As we close in on New Year’s Day, we find ourselves back in the Palm Springs, Calif., area -- the same place we began thinking about becoming RVers one year ago.

Back then, we had never even slept in a VW van, much less a full-sized RV. But we made a New Year’s resolution to investigate the lifestyle. We took baby steps, shopping at RV shows, renting vehicles and finally deciding to buy last September.

Now, a year later, we’re full-fledged RVers, with more than 10,000 miles under our belts. It has been an epic ride, one that continues as we travel through United States into next year.

So what about you? Are you thinking about getting in the RV game next year?

Perhaps you can learn from our experience. Here’s our roadmap:

• Hit the RV shows: The Inland Northwest RV Show is Jan. 24-27 at Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds. The Seattle RV Show is Feb. 7-10 at CenturyLink Field Event Center.

• Rent an RV: We took our first trip in March last year to the Olympic Peninsula when we rented a Peace Van in Seattle, a magical experience that confirmed that we liked the lifestyle.

• Shop at local dealers: We started looking in May in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene and got a better sense of what we wanted.

• Rent some more: We tried out everything from a VW van on Maui to a 30-foot RV in British Columbia. Several companies offer rentals, and the website Outdoorsy allows you to rent from private parties.

• Make your decision: It’s hard to plunk down the cash on a new rig. Think about it and decide if you really want to go for it.

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