Tag Archives: Quick Pics

Interstate Rest Areas TX to FL – Not Just Any Pit Stop!

Posted on by
6

We spent the last few days zipping along the interstates from Texas to Florida, and one of the biggest surprises has been the impressive rest areas in these states. These aren’t just ordinary pit stops with yucky old bathrooms. These are scenic parks with entertainment for all ages!

We first took notice of these incredible motorist havens at the Navarro Rest Area on I-45 in Texas. The building was very stately, and the history exhibits inside were worthy of a museum. Heck, even the bathrooms were elegantly decorated with really nice tile!

Texas Rest Area building on I-10

Navarro Rest Area building on I-45 in Texas

Outside there was a fantastic playground for kids that would make any community or school jealous. Further south on I-45, the Walker County Rest Area had an equally impressive playground (gotta give those kids a REST!). Inside, the history exhibits told the whole history of Texas.

Texas Interstate Rest Area Playground and picnic area

Mom and dad can relax after driving while the kids burn off some energy.

History exhibits in a Texas rest area on I-10

Go inside a rest area building and find — a museum exhibit featuring Sam Houston!

Behind the grand rest area building there was a beautiful pond!

Nature walk and pond in Texas

A pretty pond…at a rest area?!

Texas isn’t the only state with impressive rest areas. Driving east on I-10, an early morning stop at the Vinton rest area in Louisiana proved to be a fabulous opportunity for taking photos. It was located next to a large pond, and morning mist hovered in the air like a thick blanket.

Morning mist in a Louisiana rest area on I-10

Morning mist rises at the Vinton Rest Area in Louisiana.

A local fisherman suddenly showed up and began casting his line. Who knew a freeway rest area could double as a local fishing hole?!

Fisherman at Vinton Welcome Center in Louisiana

Locals come to this rest area to fish!

Louisiana is the beginning of alligator country for eastbound travelers. When we saw a warning sign at this rest area, we knew we had left the west far behind!

Alligator sign

Beware of alligators!

What a surprise it was later to find that this rest areas (which is technically a “Welcome Center”) has reviews on TripAdvisor!!

When we arrived in Mississippi we stopped at their first rest area and were given an incredibly warm southern welcome. I was offered a cup of coffee by some very lovely ladies at least five times! Outside, the flowering trees were in glorious bloom.

Welcome to Mississippi

Welcome to Mississippi Rest Area on I-10

Mississippi Rest Area and Welcome Center

Some of these rest areas make good overnight stops. Several were laid out like campgrounds with spacious individual sites for the weary, and a few had RV dump stations too. All had free wifi.

Mississippi Welcome Center rest area on I-10

A truly restful rest area at the Mississippi Welcome Center.

This “supersizing” of rest areas seems to be spreading east from Texas, and apparently Alabama is making every effort to keep up with its neighbors. When we got to their rest area it was closed for renovation — and the project looked immense!

We finally arrived in the Sunshine State yesterday, and Florida lived up to her motto and gave us blue skies. She also lived up to her reputation as a vacation destination when we walked into the building to find a party atmosphere. We were each handed a cup of cold Florida orange juice, and we found ourselves surrounded by families with kids. All of them seemed to be headed to Disney or the beach. There were props for photo ops with astronauts and beach scenes, and there were displays and games galore.

Greetings from Florida

I-10 travelers get into the vacation spirit at Florida’s rest areas!

We noticed one family messing with a video display, and suddenly realized they were getting a pic of themselves overlaid on a Florida backdrop that they could email or share on Facebook right from there. It was a selfie photo station!!

We had to try it too! We chose the sand castle backdrop with the bucket of water spilling on our heads. We hit the button for the pic, and then entered our email address. Bingo — it emailed us a Florida vacation brag pic!

My Florida Vacation selfie photo visitflorida.com

A Florida selfie courtesy of…an I-10 rest area!

Mark found the “Florida Recharging Station,” a bright yellow beach chair to get you in the mood for sunshine and beaches.

Florida welcome center recharging station

Mark checks out the “Florida Recharging Station”

By the time we left that Florida I-10 rest area we felt like we were on vacation!

We drove straight to the beach on the Emerald Coast, past all the surf shops and spring breakers at the bars. It sure didn’t take long for us to get into the swing of things on the beach, what with happy kids and grownups playing in the waves all around us, and savvy seagulls eyeing us up for snacks.

Seagulls at Pensacola Beach Florida

At the beach we are greeted by Florida’s REAL welcoming committee!!

We kicked off our shoes, and took a walk in the pure white sand next to the crashing surf. Wow! It felt so great to be in shorts again!!

On the beach in Florida

Ahhh… Florida! This is the best kind of rest area!

It was a long drive, the weather in Texas took us from freezing to dripping wet, and the terrible roads in Louisiana sent us flying (truly, the rig was airborne at one point!), but the southern hospitality at the rest areas helped us recover, and the sunrise this morning was totally worth it!!

Sunrise at a Florida beach

Florida sunrise.

Subscribe
Never miss a post — it’s free!

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the top MENU above.

Related Posts:

Casita Travel Trailers – Lots of RV in a Tiny Package

Posted on by
8

We have always admired the little travel trailers made by Casita, and two days ago, while buzzing down the freeway between Dallas and Houston, we both did a double-take when we saw a slew of them lined up on the side of the road. A huge sign above them said “Casita Travel Trailers.”

We had no idea these wonderful trailers were made in Texas! What a perfect opportunity to check them out and get a factory tour.

Casita Travel Trailers

Look! It’s Casita Travel Trailers!!

We turned our buggy around and somehow squeezed it into their front lot (which is just the right size for Casitas), and jumped out to prowl around the lot. There were dozens of brand new Casitas lined up, and each one had an owner’s name printed on a window sticker.

Casita travel trailer on the dealer lot

These are very solid and well made little trailers.

When we poked our heads in the door of the building, there was a flurry of activity going on inside. At least three couples were walking in and out of the four trailers on the showroom floor, and several sales people were in cubicles along the walls, filling out order forms and finalizing the paperwork for trailers being picked up. These things are Popular!!

Casita Travel Trailers front door

Casita Travel Trailers World Headquarters

“Feel free to look around,” a saleswoman named Carla told us. “I can give you a factory tour in a few minutes after I sign off the paperwork for a couple that just came in to pick up their new Casita.”

Casita trailer showroom

There were four trailers on the showroom floor, and we admired every one!

Casitas are sweet little trailers that are extremely well built. They range from 13′ to 17′ in exterior length end-to-end. “Our 13′ model gets the most inquiries,” she said, “but most people end up buying the 17′ model.”

17 foot Casita Trailer interior

The Freedom model has two captains chairs

There are four interior plans for the 16′ and 17′ models, and several have a king bed option! The Freedom model has two captains chairs and looked really inviting. “That model gets a lot of interest,” Carla told us when she joined us a few minutes later, “But most people end up buying a different floorplan because those chairs are a little impractical.” I sure liked her straight forward approach!

17 foot Casita Freedom Travel Trailer

Some models have furniture that folds into a king size bed!

There are lots of other options for these trailers too, including fresh water tanks as big as 25 gallons, a microwave, and a furnace. Virtually all Casitas are special ordered by the buyers who will be using them. Winter is the slow season, Carla told us, but they keep building trailers even when orders slide. Some winters they end up with four or five trailers that weren’t special ordered, but they’re always gone by spring!

Prices for new Casitas range from around $14k to $20k.

Casita Travel Trailer kitchen

The kitchen is small, but it has all the things you need to make a good meal.

Casita doesn’t have a dealer network. Instead, they have a dealership in the front of their building, where all the selling is done, and they have a factory out back where everything is made. “We build 14 Casitas a week,” Carla told us, “and it takes about two weeks to build one from start to finish.” That means there are about 30 on the line at any one time.

Casita Travel Trailer at the factory

A brand new Casita peeks out of a bay at the factory.

Out back, the factory was absolutely humming. Most of the employees have been with the company for at least 10 years, and since the company’s founding 25 years ago, Casitas have grown ever more popular. We couldn’t take any pics in the factory, but it was a great scene. Trailers surrounded us on all sides, each in various stages of completion. They are rolled by hand from station to station down the line! Outside a small tractor wheels them around with ease.

Casita travel trailer being towed by a tractor

Casitas are pretty easy to maneuver around the lot!

The top and bottom of each trailer is a molded fiberglass shell, and the two halves are joined with a bonded seal that is fiberglassed in, much the same way as our sailboat was constructed. The final testing stage was most impressive. Each Casita takes a 30 minute shower at full blast while a technician checks every square inch inside for leaks. They had shower nozzles aimed at each window and the door as well as the roof. How amazing to watch a Casita getting totally drenched by a virtual hurricane!

Casita Travel Trailers lined up at the factory

A storehouse full of future camping memories!

Folks sometimes ask us how to “test drive” the RV lifestyle. Without a doubt, the best way is to get a small rig and go do some camping. Our first RV was a popup tent trailer.

The Casita is a wonderful first RV, because it is a very well built trailer that has all the functionality of bigger rigs, but doesn’t require a big truck to tow it (they weigh about 2,500 lbs) and doesn’t require a lot of space to store.

Couple a Casita trailer with a portable solar power kit and you can learn all about boondocking and your rig will fit comfortably into any campsite anywhere! When you’re ready to upgrade, these popular RVs undoubtedly hold their value better than most.

Subscribe
Never miss a post — it’s free!

For more info about these fun trailers:

Related Posts:

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the top MENU above.
New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff!!

Slip Sliding Away – An Ice Storm in Texas

Posted on by
4

Many freeways in Texas are wide open roads where high speeds can be great fun. The 80 mph speed limit, with its unwritten 10 mph grace zone above that, is a temptation for many. We prefer to jog along at 60 mph in the right lane when we’re towing our house around, but our slow speeds put us in the minority in this part of the country.

Texas Speed Limit 80 mph

Texas highways move at a good clip!

Last Friday, a nasty winter storm swept through the Dallas/Fort Worth area, sending trucks and cars careening off of the freeways on a virtual skating rink. We first heard of the chaos in the small town of Marathon where we saw frightening images on TV at a gas station and listened to scary tales from motorists seeking safe haven on their way from Dallas to Big Bend.

Texas driving in ice storm

We drive through the remnants of a vicious winter storm 2 days earlier.

We had hightailed it out of Big Bend National Park after enduring below freezing temps for 48 hours. When we got onto I-20 about 100 miles west of Fort Worth, we began to see the remains of the ice storm from two nights before. The trees were filled with ice, and mist hung heavy in the air. A Winter Weather Warning was in effect for another incoming storm due to arrive the next day.

Winter Weather Warning on Texas I-20 freeway

Ugh…we won’t be warm any time soon!

I began snapping pics as we drove, just to keep myself occupied, and a small Beer sign in the wintry woods made me smile.

Beer sign on the side of the highway

A welcome sign on a lonely highway

This stretch of freeway is basically a truck route, with the occasional car or RV filling in around the fringes. Trucks were everywhere, ahead of us and behind us.

Truck traffic on I-20 west of Fort Worth Texas

I-20 is a major truck thoroughfare.

These guys don’t mess around, and they seem to view the high speed limit as an open invitation. And why not, when you have a tight delivery schedule to keep? We were passed by one semi-tractor trailer truck after another until we felt like the old grannies of the road.

Trucks overtake us on I-20 in Texas

Truckers get impatient with our slow little buggy.

When an “Oversize Load” truck passed us like we were standing still, and remained in the left lane until it vanished from sight ahead of us, all I could think was that we were experiencing the modern day Wild West of Texas out here on the freeway.

Oversize Load passes in the left lane on the highway

An “Oversize Load” passes us and stays in the left lane until he disappears out of sight.

But what unfolded next took us both by surprise. The ice on the trees and mist in the air had been just an introduction to the pandemonium and mayhem that had taken place here on that fateful Friday two days prior on I-20. While scoping out my next pic, Mark suddenly said, “Look at that!”

Overturned semi tractor trailer truck on I-20 in Texas

Holy smokes — it’s a semi-tractor trailer on its side!

It was an overturned semi-tractor trailer that had obviously been one of the victims that slid off the road on the ice. A few minutes later a Fed Ex truck facing the wrong way in the median caught our eye.

FedEx Ground truck stranded on I-20 in Texas

Hey, there’s a FedEx truck — was the driver okay?

The front end appeared to be smashed. Mark whipped his head around as we passed it and noticed a huge hole in the windshield on the driver’s side.

Gulp.

A mile further on we saw more.

Freightliner truck rollover on Texas I-20 near Eastland

This is crazy! Another truck on its side!!

Now our eyes were popping out of our heads. We rarely see wrecks on the highway, and especially not abandoned, mangled trucks.

Signs ahead made us slow down. There was a 6% descent and the word “SLOW” was painted right on the freeway.

6% grade on interstate I-20 in Texas

A fast descent ahead!

Slow sign painted on the pavement of I-20 in Texas

If you missed the little yellow sign, here’s a big one right on the pavement!

But it probably wasn’t possible to heed these signs on the fearful night of the ice storm. More wrecks lay ahead.

Semi tractor trailer truck stranded on I-20 after Texas ice storm

We saw images of this truck later on in news reports.

Truck rollover on I-20 in Texas near Eastland

Yet another rollover a few miles further down the highway.

At the last moment Mark spotted a second Fed Ex truck stranded by the side of I-20. He leaned back as I snapped a pic out his window.

FedEx Ground trailer stranded on Texas I-20 after ice storm

FedEx was not having a good day that day…

By now I was perched on the edge of my seat, my mind racing as I tried to imagine what the scene had been like in the dark with snow falling and black ice everywhere. Now I understood why those people back in Marathon had been so rattled as they talked about what they’d experienced on the road that night.

Suddenly there were lots of brake lights ahead of us. We slowed to a crawl and were herded off the highway for a detour.

Brake lights ahead on the freeway interstate I-20 west of Fort Worth Texas

The freeway comes to a halt ahead of us.

As we climbed a frontage road and looked down at the empty freeway next to us, we saw a semi-tractor trailer that had just been raised up from its side. Its cab was jacked to one side as if it had a broken neck. There were three wreckers and countless people in vivid orange working to get it removed.

Freightliner semi-tractor trailer being removed from I-20 in Texas

As we detour around I-20 on a frontage road, we see three wreckers removing a semi-tractor trailer.

In the end, we counted ten abandoned truck wrecks and countless stomach-turning skid marks in the dirt going into the ditches by the side of the freeway. Looking for info later, we thought for sure we’d find dozens of news stories about the bedlam on I-20 around Eastland from that terrifying night, but this area had been a secondary story. The scenes on I-35 and I-75 around Dallas had dominated the news for that storm instead!

Eventually, the wrecks subsided and I sat back in my seat, rather stunned by what we had seen. Just then, as if to break our mood and make us smile again, an antique hot rod appeared, headed in the opposite direction.

Antique hot rod car on interstate I-20 west of Fort Worth Texas

Finally, something to smile about — an antique hot rod!

And so it goes, driving the wilds of Texas. It’s a jungle out there!

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the top MENU above.

Subscribe
Never miss a post — it’s free!

Related Posts:

Acapulco to Huatulco – A Disturbing Passage

A Glimpse of Big Bend National Park in Texas

Posted on by
2

A huge windstorm has wiped out cell service in Big Bend National Park here in Texas, so we have been scurrying to the Visitors Center every so often to check our email, get a weather report and make sure the real world out there is still okay. in the meantime, Big Bend has given us some incredible beauty and big surprises.

Surprised face in a tree

Big Bend has been full of surprises, including this surprised looking face in a tree!

It’s a huge park, and going anywhere is at least a 25 mile drive. But the drives are awesome! There are rock formations, badlands, cliffs, mountains, rivers and more.

Entering Big Bend National Park Texas

The drives around the park are full of sweeping views.

An RV drives past Sierra del Carmen in Big Bend National Park Texas

Huge vistas dwarf an RV on the road in Big Bend

We’ve enjoyed some fabulous hike through boulder fields, to balancing rocks and into canyons with cliffs towering above us. But this place always keeps you on your toes. A few mornings ago, after enduring below-freezing temps overnight, we woke up to dense fog and lacy frost decorating everything.

Balancing Rock Big Bend National Park Texas

There are cool rock formations everywhere.

Icicles and frost on a yucca in Big Bend National Park Texas

A century plant flower is covered with glittering frost.

Icicles and frost in Big Bend National Park Texas

The Chisos Mountains were transformed by frilly frost on the trees.

Despite our red noses and beanie hats, we loved every icy minute we spent in this world of mini icicles, and we’re hoping it happens again! The delicate patterns on all the desert plants were exquisite. Pretty tendrils of ice on a yucca plant gave it a whole new look.

Lace patterns of ice and frost on a yucca in Big Bend Texas

Graceful tendrils of ice and frost make pretty patterns on a yucca plant

And then, as quickly as it formed, the frost disappeared under the rising sun. Little birds began chirping again, and the wildflowers opened up to the warm sunshine.

Wild flowers in Big Bend National Park Texas

Once the frost melted away, the wildflowers bloomed again.

Little bird on a yucca plant

Bird songs filled the air on some of our mountain hikes.

The day faded away with a beautiful sunset…

RV at sunset in Texas outside Big Bend National Park

The sunsets at Big Bend have been beautiful

Our most recent posts (find more Latest Posts in the MENUS above):

Related Posts from our RV travels to Big Bend:

Subscribe
Never miss a post — it’s free!

Yahoo Travel Features RLT & Other Full-time RVers

Posted on by
4

Yahoo Travel caught up with us the other day and interviewed us about our lifestyle. We had such fun chit-chatting about full-time RVing, what it’s like to run off to a life of adventure, and how it is that people can downsize all the way into an RV, that our interviewer, Caitlin Kiernan, was just about ready to sell up and go herself by the time we finished our call!

She reached out to several unusual full-timing RVers besides us, and she compiled a wonderful story that features not only our story but those of Becky Schade, a 30-year-old solo full-timer who lives in a Casita, the Kelloggs, a family of 14 who live in a 36′ Cruiser Boy motorhome, and Kristin and Jason Snow who live in a 30′ Trek motorhome.

The Yahoo Travel story is here:

From a Family of 14 to a Single Lady, These People Quit Life to Hit the Road in an RV

Now, I think anyone who has taken the leap to go adventuring in an RV full-time would agree that rather than “quitting life,” we have actually kick started our lives to be to a new level! 🙂 This fun story shows many of the different kinds of ways that people make such a huge life transition.

For us, our dreams of sailing set the stage, but our first step out the door of our conventional lifestyle was into an RV. Of course, we did eventually get that sailboat, and go cruising, but in the crazy way that a life of travel teaches you about yourself, we discovered on the open ocean that RVing is our first love.

Even though the full-time RV lifestyle has traditionally been reserved for the retired crowd, these stories in Yahoo Travel show that RVing now reaches across all demographics, and that nothing so much as wanderlust is a prerequisite to get going.

RV stuck on a narrow road

Oops!! A classic newbie RVer mistake!

Caitlin asked us to relate the funniest thing that has happened to us in our life on the road, and what came to mind was a crazy adventure we had in our sixth week on the road our first summer of full-timing. I’m including the photo here, but check out the Yahoo link to see how we got in this predicament!! (Our original blog post about the adventure is here).

Happy day, everyone, and keep dreaming — the open road is waiting for you!!

Our most recent posts:

See the rest of our Latest Posts in the MENUS above

Subscribe
Never miss a post — it’s free!

Big Bend Bound – To Texas!!

Posted on by
5

We’ve been in Texas for a few days, and she has shown us all her colors, in the great big flamboyant way that makes Texas Texas! It’s been roasting hot, fearsomely cold, cloudy, sunny and pouring rain. We even had sleet, and last night we got hail.

We’ve arrived in Big Bend and may disappear into the vastness for a while. It’s a great big beautiful world out here!! Here are some pics from the road in…

Alpine Texas Cow Dog RV

I’m not sure exactly what a “cow dog” is but you can get them on a bun from this rig in Alpine Texas!

Rainbow over our fifth wheel trailer RV in Alpine Texas

A rainbow after the deluge of rain, hail and sleet!

Windmill and barn in Big Bend Texas

Windmill and barn in Big Bend Texas

Blue bonnets in Big Bend Texas

The blue bonnets are in bloom!

Birthday Beer from Shiner Texas

Shiner Brewery (from Shiner Texas) brewed me some
birthday beer — thanks!

Alien Ale from Roswell New Mexico

Mark found himself some Alien Ale in Roswell New Mexico (site of a spaceship landing in 1947)

Blue bonnets in bloom in Big Bend Texas

Delicate and wild…

Mexican style Window in Big Bend Texas

Hints of Mexico…

First glimpse of Big Bend Texas with our RV

Our first glimpse of Big Bend, Texas

We’ve got lots of travel posts to share from these recent busy weeks, with great shots of sandhill cranes and aliens (the extra-terrestrial kind). Plus I’ve got 90% of a post written about our new Edge Tuner that has turned our truck from ordinary to extraordinary. But we may be away from the internet and playing outside for a while, so all that stuff may just have to wait!!

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the top MENU above.

Related Posts:

Subscribe
Never miss a post — it’s free!

A Little Romance for Valentine’s Day

Posted on by
Reply

Whether you say it with rose petals in the grass…

I Love You rose petal heart for Valentine's Day

Or you carve it into sandstone for your true love…

Valentine Love and heart Carved in sandstone

Or you find a wildflower made of hearts out in nature somewhere…

Evening primrose heart shaped petals

Or you sprinkle rose petals across the floor…

Rose petal heart in a hotel room on Valentine's

.

Or you carve your feelings in an aspen tree…

Valentine heart carved into an aspen tree

Or you say it with a shadow puppet in the late afternoon sun…

Valentine shadow puppet heart

Or you bring flowers to your true love…

Lilacs of love for Valentine's

Enjoy a little romance today wherever you are…

love in the sunset

.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Our most recent posts:

Subscribe

Dear Deer in Arizona’s Chiricahua Mountains

Posted on by
2

We have been loving our visit to the eastern side of the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona for the past two day. This unique area is a “sky island” in southeastern Arizona’s desert that is filled with high elevation flora and fauna it shares with other “sky island” mountain ranges in the area.

Last night, we were out on a picture-taking evening stroll, getting shots of the vivid pink and blue sky after sunset. It was one of those yummy skies that is layered with light blue at the horizon and soft pink above.

Pink and blue sky in the Chiricahuas in Arizona

A layer cake of pink and blue

As I stood in the middle of the road taking my umpteenth photo of the same scene, wondering how to make it look as beautiful in the photo as it was in person, I suddenly felt a presence near me. I looked up, and there was a deer standing right next to me!!

Deer in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona

This little guy was just a few feet away!

He paused at the edge of the road just long enough for me to get his photo. Then he ambled off down the middle of the road to join his two girlfriends who had gotten ahead of him while he dawdled with me. I guess they were out for an evening stroll too.

Deer cross the road in Arizona's Chiriahua Mountains

His girlfriends were waiting a little further down the road.

Sometimes the best things in life are just right there, only an arm’s length away.

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the top MENU above.

Subscribe

More Chiricahua Mountains Info:

Related Posts about special animal encounters we’ve enjoyed:

Arizona’s Stunning Apache Trail Scenic Drive

Posted on by
4

The Apache Trail is one of the most breathtaking scenic drives in central Arizona, and we recently had a chance to trace its path once again. It runs along Route 88 between Apache Junction and Roosevelt Lake, just east and south of Phoenix. Following the Salt River past Canyon Lake and Apache Lake, it twists through some truly stunning Sonoran Desert landscapes of rugged rocks and sassy saguaros. Here are a few highlights from that gorgeous daytrip:

5 406 Apache Trail on the Salt RIver in Arizona

Cactus grow amid red rocks down to the water’s edge.

Apache Lake on the Apache Trail in Arizona

Apache Lake is a rich blue in the growing afternoon light.

Scenic drive from Apache Junction to Roosevelt Lake Arizona

There is a dramatic overlook at Canyon Lake

Apache Trail in Arizona

Rugged rock cliffs fill the views along the way

Saguaro cactus along the Apache Trail in Arizona

Saguaro cactus stand watch over both sides of the trail.

Salt River views along the Apache Trail from Apache Junction to Roosevelt Lake Arizona

The Apache Trail winds along the Salt River through red rock studded Sonoran Desert

If you are in the Phoenix area in Arizona, this is a “must see” daytrip, especially as the wildflowers begin to bloom in late February and March!!

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the top MENU above.

Subscribe

For more info about the Apache Trail, check out the links HERE and HERE.

Related Posts:

Making Money RV Workamping with Amazon CamperForce

Posted on by
Reply

One of the most interesting booths at the RV Show in Quartzsite, Arizona a few weeks ago was Amazon CamperForce, an RV workamping program designed by Amazon specifically for full-time and seasonal RVers. We spent some time chatting with a delightful CamperForce veteran, Nancy, and were very intrigued by the program.

Amazon has been an unusual and forward thinking company since its inception, and this program has taken the RV workamping world by storm. Nancy and her husband have been a part of Amazon’s CamperForce for several years now, and they have found it is a fabulous way for them to pick up a cool $10,000 each year between October and Christmas!

Amazon CamperForce booth at the Quartzsite Arizona RV Show

Amazon CamperForce veteran Nancy explains the program at the Quarzsite RV Show

Every fall, Amazon needs extra labor in their shipping warehouses to get products into boxes and out the door in time for Christmas. Full-time RVers love to make money on the road without making long-term time commitments. So there is a perfect employer/employee match between the two.

Nancy explained that from September until December 23, Amazon hires RVers at a rate of $10.00 – $11.25 an hour to work 40 hours or more per week, starting on the date of their choosing. There are opportunities for bonuses and wage perks too.

The work ranges from receiving to stowing, sorting, shipping and picking, and is physically very demanding. As Nancy said with a laugh, it’s a great workout program and she always drops a few pounds! For those that want to fill up their RV travel kitty quickly, she says you can work as much as 60 hours a week. She also mentioned that CamperForce employees are guaranteed work, so even if things get slow for a day or two, full-time employees are sent home while CamperForce workers are given things to do.

There are RV parks in the communities where Amazon has its warehouses, and workers’ RV sites are free. Nancy talked of how a whole community spirit envelops the CamperForce workers each fall, and how they look forward to seeing each other from season to season. A neat benefit for the communities where the warehouses are located is that a big group of RVers shows up every fall, contributing to the local economy and giving them a boost!

Their warehouses are located in the following locations, and they start hiring as early as February the year before:

  • Campbellsville, Kentucky
  • Haslet, Texas
  • Murfreesboro, Tennessee

I was really surprised when she mentioned that last year there were 800 applications for 500 positions, and that all the positions were filled by March!!

I had heard of this program before, but didn’t know a whole lot about it, so I was excited to be able to learn a little at the RV show. What a cool gig for full-time RVers!

Several full-timers have written about their Amazon CamperForce experiences on their blogs. Here are a few links from folks who have really been there and done that, as well as Amazon’s official CamperForce link:

There are more links below!

Subscribe
Never miss a post — it’s free!

Related Posts about Full-time RVing Finances and Earning Money on the Road:

Below are some of our most POPULAR POSTS (also in the MENUS above)

RV UPGRADES, SYSTEMS & TIPS MONEY FULL-TIME RV LIFESTYLE GEAR STORE and PRODUCT REVIEWS
  • Gear Store - A list of the goodies, equipment and gear we've found useful in our RV lifestyle!
  • Product Reviews - An index of articles reviewing some of the products we have used in our RVing and cruising lifestyles

Our most recent posts:

More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff!!