This questions is for the ladies or men.
I would like to hear from the people who were very reluctant to try the RV life style or just traveling in a 5er and now love full timing or traveling in a 5er? I am sure there are some of you that stood with you fist so tight that you knuckles were white and kept saying noway I am going anywhere in that thing.
Will you tell me your story of how you were persuaded to try and what made you like going.
I have a real problem and do not want to revert to rope and duck tape.

Thanks in advance for your help.

I had a neighbor once (a very long time ago) that decided he would rather live in a TT then pay rent or a mortgage. His wife said "I am not living in that thing, I refuse to be trailer trash". He told her that he was going to, and if she wanted to go pay rent somewhere by herself, she was more than welcome to. Needless to say, he was the major income winner in the family, she couldn't live without him (nor support herself), so she gave in, and she hasn't grown any roots yet. I guess the moral to the story is: Which is more important? The person you wish to share your life with or a material object? Good Luck! I, myself, have always been a firm believer in Duct Tape. LOL!!! - Ann

Good advice I too am a believer in duck tape. Although remember with practice they can get quite fast in getting their hands untied so to get the duck tape off their mouths. Just kidding :) I don't have a problem traveling, my wife drives every where we go but she lets me hold the wheel.

Judy; Should you have said man or woman dedicate any lifestyle. Women try to do that also. I agree that the relation ship must be based on love and respect that is why I have lived up to my commit for 42 years.

Just my opinion,but I wouldn't want to do anything with someone if I had to force them to do it.You can't MAKE someone like what YOU want them to like. Good luck.

I am not sure how this happen but I think by my trying to be funny in one of my post, the meaning of my questions has been missed. I am not trying to force anyone to do anything I would not do that. I ask the question to read some stories of how people changed their minds about traveling with or in an RV. I thought it might help me under stand why my wife of 42 years will not even talk about the subject. This is some thing that I have a dream of for many years but kept it to myself to keep peace. Sorry if I lead everyone off the subject.

bubbadan, maybe i have missed an earlier post and you have already done this but have you comprised with your wife to at least rent an rv for a week or two vacation or even buy a smaller one to go on trips to see how you both adapt to it? i would think in any relationship, the spouse should at least be willing to try what the other wants to do to see if it is something that would be enjoyable with each other. the worse that can happen is that a vacation in one will cement what she has felt all along and you want to know that rather than force someone to do it fulltime.

My husband was very reluctant to try this camping thing... It took me 4 years to get him even to think about it... I went out and bought a cheap pop up and told him he did not have to go with me but I was going to start camping....it was something I had alway wanted to do and in 28 years I had never said no to anything he wanted to try...It took a couple of trips and than my daughter, SNL and grandson got into the act and he was sold... 5 years later we just bought a 30 ft used 5th wheel, spoke to the real estate agent last week and he is ready to go FT... now I am the one saying slow down...patti

Patti; Thank you

We embarked on this together, there was no reluctance on either part.  We enjoy living the life style in our 5th wheel home.

Judy wrote:

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In my travels it was always the male that liked the full-time thing rather then the female. Most female's said they need a "nest" or simply a place to "land" at times and be there for a period of time. Such as being with grandkids or family at times.

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No grandchildren.  The furniture and heirlooms will get divvied up between offspring.

Everyone's different.  I can live without the house, but what am I supposed to do with my antique car?  And its parts?  And tools --I dont' mean 1 standing toolbox, I mean a garage full.

But the Merc's been in the family since it was new in 1941.  Storage isn't the way to go.

 

That's a decision only you can make. Do you stay put for a 41 Mercury, or do you go off and see the country. Hmmm??

Even though I am a complete Motor Head, that nice Merc would be helping finance my travels. I did sell all my racing equipment and tools so it can be done.I felt empty without it for a short time but was ready to move on.

I've always had the travel bug, my husband? Not so much. We stared slowly with a popup and occassional weekend trips, then extended them for a bit longer. We went to all the rv shows and attended a Life On Wheels conference. It was the Life On Wheels conference where my husband got to meet people living the fulltime lifestyle that convinced him that this is something we could do. Unfortunately the Life On Wheels conference is no longer, but the RV-Dreams rally is coming up soon!

Racerguy wrote:

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Even though I am a complete Motor Head, that nice Merc would be helping finance my travels. I did sell all my racing equipment and tools so it can be done.I felt empty without it for a short time but was ready to move on.

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Just how empty we talking.
The Merc towed the Avion for 5 years, it's been everywhere.  I was almost born in it...
And it is such a joy.  To drive and work on.  Everything's big, oh believe me, but I love that car.

Honestly, I could not bear the sight of someone else behind the wheel.

For a year, I looked --like drove up & down the roads near the buyers-- for our old Avion. 
My plan was the same, but with the Avion & Merc. 
It pulled the T-20 over the Rockies a few times, so with another BB, it'd do it again.

Leave my house, yeah.  My kids, mostly.  My books ..tough, but I can't take them all.
Selling the Merc is one of those "can you live with yourself afterwards" decisions.

 

Luvglass wrote:

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That's a decision only you can make. Do you stay put for a 41 Mercury, or do you go off and see the country. Hmmm??

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Good point.  Only I've already seen the country.  I just want to see it some more.

 

I can see why the attachment to the Merc is so strong. To be truthful My Son and I both had tears in our eyes when the buyer loaded our Car and drove off. We had spent 2 years building the car from the ground up and many a Saturday Racing it but that doesn't compare to having something actually be a part of the family like your car.Hard decision to make. Still miss it sometimes but also very excited about my next adventure.Seems there is always a trade off  when we do something new.

Well, as you can see from my username, I too have a treasured auto. However, I am like racerguy. If the need arises, someone else will drive my treasure somewhere, and I will use the money to support my other habit. My other habit is looking at some of the things I did not have either the time or money to see while I was a working stiff and raising our daughters. Now that I am a non-working (limp?) stiff, I want to finally enjoy life. In th last few years, I have found that I no longer need to sweat the small stuff, and further, it is all small stuff.

Thanks. It is not easy to discuss so-much-more than a car with people who don't get it.
In fact, it's impossible...

However, it's not a decision I have to make in the next 3 years.
Maybe my son will get an awesome job --or buy this house so I can keep the Merc and its garage-- or someone will want to swap an Avion T-2O for my Travco. Nah...

-- Edited by TrishsTravco on Wednesday 16th of September 2009 12:11:59 PM