Prior to becoming digital nomads,  most of our "professional" jobs were typical 9-5's (although always ended up being more hours) working in a cubicle or small office with a long commute.  Even with different jobs and different companies, being inside stuck at a desk was always hard for us.  The ration of vacation time was never enough either, most people negotiate for more money when accepting a new position, I on the other hand, ALWAYS negotiated for more time off.   We were always dreaming up ways we could travel and work at the same time (being that we're not independently wealthy and we didn't win the lottery, not working is not an option).  We are both fortunate that we have the ability to work remotely and now that we have been on the road for a few months, we have come to really appreciate the ability to be location independent,.  We recognize though that despite its many benefits, it does have some downsides too.  


​Here are 5 benefits of working remotely: 

 2. An Office With A View 
​At our last office jobs, I worked in a small windowless office and Kevin worked in a cubicle surrounded by 100 more cubicles. Nothing to look at and no connection to the outdoors, if you didn't leave the office for lunch you would have no idea if it rained, snowed, was sunny or lousy out.   Now we have an office with a constantly changing view.  With our huge windows, sunlight is always pouring in and we get to work watching the ocean crash, taking in a sunset, on a lake, in the mountains, or in the middle of a forest.  How can you beat that?

3. Having A Delicious Lunch
While you always have the best intentions to meal prep and bring your own lunch to work (to save some $$, to eat healthy etc) sometimes you just don't have time or don't feel like eating what you brought.  Now that we have a kitchen 5 steps away from us and have access to anything and everything in the fridge, we cook  or prepare our lunches every day.  In fact, lunch is often our best meal of the day and taking the time to make it is a nice break from work.  We are able to eat healthy while keeping our budget in check. 

4. Variety of Working Spaces 
Oh, the many places we work.  Despite living in a 30 foot RV, we have way more options for our work days than we had in an office.  We rotate working at our workstation (flip up desk), dining table, in bed, on the couch or our favorite, outside.  And sometimes if we just need to take a break from Wanda, get better WiFi and have some human contact, we pack up and head to a local coffee shop.  

5. Zero Commute
​We both love that we no longer have to fight through traffic, weather and road conditions to get to work.  Living on Long Island our commutes were usually long and torturous.  It's so nice to not stress every day over the drive to/from work and have the ability to use that time to take a walk or hang outside.

1. Hard To "Leave It At the Office"
​We have both discovered that it is harder to step away from working for the day or week when you live in your office.  When working at our office jobs, we tried to always leave any problems/issues at the office when we left so we could enjoy our time off.  That has become a little tricky.  I have found that I am more available and responsive to my boss and clients on off hours than I used to be.  As a result, we sometimes feel like we work all the time.  It's definitely a balance we are still trying to figure out. 

2. Internet Speed 
Despite all our options for connecting to the internet (WeBoost, WiFiRanger, Verizon MiFi, tethering off our cellphones) we still struggle with slow internet pretty often.  Downloads crawl, sometimes I can't access my employer's network and working on multiple applications at once with a bad connection has led to a couple of computer crashes.  While we try to plan ahead a bit and try to make sure we are somewhere with good reception and signals on work days it's unpredictable.  While we rarely have been without any connection, everything takes longer which can get frustrating. 

3. Lack of Face to Face Interaction with Colleagues/Clients
Kevin and I are together pretty much all the time, in this tiny house.  If we are at a quiet campsite or boondocking it can get lonely and boring.   We both miss being able to see and talk with our colleagues and clients in person.  Sure I talk to them on the phone, but there is something to be said about face to face communication and the connection you get from it. 

4. Distractions 
We move every few days, so there are always new trails to hike, new places to explore and things to see.  It can be hard to reign in the desire to go out and explore in favor of sitting in front of the computer working.  And there are other distractions to contend with, friendly neighbors wanting to chat, the dogs carrying on because they want to go outside or sometimes it's just noisy and hard to focus. 

5. Snacks 
I am a snacker, I will choose a snack over a meal any day.  And while we like the access to be able to make our lunches, it means we are also 5 steps away from all our food at all times. Understandably, this tends to result in some mindless snacking.   Out of sight out of mind is not an option so some stronger willpower is required.   

Overall, we really like the freedom and flexibility of being able to work from anywhere.   We will take the good with the bad if it means we can keep traveling.  

Do you like working at home or prefer working in an office? Let us know in the comments below. 

Our Sidetracked By Adventure Travel Board is an incredible place to start if you are already RVing, in the planning phase or simply dreaming of a more mobile lifestyle.  We have saved you hours of time by creating a template for you to follow and customize with your own information. But if RVing isn’t your thing, we encourage you to take a look at the board anyway, it’s a great example of how to use all of the features of Trello and what you can accomplish with it. ​

So are you ready to simplify, organize and spend less time planning and more time being Sidetracked By Adventure? ​

How to Sign Up for Trello
1. On your web browser, type in the address bar https://www.trello.com 

2. On the top right, click the Sign up button

3. Fill out all the fields (Name, Email and Password) and click Create New Account Button or log in using google button

How to Get the Sidetracked By Adventure Travel Board
1. Sign Up for access to the Sidetracked By Adventure Travel Board on our Homepage

3.  Sign into Trello using your own credentials to start inputting your own information and formatting the travel board to best suit your needs. 

Choosing a tow vehicle
Determining what vehicle to tow determines how you will tow that vehicle. Before full-timing we had a Mazda 6 and a Chevy Avalanche, either of which could have worked, but we wanted to be able to flat tow a smaller vehicle that had 4 wheel drive and good ground clearance. The Mazda 6 would have needed a front wheel dolly and while we could flat tow the Chevy Avalanche, it was too big and cumbersome. We needed a tow vehicle that was small, agile and versatile. We decided that a Jeep Wrangler would be a perfect fit.  Many people choose this option. I would say 1 out 4 towed vehicles that we see are Wranglers. 

Good Sam has a great guide they publish every year on the latest advances in towing and a list of models that could be flat towed : 2018 Guide to Dingy Towing

​Here is our comprehensive list of everything we needed to tow Walter, our 2001 Jeep Wrangler TJ (Automatic) along with how much it all cost. 

Total Price: $ 3137.38 + Installation

By Kevin Quiambao

Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon Affiliate Links, which means we may receive a commission if you click the link and purchase something we recommend. Clicking these links doesn't cost you any extra money but it does help support our adventures and this website. Thank you for your support!

Step 3: Put Transfer case into neutral and put Jeep Wrangler TJ into Park

• To flat tow our 2001 Jeep Wrangler TJ we need to put the transfer case into neutral and the transmission on Park. This is according to the Jeep manual.

Putting the transfer case into Neutral

• Put the key ignition and turn it to the On position
• Put your foot on the brake and move the transmission into neutral
• Foot still on the brake, now put the transfer case into neutral
• Start the engine
• Move the transmission into drive and release the brake to ensure there is no movement
• Turn off the engine
• Put the transmission into Park

When transitioning to this mobile lifestyle, we discovered several issues pretty early on.  Despite being on the move, we still needed to “belong” somewhere and have a home base for things like insurance, licenses, registration and mail.  And a huge new expense for us was private paying our health insurance, which let me tell you is seriously painful in New York. We needed to look for a better option and wanted to situate ourselves in a state with lower income tax, if possible.  

So, we researched what other fulltime RVers did and learned that a lot of RVers change their domicile to somewhere which is friendlier to full timers.  The top 3 choices we discovered were: Florida, Texas and South Dakota as they have no income tax. But then the obvious question is how can you become a resident of a state without owning property or having an address?

Enter Escapees RV Club which solves that problem.  Escapees is a huge network for RVers and offers so many great services like mail forwarding, discounted rates at hundreds of RV campgrounds across the country, and roadside assistance among others and a yearly membership is only $39.95 a year.    ​

Their mail service is offered in Texas, Florida and South Dakota.  By adding the Escapees mail service (different options available, more on that below), Escapees will provide you with a legal address in the state you choose and will handle receiving and forwarding all of your mail.  If you choose Florida or South Dakota you will have two addresses, one for your legal domicile (license, insurance, taxes etc.) and a separate mailing address in Texas where Escapees processes all the mail. Your residential address in Florida will be Sumter Oaks RV Park and for South Dakota it will be an Escapees satellite center.  

​Now that we discovered it was possible, we began the following process and said goodbye to New York and became Floridians:

Step 1: Research which of the 3 States is best for you
The most important consideration for us was the ability to get a good nationwide health insurance plan.  After researching on our own, talking to several health insurance agents and comparing the options to what we would have to pay to stay on COBRA in NY...the only option was Florida.  Florida is the only state that really offers a plan with good nationwide coverage. It’s through Florida Blue Cross Blue Shield which has a bunch of different PPO plan options depending on your circumstances and budget.  We are very happy with the plan and coverage that we found and the best news…..is that it is less than half of what we were paying on COBRA=Happy Dance!!

Step 3: Purchase Car/RV Insurance policies in new state
This was a little unexpected but when we switched the Jeep, RV and our Umbrella policy to Florida we actually ended up paying slightly more than what we were paying in NY.  However, the savings for health insurance more than makes up for this.

*Print the insurance cards to bring with you to the tax collector/DMV

Step 4: Complete paperwork for transferring licenses, title, and registration and gather required documents, passports, IDs 
For your license you will need:

1. One of the Following: 
   • ​US Passport 
   • Certificate of Naturalization
   • Certificate of Citizenship
2. Proof of Social Security Number 
   1. ​Social Security Card
   2. W2 Form - I used this and it was fine
   3. 1099
   4. Paystub with name and social security 
   5. In Sumter County Florida, you can also complete a self-certification form
3. Two Forms of Proof of New Residential Address:
   1. ​Car/RV Insurance 
   2. Certification of Address form
   3. Health Insurance Card with Address 
   4. Vehicle Registration/Title
   5. Mail from a Financial Institution w/in last 2 months
   6. **Escapees claims that you can use their Welcome Letter as one of these documents BUT Sumter County is not accepting it currently because it doesn’t specify the site/lot number, it only includes the main park address (we were told the manager is working with Escapees on this, so it may change in the future)​

For your Title/Registration you will need:

1. The original out of state title
2. Proof of Florida Insurance issued by Florida agent
3. Vin Verification: if you bring vehicle to office it will be verified there or you can bring a completed Form HSMV 82042, which must be signed by a Florida notary public or police officer.
4. Bill of Sale if vehicle was purchases within the last 6 months.  (This is an important one and we ran into a problem because we purchased Wanda in PA which doesn't require a bill of sale and when we registered it in NY, NY doesn't provide any type of receipt showing sales tax and purchase price.  SO, they wouldnt accept it and we in a panic had to find and get in touch with the original seller and get him to sign one)​

For more info on Sumter County requirements, click here. 

Step 5: Go to the Tax Collector/DMV to transfer licenses, title and registration
This is going to take a while, so be prepared to spend a couple hours at the office.  However, our only experience with DMVs is in New York, which anyone familiar with can attest is a unique form of cruel and unusual punishment, so we were delighted with the quiet and friendly experience in Sumter County.

​Step 6: If you need to get health insurance, purchase a new policy
We got several proposals of different plan options and spoke to a few insurance agents before picking our new health insurance plan.  I found the quotes and different plan options to be slightly overwhelming, so my advice is definitely speak to agents, don’t just research online and purchase through a website...health insurance is important, you don’t want to end up with a bad plan!

Step 7: Change your address and mailing address on bank accounts, credit cards and with the United States Postal Service
Most of this can be done online and is a fairly simple and quick process.

​Before starting this process, I was honestly a little overwhelmed by it but breaking it down and just dealing with one step at a time made it much more manageable and it ended up being a relatively quick process with only one major hiccup.

It can be a frustrating and confusing process. Let us know if you have any questions. 

By: Ashley Quaimbao
Disclosure: This post may contain  Affiliate Links, which means we may receive a commission if you click the link and purchase something we recommend. Clicking these links doesn't cost you any extra money but it does help support our adventures and this website. Thank you for your support!

Having an internet connection on a consistent basis is the biggest battle we face working remotely.  We have found that having multiple options is a necessity and gives us our best chance at getting a connection wherever we are. 

The Unfortunate Truth about WiFi
While WiFi technology is getting better, RV Parks, Resorts, and Campgrounds have not caught up. Of all the places we have stayed, only 3 parks have had true high speed WiFi. This is probably one the more expensive and complicated amenities for park owners to provide their guest and as we've discovered, its pretty rare.  For the places that do provide WiFi, there is usually only one access point located by the office, which doesn't broadcast anywhere outside of the office.  While a few parks did have multiple access points, they didn’t have enough bandwidth to support the 100+ sites or they throttled your speed to a crawl. In short Internet at RV campgrounds is extremely slow and unreliable and at times we have felt like were were using an AOL dial up connection.  

Our Internet Setup

WiFi Ranger Elite AC Pack FM
The heart of our RV internet solution is our WiFiRanger Elite AC Pack FM. The WiFiRanger is specially made for RVers and makes mobile connectivity easy and pain free.  Here are the features we liked:

• Boosted WiFi - The unit boosts WiFi and allows you to reach WiFi connections that you normally couldn't reach. The company claims a range of up to 2 mile and while we kinda disagree with that range, we have found that if we know there is WiFi near us somewhere, the WiFiRanger will pick it up.  
• Load Balancing - It connects multiple internet sources together to adjust load balance between Wifi and Cellular.
• Automated Failover - WiFiRanger automatically reconnects if the internet goes down. We really like this feature especially when we pair it up with our Canary Security Camera. If you read our Pet post, you would know we use the Canary Security Camera to check up on our pets and monitor temperatures when we are away from the RV.  This feature of the WiFiRanger has saved us a bunch of times when the internet went down and we were out. The WiFiRanger will go through all the different connectivity options that we prioritize until it reconnects. So if Wanda loses WiFi connectivity, it automatically connects to our Verizon Jetpack.
• Connects all devices and laptops - We have over a dozen devices that require some type of internet. Imagine having to connect each device to the internet every time you get to a new site? No Way! The WiFiRanger creates an internal network which all the devices connect to. When you get to your new site you simply connect the WiFiRanger network once to the WiFi and all your devices will automatically be connected. It also has a guest network you can create if you really like your neighbors.
• Security - Being on public WiFi has its security risks so the WiFiRanger has its own security protocols that encrypts all your data, giving you a piece of mind when surfing the web.
• Designed for the mobile environments - Waterproof, UV Stabilized and designed to attached to your RV. Just be conscious where you install it. Low branches can do some damage. We cracked our antenna on a low tree but still works great. ​

Cellular
When WiFi isn’t an option at your site, you will need another solution. We rely on cellular when WiFi is not available. We have 3 options for cellular; our two T-Mobile cell phones (Google Pixel 2 & Google Pixel 3) and a Verizon Ellipsis Jetpack MHS900L. We like having two different carriers because it gives us options when one carrier is stronger than the other. We even notice speed differences between our two T-Mobile phones. Ideally, we connect the WiFiRanger to one of the cellular devices which in turns provides internet to the whole RV.  

Cellular Data Reception
We really enjoy camping in sites that are remote and secluded but when you are in the middle of Nowhere, USA with a population of 10 cows, a cell signal is pretty scarce.  

To combat that, we use a cellular signal booster. There are a bunch on the market but we chose the WeBoost Drive 4G-X.  

This device helps receive the signal with an outdoor antenna, boost signal and broadcast signal with an indoor antenna in the RV and it works with all carriers. The only problem is the indoor antenna doesn’t broadcast very far so you have to keep your devices close to the antenna.  We keep our Verizon Jetpack close to the antenna in our media cabinet.

The Problem with Cellular: Data Throttling
You are being data throttled no matter what your carrier or data plan is. For our phones, we are on the T-Mobile ONE Unlimited Plan which we really like.  The plan also allows you to use the Mobile Hotspot data at 3G speeds. Our Verizon Jetpack is also an unlimited plan up to 22GB of high-speed 4G. Despite all our devices being “Unlimited” data, our data speed is still being throttled at a certain point.  But luckily, we found a way around the data throttling for our Android Phones. 

PdaNet+ & FoxFi (Android)
This is a must have and another great option. PdaNet+ is one of the top Android applications of all time. It shares the internet access from your Android cell phone to your laptop, computer or tablets. The nice thing is it doesn’t require a tethering plan from your carrier which some carriers charge additional for. PdaNet+ has multiple connection options like USB and WiFi. Most cell phone carrier meter there hotspot/tethering . PdaNet+ doesn’t have any speed limits. You can download the free version on the Google Play Store but it has a timed usage limit. This means you’ll have to reconnect it after a certain amount of time.  We opted to purchase the full version for $7.99. We highly recommend this app and use it all the time.  

Conclusion
Internet is a must have for our nomadic lifestyle. Whether it’s for work, route planning or researching our next stop, we rely on our devices and can’t survive without a good connection. Our solutions aren't perfect and often we are frustrated at the speed but considering the locations we’ve been able to work in, its worked pretty well and gotten the job done.  When your office is mobile and ever changing like ours, our biggest recommendation is multiple options for connecting to the world.  

What are some ways you connect to the internet while RVing? Let us know in the comments below. 

By Kevin Quiambao
Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon Affiliate Links, which means we may receive a commission if you click the link and purchase something we recommend. Clicking these links doesn't cost you any extra money but it does help support our adventures and this website. Thank you for your support!
​

2 months into full-timing and we've discovered that some of our expectations of what this experience would be like haven't exactly lined up with reality.  While none of it has changed our mind about choosing this lifestyle and we feel the positives far outweigh the negative, it seems we were both a bit naive going into this.  Maybe it's because of our past camping trips or vacations or how #rvlife is portrayed on social media, but we've definitely had some surprises, both good and bad. 

What's a bit strange about full time rving is that all your "life stuff" comes with you...working, house maintenance, cleaning, laundry, pets, exercise, food shopping, and running errands is all still a part of your life, you are just mobile now making some of it a little more challenging.  And while we no longer have a whole house and backyard to take care of, Wanda and Walter require a lot of work, repair, and maintenance because driving around your home on wheels tends to beat it up a bit.

There are a lot of systems to keep up with, it takes time setting up a campsite, breaking down a campsite, or even just leaving the house for the afternoon.  Living tiny also means a smaller kitchen and refrigerator = more trips to the grocery store and time spent trying to find your way in a brand new store every time you shop. Plus there is a constant worry about your resources, do we need propane, are we conserving water, what are the tank levels at? Not to mention the hours you will spend researching....different campsites, driving routes, places to stay, things to do, it eats up hours of our time pretty much on a daily basis.  Travel days are also longer than you expect.  And while we love working on our website and writing blogs so that all of you can be a part of this adventure too, it all takes time. 

We move around a lot and are only in a place for a few days so we have to balance all of the above while exploring the town, hiking the best trails and seeing the sites other people have recommended.  SO all together, this leads to very little time to just hang out.  I think a lot of RV newbies also have trouble with this, being in a new place makes you feel like you HAVE to go see and do everything, its almost like a weird sort of guilt if you don't, because we are lucky to have this opportunity.  I think with time this will get easier and since we are FINALLY in warmer weather, we will try to slow down a bit.  And now we can at least work outside!  

We have always been very active, we enjoy being on the go and wouldn't really change this, it was just a bit unexpected.  

​Downsizing from a large 3 bedroom house, with a big kitchen and huge backyard, we worried that we'd feel claustrophobic and were a little concerned about the two of us being on top of each other constantly.  So much about how we lived day to day changed from the more elaborate meals we used to cook, to all of us having plenty of room and space to spread out in, to the long luxurious showers we were able to take and our plethora of clothing options from our walk in closet.  ALL of that changed drastically.  We now have 3 cabinets and a small closet for all our clothes, not enough space for shoes or all the pet stuff, nowhere to really go if we got annoyed with each other, a miniature kitchen to try to cook in and a small shower. 

​But we have been pleasantly surprised at how quickly all 5 of us adapted.  The girls found there own areas of Wanda to hang out in when they need alone time, we have found ways to give each other space, the dog beds and toys are easily tucked away when traveling, we built shoe cubbies in empty space, we cook inside and outside to give us more options, the smaller wardrobe suits us just fine and nobody feels claustrophobic, because a lot of our time is spent outdoors.  It was a pretty seamless transition for all of us into this tiny life.  We also learned pretty quickly how to conserve water, propane and our other resources and how to waste less overall.  Even two months later, living in the RV seems so natural to us.  Goes to show you how much more adaptable we all are than we give ourselves credit for. 

This has been hard for both of us.  We were used to spending a lot of time with our family and friends and we didn't really realize how isolating this life can be at times.  A big part of this is probably skewed expectations from Instagram and YouTube.  We follow so many couples and families our age who do this, who meet up with each other and it led us to believe that making friends would be easier.  We figured it would be simple, we obviously share a lot of common interests. 

Unfortunately, so far we haven't really experienced that sense of the RV community that we were looking for.  Part of that might be our fault because we hit the road in the off season,  it's been cold throughout most of the east coast and we have been moving fairly frequently.  So, a lot of the campsites we have been staying at were pretty empty, had an older population of permanent residents and the weather kept us from really walking around and meeting people.  It seems kind of obvious now that considering this lifestyle, we should have expected a lot of time alone, but the whole feeling of loneliness and longing for people to talk to, take a hike with, share a meal with kinda snuck up on us. 

We have traveled quite a bit, and are pretty good at organizing trips, finding things to do and planning out our days.  But I guess the difference is in the past, we'd already done research to find out where we wanted to take a trip, so we were more familiar and had a better idea of what we wanted to see and do and were only planning a specific block of time.  Since we are pretty unfamiliar with a lot of the US, it takes hours to research where to go, the best hikes, must see places and activities and then once we have that figured out, we then have to start searching for a campground that is conveniently located, pet friendly, reasonably priced, and available.  Plans have changed several times for us based on weather and repairs so a lot of this is also done at the last minute.  And as we have experienced, sometimes we just can't find a spot, so we have strangely become comfortable sleeping in a Cracker Barrel or Walmart parking lot.  

Neither one of us is particularly materialistic, we've always leaned towards choosing experiences and trips over having expensive clothes, cars or things and neither one of us likes clutter.  Everything in our house kinda served a function and we never had stuff on the counters or any knickknacks lying around.  That being said, it was quite amazing how much stuff we accumulated over time.  Going through everything and "purging" by donating, selling, throwing out or storing was an overwhelming process.  The thought of living for a year or so without all of it freaked us out. 

But being on the other side of that, I can tell you it is an incredible feeling to let go of it all.  To not be held down or held back by stuff, by letting go of some irrational attachments to things that didn't even really make us happy, we have learned what we really need and that list is relatively simple.   By leaving behind the weight of it all, we have gained a wonderful sense of freedom which makes even our future look a lot simpler.  

​We hope this helps any future full timers or anyone thinking about possibly taking the plunge get a better picture of what real life on the road looks like.  It always helps to know what you are getting yourself into. 

Did you have any expectations when you first started Full Time RVing? How about reality checks? Let us know in the comments below!

By Ashley Quiambao

Have you developed a Departure Checklist? Let us know in the comments below how you prep for your departure.

By Kevin Quiambao

The second countertop we added was on top of the stove.  Many RV models come with this cover for the stove but ours did not.  We used another piece of the buthcher block and created a removable top for the stove.  The slick part of our design is how the countertop stays in place when we drive.  Since it is 1 1/2 inch butcher block, it is heavy and would be dangerous if it slid around and fell on top of one of our pets while in transit.  So, we routed the bottom to sit flush on the countertops and lock into place on the stove.   ​

Spice Cabinet
In a small kitchen, you have to maximize the storage space in the cabinets.  After loading our food and kitchen tools, it was hard to find a place for us to keep our spices.  We tried to keep them in a basket in one of the cabinets but it was hard to see them and was taking up space we needed for other pantry items. So after brainstorming with some family, Bryan (Ashley’s brother) suggested that we utilize the space above the door for a spice rack as it empty, out of the way and serving no other purpose.  ​

We repurposed the original valance and made it into a shelf to hold our spices. By repurposing the valance, this was a quick, easy and cheap project.   Here’s how we did it.

First, we removed the valance from the wall and removed the staples from the top third so we could peel back the fabric.  We then used our table saw to chop the top off (you can also use a circular saw or a hand saw).  We made sure to preserve the fabric when we cut it so we could reuse it. ​

Using the top portion of the valance that we cut off, we created a shelf for the spices to sit in.  We simply cut the sides off and screwed it in from the front and sides about 3" down.  3" is deep enough so the bottles don't fall out while we drive but we can still see the labels to identify the spices.   

Next, we covered the shelf with the extra fabric by pulling it tight and applying some glue and using a staple gun.   We then re-attached the valance to the wall and now had a spice rack capable of holding about 16 spice bottles.  ​

We like a lot of spice in our life so 16 spice bottles was not enough.  We decided to create some additional spice storage above the shelf. We screwed a piece of flat steel (which we spray painted) into the small plywood box we have covering the electrical wires for the media cabinet.  We use these magnetic spice tins, which have strong magnets and stay in place when we are driving.  With this addition, we can fit about 11 extra spice jars.    ​

When we started our research into purchasing an RV, we were overwhelmed and unsure of which direction to go in.  There were so many options, Class A, Class B/Van, Class C, Travel Trailers, Skoolie conversions or 5th Wheels.  Our first step was to make a list of our requirements and go from there:

1. Enough room for all 5 of us: 2 adults, 2 dogs and 1 cat.
2. Plenty of storage: Outdoor storage included. 
3. 30 feet or smaller: Our research indicated that some national parks limit you to 30 feet and we felt it was a good size, small enough to maneuver but still comfortable for everyday life.
4. 1 slide minimum: Since the RV would be our full time home, we felt we could use some extra space.
5. Fixer upper: We renovate everything and knew that we wanted to make our RV our own. 
6. Under 40k: This was our total budget for the RV and renovations & equipment.

We never really considered Class B's/vans.  They just seemed impossibly small for all of us to fit in.  Next, we ruled out travel trailers.  While financially they make sense because they are cheaper, neither of us really felt comfortable driving them.  I have seen Kevin try to maneuver a small boat trailer (it wasn't pretty) and seeing how they swing and don't really cooperate, I wasn't very confident in our ability to easily maneuver them.  Kevin also spent an afternoon watching trailer accident videos on YouTube which further put us off them.   

The remaining options were: Class A, Class C or Fifth Wheel.  We tend to have an unfailing habit when giving multiple options of never agreeing on the same one.  True to form,  Kevin wanted a 5th wheel and I wanted a Class C.  So how did we end up with Wanda, our Class A? For us it came down to our timeline, our budget, space/storage, and availability.

We searched online and visited some dealerships in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey.  Unfortunately, RVing isn't really a big thing on Long Island and the search was harder than either of us expected.  We were very disappointed in the inventory and condition of the used RV's in our price range at RV dealerships.

        In our experience if you are looking for cheaper used RV in the northeast, you are better off going with a private seller vs. a dealership.   We ended up purchasing Wanda from a          
        private seller off craigslist. 

​We did see several 5th wheel's which we liked.  The benefits to the 5th wheeler for us were: 

1. Open and more practical layouts; 
2. Bigger living room area and kitchens; 
3. Used models were within our budget; and
4. Use of the truck when at a campsite to get around. 

​However, the biggest problem for us was that we did not own a truck capable of towing a 5th wheel and purchasing a decent truck would have blown through our budget.  

,Our other serious contender was a Class C.  We felt like it would be the easiest transition, as the cab is similar to a van or truck.  It's smaller and more compact than a Class A or 5th wheel and they are easier to drive. But Class C's in our price range were nonexistent.  The few that we looked at were priced too high and had very little outdoor storage.  While wrapping our heads around downsizing and moving everything into an RV, the lack of storage was a really big issue. 

And then there was one, a Class A.  The availability of A's was better, we were able to find several priced in line with our budget, they had more living space than C's and plenty of pass through basement storage.  The downside being that since they are bulkier we would definitely need a car to tow behind to avoid being landlocked at a campsite.  

In the end we chose the Class A and feel it was the right choice for us.  It's nice to have an all in one on travel days.  I have easy access to the kitchen for drinks and snacks while Kevin drives and we all (dogs and cat included) have plenty of room and are not sitting on top of each other cramped in a truck.   We have also watched several people with 5th wheelers and travel trailers have a very difficult time getting into some tight campsites.  Our only complaint is that Wanda is pretty cumbersome when moving around a lot (which we tend to do).  Sometimes it would be nice to be a little smaller and ironically enough we do have some extra storage that we don't use.  But we really enjoy the space, comfort and open layout of Wanda and the wide open view out the front windows doesn't hurt either! 

How did you decide which kind of home on wheels was right for you?  

Option 1: To Sway ? or not to Sway? That is the question.
In the sports car world, if you want more performance from your suspension you add bigger anti-sway bars. These devices stiffen up the suspension and prevent body roll. I've upgraded the Anti-sway bars on all my cars and trucks and have been extremely pleased with the difference. For Wanda,  I was considering RoadMaster RSS Anti-Sway Front and Rear Bars.  These bars are significantly larger than stocks and would provide that rigidity. The brackets also seemed high quality with a built to last craftsmanship.  

In both of these options, I included the RoadMaster Steering Stabilizer and Bracket Kit. 

The install for Option 1 was a little more complicated and it was slightly more expensive.  On Amazon, the following items totaled $1600: 

Option 2:  SumoSprings vs Poor Handling. FIGHT!
At first I thought these were gimmicky, they look like fake airbags. How do foam cones provide rigidity and comfort? However, the more I researched and read the reviews, the more I was buying into the claims. So many reviews praised these springs and the difference they make on the ride. Here is what Sumo Spring claims: "SumoSprings are a patented suspension product designed to enhance load carrying ability, stabilize sway, and improve overall driver control and ride comfort. They are maintenance free, do not leak air, and do not require airlines or compressors."

Again I included the Road Master Steering Stabilizer and Bracket kit

On Amazon, Option 2 totaled about $1500. 

I was extremely curious about how Option 2 would work. How could so many great reviews be wrong? There was only one way to find out. 

Install
All three components were a very straight forward installation. I would consider myself a pretty handy person but feel a beginner DIYer would be able to handle this with the basic tools needed to complete the job and a buddy to help the process go quicker.  Find a friend people!  The directions were clear and included many pictures for reference. The steering stabilizer was done in under an hour, the front SumoSprings took about 2.5 hours and the rear took 2 hours.  You can make all these changes in one day. We didn’t even need to take the back wheels off the RV. The most difficult part was contorting your body to reach under the wheel well.  

​

Our Review
First of all, this was one of the best purchases we made for Wanda. The RoadMaster steering stabilizer made steering as easy as can be. I am able to drive down the highway with one hand comfortably. The RV no longer wanders all over the road. It tracks straight and true. I especially like it during turns because the wheel has more resistance and feel, which provides more confidence.  I also really like the added safety that the stabilizer provides during a tire blowout.  The RoadMaster Steering Stabilizer should help keep the wheel straight. Often times during a blowout, the RV will pull you in the direction of the blow out. It’s nice to have some extra security that I will be able to control Wanda if we suffer a blowout. 

We are extremely pleased with the performance of the SumoShocks. It is a night and day difference. We no longer have uncontrollable sway. We feel more stable. The best improvement is the ride quality. They help absorb the bumps and imperfections of the road. We even notice the cabin is quieter.  You can certainly feel the difference in rough road conditions but where it really shines is when you have a nice stretch of smooth to moderately smooth road. For a split second the RV doesn't feel like a house on wheels but more like a 30 foot sports car.  And that is what it's really about Sidetrackers, enjoying the ride.

What are ways you improved your driving experience in your RV? Let us know in the comments below. 

Since hitting the road we have stayed in a variety of campsites, 6 RV Parks, 4 State Parks, 1 National Seashore Campground and 2 Harvest Host locations, to figure out what works best for us.

After every campsite, we rate our stay and experience on a scale of 1-10 and add it to our travel record (we keep track of everything-what we are doing, where we are staying, how many miles traveled etc, to help document our journey).  In doing so, we noticed that we both enjoy state parks more than RV parks.  So, we decided to compare the similarities and differences of these sites in a variety of categories: 

1. Site Space and Privacy: State Parks
In our experience, there is significantly more site space and privacy at state parks than in RV parks.  The sites are further apart and set back from the road, there is generally plenty of tree cover that provides natural privacy between you and your neighbors and the "backyard area" where the fire pit is, picnic table, spot for Walter (our Jeep) is much larger.
​
In RV parks, we are much too close for comfort to our neighbors.  As a result, our shades are down more, its noisier, the dogs are on edge and prone to bark and its hard to really get comfortable or use the outside space.  

2. Hookups: Honestly, About The Same 
The state parks that we have stayed at have all had sites with electric and water and several times we also had sewer.  RV parks similarly have offered different levels of hookups on their sites.  So for us, there is no real difference one way or the other. 

3. Surroundings/View: State Parks
Obviously, we like to be outside getting lost in nature.  So the clear winner on this one is state parks.  They are in the woods or on a beach, its beautiful, peaceful, and if you are looking for a good night sleep they are perfect.  It gets so dark and quiet at night! 
​
RV parks are generally in more populated locations and your surroundings are other RVs, buildings, streets and lights.  Not much nature to be found (at least at the places we have stayed so far).  I personally struggle sleeping in RV parks a bit, there is more light pollution and you have to deal with some traffic, trains and other noises. 

4. WiFi: Both Losers
We knew that accessibility of WiFi and cell reception would be a constant issue, so we invested in some good tech gear which would allow us to have cell service and WiFi while boondocking, at remote locations or at state parks.  However, we were foolishly under the impression that RV parks, when they advertise having WiFi, that the WiFi has plenty of bandwidth and/or has a good signal.  We were sadly mistaken.  

We have yet to stay in an RV park where we can actually use the park's WiFi.  This has been a real source of frustration since we purposely spent more money to stay at a couple of RV parks, for the sole reason of WiFi availability for work.  We really have no great words of wisdom on this front besides don't expect WiFi even when its offered and if you need it, make sure you have several of your own methods of connecting to the internet (Verizon MiFi, tethering cell phones etc.).

5. Facilities  (Bathhouses/Laundry): This is a tough one because there are good and bad to each.
Lets be real, all I really care about are the showers.  By becoming a nomad, I had to say goodbye to long luxurious hot showers and wait a half hour to even get hot water in Wanda, take a military style shower when we don't have a hookup, or venture into bath houses in flip flops and hope for the best.  I expected RV parks to have this one hands down...but despite the availability of more private bathrooms/single showers (which definitely has advantages and feels a little more normal) we have found that the showers at the state parks have generally had better water pressure and hotter water. 
 
         Side note: North Carolina State Parks are so nice! They were all so well maintained, good signage, spacious sites, privacy and plenty of                   trails.  But they also had very clean and warm bathhouses with roomy showers.  Shout out to Rolling View campground  at Falls Lake,   
           for the heat lamps in the bathhouses which felt amazing (as you can see it doesn't take much to make us impress at this point).

As far as laundry rooms, much more likely to find them at an RV park.  It's definitely convenient for it to be on site, even if it's a bit more expensive.  

6. Activities/Things to do/Trails: For Us State Parks
We hike all the time so we like state parks because most of them have several trails that we can jump on right from the campground.  There are usually plenty of picnic areas, playgrounds, fishing, some beach areas to hang out on etc. 

However, we see the appeal of RV parks for families because they tend to have pools, dog runs, lawn games, more activities for kids and some pretty cool common areas.

7. Location/Convenience: RV parks
As expected, state parks are generally in more remote areas, so if you want to run to the store or go anywhere, expect some quality time in the car.

RV parks on the other hand, are in more populated areas and generally not far from supermarkets, stores, movies, restaurants and towns to explore.

8. Price: State Parks 
We are very conscious of our budget and state parks are definitely less expensive  It kind of strikes us as odd that RV parks are generally double the cost, when they often don't offer any more in terms of hookups/etc.  Even with some of our RV memberships and discounts, state parks have generally still been cheaper.  

These are just a few considerations we take into account when deciding between campsites.  While there are some pros and cons to both, if given a choice, the scale generally tips in favor of State Parks for us. 

Let us know which types of campsites you prefer in the comments below.

Canary
We generally always take the dogs with us when we leave Wanda, whether its exploring a new town, on a hike, or simply running some errands.  However, we do have to leave Piper the cat at home and occasionally have to leave Sophie and Hayley behind as well.  Leaving pets at home in an RV is completely different than leaving them at a house.  We never worried too much when we we left the girls at our house, but leaving them in the rig definitely raises different issues and has been a cause for concern.  With an RV you have to be a bit more mindful of their safety and security.  The temperature, conditions inside, the potential loss of power or failure of a system complicates things. 

To help us with that, we use a Canary Home Security System.  A canary is an all-in-one home security and intelligence monitoring system with a 1080p HD camera, a siren and built in climate monitor.  We can check up on the girls at any time using the app and watch what they are doing on a live feed (most of the time they are just sleeping).  We are also notified of any movement inside, so if someone tried to break in, we would get a notification and could simply push a button for the siren to start blaring and hopefully scare off any intruders.  The feature we like the most though is the temperature read out, it shows us the current temperature, humidity and air quality (carbon monoxide etc) inside, so we know immediately if there is a problem.  The canary has definitely helped eased some anxiety and gives us peace of mind while we are away. 

​

Hiking
Our dogs absolutely love hiking.  Exploring new trails and getting lost in nature is where they are the happiest.  They are also their best out adventuring.  Hayley, is typically very anxious and insecure but take her out on a trial and she is confident, excited and fearless.  We have two sets of harnesses for the dogs depending on how long the walks/hikes are.  For shorter hikes, walks or easier terrain we use Blueberry Pet Classic Solid Color Adjustable Dog Harness.  Dogs can typically handle different terrain pretty well and the harnesses allow us to have more control over them while still allowing them mobility to jump or climb without putting any strain on their necks.   

On longer hikes or tougher trails we use RUFFWEAR Singletrak Pack V2.  The slim lined packs have two compartments, one on each side with room for the dogs to carry their own water and snacks.  This is an easy way to lighten our own packs and make sure they are staying hydrated and fueled for our hikes.  These packs also have an extra handle so if you encounter any steep or tricky terrain you can help support and guide them safely.  

We also take a Jardin Dog Pet Collapsible Fabric Travel Food Water Bowl. It's lightweight fold able water bowl for them, so it's easier for them to take water breaks.  

Lastly, we always have a I GO Compact First Aid Kit...you never know when they will step on something sharp or get into some type of trouble so always be prepared. 

What are some of your favorite pet products or gear you use while traveling? 

Address Any Motion Sickness or Nervous Travel Problems
Luckily, of our three, motion sickness was only a problem with Sophie.  We have known since we got her, that she did not travel well.  A roadtrip to the Poconos taught us that the hard way.  So we spoke to our Vet who recommended we give her Dramamine before we drive with her.  This worked great, she didn't get sick all over the place and was much happier.   As we have been traveling a lot more in Wanda and in Walter (our Jeep), she has adjusted and within the last week we were actually able to stop giving her the Dramamine. 

We have also found that when we are driving, both dogs do much better if we move the beds up by our seats.  They are a lot calmer and generally just go to sleep. ​

Having our pups and cat with us has added to the joy of RV living because we get to share the adventure with them.  Making sure they are happy and healthy is a top priority. 

 ​Let us know how your pets transitioned in to RV Life and share your tips. ​

Here are our top 5 tips to keep in mind before embarking on full-time RV life: 

1.  Driveway camping.
           To ease the transition into full time RVing, try camping in your driveway.   Up until our test trip, we were still living in a house, which in retrospect was a mistake.  There’s definitely an element of shock when you move into a tiny home. You need time to get used to the RV and learn how to function in daily living situations.  The great part is, you are in your driveway! If you forget something or need to change things around, you have easy access to all your tools and resources, while still in the comforting environment of home. 

​After our first trip, we stayed in the driveway in Wanda for 3 weeks before our final departure, which was extremely helpful.  For us and our pets, it gave us time to adjust and make sure our new home worked for us.

2.  Take a couple of test trips to local campsites.
    Driving one of these is a lot different than a regular truck or car, so it takes a while to get comfortable with the size and maneuvering on roads.  RV’s also have a lot of unique systems, which are most likely unfamiliar to you (they were to us). Taking a few dry runs to local sites will allow you to gain confidence in driving and allow you to practice setting up camp, hooking up to water and electric, dumping the tanks and breaking down camp.   You may also find that you need to fix or change some things, which is a lot easier to do before you hit the road for good. 

3.  Test all your appliances/systems in every power source
    Do all of your appliance/systems work? Yes? While that may seem an obvious thing to 
check, it may not occur to you to check them with every power source and test multiple systems at once, it certainly didn’t occur to us.  We had major appliance issues during our first trip because we only tested everything individually when it was plugged into shore power.  We didn’t test to see how the systems would work when running together or how they would run when boondocking.

Here is what failed us:

• Our stove was leaking propane.  When we tested this at home for a few minutes, we noticed a smell but thought it was just because it was the first time we were turning it on.  However, when we tried to cook the first night, we realized we had a major issue which prevented us from using the propane all weekend;
• Our brand new 3-way refrigerator only worked on A/C, when we tried to switch it to 12v it would blow a fuse;
• The oven pilot light wouldn’t stay lit;
• Our weBoost Cellular extender and WifiRanger were untested and didn’t provide us with any internet or cell phone service;
• The microwave was intermittently working; and
• The water storage lines still had anti-freeze from winterization. While we thought we thoroughly cleaned and sanitized the water lines and tanks we apparently had not done a great job.

    
It was a rough few days with all of these systems down.  Luckily, we were at a campsite 
that had electric, water and bathrooms/showers or we not sure how we would have managed.  So be smart, test everything several times in different conditions so you don’t get stuck!

4.  Get to your site before dark.
    Always anticipate that your drive is going to take longer than you expect and unforeseen 
circumstances may throw a wrench into your plans.  Leave yourself plenty of extra time on travel days.  With the rush to finish Wanda’s renovation on time, we ended up packing at the last minute.  Our travel day became rushed and when we were ready to head out, a tire valve blew requiring a pit stop at the tire shop.  We didn’t get on the road until noon and our 5+ hour drive quickly turned into over 7. We arrived at Taughannock Falls State Park in the dark.  It was a struggle to even find the entrance and backing up into our site without being able to see was extremely difficult. While it was manageable, it certainly adds a level of stress that you don’t need. 

5.  You can’t always trust GPS Guidance.
     GPS is amazing and we couldn’t get anywhere without it.  We can’t imagine this lifestyle before GPS.  We have been using an app called Co-Pilot. It’s made specifically for truckers, RVers, and tow vehicles.   The app isn’t as convenient or user friendly as Google Maps, but it does take into account the size of your vehicle and is supposed to safely route you to your destination.  Unfortunately, in one instance Co-Pilot sent us down a one-way, narrow, steep down hill street with low lying trees road and wanted us to make a very sharp left turn at the bottom.   Going down that road was scary and when we hit the bottom we discovered the street we were supposed to turn on was closed due to construction. Even when the app tried to recalculate our route, it again wanted us to take that steep downhill.  We decided to take a different route but it made us realize that there are certain driving conditions that GPS cannot always account for. We highly recommend having a back-up plan (maps specifically made for truckers or a secondary app or system) and pay attention to construction signs.  

​What Lessons Did You Learn From Your First Trip? ​

Here's How It Works:

To provide support for the weight of the TV, desk top and cubbies, we used a large ½ inch plywood across the whole back wall. 

Attached to that plywood are 3 long open cubbies which can each fit 3 or more pairs of shoes while allowing maximum accessibility.  

The counter top is then attached to both the wall and cubbies and hinges up and down.  We used nuts and bolts to secure the brackets to the cubbies and screwed the countertop in from the bottom.  
        After trying several hinges I would recommend two StarVast 12 Inch Folding Shelf Brackets.  They support a lot of weight, move up and down smoothly with little effort, lock the desk position automatically and allow the desk to lay flat against the cubbies when in transit.
​
Cut List (This is very specific to our RV so use it as a guideline but be sure to measure your own space when building yours)

• 3 Shelves:  9.5" x 29.25" x.5" Birch Plywood
• Small Tabletop: 10" x 29.25" x .5" Birch Plywood
• Folding Tabletop: 21.5"x 29.25" x .5" Birch Plywood
• Front Wall: 30" x 29.25" x .5" Birch Plywood ( I would recommend a height that is comfortable to work on all day and fits your passenger. If I would make it again I would drop it an 1.5 to 2 inches. I think the desk it a little high to type on)
• Wall Piece: 60.5" x 30" x .5" Birch Plywood

Joinery
There are a lot of ways you can join the pieces together (glue, nails, screw, box joints, butt joints etc).  We used a combination of pocket hole screws, wood glue and 90 degree brackets to ensure it would hold up against highway potholes. ​

A Few Tips

• Put the back wall up first and then pre-assemble the cubbies before installing.  
• Use rubber stair mats from Home Depot cut to size on the bottom of the cubbies to prevent the shoes from sliding out when moving and to make cleaning easier.
• When purchasing an articulating bracket for the TV, make sure the arms extend far enough so the TV could be swung perpendicular when working at the desk.
• To prevent the brackets from rattling when you drive, strap the desktop down when in transit.  
• Make a plan for all your electric and wiring before you build the desk.  We use the cabinet above for our media storage and a docking station for charging our laptops and to connect to the TV display.  We also ran a separate A/C line for the media cabinet so we could easily control the whole system. 

If you have any questions feel free to leave us a comment. I can also email you a copy of the sketchup file.

When we first looked at Wanda, we identified a few problems and knew she would need some work before she was ready for the road.  However, since we are both new to RV life and are unfamiliar with how a lot of the systems work, we decided it would be smart to get a pre-purchase inspection to ensure there were no surprises.  Based on that inspection, we purchased Wanda.  The day we picked her up, we were super excited to explore and test our new house on wheels.  Unfortunately, we quickly discovered that the company who performed the pre-purchase inspection failed to identify several major issues, including a problem with the on-board generator.  
 
Wanda's generator is an Onan 4K MicroQuiet Generator.  It has relatively low hours with 168 hours.  When we started the generator, we noticed that it sounded funny and after a couple of minutes sputtered and died.  We could not get it to turn back at all for for several hours and once again it immediately shut off. 
 
After many hours of doing research, I found several possibilities that could be causing the problem.  It is important for generators to be consistently exercised and in our case, Wanda sat unused in the prior owner’s driveway for over a year.  This sitting caused a lot of damage to the generator (and depleted the batteries).  Since I couldn’t find a comprehensive list for troubleshooting generator issues, I decided on a step by step process to diagnose our problem, fix the issue and perform some necessary maintenance.  To start, I purchased the following: an air filter, a spark plug, fuel filter, fuel pump and two quarts of 15W40 Oil:
 
Airtex E11007 Electric Fuel Pump for Onan Generator Set
Cummins 1670275 Onan Spark Plug
Cummins Onan 149-2457 Fuel Filter
Cummins Onan (140-3280 Spec B Air Filter)
(2) Quarts 15W40 OnaMax Oil
 
To dissemble the generator and replace the above items, you will need the following tools: 
T-30 Torx Bit
3/8" ratchet with an extension
9/16" Spark Plug Socket
Spark Plug Gapping Tool
Oil Drain Pan
Funnel
Paper Towels
Rubber Gloves
Permatex High Temperature Thread Sealant
Wire nut or something similar to plug a gas line

First things first.  Remove the negative side of the all the batteries for your safety.  Then, remove the generator door by opening both levers.  I highly recommend taking a picture with your cell phone as a reference point.  You can look back at the picture to see where wires and parts are orientated.  I forgot to do this and had some trouble remembering where some of the wires went.


Let’s start with the easy stuff.

Clean the Spark Arrestor: 
There are two plugs on the bottom of the muffler.  Using an adjustable wrench remove the two plugs and turn on the generator.  It will be louder than usual.  Let it run for a minute or two under load, turn it off and let cool.  After the mufflers are cool reinstall the two plugs. 
 
To replace the Air Filter: 
Unscrew the wing nut and remove the air filter cover, which will reveal another wing nut. Unscrew the 2nd wing nut and pull out the air filter.  It could be dusty inside, so do a quick clean and replace with the new air filter.  Return the wing nut, put the cover back on and replace the last wing nut.  Do not over tighten. 

To replace the spark plug: 
Identify where the spark plug is located (for our model, it is located to the right of the oil cap).  Grab the end of the spark plug wire and pull the boot straight out.  Using a spark plug socket and a ratchet remove the spark plug.  Take note of the condition of the spark plug and compare the old one to the new one.  Make sure the plugs are identical by checking the gap on both plugs with a spark plug gap tool (ours is .025, but check your owners manual).  Once you identify they are the same, hand screw the new plug and use the ratchet to tighten.  Do not over tighten.  Replace the spark plug wire by pushing the boot straight in.  You should feel it snap in. 

To Replace the oil: 
The Onan 4k generator does not have an oil filter so oil changes are super easy.  Under the generator is a small yellowish cover.  Using a T-30 Torx bit, unscrew the bolt from one side of the cover and loosen the other side but do not remove bolt.  Rotate the cover away exposing a 9/16 drain plug.  Now prep your work area.  You need to be able to catch the oil coming from the generator.  I used an upside down bucket and placed my oil drain on the bucket, so it didn’t splatter.  Using a ratchet, a 3-inch extension, and 9/16 socket loosen the drain plug.  Once the drain plug is loose enough to hand turn be ready to catch the oil by moving the oil drain under the hole.  Let the generator drain completely.  Once every drop is out, grab a paper towel and clean off the drain plug and the hole making sure there's no debris or sand left on the mating surfaces.  Next, screw the drain plug back into hole and tighten with your ratchet.  Again, do not over tighten.  Rotate the cover back, align the bolts and re-tighten using the T-30 Torx bit.

Inside the generator door will be a yellow oil cover, unscrew it and place your funnel down the hole.  Pour in 1.6 of 15w40 OnaMax Oil.  Remove the funnel and clean the cap dip stick with a paper towel. Screw the cap in all the way and then remove to check the oil level. I've read a couple of articles that say these generators perform best when the oil level is just above the fill side.  Overfilling the generator can cause your generator to shut off intermittently.  Check your owner’s manual for your specific model. 

To Replace the Fuel Filter and Fuel Pump:
Under the generator on the left side there will be a fuel line that runs into the fuel filter.  Using a flat head screw driver loosen the hose clamp and pull the line off the fuel filter. After the hose line is off the fuel filter, use something to plug the hole to prevent fuel from leaking out. I used a wire nut which fit perfectly. Then prop the hose line out of the way facing up so it doesn't leak. 

Next, move to the front of the generator and remove the front two screws on the bottom left using a T-30 Torx Bit.  Take a picture of the solenoid.  Note which wires go where.  Remove all the wires and unscrew the solenoid.  Next, remove the circuit board. This may be tricky to remove, but keep working it and it will eventually come out.  Unplug the cables and put the circuit board aside.  You can now see and access the fuel pump and fuel filter.  Remove the screws holding the fuel pump in and unplug the fuel line.  There are two wires coming from the fuel pump.  The black wire is the ground.  Follow that line to the ground and unscrew the bolt and release the wire.  The next is a red wire that you can pull apart.  The fuel pump and fuel filter will come out as one unit.  Next, take your new fuel filter and apply Permatex High Temperature Thread Sealant on the threads.  You don't need to apply a lot, just enough to cover all the threads.  Screw the new fuel filter into the new fuel pump.  Use a ratchet to tighten.  Plug the fuel line coming from the generator into the fuel pump.  Run the new ground to the existing ground and attach the red wires.  Reinstall the fuel pump by screwing the fuel pump back down.  Retrace your steps and put everything back.  Plug in the circuit board and maneuver it back into place.  Next, attach the wires back into the solenoid (use the picture on your phone as a wiring diagram) and then screw the solenoid back into place.  Then replace the two screws in front of the generator.  Remove whatever you put in the hole to plug it and shimmy the fuel line back into place.  Tighten the hose clamp over the fuel line and the fuel filter and secure tightly.  Make sure to put the cover back on, clean up and dispose of the oil properly. 

Plug the negative side of the battery back in and you should be ready to test.  Turn on the generator and cross your fingers.  For us, the problem was the fuel pump and fuel filter.  We tested the generator after each of the above steps, but the problem still existed until we replaced the fuel pump and filter.  When I started the generator that time, it started right up but nothing inside had power.  I had to restart the line circuit breaker on the generator and then everything worked perfectly. 

I then took a picture of the hours of the generator as a reference for the future so we know when the generator was last serviced.
 
Nice job you deserve a beer and hopefully saved yourself hundreds of dollars. 
 
And remember, exercise your generator with a load once a month to preserve the life of your generator.