As seasoned roadtrippers and lovers of nature, RVing makes sense for Dawn and Patrick Moore. The couple has plenty of stories about their adventures to share.
“This year we began our journey in Joshua Tree National Park and were fortunate to experience the ‘super bloom’ of the desert following record rainfalls,” the couple shares. “The trees were in full bloom, as were many of the cacti. We hiked through meadows that were brilliant with spring flowers. We gazed at stars in the clear night sky.”
Even though owning and traveling in an RV seems like the perfect fit for the Moores, they didn’t always have an RV of their own. “We purchased our first RV on impulse, in July 2017,” Dawn Moore recalls. “We were coming back from a road trip to visit friends at magnificent Waterton Lakes National Park. The weather was wonderful, the road was delightful, the scenery spectacular, the meadows were in full bloom, and we saw all kinds of wildlife — mountain sheep, goats, bear, coyote, elk, deer, and even a fox.”
“We were reminded of the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and how much we still had to rediscover. When our family was growing, we enjoyed many fine camping trips — by tent and a pop-up trailer we owned for a few years — but that was quite some time ago.” En route home, she says, they stopped overnight and paid a small ransom for a poor quality motel room and a miserable meal. “We said, ‘We can do better than this.’ A few miles down the road we stopped at O’Connor RV in Chilliwack and found the Leprechaun that very day.”
This is where the Moores’ RV fun began. “Our first big trip was the realization of a long held dream,” Patrick Moore says. “Traveling around the ‘Grand Circle’ of national parks in Utah, Colorado, Nevada, and Arizona. Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, Mesa Verde, Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon, and home again.”
“It was a magnificent trip, but not cheap. In total, 4,000 miles at 10 mpg. Plus we were still paying for the Leprechaun, storage, etc. You can figure the math.”
Because financial stress is never the goal when out exploring, the Moores needed to find a way to offset those costs. “We were en route home when Dawn received a notice about Outdoorsy through the KOA newsletter,” Patrick Moore explains. “We decided to investigate. We had no idea that renting the RV would even be possible. But we have had good experiences as consumers with the ‘sharing economy’ concept, and after some anxious moments — and some research about how to best secure our investment — we decided to give it a try.”
The Moores jumped into their new business quickly and have had quick success. “We received our first booking within a couple of days,” the duo shares. “We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and received a five star review. We also began learning some of the aspects that are unique to this industry.
Rent The Leprechaun!
“In these two years we have earned about $14,000 CAD. We hope to earn another $8,000 this season, and those earnings will just about cover our standing costs for the Leprechaun over two years.”
“By and large, our guests have become friends,” the couple says. “We have kept in touch with them and shared stories about further adventures. We hope that our RV has restored our guests’ enjoyment and appreciation of the natural world, and provided them with safe, secure, and comfortable travel adventures at an affordable cost.”
All about Dawn and Patrick Moore
Favorite morning beverage:
“Coffee in the morning sunshine.”
Favorite campsite meal:
“Dawn makes some delicious and healthy meals, including her special ‘one-dish fish’ by Jamie Oliver.”
Music you like to play on the radio:
“The Traveling Wilburys is our favorite road album.”
Best game to play on the road or at your campsite:
“We like crib and dominoes.”
Favorite season:
“We love them all, but prefer to avoid the crowds by traveling in spring and fall.”
What’s your Outdoorsy spirit animal?
“The Leprechaun who leads us to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”
If you could travel anywhere in an RV, where would you go?
“Our next trip will be to the Southwest. We plan to explore Arizona and New Mexico. Ireland and Scotland are somewhere on the horizon.”
