About Betty Lou & The Crew
We're Kevin, Melissa, Rita and Stella. Affectionately known as "The Crew".
I retired in late 2024. In January of 2025, I suggested to Melissa that we take some time to see places we hadn't seen in the US and maybe re-visit some that we had seen. She was totally on board. We bought a large map and started circling places to see. We bought an RV (Betty) and bought a tow car (Louise, but Lou for short). Now you know where "Betty Lou & The Crew" came from. By April of 2025 we added new bikes, outfitted the RV, planned an itinerary, sold our cars, and rented out our home. After a couple of weekend trial runs, we launched our adventure on May 5th, 2025.
Now we're blogging as we travel throughout the USA. Join us on our journey as we explore the beauty of America and share our experiences through our blog. Our blog is a space where we delve into the details of our travels, share pictures, and stay connected with family, friends and fellow explorers. Hopefully we'll make you smile, laugh, cry, and perhaps inspire you to embark on your own adventures. We may even share a few travel tips.
​Here's a few details about what we chose to get us through the next year:
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After looking at multiple RV brands and styles, we decided on a Forest River FR3 34ds. Why? We love the floor plan. King size bed which was mandatory because the entire Crew sleeps in the bed. 1.5 bathrooms! Melissa loves this feature because she gets the larger bathroom. I love it because at least I get my own bathroom. Shower is big enough to comfortably shower in. A lot bigger than a few showers that I've used at European hotels. Three TVs (one outside), washer/dryer, theater seating, three burner gas stove and oven, dining table for four, additional full size bed, a cool hidden pantry, and plenty of storage inside and out. Betty is equipped with StarLink internet, Sirius XM radio, YouTube TV, and multiple streaming apps so entertainment and staying connected won't be a problem. For outside we choose a Coleman grill, a propane fire pit, folding chairs that rock, a couple different tables, and a dog pen for Rita and Stella. All must haves!
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After a lot of research, we decided on the Chevy Trax RS for our tow car. Why? Several reasons, but most important was weight and the ability to flat tow (tow with all four wheels on the ground). She's one of the lightest new vehicles available to flat tow. Weight isn't a big deal if you're just running around town but can be significant if you're towing all over the US. We considered several Jeeps but they were heavier, more expensive, and kind of a pain in the ass to get Rita and Stella in and out of. Had to consider the comfort of the entire Crew. Gas mileage is great at about 30 mpg and we love the style of the RS. Perfect car for us.
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This part will be irrelevant and boring for some folks so skip it if you want. We use a Blue Ox towing system which we had professionally installed. Easy to use. We also installed a tow braking system on Lou, but here's the cool part - it's super easy to use! On/Off switch on the dash so no brake box to install every time you hook up. Automatic battery disconnect is also a switch on the dash so no popping the hood every time you hook up. Literally takes me five seconds in the car. I love this system!
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Bikes were a must for us so originally we were gonna take our e-bikes. We love our e-bikes but they're 74 lbs each. Yowza!! I didn't feel like loading and unloading those every time we stopped so I started researching lightweight e-bikes. We're both fairly tall (although I am getting shorter every year, damn it!) so we wanted full size bikes. No folding bikes for us. Turns out that even the lightest weight e-bikes are about 50 lbs. So we decided to bring regular bikes. Heck, we rode beach cruisers everywhere up until about three years ago and actually got some exercise. Exercise? There's a concept. After plenty of research, we found the perfect bikes! Specialized Roll 3.0 with eight speeds so they have plenty of low end and high end gears. Best part - they're full size bikes that weigh 30 lbs! Woohoo! We use a Kuat bike rack. Why? You probably guessed it. One of the lightest racks on the market with great reviews.
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That's our set-up. May not be right for everyone but we definitely did our research and chose what was best for us. We'll provide updates throughout the year to let you know if we got it right.
