Slow learners-R-Us. We were somewhat of a rare breed as we truly became "RV'ers" and
"Full-timers" at the same time, not taking the usual route of starting
with a pop-up and working ourselves toward the major leagues. We spent 5
days two years ago in a Class C rental and that was our experience
level. So, the leap can be made.
I thought we would
contrast the Perceptions vs. Reality battle of the full-timing RV'er to
potentially help out those considering the wheel estate culture. Reality
is always the victor. So, we will tackle the surprises, rewards, likes,
dislikes, tips and other "how we do it" aspects of touring this great
country in our dual-axle turtle.
Our
rig: 31.5 feet 2008 Jayco Super-Lite fifth wheeler, 1 living room
slide--sans kids or pets, has been adequate for us. In comparing us to
modern society, we would probably be considered "minimalists"--since
embarking
on this adventure with all of our possessions in-tow, we actually have
made several drop-offs at the Thrift Store. But, the hidden secret--my
wife and I get along, most moments, although there has been a time or
two I was concerned one of the donations at the Goodwill store was going
to be me. But, when she did present the question to me of "If you could
name one thing you would have in a replacement rig, what would it be", I
did answer "bedroom slider with a king size bed"--this body needs
mattress acreage.
Its
marriage partner-- 2002 F-250 4x4 Powerstroke Diesel oft-loved 7.3
engine and 4R100 automatic transmission. We bought both units off Craigslist from the
same owner which made it ready to go when we were. After-market
offerings include a turbo temp gauge, transmission gauge, transmission
cooler, brake assist, tuner and performance exhaust. Right under 13 mpg
towing all conditions and terrain, and about 20 mpg unhitched. Very
satisfied with the Jr. Ark.Oh, and because we are a "full disclosure" RV'er, we paid $32,000 for the combination truck and RV.
We
are Texans by heart, but South Dakota is the state we chose to domicile
in. Three main reasons: 3% sales tax, affordable vehicle/RV
registration by mail and no annual emissions/inspection required.
How we are paying for it--more disclosure--savings! Yup, no pension, no retirement (we are sub 59 1/2 years old). We took some proceeds from our home sale to buy the truck and RV, but otherwise we are living on 25 years of below-means living, 22+ years of overtime, side businesses, etc. We do have a $$ on the Road tab on this blog which discusses other ways we could make money, you know, if we had to. But, this piggy bank does not refill itself, so we will have to eventually get off the couch and do something.
Budget
killers: Fuel and RV parks' fees. Both can be reduced by applying a
simple rule-- stay at least one week per park. And, if you are curious
as to the costs of this lifestyle and missed our post at the 3 month
mark, here is the
link. We are currently parked at our first one month stop in Amish Country, Indiana.
Max travel miles: Ideal is no more than 200 miles in a day, all be it we have
done 400+ twice, in our first month, where we learned. It is not a a
sedan road trip with the cruise on 75 mph, a Big Gulp in one hand,
I-phone in the other and the station playing a little George Strait.
Pacing: Traversing 10 states and 4,000 miles in the first 2 months about killed us
was overly ambitious. It may have been precipitated by a "vacation"
mindset versus "staycation". Again, this is advice for full-timers and I
understand part-timers have work schedules to get back to.
Realistically, about 800 miles in a month has been a much better fit.
Best tip--Unhitching: a) make sure your last transmission
move is "Reverse" which moves your kingpin forward into the hitch, (to
accomplish, back into a wheel chock and set your emergency brake b) make
sure you are level side-to-side. That advice almost guarantees you will
come off your hitch nice and easy. I learned in Albuquerque when I
experienced an ugly unhitching moment and went to the office to see if anyone in
the park could lend a hand and got the response "Well, Danny over in
site #16 is usually good, but he is probably drunk today". No thanks to
Danny, but thanks to RV.net.
Shade:
It is not as prevalent as one might think, more so in state parks, less
so in RV parks. But, the consequence, less amenities in state and
national campgrounds. Google maps is your friend and shade saves on
energy use and degrading of your rig's exterior, roof and tires. Huge
benefit. And, as a backup for those parks that planted concrete instead
of trees, get a roll of
Reflectix and cut some shade inserts out for your windows that face the sun, it makes a huge difference!
Our
map displays the 18 states visited in our first 4 months on the road.
Top 3 favorite cities: Boise, ID., Monterey Bay, CA., Portland, OR. Top 3
favorite small towns: Shipshewana, IN., Montello, WI., Williams, AZ.
I
would score campground Wi-Fi service a B+. Teri and I both are moderate
internet users averaging about 4-5 hours per day on-line when not
motoring to the next destination. Weighing going with our own hotspot
with
Millenicom.com., no
contracts, $70 per mo. gives you 20 gig of
data on the Verizon network. Certainly, if you are dependent on the Net
(ie, to work), then your own hot spot is probably a must. And from my
research, Verizon has the top overall coverage with AT&T taking
second.
Our Go To sites and where I spend much of my Internet time:
Flat-lander versus mountains: I prefer the temperatures of higher elevation, but driving
the less inclined. Again, attention is elevated (pun intended) when
ascending as you're having to monitor transmission status as well as
turbo temperature. And when you reach the summit, now focusing on
braking the wheeled house as you point downhill. Really, rolling terrain of
the Midwest is probably my ideal. But, there is a consequence to
pay--just how many cornstalks and cows can one driver count? Looking forward to the northeast, perhaps a happy landing.
Campground
memberships we belong to and their annual cost: Good Sam ($25) ,
Passport America ($49) and KOA ($24). All paid for themselves in the
first 3 months. Favorite, but often the most restrictive, PA. A
part-time RV'er would have to assess use frequency to determine value,
but pretty much a no-brainer for full-timers.
Safety:
RV parks have a very peaceful feel to them and is one of the specific
areas that Teri commented about. In over 120+ nights, one
mother-daughter "cuss-a-thon" on our very 1st night that would have
embarrassed an entire Navy fleet and then one drunk who decided he
wanted to pretend to be a bear and poop in a not-so-woody area about 30
feet from our rig early one morning were the only two disconcerting
things we have experienced.
RV
necessities. What we feel would make this experience even better that
we did not bring with us- 1) Outdoor propane grill. Yes, cooking on a
gas top oven in your aluminum can on wheels in the Summer time requires
you coat yourself with sun screen. We have since purchased one a few
days ago. 2) A Fantastic fan--similar to an attic fan in a home, draws
in cooler air from the outside in the evenings to replace the interior's
warm air. On the list, but at $300+ plus and Summer beginning to soften
its edge, not sure if a good value.
What
do we miss about our sticks and bricks home (besides friends and
family--shout out to Cameron, Austin, Rachel, Harry, Marilyn, LPD folks,
etc)? 1.BBQ 2.Mexican food. 3. Big dog. The other bothersome aspect is
the feeling I am not "serving" or "volunteering". I have contacted the
local Habitat for Humanity to see if there are any current
opportunities. Anyone know of any online sights looking for volunteers? I
posed the same question to Teri and her responses--1.Sometimes, more
space in general 2. Our chicken flock. 3.Outdoor privacy (the
expectation you have to converse with your RV neighbors). As you can
see, no real obstacles. And yes, that image is the house on 2.4 acres we
sold in March.
What
has been the most disappointing part of the journey? Well, from our 1st
world perspective, I would lean toward the deterioration of our
nation's interstate highway system, especially in areas you are paying a
$15.00 toll for 45 miles of travel and expect it to be of higher
quality. I have become empathetic to the challenge RV manufacturers have
in trying to produce rigs that can enure 3.0 seismic conditions on a
regular basis. Also, but beyond our control, the Summer heat of 2012
seems inescapable. When wifey was presented with the same inquiry
regarding disappointments and given a couple days to answer, she could
not think of anything, not even "my husband". Solid.
STATS:
- Total budgeted: $11,517
- Actual spent: $11,056
- Total states traveled: 18
- Total different camping locations: 31
- Total miles logged: 7,448
Most
who follow us know this vagabond lifestyle on wheels will last at least
a year or whenever the money runs out, whatever arrives first. Now,
with that qualifier, the most popular question we hear is "What will
happen after that?" The response vacillates between:
- Quad-season in the RV--live in 4 different U.S. states by season
- Bi-seasonal in the RV--warm and cooler months, 2 different locations
- Bi-seasonal in two quaint cabins, probably rural CO. and one walking distance to town in TX.
- Move to Costa Rica or similar international locale
- Rent for a year in a big city sans automobile
- Buy a bungalow in Smalltown, USA close enough to walk most places as we did when we resided in olde town Arvada, CO.
- Country property, fairly similar to what we sold a few months back......
If I had to give you only ONE response at the time of this
writing, I would say a return to our country lifestyle--5 acres, less
than 1,000 square foot home, with access to bike/running trails and
walking distance to town would be ideal. Now, ask me tomorrow, and odds
are in your favor the answer would differ. Yes, it remains a big
unknown, but I feel remarkably blessed those options are all reasonable
for our future. When I asked Teri, she simply said "wherever my husband
goes"--must have been Suck Up Day.
Amongst the readers who are considering an exit to the RV life, which would you pick? Or, do you have a different backup plan?
Thanks
for reading over the first 1/3 of our journey and we hope you found at
least one valuable tidbit in this post that will smoothen your RV
travels!