Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.


We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> Introduce Yourself! -> Saying hi, doing research
Post Info TOPIC: Saying hi, doing research
mooline


RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 19
Date:
Saying hi, doing research
Permalink  

Greetings, all from another pair of "will-be's". smile

Our story is so similar to all of yours! He's 57, I'm 55 and we've been bitten by the Fulltiming bug.  No, we've never RV'd, but we've done a fair amount of overnighting in a 40' sailboat - coincidentally, I always called it the "floating RV."

Lucky for me, he is very handy, was a mechanic for years - understands and easily grasps anything to do with vehicle systems. And he has a CDL to boot. Yay!

And you can imagine the rest: The escape plan is formulating!  When we're not working (unfortunately, not very often) we are researching, researching! I've bookmarked about 30 internet sites in just the last month!

We're making a list of what matters to us in an MH and what would be a "nice to have". Thinking about new vs used...Reading about safety...Pondering where to start...all of the same things that all of you have done or are doing.

Right now the plan is to hit the road sometime in 2012 or possibly early 2013. We live in South FL, so we could actually start out in the winter. Figured we might head to Key West, swing around Southernmost Point and call that the official launch (yes, I know how narrow the streets are - so we'll probably "toad" it to and from there.)  biggrin We'd like to travel the whole US, possibly head into Canada and up to Alaska. Yup...ambitious!

No kids at home, no grandkids (yet), live in a condo that we could rent if we can't sell it and already have a storage locker to hold the stuff. At this stage, it's about saving money, constructing fulltiming budgets and carefully analyzing exactly what it will take to fulltime for a year or two.. or more.

Sure, we "could" go now..and in some respects, I want to. But he's in school and has another year and half left (went back to learn a new skill after the recession hammer hit and he was laid off). There will be a natural transition point at that time.

We'll go to the Florida RV supershow in January to see in real-life the MH's we've been "touring" virtually. I have no doubt that we are going to come away incredibly excited and even more determined to make the plan work.

So that's my story....I'd love to hear from any of you who have advice, suggestions, ideas - or just a friendly hello. Hope to be on this forum fairly often as we research, investigate and plan.

And one little detail I left out...we've been together nearly 40 years..and are still best friends. Living closely in confined space is something we know we'll enjoy, because we do it now. My only requirement is two toilets! biggrin

Thanks and happy RV'ing!

Mooline

-- Edited by mooline on Sunday 29th of August 2010 06:17:38 AM

__________________
Jim01


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1144
Date:
Permalink  

Welcome to the forum. smile

You've found the right place to get all your questions answered. Lots of friendly folks here willing to help.

I think the sailboat experience will come in handy. It's surprising how much they are similar to an RV.

Good luck with your plans.

Jim

__________________

Jim and Linda
Full-timers from 2001 to 2013
http://parttimewithjandl.blogspot.com/ 
2006 Dodge 2500 Diesel pulling a Heartland 26LRSS TT
May your days be warm, and your skies be blue.
May your roads be smooth, and your views ever-new.
2riker2go


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 296
Date:
Permalink  

Welcome Mooline! This is a great site for learning and getting any questions answered. We are on a similar timetable to yours, but I know it will go by very quickly! :)

Have fun with your research!

Jessica

__________________

Jessica and Harry

2011 Heartland Landmark

2011 Chevy 3500 HD Dually


Fulltimers since 12/12/12! :) 

http://rikerrvdays.blogspot.com/
mooline


RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 19
Date:
Permalink  

Thanks so much, Jessica and Jim! I really appreciate the warm welcomes and look forward to keeping in touch with both of you - and everyone else on this forum.

Question - for everyone: If you could give one and only one sentence of advice to us "will-be's"...what would that be?

Thanks again!

__________________
NorCal Dan


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1192
Date:
Permalink  

Hello and welcome to the Dreamers forum Mooline.

Enjoy your search for you're next home. It's an exciting phase to going full-time. When the DW and I started talking about going full-time we had zero experience with RV's. The best advice we received was to buy big, it saves you from losing money when you find the rig you purchased is too small and you need to upgrade.

Best of luck in making your dream a reality.

-- Edited by NorCal Dan on Sunday 29th of August 2010 09:13:12 AM

__________________

2018 Thor Windsport 35M -- 2018 Camry Toad

-- USAF Retired -- Full-timing since December 2007 - Part-Timing since July 2011
VisitedStatesMap.jpg
http://http://travelingrvwx.com/
Remi


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 87
Date:
Permalink  

Welcome, these folks are great, helpful & have a wonderful resource here

__________________
Remi
NOLA's Lost Son blog
Readying a 95 Sierra Campfire 19 for full timing
Froggi


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 527
Date:
Permalink  

Mooline...one piece of advice. Buy the highest quality you can afford...research, research, research. Don't buy any companies entry level rig, no matter how new!

(This was advise given to me by an RV inspector with many years in the business.)

__________________


Donna & Stu (& Sadie, too)
2 Taking a 5th ~ Sadie Speaks ~ Fire Lily ~ ToadilyPets
RVKevi


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 260
Date:
Permalink  

Welcome, Mooline! We are pretty close in age to you - 54 and almost 56. And we are also "will-be"s in the research stage. We do have our house on the market. Glad you've joined us.

__________________

Kev & Vi

2011 Heartland Big Horn 3670RL, 2012 RAM 3500

http://wemustaway.wordpress.com/
heyduke


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 313
Date:
Permalink  

we may be only slightly ahead of you in the wannabe category but we will wait for you on the road...

__________________

RV fulltimer class of 2011 - March!
On the Road to Retirement...zeetraveler.blogspot.com
Gary


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 238
Date:
Permalink  

Still a wannabee here.

My line of advise that I still use?

"Research, research, research..............." Just can't do it enough. The folks here are top notch and will help as much as they can. You just have to ask the question!

__________________

Dreaming and doing the homework necessary.

Looking at:
F-350/Ram 3500 type truck, possibly an Airstream or a smaller 5th Wheel.

However, there is still time to change the configuration, just a plan.
csrvingforlife


RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 10
Date:
Permalink  

Welcome....we are 2013 wannabees.  We too are doing the research, research and more.  It is lots of fun.

See you down the road some day maybe!



__________________

Craig and Sue
2006 Royals International, Ford F650 Supercrewzer
CJ, Libby, Oprah & Mandy
mooline


RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 19
Date:
Permalink  

Thank you all so much for the many replies, advice and warm welcome! :)

__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> Introduce Yourself! -> Saying hi, doing research
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us