Eager to try some “land cruising” after hearing about the adventures of Ellie and Jason, Kyle and Glenny, Lisa and Allen, we rented a 24-foot Class C RV for a 3 day trip. Our destination was the Fort McCoy KOA campground on Lake Oklawaha near the Ocala National Forest, about 80 miles away. We picked the van up from its owner in St. Augustine on Monday morning early, scheduled to return Thursday by noon.

Weather was forecast as great EXCEPT for Monday morning. We’d packed over the last day or so and wrapped all the non-waterproof totes in black garbage bags. Good thing too, since it was cats and dogs as Tommy loaded the van from the boat.

The weather cleared after about 60 miles, so we got the experience of seeing how the van handled during a downpour (good) and arriving at the campground in sun, with the ground mostly dry. A man in a golf cart led us to our campsite and brought us a fire ring and firewood. The hook-up of sewer, electric and water was pretty simple (meaning Paula could have done it alone) and very similar to the boat.

All the sites were on a grassy, mild slope without concrete pad, so we got to experience leveling the camper with the aid of large Lego blocks that you could use to create the geometry of your choice. The camp was filled with live oaks gracefully festooned with Spanish moss and surrounded by woodland. Lots of bird calls and squirrels, but thankfully the local mama bear with cubs we were warned about did not make an appearance.

The interior of the camper was thoughtfully arranged, and amazingly, everything worked: Shower, heater, A/C, generator, fridge, freezer, microwave, stove and small oven, toilet and hot water heater. For us, it had plenty of living and storage space for gear and food for our short trip.

The square footage of the interior living space was somewhat less than on the boat, but we didn’t feel cramped. We enjoyed our trip without skimping on hot water, etc. since we were fully hooked up. We guestimate, given our past living “off the grid” trips on the boat, that if we took care to conserve water, fuel, and waste tankage, we could survive enjoyably for about 6 or 7 days off the grid in this size RV. Tommy thinks that this could be stretched with a well-functioning solar panel. (There was a place for one on the roof.)

This campground turned out to be a favorite one for off-road bikers and ATV enthusiasts, as there were miles and miles of dedicated ATV trails. It was fun seeing all the cool gear and watching the riders leave (vehicles and occupants pristine) and then return (mud-splattered and happily exhausted). The park abutted beautiful Lake Oklawaha. However, the water was well below the level of the campground and required a steep hike to the lake surface (no beach) which we happily did with a small gang of enthusiastic kiddos, who talked with us and didn’t seem to mind the age gap.

There was not as much walking trail as we would have hoped, but we made up for it by walking the rural road outside the camp and seeing the nearest neighborhood. It was also nice to walk around the fairly large campground and the many interesting camping setups.

We enjoyed a cooked meal each night and toasted sandwiches each lunch (see full menu below), and a campfire each night. The campground Wi-Fi was dismal, but with some effort Tom was able to livestream Netflix via a hotspot with his phone. A Wi-Fi and/or cellular extender would be a worthwhile addition (we have both on the boat).

The trip flew by, and it seemed like no time until Paula was driving the van home, with Tommy watching her every move and offering PLENTY of advice. We had a great time, and hope to try a similar van from another manufacturer (for comparison’s sake) in the future.

Appendix: Food Menu

Day 1 dinner – precooked chicken with sundried tomato sauce, Basmati rice, broccoli w/grated parmesan

Day 2 breakfast – Adam & Eve on a raft and coffee
Day 2 lunch – Tuna fish on toast
Day 2 dinner – Salmon on grill, corn & beans, slaw and cornbread

Day 3 breakfast – cereal, yogurt and coffee
Day 3 lunch – leftover salmon on toast
Day 3 dinner – steak on grill, Asparagus and roasted corn

Day 4 breakfast – cereal & yogurt & coffee