Exploring As A Family: Ross and Jessica

We are the Bakers! Ross, Jessica, Finnegan (4), and Hazel (2). We also have four cats that travel with us! We started toying with the idea of RVing full-time several years ago. We both love to travel and wanted our kids to have the opportunity to see and experience as much as possible. We were also interested in raising our kids in a way that makes them cherish experiences and memories more than material things. We were living in a 2400 square foot home filled to the brim with all of the stuff we could ever dream of (and then some). We also wanted to downsize so we’d be able to live off one income and spend more time as a family.

In our “sticks and bricks” home, we were working a combined 90-100+ hours each week and only spent real quality time together with the kids on the weekends. We were sick of working for the weekend! So, a combination of wanting to travel, downsize, and live more intentionally drove us to make the leap to full-time RVing. We wanted a truck for day trips and decided on a 5th wheel vs. a trailer for a little bit more space and the spacious feeling given by the vaulted ceilings.

Career Changes In RV Life

Before full-timing, I (Jessica) worked for a digital marketing agency. I’ve been working in digital marketing for over 10 years and never dreamed I’d have the chance to be a stay at home mom. I continue to do some work for a handful of clients on a freelance basis but my main gig now is taking care of the kids and our tiny home. I couldn’t be happier about my new position!

Ross worked for an affiliate marketing software company before traveling. He now works full-time on a freelance basis in affiliate marketing which allows him to set his own schedule and be his own boss!

We Made The Right Choice

Boondocking at the Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve. The feeling of having no neighbors and such an incredible place to call home for a couple of days literally brought tears to my eyes. As I watched the kids run through the desert and just be kids. I had a sense of relief that I knew we had made the right choice. This was why we left everything we knew and starting full-timing.

Rough Start To Full Timing

Something we can laugh about now is the fact we didn’t have running water for the first week of RVing. The day before leaving home in Heber City, UT, our pipes froze and busted the water pump. We had no idea what was wrong. We finally had a mobile RV repairman tell us it was the pump but wouldn’t help us due to the fact he was too lazy to deal with our insurance company. So Ross watched some YouTube videos, we spent less than $200 on a new pump, and Ross fixed the water! I was ready to pack it in and head home after day 4 of no water, but I am sure glad we didn’t! Since then, Ross is not only a plumber; he is also an electrician, IT specialist, mechanic, and just an all-around handyman!

Create a personal space for everyone (kids and pets). Our kids each have a bunk then can retreat to when they need some space and our cats have an entire cat sanctuary under our bed when they need a break from the kids.

Get The Best Phone Connection You Can

Use multiple phone carriers. Where one doesn’t work (say AT&T) the other one just might (Verison). Use a jetpack on top of hot spotting off your phones. Data goes faster than you think. Get a cell booster. The majority of places we’ve stayed have spotty service but we’ve had no problems thanks to our booster!

From One Coast To The Other

We have no end date but are thinking we will be traveling for about 2 years. But who really knows! We are currently in Southern California and are slowly working our way up the coast to Oregon and Washington.