Many people dream of taking the leap to a full-time RVing lifestyle however most will wait until after their retirement party to hit the road. My husband and I had the same idea, but after we saw one too many friends not make it to those so-called “golden years,” we thought “Why wait?” We took a full-timing leap of faith in our mid-30s and haven’t looked back.

One of the things we’ve learned to love most about the full-time RVing lifestyle is the excitement that accompanies a change of scenery. Moving day is a thrill, especially if we’ve been stationary for more than a month. But even after eight years on the road, the moment our wheels turn a hundred butterflies start flying around in my stomach as I start to fret about all the “What Ifs?”

What if:

• a tire blows out?
• we run out of fuel?
• a lightening storm fries our electrical system?
• the RV sinks into a mudhole after a long rain storm?

My worries are justified because these things really do happen out there on the road. Experienced full-time RVers will tell you that the lifestyle has a million rewards punctuated by occasional pitfalls that can put the brakes on any new adventure. But since you can’t live your life in fear, you have to hope for the best while preparing for the worst. The way we do this is by sticking to our disaster preparedness plan that includes an adequate cash emergency fund, good full-time RVing insurance, RV warranty coverage and a reputable roadside assistance plan. With these key elements in place we can handle whatever comes our way.

For example, a few weeks ago while traveling through Utah our truck’s “Check Gauges” indicator lit up like a Christmas tree. Since it’s wise to pay attention to any kind of vehicle warning but especially when traveling through triple digit temperatures, we popped the hood and were horrified to discover that nearly all of the engine oil had disappeared from our Dodge diesel truck. Somewhere between California and Utah, nearly 12 quarts of oil spilled out of the engine and much of it already baked onto the front, sides and rear of our fifth wheel.

Anxious to get on with our trip but smart enough not to move the truck another foot, we dialed up the Coach-Net customer hotline and within the hour our pickup was on a flatbed tow truck en route to a Coach Net-approved repair shop. Two days later we left Utah with a repair bill that put a dent in our emergency savings fund, but thanks to our Coach-Net Premiere Towable Plan our diesel engine survived the ordeal because our Dodge was towed instead of driven to the shop.

This wasn’t our first brush with a roadside calamity. From tornado evacuations to tire blowouts, most full-timers like us will endure a few scary experiences that make stationary people wonder why on earth we choose to live on the road. And although it does seem slightly crazy to tow everything you own on the highways of America, the reality is that we don’t worry a whole lot because of the strong emergency preparedness plan we have in place. Every RVer has that option too. From the rooftop air conditioner that can be covered by Coach-Net’s RV Protect Service Agreement, to the roadside assistance plans for every budget, road trippers like us can roam with total peace of mind when Coach-Net is along for the ride.

About the Author:

Rene Agredano, a Coach-Net member since 2015, is a self-employed full-time RVer who enjoys writing, jewelry design and animal advocacy. Her adventures with a three-legged dog and husband Jim are chronicled at LiveWorkDream.com.