Over the years, people have asked us, "What is it like living every day in a motorhome?" I usually reply, "Just like living in a stick house with wheels."

My wife, Diane, and I are accustomed to the full-time RV lifestyle now, but it did take some time to adjust. The first year of travel had its moments — starting with the decision to sell our house and hit the road.

Downsizing from our large Somerdale, New Jersey, home to a 300-square-foot motorcoach was exciting, emotional and costly. We knew it was a major lifestyle change consistent with unknown adventures and challenges, but we had to make difficult decisions of what personal "stuff" to keep in storage and what to sell or give away.

Once we got on the road daily without any schedule, I began to feel a little guilty while watching thousands of people driving to work. Here we were without a care in the world driving to our next fun destination, while hundreds of strained, worried faces passed us by.

Homesickness was also a regular part of our weekly emotions. A feature of our lifestyle was being apart from our children and grandchildren, which was difficult. We would not be a part of their everyday lives, and we would miss significant school events, birthday parties and family holiday get-togethers.

This plagued Diane more than me, but I had my moments of loneliness and doubt. I question whether we would have gone to this lifestyle without the advantages of modern-day technology.

The close quarters of a motorhome will test a couple's strength and spirit for one another.


Our day-to-day living in our first coach was an exciting time, and we thoroughly enjoyed being on the open road. Still, it was a year of learning and adapting to a new lifestyle, and we had our fair share of challenges.

The motorhome put us in immediate contact with each other 24 hours a day. Diane and I needed to learn anew how to live together so closely and intimately. During the first six months of full-timing, many couples just can't tolerate living together so closely, and they need their space. It will test your strength and spirit for one another.

In a stick house, there are rooms. A couple can actually separate for a period of time. In a motorhome, it isn't that easy.

One of Diane's pleasures while living in our house was being able to have a moment alone. She would lock herself in the bathroom and just soak in warm, bubbly water and forget all the troubles of the real world, if only for 30 minutes.

In a motorhome, there are no provisions or room for a bathtub, and its loss can be emotionally wanting and disturbing. Subsequently, we would stop periodically at a hotel, basically to satisfy Diane's yearning for a hot bath.

Many times during our first year, new and different sensations would surface that would create a conflict with old beliefs. Yet the excitement of what's over the next hill or what could be around the next turn kept us rolling with anticipation and enthusiasm.