Road Stories Featuring The Novel RV: This Author Made Her Full-time RV Dreams Come True

 

Earlier this week we introduced you to The Novel RV, an inspiring author who travels the country in her Winnebago Travato and writes beautiful novels. She shared her 15 Tips to Traveling as A Solo RVer, an informative and detailed list on how to brave RVing alone in today's climate. Today we're deep diving into how she made her dream of becoming a full-time RV author a reality. Be completely and irrevocably transfixed by Sue Ann's story and let your imagine run wild with your own travel fantasies! Perhaps this interview will inspire you to take the leap to buying your first RV or give you that nudge to transition from a weekend warrior to a full-time RVer. The possibilities are endless.

 


All photography by The Novel RV

La Mesa RV: What made you decide you wanted to travel in an RV? Why was this your dream?
Sue Ann Jaffarian: This was not my original dream. I was looking for ideas for retirement after I left my paralegal career and realized that if I bought a retirement home I would not be able to travel as much as I'd like. In my research I came across people who lived and traveled in RVs. That was the beginning of this becoming my dream. Before that, it hadn't even crossed my mind. Now I have my dream house and my dream travel!

LMRV: Tell us a little about yourself! What did you do before you started RVing full-time?
SAJ: I was a corporate paralegal in a law firm in Los Angeles, California that specialized in healthcare law. I was also a novelist. I retired from the law firm, but not from writing.

LMRV: What was the process for buying your RV? Did you have to sell your home? Did you have help from friends and family?
SAJ: I bought my RV used from someone I knew in the Travato Owners and Wannabees group on Facebook. The purchase was a joint venture between friends and myself.

LMRV: How long have you lived on the road?
SAJ: As I write this I am in my sixth month living on the road. But I lived in my RV nine months prior to that while I waited for my retirement date. It was a long nine months!

 



 

LMRV: Tell us about your RV! Why did you decide this particular make and model?
SAJ: I looked at a lot of RVs before I decided on a Class B. I decided that the Winnebago Travato 59K was for me as soon as I laid eyes on it.

LMRV: What are your favorite features of your Winnebago Travato?
SAJ: Where do I start? Easy to drive, excellent Truma heating system, the layout with twin beds and the roomy bathroom in the back are perfect for my lifestyle.

LMRV: What does your daily routine look like, traveling and working out of your RV full time?
SAJ: If it's not a travel day, I usually work on social media marketing in the morning with my coffee. Then I get out for a walk followed by a hour or two of writing. If it is a travel day, I write in the late afternoon or evening after I settle in the for the night. I try to write at least two hours a day.

 



 

LMRV: Do you have any advice for others who want to make the transition to living out of an RV full-time?
SAJ: Plan for it. Make a list of all aspects in your life that will need to be attended to before you make the jump to full-time RVing and take care of them. Know your rig well before you start traveling. Become acquainted with other travelers with the same rig!

LMRV: What are the hurdles you've faced traveling solo in an RV?
SAJ: I haven't really faced any hurdles specific to being solo. Just the usual issues of needing occasional repairs and not being able to do them myself.

LMRV: Do you have any other big dreams for you and Novella?
SAJ: I am currently working on a travel book about my first year on the road. In 2020 I plan on traveling from west to east on Route 20 and writing about that trip.

Looking for a unique summer road trip experience? Check out these 7 RV Destinations in Canada for your chance to elevate your RV game this summer. Leave us a comment in the section below telling us where you'll be headed this season!