Florida Scenic Hwy Overlooking Tampa Bay

Every so often I’m reminded of how convenient it is to have a Small RV as a mobile office. Today was one of those days. As I downloaded pictures from my camera, I saw photos taken last week of a terrific lunch spot that I found when returning from an out-of-town meeting. During that lunch break I was able to both recharge, and get work done, all in the privacy of my 24 foot Class C Diesel RV.

The meeting was at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Florida, which is a few hours away. I stumbled upon a great spot overlooking Tampa Bay, and only later discovered that it is designated as one of Florida’s Scenic Highways. Normally I don’t take photos of lunch stops, but life is different now with the small RV as my office.

How to Stay Productive

As most business travelers will tell you, out-of-town meetings can be very disruptive to productivity. That of course is a big problem when your income depends on being productive. Here’s one way I use my mobile office to combat the problem.

I take advantage of traveling in my RV, by locating areas to park and work out of my mobile office during the business day. As I get closer to my destination, I scout out potential parking places that I will return to after my meetings are finished. I also get a lay of the land by keeping an eye out for favorite sandwich shops or grocery stores. Although I use GPS extensively, there’s nothing like your own two eyes to best guide you.

A Working Lunch With a View

Getting back to the Clearwater trip to use as an example. Since the refrigerator wasn’t stocked, as I was about 20 minutes from my destination, I began looking for cool restaurants and/or a great parking areas and sandwich shops. There were two restaurants that stood out, one overlooking the water and the other a tastefully themed Mexican restaurant. Additionally, there was a long stretch of a paved trail directly on Tampa Bay, just off the bridge, that looked incredible.

My meetings ran a little long and I decided that answering emails and making a few pressing calls were more important than new restaurants. So I headed back to the bridge for water views, and picked up some ready made chicken at a grocery store along the way. As luck would have it, the paved trail was very convenient to find again and parking could not have been easier.

A restful, yet productive, hour later I headed for home. The small RV as a mobile office fits perfectly in my life. It allows me to find chunks of time to conduct business during business hours – even when traveling.

As a Medical Manufacturer’s Sales Representative in Central Florida, my territory covers the west coast of Florida through Orlando to Daytona Beach, along the Interstate 4 corridor. I am given a car allowance, but many of the perks have been cut out of the budget. Just like everyone else, I needed to find ways to cut expenses to make ends meet. After doing some online research for a small RV that gets good gas mileage, I went to several RV dealerships that carry the diesel Sprinter camper vans (a Class B RV) and the Class C RVs.

Class A RV

I determined early on that the Class A RVs were much too big to park at many of the hospitals and doctors’ offices I visit. Besides it is overkill for my “mobile office” needs, and the fuel economy is poor. One promising Class A though is the upcoming Sprinter based 2010 Via by Winnebago. It is a 25-foot motorhome that looks interesting, but might still be a bit too big for work travel. The available floor plans look less promising though as a set up for a “mobile office”.

Class B RV

The class B RV was too small and I think I would get cabin fever after a few days. The floor plan was not comfortable for a mobile office setting, and the shower was virtually unusable. The fuel economy was attractive, but not worth the sacrifice on space. Once filled with my products and equipment, this set up clearly would not work.

Class C RV

The Class C RVs were just right. Although the fuel economy is not as good as the Class B, they have the best floor plans, with adequate storage and a comfortable “mobile office” workspace. Several months ago I purchased the Winnebago View 24H that has a dinette, which works well as a desk, and a couch so it doesn’t have a bedroom feel. It is one of the best small RVs, in my opinion, and is the perfect “mobile office” for me.

I use my travel coffee maker and head to my first meeting of the day. By the time I arrive, I am able to go in the back of the RV to use the restroom. I check my e-mails on the computer, grab something from the refrigerator and heat it up in the microwave. Then when I meet my clients I’m refreshed and at my best.

When I need to stay overnight, just like any other of the small RVs that are self contained, I can watch a little TV, sleep, shower and shave, and I am ready for the next day. I have even stayed for free in the parking lots of some of the hospitals with the permission of the administrators.

My wife likes to go to a beach campground and then go to the local seafood restaurants on the weekends. She grew up with a small RV, visiting the Florida RV parks. I guess I need to give her all the credit for telling me to forget the Lexus, and get one of the Class C RVs. With the Sprinter model RV, I now have a fuel efficient ‘motoroffice’ during the week, and a fun ‘motorhome’ for the weekend. It’s the best of both worlds, 7 days a week!