Learn to RV with Amy & Mike of Today is Our Adventure on The Hidden Costs of Full-Time RVing

Send us Fan MailEvery day is an adventure... even the eight hours stuck on the shoulder of Highway 101 with a collapsed trailer tongue dragging metal on asphalt.In this Community Spotlight, Jennifer sits down with Amy and Mike Morris of Today Is Our Adventure — a Navy-retiree couple who sold everything, hit the road during a cross-country PCS, and never looked back. They talk frame flex and why they landed on a Brinkley, the Dalmatian rescues that turned them away for being full-timers, the real "RV tax" hiding in your monthly budget, and the strangers who showed up out of nowhere to weld a new trailer tongue on the side of the road. If you've ever wondered what full-time RV life actually costs, in dollars, in gremlins, and in grace from strangers,  this one's for you.That original travel trailer didn't survive the test: a bent tongue on Highway 101 left them dragging their rig down the Pacific Coast Highway until a park ranger flagged them down. The experience sent them deep into frame research, and they landed on a Brinkley for its reinforced frame construction and why they chose their Z3400 layout sight-unseen at a rally before the model had even been built.The conversation moves into life on the road with their two rescue Dalmatians, Riley (profoundly deaf) and Morgan,  including the surprising discrimination they faced from rescues who stopped responding once they learned the couple lived full-time in an RV. Amy, a certified canine counselor, shares training philosophy (an open door isn't an invitation) and why "friendly off-leash dog" is a nightmare phrase in the RV world.Mike,  now in RV tech school and running his own mobile repair business, Adventure Ready RV Repair talks shop on the most common, 100% preventable issues he sees: bent axles from overloaded "ultralight" rigs, neglected AC units, and the myth that weight-distribution bars solve an overweight tow vehicle problem. Amy and Mike also break down what they call the "RV life tax" and talk about some the hidden costs of full-time living, from prescription pickups to vet visits that can't be handled remotely as well as share two unforgettable stories of strangers who showed up with welding gear and axle connections exactly when they needed it most. Listen now. Topics CoveredThe accelerated path to full-time RVing after a surprise Navy reassignmentFour cross-country moves in 18 months — lessons from a trial-by-fire startThe Highway 101 tongue-failure story and what it taught them about frame constructionWhy they chose a Brinkley (Z3400) and the frame-flex research behind itLife with two rescue Dalmatians — one profoundly deaf — and dog-park etiquette on the roadGetting turned down by rescues for being full-time RVersThe flexibility full-time life offers once you let go of the planThe maintenance reality full-timers face vs. weekend/seasonal RVersMike's transition from Navy electronics tech to certified RV technicianThe most common (and 100% preventable) RV repairs: bent axles, neglected AC units, overweight ultralightsThe "RV life tax" — hidden costs of full-time living most people don't talk aboutTwo stories of RV community members showing up in a crisisTheir "adventure list" (not a bucket list) and finishing all 50 statesConnect with This Is Our AdventureFacebook, YouTube, and Instagram: search TIOASunday vlogs + Thursday campground reviews (military fam camps, Thousand Trails, KOA)Mike's RV repair business: Adventure Ready RV Repair — You can find him on RVHelp.com or at adventurereadyrvrepair.comConnect with Learn to RVLearn to RV the Podcast is built around real stories from real people living the RV life. Keep the wheels turning.More from Learn to RV:Website: LearnToRV.comPodcast: Learn to RV The Podcast Facebook CommunitySupport the showWatch us on YouTubeJoin Our Community on FacebookFollow Us On InstagramVisit our WebsiteJoin us on PatreonJoin us SOON on Substack! Support the showWatch us on YouTubeJoin Our Community on FacebookFollow Us On InstagramVisit our WebsiteJoin us on Patreon