April 2, 2026

Solo, Surgical & Seven Years Rolling: Candice Cameron’s Life as a Traveling Surgical Tech │ Community Spotlight

Solo, Surgical & Seven Years Rolling: Candice Cameron’s Life as a Traveling Surgical Tech │ Community Spotlight

Send us Fan Mail Community Spotlight is Sponsored by RV Roofing Solutions What does it take to solo RV across 21 states, work in 30 hospitals, and share your rig with two cats and a ball python? Candice Cameron has been figuring that out since she was 29. Tasha sits down with this solo female RVer and traveling surgical technologist to talk about the career that makes her road life possible, the pets that keep her company, and the hard-won lessons she’s picked up at truck stops, campgrounds, ...

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Send us Fan Mail

Community Spotlight is Sponsored by RV Roofing Solutions

What does it take to solo RV across 21 states, work in 30 hospitals, and share your rig with two cats and a ball python? Candice Cameron has been figuring that out since she was 29. Tasha sits down with this solo female RVer and traveling surgical technologist to talk about the career that makes her road life possible, the pets that keep her company, and the hard-won lessons she’s picked up at truck stops, campgrounds, and everything in between.

Learn How:

● A career in surgical technology creates the ultimate mobile work setup

● Solo women RVers are quietly changing the culture at campgrounds

● Harvest Hosts and Good Sam fit into a life of extended-stay RVing

● To build confidence behind the wheel of a 31-foot rig

● To keep pets (including a 4.5-foot ball python) happy on the road

● To trust your gut when safety is all on you

Links & Resources:

🚐 RV Roofing Solutions: rvroofingsolutions.com

🔒 Wyze Home Security: wyze.com

🏕️ Harvest Hosts: harvesthosts.com

🌟 Good Sam: goodsam.com/club

🐾 RVing with Pets — Learn To RV: learntorv.com/traveling-with-pets

👉 More RV Life Resources: learntorv.com

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💬 Are you a solo RVer — or dreaming of hitting the road on your own? Share your story in our Facebook community! Ready to hear your story read on our Campfire Confessions episode? Email it to connect@learntorv.com.

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WEBVTT

00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:07.280
Hey, welcome to Learn to R V The Podcast.

00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:13.599
I'm Tasha, and today for our community spotlight, I have Candace Cameron here with us.

00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:15.279
Not from Full House.

00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:21.199
Don't get excited, but it is a a much cooler Candace Cameron.

00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:22.079
I think so anyway.

00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:22.719
Thank you.

00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:23.519
Thank you.

00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:25.120
Candace, welcome to the show.

00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:25.440
Thank you.

00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:27.519
Tell us a little bit about yourself.

00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:39.439
I'm personally 35 and um I have been traveling in my RV for I'm coming up on seven years now.

00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:45.119
Um my profession allows me to travel nationwide.

00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:58.320
And I got this idea from other travelers that do the RV life and fell in love with the idea and dove headfirst into everything and haven't looked back since.

00:00:58.560 --> 00:00:59.520
That is so cool.

00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:02.399
So you're 35 and you've been doing it seven years.

00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:07.200
So you were let me do mental math, and I am not a math person.

00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:13.040
So you were 27, 28, 20, 28.

00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:20.159
29, because I I bought the RV at the end of 2019, and so I was 29.

00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:22.879
So have you been in the same RV the whole time?

00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:23.359
Yes.

00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:25.680
Can I ask what kind of RV you're driving?

00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:26.640
Yeah.

00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:30.400
Um, I have a 2008 Winnebago chalet.

00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:35.439
Um, he is 31 feet long and uh we're class C.

00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:43.120
And I lucked out, uh it was actually my mother who found the listing.

00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:46.560
It was through Camping World up in New Hampshire.

00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:50.319
Um, I was on an assignment in uh where was I?

00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:53.840
I was in Connecticut, um, drove up for the weekend.

00:01:54.079 --> 00:01:59.599
Um, he had a great floor plan, two owners, uh low miles.

00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:03.519
Um, I only bought them with 26,000 miles.

00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:06.799
Um and it wasn't a smoker.

00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:13.039
I didn't smell dogs, and I pretty much was like, I I test drove it.

00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:20.000
Um, test drive didn't go quite as well as the dealership hoped for.

00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:26.639
We went down a hill and was around the circle, and I smelt burning rubber, burning metal.

00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:34.159
And uh he had me pull over and the front brakes were had seized up because the he had been sitting on the lot for so long.

00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:35.120
Yes, yep.

00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:39.680
So we quickly pulled over, saw that they were flaming red.

00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:43.039
Um, and he was like, crap, I'm so sorry.

00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:44.800
Uh, I gotta call my manager.

00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:48.400
I was like, oh my god, please don't catch fire because I really like this RV.

00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:53.199
But I we'd gotten through that, and he's like, I will be getting you brand new breaks.

00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:54.560
I'm like, Yes, you will.

00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:57.439
I we went went home after that.

00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:06.000
I had sat on, you know, took pictures, took videos, sat on it for a week, and I was like, I think this is the one.

00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:11.039
And I put a deposit down, and it was the next weekend.

00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:23.039
I went down, did a full walkthrough, signed papers, and it was the brakes, and then the backup camera needed to be fixed, and so it was a week after that.

00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:24.879
I drove them off the lot.

00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:26.080
Candace.

00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:29.120
That's so steep and cool.

00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:32.879
Okay, so I have so many questions.

00:03:33.039 --> 00:03:33.680
Are you ready?

00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:37.439
I'm not gonna rapid fire the menu, but I have so many questions.

00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:50.400
Okay, so first off, I feel like I need to start with what maybe the biggest question is what do you do that allows you to the freedom to kind of go work where you want to work?

00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:51.039
Yes.

00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:57.199
So I am a certified surgical technologist and first assist.

00:03:57.360 --> 00:04:05.120
So that is I pretty much sum up my job of if you've seen any medical show, I'm the person who hands the surgeon the scalpel.

00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:10.639
Um I yes, so there's more to it.

00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:18.959
I help get the room situated, make sure we have all the sterile supplies and instruments, and I help with the patient.

00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:24.879
And then during surgery, I will help the surgeon in kind of any way that they need.

00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:29.839
And then as a first assist, I can go a step further.

00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:38.560
I can help close the incisions, and so it's a very in-depth behind the scenes job, but I love it.

00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:40.079
I do get to help people.

00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:49.439
I'm not as like memorable and notable as a nurse, but the nurses and surgeon could not do surgery without me.

00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:52.319
And so that's a really important job.

00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:52.959
Yeah.

00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:57.439
Um, and so my certificate is nationwide.

00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:00.399
Um, and so I get to go to all 50 states.

00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:05.279
And I how I do the traveling is very similar to a traveling nurse.

00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:09.920
I am hired through a company and they contract me out.

00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:19.920
I go to a hospital that say somebody went on maternity leave or had surgery and they're just out for three, six months.

00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:26.480
They the hospital doesn't want to hire somebody, so they get a traveler, and their standard is three months.

00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:32.319
And if you want to stay and the hospital still needs the need, then you can stay a little bit longer.

00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:35.360
Personally, I I like the travel aspect.

00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:41.600
I like to go to the place, experience it, spend the three months, and then move on to the next.

00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:47.439
And so I have been to 21 states.

00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:48.079
I have a lot of people.

00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:49.519
That was my next question.

00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:52.639
Yeah, I've worked at 30 different hospitals.

00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:53.439
Wow.

00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:59.199
I I don't count the states that I've traveled through, it's only the states that I've worked.

00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:02.240
Um, but it's it's been fun.

00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:09.120
I've been able to see the country, see places that I would have never even thought of.

00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:12.879
Um like most notable was Utah.

00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:19.839
Um, there is an assignment there, and I was like, well, okay, let's go see what's in Utah.

00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:25.120
And I, you know, for me, I don't know anybody.

00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:29.600
I don't I kind of research the town and I'm pretty independent.

00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:44.319
I can like to go out and explore, do camping trips, and so it's that has allowed my job has allowed me to do what I do both in the medical field and as traveling.

00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:57.040
The I I kind of joke of I love the RV life with traveling for my profession because it's my bed, it's my sheets, um, it's my environment.

00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:04.079
I don't, I'm not at the mercy of trying to find an apartment and put laugh in the first and last month.

00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:11.519
And before I'd gotten the RV, I did a couple travel assignments and I kind of had some sketchy housing.

00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:19.600
So to to make my life and my pets' lives a little bit easier, of having my own space has has been great.

00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:21.120
So you travel with pets?

00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:21.519
I do.

00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:25.360
Who what I have two cats okay, and then I have an exotic.

00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:27.519
I travel with a snake as well.

00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:30.480
So it's a weird mix of that is.

00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:31.920
That's like I don't know.

00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:34.959
I have a cat, but my cat is 17 years old.

00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:46.079
And I think if I added a cat snake to the mix, the cat would like make sure the snake knew who was boss by the time I got home.

00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:46.639
Yeah.

00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:54.160
So I have to know who rules the camper of the three, and then how long you've had each of them.

00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:58.879
Did you have them like before you hit the road, or did you get them after you set out?

00:07:59.040 --> 00:07:59.439
Yes.

00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:04.879
So uh my girl, my oldest cat, she definitely rules the roost.

00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:08.319
I got her, she's 12 now.

00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:10.240
So I got her before traveling.

00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:14.959
But she with her, I was actually able to kind of train her.

00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:17.279
She's leash trained, so she goes on walks.

00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:19.279
She got comfortable with the car.

00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:21.600
You're one of those great people.

00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:24.399
The people that I see out walking around, I am one of those people.

00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:25.600
Yes.

00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:26.399
Oh my gosh.

00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:26.720
Yep.

00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:28.879
You're gonna have to teach me all your tricks.

00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:34.080
If I tried to put Edward on a leash, I swear he would not go.

00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:37.279
He would just sit and stare at me and be like, what are you?

00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:39.440
Just flop over going.

00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:42.080
Like, this is not happening today.

00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:43.039
Yes.

00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:44.399
I'm so impressed.

00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:44.879
Yes.

00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:46.879
I I I lucked out with her.

00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:57.519
She pretty much was like, once we got the leash and the harness all trained, and and I opened up that front door, the apartment outside, and she knew what it meant.

00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:00.960
She's like, Okay, I I've got this.

00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:01.919
That's awesome.

00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:09.279
My boy, on the other hand, he was a little, I got him as a kitten, so he's no issues with the harness, but he is a homebody.

00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:11.840
He doesn't really like to walk around.

00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:20.720
I made a system of where I've got a run that I've got coated cables that are anchored to each side of my awning arm.

00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:32.559
And I flip their retractable leash on the cable with a carabiner, and they can just roam with me sitting outside um in that area.

00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:36.799
And he just he'll go out, he'll find a patch of grass, and that's it.

00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:39.519
He's shown no interest in walking.

00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:43.039
Yeah, he he likes the backpack.

00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:49.120
Um I feel like he feels okay with the backpack, but walking didn't really like.

00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:52.159
And then the snake was the last.

00:09:52.320 --> 00:09:55.600
I got him while on assignment in South Carolina.

00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:59.759
My my girl, I don't even think she knows it's in here.

00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:02.879
Um, he's just oblivious, doesn't care.

00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:09.519
My boy, he he was curious at first, but then now he's like, eh, okay.

00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:10.879
You're part of the family.

00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:12.080
You don't move that much.

00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:13.679
You're not that into training.

00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:16.000
It's a ball python.

00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:18.960
Holy moly, you did not go small.

00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:25.519
So well, okay, so the ball pythons, he is about four and a half feet long.

00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:28.159
So he's not gonna get that's not gonna get any biggers.

00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:31.039
Uh the fattest part, what is that?

00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:33.279
Maybe tennis ball.

00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:38.799
That's less than a foot shorter than my 21-year-old child.

00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:39.679
Yeah, yeah.

00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:43.840
Yeah, footing, footing like a few inches shorter than me.

00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:44.639
Yeah.

00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:53.440
But they're bully pythons are are so chill, they just kind of sit there.

00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:55.120
He's definitely more nocturnal.

00:10:55.279 --> 00:11:00.879
I've been able to take him out outside um in the southern states while it's warm.

00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:03.840
But he's kind of he's just like along for the ride.

00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:11.440
Do you have to have special equipment or anything inside your RV to keep him warm, like any lights or anything like that?

00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:12.080
Yes.

00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:12.559
Yep.

00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:25.440
He's in a he's in a uh tank, a vararium that there's a light source, a heat, and two types of heat source, and then a light that mimics the sun.

00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:29.600
And he, since they're tropical, he likes high humidity.

00:11:29.679 --> 00:11:39.519
Um, so I kind of they've got a mister, and it's the size of the tank is um four feet by two feet by eighteen inches.

00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:49.759
I wanted to go a little bit bigger because they say four feet by two feet by two feet is the standard, but you're kind of limited on space in an RV.

00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:54.799
So I had to only go 18 inches, but it's it's been fun.

00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:56.320
He he's been really cool.

00:11:56.480 --> 00:11:58.000
I have always loved snakes.

00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:04.960
As a kid in high school, I volunteered at a wildlife refuge center and out of school.

00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:20.480
Um, I fell in love with the California king, and of course, his name was Elvis, and he was just the chillest dude.

00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:27.919
He, I mean, you would just take him out of his enclosure and he would just sit on your shoulders while you're doing paperwork or just chilling.

00:12:28.080 --> 00:12:44.399
That is so I learned I learned a lot from there, kind of fell in love, and I had always wanted a snake, and it just so happens I was on assignment, and in town there was an exotic show, and you know, the old saying of, oh, I'm just going to look, I'm just going to look.

00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:50.879
Just want some meal, get some research, get a basis, and then you come home with one.

00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:51.919
Uh-huh.

00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:59.279
You've you've been traveling, you are in this class C with your three pets.

00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:01.039
You've gone to 21 states.

00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:03.759
Was Utah your favorite stop?

00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:07.200
Is that like the best place that you think you've been?

00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:11.039
Or was that the best like workplace that you've been?

00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:18.639
Utah, unfortunately, wasn't the best workplace, but Utah definitely was in my top three.

00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:21.200
I really loved Denver, Colorado.

00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:22.159
That was super fun.

00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:22.559
Denver.

00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:26.159
I sat in the summer, so that was even better.

00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:27.919
Yep.

00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:31.519
And then the other was Washington.

00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:34.000
Um I fell in love with Washington State.

00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:41.919
Uh, I kind of was a little biased because that's where I was born, but I left my family and I left Washington when I was six.

00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:47.759
So I hadn't been back maybe when I was a teenager to visit family, but that was it.

00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:52.559
And I spent a little over a year in the Pacific Northwest.

00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:54.399
So I did Washington and Oregon.

00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:56.559
Yeah, I fell in love.

00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:06.320
I uh I went up to the Pacific Northwest for work before we hit the road, and it was just a trip.

00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:16.480
I mean, I had been up there when I was a kid on a vacation, but I keep telling my family, like, yeah, we're gonna get up there, and we have still oh yeah, not made it there.

00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:26.320
And so my son is 18, and he's like, Yeah, I don't, I don't think you're ever gonna take us to like we're never gonna get to the Pacific Northwest.

00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:27.759
I'm like, No, I promise.

00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:29.600
The furthest that we got, we'll do it.

00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:30.320
We're gonna do it.

00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:44.720
Yeah, we got up to we were in California, we got up into like wine country north of San Francisco, and then we ran out of time and we had to start heading up east because we had rallies that we had to get to.

00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:48.639
But I keep telling him we're gonna we're gonna wrap back around.

00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:58.639
That's what we were supposed to do this last year, and then we hugged a tree with RV, and it was a whole thing, and we had to have repairs, and our our entire trip got derailed.

00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:03.600
But so I'm very jealous that you got to spend like a good a good chunk of time up there.

00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:06.000
That whole area is just gorgeous.

00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:06.879
It is.

00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:11.759
So this next year, no, I mean, we're at the beginning of the year.

00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:15.120
How far out do you plan with your work?

00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:21.600
Because I know that you know, you were saying that the hospitals like to have about a three-month contract.

00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:24.240
Do they book those out far in advance?

00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:28.159
Are you like booked for the year or how far do you know?

00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:35.440
No, I so I will um I'll start looking for a next assignment about a month out.

00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:44.080
Um I have a I do kind of a general idea of my route that I want to do for the year.

00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:46.399
I definitely I chase the sun.

00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:50.799
So I try and go north for summer, south for winter.

00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:57.360
Even though I've gone south, I have always seemed to have freezing weather and or snow.

00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:00.159
So that really hasn't quite worked out.

00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:04.000
But I kind of will get an idea in between each assignment.

00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:05.039
I take a week off.

00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:08.559
It just kind of allows me to get there.

00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:13.519
Um, I will try and just do like maybe a state or two away.

00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:25.360
And when I first started out, you know, I was trying to go like eight hours driving in a day, and I was just like, ugh, forget this.

00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:35.120
I'll drive four or five hours, go to a harvest host for the night, chill, relax, get up bright and early, um, enjoy the drive.

00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:42.480
And so I kind of have a rough idea of in what region I want to be at what time.

00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:48.320
So, and then I just I'm not picky in where I go.

00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:52.480
I'll just say a month till I end the contract.

00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:54.559
I'm like, okay, we're looking.

00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:56.399
I'm gonna go east.

00:16:56.639 --> 00:17:06.000
And let's say, you know, I'm currently in Florida, I'll look maybe Carolina's Virginia, see what's out there.

00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:12.240
My recruiter will send out, send an email to me with all their job postings.

00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:18.000
I'll do the research of the town, make sure that there's actually a campground.

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:20.079
Um very important.

00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:22.319
And I have to, yes, very important.

00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:32.240
And then I have to make sure that I am the campgrounds within 30 minutes of the hospital because we do take call.

00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:37.519
And so there is a time restriction of about 30 minutes from there.

00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:38.480
Yeah.

00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:41.279
Yeah, you get called in, then you gotta get clocked in.

00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:53.519
I've only had to shy away from bigger cities just because they don't have a campground, downtown Boston, downtown Denver.

00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:55.839
So it kind of limits there.

00:17:56.160 --> 00:18:04.880
And but other than that, I've done big cities, I've done tiny little towns, and it's it's always been it's always been fun.

00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:11.759
Do you have like we have a thousand trail membership and we kind of use those to get campsite to campsite?

00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:13.119
Do you have memberships like that?

00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:17.519
I know you said you use Harvest Host to kind of get across places.

00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:20.880
Do you use a lot of memberships to help you out that way?

00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:26.799
Or is it just kind of a whatever is near where you need to go, that's where you're staying?

00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:27.440
Yep.

00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:31.839
Um, I I only have Harvest Host and Good Sam.

00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:38.240
For the most part, because I stay at one spot for three months.

00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:51.119
I haven't really been able to it's like when I started out, I I did have KOA, I had KOA membership, but I learned quickly that that's only for nightly, weekly stays.

00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:56.240
If you go do an extended stay, they won't give you the points, they won't give you the discount.

00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:56.640
Yeah.

00:18:56.799 --> 00:19:05.519
So I've just kind of dropped it, and for the most part, I've been kind of half and half between chains or just mom and pa campgrounds.

00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:13.279
And so it's for me the only membership I keep in accordance to like stays is harvest host.

00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:16.960
Um but I mean that's that's been fun.

00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:32.799
I've yeah, I've gotten to see uh a lot of farms and picked up some really good ground beef and some steaks along the way, and a couple stopped at a couple breweries, got some lagers and ales and all, you know, all that fun stuff.

00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:33.920
I love that.

00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:39.359
So you are you're gonna start moving north, you said, right?

00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:39.839
Yep.

00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:40.400
Yep.

00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:45.920
So you're hitting all of this kind of cooler weather that we're hitting.

00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:51.599
We're I was like, this is not what I signed up for when I said sure, let's winter in Florida.

00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:52.720
Yeah.

00:19:52.960 --> 00:20:03.359
So as you start going north, is there like a part of the country this year that you're like really hoping to get to that you haven't gotten to yet?

00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:11.119
Um, I'd like to do a little bit more on the East Coast, um New England kind of area, east of the Mississippi.

00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:20.000
I have done Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, West Virginia, Georgia, and Florida, and Ohio.

00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:31.119
And so I've got a lot of other states and to check off the list and because I have the ambitious goal to say I worked in all 50 states before I retire.

00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:37.039
I can I can definitely see the Continental 48.

00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:41.839
Um, Alaska and Hawaii are a little difficult to do in the RV.

00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:43.519
Yeah.

00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:58.079
But you know, but maybe you could like park it somewhere and take a flight over and hang out somewhere for three months in Hawaii and work and then come back and pick up your rig.

00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:00.160
I mean, I can see that happening.

00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:14.720
I've I've kind of I kind of had a plan of I'd send, I'd have to first go to Arizona, drop off all my plants with my grandmother, and probably drop the snake off with her as well.

00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:22.240
I'd go to up to New Hampshire where my parents are to drop the cats and the RV off, and then I'd probably hit Hawaii.

00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:23.119
That's right.

00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:30.160
Maybe you should drop the cats off first, and then go to Arizona, and then go from Arizona to Hawaii.

00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:31.440
Yeah, yeah.

00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:34.160
That might be a better trip.

00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:44.319
So you're okay, so I we haven't gotten to this part, and I really want to touch on this because I like this has been such a big deal for me.

00:21:44.400 --> 00:22:05.359
I've been wanting to talk to solo women RVers, um, because I'm supposed to be a PG, so I'm not supposed to say the Word that I want to say, but you're just kind you're a rock star.

00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:06.880
That's the word that I'm going to say.

00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:14.559
But as a solo RVer, first of all, like applaud, applaud.

00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:18.880
I have so much applause for you just as a solo RVer, period.

00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:25.680
But there's so like I am not a solo RVer, but I park the rig.

00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:27.440
Like, and I can drive the rig.

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:30.160
And I've talked about this on the show before.

00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:37.519
I will be driving, and people will come up and will be like, um, excuse me, do you did your husband leave?

00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:38.960
Do you need me to do that for you?

00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:40.799
No, I can park my rig.

00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:41.759
We're okay.

00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:43.920
Like, I know how to back into the space.

00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:51.359
So I am wondering for you, is that something that you encounter a lot whenever you arrive?

00:22:51.599 --> 00:23:01.279
And how do you kind of like get people out of your space and get them to like what kind of do you think that that's improving at all?

00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:03.519
Are you seeing an improvement there?

00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:07.279
And how is there a community growing?

00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:10.799
Um, I guess is my question for solo RVers.

00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:14.559
And is there a networking that you've seen that way?

00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:15.039
Yeah.

00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:15.680
Yes.

00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:41.039
Um, so when I first started, yeah, um, I had a lot of these people, um, older gentlemen coming up and offering to back up or, you know, just stand at the corner of their lot and think that they're about to mock somebody for not being able to back up 31 feet of RV.

00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:49.680
Um, I do have to admit, I had gotten the rig end of 2019, then obviously COVID hit.

00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:55.920
Um, me and my father had pretty much gone from bumper to bumper, renovated it.

00:23:56.400 --> 00:24:04.559
And in that time where um I had them stored, I was just down the road from a mall.

00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:15.440
And since the mall was closed, I had a giant parking lot that I could practice backing up, checking my mirrors, figuring out that algorithm.

00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:18.240
And so I I was able to look out.

00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:20.160
I had practice before I hit the road.

00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:20.559
Yeah.

00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:23.279
But you should have driving any rig.

00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:29.920
If you're driving a VW bug, you should go practice before you hit the road.

00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:30.240
Yes.

00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:31.599
Like that's just a given.

00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:33.279
Yes.

00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:37.680
And so it that helped kind of with my confidence.

00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:54.079
And like I said, in the beginning, yeah, I I would get a lot of looks, and you know, people peeking through the the shades, and um, but it kind of it definitely has gotten better, and you just kinda have to put your game face on.

00:24:54.319 --> 00:25:12.960
Um I I've been able to kind of shock some people of being able to back up and park and first try, and I kind of wait until I get into the rig and then I kind of jump up and down for joy and giggle because I actually did it on the first try.

00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:17.119
But it's it's just kind of yes, it definitely has gotten better.

00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:40.640
Um, I have met along the road other females that are doing it by themselves, but it's there's also the wow factor of I I go to, you know, I I go to work and new assignment, and people want to know all about you, and I tell them what I do and doing the travel thing, being in the RV, and they're like, How long are you?

00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:51.920
And I'm like, I'm 30, it's 31 feet, bumper to bumper, and then I tow a car behind me, and so that's about another 20 feet, and by myself, and they're like, Really?

00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:54.799
Okay, that's really cool, but I don't think I I don't think I could do that.

00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:55.440
I couldn't do that.

00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:56.880
And I was like, Yes, you can.

00:25:57.200 --> 00:26:02.640
You just have to believe in yourself and have the confidence to just go out and do it.

00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:16.160
And I've told uh told a lot of people that it's like you you can do it, don't doubt yourself, just yeah, have a good head, have a calm heart, and if you mess up, you mess up.

00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:33.680
I mean, yeah, there's been days where you're doing a 20-point turn to try and get in, and you keep going in and out, in and out of the truck, and you're trying to put rocks where you're supposed to go, and then you roll over the rock, and it's just it is what it is.

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:41.920
But I kind of I have a family and that allowed me to figure things out for myself.

00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:49.599
I thought you know, I've been doing this for a while, but I'll be the first one to admit that I still call my dad at every other week.

00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:51.680
I was like, Okay, how do I do this?

00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:53.200
Okay, what do you think about this?

00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:54.160
Can I do this?

00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:57.039
And he's like, No, let's think of this through.

00:26:57.279 --> 00:27:03.279
And um, my dad, YouTube, um, and Facebook.

00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:06.640
And you've got a build-in support system.

00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:08.000
Yeah, yeah.

00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:08.960
That's awesome.

00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:09.680
Yeah.

00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:18.319
So if you do you have any tips in regards to like safety or just like, hey, you're gonna be a solo RVer.

00:27:19.039 --> 00:27:30.160
These are the things that you need to know that maybe would be easier if you had another person with you, but you need to take extra precautions because you are the only one who's who's there.

00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:37.920
So you need to make sure that you've got this on hand or you need to make sure that you're ready for this because you don't know what's gonna happen.

00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:38.559
Yeah.

00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:44.640
Um for safety, like I said before, you just kind of have to game face and go with your gut.

00:27:44.960 --> 00:28:02.079
I have definitely listened to my gut a couple times when traveling from assignment and couldn't find a campground, or you have a tire blowout and you spend six hours on the side of the road waiting for a progressive to try and send somebody to fix your tire.

00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:03.839
And I'm talking from experience.

00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:06.079
And you just I have that experience.

00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:06.640
Yeah.

00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:19.440
So you just want to be done with the day and you go to the closest truck stop, but you just you get a feeling, and you're like, nope, go in, grab some caffeine, pound it, go to the next one.

00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:22.799
And if it if you have that gut feeling, listen.

00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:24.000
That intuition.

00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:28.319
I also I also kind of went a step further.

00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:31.599
Um, I have a security system for the RV.

00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:32.480
That's awesome.

00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:36.559
I was able to find a company, and the company calls is called Waze.

00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:37.759
Um, Wise.

00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:43.759
And they partner with another company to do monitoring.

00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:47.839
And so each window, each door has a sensor.

00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:54.799
It allows me temperature sensor, leak detection, which has saved me a couple times.

00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:55.440
Yep.

00:28:55.599 --> 00:28:56.240
Yeah.

00:28:56.640 --> 00:29:08.799
And I always have it set when I go to bed, and other things to have on hand when you're by yourself is a good toolkit.

00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:21.279
I was able to stealslash borrow some tools from my father before I left and spare screws, bolts, washers, zip ties, duct tape.

00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:35.279
You just kind of acquire different things and having a good toolkit, you know, something if a screw breaks, or if you need to install something, having that has always been a a good comfort.

00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:42.640
Um, and just kind of, you know, not not be ashamed to go look at YouTube.

00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:58.720
Um, I joined a couple full-timer RV groups and I've posted some questions and they've been pretty good, have been able to give me answers, and but then I've also had to call the mechanic and be like, hey, I need help.

00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:02.880
Gone through all my resources and I still can't figure it out.

00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:15.599
And I've luckily been able to get some some nice guys and they've applauded me for trying to figure it out and talking to them, explaining everything.

00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:17.279
And I always have my phone out.

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:19.279
I kind of record what they're doing.

00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:29.359
So if something, if the other side you know, happens again, then I can just go back and just kind of having confidence in yourself.

00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:36.240
Um if you feel confident in going out, then you'll you'll enjoy it.

00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:46.000
My first leaving, leaving the comfort of being close to my my my father and fully going out on my own after fully moving in.

00:30:46.400 --> 00:30:54.559
Obviously, that was my maiden voyage, and I blew a rear internal tire and but yeah.

00:30:56.160 --> 00:30:57.839
Um that's a big one.

00:30:57.920 --> 00:30:59.119
And yeah, it was a big one.

00:30:59.279 --> 00:31:00.319
Yeah, yeah.

00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:06.559
So it's it's just just kind of going with your gut feeling and yeah, not being afraid to get dirty.

00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:08.079
Trust your trust your intuition.

00:31:08.400 --> 00:31:08.960
I love that.

00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:14.960
Well, Candace, I cannot thank you enough for coming on and sharing your story with us.

00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:22.240
If you have a story that you want to share with our community, you can reach out to us at connect at learn torv.com.

00:31:22.720 --> 00:31:32.559
We are also starting a new segment um coming soon this season where we're gonna start telling some campfire stories.

00:31:32.720 --> 00:31:50.880
So if you have some of those just crazy wild stories that you like to share around the campfire about things that have happened to you, you know, I've got a million Martin Mayhem stories that happened to us along the road, but maybe it's not a whole episode worth, but it's just a really good story with a lesson in it.

00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:53.920
We're gonna start doing some episodes with those.

00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:57.599
So you can email those to us uh to read on air.

00:31:57.759 --> 00:32:06.160
So those at connect at learn to rv.com and subscribe, share with your friends, and we look forward to sitting down at the campfire with you next time.

00:32:06.319 --> 00:32:07.440
Thanks for joining us.