Buckhorn Lake RV Resort | Kerrville, Texas

When Kara and I first decided we were going to do this—live in a tiny travel trailer full time and move around in the country for a year or two—we had what I figure are the usual daydreams. I pictured us parking lakeside, the mountains in view on the horizon, trees forming a canopy overhead. I like being in spots where there are people, so in my head there were always families around. Kids riding bikes, swimming, paddling in canoes. 

And if it was a holiday—say, Independence Day here in the US—maybe there was some kind of fireworks show. People would grill outside, the smells would be wonderful. The atmosphere would be “endless summer.”

I know you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop...

But I have to say, most of that list gets a check, here at Buckhorn Lake RV Resort.

Ok, swap Texas hills for mountains, and the Guadalupe river and some creeks and waterfalls for the lake. Our spot doesn’t have much tree cover, but there’s a little.  But the kids and families are all around us, riding bikes and playing games and swimming in the pool. It’s definitely “endless summer.” 

And as for the 4th of July—wow. 

These folks put on a heck of a show! In fact, they do the whole thing right, from the ground up. The day was filled with the smell of outdoor grilling, people were festive and enjoying themselves. There was a golf cart parade, followed by a Frito pie lunch, and later a delivered-to-your-door rib dinner that included the best watermelon I’ve had in a long while. And that evening, there was an ice cream social, leading up to a massive fireworks display. People cheered. It was... moving.

Before anyone gets too worked up, you should know that there was appropriate social distancing throughout. Frankly, that’s the way things are in places like this. People like each other, but we’re all here to spend time with our families, and we like to do our socializing from a comfortable distance. RV life may be the best form of social distancing there is.

We’ve been here in Kerrville, at Buckhorn Lake, since late May. This morning, as I write this, it’s our last full day here. I have to say, I’m going to miss it. 

Things have gotten so painful and frightening out in the world, Kara and I worried briefly if this plan to get on the road was gong to be nixed. We worried that we’d get out here and meet with nothing but suspicion and road blocks. We came out of an environment of fear, and we did worry that it would continue. 

But here, a lot of that worry and stress fell away.

I think part of it is just having the ability to move around a little, and see some of the world we haven’t yet seen. But I also think there’s an element of facing your fears in this. We grew afraid, for a minute, but getting out here showed us there was less to be worried about than we’d thought. 

Any new adventure comes with its risks and it’s worries. Things can go wrong. But that’s the point of adventure, when you stopped to consider it. Part of the fun is that it’s not always fun. Part of the joy of it is that you sometimes have to solve problems and figure things out.

Something I’ve learned about RV life is that it requires you to be continuously present and strategic. It forces you to consider everything you do.

If Kara and I are boon docking, we have only so much water onboard, and so much capacity for things like grey water and black water. We’ll eventually have to dump the tanks, and refill the reserves. So we have to be conscious and aware of that. 

The same goes for propane—we depend on it for everything from heating our water to cooking our food to running a generator, if it’s needed. We have three 15-pound tanks onboard, so we have to monitor that.

Our capacity to store food is limited by the size of our pantry and our refrigerator, so we have to be aware of those spaces. We’re also trying to eat healthier, so we have to consider all options there, and that turns out to not be so easy. What are our food staples? What’s a true must-have, and what can we do without? 

Same with clothes and belongings. I have a tiny little closet with a little hanging shelf system, and that’s where all my stuff goes. I have a backpack that contains all of my gear and equipment, and that’s shoved into a little nook under my side of the bed. My tools are in a little slide-out drawer in the outside storage bay, and I only have room for some essentials. We’re utilizing the bed of the truck, protected by a rolling bed cover, as a “garage” for things like chairs, bikes, and the generator.

We also have to think ahead on things like where we’re going next, whether there’s an RV campground we can stay in, or whether we need to go off-grid for a bit. What’s in town, and how close is town anyway? And, very important for us, is there good mobile internet coverage in the area? Is there a way to get online so we can do our work? 

There’s a lot to consider. A lot more than what we ever had to keep track of when we owned a house or rented an apartment. Basically, this little camper is our ticket to seeing more of the world, but it requires that we take 100% responsibility for keeping all the pieces moving. 

Then there’s the pandemic...

I almost hate writing about this, but it’s not a complete picture until I bring it up. 

Here in Kerrville, just an hour outside of San Antonio, things have been pretty well balanced. We still see signs of the pandemic here—masks, little signs on shop doors, X marks taped at six-foot “social distancing” intervals on sidewalks, etc. But I’ve been very happy to see that people are still living their lives. There aren’t very many instances of people flipping out over wearing or not wearing masks. None, in fact, since we’ve been here. People just do what they do, and let others do what they’re going to do. As it should be.

But there’s been a key shift in my thinking, when it comes to all of this. We are currently embarking on a new reality. Some of us don’t like it much, but that’s kind of irrelevant. This is our reality now, and for the foreseeable future. It’s our culture. And like it or not, we have to accept it for what it is. 

Once we accept reality, though, we can start working to change it. 

That’s the part people tend to forget. Accepting what is—reality—doesn’t mean you can’t work to change it.

This has been a tough and difficult lesson for me, but I finally get it. You can spend all your energy fighting and rejecting reality, and come away exhausted and with no wins. Or you can accept that this is how things are, and then use that energy to start doing something to change it, to make it better. 

That’s one of the lessons I’m taking away from this experience, getting on the road and living in Kerrville, Texas, for the past couple of months. There are two things, really:

One—life is sweeter, and we notice it more, are more present in it, if we take full responsibility for it and consider everything that needs to be considered. When our lives depend on each choice we make, we live our lives more fully. 

Two—fighting reality is a losing battle. Accepting reality doesn’t mean you lose. Accept reality and start working to change it, and you will win by default. Create something good in the world, and you win. 

And maybe three—it’s all just that simple.

As we round things off here in the Texas Hill Country, and prepare for the next hop in this Author on the Road experience, I’m really happy to take away some good lessons. I’m happy that I’m seeing some growth in my life. I’m happy that it’s having a positive effect on every aspect of my life.

I’m writing more. I’m creating more content. I’m finding myself to be more positive, and feeling more free and liberated. 

This has been a good trip. I know that there will be times when things aren’t as sweet, aren’t as fun. But to start our journey, I can’t think of a better beginning. Kara, Mini, and I have all been very happy this past couple of months, and we’re looking forward to the next round.

And I can’t wait to bring you along with us.

Kevin Tumlinson is an award-winning and bestselling author and content creator. He and his wife, Kara, travel full time with their little dog, Mini, visiting places across the US that inspire Kevin’s writing. You can follow Kevin and Kara on their journey at AuthorOnTheRoad.com.