For you full-timers

[Kro1957]

JPF & fellow RV'rs.
Great reading!! Enjoy the photo's also, here's to safe and blessed journeys!!

Less than 12 months and counting and we are also FT'ing. And a lot for me to finish doing before then.

Be Blessed!! Jim & Trina

[lvnrdream]

We rented our house in late 2011, sold almost everything and have just a small storage unit. It is hard to believe but after the first year we removed some stuff from the motorhome. We have been surprised just how much stuff we don't need. We have the standard full-timers rule "You bring something new home, something old goes out".
We have family in PA, WV, and FL so we stop in anytime we pass thru.
Sometimes I think I miss the house until I see someone mowing lawn, raking leaves, etc.

[BIJ6165]

Sold 3,000 ft house with 3 acres. Do not miss all the upkeep and mowing in the TX heat
1. Loving life
2. Have seen more of this country in 5 months than ever dreamed of
3. Family and friends now asking "where are u going next so we can visit"
4. In less than one hour we can pack up and move if we do not like where we are living
5. Have met amazing people we now call friends
Have visited more county fairs and festivals and enjoyed the celebrations
6. Do not have to vacuum and mop 3,000 sq ft
7. Easily go from cold climate to warm climate
8. Left San Antonio, TX in June and 107 degrees. Enjoyed nice summer months in NY, PA, ME and MA
9. Got to see the changing of the seasons. The first time in 20 years
10. Wondering why we did'nt start fulltiming sooner

Living in FL now volunteering with the Army Corps of Engineers.

West coast is our next trip starting in May.

[Reed Cundiff]

Enjoyed reading every post on this thread.

We have been full-time RV'ing since December of 2007. The decision was made for me. Elaine had been dreaming of this for years. I enjoyed my work as as physicist at White Sands Missile Range etc.But she said "we're going on 67 and there is just to much to see and do "Yes dear!" It was the best decision for us. We sold the house and 3 acres in Las Cruces, NM about a month before the housing slump.We started with a cheap and almost nice Maxi-Lite 28' TT. This went to Alaska, Keys and Everglades, Nova Scotia (left rig there and took van to Newfoundland and Labrador), tip of Baja and Yucatan once. Looked at MHs as upgrade but liked the Open Range we purchased. Managed to get a GMC 4x4 diesel with 38,000 miles on it.

We are flying to Guatemala to take Spanish immersion courses and travel for 8 to 10 weeks, spend a month or two boondocking in SE AZ and then across US to Labrador and Newfoundland. Not driving to Mexico this year as things are not fully resolved on the wreck we had with insurance. And they have to resolve the issues with Mexican customs before we take another vehicle back into Mexico. As noted on another thread, we made it to Belize this last winter and drove pickup to Tikal, Guatemala since we could not work insurance for Guatemala (it takes a while).

We had planned to fulltime for two years and then have another home built. Elaine basically figures we are full-time toads (we'll do this untl we croak orwind up in a retirement home).

We try to boondock or "dry camp" 100% of the time. We like solitude, wildlife and each other's company. We do have three kids on the I-25 corridor (Las Cruces, mountains above Las Vegas, NM and Fort Collins, CO). Each has a spot in back yard for us to park. We generally go boondocking with them when we visit. As noted in other postings, we are solar independent and do not need to use generator. Our only requirement is to be able to dump black/grey water. We didn't know how to operate TV until last year since we are mostly not in range of TV. We do have a pile of BBC/PBS Mystery Theater DVDs. Nice thing about getting older is that we can watch them all over again each year and enjoy them once again (Perot, Miss Marples, Midsomer Murders, Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis - sometimes we should like "American" subtitles for Inspector Lewis).

[Dog Folks]

Originally Posted by mothgrey

You'll have to ignore my stupidity here but I'm just really figuring out from reading this site that those of you saying your full-timers have sold your homes and probably most your things and live on the road, campgrounds or WM parking lots. We're getting our first MH next week and I guess I just never even imagined not having a home to come back to (Or at least one that is fixed to the ground). I'm 53 and a ways from retiring and I can honestly say the thought has never crossed my mind to do that. My questions are
How was that transition for you. Once you made the decision to do this was it difficult to now live in a smaller rolling home. Do you get to see your family more or less than before. Please don't think I'm knocking your lifestyle like I said prior the thought has never even crossed my mind that folks do it this way. So I'm more surprised than anything.

Top Ten:
1. Freedom to go where we want, when we want and to avoid weather extremes


2. The excitement of seeing what is around the next corner


3. NO grass to mow or all that other maintenance stuff.


4. The ability to have a mountain cabin or a beach front house within one unit.


5. Not having an alarm clock dictate my life.


6. Flexible planning. Plans written in Jell-O.


7. NO Real Estate taxes.


8. Small town politics


9. A smaller space. Everything is in its place and easy to find.


10. A feeling of contentment I have never felt in my life before.



Was the transition difficult? Terrible. It took, oh, maybe, ten minutes. LOL

[CampDaven]

Beyond the freedom, adventure, miles and smiles, there are the practical issues.

Things that will never touch my hands again:
-Snow shovel
-Lawn mower
-Paint brush
-Real estate tax bill
-etc

[jimmyjnr]

Originally Posted by Reed Cundiff

Enjoyed reading every post on this thread. We have been full-time RV'ing since December of 2007. The decision was made for me. Elaine had been dreaming of this for years. I enjoyed my work as as physicist at White Sands Missile Range etc.But she said "we're going on 67 and there is just to much to see and do "Yes dear!" It was the best decision for us. We sold the house and 3 acres in Las Cruces, NM about a month before the housing slump.We started with a cheap and almost nice Maxi-Lite 28' TT. This went to Alaska, Keys and Everglades, Nova Scotia (left rig there and took van to Newfoundland and Labrador), tip of Baja and Yucatan once. Looked at MHs as upgrade but liked the Open Range we purchased. Managed to get a GMC 4x4 diesel with 38,000 miles on it. We are flying to Guatemala to take Spanish immersion courses and travel for 8 to 10 weeks, spend a month or two boondocking in SE AZ and then across US to Labrador and Newfoundland. Not driving to Mexico this year as things are not fully resolved on the wreck we had with insurance. And they have to resolve the issues with Mexican customs before we take another vehicle back into Mexico. As noted on another thread, we made it to Belize this last winter and drove pickup to Tikal, Guatemala since we could not work insurance for Guatemala (it takes a while). We had planned to fulltime for two years and then have another home built. Elaine basically figures we are full-time toads (we'll do this untl we croak orwind up in a retirement home). We try to boondock or "dry camp" 100% of the time. We like solitude, wildlife and each other's company. We do have three kids on the I-25 corridor (Las Cruces, mountains above Las Vegas, NM and Fort Collins, CO). Each has a spot in back yard for us to park. We generally go boondocking with them when we visit. As noted in other postings, we are solar independent and do not need to use generator. Our only requirement is to be able to dump black/grey water. We didn't know how to operate TV until last year since we are mostly not in range of TV. We do have a pile of BBC/PBS Mystery Theater DVDs. Nice thing about getting older is that we can watch them all over again each year and enjoy them once again (Perot, Miss Marples, Midsomer Murders, Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis - sometimes we should like "American" subtitles for Inspector Lewis).

Lewis is a Geordie , look for a bbc series called Auf Wiedersehen Pet , that will test you

[washbob]

My response will be different from the majority who have responded so far. I was retired & decided to sell the S&B and move to Hawaii. Put the house up for sale in 2009 & it sold in 3 days. So did a couple of garage sales, donating and world of mouth of what I had for sale. Sold all the possessions in just over a week. Yes, it was difficult selling some items, but afterwards didn't really miss them. Moved to Hawaii & only lasted a year before I missed stateside. Found I enjoyed vacationing more than living full time in Hawaii. The island got a little small. Decided to buy a motorhome (never owned one before, tent camped before) and travel the U.S. Started full timing in October 2010. Traveled following the warm weather for a little over a year, but found myself missing a S&B home base. Built a house with large RV garage & then was on the road about 6 months out of year. I enjoyed that much better than full timing. Each person is different, so figure what is best your family and go for it.