Traveling the country with the person you love the most sounds like a dream lifestyle, but it’s a dream come true for David and Amanda Boles. Along with their dog, Bailey, the couple has been traveling full time in their RV for the last three years and have no plans of stopping any time soon.
After living in their home in Nashville, they quickly realized they would rather spend all their time traveling instead. What fun is a large house if you never want to be in it? So, they sold their home and most of their belongings to hit the road in their RV.
Why Choose the RV Lifestyle?
With David working on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Mexico, the couple wanted to maximize their time together by traveling and adventuring as much as possible. What’s the best way to do that? In an RV! David consistently works three weeks on and three weeks off, so traveling in an RV gives the two the opportunity to thoroughly enjoy their surroundings during their downtime.
“Traveling in an RV,” David says, “is just so much easier, so much less stress, just a slower pace.”
It’s that slower pace that keeps David and Amanda on the road. Every day is an adventure and can be just like the day before it or completely different if they want. Amanda enjoys that a typical day can range from hiking to soaking in a hot spring or off-roading in their Jeep.
One of the biggest perks? Not having to drag suitcases in and out of hotel rooms as you’re traveling. RVing is a more family-oriented way of traveling that allows you to immerse yourself in nature instead of going back and forth from a destination, like a national park, to your designated room. By living the RV lifestyle, you’re able to wake up, walk outside, and smell the forest right away.
Why Travel in a Class A RV?
Since they sold their home in Nashville, their RV would become their primary residence. As a result, David and Amanda wanted something with enough space they (including their dog) could walk around in even while on the road. They also wanted the ability to tow a small vehicle so Amanda could get around while David was working without having to drive the RV.
“We decided on a Class A because it’s the most comfortable way to travel,” David says.
As a small kid, David traveled with his dad in a pop-up camper. Little did he know how that experience would shape his future, especially adulthood, by creating a foundation and springboard to jumpstart his RV lifestyle.
“I had zero experience before,” Amanda says. “I never went camping, I never did RV life or RV travel.”
Together the two have renovated their Class A RV into the home of their dreams and documented the stunning changes on their Instagram account all while traveling around the country and soaking in some of the best views available.
What Are Some Easy, Budget-Friendly Ways to Update an RV?
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When it comes to updating your RV, you don’t have to break the bank to achieve the look you desire. With a few simple switches, such as removing the dated valences above the windows and installing pull-down shades instead, your RV will look brand new in a matter of minutes.
“I would describe my personal style as like boho, relaxed, little hippie,” says Amanda. “I’d say I get most of my style inspiration from Instagram or Pinterest, mainly.”
David and Amanda updated their 2005 RV by replacing the carpeted floors with vinyl planks. They also experimented with peel and stick paper to drastically change the design of their backsplash and to create accent walls for visual interest.
It’s important to consider weight limits when updating your RV, so make sure you keep those numbers in mind during the planning stages to avoid having to remove decor once you add it. Before you hit the road, the Boles recommend cleaning the floors before moving the slides in and out to avoid trapping debris in the tracks. They also secure all of their knives, plants, and empty their open shelves before traveling.
“When you’re looking at an RV and you see something in it you want to change, it’s really no different than a house,” David says. “A lot of times, it’s even easier.”
What is the Best Part of RVing Full Time?
It’s a question every RV enthusiast loves to answer because RVing full time expands your horizons more than any other experience ever could. Whether you’re traveling to the Grand Canyon or RVing through the country’s biggest cities, there’s so much to see. What do the Boles think is the best part of RVing full time?
“Always having a different backyard, always looking out the window and seeing something different whether its beach or desert or mountains or forest,” says Amanda. “That’s my favorite part.”
“It’s always feeling like I’m on vacation,” says David. “There’s always something to look forward to – the anticipation of knowing that you’re going somewhere new.”
Living the full-time lifestyle is all about ensuring your time is full of life, which ultimately equates to more adventures, more locations, more laughs, and more memories. If it sounds like a fairytale, it’s probably because the Boles prove that those happily ever after endings we see in movies and read in books are attainable.
The Rollin Boles
With over 18,000 miles traveled, David and Amanda are proof that hitting the road can be the best adventure of your lifetime. Living every day with some of the country’s most stunning landscapes as your backyard is real life for this couple, but it could easily be the life for anyone that’s interested. Not ready to collect the miles yourself? No worries. Follow along with David and Amanda until you are or live vicariously through their travels. It’s a win/win either way.
Are you interested in more tips and tricks from fellow RVers? Check out these five ways to make an old RV feel like new.
