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I always drive. We bought our RV after my husband had open heart surgery. I thought once he was healed he would start driiving, Then he was diagnosed with early onset alzheimers and he didn't feel he could drive. So I continue to do all the driving. I like driving anyway and it's how we are making memories. We will continue to travel as long as we can. I love seeing Irene driving. I am encoraged to keep going.
“It shouldn’t even be a thing”, well said Chris! Being one of your older viewers, I LOVE the fact that Chris does most of the driving. It is empowering for women to see these stereotypes broken down. You two are a wonderful example of what partners look like. Sharing and respecting the work that each of you perform each and every day. Thank you for being who you are and for showing what love and respect looks like.
Exactly!! I advocate for women to know how it ALL works.. and drive it! In 2000 we went from a small Class C to a 36’ TT & full size 12 pass van! I went and asked RVers staying in the Carlsbad NM (where we lived at the time) Walmart parking lot . I asked a few simple questions , one being “What is your best piece of advise?” I will NEVER forget the small older man who firmly said to me “YOU need to DRIVE & know how to do it all!” He continued “ When you are on the road for any length of time you will find women STUCK in one place because the husband died or was injured!” He also told me to be sure my kids 15 down to 4 y/o know how it all works too! So our first big journey was to Northern CA for my family reunion. Hubby drove out with us , he flew back home for his job and… the 4 kids and I spent 6 WEEKS traveling on our own! It was AWSOME how we all (minus the 4 y/o) worked as a team! And during that time I DID meet 3 different women who were stuck due to a death or injuries. 😉 I think I’m a better driver of our now 26’ TT & pickup than my hubby🤷♀️
Thanks to Chris I convinced my wife to tow our 20 foot boat 700 miles to Maine and back. I was incredibly proud of her as she had only towed twice a total of 14 miles and at the end of her trip she couldn’t believe she did it. In the beginning she didn’t think she could but no doubt there are more trips to come. Love your story.
It’s really crazy this is a thing. I’ve never even given this topic a thought. We traveled in a Super C flat towing a F150 for years and I have always done 90% of the driving for us.
Good for you!! I do all the driving as well. Speaking of KYD, we were featured a couple years ago with our Peterbilt semi and 44’ fiver. Hubby has Parkinson’s disease so he “lets” me drive. We have had a couple other campers since that episode, and now we have a F-350 SD and a 35’ Brinkley 5th wheel. You have to do what works for you. Happy I found your channel…you guys rock!!😊
I am a solo woman traveler towing a 28 ft trailer. I hauled horses for thirty years so wasn’t intimidated but I will say sometimes this is harder. I have wondered why Chris always drives but not due to stereotypes but rather switching off to give her a break. Sometimes I wish I had someone to drive to give me a break lol. Keep on trucking! You are awesome.
Kudos to you. The one thing that I wished I would have called out in this video and failed to was giving props to solo RVers, both male and female. Doing EVERYTHING on your own is such a huge task. You are a true road warrior! - Chris
I too am a solo female travelling with my T@B trailer, with my dog. In the beginning it was a little intimidating but as I don’t have anyone to rely on and had to learn how to do it all myself. I love that Chris does the driving and find it refreshing/inspirational that there is a female, on TH-cam, doing the majority of the driving. I do have to say seeing the video clip of puppy Louis was certainly an ahhhh look how tiny moment. Keep being amazing Chris and Aaron. Love watching the channel.
Congrats to both of you. One thing people also forget is that shorter trailers are harder to backup. They make the turn a lot!!!! faster than longer trailers. Oh, my mom was a truck driver for decades.
This is such a great video guys. You handled this topic with such grace and lightness. I think it may have a greater impact because of the way you covered it. But then, that will be no surprise because it’s what you display on all your videos and why your channel has grown so much. It’s always informative, fun and inspiring to watch you two do your thing. Keep it up kiddos. And Aaron, the most mind-boggling content on your channel for me is all the electrical, fixing, upgrading and mechanical stuff. And you actually make it understandable and interesting. So, “what does he even do?”, is so ridiculous, that it’s just amusing. Love you guys. Great video. Chris, you look beautiful. You rock.
First of all, I LOVE that you each have the jobs you love in following this lifestyle! My hubby has been pulling trailers all his life and is wicked good at it AND he LOVES to drive, so he does almost all of the driving. But every so often he will say, "you're up," and I drive for a while just so I know how to do it if we ever need me to take over. We have specific jobs when it comes to setting up, breaking down and maintenance but we each know the other's job just in case we need to step in! I absolutely LOVE your teamwork and that you are both doing the part of the experience that plays to your strengths!
I’ve been towing since 2012 starting with a pop up trailer and now I tow a 27 foot trailer. My neighbors are so funny when I get home and back my trailer into my driveway. Most times not all I can get it in the first time. Lol Many people have stood and watched me back in at campgrounds. They have even asked if I can teach their spouse. I have been retired since 2016.
I have a daughter that gets car sick. She does the majority of the driving for her family because it keeps her from getting car sick! Awesome that you both work so well.
Seeing Chris driving and towing the 5th wheel has proved to me that this is something I could do myself as a solo traveler! I know that I will need REALLY good cameras all around my truck and camper… but I got this! Thank you guys! 😊
I am glad you guys talked about this, as an Rver I appreciate the information you guys bring to us in every video. Chris you’re a good driver keep on trucking, I also relate to the communication you have with truckers while on the road. Keep going the way you are.
Hi Chris and Aaron. After years of watching KYD, the RV Odd Couple, Unstoppable Morgan, and others, I found your channel and I gotta say I was instantly hooked by the positivity! Health, Fitness, travel and full-time camping? What's not to love?!! You guys are DOING what the rest of us dream about. We've had travel trailers for years but lament the fact that "the job" and farm animals keep us at home all but a week or two a year. 2023 I thought we were beyond stereotypes, but I think you two are awesome.
Absolutely loved this video! Thank you so much for inspiring other women to tow/drive an RV! I think it's so important for each person to at least be comfortable to drive/tow incase of a medical or other issues. In a past relationship I taught her to drive the class A. She was hesitant but afterwards she was comfortable. We would trade off driving and it was very comforting to know she could handle driving. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video and showing other women that they can do it!
Honored to see my comment shared about Chris inspiring all of us women. I still haven’t driven our Class B much but know I need to as I have gotten older I have more anxiety driving. I now do the navigating and last minute adjustments when we are on long trips. I think that’s my forte and of course ensuring I am watching other drivers and the route we are on. Love the videos and seeing the pups as you travel.
I knew why you each had these roles prior to this video. I think it is very inspiring to see women taking the wheel more. If for no other reason, it's good to have a second driver that feels confident driving any size rig, van, etc. I also love that you each have embraced your gifts and talents and have seemed to have settled in and are crushing them!
You guys handled this topic so well. We're some of your mid-sixties aged viewers and you inspire us both.We just completed a 5k trip and I, the woman!!!, drove about 60% of the time. Chris's confidence gave me confidence and that grew with every mile. I found myself in numerous situations where I had tricky backing challenges but I did it. We all fall into what feels natural to us and sometimes that may be driven by the stereotypes. Your examples can help everyone see it's okay to break the stereotypes to open up a new world of talent and personal growth. Now if I could just get some muscles like Chris.....hehehe😂
I am a heavy equipment operator in an open pit copper mine in AZ. My first 4 years in the mine was as a haul truck driver/mentor. These are 240 ton trucks as big as a 2 story house. Tires that are 11 1/2 feet tall. I trained my wife to drive a haul truck 16 years ago. We have dozens of women operating haul trucks. From my 17+ years of observation I can say with some authority, the women are safer, more detail oriented, open to feedback and more concerned with doing a quality job whereas the men just assume they are good. They assume wrong and I can cite numerous safety incidents.
I love driving our class C. My husband has a heavy foot and I’m a nervous wreck! So I drive. We just drove our truck to Virginia & back, and he drove the first hour each way, and I drove the remaining 12 hrs. Also, I do like being in control too! 😂
Agreed, We both drive, it really helps with travel fatigue and when one of us is not feeling well, the other steps up. Its been that way for us for 15 years. We enjoy your videos-safe travels
But… most importantly, love the stuff I’ve learned watching your videos, from all your skills, from solar energy to those tips of zip lock bags, for the salad mix and of course watching the pups grow up! So, whatever makes your teamwork the very best! Thanks so much for sharing your journeys with all of us. 🐾💜🐾💝💕
I do most of the towing until we get to the campground. My husband is better at backing up than I am. We usually get there when others are also arriving. I get anxious if I am blocking their way. My question is why does it matter who drives?
Very glad to see you both driving. One thing to consider as you get older, or get injured, is that vehicles with automatic transmissions can have a removable horseshoe shaped adapter installed that moves the gas pedal to the left side so you drive with the left foot. This is what we do in our family. The cost is only a few hundred dollars, and it restores mobility and freedom for everyone.
You two need to keep doing what works for you! Don't let those questions get you down. People who have never experienced pain in their legs, back, or hips while driving need to stay quiet. You are working together as a couple to keep your RV travel dreams moving forward. How wonderful! Irene, you are a rockstar driving that rig. Someday I hope to have your courage and skill learning when to drive our motorhome. In the meantime, I'm in the copilot seat, the one who needs to get up and move around when on the road. You two are a fantastic team! Keep doing what works best for YOU! Happy travels!
Enjoyed this video. I had noticed the driving/filming roles but just figured that's how you'd worked it out as a couple. My oldest sister who's in her 70s now when she was around 40 would take out my parents 5th wheel all by herself. And if you haven't traveled through Oklahoma I can tell you. She got tons of men in every campground coming over telling her she didn't know how to back so to let them do it for her. Different parts of the country definitely have different attitudes. Course that's one of the reasons I left Oklahoma and live in the west now. I'm fairly new to your channel but really enjoy your videos.
I think it's great that Chris does much of the driving... I'm almost 67 and as a kid my family had a truck/camper. It was my mom's daily driver. A 4 speed and the camper never came off the truck. She had grown up on a farm and was familiar with driving trucks and heavy vehicles. She didn't do all the driving on trips but did a fair share of it. I'll never forget being in the cabover portion sleeping. My dad was sleeping in the front seat. I woke up to the sounds of doing about 95 mph, truck rocking violently. I hear my dad wake up saying what the f__. Come to find out, we were doing about 25 mph, in a 45 mph wind, going through the mountains of Colorado. My mom was about 5'2" hunched over the steering wheel like she was on the final turn at Indy... She told my dad to go back to sleep and let her drive 😂. Keep on Truckin' Chris... Hopefully you'll inspire my better half to give it a try. Keep up the good work, I really enjoy your channel.
So, the real story is that Aaron is an injury prone, and Chris has a backup career as a trucker if everything else fails 🙂. It doesn't matter which is doing what, you two are a team. That what what marriage is! both of you doing what you can, need, and want to make things work for the two of you. More power to the both of you, God Bless you, and hopefully keep Aaron healthy.
😢 It is a HUGE stereotype....if Aaron had been driving all along no one would have asked those questions. I ride my own motorcycle, drove our Class C while towing a enclosed motorcycle trailer...and I just took the RV Driving Class to feel comfortable to drive our new Class A. My husband will be the primary driver not because I can't but because we, as you two, make our partnership work through our strengths. My husband is glad I drive it gives him a break every day. I drive at least an hour of each travel day. I am saddened you two had to do this video!! But as always Great Job!!!
I'm in my 60's and my bf does 100% of the driving because he had a job of delivering rvs from Elkhart all around North America. So, he's got the experience. We've only had our rv for a year. Once we are able to get out of the Northeast I'm sure I'll start sharing the drive. I've never even given it a second thought that Chris drives. I figured you guys were doing what worked for you. Keep up the wonderful videos!
I just wanna say thank you so much Chris for doing what you do! My dad just got a 5th wheel and I'm a fairly new driver but after watching you drive, it has inspired me to try and learn how to tow. I learned how to drive in his truck but was scared to tow and now feel capable after seeing you. Keep doing what you do!! Safe travels!!
Chris and Aaron, you are very complimentary to each other in multiple ways, as every couple should be, and I enjoy seeing that in action. Over the years of trailer camping, I've become a pro at loading and loading, but I need to learn to tow and maintain for a number of reasons. At fifty-five, I'm more nervous than I would have been in younger years, but watching you two overcome various obstacles inspires me to find my courage.
My husband and I do everything together, set up, take down, cooking, laundry, shopping and driving/towing. When we are on a trip pulling our Airstream I tend to do more driving because he is better or prefers to do the editing and filming. We don't really have a paid youtube channel but we like to post videos so our friends & family can be a part of adventures. (especially on long 6 month trips) We also get comments on me driving or doing the sewer etc... It really doesn't matter what other think positive or negative as long as the two of you are happy with the arrangements. The more power to you, especially for being so open on social media. Keep on trucking!!!
Enjoy your channel. You go Chris! I am 67 and the primary driver in our adventures. We have been RVing for 20 years and I, Candy, drive 99.9% of the time. I drove the whole trip to and back from Alaska. I love driving, my husband doesn’t, and until we retired, he worked on his laptop while we were traveling. We do have different roles, but driving is mine.
Me and my wife both tow. When we first got our camper she wanted nothing to do with towing. It was a bit of a challenge to get her to tow. Then o broke my foot . They changed her view point. Now she enjoys towing the camper, she still worries about backing but she can do it. Keep doing what makes y’all happy
When we had a pop up I drove it sometimes. I just felt like I wanted to know how to drive also. I never thought about it as his responsibility only and he never thought he should never let me drive. We are partners in this life! Some years later we now have a 34 ft fifth wheel and I drive too. We always ask before taking off, "Do you want to drive or do you want me to?" When we got the fifth wheel neither one of us had driven one. We had a small 23 foot travel trailer prior but it had been a while. I started out driving from our home to our storage lot. Then I started backing it in to the spot at our storage lot. I now drive on the highway and back it in regularly. My husband probably does most of the driving but we share the responsibility. We feel it's good to be flexible because anything can happen. Thanks for sharing your content! We love it! Happy Trails!
You guys are awesome… I started driving 3 years ago but we’re only weekend warrior right now so I don’t have much on the wheel. Every time I drive I think of you Chris … you are always so calm in any situations and I always remember that. You guys rock
Chris, you totally inspire me! I am 62 yrs old and my husband always drives our RV. But now I want to start learning to drive the RV just for a safety back up. thanks for you inspiration!
I think its bad ass watching a confident woman pull a big rig like a boss. I do 99% of our towing, but I am a passenger princess the min we are unhooked. My wife has mastered daily driving our dually. Her confidence is building on towing its just a slow journey of successful trips. Please keep showing Irene drive. My wife watches her mannerism and her techniques as she pulls and thinks of ways to mimic them. Keep up the good work.
Rock it Chris! I also do ALL the driving. Whether we are towing, not towing or even out in the woods in our RZR. The main reason?! I LOVE to drive. Anything and everything. I learned on my own to drive with a trailer shortly after getting my drivers license and just loved anything with a challenge. I would spend time in empty parking lots perfecting backing it up and into narrow spots. I even learned to drive a friends dump truck, for fun. My husband does not enjoy driving at all. He gets aggravated, bored, and in general has very little interest. He does however enjoy having his laptop on his lap and working remote. He also handles all the outside set-up if I'm not traveling solo. On more than one occasion, we have been approached at RV parks or truck stops giving him props for "teaching" or "letting" me drive MY lifted F-250. My husbands laughs and tells them "I'm not driving that thing!". Love watching your channel! Hope to run into you all some day!
Kudos to you both! Both my wife and I both drive our TV. It is very important that both can tow our travel trailer and also important to recognize that the person in shotgun has other responsibilities.
My wife drives our Revel but she's only 5' tall so her feet don't reach the pedals as well as they should. I encouraged her to learn anyway and got her to pump the diesel and DEF. I got extremely sick in Tahoe and she had drive us all the way home to SC. She killed it. She still hates backing up but she shares the driving all the time now.
I’m 68 and do almost all of our driving pulling our 32’ trailer. Years ago we fell into this pattern due to my husband being exhausted after doing all the hitching (at that time it was manual) so I would drive and let him rest. He also worked as I drove so that helped too. But I find I really enjoy the driving and do a good job with it. My husband recently fell and hurt his back. Doing the hitching and “outside” stuff has been a big deal for me but not the driving and I’m glad for that. This is definitely a stereotype that needs to be broken. Thank you for addressing this topic.
Thanks for making this video. I drive 100% of the time while towing. My wife is willing to learn and take the wheel and Chris you inspire both of us to expand our horizons. Be well and proceed until apprehended.
Just letting you guys know I have six daughters. Two are airline captains, three are transport owner operators and one has her own business in landscaping with over 140 employees. I love watching your videos you both are a great team. Thank you
Hey Y’all! Thanks for addressing the question. I was one of the ones who asked. It was just curiosity on my part. I’m all for whatever works out best for everyone. Sometimes people don’t drive at all. Sometimes there are medical issues, etc. I do admire a woman who can tow, back, navigate through heavy traffic. I can do it, have done it but DON’T enjoy it. I get a LOT of information from Aaron on the technical stuff and appreciate the great videos! You guys have an AWESOME channel!
I have been the primary driver in the family for our almost 36 year marriage. My spouse has issues with depth perception. When we started towing our 28 ft travel trailer I did as well. Until...I hit a deer while towing. Have not been able to get back in the drivers seat since. This has limited us in our journey and added stress on travel days. You are inspiring to watch as you work together! I will try again next season because of you both!
My guy prefers to drive and doesn’t like being a passenger. We have been talking about getting an RV. I want to make sure I can drive it. I love seeing a woman so confident and proud with her skills and abilities driving and backing up. I love seeing how supportive you both are of each other and truly being a team! Thanks for sharing.
My wife and I started this fall, full time, after 2-years of mostly full-time. We are older, 66 and 70. We have so enjoyed your channel! Each week we look forward to your new podcast. My wife does not drive trucks which I am fine with as i love to drive. I so appreciate Chris driving. I continue to work full-time remote as an IT CyberSecurity consultant for a company in San Francisco. We had a 2019 Rockwood Lite, then a 2020 Grand Design Imagine XLS, and now a 2023 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS fifth wheel. I sure hope this is the last one we purchase! I'm trying to build a simple channel but it is harder than I anticipated. :-) In this short time we have learned some lesson, but have avoided some pitfalls by listening to your journey. Thank you for being there for the invisible RVers that are pressing forward on our journey.
Love this channel. Thanks for sharing about the driving thing. My wife and I share the driving and she needed to learn on the fly when I came down ill and we needed to travel 600 miles home. Bee lined it home and now she is a pro!!
I fully respect Chris driving and think nothing of it, she's calm and confident, this is all I need to see. My wife and I hopefully begin her tow training next season. I had a medical scare this year and she was not able to step up as needed. Her training regimen will start with driving the crew cab long bed empty and around town and down the freeway. Then we will hookup the trailer (30ft arctic fox) and do some back road towing, then graduate to straight line interstate towing, and finally a mountain pass to the coast... Moving at her comfort level I'm sure she can conquer some fears along the way, just needs the experience to draw confidence from. Wish her luck! You two take care!
Irene , I love that you drive. We have a truck camper with our F350. My dad was in contracting and at 12 years old I was driving a 10 wheeler Dump truck, no power steering manual Trans. Both my husband and I drive on our trips. However I love to drive and I believe to be more comfortable / confident on long travel. Glad to see you enjoy the driving also. Love your video’s ..
You guys are great! Been watching for a long time. Way back from the van days. The progression made has been awesome to watch. It is amazing that you say that your demo is 60-80 year olds. I was hoping us younger crowd were taking over. We are a family of 4 full timing for 2 years now. Love it and yes she’s drives too. Lol. We is better than me right?!? Congrats on everything and keep it going. We will be watching and learning. Thanks for what you guys do! -Keens
Good discussion. As a 60-year-old solo female full-time RVer, I always chuckle when they talk about inside jobs (women) and outside jobs (men). I do it all (even the stinky slinky) or it doesn’t get done. Was I nervous? Absolutely. Do I make mistakes? Absolutely. But it’s a lot better than not going. 😊
My mom in the 70s&80s was a truck driver. She was 5’ tall petite blonde. She outworked most of the guys and everyone she worked with respected her. In the 70s she and 80s she hauled tomatoes in the summers. She hauled rice, sugar beets, wheat, corn, peaches, pears, etc. The went to hauling bottom dumps. It is why the first thing I learned how to drive was a class 8 in the fields. I’m glad to see you have no issues driving with a trailer.
Hey ya'll! We enjoy your channel and thanks especially for this episode! I'm 59 and have been losing my vision for the past 14 years. My wife has been picking up some of the driving of our 2000 F250 Super Duty with 23' Nash 5th wheel rig and doing pretty well but doesn't like the slop in the old truck's steering. We have started kooking at newer trucks but also bigger rigs, which she/we want for our grandkids to be able to come with us sometimes. I have been cautioning her against the bigger rigs and trying to push more towards an all-in-one as she will likely be the full-time driver soon. In our situation, we found your openness to share about health issues and Irene;s courage to step right up and take over the driving inspiring and we just want to encourage you to keep doing what you;re doing!
I Totally agree with you Chris, I love to drive as well! You both are correct that both partners should be able to drive whatever they are using in case of an emergency. I will & do know how to drive everything we own & do know how to install or work on all of the items on them. Thanks to my husband preparing me to take care of myself if (God forbid anything would happen to him). I can handle it myself. We have been Married for 45 years so he has taught me a lot. I just want to let you know that we enjoy watching your videos due to what you teach & show us to use when we start our travels. Thank you for being you & be careful out there!
Have to say, I have only seen a handful of women pulling RVs, don't know why but usually it's the man driving/towing. Ok, so yes I was one of the people that asked the question a few months ago, and it was honestly driven by curiosity. If I remember correctly, I specifically asked if it was due to your ankle injury Aaron. Your situation makes a lot of sense, you have your roles and obviously love it, absolutely nothing wrong/odd about that. Thanks and love your channel!
I also love to tow my Lance travel trailer and it gives my husband a nice needed break when we travel far But he is also a semi truck driver so he guides me every step of the way I think he appreciates me learning how to pull a trailer and I’m glad I learned
You have a great division of labour. Good for you! My wife was never comfortable pulling the trailer especially in the mountains so I did the driving. I'm sure that it was just a matter of confidence. We now have a class A and she will learn to drive it if only to know what to do if necessary. If she becomes comfortable driving it, I will be happy to be the passenger.
I honestly can say that I never really noticed that Irene does “all” the driving. I think it’s great that you share in the responsibility! I’m hoping that my wife will be comfortable enough to take the wheel on our next outing!
People and their negative comments. It's nobody's business, but it's great that you discussed it anyway. I have to do every mile of driving no matter where we go due to my husband's physical limitations. It's a good thing when we were younger, that we always shared the driving on long trips. Now I do it all by necessity. It works for us because he's a better navigator and I like driving. If we're ever so fortunate to have an RV, I'll be driving that, too. It's what works for us. I'm glad you've found what works for you!
I am a truck driver and appreciate when a flash is given to come back over. In certain situations visibility can make judging distance difficult for a safe pass. Don’t forget if a truck is approaching you and flashes you. There is something of importance ahead. Such as a brake check or law enforcement. Stay safe out there. Enjoy your videos.
We think you both rock! Keep on rocking the driving Cris!!! I drive a 23 foot retired City of Tucson shuttle bus because my husband is disabled and in a wheelchair. Of course there doesn't have to be a reason, whatever works!!!
Well, done guys! I love it when good influencers confront old stereotypes that need to be put away for good. Thank you for being brave enough to confront it! Keep up the good work!
Thank you for this video, you truly are an inspiration. My husband and I are gearing up to go full time and he is always encouraging me to drive. I think I have to move out of my comfort zone and get behind the wheel.
I do all the towing…except reversing. Haven’t mastered that one yet. We started in a TT. Never towed before the TT. Now we have a fifth wheel and I love towing it. Lol and yeah definitely in the trucking club. And yes whenever there are any questions or issues regarding towing, my husband is addressed until we inform the person I do the towing. And then yes, there is the mix of shock, the questions. We’ve never had anyone not presume he tows.
We were headed to Sleeping Bear Dunes this summer and I finally convinced my bride to drive the rig. She did great!! She didn’t enjoy it, but she can do it. Proud husband moment!
Good discussion. You guys handle it so well. In my case as an immigrant RV owner and not looking alike the "conventional" RVer, I kinda relate myself with this discussion about stereotyping people. Love your videos and keep doing what make you guys happy.
I had ALWAYS wanted to drive a semi, BUT 47 years ago “WOMEN “DIDNT DRIVE TRUCK” . Thru luck I finally got the chance to do a long haul.. so when I saw Chris driving, I cheered!!! You go girl!!!!
My bride drives most of the time because I'm typically working. Chris don't listen to the haters. I love the positive affirmation you both have for each other and having an open conversation with your community. If nothing else it is good for your marriage.
Chris, you inspire me to drive our trailer. I'm a confident woman, but it makes me a little nervous. I love that you like it. You certainly do it well!!
I have been following you and watched all your episodes over the last two years. It baffles me that in this day in age people wonder why? We don’t own a rig yet, but this inspires me to cast fear aside and just go for it. I can’t imagine full timing and not have both know how to do everything (or most of it). Thank you for sharing and the fun! You both are awesome! Ps, I’m the one doing all the research, driving the conversation regarding the direction we may be going rig wise. Keep it up because it has been instrumental to my research!
Interesting facts. My mother had a drivers license as far back as I can remember, but she really didn’t drive anywhere until we bought a new 1963 Oldsmobile and that meant two cars. AND I got my license the next day on an automatic’52 Pontiac with no power steering. Still love driving.
YE HAAAAAA...I TOTALY AGREE WITH YOU BOTH...I AM 84 YEAS OLD ..MY HUUBY IS 91..WE TRAVEL TO WARMER CLIMES DURING OUR FREEZING WYOMING WINTERS...AND...WE SHARE THE DRIVING!!! WHY NOT,,IS RIGHT!!!! WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 65 YEARS!!! NOW IS REALLY IMPORTANT WE SHARE THE DRIVING BECAUSE OF OUR AGE...EITHER WAY!!!! WAY TO GO, YOU TWO!!! KEEP SENDING YOUR POSITIVE MESSAGE!~!~!~.SINCERELY, KC & GIGI,
Bravo 👏🏻. We plan to full time RV next year. I’ve always been the driver of any vehicle because I am not comfortable being the passenger. We had a 5th wheel years ago and while my husband did most of the driving he was happy to let me do all of the backing up since I was more confident doing it. This go around we are getting a much bigger rig (35 foot Brinkley Z3100) and I’m really hoping my husband will be comfortable with me doing most of the towing since that’s my happy space. I enjoy watching your videos.
My wife has been driving/towing our 35’ rig for the past 7 months due to medical reasons and she’s been doing an amazing job. Luckily we had practiced a couple of times when we first started RV’ing for this very reason.
My wife just got both of her eyes done. She had cataracts in both eyes and drove about 50 miles of highway on our last trip. She was 10 and 2 the whole way and did very well. She hasn’t really driven our new dually and it took some time to get used to the new dash layout and how the truck handles. Throw in the 38 foot fifth wheel and her being a bit nervous was totally understandable. She wants to drive more and that makes me happy.
I love the dynamics of your relationship and the diversity you both contribute to your adventures and your u-tube channel. "Be you" and 👎 to stereotypes .
Hey There! This is the wife talking. You go girl! I love to drive the camper all the time. It's what I'm good at too. We all have our strengths, and my husband is better at giving directions and helping me park than I am. Love your channel. You guys are a team. Keep on trucking! Candace
So just an added point my friend and spirit sister Rebecca, drove from Minnesota to New Jersey all by herself in her Jeep and Nano 19' Trailer RV, and one of the most common question/comment was "wow, how did you drive by yourself?" and my respince was "cause she is BAD ASS" then drove me back to Toronto, and then the drove back to Minnesota. Now she and her boyfriend bought a 35' RV, and her and I will be doing a trip when I visit. So you go girl.🎉
That answers that question, I thought about it, but didn't dwell on it. I think Chris should keep driving, like you said, she enjoys it, and she is good at it. Plus... she is easy to look at :) You guys are one of my top subscriptions I watch every week, thanks for what you do! My wife and I bought a new RV last year, and you have given us some good things to think about. @IreneTravels thank you.
My husband does most of the tow driving. If we travel on a work day, I drive while he works. I, however, do most of the backing. I was a long haul trucker years ago so backing is just faster and easier for me. We just are comfortable in these roles. He likes driving, and my back doesn’t enjoying being stuck in one position for long periods of time
I LOVE that you had this conversation. Gently opening eyes to generation-long assumptions about gender roles. You both inspire me. Teamwork is the key.
Great video y'all. My wife and I have always had a driving symbiosis. Back in the day I was our day driver, and she was our night driver. I could drive 18 hours a day but when 10 PM rolled around I was done. As a girl she used to stay up with her Dad when he drove at night, and they talked and listened to the radio, so she was used to being up late in a car. in our 20s and 30s we would visit relatives in Denver from New Orleans. I would drive from after work to about 10 PM and get us near Dalles and she would take over while I went to sleep. When I woke up we would be near Salinas, and we would trade off again so I could hammer it in to Denver while she slept. Fast forward to today when we are in our 60s. I can't go even eight hours at a time now, so we trade off a lot. Since we bought our RV, we both share the towing duties. We want to make sure we can remain mobile in an emergency or if either of us is incapacitated. Having both of us be able to handle the chores and duties of RV life makes the most sense to both of us. If your approach is working for you, keep doing it no matter what the commenters are saying...
I took driving lessons at an RV rally to learn to handle our 40’ diesel class A. I was so proud of myself! Never once did I have a semi driver be rude on the road. My husband was very supportive and never nervous when I was at the wheel. I love seeing women RV drivers. As more do so, it will be less of a curiosity. You do you and everyone else stay in your lane!
Having had my husband have a health issue while on an RV trip I can say that all parties should have experience driving just in case. When in a crises you don't want to be just getting yourself familiar with driving the rig.
My wife and I have been out on the road for like 1 1/2 years . About 7 months ago I broke my heal bone in my foot. I tried to get my wife to drive our 40' class A motorhome. She has never driven anything this big and felt very unsafe drive it at that time. I still have plans to work with her when we got back in Arizona area in a few weeks. its that here on the east coast area it is very heave traffic that make her feel unsafe with all the traffic. H*ll it make me feel unsafe drive in all this traffic. We love your videos and watch them all the time. Thanks so much for all the time I know you have to put into them . Maybe one day we will catch you both out on the road .
I started watching your channel because I have Class B RV Sprinter Van similar to your previous Airstream. Several years ago you explained the reason for Chris doing most of the driving. I was envious of her “can do” attitude because my wife is intimidated by the size of the van and doesn’t drive it or have the self confidence to do so. You are correct, both couples need to be able to drive their rigs, whatever they may be. Oftentimes, men and women assume various roles based on custom. So it’s more usual and customary for men to drive bigger rigs. Obviously, that’s why you get asked that question. Hopefully, my wife will learn to drive our Sprinter van which would be a great help. ---I would guess that both of you drive equally well. Chris just likes the job better and it’s more efficient in each of your preferred roles as a couple. ---God bless!! Your channel is always enjoyable and informative. Thank you for your great content.
I drive to my fifth wheel paradigm 205Mk. I made baby steps to. I could jack- up and pine the truck to the fifth wheel , it made me proud ! I always think that if my love have a issu , I could take is place. Congratulations, you are an inspiring person.
I have to say, I did wonder why, but I love it. The first time we took or 1st 5th wheel camping some 15 years ago, my wife had to back it into our camping spot because I couldn't.
I love that you do most of the driving keep up the great work. Whatever is comfortable for yall is all that matters. I cant wait for more of your awesome videos to come out. I Loved watching your tours of towns and interesting places. Sure miss that.
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I always drive. We bought our RV after my husband had open heart surgery. I thought once he was healed he would start driiving, Then he was diagnosed with early onset alzheimers and he didn't feel he could drive. So I continue to do all the driving. I like driving anyway and it's how we are making memories. We will continue to travel as long as we can. I love seeing Irene driving. I am encoraged to keep going.
Right on. We fill the roles needed so we can still live a happy life! Hooyah to you and him
“It shouldn’t even be a thing”, well said Chris! Being one of your older viewers, I LOVE the fact that Chris does most of the driving. It is empowering for women to see these stereotypes broken down. You two are a wonderful example of what partners look like. Sharing and respecting the work that each of you perform each and every day. Thank you for being who you are and for showing what love and respect looks like.
Exactly!! I advocate for women to know how it ALL works.. and drive it!
In 2000 we went from a small Class C to a 36’ TT & full size
12 pass van!
I went and asked RVers staying in the Carlsbad NM (where we lived at the time) Walmart parking lot .
I asked a few simple questions , one being “What is your best piece of advise?”
I will NEVER forget the small older man who firmly said to me “YOU need to DRIVE & know how to do it all!”
He continued “ When you are on the road for any length of time you will find women STUCK in one place because the husband died or was injured!”
He also told me to be sure my kids 15 down to 4 y/o know how it all works too!
So our first big journey was to Northern CA for my family reunion. Hubby drove out with us , he flew back home for his job and… the 4 kids and I spent 6 WEEKS traveling on our own!
It was AWSOME how we all (minus the 4 y/o) worked as a team!
And during that time I DID meet 3 different women who were stuck due to a death or injuries.
😉 I think I’m a better driver of our now 26’ TT & pickup than my hubby🤷♀️
Thanks to Chris I convinced my wife to tow our 20 foot boat 700 miles to Maine and back. I was incredibly proud of her as she had only towed twice a total of 14 miles and at the end of her trip she couldn’t believe she did it. In the beginning she didn’t think she could but no doubt there are more trips to come. Love your story.
Great job!!!! 😊
Yay!
It’s really crazy this is a thing. I’ve never even given this topic a thought. We traveled in a Super C flat towing a F150 for years and I have always done 90% of the driving for us.
It's just like KYD! Trici does the majority of driving while Marc is recording everything. Keep doing what makes you guys happy. Ignore the haters
I wouldn't say the majority...
they are all jealous because Irene is so Pretty and she spoils her husband
Good for you!! I do all the driving as well. Speaking of KYD, we were featured a couple years ago with our Peterbilt semi and 44’ fiver. Hubby has Parkinson’s disease so he “lets” me drive. We have had a couple other campers since that episode, and now we have a F-350 SD and a 35’ Brinkley 5th wheel. You have to do what works for you. Happy I found your channel…you guys rock!!😊
I am a solo woman traveler towing a 28 ft trailer. I hauled horses for thirty years so wasn’t intimidated but I will say sometimes this is harder. I have wondered why Chris always drives but not due to stereotypes but rather switching off to give her a break. Sometimes I wish I had someone to drive to give me a break lol. Keep on trucking! You are awesome.
Kudos to you. The one thing that I wished I would have called out in this video and failed to was giving props to solo RVers, both male and female. Doing EVERYTHING on your own is such a huge task. You are a true road warrior! - Chris
I too am a solo female travelling with my T@B trailer, with my dog. In the beginning it was a little intimidating but as I don’t have anyone to rely on and had to learn how to do it all myself. I love that Chris does the driving and find it refreshing/inspirational that there is a female, on TH-cam, doing the majority of the driving. I do have to say seeing the video clip of puppy Louis was certainly an ahhhh look how tiny moment. Keep being amazing Chris and Aaron. Love watching the channel.
Congrats to both of you. One thing people also forget is that shorter trailers are harder to backup. They make the turn a lot!!!! faster than longer trailers. Oh, my mom was a truck driver for decades.
This is such a great video guys. You handled this topic with such grace and lightness. I think it may have a greater impact because of the way you covered it. But then, that will be no surprise because it’s what you display on all your videos and why your channel has grown so much. It’s always informative, fun and inspiring to watch you two do your thing. Keep it up kiddos. And Aaron, the most mind-boggling content on your channel for me is all the electrical, fixing, upgrading and mechanical stuff. And you actually make it understandable and interesting. So, “what does he even do?”, is so ridiculous, that it’s just amusing.
Love you guys. Great video. Chris, you look beautiful. You rock.
Ahhhhhh thanks Joan!!!!! Apprecaite this comment sooo much! 😊
First of all, I LOVE that you each have the jobs you love in following this lifestyle! My hubby has been pulling trailers all his life and is wicked good at it AND he LOVES to drive, so he does almost all of the driving. But every so often he will say, "you're up," and I drive for a while just so I know how to do it if we ever need me to take over. We have specific jobs when it comes to setting up, breaking down and maintenance but we each know the other's job just in case we need to step in! I absolutely LOVE your teamwork and that you are both doing the part of the experience that plays to your strengths!
I’ve been towing since 2012 starting with a pop up trailer and now I tow a 27 foot trailer. My neighbors are so funny when I get home and back my trailer into my driveway. Most times not all I can get it in the first time. Lol
Many people have stood and watched me back in at campgrounds. They have even asked if I can teach their spouse. I have been retired since 2016.
You’re an awesome person Chris! I love watching your videos. Don’t let anyone shoot you down with their mean comments. They’re just jealous!
I have a daughter that gets car sick. She does the majority of the driving for her family because it keeps her from getting car sick! Awesome that you both work so well.
Seeing Chris driving and towing the 5th wheel has proved to me that this is something I could do myself as a solo traveler! I know that I will need REALLY good cameras all around my truck and camper… but I got this! Thank you guys! 😊
You’re absolutely right!
I am glad you guys talked about this, as an Rver I appreciate the information you guys bring to us in every video. Chris you’re a good driver keep on trucking, I also relate to the communication you have with truckers while on the road. Keep going the way you are.
Awesome! Thank you! Appreciate you watching all these years! 👍
Hi Chris and Aaron. After years of watching KYD, the RV Odd Couple, Unstoppable Morgan, and others, I found your channel and I gotta say I was instantly hooked by the positivity! Health, Fitness, travel and full-time camping? What's not to love?!! You guys are DOING what the rest of us dream about. We've had travel trailers for years but lament the fact that "the job" and farm animals keep us at home all but a week or two a year. 2023 I thought we were beyond stereotypes, but I think you two are awesome.
We'll thank you! Appreciate this nice comment!!! 😊
Absolutely loved this video! Thank you so much for inspiring other women to tow/drive an RV! I think it's so important for each person to at least be comfortable to drive/tow incase of a medical or other issues. In a past relationship I taught her to drive the class A. She was hesitant but afterwards she was comfortable. We would trade off driving and it was very comforting to know she could handle driving. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video and showing other women that they can do it!
Thank you! Appreciate you sharing this and glad to hear you took the time teach her to drive the class A. 👍
Honored to see my comment shared about Chris inspiring all of us women. I still haven’t driven our Class B much but know I need to as I have gotten older I have more anxiety driving. I now do the navigating and last minute adjustments when we are on long trips. I think that’s my forte and of course ensuring I am watching other drivers and the route we are on. Love the videos and seeing the pups as you travel.
I knew why you each had these roles prior to this video. I think it is very inspiring to see women taking the wheel more. If for no other reason, it's good to have a second driver that feels confident driving any size rig, van, etc. I also love that you each have embraced your gifts and talents and have seemed to have settled in and are crushing them!
You guys handled this topic so well. We're some of your mid-sixties aged viewers and you inspire us both.We just completed a 5k trip and I, the woman!!!, drove about 60% of the time. Chris's confidence gave me confidence and that grew with every mile. I found myself in numerous situations where I had tricky backing challenges but I did it. We all fall into what feels natural to us and sometimes that may be driven by the stereotypes. Your examples can help everyone see it's okay to break the stereotypes to open up a new world of talent and personal growth. Now if I could just get some muscles like Chris.....hehehe😂
Whatever works for your traveling. And Chris you drive that rig like you were born to do it. Enjoy the journey and the RV lifestyle.
I am a heavy equipment operator in an open pit copper mine in AZ. My first 4 years in the mine was as a haul truck driver/mentor. These are 240 ton trucks as big as a 2 story house. Tires that are 11 1/2 feet tall. I trained my wife to drive a haul truck 16 years ago. We have dozens of women operating haul trucks. From my 17+ years of observation I can say with some authority, the women are safer, more detail oriented, open to feedback and more concerned with doing a quality job whereas the men just assume they are good. They assume wrong and I can cite numerous safety incidents.
I used to operate a 777👍🇺🇲
So great to have this comment here. There is nothing inherent in a woman that would make her an inferior driver, of any size vehicle.
I love driving our class C. My husband has a heavy foot and I’m a nervous wreck! So I drive. We just drove our truck to Virginia & back, and he drove the first hour each way, and I drove the remaining 12 hrs. Also, I do like being in control too! 😂
Agreed, We both drive, it really helps with travel fatigue and when one of us is not feeling well, the other steps up. Its been that way for us for 15 years. We enjoy your videos-safe travels
But… most importantly, love the stuff I’ve learned watching your videos, from all your skills, from solar energy to those tips of zip lock bags, for the salad mix and of course watching the pups grow up! So, whatever makes your teamwork the very best! Thanks so much for sharing your journeys with all of us. 🐾💜🐾💝💕
I do most of the towing until we get to the campground. My husband is better at backing up than I am. We usually get there when others are also arriving. I get anxious if I am blocking their way. My question is why does it matter who drives?
Really no one's business, but I understand peoples curiosity. Traditional roles stand, even in the non-traditional RV World.
Very glad to see you both driving. One thing to consider as you get older, or get injured, is that vehicles with automatic transmissions can have a removable horseshoe shaped adapter installed that moves the gas pedal to the left side so you drive with the left foot. This is what we do in our family. The cost is only a few hundred dollars, and it restores mobility and freedom for everyone.
You two need to keep doing what works for you! Don't let those questions get you down. People who have never experienced pain in their legs, back, or hips while driving need to stay quiet. You are working together as a couple to keep your RV travel dreams moving forward. How wonderful! Irene, you are a rockstar driving that rig. Someday I hope to have your courage and skill learning when to drive our motorhome. In the meantime, I'm in the copilot seat, the one who needs to get up and move around when on the road. You two are a fantastic team! Keep doing what works best for YOU! Happy travels!
Enjoyed this video. I had noticed the driving/filming roles but just figured that's how you'd worked it out as a couple. My oldest sister who's in her 70s now when she was around 40 would take out my parents 5th wheel all by herself. And if you haven't traveled through Oklahoma I can tell you. She got tons of men in every campground coming over telling her she didn't know how to back so to let them do it for her. Different parts of the country definitely have different attitudes. Course that's one of the reasons I left Oklahoma and live in the west now.
I'm fairly new to your channel but really enjoy your videos.
I think it's great that Chris does much of the driving... I'm almost 67 and as a kid my family had a truck/camper. It was my mom's daily driver. A 4 speed and the camper never came off the truck. She had grown up on a farm and was familiar with driving trucks and heavy vehicles. She didn't do all the driving on trips but did a fair share of it. I'll never forget being in the cabover portion sleeping. My dad was sleeping in the front seat. I woke up to the sounds of doing about 95 mph, truck rocking violently. I hear my dad wake up saying what the f__. Come to find out, we were doing about 25 mph, in a 45 mph wind, going through the mountains of Colorado. My mom was about 5'2" hunched over the steering wheel like she was on the final turn at Indy... She told my dad to go back to sleep and let her drive 😂. Keep on Truckin' Chris... Hopefully you'll inspire my better half to give it a try. Keep up the good work, I really enjoy your channel.
So, the real story is that Aaron is an injury prone, and Chris has a backup career as a trucker if everything else fails 🙂. It doesn't matter which is doing what, you two are a team. That what what marriage is! both of you doing what you can, need, and want to make things work for the two of you. More power to the both of you, God Bless you, and hopefully keep Aaron healthy.
🤣 Loved this comment, thank you! 😊
😢 It is a HUGE stereotype....if Aaron had been driving all along no one would have asked those questions. I ride my own motorcycle, drove our Class C while towing a enclosed motorcycle trailer...and I just took the RV Driving Class to feel comfortable to drive our new Class A. My husband will be the primary driver not because I can't but because we, as you two, make our partnership work through our strengths. My husband is glad I drive it gives him a break every day. I drive at least an hour of each travel day. I am saddened you two had to do this video!! But as always Great Job!!!
Great job!!!! Appreciate you watching!!!
Do you have a gas Class A or diesel? If a diesel, did you do an air brakes course (or component)? Just curious, as I drive a gas Class A. :)
Class A Diesel with Air brakes. RV Driving School teaches you on your RV. So they teach to what your RV has on it.
To help break the stereotype....I am a 63 yr old Grandma of 8.
I'm in my 60's and my bf does 100% of the driving because he had a job of delivering rvs from Elkhart all around North America. So, he's got the experience. We've only had our rv for a year. Once we are able to get out of the Northeast I'm sure I'll start sharing the drive. I've never even given it a second thought that Chris drives. I figured you guys were doing what worked for you.
Keep up the wonderful videos!
I just wanna say thank you so much Chris for doing what you do! My dad just got a 5th wheel and I'm a fairly new driver but after watching you drive, it has inspired me to try and learn how to tow. I learned how to drive in his truck but was scared to tow and now feel capable after seeing you. Keep doing what you do!! Safe travels!!
Oh, that is awesome. Thank you so much!! You got this!!
Chris and Aaron, you are very complimentary to each other in multiple ways, as every couple should be, and I enjoy seeing that in action. Over the years of trailer camping, I've become a pro at loading and loading, but I need to learn to tow and maintain for a number of reasons. At fifty-five, I'm more nervous than I would have been in younger years, but watching you two overcome various obstacles inspires me to find my courage.
My husband and I do everything together, set up, take down, cooking, laundry, shopping and driving/towing. When we are on a trip pulling our Airstream I tend to do more driving because he is better or prefers to do the editing and filming. We don't really have a paid youtube channel but we like to post videos so our friends & family can be a part of adventures. (especially on long 6 month trips) We also get comments on me driving or doing the sewer etc... It really doesn't matter what other think positive or negative as long as the two of you are happy with the arrangements. The more power to you, especially for being so open on social media. Keep on trucking!!!
My wife does about 30% of the towing does a great job. We knew we wanted her to learn so we could always be safe. Thanks for sharing
Enjoy your channel. You go Chris! I am 67 and the primary driver in our adventures. We have been RVing for 20 years and I, Candy, drive 99.9% of the time. I drove the whole trip to and back from Alaska. I love driving, my husband doesn’t, and until we retired, he worked on his laptop while we were traveling. We do have different roles, but driving is mine.
Me and my wife both tow. When we first got our camper she wanted nothing to do with towing. It was a bit of a challenge to get her to tow. Then o broke my foot . They changed her view point. Now she enjoys towing the camper, she still worries about backing but she can do it. Keep doing what makes y’all happy
When we had a pop up I drove it sometimes. I just felt like I wanted to know how to drive also. I never thought about it as his responsibility only and he never thought he should never let me drive. We are partners in this life! Some years later we now have a 34 ft fifth wheel and I drive too. We always ask before taking off, "Do you want to drive or do you want me to?" When we got the fifth wheel neither one of us had driven one. We had a small 23 foot travel trailer prior but it had been a while. I started out driving from our home to our storage lot. Then I started backing it in to the spot at our storage lot. I now drive on the highway and back it in regularly. My husband probably does most of the driving but we share the responsibility. We feel it's good to be flexible because anything can happen. Thanks for sharing your content! We love it! Happy Trails!
You guys are awesome… I started driving 3 years ago but we’re only weekend warrior right now so I don’t have much on the wheel. Every time I drive I think of you Chris … you are always so calm in any situations and I always remember that. You guys rock
Chris, you totally inspire me! I am 62 yrs old and my husband always drives our RV. But now I want to start learning to drive the RV just for a safety back up. thanks for you inspiration!
I think its bad ass watching a confident woman pull a big rig like a boss. I do 99% of our towing, but I am a passenger princess the min we are unhooked. My wife has mastered daily driving our dually. Her confidence is building on towing its just a slow journey of successful trips. Please keep showing Irene drive. My wife watches her mannerism and her techniques as she pulls and thinks of ways to mimic them. Keep up the good work.
Rock it Chris! I also do ALL the driving. Whether we are towing, not towing or even out in the woods in our RZR. The main reason?! I LOVE to drive. Anything and everything. I learned on my own to drive with a trailer shortly after getting my drivers license and just loved anything with a challenge. I would spend time in empty parking lots perfecting backing it up and into narrow spots. I even learned to drive a friends dump truck, for fun. My husband does not enjoy driving at all. He gets aggravated, bored, and in general has very little interest. He does however enjoy having his laptop on his lap and working remote. He also handles all the outside set-up if I'm not traveling solo.
On more than one occasion, we have been approached at RV parks or truck stops giving him props for "teaching" or "letting" me drive MY lifted F-250. My husbands laughs and tells them "I'm not driving that thing!".
Love watching your channel! Hope to run into you all some day!
Kudos to you both! Both my wife and I both drive our TV. It is very important that both can tow our travel trailer and also important to recognize that the person in shotgun has other responsibilities.
My wife drives our Revel but she's only 5' tall so her feet don't reach the pedals as well as they should. I encouraged her to learn anyway and got her to pump the diesel and DEF. I got extremely sick in Tahoe and she had drive us all the way home to SC. She killed it. She still hates backing up but she shares the driving all the time now.
I’m 68 and do almost all of our driving pulling our 32’ trailer. Years ago we fell into this pattern due to my husband being exhausted after doing all the hitching (at that time it was manual) so I would drive and let him rest. He also worked as I drove so that helped too. But I find I really enjoy the driving and do a good job with it. My husband recently fell and hurt his back. Doing the hitching and “outside” stuff has been a big deal for me but not the driving and I’m glad for that. This is definitely a stereotype that needs to be broken. Thank you for addressing this topic.
Thanks for making this video. I drive 100% of the time while towing. My wife is willing to learn and take the wheel and Chris you inspire both of us to expand our horizons. Be well and proceed until apprehended.
Just letting you guys know I have six daughters. Two are airline captains, three are transport owner operators and one has her own business in landscaping with over 140 employees. I love watching your videos you both are a great team. Thank you
Hey Y’all! Thanks for addressing the question. I was one of the ones who asked. It was just curiosity on my part. I’m all for whatever works out best for everyone. Sometimes people don’t drive at all. Sometimes there are medical issues, etc. I do admire a woman who can tow, back, navigate through heavy traffic. I can do it, have done it but DON’T enjoy it. I get a LOT of information from Aaron on the technical stuff and appreciate the great videos! You guys have an AWESOME channel!
I appreciate the curiosity! Thanks for watching😊
I have been the primary driver in the family for our almost 36 year marriage. My spouse has issues with depth perception. When we started towing our 28 ft travel trailer I did as well. Until...I hit a deer while towing. Have not been able to get back in the drivers seat since. This has limited us in our journey and added stress on travel days. You are inspiring to watch as you work together! I will try again next season because of you both!
Life is short....enjoy the journey with whoever wants to drive it! You both rock!
My guy prefers to drive and doesn’t like being a passenger. We have been talking about getting an RV. I want to make sure I can drive it. I love seeing a woman so confident and proud with her skills and abilities driving and backing up. I love seeing how supportive you both are of each other and truly being a team! Thanks for sharing.
My wife and I started this fall, full time, after 2-years of mostly full-time. We are older, 66 and 70. We have so enjoyed your channel! Each week we look forward to your new podcast. My wife does not drive trucks which I am fine with as i love to drive. I so appreciate Chris driving. I continue to work full-time remote as an IT CyberSecurity consultant for a company in San Francisco. We had a 2019 Rockwood Lite, then a 2020 Grand Design Imagine XLS, and now a 2023 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS fifth wheel. I sure hope this is the last one we purchase! I'm trying to build a simple channel but it is harder than I anticipated. :-) In this short time we have learned some lesson, but have avoided some pitfalls by listening to your journey. Thank you for being there for the invisible RVers that are pressing forward on our journey.
Love this channel. Thanks for sharing about the driving thing. My wife and I share the driving and she needed to learn on the fly when I came down ill and we needed to travel 600 miles home. Bee lined it home and now she is a pro!!
I fully respect Chris driving and think nothing of it, she's calm and confident, this is all I need to see. My wife and I hopefully begin her tow training next season. I had a medical scare this year and she was not able to step up as needed. Her training regimen will start with driving the crew cab long bed empty and around town and down the freeway. Then we will hookup the trailer (30ft arctic fox) and do some back road towing, then graduate to straight line interstate towing, and finally a mountain pass to the coast... Moving at her comfort level I'm sure she can conquer some fears along the way, just needs the experience to draw confidence from. Wish her luck! You two take care!
Irene , I love that you drive. We have a truck camper with our F350. My dad was in contracting and at 12 years old I was driving a 10 wheeler Dump truck, no power steering manual Trans. Both my husband and I drive on our trips. However I love to drive and I believe to be more comfortable / confident on long travel. Glad to see you enjoy the driving also. Love your video’s ..
You guys are great! Been watching for a long time. Way back from the van days. The progression made has been awesome to watch. It is amazing that you say that your demo is 60-80 year olds. I was hoping us younger crowd were taking over. We are a family of 4 full timing for 2 years now. Love it and yes she’s drives too. Lol. We is better than me right?!? Congrats on everything and keep it going. We will be watching and learning. Thanks for what you guys do!
-Keens
Good discussion. As a 60-year-old solo female full-time RVer, I always chuckle when they talk about inside jobs (women) and outside jobs (men). I do it all (even the stinky slinky) or it doesn’t get done. Was I nervous? Absolutely. Do I make mistakes? Absolutely. But it’s a lot better than not going. 😊
My mom in the 70s&80s was a truck driver. She was 5’ tall petite blonde. She outworked most of the guys and everyone she worked with respected her. In the 70s she and 80s she hauled tomatoes in the summers. She hauled rice, sugar beets, wheat, corn, peaches, pears, etc. The went to hauling bottom dumps. It is why the first thing I learned how to drive was a class 8 in the fields. I’m glad to see you have no issues driving with a trailer.
Hey ya'll! We enjoy your channel and thanks especially for this episode! I'm 59 and have been losing my vision for the past 14 years. My wife has been picking up some of the driving of our 2000 F250 Super Duty with 23' Nash 5th wheel rig and doing pretty well but doesn't like the slop in the old truck's steering. We have started kooking at newer trucks but also bigger rigs, which she/we want for our grandkids to be able to come with us sometimes. I have been cautioning her against the bigger rigs and trying to push more towards an all-in-one as she will likely be the full-time driver soon. In our situation, we found your openness to share about health issues and Irene;s courage to step right up and take over the driving inspiring and we just want to encourage you to keep doing what you;re doing!
I Totally agree with you Chris, I love to drive as well! You both are correct that both partners should be able to drive whatever they are using in case of an emergency. I will & do know how to drive everything we own & do know how to install or work on all of the items on them. Thanks to my husband preparing me to take care of myself if (God forbid anything would happen to him). I can handle it myself. We have been Married for 45 years so he has taught me a lot. I just want to let you know that we enjoy watching your videos due to what you teach & show us to use when we start our travels. Thank you for being you & be careful out there!
Have to say, I have only seen a handful of women pulling RVs, don't know why but usually it's the man driving/towing. Ok, so yes I was one of the people that asked the question a few months ago, and it was honestly driven by curiosity. If I remember correctly, I specifically asked if it was due to your ankle injury Aaron. Your situation makes a lot of sense, you have your roles and obviously love it, absolutely nothing wrong/odd about that. Thanks and love your channel!
I also love to tow my Lance travel trailer and it gives my husband a nice needed break when we travel far
But he is also a semi truck driver so he guides me every step of the way
I think he appreciates me learning how to pull a trailer and I’m glad I learned
You have a great division of labour. Good for you! My wife was never comfortable pulling the trailer especially in the mountains so I did the driving. I'm sure that it was just a matter of confidence. We now have a class A and she will learn to drive it if only to know what to do if necessary. If she becomes comfortable driving it, I will be happy to be the passenger.
I honestly can say that I never really noticed that Irene does “all” the driving. I think it’s great that you share in the responsibility!
I’m hoping that my wife will be comfortable enough to take the wheel on our next outing!
People and their negative comments. It's nobody's business, but it's great that you discussed it anyway. I have to do every mile of driving no matter where we go due to my husband's physical limitations. It's a good thing when we were younger, that we always shared the driving on long trips. Now I do it all by necessity. It works for us because he's a better navigator and I like driving. If we're ever so fortunate to have an RV, I'll be driving that, too. It's what works for us. I'm glad you've found what works for you!
First off Welcome to the Truckers Club Sista! TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK! You and your hubby are the perfect 👌 team.
I am a truck driver and appreciate when a flash is given to come back over. In certain situations visibility can make judging distance difficult for a safe pass. Don’t forget if a truck is approaching you and flashes you. There is something of importance ahead. Such as a brake check or law enforcement. Stay safe out there. Enjoy your videos.
We think you both rock! Keep on rocking the driving Cris!!! I drive a 23 foot retired City of Tucson shuttle bus because my husband is disabled and in a wheelchair. Of course there doesn't have to be a reason, whatever works!!!
Well, done guys! I love it when good influencers confront old stereotypes that need to be put away for good. Thank you for being brave enough to confront it! Keep up the good work!
Thank you for this video, you truly are an inspiration. My husband and I are gearing up to go full time and he is always encouraging me to drive. I think I have to move out of my comfort zone and get behind the wheel.
I do all the towing…except reversing. Haven’t mastered that one yet. We started in a TT. Never towed before the TT. Now we have a fifth wheel and I love towing it. Lol and yeah definitely in the trucking club.
And yes whenever there are any questions or issues regarding towing, my husband is addressed until we inform the person I do the towing. And then yes, there is the mix of shock, the questions. We’ve never had anyone not presume he tows.
We were headed to Sleeping Bear Dunes this summer and I finally convinced my bride to drive the rig. She did great!! She didn’t enjoy it, but she can do it. Proud husband moment!
Good discussion. You guys handle it so well. In my case as an immigrant RV owner and not looking alike the "conventional" RVer, I kinda relate myself with this discussion about stereotyping people. Love your videos and keep doing what make you guys happy.
I had ALWAYS wanted to drive a semi, BUT 47 years ago “WOMEN “DIDNT DRIVE TRUCK” . Thru luck I finally got the chance to do a long haul.. so when I saw Chris driving, I cheered!!! You go girl!!!!
My bride drives most of the time because I'm typically working. Chris don't listen to the haters. I love the positive affirmation you both have for each other and having an open conversation with your community. If nothing else it is good for your marriage.
Chris, you inspire me to drive our trailer. I'm a confident woman, but it makes me a little nervous. I love that you like it. You certainly do it well!!
You have inspired us to get out there and enjoy this country. Thank you for inspiring all of us.
I have been following you and watched all your episodes over the last two years. It baffles me that in this day in age people wonder why? We don’t own a rig yet, but this inspires me to cast fear aside and just go for it. I can’t imagine full timing and not have both know how to do everything (or most of it). Thank you for sharing and the fun! You both are awesome! Ps, I’m the one doing all the research, driving the conversation regarding the direction we may be going rig wise. Keep it up because it has been instrumental to my research!
Interesting facts. My mother had a drivers license as far back as I can remember, but she really didn’t drive anywhere until we bought a new 1963 Oldsmobile and that meant two cars. AND I got my license the next day on an automatic’52 Pontiac with no power steering. Still love driving.
YE HAAAAAA...I TOTALY AGREE WITH YOU BOTH...I AM 84 YEAS OLD ..MY HUUBY IS 91..WE TRAVEL TO WARMER CLIMES DURING OUR FREEZING WYOMING WINTERS...AND...WE SHARE THE DRIVING!!! WHY NOT,,IS RIGHT!!!! WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 65 YEARS!!! NOW IS REALLY IMPORTANT WE SHARE THE DRIVING BECAUSE OF OUR AGE...EITHER WAY!!!! WAY TO GO, YOU TWO!!! KEEP SENDING YOUR POSITIVE MESSAGE!~!~!~.SINCERELY, KC & GIGI,
Bravo 👏🏻. We plan to full time RV next year. I’ve always been the driver of any vehicle because I am not comfortable being the passenger. We had a 5th wheel years ago and while my husband did most of the driving he was happy to let me do all of the backing up since I was more confident doing it. This go around we are getting a much bigger rig (35 foot Brinkley Z3100) and I’m really hoping my husband will be comfortable with me doing most of the towing since that’s my happy space.
I enjoy watching your videos.
My wife has been driving/towing our 35’ rig for the past 7 months due to medical reasons and she’s been doing an amazing job. Luckily we had practiced a couple of times when we first started RV’ing for this very reason.
My wife just got both of her eyes done. She had cataracts in both eyes and drove about 50 miles of highway on our last trip. She was 10 and 2 the whole way and did very well. She hasn’t really driven our new dually and it took some time to get used to the new dash layout and how the truck handles. Throw in the 38 foot fifth wheel and her being a bit nervous was totally understandable. She wants to drive more and that makes me happy.
I love the dynamics of your relationship and the diversity you both contribute to your adventures and your u-tube channel. "Be you" and 👎 to stereotypes .
You GO, Chris! 👏🏻 I do 98% of the driving also…because I like it! It works for us too.
Hey There! This is the wife talking. You go girl! I love to drive the camper all the time. It's what I'm good at too. We all have our strengths, and my husband is better at giving directions and helping me park than I am. Love your channel. You guys are a team. Keep on trucking! Candace
That is awesome! Thanks Candace😊
So just an added point my friend and spirit sister Rebecca, drove from Minnesota to New Jersey all by herself in her Jeep and Nano 19' Trailer RV, and one of the most common question/comment was "wow, how did you drive by yourself?" and my respince was "cause she is BAD ASS"
then drove me back to Toronto, and then the drove back to Minnesota. Now she and her boyfriend bought a 35' RV, and her and I will be doing a trip when I visit.
So you go girl.🎉
That answers that question, I thought about it, but didn't dwell on it. I think Chris should keep driving, like you said, she enjoys it, and she is good at it. Plus... she is easy to look at :) You guys are one of my top subscriptions I watch every week, thanks for what you do! My wife and I bought a new RV last year, and you have given us some good things to think about. @IreneTravels thank you.
My husband does most of the tow driving. If we travel on a work day, I drive while he works. I, however, do most of the backing. I was a long haul trucker years ago so backing is just faster and easier for me. We just are comfortable in these roles. He likes driving, and my back doesn’t enjoying being stuck in one position for long periods of time
Isn’t that what they call teamwork? ❤ I think it’s great that you both support each other and make it look so easy!
I LOVE that you had this conversation. Gently opening eyes to generation-long assumptions about gender roles. You both inspire me. Teamwork is the key.
Great video y'all. My wife and I have always had a driving symbiosis. Back in the day I was our day driver, and she was our night driver. I could drive 18 hours a day but when 10 PM rolled around I was done. As a girl she used to stay up with her Dad when he drove at night, and they talked and listened to the radio, so she was used to being up late in a car. in our 20s and 30s we would visit relatives in Denver from New Orleans. I would drive from after work to about 10 PM and get us near Dalles and she would take over while I went to sleep. When I woke up we would be near Salinas, and we would trade off again so I could hammer it in to Denver while she slept. Fast forward to today when we are in our 60s. I can't go even eight hours at a time now, so we trade off a lot. Since we bought our RV, we both share the towing duties. We want to make sure we can remain mobile in an emergency or if either of us is incapacitated. Having both of us be able to handle the chores and duties of RV life makes the most sense to both of us. If your approach is working for you, keep doing it no matter what the commenters are saying...
I took driving lessons at an RV rally to learn to handle our 40’ diesel class A. I was so proud of myself! Never once did I have a semi driver be rude on the road. My husband was very supportive and never nervous when I was at the wheel. I love seeing women RV drivers. As more do so, it will be less of a curiosity. You do you and everyone else stay in your lane!
Having had my husband have a health issue while on an RV trip I can say that all parties should have experience driving just in case. When in a crises you don't want to be just getting yourself familiar with driving the rig.
My wife and I have been out on the road for like 1 1/2 years . About 7 months ago I broke my heal bone in my foot. I tried to get my wife to drive our 40' class A motorhome. She has never driven anything this big and felt very unsafe drive it at that time. I still have plans to work with her when we got back in Arizona area in a few weeks. its that here on the east coast area it is very heave traffic that make her feel unsafe with all the traffic. H*ll it make me feel unsafe drive in all this traffic. We love your videos and watch them all the time. Thanks so much for all the time I know you have to put into them . Maybe one day we will catch you both out on the road .
I started watching your channel because I have Class B RV Sprinter Van similar to your previous Airstream. Several years ago you explained the reason for Chris doing most of the driving. I was envious of her “can do” attitude because my wife is intimidated by the size of the van and doesn’t drive it or have the self confidence to do so. You are correct, both couples need to be able to drive their rigs, whatever they may be. Oftentimes, men and women assume various roles based on custom. So it’s more usual and customary for men to drive bigger rigs. Obviously, that’s why you get asked that question. Hopefully, my wife will learn to drive our Sprinter van which would be a great help. ---I would guess that both of you drive equally well. Chris just likes the job better and it’s more efficient in each of your preferred roles as a couple. ---God bless!! Your channel is always enjoyable and informative. Thank you for your great content.
I drive to my fifth wheel paradigm 205Mk. I made baby steps to. I could jack- up and pine the truck to the fifth wheel , it made me proud ! I always think that if my love have a issu , I could take is place. Congratulations, you are an inspiring person.
Nice work!
I have to say, I did wonder why, but I love it. The first time we took or 1st 5th wheel camping some 15 years ago, my wife had to back it into our camping spot because I couldn't.
I love that you do most of the driving keep up the great work. Whatever is comfortable for yall is all that matters.
I cant wait for more of your awesome videos to come out. I Loved watching your tours of towns and interesting places. Sure miss that.