Renovations, Roadblocks, and Front Living: A Full-Timer’s Take on Life in a Fifth Wheel

Every Friday night, Sandra and Louis of First Class RV Adventures pull up a virtual campfire to talk with people living the nomadic lifestyle, and this week’s guest brought both heart and hard-won know-how. Rebecca, who blogs as The Glamping Housewife, joined the show to talk about full-timing with her husband Eric, a journeyman lineman whose job keeps them moving — and about the renovation nightmare that turned into one of their proudest projects.

Rebecca and Eric have been on the road together for just over two years. Rebecca works from wherever they park, writing and illustrating a children’s book series called The Adventures of Pooky (named for their real-life dogs) and running her lifestyle blog. Their rig is a 2015 Grand Design Solitude, model 379, a front-living fifth wheel Rebecca describes simply as “a big guy.”

That size came with a costly surprise. Not long after buying the RV, they discovered a leaking rail had sent water pouring down into three of the slides, ruining the flooring underneath. The manufacturer’s help amounted to shipping replacement boards — everything else, Rebecca said, they handled themselves. Rather than treat it purely as a setback, they used the forced repair as a chance to remodel: a revamped living room, a built-in office space where the dining table used to be (complete with custom shelving for Rebecca’s books), and a bedroom refresh still in progress.

Asked what she’d tell someone shopping for a used RV, Rebecca didn’t hesitate: bring a technician along for an inspection before you buy. She and Eric traded in a brand-new unit for their current one specifically because they wanted more space, and she believes the water damage was already there when they purchased it. A thorough RV inspection, she noted, typically runs around $500 and takes a tech about eight hours to complete — cheap insurance against the kind of headache they went through.

The conversation also covered the emotional side of going nomadic. Rebecca’s family had mixed reactions: her mother, who lived close by, wasn’t thrilled about the move, while her father told her to “live your life, do what you got to do, have fun while you’re young.” Rebecca admits she waited until about two weeks before departure to break the news to her mom — who has since come around and now visits them in Florida.

Their route has been anything but fixed. Starting in Ohio, they made their way down to Florida, where Eric’s linework has taken them from the southern part of the state to a five-month stint in the Florida Keys and back again. At the moment, they’re taking a break, with no firm plans for where they’ll head next.

On the money question, Rebecca was candid that Eric’s full-time job is the financial backbone of their travels. On her end, she tried different MLM opportunities early on but found blogging was the better fit — she’s been building The Glamping Housewife for just over a year and is now picking up sponsored posts. She’s also about to launch her first personal development book and a self-discovery and purpose-finding course.

For planning logistics, Rebecca pointed to an app called All Stays Camp and RV (around $10), which maps out camping spots, RV parks, and even gas stations along a route.

Then there was the story that got the most laughs: their very first day arriving in the Keys during snowbird season in February, when they found exactly one available spot in the entire chain of islands — a tight fit for their 43-foot trailer and full-size truck. It took nearly two hours of maneuvering, and help from a stranger who hooked up his own truck, to get the rig into place.

Asked for her best advice to anyone considering the lifestyle, Rebecca kept it simple: just do it. She pointed out that families with kids can homeschool on the road, and that staying in a job you hate “just because” isn’t a good enough reason to stay put. Sandra and Louis echoed the sentiment, noting that overthinking the decision tends to invite doubt — and doubters — in.

Closing the episode, Rebecca reflected on legacy. With eleven nieces and nephews watching her journey, she said she wants to be remembered for inspiring people to live their best and happiest lives — a message she hopes to keep spreading through her blog, her books, and whatever mile marker comes next.