Most useful van gear, and more

We’ve been on the road nearly four months. Time to look back at the most and least useful items in the van, camping costs, and more.

How Red Delicious Has Changed

Here are a few more reflections for you, plus…photos!

States Visited So Far: 11

Arizona
New Mexico
Texas
Louisiana
Mississippi (doesn’t really count since we only stopped for lunch)
Alabama
Florida
Georgia
South Carolina
North Carolina
Tennessee

Campsite & Shelter Costs: $969/month on average

Definitely beats our mortgage, but still much higher than we’d like. It’s an average of ~$31/night, which is high for campsites but low for Airbnbs — both of which are included in the calculation.

We also got motel rooms when the weather was predicted to be in the 20s and when Holly started to go downhill, which messes with the numbers a bit. Every month has gotten cheaper because we learned to:

Avoid pricey private campgrounds
Find motels without pet fees, like Red Roof Inn
Book Airbnbs at a weekly, not nightly, rate

Still haven’t camped in a Walmart parking lot. Maybe we will soon.

Memorable Experiences

Swamp Rabbit Trail (Greenville, SC)
The Bywater (Asheville, NC)
Manatees at Blue Spring State Park (Orange City, FL)
Best chiles rellenos at Mando’s (Marfa, TX)
Best barbecue at Malson’s (Kingsland, GA) and The Salt Lick (Driftwood, TX)
Favorite Airbnb (Asheville, NC) – Update: These folks are no longer running their Airbnb – sorry!
Awe-inspiring views at Organ Pipe National Monument (Ajo, AZ)