Will I Be Keeping Laverne?

While on our latest adventure the girls and I had a lot of time to talk and visit about how our lives are changing.  With one heading off to college in August and another one starting high school and looking forward to learning to drive and get her first job there is still a lot of change ahead of us.  We had a lot of time to think and talk about our futures as we headed to southern California, including me.

I have shared with you before that I want to travel and live on the road the first few years, once I retire.  It has come to me that the type of traveling I plan to do may not be conducive to having a motorhome.  I really like to get off the beaten path and explore and many of those places do not allow me to get there in a motorhome.

She drives like a dream

Another concern I have is that she would struggle with hills and, due to the weight, steep grades, especially downhill, could be problematic.  I'm a very anxious traveler and as I driving up to Virginia City and coming back from Lake Tahoe it occurred to me that if I was in Laverne I would be an absolute nervous wreck.  I don't want to be a nervous wreck.  The reality is that I have far more fears than most people, but it is my reality.

Navigating tight spaces to try and get in and out of the places I want to visit or having to not go at all due to fear I wouldn't be able to get there or would get stuck isn't at all how I want to travel either.  I don't want to be limited in where I can go.

Another thing, and I have to be realistic, is that despite the fact that Laverne is in excellent condition, she is over 30 years old and I'm not a mechanic.  You can't completely protect yourself from a possible breakdown regardless of what age your rig is, but a newer mode of transportation would give me more confidence when heading into an isolated location where cell service might not be available.

Lastly, I have been crunching the numbers and RV life will be more expensive than other alternatives (although a whole lot less than my current living situation).  Especially when it comes to fuel.  One more thing I don't want to worry about is having enough fuel when I head out on my adventures and stressing out between gas stations.  Having a more fuel efficient option would allow me to go further, visit more places and keep it financially more manageable.  That could mean more years on the road!  And travel outside of the country as well!!

So I've been giving this a lot of thought and I'm beginning to think it might be wise to sell the motorhome to someone who wants to really use it and get myself something else that will better fit the lifestyle I'm wanting to live.  I'm researching and looking at a lot of other options.  I think I have an idea of what will work better for me and allow me to do all the things I want to do as well as help me to do so with a lot less anxiety.

I've got oodles of ideas swirling around in my head.  Lots more research to do and a ton of work ahead of me as well.  I'm getting excited with some of the ideas I'm coming up with as well as the projects this venture would entail.

The decision to part with Laverne is bittersweet.  I've put a lot of work into her and she is a pretty sweet vintage motorhome.  I love her and I've done a ton of daydreaming about my life with her.  I even started outfitting her for my life on the road.  It has been a really hard decision to make.