To date, the majority of ad hoc routing protocol research has been done using simulation only. One of the most motivating reasons to use simulation is the difficulty of creating a real implementation. In a simulator, the code is contained within a single logical component, which is clearly defined and accessible. On the other hand, creating an implementation requires use of a system with many components, including many that have little or no documentation. The implementation developer must understand not only the routing protocol, but all the system components and their complex interactions. Further, since ad hoc routing protocols are significantly different from traditional routing protocols, a new set of features must be introduced to support the routing protocol. In this paper we describe the event triggers required for AODV operation, the design possibilities and the decisions for our Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) routing protocol implementation, AODV-UCSB. This paper is meant to aid researchers in developing their own on-demand ad hoc routing protocols and assist users in determining the implementation design that best fits their needs.