We have traveled extensively (49 states) with our travel trailer, an Elite 18’ manufactured by Oliver in Hohenwald, Tennessee. And we get lots of comments while on the road or through my web site, Two Lane Touring, that are similar to: “Wow, you are doing what we hope to some day just traveling the country and enjoying life.” Or “We have been shopping for an RV can we look at yours it seems great.” Usually both! We enjoy showing the trailer and talking about our travels. But there is an impression that these experiences are somehow divorced from life’s problems. They are not. Bills still have to be paid, illness can occur in a beautiful campground as well as in your own home, and you bring all your life’s baggage right along with the travel maps.
Apart from that, there is the matter of rattling down the highway in your home, the trailer in our case. Now we have had many, many more good days and amazing adventures than bad ones. Many. And even considering all the bad ones, it has been well worth the cost and the occasional aggravation. Or panic. We have met interesting people we would never have met otherwise. We have been to places and stayed longer, often in spectacular locations, that we could not afford in any other venue. Try pricing out 11 weeks in Alaska or 8 days (don’t forget food!) in Yellowstone for example.
However, we are home today in Raleigh instead of hiking in Big Bend National Park because of a catastrophic electrical melt down in the coach. This is the second time in six years and 93,000 miles we have aborted travel and come home. The first was only a short distance from home; because the repair part was not available and we had only a few more days planned, it was not a big deal. This time it is more extensive and expensive occurring 1600 miles from home.
We were in San Antonio, Texas and we lost all power in the trailer. I called a mobile RV repair company and they came and were competent. Both parts of that equation are not always true. They uncovered a mass of burnt and melted wires in the primary bundle that supplies most of the lights and outlets in the trailer. There were also some charred wires at the furnace and, as we found out on our way to Oliver, one of the electric brakes was shorting and causing great heat. It was cut so we could complete the travel and the person that assisted us thought it might be the culprit for the cause of the problems. We were unable to use battery or 110 power, it was very cold at night, and the local shops were already booked three weeks out and longer. Plus Oliver is a relatively unknown company - no one knows where all the wires go. So the decision to drive 1000 miles to Oliver and leave the trailer and then 600 more home to wait for the bad news was easy. Execution was a tough three days.
Over our ownership time here are my remembered (I may have blocked a few memories) issues:
Replaced Sail Switch 3 times (it ignites the furnace)
Brookline, MA
Hot Springs, AK
Hohenwald, TN
Furnace circuit board - replaced in Vermont
“T” fitting for water pump broke on rough roads in Montana - replaced when we entered Canada and then again with a better one in Whitehorse, Canada.
Broken hot water heater - broke when we hit a tire tread from a big truck on the interstate and it smashed into the water heater and cracked the reservoir.
Lost connection to the thermostat (2x)
Fixed in Florida twice
Each of these happened on the road, so you have to find a repair place, get someone to look at your problem, fix it and then pay for it.
You also have maintenance on the road, oil changes on the tow vehicle and wheel bearings repacked on the trailer are regular items. We had a major brake issue in Kenai, Alaska and it was fixed at a truck repair shop.
We have minor things done at home base like gaskets, tires, hoses, faucet, and we do a lot ourselves including upgrades to the trailer. So it is really good to find a shop near your home base to fix things that can wait or be scheduled for repair.
This is not a trouble free way to live - there are none! Our trailer is extraordinary. It is very well made, easy to tow, comfortable in 17 or 97 degrees; it allows us to visit and experience things that we would not be able to do otherwise. It is the systems that are the troublesome issues, not, thankfully, the integrity of the trailer.
This trip was going well, and we were excited to head out to West Texas, NM and AZ. We were met in Texas by Rusty and Janet. They had to change plans as well - their RV is not a good fit for the dirt mountain roads of Big Bend. We are more disappointed that we missed out on two weeks of travel with them.
So is it worth it? YES. We will get this repaired and head back out where we will experience both good and bad days again. And we hope for more good days next time :)
At a camp site on a maple farm in Maine with Rusty and Janet’s rig in the back. Beautiful spot.