Well, we’ve been at Country Roads for two weeks now, and thankfully we haven’t seen any of the skunks we read about on the rules page. We haven’t seen the coyotes either, although we did hear them one night. As long as I can hear them and not see them, I’m good!
After a couple of weeks here, we’ve really enjoyed the quiet while trying to figure out where we go next.
We also managed to get all of my sewing stuff moved back into Big Bertha’s garage, which means my sewing room is finally back together. Even better, we were able to close out one of our storage units, so we’re back down to just one.
Unfortunately, that one has become a sore subject. After three months, the price more than doubled. There are things in there we simply aren’t ready to let go of, but they also won’t fit in the RV. For now, it’s an expense we have to live with.
Looking for Our Next Stop
We are currently looking for workcamping positions that could start as early as October. One problem we keep running into is finding places with sites large enough for Big Bertha.
At 46 feet long, she creates problems just about everywhere we go.
The site we’re on now is just long enough for Big Bertha and the truck. With fall quickly approaching—and hopefully some cooler temperatures along with it—I would love to finally open the back patio and actually enjoy it.
Believe it or not, in the six months we’ve owned this RV, we’ve only opened the patio once.
And speaking of six months...
Six Months in Big Bertha
I honestly had to stop when I realized it.
We have been living in Big Bertha for six months.
That also means it has been six months since we sold our house and returned to full-time RV living.
We recently drove by our old house and saw some of the changes the new owner has made to the outside. Knowing there have been changes made inside as well brought up feelings I really wasn’t expecting.
I miss our house.
There. I said it.
And lately, I have been experiencing some real remorse over our decision to sell it and return to the RV lifestyle.
Greg and I have talked about the fact that had we known six months ago what we know now about RV life in 2026—and how different it feels from the RV life we experienced in 2016—we may not have sold our house and bought Big Bertha.
That is hard to admit.
RV Life Isn't What We Remember
There isn’t one single thing making us question our decision. It’s a combination of things.
The price of diesel.
The cost of campgrounds.
The difficulty of finding sites large enough for a 46-foot fifth wheel.
And the reality that our first six months haven’t looked anything like what we imagined when we started planning this adventure.
One of the biggest reasons we gave up our home was because I lost my job in September 2025 when federal funding cuts affected my position. A year later, I still haven’t been able to find another job.
My previous position was remote, and our original thought was that I could continue working while we traveled. Had I been able to find another remote position, we could still be living this lifestyle while having that steady income.
Unfortunately, that hasn't happened.
I’ve tried to find ways to replace some of that income through social media, the blog, and other things I enjoy doing. But I also know myself.
I don’t enjoy filming myself all day, and I’m not sure anyone really wants to watch what I do every minute of my everyday life. And the truth is, other than our wonderful trip to Washington, DC, we haven't exactly been traveling nonstop.
We've spent a lot of time sitting.
That doesn't make for the exciting RV lifestyle you often see scrolling across social media.
But maybe this is part of RV life, too.
Would We Do It Again?
That is the question we’ve been asking ourselves lately.
If we could go back six months knowing everything we know today, would we still sell the house and buy Big Bertha?
Right now, I’m not sure we would.
We’ve talked about how we should have done more research before making such a major decision. Maybe we relied too much on our memories of full-time RVing in 2016 and assumed returning to the lifestyle would feel the same.
It doesn't.
We have even discussed the possibility of selling Big Bertha and going back to a traditional home.
Are we going to do that?
I don't know.
And for once, I don't have a plan.
So, Where Do We Go From Here?
That might be the biggest question of all.
We have at least another two weeks here at Country Roads, and we can stay longer if we choose.
When we first arrived, I was a little put off by the warnings about skunks and coyotes and said there was no way we would stay longer than a month. Funny how quickly things can change.
Unless something really good comes along—a workcamping opportunity, a job, or simply a destination that feels right—we may stay here for several months while we figure out exactly what we want our next chapter to look like.
For now, we're taking it one day at a time.
Hello, September
Today is September 1, which means fall is just around the corner.
I am more than ready for cooler nights, changing leaves, open windows, and hopefully finally getting some use out of Big Bertha's patio.
And there is one thing we definitely know how we'll be spending some of our Saturdays.
College football is back!
We're a house divided when football season rolls around. Greg is a Tennessee Volunteers fan, while I'm cheering for Florida State. Tennessee represents the SEC and Florida State the ACC, but somehow we manage to survive football season under the same roof—or in this case, the same 46-foot fifth wheel.
We enjoy watching both teams play, so Saturdays will include plenty of football around here.
As for everything else?
We’re still figuring it out.
Maybe that's the most truthful six-month RV update I can give.
We don't know where we're going next. We don't know whether Big Bertha will still be our home six months from now. We don't know whether a workcamping position or job opportunity will completely change our plans.
But for now, this is where we are.
And sometimes the journey isn't about having the next destination programmed into the GPS. Sometimes it's about sitting still long enough to figure out where you actually want to go.
Now we'd love to hear from you.
What are your plans for the next few months? Are you traveling this fall, settling in somewhere for the season, or spending your Saturdays watching football?
And for our fellow RVers—have you ever experienced regret or second thoughts about choosing this lifestyle? If you're workcamping, we'd also love to hear how you found your position, especially if you travel with a big rig like Big Bertha.
Tell us in the comments. We always enjoy hearing about your experiences, too.
When we found out Big Bertha couldn't be fixed on August 3rd as originally planned, we had to figure out where to stay until our new appointment on the 10th. Since saving money was a priority, we left Hope Hull and headed back to Jennings Ferry in Eutaw, Alabama.
At only $14 per night with our America the Beautiful Pass, it was hard to beat.
We made a reservation for 10 days but ended up leaving on the ninth day so we could move closer to Three Way Campers. Instead of facing a four-hour drive the morning we dropped Big Bertha off, we would only have about 30 minutes to travel.
To say that was a smart decision is an understatement.
Back to Jennings Ferry
Our second stay at Jennings Ferry was just as quiet and enjoyable as the first. We didn't do any exploring this time because the heat was simply unbearable. Sometimes RV life isn't about sightseeing and checking places off a list. Sometimes it's about finding an affordable place to park, staying cool, and waiting for the next part of the journey.
The night before our appointment, we moved to Winding Rivers RV Resort so we would be close to the dealership the following morning. It was a nice resort with several amenities, although we thought the sites were pretty close together. I'll be sharing a separate campground review with more details about our stay.
Big Bertha Finally Goes Into the Shop
We dropped Big Bertha off on August 10th and were told we should have her back on Friday.
On Wednesday, we received an update that one of the decals was messed up and needed to be reordered. They were requesting overnight delivery, and if it arrived Thursday, they could apply it, paint, and still have everything finished by Friday.
I followed up Thursday afternoon to see if the decals had arrived. Luckily, they had ordered three because the first replacement decal was no good either. During that call, I told them we would be there Friday between 3:00 and 4:00 to pick up Big Bertha.
We actually arrived early, only to find out they couldn't finish the buffing because the paint wasn't dry enough.
For the most part, though, the repairs looked good, and Big Bertha was shinier than ever. Most importantly, we finally had complete windows again instead of looking like the Clampetts from The Beverly Hillbillies.
It was definitely nice to see her looking like herself again.
Brand New WindowsPulling Out of Dealership
NEVER Listen to a Dealership
We were given two choices: take Big Bertha and come back Monday so they could finish the job, or stay overnight on-site and let them finish Saturday morning.
We were told the remaining work would take about 1 to 1½ hours.
We chose to stay.
Saturday morning, someone knocked on our door before 9:00 and told us they would be picking up the RV in about 10–15 minutes. I told them we would be ready.
We were out of the RV and sitting in the truck in no time.
Then we waited.
And waited.
It was another hour before they finally pulled Big Bertha into the bay.
After noon, we were told that the 1–1½ hour job was actually going to take three to four hours. At that point, we decided to leave and get some lunch.
We were gone less than 30 minutes.
When we returned, there sat Big Bertha, finished and waiting for us to hook up.
Apparently, she was as ready to get out of there as we were.
If there is one thing I've learned through this entire experience, it is to take dealership timelines with a very large grain of salt. Too often we've been told what someone thought we wanted to hear instead of being given realistic expectations.
And I'm not basing that opinion solely on what happened this particular weekend. It comes from our overall experience with this dealership since the day we purchased Big Bertha.
Let's just say that if I knew then what I know now, I would have made a different decision about where we purchased our RV.
Thankfully, the repairs themselves looked good, our windows were finally whole again, and it was time to put this chapter behind us.
A Few Days Without the RV
While Big Bertha was in the shop, we headed to Florida to spend a few days with my mom. It was nice having that time with her, but by Friday we were both more than ready to get back to our own bed.
We headed out before 8:00 Friday morning because we had about a six-hour drive back to the dealership.
Of course, there was one stop I had to make along the way.
Priester's Pecans in Fort Deposit, Alabama.
I stop there every chance I get, although I probably wasn't thinking this particular purchase through very well. It's not quite pecan season yet, so I'm pretty sure the pecans I bought were from last year's crop.
Did that stop me from buying them?
Of course not.
Back to Tennessee
Once Big Bertha was finally ready to roll on Saturday, we pointed the truck toward Tennessee.
We found Country Roads RV Park in Decatur and decided to stay for a month. One of our biggest priorities while we're here is getting my sewing room put back together.
Before taking Big Bertha in for repairs, we removed probably 90% of my sewing and quilting supplies from the garage to storage because the service center needed access to the windows. Now everything has to go back into its place.
I am more than ready.
It has been so long since I've sewn anything that I think I'm past the withdrawal stage at this point.
Once everything is unpacked and my sewing area is functional again, the big question will be:
Which project do I start first?
The answer is still undecided.
Where Are We Headed Next?
That's a very good question.
Originally, we thought we might stay at Country Roads for a couple of months. After reading through all of the park information and rules, however, we decided one month might be plenty.
One warning tells guests not to feed the skunks.
Another warns us to beware of coyotes.
With our four-legged babies, neither of those possibilities sounds particularly appealing.
So, once our month here is up, we'll be moving on again.
Where?
We haven't decided yet.
And maybe that's one of the best—and occasionally most frustrating—parts of this lifestyle. Sometimes we know exactly where we're headed months in advance, and other times we're figuring it out as we go.
For now, we're going to enjoy having Big Bertha back, get everything moved into the RV again, put my sewing room back together, and hopefully enjoy a little downtime before it's time to hitch up and head toward our next destination.
Wherever that turns out to be.
Thanks for following along on our journey. There's always another campground, another road, and apparently another RV-life lesson waiting around the corner.
After leaving Hawkins Pointe on July 23, we headed toward Louisiana to spend some much-needed time with my family. Before reaching our destination, we made a couple of stops along the way.
Our first stop was Jennings Ferry Campground in Eutaw, Alabama. As a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campground, Jennings Ferry was the perfect overnight stop. The grounds were immaculate, and it was obvious the volunteer hosts take great pride in keeping the park clean and beautifully maintained.
We chose a pull-through site (#40) that was long enough for not only Big Bertha but also our truck, with room to spare. We arrived on a rainy afternoon after driving through rain for most of the day. Driving in the rain meant breaking one of our personal RV rules, as we prefer not to travel in wet weather whenever possible. But one thing we’ve learned is that flexibility is one of the most important rules of RV life.
The campground was incredibly quiet and peaceful, providing a much-needed break from all the noise we had left behind in Chattanooga.
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Sign at the entrance of Jennings FerryThe view from another campspot!The entrance into Jennings FerryBig Bertha in #40Big Bertha @ Jennings Ferry
The following day we headed to Mississippi for a Harvest Hosts stay that I had been looking forward to for over a month. Every review I had read and every photo I had seen made it look like an amazing place. It certainly lived up to those expectations—except for one thing that no one seemed to mention, it is not big-rig friendly.
Getting Big Bertha through the entrance gate and parked turned out to be one of the most stressful arrivals we’ve experienced so far.
To make it through the gate, we actually had to remove the arm from the keypad and drive into the grass. When you combine a 46-foot fifth wheel with a long-bed dually truck, you need a lot of room to maneuver, and this entrance simply wasn’t designed for a rig our size. In hindsight, a sharper approach might have helped, but I have no desire to test that theory again.
Unfortunately, the challenges didn’t end there.
Once inside, the parking area next to the building and patio didn’t provide enough space to turn our rig around. What followed was a long series of pulling forward, backing up, turning, pulling forward again, and repeating the process over and over. It was beyond stressful. Eventually, I allowed one of the hosts, after they volunteered to help, to back our rig into the parking spot because Greg had reached his limit, and honestly, so had I.
It wasn’t until two days later that we discovered we had damaged the corner of the RV and dented the truck’s tailgate. We’re assuming it happened while we were squeezing through the entrance gate and dragging the front landing gear through the rocks.
Needless to say, I hope we never find ourselves in that situation again and the main reason I book pull-through sites.
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Big Bertha @ MS Harvest HostsView of Yard @ MS Harvest HostsHummingbird @ MS Harvest Hosts
Once we were finally parked and settled in, it really was a lovely place to spend the next two days while exploring Laurel, Mississippi—the hometown of HGTV’s Home Town stars Erin and Ben Napier. Since we visited on a Saturday, we didn’t expect to see either of them, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying everything the town had to offer.
One of our first stops was Scotsman General Store, where Ben’s brother, Scott, films portions of the show. They have strict rules about no photography or video while filming is taking place, which we completely respected. The store was filled with handcrafted items, and I couldn’t leave without buying a jar of muscadine jelly. It had been years since I’d had any, and since it doesn’t require much storage space, it was an easy addition to our RV pantry.
We also visited the Laurel Mercantile, where several of Erin’s paintings and other artwork were on display. To be honest, it wasn’t quite what I had expected, but it was still worth the visit.
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Scotsman General Store, Laurel, MSBen's Chevy in front of his storeLaurel Mercantile, MississippiLaurel, MSBlue truck beside Laurel MercantileLaurel Mercantile, MS
One of the highlights of our time in Laurel was a golf cart tour with Laurel Home Tours. Our guide was a lifelong local who shared stories about the town’s history while pointing out many of the homes featured on Home Town. Hearing the stories behind the homes and the people who live there gave us a much deeper appreciation for the community.
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House featured on Home TownHouse featured on Home TownHouse featured on Home TownYard Decorations at house in Laurel, MS
Of course, we couldn’t leave without stopping at the famous Pearl’s Diner, owned by Miss Pearl, who has also appeared on the show. Her former home has since been turned into an Airbnb, along with several other homes featured throughout the series.
The food was delicious, but the macaroni and cheese deserves a special mention. It was honestly some of the best I’ve ever eaten.
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Miss Pearl'sMiss Pearl's Menu
On Sunday, we continued south on I-59 toward Breaux Bridge, just outside Lafayette, Louisiana. The roads bounced us around for much of the drive, but finally getting to see my daughter and grandchildren made everything we had gone through over the previous few days completely worth it.
The only thing that wasn’t worth it was the heat.
Louisiana in July is no joke. Temperatures hovered in the upper 90s every day, and with the heat index well into the 100s, it was almost unbearable. This Tennessee girl is definitely not accustomed to that kind of heat, and it took a toll on both Greg and me.
Our first evening was spent at the campground, where the kids enjoyed the aqua park while we relaxed after several long travel days. We called it an early night because we were completely exhausted.
The rest of our visit was exactly what we had hoped for—fishing, swimming, time at the aqua park, and celebrating my youngest grandson’s 12th birthday.
The time I get to spend with my kids and grandkids is never enough, but I cherish every minute we have together and make the most of it.
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Aqua Park at Poche'sAqua Park at Poche'sFamily FishingBig Bertha at our siteFamily FishingLake view at Poche'sThe Family FishingView of Big Bertha across the pondSignage at Poche's
Now it’s time to point Big Bertha back toward Georgia, where we are hoping she will finally get the repairs she’s been waiting for since our windows and body were damaged back in June.
Sometimes the road isn’t smooth, and not every stop goes according to plan. But even the stressful days become part of the story, and in the end, the time spent with family makes every mile worthwhile.
As we prepared Big Bertha for our very first travel day, we thought we had done an excellent job securing everything inside the RV. Cabinets were latched. Drawers were locked. Loose items were tucked away.
Everything was ready.
Well...
Almost everything.
There was one exception.
One very heavy sewing cabinet.
It had locking wheels, and before leaving we talked about tying it down.
Then we convinced ourselves it would be fine.
After all, it was heavy.
It wasn't going anywhere.
Famous last words.
Not long after getting on the road, Paisley began voicing her opinion about this whole RV travel thing. She meowed... and meowed... and then meowed some more.
After about an hour, we decided to pull over and check on everyone.
We had read that many people allow their cats to ride inside the RV while traveling, and that most eventually curl up on the bed and sleep through the drive. We figured we'd give Paisley a chance to see if she'd settle down.
What happened after that is anyone's guess.
We don't have cameras inside the RV, so your theory is as good as ours.
But when we opened the door...
Our hearts sank.
The sewing cabinet we had decided not to tie down had tipped completely over.
It had crashed into the patio door, scratching the glass and breaking the hardware that secures the door to the floor.
Our "it'll be fine" decision had officially become our first expensive lesson.
Of course, because it was completely loaded with sewing supplies, fabric, and who knows what else, standing it back up wasn't exactly easy.
It felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.
Eventually we wrestled it upright, secured it properly this time, made sure Paisley was comfortable, and climbed back into the truck.
Lesson learned.
Tie.
Down.
Everything.
Even the things you're convinced won't move.
Thankfully, our travel day itself was intentionally short.
Back when we traveled full-time the first time, we learned something important about ourselves—we're not interested in driving from sunrise until sunset.
These days we plan shorter travel days, usually around 200 to 250 miles, and prefer arriving between 2:00 and 3:00 in the afternoon.
Setting up camp is so much easier when you can actually see what you're doing.
For this first day, our destination was only 228 miles away, about a three to three-and-a-half-hour drive.
That gave us plenty of time to deal with unexpected surprises... like runaway sewing cabinets.
Our destination that evening would be something new for us.
Our very first Harvest Hosts stay.
And thankfully, the rest of the day went much better than the first hour.
Or at least that's another story for the next chapter.
Lessons We Learned on Day One
Tie down everything, even if you think it can't move.
Expect the unexpected.
Traveling with pets takes patience.
Shorter travel days make stressful moments much easier to handle.
The best travel stories usually begin with something going wrong.
