Living the Winnebago Life – Meet the Dorsetts!

Living the Winnebago Life – Meet the Dorsetts!
Learn more about this RVing power couple and their insights.

By: GoLife Staff

“They are the lifestyle,” notes Winnebago Product Planner Joe Liviero when describing Brenda and James Dorsett. This joyful couple has been RVing since the 70s and have been enjoying their 1998 Winnebago Luxor since 2005. Although they have a home base in Florida, they tend to live and travel in their RV about 95% of the year. They just genuinely love being out on the road together and are even known to dress alike!

Recently, the Dorsetts became Winnebago ambassadors and agreed to give their trusty RV a rest to travel in a new Winnebago Journey and share their valuable insights with the product team.

Brenda kindly spent some time while en route to their next destination sharing about their RV life, what it has been like traveling in the Journey, and some great tips for future RVers. She is one of those people you can’t help but love chatting with, and we’re excited to give the GoLife readers a chance to get to know this great couple a little bit as well!

What RV Life Looks Like for the Dorsetts

RVing is truly the chosen lifestyle of the Dorsetts. Before owning their first Winnebago, they even took a truck camper on a trip all the way up to Alaska! Brenda noted how lucky they are to both enjoy living and traveling in an RV. She has met many couples where one seems to drag the other along and she is happy that is not the case with them.

They really do make a great RVing team – splitting the driving and happily making changes to their plans as needed. Brenda usually plans their route and, as a retired teacher, takes a special interest in the history of the places they visit. But she has no problem being spontaneous if a destination off their route happens to grab James’ interest while out exploring.  

Brenda shared that she loves RV travel because it allows them to bring their home along with them. They don’t have to worry about packing and unpacking. “I like the fact that I’m in my own bed every night,” she noted. Even when visiting with friends, having their own RV makes them feel like they aren’t intruding on another’s space. 

Before they retired in 2010, Brenda and James took every opportunity they could do get out in their RV. They have RVed all across the United States and, aside from Hawaii, have visited all the states in their various travels! 

Most recently, they tend to plan their route based on upcoming rallies for the National African American RVer’s Association (NAARVA), which they are long-time members of. However, they recently added Winnebago’s Grand National Rally to their route as well and had a great time. Since they were in the Journey, they got a lot of extra attention from curious attendees!

What they Love Most About Traveling in the Journey

The Dorsetts have already spent a few months in the Journey and have enjoyed getting to experience the more modern features in this Winnebago Class A. Here are a few of their favorite features …

Nice, Quiet Drive

Brenda and James both enjoy what a comfortable ride the Journey offers. She likes that they are seated high up and that “the passenger seat is like an armchair at home.”

They really put the Journey to the test on a recent trip to Colorado with some mountain drives – the first time they had driven in that area of the country. But the Journey did great. 

Plenty of Storage

“The storage is remarkable,” Brenda exclaimed when asked what she likes most about the Journey. “The shelves are very deep, and the drawers in the bedroom are so big I could get in them!” 

The couple were also able to move everything from their Luxor into the Journey’s huge storage bays with plenty of room to spare.

Impressive Tech

Although their 1998 Luxor was top of the line at the time of its production, Winnebago RVs have come a long way since then. Brenda has been amazed by how much she can control from her phone – even the storage bays can be locked with a tap!

More Room & Amenities

Brenda has been very impressed by how much additional space is made possible with the slides. There is also a large awning for making the most of the outdoor space as well as theater seating in the living room to enjoy one of the three large televisions found in the Journey.

It also has a dishwasher and stacked washer and dryer (a welcome upgrade from the combo washer/dryer they are used to). Brenda appreciates the two sinks in the bathroom by their bedroom as well.

4 Insightful Tips for New RVers

It would be a shame to have such an experienced RVer on the other end of the phone and not ask their recommendations for anyone wanting to RV for the first time. Of course, Brenda had some really great, thoughtful tips to share:

1. Rent Before You Buy

This was the first suggestion that came to Brenda’s mind. If you’ve never spent time RVing, renting one to test out if it is a good fit for you is a great idea. This can help you get used to what to expect and is even a practical way to help narrow down your purchase choice.

2. Have a Safety Plan

After hearing an expert speak on the topic, Brenda realized they needed to make some adjustments to be sure they are as safe as possible while in their RV. They have extra fire extinguishers in order to have one nearby if needed. In the event of needing to exit out the back, they also have a ladder they can clip on to exit without injury. Having a plan of what to do in an emergency and the tools to act on that is key.

3. Ask for Help

Brenda also noted how reliable and helpful Winnebago customer support has been throughout their ownership experience. They have even been able to provide lots of assistance when they have questions about or need parts for their older 1998 RV. Even though James is very handy, this serves as a great reminder that even the most experienced and knowledgeable RVers need help every so often. Don’t forget to contact Winnebago if you have any questions or concerns about your RV!

4. Go to RVer Events

One of the ways Brenda and James became so knowledgeable about RV life was by attending RVer events and listening to the seminars offered there. Rallies and other events for those interested in the RV life are a great place to learn from experts and other owners.

Maybe, if you are lucky, you will even run into the Dorsetts and have the chance to benefit from more of their wonderful insights!

Special thanks to Brenda Dorsett for taking the time to share their story and insights. We’re so lucky to have this pair as part of the Winnebago family!