Two Weeks Down, Forever to Go?

So, I made it through my first few days of RV life — and here's how it all went down:

My dad flew in to join me until I felt comfortable. I’m so lucky we were able to keep it open-ended with no pressure on a set timeline. Honestly, having him there made all the difference.

We hit the road Thursday, with Dad doing all the driving. We ended up on some small back roads, and the entire way, he talked me through everything — intersections, turns, gas station stops — you name it. It was a full day of information overload, and by the end, I was wiped.

Getting Behind the Wheel

The next morning, we set out for Carlsbad, New Mexico. It was a longer drive, and we decided to split it. I took the morning shift, getting us out of the RV park, onto the highway, and down the road. With my dad coaching me through every move, I felt surprisingly comfortable very quickly.

After a lunch stop, I handed the reins back over to him. I didn’t want to overdo it, panic, and psych myself out before I even really got started. Plus, neither one of us is great at being a passenger, so it only seemed fair!

A Smooth Landing in Carlsbad

The drive to Carlsbad went off without a hitch. We stayed at a KOA where my dad grabbed a little cabin. (He’s a trooper — no power, no bathroom — not that it was his first time roughing it. He came to visit me several times when I lived in Tanzania, after all.)

That night, I had to decide where to head next: Albuquerque or straight on to Phoenix.

Phoenix would’ve been a long haul, so I picked Albuquerque. Bonus: that route gave us the chance to stop at White Sands National Park — a place my dad had never been. And if you know my family, you know finding something new for my dad is a rare gem.

A Big Driving Day (and a Big Confidence Boost)

I drove pretty much the whole day, except inside the park itself. I wasn't sure what to expect in White Sands, so Dad took over there just in case. (Spoiler: it was very manageable.) Check out my White Sands post for all the details on that stop!

This was a big driving day for me — mountains, snow, small-town gas stations, all of it. And honestly? It ended up being one of my favorite days. By the time we rolled into Albuquerque, I felt like I had tackled just about every driving scenario I was worried about. It was a real confidence boosting day.

Saying Goodbye (for Now)

We parked in Albuquerque and called it a night. Both of us agreed I was ready. The next morning, Dad headed home, and I gave myself a week to decompress — and decompress, I did.

Those first three days were amazing: learning to haul, spending quality time with my dad, visiting White Sands, and having my girls (the cats) along for the ride. But wow — the mental load was real. I was grateful for a little downtime.

Final Thoughts: Hauling Isn’t So Scary

All in all, hauling an RV really isn’t a big deal. You just have to:

• Accept the slower pace

• Take wider turns

• Pay extra attention to the weather and your surroundings

And once you get used to it, it's easy.

Since then, I've been hauling without hesitation. And I owe a lot of that to having the best coach a girl could ask for. Fingers crossed I can drag my mom out on the road one day too!

Time to go get my oil changed,

Kat