Me again...I just went back and read the original post again. I see the RV is OWNED by someone. Is this person in the group? Or are you borrowing it? I'm confused as to why YOU are driving it if a dear friend bought it...that's why I'm guessing the friend won't be with you? I'm not sure about border crossing in a vehicle without the owner of said vehicle.

To answer one or your earlier questions, you CANNOT have some people ride in the trailer type of RV that is being pulled by a truck or other vehicle.

How old are you all? High school? College? Just curious because you said you "secured" time off from school and that sounds like high school. Are any of your parents involved in planning this trip?

I also assume you all have figured out how this trip will be paid for in terms of gas expense, food, repairs if the RV breaks down, health insurance if any of you get sick along the way?

Jaya - I think you're right...and this trip is not happening.

We're starting University in the fall..It is a friend who is travelling with us RV..She doesn't really like driving; so I will likely be the person driving..We are trying to do a stretch in Canada - stretch in US - stretch in Canada so that none of us are across our borders more then 6 months at a time...Although, it may be possible to spend longer then 6mo in the United States, as I(the only Canadian) am attending school across the border...I guess I will have to find that one out!
I have a rough gas budget - rough because I don't know exactly how the itinerary will workout; food is an easy one [we've roadtripped together before so I used the same plan which was fabulous and multiplied it for the length of this trip], health insurance is up to individual, I'm covered for it though...As for RV repairs I'm not sure what to expect/budget..Thoughts?

Where you are doing a 62 week road trip, you won't be considered a full time student while it's going on since you won't be taking classes.

The RV will get less than 10 miles per gallon, so you will blow through a LOT of gas. You'll also need to set aside money for tolls.

Who's going to change the tire on the RV if you get a flat? What's the bail out plan if you guys decide you can't complete the trip?

LOTS and LOTS of details to work out. You all need to get together yourselves and work this all out. I think we've given plenty of information for you at this point.

4 out of 6 of us can change a tire...and I think all of us have CAA or AAA. The bail out plan? Weoops, guess this won't work, let's go spend a year in the Caribbean.
Thanks for all of the information, it will help me [most of it :p] while putting together the best itinerary possible.

I'm curious-- if someone just aquired an RV, then how do you have the option of also getting a trailer?

If you are really seeing major spots in each state, then my guess is your going to drive 500 miles per week at a minimum and really probably far more than that.

Is the RV brand new or a rental? If new, it should have some kind of warranty. A rental would have some sort of coverage too.

I think you should also google for the trip reports of the thousands of other people who have done similar trips.

<i>I think you're right...and this trip is not happening.</i>

Wonder why you'd say that? Sounds like the OP is asking intelligent questions and trying to gather the right information.

In 1969 two friends and I bought a used step van, an old milk delivery truck. We spent the spring gutting the thing, then constructing sleeping bunks, cabinets, a stove and toilet area. We practiced driving it. Then when school got out we drove the contraption from New York to California. We had a grand adventure. I was 19 at the time.

Maybe the world was different then but two things aren't: nothing is certain, and things usually work out.

I hope they have a great trip.

Agree there is a lot to think about in terms of health insurance for people that would normally be covered by their parents. Also - who is paying for the insurance on the RV? That won;t be cheap. and - not sure what happens if you take it out of the US for months at a time.

Also - have you all secured your passports for the multiple border crossings?

Also - having one driver is a really bad idea. You need at least two good reliable drivers - in case one isn;t feeling well. Also - to give everyone a chance to enjoy the journey - you should have many fully qualified drivers as possible.

Finally have you put together a budget for this. Just the cost of gas, maintenance and repairs to the RV will be significant - never mind charges for campgrounds, food, sightseeing etc. You're talking tens of thousands of dollars - has everyone got their share saved?

Nelson - I say it because a quick search shows she is 17.

Well according to her post on the Canada forum, the trip will be taking place in 2014/15. So, she's starting this planning well in advance and will be two years older when it happens.

Go for it. It will never be more fun. Expect a lot of hassles, and laugh like crazy when they happen. Prepare to deal with the girl who leaves the sink full of hair. Prepare to pack all the stuff you want to take and get rid of half of it. Expect to get hit on by men old enough to be your father and to laugh when you brush them off. Expect lousy food, great food, solid friends in terrible snits, people you weren't wild about at the beginning becoming great friends. In other words, welcome to life.

look for sponsors to underwrite your adventure.

Hit up CAA/AAA and pick up maps of the States/provinces. Research, research, research. Then start planning your route.

JOIN CAA/AAA

You will want to purchase their towing and other insurance.

I think it sounds like an amazing trip, and I admire the fact that you are starting your planning early. I haven't done any kind of trip of this magnitude, and I don't travel by RV, so I'm not much good for advice on this. But it sounds fabulous. Just plan your general route, make sure all have passports and lots of money/credit cards, make reservations for the first month or two, and then you can make more reservations as you go along.