ItsDillerTime 2025 into 2026 š
Weāve been radio silent for a bit trying to recalibrate to life-off-the-road. That recalibrating starts 2026 at our trip finish line, and winter or work-camping (volunteer) home, is Lake Aurora Christian Camp in Lake Wales, FL. We work, play and do school in between while we enjoy being back in our home state ā¤ļøš there is a winter contingent of Volunteers at camp, although we are the only ones with kids, itās been a great community of part-time and full-time RVrs to swap stories with and serve on work projects at the camp.
Vinceās college roommate Tim and his wife Dawn also volunteer at Lake Aurora so itās an added treat to hang with our RV mentors āŗļø We also get some awesome sunsets here!
2025 Big-Loop Finish Line
With an Orlando time-share planned as our DillerTime finish line for Thanksgiving, we hoped to have some fun celebrating our year-on-the-roadā¦ unfortunately we mixed in a triple hospital visit with our āBig-Loop Finaleā.
First week at Lake Aurora in late November, Michele fell out of the RV and broke her wrist. Yes we traveled over 22,000 miles but have our first RV accident of significance at the finish line š³ Prayerfully, thankfully, the fall was back in FL where we could get some family help. To add to the finish-line follies, while waiting for Micheleās surgery and trying to settle into our Orlando time share, Vince developed some abdominal complications (from a prior surgical error) and both Vince and Michele landed in the Advent Health ER. Michele to re-set her wrist fracture which moved and Vince was admitted for a few days to treat sepsis and check his heart. Bit scary but thanks to Micheleās Mom and Brother we got things covered and convalesced in comfort at the timeshare.
#familysupportā¤ļø
Some Disappointing Medical Drama
Unfortunately, Advent Health Celebration (specifically Cardiology) dropped the ball on evaluating and scheduling Vinceās cardiac stress test, a rule-out test but important. The initial eval and treatment went well but the heart complications that developed were mismanaged significantly. With all symptoms resolved and the GI presumed the primary cause the cardiac symptoms needed a stress test to be sure things were clear. Vince wanted the stress test but the cardiologist failed to complete his rounds and/or schedule the test. On day 2 the hospital staff, not the cardiologist, informed Vince it would require an additional 2 days to perform the testing š³š¤š¤Æ Already sitting on a >$61,000 hospital bill, Vince questioned the added expense only to be told the hospital couldnāt perform the test due to scheduling and no nuclear medicine available and they wouldnāt recommend out-patient testing. Vince signed out AMA and filed a formal complaint and is pursuing cardiac outpatient follow up in January. This was all prior to Micheleās surgery scheduled before Christmas, which also came at a sticker price of $62,000. Vince has/is questioning the ethics of the sticker price of care but glad Michele got her wrist fixed and that he got his GI issues and āsomeā cardiac issues cleared. Happy to share more or hear from others if youāve experienced similar challenges, particularly if youāre on a medical share healthcare plan (if you know you know) which seems to have been targeted by the hospital despite confirming payment and paying some bills already, well ahead of major medical plans. The majority of the staff and Christian ethos of Advent Health was affirming, the business and operations side of this mega-healthcare mothership needs some serious attention. One crazy finish to our trip, year and Thanksgivingā¦ but still quite thankful š
ItsDillerTime 2025 in Review
When we set out on this quest to bring our family closer and look to the road as our classroom for what God would teach us. We had a lot of faith, most of a plan but honestly barely had a clue! By Godās Grace and provision we made it and have an entertaining testimony to share ā¤ļøš
As a reminder to those new to our story, the DillerTime RV Life and our Quest for the Lower 48 was an idea that grew from challenges we were experiencing with our boys in 2024. Instead of medical or institutional options to address the rising issues, we felt God calling us to a āgrande adventureā. To inspire all of us to grow closer to God and to each other and expand our understanding of this beautiful country God has blessed us to live in. Following a faith filled sale of our West Palm Beach home late September 2024, and rapid sale of almost all our belonging, we set out to travel for a year-ish around the US.
We would use the National Park System as a routine part of our Adventure Curriculum (aka homeschool classroom) and sprinkled in museums and other historical or geographically significant sites around the country with some online classes for the core. Mental and physical health remained a focus and open point of growth for all as we circled the United States. Despite plans and a strong commitment we found full-time RV life resistant to our attempts to plan and control (š¤hmmm spiritual lesson in there) the outcomes of each leg of our journey, including the start which was in September in a rented SUV before we sold our house/belongings in October 24 and started the US tour up the east coast in the Fleetwood Discovery (aka Leg 2).
After more mechanical resistance we returned to Florida for repairs and the Holidays and purchased a used Jeep Grand Cherokee and sold our Honda Pilot so we could flat-tow behind the RV. Yes, Leg 2 we drove both SUV and RV separate. There is a comical story about our first attempt to hitch the Jeep behind the RV if anyone wants to ask usā¦ itās humbling and hilarious and can be titled ā< turning radiusā. If we filmed it weād be full-time media influencers by now. We can hitch and go in about 4 minutes now š. Leg 3, the ā2025 Big Loopā!
āThe Big Loopā launched after Christmas and we planned to finish a lap around the US in 8 months and return to Florida by Fall 2025ā¦ or possibly swing up to Anchorage, AK after a stop in Washington to regroup. Did we mention we didnāt have a clue? For the lesser traveled, did you know Florida-Seattle is a quicker drive than Seattle-Anchorage? About 1000 miles shorter but close to same drive time š¤Æ We came close-ish to our finish date despite dropping the AK dream and adding the Great Plains. That bumped us from a circle to an elevated quest status to all the continuous 48 states. One major resistant part of the trip was our budget. Yes thatās part due to discipline but costs were well beyond estimates. Research suggested a budget of $5000/month on the road was possible for a family of 5 butā¦ we were closer to $9,000/mo factoring all expenses. Mechanical issues accounted for about $10k in repairs but diesel and food on west coast was about 25% more and we spent more time there than we planned.
We were blessed with a former home sale that ultimately funded this trip and shift to RV life, despite the higher budget range. So our home remains on wheels for 2026, hopefully with less miles ahead, less repairs and at least for awhile, a much lower monthly cost.
We share some costs and figures with hesitation but recognize many who consider this full-time RV life benefit from hearing real numbers. So here are a few that we hope make ārealā what this step can cost. Most donāt head out on the road with teens and travel like we believed was best but we count the cost of a truly epic adventure worth it. Happy to share more directly to any interested. This can be done cheaper for sure and we saw plenty rolling with higher budgets but believe we were in that upper 1/3 of expenses for full-timers. For us it was roughly $3500 more per month than our residential budget last year so honestly for what we got, we think it was pretty good expense. Ultimately all the finances and our trip were steeped in Godās Grace and his provision and protection was experienced in some of the most unique ways.
Some statistics from our trip for those curious about what a mega trip like this might involve:
Visited the 48 continuous United States šŗšø
414 total days for all 3 legs of this trip (includes 28 days of selling our house and belongings) September 2024-November 2025.
107 āMoving Daysā (packed our RV home and moved down the road)
111 National Parks, Seashores, Lakeshores, Monuments and Historical Sites
23 BLM, State or County Parks
18 Museums & Zoos (includes 3 Battleships and 1 Aircraft Carrier
Average Housing Related Cost: ~$60/night for $24,840 for the trip. FYI āresort RV campgroundsā can be pricey and we did a handful of those.
$1080 Thousand Trails Camping Pass - 110 days @ <$10/night š Well worth the money.
18 boondocking āfreeā Cracker Barrel, Walmart or BLM land stays (should have done more)
76 former students, colleagues, friends and family visited ā¤ļø
22,397 RV Miles
28, 630 SUV Miles (Jeep/Navigator/Honda) *does not include towed milesā¦ lots of excursions!
Total repair/maintenance costs on 2022 Fleetwood Discovery $9,542š¬
Most expensive diesel fill up, 76 in Newhall, CA: 101.3 gallons at $7.12 = $721.25 š³š³š³
1st oil change $805.30 & 2nd oil change plus filters $1293 š¤Æ
2 hospital ER visits and 2 cross continental flights to see physicians, medication management in the road is rough!
Warmest day 90 (FL), coldest 0 (Dallas)
64 days over 3,000 ft elevation and highest point hiked 8,230ft.
Favorite sites on the trip!
Robert- Las Vegas lights and roller coaster, rocks thrown in rivers from coast to coast, camping Smokemount Park
Peyton- Big Bend rock scrambles, White Sands, biking White Water National Center
Jayden- Oregon/Washington Surfing, NY Broadway Show, Waco Brisket, Basketball HOF, deer and biking at Medina Lake TX, NIKE Headquarters and Shop, beach driving Padre Island, TX.
Michele- Oregon Trails and Falls, Mount Bachelor Skiing, Universal LA and Lake Compounce Amusement Parks, Saguaro NP, Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Custer State Park, Glacier NP, Medora Musical and Hot Air Balloons, National Naval Air Museum Pensacola, USS New Jersey, Yosemite NP.
Vince- Page, AZ (Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon and Glen Canyon), hanging with the Greys in TX, Big Bend canyon hikes, Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP, Oregon and Washington Peninsula Beach Hikes, Glacier NP, Sedona AZ, star gazing at altitude and seeing the Milky Way, Crater Lake NP, FL Spring swims, the Upper Peninsula and Lake Superior.
