After spending six years in the U.S. Army, Bubba Durell (@DurellsDownSize) made the decision with his family to sell all possessions and travel full-time in an RV. We caught up with the Durells in North Carolina to ask them about their travels and Bubba’s military experience.
We are the Durell family! We are a family of 5 living full-time in our RV, traveling around the United States. I (Clinton) am medically retired from the United States Army. I now raise and homeschool my three boys Brody, Kyler, and Dax. My wife Brooklyn works as a PICU travel nurse. We have a golden retriever named Ollie, who also travels with us.
We have been traveling for 2 years now and so far, have visited 17 states!
What made you decide to sell your house to live life on the road?
We decided to sell our house and everything in it, to spend more time together as a family.
Both Brooklyn and I were working full time jobs and the boys were always at daycare or school. We were always busy on the weekends and never had quality time together as a family. We had a huge mortgage, car payments, student loans, and credit card debt. We knew there had to be more to life than just working and paying bills.
We started following families on social media that were living full time in their RV’s and traveling around the country. We instantly fell in love with the idea and started doing research about any and everything RV related. Brooklyn looked into travel nursing opportunities, we sold our house, quit our jobs, pulled the boys out of school, and hit the road! We were able to pay off all of our debt within the first year.
We realized we do not need much in life to be happy, just each other!
Where are you currently based?
We are currently in North Carolina. We typically spend about 3 months at each location. Brooklyn’s nursing contracts are 13 weeks long, and she likes to take a few weeks off in between contracts so that we can travel and explore.
You mentioned Bubba is an Army Veteran. What was his job/assignment in the Army?
I was an Infantryman in the United States Army stationed at Fort Hood Texas. I was in the 3rd Calvary Regiment, Eagle Troop, 2nd platoon. I was an enlisted soldier trained as a rifleman, squad designated marksman, and team leader on a machine gun crew. I was in the Army for 6 years before medically retiring.
A group photo from Bubba's Sniper Selection course, during his time training at Ft. Hood, TX. (October 2014)
What does Veteran’s Day mean to you (Bubba)?
Veterans Day is a personal reminder of the sacrifices that my fellow soldiers have made to serve and protect our country. I am proud of those I served with, for the love of each other, and our country.
Team live fire exercise with AH-64 Apache helicopter support. (January 2013)
What are ways that those who have never served can honor or thank veterans?
A simple hand shake and a thank you goes a long way!
Ask a veteran about their time in the military, where they were stationed, or what their job was. Don’t just save it for Veterans Day though, do it year-round!
3rd Cavalry Squadron Truck or Treat with Stryker vehicles. (October 2014)
Bubba and Brooklyn at the 3rd Cavalry Regiment Military Ball. (December 2012)
Family PT in Ft. Hood, TX. (Summer 2011)
A fifth wheel hitch is arguably the most important tool for a family that lives and travels in an RV. Why did the Durell Family choose a B&W hitch?
We chose a B&W hitch because it is the strongest and safest hitch on the market. I wanted something that I knew would keep my family safe, and safely pull our home on wheels. It’s easy to install, has a smooth ride, and you can visibly see when the jaws are closed around the king pin. It pulls like a champ, and the best part is that it’s American made! We put in a lot of miles as full time RVers and our B&W hitch has been great for all of our adventures.
What’s your favorite thing about living on the road?
My favorite thing about living on the road is exploring new places as a family. We love to go to National Parks, go hiking, find waterfalls, and hot springs. We love trying new food and meeting new people. We get to spend so much more time together as a family. Our boys are only little for a short time, so we really want to make the most of our time with them.
What are the biggest misconceptions about living in an RV?
One of the biggest misconceptions about living in an RV is that it’s always a vacation. It’s actually a lot of work packing up and moving the RV! We are always having to do some sort of maintenance, and we still have our everyday chores like cooking, dishes, and laundry. Plus, we are now homeschooling our kids from the RV. For us, it is all worth it!
What are some of your favorite places you’ve travelled to or best towing adventures you’ve had so far?
We fell in love with the west coast! We loved our time in California, Utah, and Arizona.
Our best towing adventure so far has been to Baja, Mexico! We spent 8 weeks traveling down the entire Baja peninsula. Next summer we plan to RV all the way to Alaska!
