First Trial Camping Trip at Kickapoo State Recreation Area

After years of running the highways in a big rig and logging more than two million miles across America, it finally happened — our first real trial camping trip in the RV.

This wasn’t just another stop along the road. This was the beginning of something new.

We rolled into Kickapoo State Recreation Area with our Entegra Odyssey 31FF, excited, nervous, and honestly wondering what we had gotten ourselves into.

Truck driving teaches you how to live on the road. RV life teaches you how to slow down and enjoy it.

And Kickapoo was the perfect place to begin.

The campground was peaceful, with tall trees swaying in the breeze and campers settling in for quiet evenings around their campfires. After the noise and constant movement of life on the interstate, hearing birds instead of traffic felt almost strange at first.

But it didn’t take long before we started settling into the rhythm of RV life.

Of course, no first trip comes without a few learning experiences.

We checked hookups three times. We figured out the water system one step at a time. We double-checked leveling. We learned where everything was hidden inside the coach. And yes… there may have been a few moments of standing around saying, “Now how does THIS work again?”

That’s all part of the adventure.

One of the best moments of the trip was simply sitting outside in a lawn chair as the sun started going down over the campground. No delivery appointment. No dispatch calls. No pressure to keep rolling another 500 miles.

Just peace.

That moment really made it sink in:

BigRigTravels 2.0 is officially underway.

We also had the opportunity to test some of the mobile streaming setup for future LIVE broadcasts. From internet connectivity to campground setup logistics, this trip helped us learn what works — and what still needs improvement before we hit the road full-time exploring America’s backroads and small towns.

Kickapoo may have only been a short trial run, but it represented something much bigger.

A new chapter.

A slower pace.

And a chance to finally enjoy the journey instead of racing through it.

We’re excited for what’s ahead and grateful to everyone riding along with us as part of the Road Crew.

This is only the beginning.

Backroads. Small Towns. LIVE Adventures.

— BigRigSteve / BigRigTravels 2.0