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RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> Introduce Yourself! -> Soon to be full-timers
Post Info TOPIC: Soon to be full-timers
kenwantz


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Hello fellow RVers. I am Ken, retired USAF officer and public school teacher. My wife, DeBe, is still working but closing in on retirement. In researching RV full-timing, I came across this wonderful forum. Like so many others we read about here, we've made the decision to hit the road as full-timers. Our house is up for sale now so, hopefully, our retirement dream is just a matter of time.

We have been recreational RVing for 3 years now in our 31 foot 5th Wheel and absolutely loved it. But our plans are to switch to a MH. Over a three year period, we intend to see as much of America as we're able to while visting every MLB park in between. To do that, we figured that a MH with a toad would give us more mobility, space, and enjoyment than towing our rather small 5th wheel. Would this be a good decision?  We haven't executed yet, so we would be appreciative to hear anyone's thoughts, pros and cons.

We hope to meet many of you someday in our travels.



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Sandra


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The general consensus seems to be that if your plan is to move often, the motorhome is best. If you plan to stay in one spot for a while, the fifth wheel gives you better floor plans and more of a homey feel. Also with a motorhome and a toad, you have two engines to maintain. With a fifth wheel, you have a big truck to drive around in so it's six of one, half a dozen of another, mainly preference. You find lots of both on the road.

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Sandra
Luvglass


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As Sandra say's it's purely a matter of preference, no right or wrong. We've been out over 3 years now and have averaged moving every 5 days, so a fifth wheel can work if you move often, just depends what YOU want.
Good luck, it's an amazing lifestyle.

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Fred Wishnie

Full time since Feb 06 in Carriage Cameo 35KS3 and Ford F350


“If all you ever do is all you’ve ever done, then all you’ll ever get is all you ever got.”
Gummy


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Welcome to the forum and soon to be full timing. Like Sandra & Fred said, It's all about preference. For us it's always been the MH, we like the fact that when your traveling the wife can make her nature calls and I don't have to stop. She can also grab something to eat as well while going down the road. I shouldn't mention this but I suck at backing a trailer, maybe that had something to do with the choice also. There are Pro's and Con's on both sides so your choice is as good as the next guy's. Gummy

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"Progressing confidently in the direction of our Vision-----So we can live the life that we've imagined". "HOLD ON TIGHT TO YOUR DREAMS"

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Mallo


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We have a fifth wheel and move at least once a week on average some weeks more like three times.

The big reasons to sit in one site are;

A.  My work if I have good cell reception and internet it's easier to sit tight through the work week.

B.  Discounts for weekly stays help the budget along.

C.  The cats like at least a couple of days of sitting after a couple of days of driving.

We have a 34 foot fifth wheel and really don't see any advantages of the MH.  At least not from a cost benefits basis.  Course we paid very little for the tow truck, if we had to buy a new truck with the lower fuel mileage it might work out differently.

As has been said it's really about what you like.

Mallo


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Judy


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We love our fiver and if you will be full-timing on the road you will need the room...... all due in time. We recently bought a jeep Liberty with 4 wheel drive. Like Howard and Linda do, and so I will be following behind the fiver, if we want we would also be able to leave it with friends for storage.
southwestjudy

-- Edited by Judy on Wednesday 17th of June 2009 01:41:40 PM

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kenwantz


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Thanks everyone for the welcoming and very good "food for thought" input. I figured as much about it's a matter of preference, but I guess I just wanted someone else to make the decision for us laughing.gif

Grummy, I know what you mean about sucking at trailer backing. Hate to admit it, but it once took me an hour it seemed to back into a state park campsite, you know the kind that runs perpendicular off the main road and is lined with trees on three sides, while folks starred ( and chuckled) in amazement. That could be one reason why I want a motorhome.

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phyllen


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Hey come on now Ken. Half the entertainment in a campground is watching people struggle into their site. Don't let that be a consideration in what type rig you drive. Everyone needs to get their chuckles however they can.

Good luck with you decision, whatever you choose.

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Speedhitch


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Well welcome to our world...Hope you have fun in what ever you decide to travel in. We hope to meet up with you and visit when we can. Until then stay in touch.

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Luvglass


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kenwantz wrote:
Grummy, I know what you mean about sucking at trailer backing. Hate to admit it, but it once took me an hour it seemed to back into a state park campsite, you know the kind that runs perpendicular off the main road and is lined with trees on three sides, while folks starred ( and chuckled) in amazement. That could be one reason why I want a motorhome.
You really should reconsider that reason. With practice you quickly become very proficient. I used to take forever, with the peanut gallery in stitches. Now I usually put it where I want in one or 2 tries.

You only park once in while, you live in it 24/7/365.

Fred

 



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Fred Wishnie

Full time since Feb 06 in Carriage Cameo 35KS3 and Ford F350


“If all you ever do is all you’ve ever done, then all you’ll ever get is all you ever got.”
kenwantz


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Luvglass wrote:

kenwantz wrote:
...it once took me an hour it seemed to back into a state park campsite ...while folks starred ( and chuckled) in amazement. That could be one reason why I want a motorhome.
You really should reconsider that reason. With practice you quickly become very proficient...
Just for the record, I was only gesting about backing as a reason for switching to a MH. I like a good laugh as much as anyone. But I have since learned to back my FW into sites with ease and with fairly good accuracy to the degree it is no longer a big deal. I agree backing skill, or lack thereof, should certainly not be a very good reason to move to a MH. 



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Tim & Robyn


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Recalling some of Howard's earliest posts in the journal, I would think that you would very quickly graduate from being laughed at to being one of the folks in a lounge chair chuckling at some other newbie... and that if you really needed help along the way until you master the technique there would be no shortage of folks willing to help guide you in. Everyone has been there at some point after all.

And, from what I've read over the years on this forum, I'm convinced that RVers are some of the best folks around. After they get over laughing at you, just feed 'em some S'mores around your camp fire after you get situated and you'll have new life-long friends... And I'm sure that (if they're being honest) you'll hear more than one story about how they got covered with sewage early on when learning how to dump their black tank...   I just wish I could be there with you getting laughed at.... smile

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gypsymaus


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Hello Ken and DeBe! We started out in a 5th wheel almost a year ago. It was a beautiful rig and we don't regret starting out with it at all. Once we got on the road we traveled much more than expected (over 5k miles in less than a year). Our 5th wheel didn't have much of a basement and DH was limited on tools he could carry. We also need room for chairs and a BBQ of course. It seemed like we always needed something that we had to put in storage.

We traveled to some cold places this past winter, and we would watch MH's with envy. They would pull into their site push a button and they were done while we were outside freezing and trying to get "set up".

We just purchased a 2005 Allegro Bus and traveled from Fort Worth Texas to Gunnison Colorado for the summer. We couldn't be happier to now be one of the ones that pushes the button and we are done. Now we are down to a very small storage shed and have all the important "stuff" in the basement.



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kenwantz


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Hi Collen and Jerry. We are fellow Texans.  We live in Boerne and have children living in Ft Worth and Arlington. Also, a granddaughter lives in Tolar outside Stephenville.

We envy you getting to travel to Gunnison. While we're here in 100 degree heat, I think the temperatures are still quite cool there. While you are there be sure to take a side trip to Lake City, about 60 miles south of Gunnison. My sister lives there and it is absolutely beautiful there with lots of recreational activities. There are a couple of RV parks there, but I would call in advance to see if there are any vacancies. They are usually full up from June to September, but worth the try.

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leno


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Ken, funny you say that about visiting all the MLB parks. That is my dream also.. Of course trying to get tickets will be another story....
Good luck with your dream..

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kenwantz


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Arlene, you brought up a very good point and one we had definitely thought of. Getting tickets at some MLB parks will be challenging to say the least, especially on weekends at those leading their divison, or traditional sellouts like Fenway and Wrigley. But we're hopeful that the ticket sellers will be sympathetic and find a way to give us a break (yes, we are naive). If not, we'll have to settle for watching on TV with all the other unfortunate fans at a local establishment outside the stadium laughing.gif .

Whatever it takes, we're still going to follow our dream. Hope to see you at one of the ballparks also one of these days.

-- Edited by kenwantz on Monday 22nd of June 2009 07:53:55 AM

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faerie


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we started out with a 5er but quickly learned that only my husband could pull it. also i have RA which made travel in a truck painful. everyone has their own reasons. personally the only reason i would ever buy a different rig. is to go from a 36 foot mh to a 40 foot. good luck with your choice and have fun whatever you decide

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