is fascinating to visit, and you will get to meet many of the patients who are in rehabilitation tanks. The info center here is exceptional.

Having five distinct beaches offers something unique that many other islands do not have. Some are sandy, some have giant dunes, another has a forest of dead trees, and they are all linked together by the bike trail system. Super huge old live oaks covered in Spanish moss line the road and bikeways making them turn into golden tunnels when the sun starts to set. There are deer, crocks, birds of all kinds, and small rodents that you must be mindful of when cycling or driving.

Biking is the best way to get around the island because it is part of the Georgia coastal biking circuit. You can get anywhere you want to go on a bike.

The main campground is undergoing some vast changes currently. In the past, people would come for six-month stints at a time. Now that it is a State Park, this archaic system is being fazed out. With its close proximity to the mainland, Jekyll is a beautiful destination along the Georgia coastline.

Editor’s Note: This post is written by a member of LTV’s sponsored content team, The Leisure Explorers. Do you own a Leisure Travel Van and enjoy writing? Learn more about joining the team.

About Us

Yup, we did it. We bought a Unity Murphy Bed, sold our home of 35 years, quit our jobs, and began our RV-travel adventure.

I (Robin) had spent the last twenty years of my career between ministry and the tourism industry, ending up as interim pastor for a church and interim CEO for a convention and visitors bureau – simultaneously! Jim, my husband, had started his career as a firefighter/paramedic before starting and selling a successful pool supply business. By the time the business sale was made and my “interim-ships” were over, we were ready for a break. We figured we would take a year off to recalibrate, but after a year of RV travel, going back to an office held no appeal for either of us. So, Jim retired, and I began writing.

Navarre Beach on the Gulf Island

We have three grown children and seven grandchildren ranging from 18 months to 16 years of age. Family is a great gift, offering a haven of love, laughter, and fun. Vacations are usually spent together as a large group and often include extended family in multiple beach houses.

Jim loves to play golf and is an accomplished guitar player and home chef. I spend most of my time mastering classical music on the ukulele or writing for several blogs and the Small RV Ninja book series. “We have indulged our creative sides in our retirement, exploring our interests from cooking to crafting to music.” I have also participated in the 100 Days Project for the last two years producing 100 fantasy ukulele designs and creating 100 souvenirs from shells collected on our travels. Jim created recipes for a cookbook based on travels but has taken more pride in coaching our grandchildren in their sports activities.

Our Second Half

We took road trips over the years and spent many vacations renting beach houses. But when we decided to take a sabbatical to plan our “second half,” we bought a Unity Murphy Bed – the first RV we had ever owned. We were not RVers nor campers; we considered ourselves city kids, but the whole RV idea intrigued us. We did our research and looked at dozens of RVs before deciding on Leisure Travel Vans. The Unity Murphy Bed was the right size, maneuverable, comfortable, and well-appointed. Still, to this day, we are delighted with our purchase!

This RV is Part of Us

Hotels and air travel have been a big part of my work, and though many lovely hotels and jets are faster, a lot is lacking in that kind of travel when you want to decompress. The RV travel style is whatever you want to make of it. We love resorts and National Parks – there are benefits to staying in both, but the RV gives us those options in a more affordable package, and we always get to sleep in our own bed!

Short Trips and Bucket List Trips

We make a lot of short trips to visit the grandchildren. Those short trips often include attending their ball games and school events. The RV is a great spot for grabbing a sandwich or a nap in between games!

We have also very much enjoyed our bucket list trips. We started our RV adventures visiting The Keys. Then we traversed the East Coast North to South before heading west to Yellowstone, the Badlands, Arches, and other National Parks. We prefer nicer RV parks and resorts, but we do occasionally boondock to take in more natural surroundings. State parks are wonderful, especially when the campground borders a lake.

Pack Up and Go

RVing has opened up a lot of travel opportunities for us. We always have the option to pack up and go wherever we want. The RV is our “way to get there” and our “where to stay.” That takes a lot of concern out of the travel equation–especially in the last few years. I also know that we have grown closer as we share the adventure of a new destination, see natural wonders, and enjoy sunsets all over the country.

Favorite Travel Destinations

Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is other-worldly. There is spectacular mountain scenery and wildlife everywhere. The thermal features are just so unusual and quite beautiful. From the powerful geysers to the “smoking” Fire Hole River to the view of Yellowstone Falls from Artists Point, there is something to see around every corner. We stayed at Henry’s Lake State Park and were inspired by fly fishing, so we took a lesson from a guide in town.

Arches National Park
Those rusty-colored cliffs and wind-swept rock formations offer a desert experience like no other. Walking between the slices of rock and viewing the eroded arches gave us a new appreciation for the power of wind, sand, and water.

Gulf Islands National Seashore
This is our favorite beach. At the Santa Rosa Area near Navarre, Florida, the seashore is a vast expanse of white sand dunes and turquoise water. A beautiful and often secluded beach is an invitation for a reflective stroll.

About Us

Hello! We are Mike Markowski and Terry Denson. We own a 2022 Wonder Rear Lounge AWD, which we use primarily to boondock. While it seems shocking to some at our age that we live for traveling as much as possible, it has become our way of life. Our home is always with us, and the freedom to travel allows us to feel like we are living large before our “use before” date reaches.

Getting to our Leisure Travel Van was no easy task as we spent many years in many different RVs and many years sailing too. After six RVs and 13 years of sailing, we can happily say that life in a Leisure Travel Van is the only way we choose to cruise.

Both of us are veterans. Mike is a retired Army aviator, and Terry served 16 years on active duty and in the Army National Guard as a full-time public affairs officer before returning to active duty. We met while attending a U.S. Army training course in Fort Ord, California. When we finished the course, Mike’s assignment was to St Louis, and Terry’s was to Portland, Oregon. One year later, Mike retired and moved to Portland in his Midas Mini Class C, and we were married.  

Terry was reassigned to Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland soon after, so we loaded up the RV and drove our first cross-country trip. At the time, we were passionate about sailing. We both learned to sail in Monterey, and Terry had owned two small sailboats while in Oregon. We took the opportunity to expand our sailing experience on the Chesapeake Bay, first with a 33’ Hunter. We enjoyed sailing so much that we decided to do it full-time. We bought a 42-foot Slocum sailboat, named it Door Into Summer, and moved aboard. We lived on the sailboat for eight years while working as civilians to build our full-time cruising kitty. We finally set sail to cruise the east coast of the United States, the Caribbean Islands, part of South America, and Central America for five years.

We acquired skills that were very useful when we moved back to RVing. Self-sufficiency was primary: there are no mobile techs on the ocean. We learned how to live together in a small space, plan stops, and provisioning. We paid close attention to our environment by knowing current and future weather forecasts and keeping up on security and safety issues.

After returning to the U.S., we lived on the sailboat for another two years before buying a house. Mike put his boat equipping and avionics skills from the military to use and started a marine electronics business specializing in preparing cruising boats. Terry became an artist and began selling her paintings at outdoor art shows. At first, we stayed in hotels and faced all the issues that come with that. We noticed many other artists were using RVs to attend shows, and there was usually a free boondocking area available, so that led us to buy another RV.

A, B, and C’s of RV Ownership

We have owned six motorhomes in the 40-plus years of RVing ranging from a V.W. pop-top, a Class C, a Class A diesel pusher, two Class Bs, and now our Wonder Rear Lounge AWD. We returned to RVing by buying the diesel pusher to attend the art shows where Terry displayed and sold her work.

We quit the art show circuit during the Great Recession and sold the Class A. We were without an RV for several years but decided we wanted to start traveling again. In Travato, we found a used Class B and traveled from coast to coast in it. Terry became active in several art organizations, showed her work in galleries, and taught art classes as well.

Mike was busy running the marine electrical business, so available time cut our travels severely. Rather than have our Class B sit in the driveway, Mike started to rent her out through a couple of peer-to-peer agencies, which became very successful. Later it became apparent that we wanted to have an RV that we could use ourselves, so we purchased a new Class B. After this purchase, Terry became president of the Florida Watercolor Society, which effectively took away any RVing time we had once again, so Mike added the 2020 Class B to the rental “fleet,” and both RV’s stayed rented constantly.  

When Mike retired from the marine electrical business, we decided to go RVing full-time and thus began the search for yet another new RV. Our thoughts were a Class B was too small for full-time living, and our research led us to Leisure Travel Vans and their reputation for quality. We loved the layout of the Wonder Rear Lounge since it provided each of us with a workspace. We then placed an order in June 2020.  

We took delivery of the unit in January 2022 and began full-time traveling in February. We lived in St. Petersburg, Florida, so we headed west along Interstate 10. After visiting friends in San Antonio, we began weaving our way west, stopping at Amistad Reservoir and Big Bend National Park. We stopped at most of the National Parks in New Mexico and Arizona, plus state parks and boondocking sites. We also spent several weeks boondocking in the Mohave Desert, then visited all the desert National Parks in California before heading up the east side of the Sierra Nevada.

Red Rock Canyon

We wandered through northern California, eastern Oregon, and Idaho, stopping at National Parks and monuments, BLM (Bureau of Land Management) campgrounds, and dispersed camping sites. Grand Teton National Park was also a destination we visited. Due to record flooding, the park canceled our reservation in Yellowstone, but we did manage a day trip. In central Wyoming, we spent time at BLM campgrounds and boondocking sites before detouring through northern Utah. The next tops were north. Nebraska and North, and South Dakota provided a tour of the Black Hills and the two Theodore Roosevelt National Parks.

Grand Tetons and the Snake River

Following the LTV Rally in September, we will head south down the Great River Route and spend several months in Florida checking on our house and meeting friends and family. Next year we are off to the Canadian Maritime Provinces. Mike has family in Maine so we will stop there. The Adirondacks and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan are on the list. We may head through western Canada the following year and spend some time in Colorado, Utah, northern Arizona, and New Mexico another year. So many places, so little time.

Our Style

We prefer to boondock when we are able rather than stay in campgrounds. When we stay in campgrounds, they are often more primitive BLM, national forest, or Corps of Engineer campgrounds. Mike installed six hundred watts of solar and 600-amp hours of lithium batteries to make boondocking easier, and this system has worked flawlessly.

We also tow a Mini Cooper with our Wonder. Our usual strategy is to camp in one spot and use the Mini to tour multiple attractions. It is much more economical than driving the Wonder to tour different spots.

The Magic Carpet

As seniors, we don’t get around as well as we wish we could. The RV has been our magic carpet to easily move from place to place while having all the comforts of home. If we want to play tourist, we can do that. If we are tired after playing tourists, we can chill at home, as our house is always with us. Mike is constantly looking for equipment to maintain or upgrade on the Wonder. It has provided Terry with countless subjects to paint, but conversely, it limited her time and working space to paint and changed her marketing method as well.

All in all, we are so grateful to have a home on wheels that lets us experience the world. We had the chance to attend the LTV Rally in September and received the most generous gift from an anonymous employee at Triple E, which was a gift card to enjoy a restaurant called Chicken Chef. It truly was a special treat to enjoy. If you’re ever considering, please buy a Leisure Travel Van to get out before your “use before” date.

As long-time RV owners, my wife Susan and I often heard this comment from non-RVers: “You could stay in a lot of nice hotels for the cost of that motorhome.” Yes, while that’s true, we’d be staying in a hotel most likely not within a nature preserve. A hotel where our pets may not be welcomed, where rooms are not always equipped with full kitchens, and most of all; it’s where many people have stayed before us. Plus, we would still have to drive or fly, rent a car if the latter, sometimes pay to park and be around way more people (not that we’re anti-social)! The RV lifestyle for us makes traveling our way affordable and comfortable. We get to travel with our somewhat spoiled pets and sleep soundly in our own bed.

Anchor Bay RV Park, Gualala, California

How it Started

Our RV journey started in 1999. I needed to tow my race car/trailer to various track events in California or more specifically to the infamous Virginia City Hill Climb in Nevada that the car club we belonged to organized annually. The Hill Climb allowed car enthusiasts to drive as fast as possible up a dangerous, winding road with the sheriff’s blessing.

First ever track event, Buttonwillow, California. Convertible traded for another car with a roof and roll cage.

Our first RV was a gas-powered 32′ Class A motorhome. It was a bit slow up the steep mountain grades driving to Nevada, so we decided to test drive a diesel pusher. Susan felt much safer in it and I had 1,050 ft. lbs. of torque to get up Donner Pass. So, 8 months after buying the first RV, we traded for a new 39′ diesel pusher. With the trailer in tow, the rig was a daunting 65′ long! I often traveled with my nephew/unpaid crew chief to the track events. He could sleep on the RV sofa bed for free, so who needs a hotel?

65′ means having to plan ahead! Thunderhill Raceway, California.

By 2002, much to Susan’s relief, I sold the race car and trailer but kept the diesel pusher. RVing was now in our bloodstream. In our motorhome, we felt we were in a different world even if not far from home. Once again, non-RVers could not understand why we sold our race car and kept the RV (our dogs understood and approved). The RV lifestyle is hard to explain as it is more a feeling–a sense of freedom and wonder. We enjoy the open road and passing by as many hotels as possible.

Susan and I have traveled extensively abroad staying in many lovely hotels. However, nothing beats traveling in a self-contained home on wheels! We are looking forward to exploring more of these United States now that Susan is fully retired and I’m semi-retired. Ironically, we have visited more countries than U.S. states. Our home base is the small, coastal town of Moss Beach, California. Prior to moving to Moss Beach, we spent 18 years going “over the hill” (not a metaphor) often to stay at the Half Moon Bay State Beach in our RV. It was a 30-minute drive from our previous home and where we enjoyed spectacular ocean views for less than $50 per night. Those views motivated our move to the coast as I particularly enjoy shooting dramatic seascapes and sunsets over the Pacific Ocean.

Moss Beach, California

Half Moon Bay, California

Pre-semi-retirement, I was a video director of photography and owned my own camera rental facility. Sometimes I would combine RVing with business shoots to make marketing videos for clients. A memorable shoot was documenting a land speed record attempt at the Utah Salt Flats. Talk about other-worldly. Having a motorhome to stay in near the salt flats was the envy of the crew staying at the not-so-nice nearest hotel. As for Susan, she worked in high-tech marketing for 20 years. We couldn’t take as much time off as truly needed, but our RV provided regular respites from the stress of endless deadlines. Though she could work remotely, my business renting camera equipment meant being at the shop or on location for my clients. So, our two or three-day RV trips often on a whim kept us recharged and somewhat sane.

Shooting a vintage race car for TV broadcast by a large automobile auction company.

A New Focus

After a trip to the Galapagos Islands in 2013, I rekindled my love for still photography. I enjoy photographing wildlife and landscapes as a hobby. The limitation of a 39′ motorhome is the inability to stay at many County, State, and National Parks due to length restrictions. We bought our Unity Murphy Bed in 2018 to get into more parks as we prefer being as close to nature as possible.

The day we bought our 3rd motorhome. Always memorable, even with my eyes closed!

We looked at Class B vans which felt too cramped for us and our dogs. The Unity’s perfect size and brilliant use of space afford us the interior livability we want with better exterior storage and a spacious dry bath. Without these LTV amenities, Susan would have vetoed trading in the pusher. Often we tow a two-door Jeep Wrangler, but sometimes we just take our bikes, and other times not. It’s so easy to just get up and go in our Unity named “ChowBella” after our female Chow Chows. We also love our Maltipoos. All great RVers.

Salt Point State Park, Sonoma County, California. Susan and LilyBear.

Even more memorable than the places we’ve explored are the RVers we’ve met along the way. Some are characters with travel stories to tell. The people connections and the freedom are the driving forces behind our LTV lifestyle. We love traveling in our Unity which provides style and comfort and allows us to meet up with other RV enthusiasts, all while not having to tip a bellman!

Favorite RV Travel Destinations

Paso Robles, California

Four Lanterns Winery

We’ve been visiting Paso Robles since there were around 50 wineries, now there are 300. This means we have to step up our pace for staying at Harvest Host wineries. Wine tasting, going on tours, and trying new restaurants on the square are all part of the fun. It’s been great seeing this beautiful area gain a world-class reputation in the wine world. We love visiting in our Unity and staying in the vineyard!

Big Sur, California

McWay Falls

The entire California coast is picturesque, but Big Sur is special. It’s so green with majestic Redwoods and the ocean coves have a turquoise color. There is art, good food, hiking, waterfalls, and beaches. Close to Carmel, but seemingly a different world. We honeymooned here in 1996 and have been coming back ever since!

Editor’s Note: Brandon and Janet are members of LTV’s sponsored content team, The Leisure Explorers. Do you own a Leisure Travel Van and enjoy writing? Learn more about joining the team.

About Us

For the past 26 years, Janet and I have made our home and business endeavors in Dallas, TX. We love Dallas for its down-home feel while still being a metropolis with amazing culture, food, and people. We also live within 15 minutes of DFW Airport, giving us an outlet to the rest of the world.

One of our main hobbies is keeping our bodies as fit as possible so that we can enjoy traveling, doing outdoor activities, and keeping up with our two dogs, Roxie and Gracie.

After getting into the RV world with my Leisure Travel Van, I quickly found a few products I had wished existed. While creating a new job for myself was not the goal, I started an RV accessory business – Pagosa Supply Co.

Land, Air, and Sea – Why We Chose Land Travels

Traveling has always been our passion and we are fortunate our business has come to a point where it doesn’t need us daily any longer, affording us the time to hit the road.

Pre-pandemic, we enjoyed going overseas, seeing our friends in the UK, and visiting all of the histories of Europe. However, while we love traveling via air, we made the realization that we were robbing ourselves of amazing adventures by flying over most of what the world has to offer.

One of our most memorable experiences was renting a cruising boat (basically a two-bedroom RV on water) and navigating the River Thames from Windsor to Oxford. (https://www.kriscruisers.co.uk/cruisers/lady-nicole/). Cruising along the Thames with magnificent views of the English Countryside and estates is absolutely magical. Operating the many lochs and tying off on a bank in a village to eat dinner in a pub is an experience never forgotten. It’s a must-do for anyone going to the UK and this really got our RV fever started.

No One Gets Left Behind, Not Even The Dogs

When it comes to our style of RVing, we love to mix it up. Boondocking at a Harvest Host or BLM land is one of our favorites, but we also love to be in a nice RV park that has things like a dog park and full hookups.

Having our Leisure Travel van has allowed us to travel with our dogs, who are ecstatic about their RV life. Traveling before the LTV encompassed having dog sitters at our home to take care of the pups. Now they get to go with us and give us even more reason to hike trails, walk the small town sidewalks, and enjoy the experience even more.

How Our LTV Has Impacted Our Lives

Being able to take off at a moment’s notice, not having to worry about booking flights, or hotels is very freeing. It’s really empowered s to travel more, whether just a day trip or multi-week trek across the country. I’ve also learned so much about the different systems of the RV, like electrical, plumbing, and even generator maintenance. But the best thing RV life has given us is seeing things we never would have seen and meeting people we would have never met.

Favorite Travel Destinations

Creede, Colorado

Creede is set in the San Juan National Forest and is surrounded by beauty. Fly fishing, hiking, and sightseeing are abundant.

Texas Hill Country

The Texas Hill Country is packed with things to do, places to see, and quaint German towns to visit. Our favorite is Fredericksburg where the charm and people will make you visit time and time again.

Editor’s Note: John Lloyd and Lisa Kageyama are members of LTV’s sponsored content team, The Leisure Explorers. Do you own a Leisure Travel Van and enjoy writing? Learn more about joining the team.

The Bar That Started It All

Many of life’s greatest decisions are made in a bar. I was traveling to San Francisco for work and John later joined me and we decided to meet up at a bar. At the time, we were both working very high-stress corporate roles and it was the same thing every day. We couldn’t imagine the foreseeable future becoming this monotonous, predictable cycle of riding the subway, working endless hours, followed by happy hour, then a lackluster takeout meal, and never enough sleep. It was exhausting and while it seemed in the moment we were going somewhere, from afar in this bar in San Francisco, I realized, we weren’t going anywhere. But then came the greatest life-altering decision we had ever made. I blurted out “I don’t want to go back.” It wasn’t necessarily that I didn’t want to go back to New York because I love New York; I just didn’t want to go back to the routine that had become our lives. That’s when I suggested that we buy a school bus, renovate it and travel the country. To my surprise, John said, “let’s do it” and that’s how our RV life began.

A Life We Didn’t Give Up On

We quickly realized that “Skoolie life” might be getting ahead of ourselves because after all, we were not renovators nor had we ever really RV’ed much less camped (actually, we camped once in a tent, and I vowed we would never do it again and still stand by that decision). So instead, we opted for a 30 ft 1994 Airstream, which we renovated mostly ourselves, learning as we went through endless amounts of YouTube videos. It took us about 6 months to finish the renovation and in December 2018, we set off with our two mini–Australian Shepherds, Clinton & Dani, for what we thought would be a year on the road. Within the first week, I wanted to go home because I hated it. Everything that could possibly go wrong did. Fortunately for future us, we didn’t turn back. Since our house was being rented out, we had no choice but to press on and fix our issues, which we did.

Our dogs, Clinton & Dani

July 2019

We were in Alaska and had met up with a group of Xscapers (a working nomad group, part of Escapees which is for retirees). Many people in this group had purchased older truck campers specifically for Alaska so that they wouldn’t damage their RVs making the trip through the famously terrible roads (quick note: they aren’t that bad). We were jealous of how nimble they were. Someone had brought up Leisure Travel Vans and that set off all of the rave responses. They mentioned how the Murphy Bed made the space so adaptable and how nice the finishes were. We stuck this mention in the back of our minds and didn’t think much about LTV because, at the time, we thought we would likely go back to New York and pick back up where we left off.

Ultimately, our time on the road would open our lives up to the possibility that there truly was more to life other than work. We had met countless fellow RV’ers that had all said the same thing, “we wish we would have done this sooner, you are smart to do this while you’re healthy and physically able.” Most people wait until they retire to take that trip of a lifetime or travel the world but we realized that we didn’t want the final years of our lives to be a rush of making up for lost time or worse, not having the opportunity.

Times Have Changed

Time is not always guaranteed so we adjusted our lives to ensure that we are able to balance the necessity to work with our love of travel, food, and nature. I (Lisa) have started a remote consulting business that allows me to maintain a flexible schedule and do all the things that I loved about my work in New York. Prior to the pandemic, there weren’t many opportunities for John’s work to be done in a remote capacity, but times have changed. He now leads a team from afar and his company is supportive of his unconventional, nomadic lifestyle. We are a long way away from our first week on the road where we wanted to go home. Once we got the hang of things, John and I became addicted and needed to figure out ways that we could continue living on the road. 

The Search For Our LTV

While we loved our previous rig, we had evolved into very different campers than when we first started. At this point, we were mostly boondocking so we wanted something smaller. The extra power was also needed so we could charge our devices (we didn’t even have an inverter!) Most importantly, we both needed to be able to work comfortably thus, we decided to sell our rig and find something that was going to be more in line with our needs.

The search was proving more difficult than we had anticipated as nothing quite fit our needs or our style and we really did not want to renovate again. It was then that we thought back to our conversations back in Alaska about Leisure Travel Vans. We went on to watch nearly every LTV tour with Dean to see if there was a layout that would work. Soon enough, we were hooked on the Rear Lounge and began calling all of the dealerships and scouring Facebook for listings. With an abundance of perseverance, we were able to take the place of cancellation in Michigan for a 2021 Rear Lounge.

This truly is the perfect layout for us because it allows us to have two separate workspaces (dinette and lounge area) and the design aesthetic is something that I have never needed to lift a drill or a saw to alter. 

Going Full Circle

At the time of writing this blog post, we have crossed the United States three times in our LTV and are loving our petite home on wheels. We have experienced the fall colors in the northeast the cold springs of Florida and the rich, red deserts of the southwest.

Fall in the northeast

Rich, red deserts in the southwest

We have also braved the snowy and lush Canadian Rockies, and continue to travel extensively and work comfortably (and quite glamorously) in our rig.

This summer, our LTV story is going full circle, back to where it all started, which is back to Alaska. We hope to meet many of you along the way. Give us a honk or flash of the headlights- we love meeting fellow travelers along the way. 

Editor’s Note: Joel Smith and Sharon Person are members of LTV’s sponsored content team, The Leisure Explorers. Do you own a Leisure Travel Van and enjoy writing? Learn more about joining the team.

About Us

Sharon and I met at the University of Waterloo when we were taking our Mathematics degrees. We worked in the Information Technology field in Toronto and have now retired to South Bruse Peninsula in Ontario. We retired in our 50’s so we could enjoy traveling while we are healthy. We are avid outdoor people and participate in hiking, mountain biking, scuba diving, and in the winter cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and fat-tire bike riding. A few years ago, we purchased a Komo bike carrier so that we could take our mountain and fat-tire bikes with us more often.

Our Komo bike carrier

We are also active volunteers in our local community through a cottage association and through the Women’s Insititute. I am also the chapter head for the Ontario Sunrisers LTV group and write articles as an LTV Explorer. Our information technology skills are very beneficial for these volunteer areas. I have family in Ontario and Sharon has family in Manitoba and Alberta and our LTV is useful for visiting our family.

A Deep Dive Into Our Travels

When Sharon was a kid, her dad bought an old bread truck and converted it into a camper. From an early age, she decided that she would someday own an RV. She jokes that this was the first Wonder built in Manitoba since it was a Wonder bread truck.

When I had graduated from university, I backpacked around Europe for four months. When Sharon graduated, she did the same for two months. After working for a few years, we decided to quit our jobs and go backpacking around the world for an entire year. We spent time in Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Greece, and France. A fair portion of that trip was camping in our 2-person tent which began our love for camping and traveling.

While we were working, our traveling mainly consisted of scuba diving trips. We managed to go to 39 different diving destinations around the world.

After we retired, we started researching RVs and were quickly attracted to the very high quality of the LTV products. On one family visit to Winnipeg, we drove out to Winkler to get a tour of the factory with Dean. We then decided that the LTV quality was exactly what we were looking for and wanted.

At first, we were attracted to the Unity Murphy Bed but eventually decided that we liked the Island Bed better because of the separate living areas and the additional storage. When we ordered, we opted for RV pickup at the factory (when it was still an option) and that turned out to be a great decision since the orientation for first-time RVers was phenomenal.

Our RV Lifestyle

In our six years of ownership, we have put on about 90,000 km (55,923 mi) in our RV. It would be much higher if the pandemic had not occurred. Our primary usage is traveling as snowbirds to the southern United States in the November through April time period. Although we also did a 21,000 km (13,048 mi) to the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Alaska which all was done mostly on gravel roads. We even reached the Arctic Ocean on this trip!

We prefer to stay in National, Provincial, and State Parks whenever possible. Staying in these parks lets us do lots of hiking and enjoy the nature that parks are there to preserve.

I document our trips and photos through a personal travel blog as well as through blog posts as an LTV Explorer.

The majority of our travels have been longer trips and in fact, in 2019-2020, we actually lived in our RV for 11 out of 12 months prior to the pandemic hitting. The second major usage for us has been trips to Winnipeg to visit family and to enjoy the beautiful scenery around Lake Superior.

What we have liked about traveling in an RV is that it’s a comfortable place to stay in spectacular nature locations. It also provides us the ability to go where we want, when we want.

How RVing Has Impacted Our Lives

Our LTV has allowed us to explore a lot more areas across Canada and the United States. It has also facilitated our snowbird lifestyle to warmer climates for the winter months. We do still like winter activities, so during the pandemic time period we took advantage of being home but we are also hoping we can get back to multi-month trips to the southern United States soon.

Owning an LTV also allowed us to become the Ontario Sunrisers chapter heads. This has allowed us to meet a large number of like-minded people at our rallies and to establish new friendships along the way.

Favorite Travel Destinations

The Dempster Highway

The Dempster Highway is a 900 km (559 mi) gravel road that goes through spectacular scenery from the Yukon into the Northwest Territories of Canada and all the way up to the Arctic Ocean. You can read more about this highway in my article called The Dempster Highway.

North Shore of Lake Superior

We have traveled this route many times on our trips to Winnipeg and always find beautiful scenery. The beauty of this route is talked about in my article called Lake Superior Fall Colours.

Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona

We really didn’t know anything about this park but we saw it on our map and decided it was worth stopping there. The area is truly unique and you can see additional pictures in our personal blog article here.

About Us

We met in 1999 in Sunnyvale, California where I (Mark) was stationed while on active duty in the Air Force. We were married the same year, and over the next 17 years, we went from coast to coast on our assignments, living in Colorado, Arizona, and Virginia (twice) before ending up at Vandenberg AFB (now Space Force Base) on the Central Coast of California. We instantly fell in love with this area of California and often ask ourselves “what’s snow?”, “what’s rain?”. And with the low population, close proximity to Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles (where Hilary’s family lives, and of course the world-class wineries; we knew that this would be our forever home.

In 2017 I retired from the military and Hilary had left her defense contractor job behind a while back and was now working part-time at local wineries. Best of all, we expanded our family with the additions of Zeus, the most wonderful and best golden retriever ever, and then three years later came Odin, the not quite as great, but still wonderful corgi.

The Question That Planted Our RV Roots

Everything was going great in our lives until one day Hilary asked “have you ever thought about getting an RV?” It was an out-of-nowhere question, but it planted a seed that grew. Why not an RV? We did a lot of day trips, especially to the local wine areas, but always had to return at night. With an RV, we could plan an overnight trip with our dogs. We love traveling with our dogs, but finding places for them can be challenging and not to mention expensive. Plus there’s all the pack, unpack, repack that you have to do with traveling for multiple days so maybe an RV would be a better fit for us? But neither of us had ever had an RV much less traveled in an RV so before we made the leap, we were lucky to borrow a friend’s 35-footer for a long weekend up the road in Paso Robles wine country. From that trip, we learned two important lessons: #1 we loved the concept of the RV. It allowed us to take all of our stuff, bring the dogs, and go around to different places and not have to drive home afterward, and #2 THAT RV was not for us. It was too big, too hard to park, and had horrible gas mileage. So, it was time to hit the internet and see what choices were out there. We learned that Leisure Travel Vans quickly became the standard by which all other RVs were compared. Long story short, and what seemed like not much time later, we were driving the “Zephyr” back from St. Louis to our home in California and the start of our RV life began. You can read more about this choice and our first adventure in our very first LTV blog article at https://leisurevans.com/blog/start-with-the-best/.

Our Style

While reading other LTV posts, we learned that everyone has a different way they travel. Some are full-time, some like long treks across the country. Others, like us, tend to stick to shorter vacations. Some can meander where the road takes them while others (again, like us) might need to plan more of our trips. And some will settle down for long stretches while others tend to move constantly just like we do. We have also found ways to use the RV in non-traditional ways such as day trips to the beach, date nights (especially during the great lock-downs of 2020 and 2021), and even while going to the doctor. It also makes a great guest house as we have the luxury of being able to plyg in and park at our house.

Most of our trips to date have been short ones. I mentioned that Paso Robles is just up the road, and while we did lots of day trips, once we found Harvest Hosts (which we HIGHLY recommend) and the ability to stay at a winery for the night, that’s become a go-to trip for us, especially on short notice. Only once have we stayed multiple nights at the same campground. I tell people that we don’t really go “camping” with our RV – we go “exploring”. That’s the kind of travel we like – seeing different things along the way and moving from place to place. Even when we took our first long trip, a 10-day journey up into Oregon and back down the coast where we moved every day to see new sights new adventures. You can read about that trip in our blog post called The Oregon Trail…Tail…Tale. Wine-related trips are a staple for us, whether local or up to Napa or other areas in California. And of course, the dogs come with us everywhere we go. Odin has become quite the author with multiple LTV blog posts which you can read here. He’s even been recognized by other LTV owners! We, unfortunately, lost Zeus, but we have added Thor (the other corgi) and Apollo (the English cream golden retriever) to our pack and our travels.

How RVing Has Impacted Our Lives

There have been no regrets since getting our RV. We love the LTV as well as our floorplan and options with the Unity FX model. We enjoy taking the whole family (humans and dogs) on trips. Sometimes we’re seeing new places and sometimes just getting away for a night or two. Having an RV has certainly allowed us to take more of those trips. And we’re just starting to get our feet wet with longer RV journeys. First, we had our Oregon trip last year, and this year we’re being more ambitious and taking the Zephyr across the country and back again. I’m not sure if that will be the norm but once I fully retired, I think we’ll be taking more trips. We already have a list!

Favorite Travel Destinations

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Bryce Canyon is like nowhere else we’ve been. The views are amazing and there are different things to see from every angle. Walking down into the hoodoos brings a whole new viewpoint and scenery. It can be difficult in an RV, so we had to park it at the visitor’s center and take a bus around (no dogs on this trip), but we highly recommend it.

Paso Robles, California

This is a short drive up the road for us, but there are literally hundreds of wineries with some of the best wine you’ll ever find. Not as crowded or as expensive as the more famous Napa area. We especially love it for the multiple Harvest Host wineries where we can taste and then spend the night in the vineyard. Our go-to place for a quick weekend getaway.

Oregon Coast

There are so many tremendous sights along the Oregon Coast. We traveled the lower half of it, pulling over at many of the turnouts to see the dramatic coastline. There are a few campgrounds and parks – we especially enjoyed Beverly Beach State Park. And while you may get a soggy day or two, it’s still worth the trip.

Editor’s Note: Bill and Denise are members of LTV’s sponsored content team, The Leisure Explorers. Do you own a Leisure Travel Van and enjoy writing? Learn more about joining the team.

Living, Loving, Our Trifecta Life

With a house on a world-class fly-fishing river and a condo in the suburbs, our 2015.5 Unity Murphy Bed “Lucky Us” compliments our lifestyle by giving us a home that can take us just about anywhere we want to go. Together, these three modes of living give us our very own lifestyle Trifecta, whether at our condo, our vacation home, or traveling in our RV.

You may have already read some of our travel adventures through our blogs, with Bill writing our first story,“I’m Infected with the American Wanderlust,” in 2017. Since then, you might have read some of our travel stories, along with blogs on why we chose the Unity Murphy Bed floor plan, why we prefer to plan most of our trips, and some of our favorite food while on the road. Looking for fishing spots? Bill’s covered that too.

We’re based in Michigan, with our condo located near Ann Arbor/Brighton area, about an hour’s drive northwest of Detroit in southeast Michigan. Our vacation home is about a two hour drive North, near Grayling on the South Branch of the Au Sable River (just hold up your hand for a map, it’s between the base knuckle and the next knuckle of your middle finger). With most of our friends and family (and our doctors) in Southeast Michigan, our condo provides a place to keep our stuff, see friends and more. Our home near Grayling fulfilled Bill’s long-sought-after fly-fisherman’s dream of owning a home on the Au Sable River, and our Leisure RV, well, I think you know the rest.

Each year typically starts with cross-country skiing at our northern getaway in January, leaving mid-February to travel to Florida’s Gulf Coast, typically hitting the panhandle on the way back, arriving back in Michigan mid-April. Then, it’s time to get ready for fly-fishing season on the Au Sable (for those unfamiliar, “Opening Day” for trout season in Michigan is the last Saturday in April.) Bill is waiting for the hatch, while I’m typically downstate catching up with friends and various appointments. We stay “up north” through the Fourth of July holiday, and then take “Lucky Us” to our favorite fishing spots: Au Gres City Park Campground — where we fish walleye on Saginaw Bay — and Algonac State Park, where we fish on the St. Clair River.

We typically spend the rest of July through September at our condo, taking “Lucky Us”  for a week or two to a various  beach towns and other venues in Michigan. This year, we visited some of our favorite spots along Michigan’s west coast. In 2017, we circled Lake Superior. Some years we take an extended trip; often traveling west to Colorado or California to see family. Our most memorable trips — and you can read about them in our blogs — include Glacier National Park, the Canadian Rockies, Vancouver Island, Washington, D.C., the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Civil Rights Trail.

Getting ready to launch our walleye boat near Au Gres, Michigan.

Fall is typically spent on the river, preparing for winter by gathering firewood, trimming trees or planting flowers or taking a fall trip. By October, it’s time to winterize our rig and enjoy the holidays and get ready for the next year.

We’ve been RVing since 2014, and our travels have taken us to points north, south, east and west, and many, many points in between.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Redwoods National Park, California

Traveling with Sadie

Many pet owners chose Rving over hotels because they travel with pets, and we’re no different. Our cats Sadie and Muka have accompanied us on almost every trip. Muka crossed the rainbow bridge a few years ago, and now Sadie is our lone feline companion.

Sadie likes her Michigan “home” pillow best.

Making Friends

We are members of the Leisurely Great Lakers, going to our first rally in 2017. We made it to Winkler in 2018, where we took the factory tour, met other owners from across the United States and Canada, and, of course, met Dean!

As most of us know, it’s easy to meet other Leisure owners while on the road. One couple we stay in touch with, and typically meet in Florida, is Bob Freese and Peggy Schaefer. Euchre, anyone?

For us, life is good. See you on the road!