Want to do 6 month road trip with family. Need assistance in making this happen!

[Don Juane]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

I can't believe your rants about everything. Many, many younger folks with children do exactly what the OP wants to do and they do it successfully with internet.

You should probably take some time to try to understand what you must have wrongly perceived as rants, as the facts I present are real and manifest according to the individual lifestyle. At least I am able to accept that everyone's experiences aren't the same as my own. Also believe my right to make comments on equal par to your own LOL (those danged mirrors always get in the way!). I didn't say it can't be done - I said why would anyone want to do it. If a spouse and young kids are satisfied in a campground environment while the breadwinner sits behind a computer or phone all day as the rest of the family tip-toes around them trying not to disturb and while that family eventually yearns for the working spouse to be able to do something with them instead of their sitting alone waiting for him/her to get done for the day, then more power to them. Otherwise consider the repository of this forum a pool of ideas, and then let everyone have their conflicting opinions and allow everything to remain open for debate. (I am also relatively certain what you might think of me would additionally be of very little interest to OP, otherwise). As a side-note I personally solved my own issue of working while on the road by working hard, no frills lifestyle, no status purchases or not many restaurant/bar outings, comfortable when each of the seldom new car purchases meant one built 8 or more years ago and thus saving enough to retire early. My spouse was not happy while confined to a small box calling it "home" while I worked all day and with her stuck with no place to go and nothing to do but sit around and watch me work or gossip with other campers. On those odd days when we found a nature spot eventually it also lost it's glory since i couldn't up and skip through the woods with the rest of the family. You see it's one thing for a non-working spouse to live in a large home with a good friends, kid's friends, activities, shopping, movie-going, girl's/guy's night out kinds of things available while the breadwinner works, but it's a different ball game when they lose all that and are confined to a small camper watching the spouse work all day. It soon comes clear that their sometimes rich previous full lifestyle has dried up while they have folded into a dwelling of a small waiting room. That's why I made the suggestion that if someone is still young and tied to the workforce to consider going out on the road renting apartments where the non-working spouse and the rest of the family could then at least all go exploring the back streets and facilities of each new city they undertake making notes and eying nice places for the working spouse and family to return to on evenings and weekends. Cheers and enjoy!

[ArtJoyce]

I have known people that have done well with it and others that have not.

But you are limited to locations during work days that have verygood internet service. I seen where people were doing the private GG's during work days for internet and SP or federal land/parks/forest on non-work days for the nature.

But I have also seen the family that was headed back home after a month and AZ few thousand miles because it was not right for them.

[jerryhawkins]

Buy you and older Travel Supreme with four slides or other quality coach like Newmar Dutch star. Hundred grand or less and if you sell in 12 months you won’t lose a fortune. Tow a Toyota truck or suv they also have great resale. You will be much more comfortable. Happy travels

[Roadgypsy]

You know, Everyone, it is all a matter of perspective and commitment to all the personalities involved. I would hope that Scubayachts and his wife have explored ALL of the pros and cons of what they are considering-

First-I have watched my adult children struggling to work from home in their stick and bricks..including conference calls and Zoom meetings with their older children home. I shudder to think of corraling a two year old in a confined space like a 5er or MH during such circumstances. Is Mrs. Scubayachts up to this challenge? RV parks or boondocking? Yes-there are many who make the arrangement work on YT. But, they have a plan and a strong commitment to it.

Second, the question of what rig to get has been well covered by all so Scubayachts will have to sit down and decide if he wants to go into hock up to his nostrils on new or take a chance on used. How much money does he have or how handy is he (and how much money does he want to spend).

Don Juane is right on many of his points-always something to consider in the midst of what COVID has produced in the rving world.

To successfully take on this "trip", everything needs to be well thought out, the funds set aside, the bases covered and the discipline to stick to it. Don Juane shared what it took for what he and his wife needed to do with and without to make their dream happen. This isn't just a tootle around the block...

There are more rude people rving, more rv parks being less than professional, wi-fi is an issue, and the planning much more taxing and harder if it's park to park. ot everyone can afford KOAs or high dollar premier parks.

There seems to be far more miscreants out on the road than ever before. We've encountered this as well. Let hope it gets better.
But, being with the times are unprecedented with the COVID which is not going away any time in the near future, one needs to give realistic thought to what is going to serve them best.

My thoughts? I hope they get to take this journey...and,it's great and more than they ever expected.

[Oklahoma RV]

We just sold our DRV Mobile Suites after three
years and got most of our money back.
We still have the 2018 GMC Denali dually crew cab we towed with. Only 33,000 miles
and needs a new home. You could buy it right
use it six months and get most of your money back. boydcable1@gmail.com

[partygrrl]

I just read this entire thread. Seems like OP has already made up his mind that they want a 5th wheel "absolutely mid-high end" and a diesel truck. Not sure how receptive he will be to the rest of the information here, which is all incredibly valuable.

TXiceman mentions that not only is there COVID right now but that there will probably be a glut (therefore cheaper rv prices) in a couple years. Several others mention COVID, which does have huge impacts on site availability, crowding, the reality of social distancing at campgrounds, etc.

CIDE says generally trailers are for destination camping and motorhomes for traveling. Could not agree more! I fulltimed in a motorhome for years and now have a 7 year old kid. There is NO WAY I would travel in a truck and trailer/5th wheel unless I wasn't planning on driving more than an hour at a time. Motorhomes are definitely the way to go as far as maneuverability and flexibility (bathroom, snacks, napping, being able to get up and stretch out) and family comfort.

RVThere says that motorhomes are not equipped for car seats. I am obviously not in the same category, either in terms of age or cost of rv as most of the people on this site, but I currently have a 1973 25' Sportscoach that came factory with seatbelts and accommodates a car seat just fine. Most any MH that doesn't come with seat belts should certainly be capable of having them installed.

Don Juane has several posts, all of which present valuable information and an important dose of perspective and reality. Most all of the points raised are valid and worth seriously considering.

RVThere also mentioned that almost always something needs repair. Very true! Many people think buying expensive, new rv set-ups means they'll be worry-free and good to go. After reading posts on this forum for a while now, I would point out to OP that MANY people recommend buying a rig several years old that has "had the bugs worked out."

Also, I completely agree with everyone who mentioned the reality of living on the road, socially isolated from friends and regular activities, while also trying to share a small space and respect the fact that "Daddy's working right now." If your wife is comfortable driving a big truck so they can go exploring, shopping, etc, while you're working, great. Maybe a small toad behind a MH would be better for flexibility and independence? Or, at the very least, hopefully she is an avid hiker or cyclist and will be taking the kid out for several hours a day so they don't get cabin fever and depressed from feeling so isolated.

Finally, I think this is a great idea and if it’s what you want to do, make it happen! This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. However, I would also suggest renting some sort of rv and taking a few one or 2 week long trips as a sort of trial run to see if the reality of the situation is anywhere close to what you're envisioning. Otherwise, I actually thought the idea of hopping from town to town and staying in apartments or Airbnb's was a pretty cool idea!

[Msmoto]

After three Airstreams, two moho’s, and the Airstreams being capable of connecting 30 amps from generator in truck bed, there is little question that a Moho is the way to go, especially if traveling with others. My overnights were 90% spent in Flying J’s and the like as security is very high. Lots of services, great coffee, and less cost than campgrounds. Does require water conservation, but easily accomplished. I get eight showers from 30 gallons in my LTV Unity.

I think I am approaching 150,000 miles RVing, and am older than dirt, still capable of Moho traveling but truck/trailer no longer possible due to age.

Usually I am on the road two or three days, then overnight for several days, usually in city, state or national parks as the cost is less.

My best wishes for happy trails and good luck to the OP

[Blackey Cole]

I have a 08 super c a Jayco Seneca 35gs. It has plenty of sleeping spots.

Current factory setup has

a double to queen in the cab over

A pullout USFA with a queen bed

A dinette sleeps two short people

Then the queen bed in my bed room in the back.

It is a diesel with a 100 gal take and around 70 it probably get around 10 mpg

It has a blue ox tow bar .

My 2020 Jeep rubicon recon has a plate for the tow bar, lights been wired up,

And last but not least the stay and play braking system installed

It has a traveler sat disc for direct tv.

Needs a little cosmetic work to be near perfect really nice rig. But it isn’t for sale.

I think I may misinterpreted your intial paragraph and title.

Are you looking for advice on your rig or are you looking for someone to travel with?

[Trapper2022]

Must just be a pipe dream. Original poster has not made any replies. Safe travels to all


Enjoy the journey

[EddieM]

If you are going to sell either or both the fifth wheel and the diesel truck, I would really recommend that you purchase a used vehicle or vehicles. Depreciation is a killer when you buy new and are looking to sell short-term. Regarding your fifth wheel there are lots of folks out there that are renting their vehicles to offset the initial cost. So whether you kept the fifth wheel as a rental or sold, that shouldn't be a big issue. And if you work for yourself, you could always use the fifth wheel as a business write-off
Remember that when you go to larger vehicles, you may find it more challenging to make use of most national parks and even some state parks. National parks do not allow for a vehicle to be longer than 27 ft. If you are staying in private camping grounds, most would be able to accommodate up to 40 feet. And remember that depending upon what time of the year that you are traveling, many parks only provide a 30 amp service

As for a tow car, why would you need one , if you already have a truck?

As for making your child's room an office during the day time, good luck with that one!
Best of luck

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by trapper2020

Must just be a pipe dream. Original poster has not made any replies. Safe travels to all


Enjoy the journey

Some of us just like to think about it a little longer - but do agree it would surely be nice to hear back from the Original Poster -

We spent the Summer with our Two Sons and the Granddaughters - they worked and we Toured - they worked around being Connected - we worked around their Schedule.

We Loved it - They Loved it.


So it can be done - just need to read through this Thread to learn a lot.

OP - let us Know if you are still out there, Considering this Awesome Adventure. -

[Happy1962]

I know this post is a little long winded but I appreciate everyone's feedback in helping us plan for a once in a lifetime family trip!

Thank you!

Gregg[/QUOTE]

I will buy a used car/truck, but I NEVER buy used trailers no matter how GREAT they "look" or how "gently used" the salesperson insists they are, don't do it unless you are able and prepared to troubleshoot and repair on the fly all the things you never knew were wrong. I have owned 7 travel trailers, all supposedly on the high end of quality. The last one I had, it was a total piece of junk in spite of its solid reputation. When I traded it just a year after buying it, sure, it looked AMAZING and BRAND NEW, but "I pity da fool" who bought it. There were others that were decent, but over time things happen, so again, in spite of how careful we were with them, how amazing they looked and seemed, they were money pits in the making. Know your budget in advance and stick to it/buy what you can afford, not necessarily what you are dreaming of, unless they are in line. A crappy used car/truck is more easily "uncovered" before purchase, or within the OK To Return window, quite inexpensively, using a trusted mechanic and advanced diagnostic tools; repairs more easily planned for and made.

[Linda Bohr]

Post #11 is certainly based on some truth, however, it is a really gloomy outlook. There are pitfalls and problems but there are pitfalls and problems to living in a sticks and bricks. I've never found people to be crabby or ready to put a gun in my face if I request nicely that their children don't play on my equipment. Most of the time they are very nice. Yes, the roads, by-ways and campgrounds are getting crowded. But there are still areas where you can enjoy what is offered. It does take research and it does take patience. You need to research what you need and what you can spend. You know you are not going to make money on a camper when you sell it unless you are one in a million lucky. Set a reasonable budget and look within that budget. That way, if you have to take a short fall on the camper, it won't ruin you. Always keep some money set aside for emergencies. They can and probably will happen. Decide how all of you will live in the Rv, not just you. Babies need room. Toys, clothes, baby food, everything you use at home will need to accompany you. Consider what your wife needs to be happy and comfortable also. Does she need a quiet space? Does she need to work on a computer even for fun? You are not the only one that will have to live in the Rv. Get a large enough truck to tow the thing if you get a fiver. Too many are going down the road already without enough power to safely tow the Rv. Take into consideration more than just a fiver. Someone said in a Class A mom can get up and tend to baby or make you a meal to eat while driving. It's a little like being an acrobat to lean over to change a baby in a pickup. Or stop so mom can crawl into the back seat to take care of things. Just use your head. Common sense will guide you to the best decision. And post #11 is right a bout one thing: don't get so starry eyed over the thought of travel in a nice rig that you let your eyes overrun your common sense. That is a mistake that a lot of first time buyers make. Don't ask me how I know.

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by Scubayachts

Good morning everyone. As my title suggests, my wife, myself, and our 2 year old would like to hit the road the first of the year and travel the country. My wife is a stay at home mom and my job (extremely stable) is fully remote and will be for most if not all of 2021. We currently have a Lance 2285 and while we love the Lance, it's too small to do a "full time" 4-6 month road trip in. So we will be selling/trading the lance if this plan were to happen.

We know we'd be looking at a 5th wheel with a mid bunk. We want the mid bunk so our 2 year old has his own room and I will use it as an office during the day to work.

Here is our main concern with this idea and something that I'm looking to you all for help with. Ideally we would sell the rig and truck at the end of the 6 month trip or maybe even around the 1 year mark. How do we not lose our asses financially with this type of plan?

We absolutely want a mid - high end 5th wheel. Do we buy a 1-2 year old unit (DRV, Grand Design Solitude, Jayco North Point/Pinnacle, Luxe) and hope we can resell somewhat easily without to big of a financial hit or do we target a 2015-16 and save some $ up front? I would think the 2015-16 would be harder to resell after we're finished as it would be a 5-6 year old unit. Maybe not? How about a mid grade unit (GD Reflection, Jayco Eagle etc) and buy new or 1 year old?

How about for tow vehicles? I know diesel trucks hold their value extremely well so I'm not as concerned with the truck resale as I am with the trailer. I think I'd target a 1-2 year old mid to fully loaded DRW 350/3500 series. If I buy right aka a good deal, I think I'd do fine trading/selling at the end of the 1 year ownership.

I know this post is a little long winded but I appreciate everyone's feedback in helping us plan for a once in a lifetime family trip!

Thank you!

Gregg

I have never been a fan of tt's. 5er's or otherwise. Many folks out there love them, I know.

If you take the time to look into what is available in a good brand, used DP you might be surprised by what you can find. Just a few weeks ago I met a guy who had access to a 2017 Fleetwood bunkhouse for $45K. I told him to buy it just for the investment gain. A young widow was getting rid of it.
DP's are not the nightmare to care for that is popular for non DP owners to report. Since 2005, when I went full time, I have had 3 DP's. This Meridian will be the last and will last for many more years. For your family I know you can find a good rig to serve your needs. You may have to travel to do so. We drove 1200mi to get this rig.
You are cutting your departure time short for shopping. This pandemic has put many more folks into RV's for the purpose of finding sanity.

Happy trails.
Rick Y