For the last decade my husband and I have been living the full-time RV lifestyle. Together we have been through four different trailers trying to find the perfect one for us. Our new trailer is by far my favorite!
Thinking about how happy I am with this one, got me strolling down memory lane reflecting on all the campers we’ve had and the pros and cons for each. The different layouts, color schemes, remodels, repairs, issues, storage, organizing, traveling, memories, etc. have been quite an array.
Our first trailer was a 1988 Teton Homes 5th wheel. It was 38 feet long and had one slide-out. We drove from Pinedale, WY to Colorado to pick it up. We bought it from a man whose father had it since it was new. So, at that point about 23 years!
The coolest thing about this trailer, and the realization that this journey we were about to take was fate; is that on all the paperwork and title, the day it was manufactured was the exact day I was born. Month, day, and year! It was obviously meant to be.
So we drove from Wyoming to Denver area, took a look at it, gave the man cash, and hauled it back to the hotel we were staying at in Pinedale. We parked it there in the lot until the job was over and we could hit the road.
While it was there I took the opportunity to start painting, decorating, and making it “homey.” Unfortunately for me, it was way too cold and the paint would not dry. At that point in my life, I didn’t even know that the temperature would be a concern. I’m talking cold!
We also had to do something with the interior immediately, because everything was pink. Like, hosed down with Pepto-bismol, pink! Pink furniture, pink carpet, pink curtains, the works. Luckily some guys my husband worked with, came and took the pink couch and two pink recliners, so at least those were out of the way.
Humorously enough, what wasn’t pink was “beautiful” floral wallpaper…everywhere. Like, in every single cabinet, cupboard, under the sinks, you name it! It wasn’t actually wallpaper per say. Most trailers have printed paneling for the walls. They’re big sheets, with a pattern printed on them. Needless to say, once it warmed up enough it was easy to paint over.
Painting Bathroom Cabinet Door 
Kitchen Cabinets and Wall
While I was painting, my husband went to work on getting rid of the pink carpet in the living room. The kitchen floor was linoleum and the bedroom and bathroom area only had a little bit, and we could deal with that. It actually pulled my “color scheme” together. It was pink (carpet and blinds), tan, and a pretty blue (in the bathroom). Those colors went together well in the Ace Hardware paint brochure where we shopped. Mainly because that was the one of the few stores in town.
He tore up the carpet and replaced it with hardwood floors. Well, with laminate made to look like wood. It worked amazing! Especially since we had just gotten a new puppy, so the new floors would be better for potty training.
We also needed new flooring in the living room, because on our way from Wyoming to Illinois we hit some weather; which not only ripped off part of the siding, but allowed water to leak in through the slideout and soak into the floor.
Working on the New Floor 
New Floor and Wet Spot from Leak
It really turned out nice, my husband did a great job! Then, it was onto repairing the siding.
I’ll never forget following him in the truck and 5th wheel down Interstate 80, and seeing the side of the trailer rip off! I immediately called him and started swerving into the other lane behind him hoping he would see me and know something was wrong. Luckily, there was a pull off right there and we were able to stop.
We got out and looked it over. Thankfully, it didn’t fully rip off. The wind caught it, and was able to lift it up, but didn’t completely take it. He climbed up, put some screws into it, and prayed it would make it the rest of the journey. Once we got to Illinois, he was able to find a piece of siding from an RV repair shop and fix it.
Once we had the “ole girl” rode worthy, we set out for California. Yes, we did a lot of backtracking to go from Wyoming to Illinois then to California, but I wanted to go home for a bit.
Once we got to California, we parked in North Edwards where I started substitute teaching and my husband worked as a welder at the Research Lab for Edward’s Air force Base.
By the time the next school year came around, I was hired on as the Special Education teacher at the elementary school. Unfortunately, he switched to Vandenberg Air Force Base about four hours away. So, we continued on with a long-distance relationship, seeing each other on the weekends.
When the school year finished, we hit the road. However, we did not have too much faith in the Teton trailer and upgraded to a newer one, that was a little more reliable going down the road. We also needed a newer one, because many RV parks will not take a trailer that is more than ten years old. We ended up selling the trailer to a couple in the RV park in Bakersfield, and it’s still sitting there today!
In hindsight, we both wish we had never gotten rid of that trailer. It was built so sound and sturdy; and was our “first home.” If we had been able to let it sit in one place and never had to move it, we’d still have it. But, it was time to hit the road again and move onto the next job.