The Great Road Trip to Nashville- Day 8 Home Sweet Home

Day 0 | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8

The drive back home was the easiest part of the trip. I was thankful that we added another day to the RV rental before returning it because I have no idea how we would have emptied it out, further disinfected it from the over flowing toilet, and cleaned it before the small time window that I had to work with. 

With our second Watkins roadtrip in the books, the first with an RV my wife and I did some reflecting on things that worked, things that didn’t which I will share with you:

First what did not work:

There was not much actually. There were definitely learning curves with the RV but here is a list of things you should figure on when doing your first RV family trip.

1. The RV is still a car- Even though you can do more stuff while it’s moving car sickness is a real thing and does not just go away because you’re traveling with your toys. 
2. A Winterized RV- Our RV was winterized meaning we had no water. I asked for one that was not winterized, they said we were good to go and we found out in Knoxville we were not good to go. If you get a winterized RV you will have no access to your water tank.   
3. Long Hours of Driving- Keeping trips with lots of breaks is a winning strategy. 
4. Scenic Roads- Some scenic roads may not be RV friendly. Do the research before hand and keep your eyes open for signs that say NO RV’s because they mean it
5. No Plan- When we didn’t have a plan the trip felt harder than when we (my wife) planned things out

Here’s what did work:

1. The RV- being able to sleep wherever and having access to a bathroom while driving is HUGE
2. Experiences- With the RV parks there are so many amenities including hiking trails, swimming poos, and fire pits. They really help make the RV experience that much more fun.
3. Family Bonding- Being that close for that long in such tight quarters really helps bring a family together. We laughed, cried, yelled, and joked together the entire time. 
4. Having a Plan- This one is self explanatory. Fail to plan, plan to fail.
5. The Journey- Being able to experience so many new places on such an intimate level with your family is just so special. We still share stories about our journey at the dinner table. 
6. Gratitude- You have a whole new appreciation for all the comforts of home when you are living in a scaled down version of one for a week. 

Thank you for reading this collection!