In 2021, our family bought a rough-looking 1999 Winnebago on a whim. (Never, had I ever, considered an RV, but when my friend Maribeth Romslo texted a Facebook Marketplace listing with a 31-foot long, vintage Winnebago, I couldn’t resist!) We took her on as an art project on wheels and we haven’t looked back since.

We were even featured in the Star Tribune alongside a few other adorable RV fixer uppers.

“Of all the changes that Senn and Romslo planned to make to Winnie Cooper, they were most excited about making their RV a mural on wheels, so that was their first chore.

“Last fall, Senn created the design in Adobe Illustrator, trying out mock-ups of what it would look like on the actual rig in Photoshop.

"‘RV designs tend to have a very specific, and very masculine look, and that look hasn't changed in decades,’ said Senn. ‘We wanted to stray pretty far from the traditional RV look — which meant using a lot of color, exploring big graphic forms, and even telling a bit of a story with the design.’

“She describes the end result as an ‘abstract landscape, with the color palette evoking the land, the lakes, and a warm sunset.’”

We made a ton of upgrades to ensure she’s a safe ride (and have only been stranded at a campground once! Shout out to Red’s in Pierz, MN for getting Winnie back on the road for us.) The best part about Winnie Cooper is that she isn’t just for looks. Our families have embraced RVing throughout the summer and fall seasons and have made so many wonderful connections in the process. One of our favorite things to do is park Winnie in friends’ driveways and have a little happy hour. Let me know if you want us to swing by!