Finding Joy - RVs (part 1 of 3)

For the past year I researched all things RV. I am losing my housing and need to find someplace to live. Though very sad it’s also an opportunity.

I love travel and hate to fly. I also use a wheelchair which means hotels are often a hassle due to lack of wheelchair access.

Having my own vehicle is perfect for me. I can design my bed, kitchen, work area and bathroom just for my own needs.

WHICH RV IS BEST FOR ME?

Even before I began the search, I knew I would call my new-to-me home on wheels "Joy". So the search for my RV became the search for Finding Joy.

Photo of an Airstream travel trailer being pulled by a pick up truck

I started out looking at RVs. The prices soon sent me to travel trailers (think Airstream but cheaper). They are designed to be pulled by a vehicle.

One type of travel trailer is called a toy hauler. Basically it’s boxier than an Airstream and the back door drops down to become a ramp. Folks use these to bring their all-terrain vehicles (ATV) with them.

Photo of sideways view of a toy hauler travel trailer by Ed Simmons

They seemed to offer some great advantages for me as a wheelchair user. I’d have a built-in ramp, the back half of toy haulers are open so I could build in whatever I needed

But toy haulers have some drawbacks as well. How would I open and close the back ramp? It’s usually 7 feet by 8 feet and heavy.

Layout of 2018 Jayco SuperLite 161 showing a bathroom and kitchen at the front end and removable bed and table at the back end.

RVs come with the kitchen and bathroom already built in. So I would have to modify those as well. With used toy hauler travel trailers costing over $10,000, the changes I need would increase my costs quickly.

The bigger problem with travel trailers and traditional RVs in general is that they are not built for adding a lot of weight to them. The frames and building materials are light so that more different types of cars and trucks can tow them.

This is a problem when I am adding wheelchairs that weigh over 250 lbs without anyone in them. Also lifting a wheelchair from the side door would stress out the RV frame and tires.

RESOURCES FOR RV SEARCHING RV TRADER Want to see tons of different types of RVs? RV Trader is a great online resource.

YOUTUBE Hundreds of YouTube videos made by RVers giving video tours of their RVs and discussing different features.

Check out the next 2 parts in the Finding Joy series: Part 2 - Skoolies (converted school buses) Part 3 - What I chose and why