First 30+ Days as a Nomad – Lessons Learned

So, after the first full month+ as a Nomad in South-central Texas in July through August, here are some of the lessons I learned:

• Texas humidity in the summer just plain sucks – not to mention the actual temperatures
• Always ALWAYS ALWAYS empty your P jug before going to bed
• Have a second P jug handy (and empty)
• You’ll bring more gear than you actually need when you first start out on the road
• You WILL DIE without air conditioning in Texas in the summer
• Cracker Barrel parking lots are way better than Walmart parking lots (and the food is awesome)
• Showers at Pilot/Flying J are $15 – invest in a Planet Fitness membership if your rig/van doesn’t have a shower
• Most RV parks are made to accommodate large RVs, not small ones

You will meet lots of people on the road, whether you want to or not.  Most of them are good, nice, genuine folks who are willing to share tips and the knowledge they’ve gained while they’ve been on the road, and a small percentage are just batshit crazy.  I met both types.

You’ll also meet people who want to tell you what rig you should get, rather than the rig you already have.  I let them go on and on about how I would be happier & how it would be better for me if I had something more like they did.  I learned how to shut down these mental midgets pretty quickly.

Luckily, I was able to go into the office to work, and benefit from the air conditioning, bathrooms, showers, and the air conditioning.  Yes, I mentioned it twice.

I was also able to make additional room for “living” by dumping off a ton of gear I thought I’d be using into my storage space.  When your living quarters are tiny, every bit of space you can free up is gold.

Y’all stay safe out there!

-Kevin