Top 10 Reasons Why We RV Full-Time

Posted on April 18, 2019 by Dan+Yi

“Why do you do this?” – a question we get asked often when people learn that we live and travel full-time in our RV. It’s easy to immediately think of the things we gave up. We had a spacious Jersey City apartment with a walk-in closet, washer/dryer, and dishwasher, a law firm job in Manhattan, the picturesque park down the block, and the corner deli where we could get Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese sandwiches (a Jersey staple) whenever we wanted.

But when we reflected on our life, we realized that although we were happy, we always dreamed of a more meaningful life together with more time, more experience, and more freedom. Despite all the inertia and deeply instilled risk aversion tugging us to stay the course, we knew that what we stood to gain from breaking out of our old routine far outweighed the conventional comforts we’d be leaving behind. We simply couldn’t deny the call of the open road any longer.

Today is Day 250 since we embarked on our new life, and we wanted to reflect on those key reasons that compelled us to take a giant leap of faith back in August of last year. Here is our Top 10 list (in no particular order) of why we RV:

1. More quality time

We wanted more quality time with each other, beyond just evenings and weekends. Practically speaking, we’re young, energetic, newly married, and don’t have kids yet, so we saw this as the perfect opportunity to maximize our time together. RV life has allowed us to spend pretty much every day together and nurture our relationship.

2. More time outdoors

Before moving into Samwise, we both spent the vast majority of our time indoors. Whether it was in a windowless office or in the apartment, our weekdays were not vitamin D heavy, to say the least. At the end of a long day or week, it was often the default to just curl up on the big comfy couch and loaf. We wanted to be more physical and spend more time outdoors. Living in an RV connects us to the outdoors all the time, as our home naturally extends to the space outside. Whether it’s a short walk around our campground or a full day exploring a national park, our new default has become spending time outside in nature.

3. More time to create

Before, we found ourselves almost exclusively consuming content rather than creating. Of course, we still love to watch our favorite shows, movies, and everything else, but we’ve become more thoughtful about our habits. Now we can devote significantly more time to finding and creating with our own voice. We’ve also exchanged a lot of time doing routine things like commuting every day with a dynamic life that regularly introduces us to new places, scenery, and communities. This helps keep our minds stimulated and inspired to keep creating.

4. Experience this country

As Americans who both grew up in the small state of NJ, we have always shared a passion to experience our big country to the fullest extent possible. By RVing, we can visit more of America’s vibrant cities, spectacular national parks, small historic towns, and see all the corn fields, wind farms, and giant roadside dinosaur statues in between. We’re privileged to call such a massive and diverse land our home. We want to take full advantage of that by seeing and living it for ourselves – to truly understand our culture and find the familiar in far-flung places across all 50 states.

5. Collect experiences, not stuff

Yi caught onto the Minimalism and Marie Kondo’s tidying movements many years ago (before it was cool). So we’d already made an effort to downsize our possessions and keep only those we really value – those that “spark joy.” When we reduced physical clutter, we also made room for ourselves mentally and emotionally, allowing us to focus more on seeking and appreciating new experiences. Moving into Samwise took us to the next level. Even in a 30ft RV, our space is very limited. We try to keep only the essentials, things that serve a purpose and spark joy – looking at you multi-position ladder! We used to collect commemorative magnets when we traveled to new places, but now we focus on collecting the precious memories.

6. Living our values

We’ve always seen ourselves as adventurous people who get out there and try new things. But we wanted to walk the walk, and exchanging our Jersey City apartment for an RV allowed us to do that. When your home has wheels, you’re constantly setting out a course to something new and encouraging yourself to not fall into the routine. We also hope to impart these values onto our kids one day, and draw on this experience to encourage them to be curious, bold, and open-minded. We want to teach them to be unafraid of taking calculated risks, embracing adventure, and appreciating all that the world has the offer.

7. Freedom to live and work how we want

We now live in a hyper-connected digital economy, and we wanted to take advantage of this shift in the world to free ourselves from the traditional office and daily commute. Through living it, we hoped to prove that a rewarding career and work life doesn’t always have to be tethered to a neatly defined path. You can forge your own personal mission and path by doing what you love. We value the ability to be location-independent, and RV life has given us the flexibility to work from anywhere and truly shape our work life by doing what excites us.

8. Freedom to be at home anywhere we go

This one might be a little self-explanatory. We have a home that moves with us, so no matter where we move, we still feel at home. But it’s not just the physical aspect of taking everything to new places – it’s the feeling of being at home in Samwise and by extension, feeling at home in our new community. Over these past 250 days, we’ve been home in states as far as North Dakota, Utah, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, Arizona, and more. We’ve lived in the mountains, the desert, the plains, and the coasts. RV life gives us the steady comfort of home with each exciting new environment.

9. Freedom to express ourselves

The RV lifestyle has allowed us to define our lives and put our voice out there. This goes hand in hand with #3 (more time to create) – now we have the freedom to be creative and expressive. Instead of just watching travel videos, or reading others’ posts, or watching movie reviews, we create those things. We experience, travel to awe-inspiring places, and learn how to create videos and blog about the things we’re interested in and our experiences. We’re challenging ourselves to learn new skills. Trying something new can be frustrating at times, but the reward is ultimately getting to express our own voice.

10. Freedom to live intentionally

For us, that means being intentional from our everyday decisions to how we plan for the future. RV life teaches us to be more conscious as consumers, to set goals for ourselves that align with our values, and to not let toxic notions of success – that our personal worth is tied to the size of our paycheck or job title – derail us from the life we want to live. No one laid out the RV life for us. We had to go out and get it. Planning and executing on this dream has liberated us to really define our own path going forward, whatever that might be.

How to Find RV Campgrounds and Save Money!

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Dan+Yi

There are a lot of campgrounds. In the age of Google, it’s natural to want to pick the “best” of anything because we have more information and reviews than ever about almost everything. This process for camps can become overwhelming – sifting through all the options and considering variables like location, price, amenities, and type of site. When full-timing, the planning becomes a constant part of life, especially when moving at a faster pace. For this reason, it’s important to find ways to streamline the process and use discount clubs when you can. Here’s the way I’ve approached finding and booking campgrounds.

There are several prominent discount clubs: Good Sam, KOA, Passport America, Thousand Trails, Harvest Hosts, and others. We decided to join two of these, and we have not felt the need to join another one yet.

First, we joined Good Sam because it was relatively cheap for a robust set of benefits, including 10% off of campgrounds and 5 cents off per gallon at Pilot/Flying J. Right now, membership runs at only $29 per year or cheaper if you join for more than a year.

Second, we joined Passport America because it offered a steeper discount for participating camps at 50%, and it was only a bit pricier at $44 per year. It doesn’t boast other benefits and has a more limited selection of camps, which often have day and date restrictions, but with 50% off it can pay for itself in just one stay. We’ve already saved hundreds of dollars using these memberships since we started full-timing in August.

I always start my camp search by checking Passport America’s site. You can’t beat 50% off! I will simply click on each campground in the target area mapped to open in a new tab, then quickly scan the “Important Campground Notes” for each to determine if there are any restrictions that knock out an option, such as blackout dates. If there are any options left, I will then look at the camps’ websites and search for reviews on Google and sites like Campendium. I will also check Good Sam to see if they have ratings and reviews for the camps. Amenities and types of sites can also differentiate them. Does the camp have a pool, hot tub, lounge, larger sites, back in sites, pull through sites, picnic tables, etc, and do the prices match what they are offering? If a camp looks good, my search will end there, and we’ll happily enjoy our 50% off!

Colorado Heights Camping Resort, Monument, CO (Passport America)

If I don’t find anything on Passport America, then I will visit Good Sam and use their “Find a Campground” feature, filtering for only Good Sam parks where we can use the 10% discount. Good Sam camps don’t have as many restrictions as Passport America, so you don’t really have to worry about blackout dates, but keep in mind that some camps, like many in the Phoenix area, do have age restrictions (usually 55+ only). I will go through a similar process with the Good Sam options, looking at the camps’ websites and reviews on Good Sam, Google, Campendium, and other sites, and comparing amenities and pricing.

Winding River Resort, Grand Lake, CO (Good Sam)

Sometimes camps also offer their own discounts, such as weekly or monthly rates, that are better than the club discounts, but the memberships can still point you in the right direction. For example, we stayed a week in Moab at ACT campground, which at that time was honoring Passport America for one night only. Instead, they let me know that for a weeklong stay at the full rate, the 7th night was free. We took advantage of this discount instead!

ACT Campground, Moab, UT (Passport America)

I’ve found that utilizing these club memberships has circumscribed the camp search and helped deal with some of the choice paralysis when traveling to areas with plentiful selection. And obviously the savings don’t hurt either! Take a look at Good Sam, Passport America, and some of the others I mentioned above to see what suits you, and get out there!

Happy Trails,

Dan

Canyonlands National Park: Explore and Learn

Posted on October 25, 2018 by Dan+Yi

Spend a few minutes with us exploring and learning about Canyonlands National Park and the nearby Dead Horse Point State Park!

And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!

How to Establish Residency in South Dakota as a Full-time Traveler

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Dan+Yi

With midterm elections just around the corner, we thought it timely to dedicate a post to explaining how we became residents and registered voters in our new home state of South Dakota. This will also answer the oft-made questions: how do you get mail and do you even have an address?

“The address is wherever it is parked” – Ron Swanson
Parks and Recreation, Season 6, Episode 3

South Dakota is one of a few key states that many full-timers call home (Texas and Florida being the others). Choosing South Dakota was a no-brainer for us. Our connection to the state started back in 2012 when we visited the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore on our first road trip. That trip and our time in the state made such an impact on our relationship that we decided to double down and get married there in 2017. On top of that, it made sense logistically since we were taking a northern route across the country to Seattle at the outset of our full-time journey.

Dan+Yi circa 2017
(photo credit: Henry Roy Photography)

South Dakota explicitly allows and facilitates full-time travelers to become residents and voters and has these great perks:

No state income tax
Relatively low vehicle registration fees
Relatively low cost of insurance
You only have to return to the state once every five years to renew your license (though we think it’s worth spending more time there!)

Our mail forwarding service / home address

Very appropriate gear sold at the DakotaPost office

As a lawyer, I consumed many articles and videos on how to establish residency as a remote traveler to make sure everything we did was above board. From my research and experience having completed the process, I will try to boil it all down into as straightforward a list as possible. The steps we took were as follows:

Mail Forwarding: Sign up for a mail forwarding service in the state.
1. We chose DakotaPost, a well established business based in Sioux Falls, where we would also be able to take care of the other to-dos on this list. (Please mention that “Dan and Yi” referred you if you sign up!)
2. In addition to completing and emailing the DakotaPost forms, you also need to complete and have notarized USPS Form 1583, and mail it to DakotaPost, 3916 N. Potsdam Ave., Sioux Falls, S.D. 57104.
3. DakotaPost provides the Private Mail Box (PMB) address, receives our mail at their facility, and forwards it to us upon request wherever we choose. We elected the Virtual Mailbox option, so they scan the outside of each piece of mail and we can view through an online portal to request shredding of unwanted junk and request mail when we actually receive something we need.
One Night Stay Requirement: Stay at least one night at a hotel/motel/RV park/campground in the state and keep the receipt showing your name(s), your new South Dakota PMB address, and the address where you stayed.
1. We stayed at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park of Sioux Falls on a Thursday night and completed the residency process on Friday.
Driver’s License: Obtain driver’s licenses at the Department of Public Safety (DPS) Driver’s License Station (similar to the DMV) with the required documentation.
1. We used the following documents:
  1. Social security cards (original documents, no photocopies)
  2. U.S. passports (original documents, no photocopies)
  3. Completed Residency Affidavit (provided and completed at DPS)
  4. Receipt from #2 above as proof of one night stay within the last year
  5. One document, no more than one year old, proving your personal mailbox (PMB) service address (DakotaPost provided this document to us)
  6. Prior state licenses to surrender
2. The DPS was actually pretty efficient, and we were in and out with our new South Dakota driver’s licenses (Mt. Rushmore watermark and all) in about an hour.
3. You can also elect to register to vote on the DPS forms. We did this, but then had to call to correct our voter registration later. While your driver’s license will have your PMB forwarding address, your voter registration must use the physical address of the hotel/camp where you stayed. To avoid this issue, you can simply register to vote at the Minnehaha County Auditor’s office (more below).
4. Sioux Falls DPS is located at 2501 W Russell St, Sioux Falls, SD 57104.
Vehicle Registration: Register vehicles and obtain plates at the Minnehaha County Treasurer’s Office with required documentation.
1. The requirements differ depending on how long you have owned your vehicle. We had owned both our car and RV for more than six months, so we used:
  1. Title
  2. Completed Vehicle Registration form for each vehicle
  3. Documentation of Unloaded Vehicle Weight for the RV
    1. We called Winnebago Support at 1-800-537-1885, and they emailed us the documentation the same day (don’t forget to print this out).
  4. Tax Payment Verification (basically an affidavit stating how much tax you paid to the state where you purchased the vehicle)
  5. Payment in cash, credit (nominal fee), or cashier’s check/money order (no personal checks)
2. For brand new vehicles and those owned less than 6 months, you also need other documents. DakotaPost provides a breakdown and relevant forms (note that we did not use all of these, and some forms may not apply to your situation).
3. You will be provided with new plates and a receipt, and your new title will be mailed to you within six weeks.
4. Minnehaha County Treasurer is located at 415 N Dakota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104.
Voter Registration: Once you’ve obtained your SD driver’s license, simply fill out the Voter Registration Form and submit it to the County Auditor.
1. Be sure to use the physical address of the hotel/camp where you stayed (not your PMB address).
2. Minnehaha County Auditor is also located at 415 N Dakota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 (same address as the Treasurer).
VOTE!
1. Assuming you are not going to be present in the state for an election, request an absentee ballot by mailing the Absentee Ballot Application along with a copy of your South Dakota driver’s license to the County Auditor.
2. Visit the South Dakota Secretary of State’s official page for more information about voter registration and absentee voting.

There is so much that goes into transitioning to full-time travel life. I hope this post can help you get on your way! What are you waiting for?

Happy Trails,

Dan

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