Hi everyone.  I'm Vi and my dh is Kev.  In June, one day as we were driving down the highway we saw a motorhome towing a vehicle.  I looked at Kev and said, "I can see you and I living in one of those and traveling around some day."  He was astounded, but the idea really captured our imaginations and we started doing some research.  That was a Sunday and on Saturday we made our first trip to a Camping World!  We were hooked!

We had spent the previous year getting our house ready to put on the market, even though we didn't know what we would do once it sold.  Our youngest got out on his own about a year ago.  We listed with a realtor a couple weeks ago!  YAY!!

Kev can't retire until we sell the house and will take a big hit in retirement income if he retires then unless something changes, but work has been killing him, so I'm hoping he'll go ahead and retire anyway.  He's almost 56 and I'm 54 and if he keeps working there until a normal retirement age, the stress will probably do him in.  We'll find some way to make it work. 

Even if we sell the house, it'll be another 3 months before he can retire, so chances are that it will be in 2011.  But if he really can't retire then, we will probably move into an apartment and start shopping for our future home :) and he'll retire the end of 2012 or beginning of 2013.  We are both hoping for 2011.  But the first step is selling the house and we've made a start on that!

We've never traveled in an RV at all, and, in fact, never even camped as adults although we both camped with our families when we were growing up. 

We are both so excited about this that we can't stand it, so it will be good to have a place we can talk about it.  We are not ready to share it with our family, as we have no desire to deal with discussions on the wisdom (or lack thereof ) of our plans.

I've only looked over a few threads here because I've spent the last few weeks reading Howard's Journal.  I'm up to February of 2008, and decided I didn't want to wait any longer to join the forum.  I'm really looking forward to getting to know all of you people, and am glad to have the resources of the forum as we continue our journey to full-timing!

Welcome Vi & Kev!! This is an awesome site for gathering information. People here are great for answering questions. My DH (Harry) and I are also in the planning stages. He plans to retire around Feb. of 2013 so we will hit the road either in 2013 or 2014. We are also very excited, and wish that we could do it sooner too!! Good luck with your house sale! :)

Hi Kev & Vi,

I had never RV'd when hubby and I picked up a 38' Allegro MH, quit our high stress (high pay) jobs and hit the road working as fiber optic construction inspectors (back when the backbone for the Internet was still being built).

I loved it!!! We did it for two years until he got cancer and we had to go back to a sticks & bricks and a job with benefits. After he died in 2004, I toured the country on my Harley in 2005, in 2006 & 2007 I sold my house (the first sale fell through two weeks before closing) and in Oct 2007 I hit the road in a Class C. I've never looked back!

We had only tent camped when we decided to do this full time thing. We were considering some type of rv, maybe a pop up when I came across all this info on the web about people living full time in their rvs and traveling. Then I stumbled onto this site and told my DH he should take a look. That was it, once he read about this lifestyle he felt he had found what he was looking for. We started living in our RV in April, he retires this Friday and then we are off on the road. I don't know if we could have done this if it weren't for all the wonderful folks on this forum. When we are stumped about how to do something someone here has already figured it out and is willing to share. Welcome and good luck!

Thanks everyone!  I love reading this forum and Howard's journal.  In fact, I just can't seem to stay away.  I should be putting our house in order for the day in case anyone wants to come look at it, and I will go start on that in just a moment, but I couldn't resist checking in here first.  :D  Anyway, thanks again for the welcome.  I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you better.

6 years ago we bought an older model motorhome to see if we liked RVing. Our first full week of rving we were in VA. We met a couple who were fulltimers and working at the KOA. We had never heard of such a thing. Imagine - people living in an RV and not owning a home. WE WERE HORRIFIED. That was in May. By September we decided to do it too! The nest year we sold the MH and bought a2002 fiver. Moved into it in Jan 2009. In March 2009 bought a 2009 model. In Sept 2009 I (Phyllis) retired and in Feb 2010 Len retired. We are now traveling fulltimers as opposed to fulltimers who live in the RV but stay in one location and still work fulltime which we did for a year. Selling house to my daugher and son-in-law. Yea, we were once horrified to think people lived like this! But ain't it great??????

Welcome Vi and Kev.  You have found a great place to help put your dreams into action.  This is a great place for answers with a great group of people.  I would definitely suggest Howard and Linda's rally this spring as they are a great way to learn about this lifestyle and also a great way to meet some of this family.  Good luck and keep us posted.

John and Terri

i too welcome Vi and Kev... we are way too similar in that my dw is 55 and i am nearing 56 and we came to the revelation that this lifestyle was for us... no camping as adults... will retire march 2011 and hit the road if all goes well... house on the market and just waiting for now... best of luck to you....

I am also new here but I want to say hello and welcome! I fulltime and have been doing so for couple of years now and just love it.