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pduggs · 01-28-2019, 06:20 PM

Having lived in Michigan all our lives, we headed south when it got cold. We don’t do cold anymore.

HDrider · 01-29-2019, 08:07 AM

We lifted our jacks in Oregon November 2012 and started southeast. It took us over a year to reach the east coast but we were in no hurry, only driving 85 to 150 miles and hanging out for a week before moving on.
After 5 years we said hey, even though we lived on the west coast we didn't experience it except only on weekends and vacations so now we are exploring what was once our own back yard during the summer months for a couple years. Been on the road over 6 years now and still no end in sight.

AE Wanderer · 06-10-2019, 09:28 AM

Started, we watched a lot of YouTube. Then we had a final Thanksgiving dinner. Told all the kids to bring U-Hauls and take what they want. Then sold the home, bought a Class A, and hit the road. Rented a 12x14 storage unit, now down to a 10x12. Next it will be smaller again.

We make plans, but the kids have changed them everytime - between marriages, new grandchildren......

Have seen/been to CA (will go back to Yosemite. Visibility was 1/4 mile due to the fires when we were there). In Nevada, Army had the highway blocked for 45 minutes while they blew up outdated ordinance. I am a Marine, so I know a big bang. Saw AZ, Hoover Dam, and Oatman on RT 66 were highlights. Stop in Benson and see Tombstone and Kartchner Caverns. Be sure to stand on the corner in Winslow on RT 66. In NM, stop at the Meteor Site, and White Sands. Texas, RT 66 at Amarillo see the RV museum and Cadillac Ranch. Stay in the state parks, especially Caprock Canyons.

On the east coast, we have been from Florida to Pennsylvania. Will go to RI and MA in a few weeks. Visit Washington, Madison, and Jeffersons homes. Also, stop at Williamsburg. It will give you a good idea how we started as a country. Went to TN, Gatlinburg is a major tourist trap!

Take your time, do not try to see it all the first year. Mindset starts out in vacation mode. Sooner you can change that, the better. Enjoy.

twogypsies · 06-10-2019, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AE Wanderer

Take your time, do not try to see it all the first year. Mindset starts out in vacation mode. Sooner you can change that, the better. Enjoy.

#1 Advice

Don't drive long days. Stop around 2-3pm and relax and enjoy the surroundings... still time for a little tour and nice dinner.

Don't make reservations unless you really need to be at a specific place at a specific time.... such as visiting others.

Try boondocking on public lands in the West. Beautiful scenery amidst quiet.

Some seasons we'd pick a state or two and fully explore every nook and crannie. You don't have to keep driving many miles cross country. That's when we bought a fishing license so we could use it a long time.

Summers - go for elevation - above 7,000' to 8500' is best or on the West coast.

TechWriter · 06-10-2019, 02:48 PM

First, I made a US Temperature Map (PDF) to determine where and when to stay.

We started from Green Bay, WI in May, stayed a month at a Mississippi River campground, and then headed south to Lake Havasu City, AZ for the Winter.

super_rep · 06-11-2019, 10:48 AM

We closed on the sale of our house in June, with plans to leave eastern PA right after the 4th of July. 2 days after closing DW was diagnosed with thyroid cancer so plans were delayed for two surgeries and radiation until OCT. The new owner of our house (on 41 acres in the Pocono Mtns of PA) was nice enough to let us park by the pole barn where we had full hookups - 50A water and septic - for as long as treatment required. When we finally left in OCT, we went to Surprise, AZ where we stayed at Happy Trails RV park for 2 months. Then to Palm Springs and then to Congress, AZ.

In JAN a friend ask us to visit them in Benson, AZ at the Escapee's Co-Op RV park. After 3 days in Benson, we decided this was the place and put our names on the hot list and decided to wait for a lot to become available. We spent the rest of the winter in Benson on a rental lot and then left in APR and traveled back to PA to visit family. After a couple of weeks, we left PA and spent the summer traveling the north west, then back to Benson for the next winter. Our name came up for a lot after 2 years and we now have a lifetime lease on a large lot with a 288 sqft casita.

I should mention, we had a 40' Marquis Beaver for 19 years and always traveled 1-3 months every summer. Had the Beaver in 49 states and sold it for our present Monaco after 141,000 miles and 49 states visited. So RV travel and location was fairly easy for us to decide.

We've been spending winters in Benson now for 6 years and traveling in the summer. This has been a great life style for us. Spending the winters at the Co-Op has been great. There is always something going on and we have made lots of new and very good friends.

Chadrock · 06-11-2019, 11:02 AM

We built a large pole barn on a lot we owned five miles away and live inside it in the motorhome. We have all we need (water well, septic, propane, insulation, wifi, DirecTV, family nearby).

We've gone to Florida a couple of times, went out to Arizona and are taking kids and grandkids -- 11 of us in all-- to Florida in a few days for a weeks stay in a house near the Gulf.

We also go to Costa Rica in January, but we can't get Coach there, of course.