Ancestry Magazine

My husband and I took our first family history trip years ago in a small 15 ½ foot trailer. With four small children, we crossed several states to attend a huge family reunion. Hundreds of relatives gathered to celebrate reconnecting our California roots with their Southern branches after a 110-year separation. Tears flowed as relatives embraced cousins thought for decades to be lost.

That was the start of many years of happy RVing for our family, going from state to state, graduating from time to time to a larger vehicle. Five vehicles and miles of learning later, we enjoyed a 35-foot motor home replete with space for a computer, files, and sundry items to research. And long after the children were grown and gone, we would travel for six months out of the year, going from county to county.

Longing to do the same?
If packing up home for a cross-country family history vacation is enticing to you, your first step is to get the right home on wheels. Which one you choose can depend on where you’re planning to go, how long you’ll stay, and what you’d like to accomplish. Consider the following options:

Trailer—Pulled by a car or truck, there is less to go wrong with a trailer (no engine). Park it at home, and you also have a guest bedroom.

Camper—Mounted on top of a pick-up truck bed, a camper is normally shorter than a motor home, so you can park it in a single space and easily maneuver dirt roads and narrow streets around ancestral homes. Plus, it’s small enough that relatives may offer their yard to park it in while you visit.

Fifth wheel—Hangs over a pick-up truck bed like a camper, but a fifth wheel is long enough to require its own wheels. However, they’re easily disconnected, so you can drive the truck during your stay and leave your living area at a campground.

Motor home—Equipped with its own engine and driving compartment, a motor home is often bigger (24 to 44 feet) than other options. Motor homes are more expensive, but their amenities (appliances, storage) make them ideal for months on the road—you can even pull a car behind to use when you reach your destination. Motor homes can also accommodate the office equipment you enjoy, like a scanner, printer, and other conveniences.

Christine Rose, CG, CGL, FASG, is an author, national lecturer, columnist, and recipient of the prestigious Donald Lines Jacobus award. Contact her at Christine4Rose@cs.con, or visit her website at www.Christine4Rose.com