Sad too Say

[Lyle]

Just after only two years fulltiming we have sold our motorhome and brought a home in WV. I disappointed and am missing the road but my wife missed the grandchildren too much too continue. What a great life it is but we started too young (53 and 50) thanks too a early retirement. I find it too be cheaper too fulltime than it is too have a home. We had the opportunity to see 37 states but would love too see the others some day. If you are thinking about fulltiming it is great and worth every penny but kept your home for at least a year before selling. We lost too much too decide to quit after two years. That my best advice. This year I guess I'll have too wade the snow but planning too continue wintering in Florida next year. Happy traveling and I miss you all fulltimers.
Lyle

[Lyle]

Just after only two years fulltiming we have sold our motorhome and brought a home in WV. I disappointed and am missing the road but my wife missed the grandchildren too much too continue. What a great life it is but we started too young (53 and 50) thanks too a early retirement. I find it too be cheaper too fulltime than it is too have a home. We had the opportunity to see 37 states but would love too see the others some day. If you are thinking about fulltiming it is great and worth every penny but kept your home for at least a year before selling. We lost too much too decide to quit after two years. That my best advice. This year I guess I'll have too wade the snow but planning too continue wintering in Florida next year. Happy traveling and I miss you all fulltimers.
Lyle

[Allegro Happy]

Hey Lyle a ? for you. If you didn't have grandchildren would you still be fulltiming? We are 52 & 51 both retired, and basically not much family, or should I say not that we'd like to visit much. We were planning on fulltiming in about 2 years, but we can't afford a house and fulltime also. What do you think?????

Sue <><
DH (Larry)
2 Boxers, Duke & Dutchess
2001 36' Allegro Bay
1999 F 150 toad
Brake Buddy

[Ken Lenger]

I am looking forward to retiring (but not for a while, unfortunatly) in our house in Tucson, but spending as much time on the road as we feel like, but then returning home for a stretch again. I basically would like to be a reverse snow bird, spending winter in AZ and the south, and the summer months in the western mountains, and/or wherever our kids might end up. I know I would not want to fulltime in an RV. I just enjoy having a bit more space and real plumbing fixtures too much.

Ken Lenger
Dodge 2001.9 2500 QC 4X4 LWB SLT HO 6 Speed, 4.10 LSD. Jordan Brake Controller, Jacobs E-Brake.
Artic Fox 27-5L 5th Wheel, RV Modifications, & Other RV Topics RV Solar Electric System
RV and Tow Vehicle Weights, an exercise in reality
irv2.com brochure & newsletters download.

[Lyle]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Allegro Happy:
Hey Lyle a ? for you. If you didn't have grandchildren would you still be fulltiming? We are 52 & 51 both retired, and basically not much family, or should I say not that we'd like to visit much. We were planning on fulltiming in about 2 years, but we can't afford a house and fulltime also. What do you think?????

Sue,
No doubt we would still be on the road. I love it. What I like about fulltiming is there no schedule for being some place at a certain time, waiting up in different areas not knowing what too expect. We always left the last of Nov. to head south which was great too avoid the snow and cold. I hope we can fulltime again but it will be atleast 10 yrs before MaMaw will be ready. I would personally encourage you to start as so as possible. You will find that at your age you will be the youngest but the older fulltimer are the greatest and nicest people you can meet. Being on the road just is a different life all together. GO FOR IT !!!
Lyle
Sue <><
DH (Larry)
2 Boxers, Duke & Dutchess
2001 36' Allegro Bay
1999 F 150 toad
Brake Buddy<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[RV Wizard]

We started at a young age, although not retired we love the lifestyle. Part of this is due to the fact that we do not have any grandchildren (yet). My daughters are just entering adulthood and so we do not drift too far from the southeast (in case one of them needs us) just yet. Once they are adjusted and rooted we hope to venture to the far ends of the continent . There is so much to see and as has been stated the older folks have so much to share.

Mike & Amy, Fulltimers
RVSA Certified RV Technician
Dinasaur Board Distributor
No Wet Distributor
Norcold Authorized Servicer
Muffin our Shih Tzu
Ashley and Candi at school
2000 GulfStream 39' Scenic Cruiser on Spartan M.M. w/ 330 Cummins
99' Chevy 4x4 service truck NASCAR #3 & #8

[Gary RVRoamer]

We "reverse snowbird" and think we have the best of both worlds. When we retired, we bought an inexpensive home in rural central Florida, where you can get a modest home with all the modern conveniences for under $50k. We have plenty of room to park the motorhome, a nice workshop for those projects I can't do easily on the road, and my wife has room for her hobbies and crafts too. We spend about 5-6 months a year on the road and a similar amount in the house. Each provides a nice change of pace from the other.

You don't need a lot of money if you keep the house a modest one and locate in an area where taxes and insurance are low. There are many such places in the USA, so just look around.

Gary Brinck
2002 Dolphin LX - W22 chassis
2003 Chevy Tracker ZR2 4WD
Homebase in the Ocala Nat'l Forest near Ocala, FL

[Lyle]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bill and Thea:
to Gary B; Thea and I spent 2months last Feb and Mar. at Blue Parrot RV resort in Lady Lake,,,just down the road from you...Didn't like the managers so while there we found Harbor Oaks on Lake Griffin...really nice. We wanted to get into Plantation RV Resort next to the Villages, but they have a long waiting list.
We are leaving right after the first of Jan this year...Going to drive around Florida for a about 3 weeks before we pull into Harbor Oaks on the 1st of Feb.....We will try out Harbor Oaks for a couple of months to see what it is like....One thing we did find out last winter...The snowbirds, as a rule, are all great people...We like central Florida alot, but want to check it out further south too...
What you have sounds like a very good way to spend a retirement...We will look into that after we have done some traveling........Bill M.

2003 Bounder 36D W/Toad 2000 Mitsubishi Galant.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Bill,
We stayed in central Florida also. We were Thousand Trials memberand they have a campground on Rt 27 just a few miles north of I4. It's also only about 10 miles from Disney. This also is a very nice area and very convenient to different points of interest. Camping World has a store not to far from this location. We have that membership to give away on another forum call flea market. We also have camped at Ruskin, Florida and like that area but it farther from any stores.

Lyle

[outbackers2]

HI, we like Horseshoe Cove RV Resort in Bradenton, right on the Braden River..in fact they have boat docks and fishing pier and their own island to explore with a walking bridge out to it. They have a pet section which is where we will be from Jan 15-March 15th..in G-9..if you get down that way look us up, We're in a Keystone Outback. Regards, The Teachouts

2003-27ft KeystoneOutbackRBS
2003Dodge2500-4Dr4X4,Hemi5.7
engine, 4.10 rear end

[Novi]

Hi Lyle: Sorry to hear about your life style change, you sound a bit sad or down, but I also thank you for the comments. We have been considering full timing in about 3 years, and have been gathering info. and reading. We too have grand kids and grown kids and we would miss them, this seems to be one of the biggest, or hardest parts of the decision, all the rest of it seems easy by comparison. Several of our friends are full timers and love it, only one couple has some difficultly and it is over the same issue that you mentioned, kids and grandkids. It may be a smart idea if we can afford it to keep the house for a while, just in case ?? or maybe we are just a bit chicken to commit. I retired and age 53 (now 55) and been RVing all our lives, MHing for 12 years now. Again, thanks for your thoughts, and wish you the best.

[Cruzer]

Hey Outbackers2,

You spelled "Sheboygan" wrong

Mark & Leann Quasius
2003 Suncruiser 33V - Workhorse W20
2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Toad

[Full - Timin' Wannabee]

Bringing this post back with the comment, "WHY NOT TAKE THE GRANDKIDS WITH YOU WHEN YOU CAN"?? That way you don't miss them and they get an opportunity to see places they may never see and enjoy! Lyle, sorry that you weren't able to stay out there...you do sound a little sad. Hope that you do get a chance to return to that life when your wife is ready again!
We only have two grandchildren, but others that have more say they take one or two a summer and visit the others whenever they can. Our two have really enjoyed just traveling with us while we are on vacation....but we intend to get them (and their mother) off with us whenever we can once we are full-timing. Just a thought for those of you not out there yet, but thinking about it. Safe travels, Anne

[shooter]

We ( I ) retired in 00 at 53. We had a 15 yr old 22' Prowler TT that was used for vacations but no extened trips. We got a 25' 5er to see if she would like the road. I've been in field service on 24/7 world wide for 30 yrs and so I know the road and get "FIDDLE FEET" if home for more than a couple of months.
The first 2 years we spent about 6-7 months on the road in 2-3 month segments. Spring/ summer and fall. Only put 35k miles on the 5th.
Comming home every few months has worked out so well that we moved up to a 30' so she has her embrodery and quilting equipment as well as her directory ( up dated annualy ) of all sewing and quilting stores in US and Canada. We always ( it seems like it ) stop in every little town with a quilting store within 50 mi of our route so she can do her thing, SHOPPING. Get to beatutiful remote towns with great histories and sites. We have boondocked at 10k+' and -sealevel in some wonderful gost towns and natual sites. 4x4 and the highest rated off road trailer makes it all possible. We can go about 5 weeks on the black tank.. Some times we will go 1500 mi to a sewing convention some where. If MAMA's happy everyone is happy.
In between her thing we do my things and OUR things.
We have only put on 11k mi so far this year
Returning home every few months and wintering out at home in NM has worked out well.
Last year our son and family moved to Rochester, NY. WE love the west but she wants to go EAST of the Mississippi where the overpasses are 13'6" OR LESS, rv parks are 50 yrs old and full of trailers that haven't moved in that many years/ charge double or triple what they are worth and made for 20' TT's with no slides, full of mosquetoes, roads are bad, over crowded narrow and speed limits are to low to make 800 mi a day to visit the grand kids.
We lived in the Chicago suburbs for 40 yrs. and there is nothing back there I would want to see again.Not flaming anyone back there but been there done that and don't want to do it again.
She can take a plane any time she wants to go to Rochester. But I guess we will make the trip NEXT year after ALASKA ::: HA.

Would I want to full time ??
NO. There are to many thing I/ we like to do that can"t be done on the road. Hobbies that need more room than in the 5th. BUT: there is no place we can't go and do in a 2 to 4 month expedition.
My dad full timed for about 12 years after he retired and loved it. We would forward the mail every week to where ever they were. He liked wintering out in FLA. We would drive and stay with them during christmas or spring break ( Disnyland ) and my son would travel with them for part of the summer. When his health no longer allowed him to travel they bought a house in central TX.

[Randy S.]

I retired from GM in 1998 with 30 years of service. I was 49. We have been fulltiming now for almost 7 & a half years. I'm now 55 & my wife is 46. We are very fortunate to be retired so young &, A big and, we both still love it & even if something happened where we couldn't travel, we would want to live in a campground in our motorhome.
It is always a hardship when one wants to & one doesn't.
I promise that I don't mean this in a bad way. We figure we raised our children & now they have their lives to live. We only have so much time here & we gave the biggest part to school, working, serving, raising our children, helping our parents, especialy when they were old & sick, my Mother is still living, and now it's time for us to play. To see & do & be. We still help my Mother & are involved with our children & familys & have a need in our hearts to spend time with them. But then, they have their lives, dreams, plans & soforth & so do we, so off we go having a ball with plans to visit again real soon.
My wish for you is that somehow you two can find something or someway to live a lifestyle that you both can be happy with. When people love eachother, each will make a sacrafice for their loved one. Often times when both get some of what they want, they can be very happy. Happy doing what they want & happy when doing what the other wants because you find joy seeing the one you love happy. I hope if this might work for you, you can find joy doing what both want when shareing a special kind of love. I wish you the very best always.. Randy S.