I am in my early 60s and will be retiring in the near future. Since I was in my late teens I always saw myself having a recreational vehicle of some sort and living in it once I retired. I started looking at Motor homes and 5th wheels awhile back and have yet to decide which way I want to go for full time living. I am leaning towards a Fifth wheel but tomorrow it could be the Class A...both have pros and cons for my needs. Regardless of what I purchase my intention is not to travel in it but to park it either permanently or for long periods of time and live in it. It is just myself, my fantastic English Springer Spaniel and my Orange-winged Amazon parrot (of the 3 of us she likes the least to travel). I have been reading through the forums here and am learning much and have much yet to learn. Due to my traveling companions I will be asking a few questions when it comes to quality construction having to do with sound reduction. Parrots like to talk in the mornings and the afternoons to call their flock! I will ask such questions elsewhere on the forums. I look forward to learning what I can from this site and you all. I appreciate all that work that has gone into this website.
Shadowryder1
Idaho, USA
Second Chance said
06:59 AM Jun 12, 2017
Welcome aboard, Devon. There is a wealth of information (links from the main page) covering every aspect of transitioning to the full-time lifestyle. You might also check out the Escapees RV Club, their web site and forums. Escapees is a a great organization for providing domicile and mail support for full-timers.
This is just my two cents worth, but if I were single and planning to full-time, I would be looking at a small to mid-size class A or large class C with a car in tow. I can handle all aspects of the fifth wheel by myself, but backing into sites and getting situated is SO much easier with two of us (and two-way radios). Also, as a single female, if you find yourself in a situation where you don't feel secure, you don't have to get out of the RV for anything if you don't want to - you can just pull in the slides, pull up the levelers, and head out (assuming the car is still hitched up). As for large trucks (a 1-ton truck is the starting point for most large fifth wheels, though smaller fivers can be towed with a 3/4 ton) and sightseeing... my wife drives separately in a Toyota. A 1-ton dual rear wheel truck is not something we want to take into large cities like DC or places like Sequoia National Park. In a motorhome you could just cover your bird cage and secure it for travel - she would be right there in the air-conditioned or heated RV with you while you travel. With a truck and trailer, you would need to move your parrot to the truck with you each time you travel. The trailer would be too rough, noisy, and hot/cold for the animals to travel in.
Good luck to you on your new adventure!
Rob
LarryW21 said
06:24 PM Jun 12, 2017
Welcome, Shadow. Park for long periods? 5th wheel or TT IMO.
Terry and Jo said
06:41 PM Jun 12, 2017
Welcome, Devon.
Parking for long periods of time, you may find a fifth wheel or travel trailer is better than a motorhome. The reason is that a motorhome needs to be exercised on occasion, meaning you have to unhook utilities and drive the MH up to operating temperatures and for about 30 minutes or so. If you have a towable, you don't have to unhook those. You just exercise the tow vehicle, which may be something done on a regular basis anyway.
Jo and I live in a fifth wheel and tend to spend at least a year in an area so we can explore the region and see as much as possible within that period of time.
I am in my early 60s and will be retiring in the near future. Since I was in my late teens I always saw myself having a recreational vehicle of some sort and living in it once I retired. I started looking at Motor homes and 5th wheels awhile back and have yet to decide which way I want to go for full time living. I am leaning towards a Fifth wheel but tomorrow it could be the Class A...both have pros and cons for my needs. Regardless of what I purchase my intention is not to travel in it but to park it either permanently or for long periods of time and live in it. It is just myself, my fantastic English Springer Spaniel and my Orange-winged Amazon parrot (of the 3 of us she likes the least to travel). I have been reading through the forums here and am learning much and have much yet to learn. Due to my traveling companions I will be asking a few questions when it comes to quality construction having to do with sound reduction. Parrots like to talk in the mornings and the afternoons to call their flock! I will ask such questions elsewhere on the forums. I look forward to learning what I can from this site and you all. I appreciate all that work that has gone into this website.
Shadowryder1
Idaho, USA
Welcome aboard, Devon. There is a wealth of information (links from the main page) covering every aspect of transitioning to the full-time lifestyle. You might also check out the Escapees RV Club, their web site and forums. Escapees is a a great organization for providing domicile and mail support for full-timers.
This is just my two cents worth, but if I were single and planning to full-time, I would be looking at a small to mid-size class A or large class C with a car in tow. I can handle all aspects of the fifth wheel by myself, but backing into sites and getting situated is SO much easier with two of us (and two-way radios). Also, as a single female, if you find yourself in a situation where you don't feel secure, you don't have to get out of the RV for anything if you don't want to - you can just pull in the slides, pull up the levelers, and head out (assuming the car is still hitched up). As for large trucks (a 1-ton truck is the starting point for most large fifth wheels, though smaller fivers can be towed with a 3/4 ton) and sightseeing... my wife drives separately in a Toyota. A 1-ton dual rear wheel truck is not something we want to take into large cities like DC or places like Sequoia National Park. In a motorhome you could just cover your bird cage and secure it for travel - she would be right there in the air-conditioned or heated RV with you while you travel. With a truck and trailer, you would need to move your parrot to the truck with you each time you travel. The trailer would be too rough, noisy, and hot/cold for the animals to travel in.
Good luck to you on your new adventure!
Rob
Welcome, Devon.
Parking for long periods of time, you may find a fifth wheel or travel trailer is better than a motorhome. The reason is that a motorhome needs to be exercised on occasion, meaning you have to unhook utilities and drive the MH up to operating temperatures and for about 30 minutes or so. If you have a towable, you don't have to unhook those. You just exercise the tow vehicle, which may be something done on a regular basis anyway.
Jo and I live in a fifth wheel and tend to spend at least a year in an area so we can explore the region and see as much as possible within that period of time.
Terry