Debut as Full Timers - RV-Dreams Community Forum

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Debut as Full Timers

Trabuco · RV-Dreams Family Member

The day finally arrived.......congrats!

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Glad you have taken delivery and are happy. A month in the Elkhart area will make you an expert.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

RVPAINTER wrote:
Picked up our 2012 NEXUS Phantom 31 foot Class C RV on 4/5 and into our 2nd day as FULLTIMERS!!!!
Will stay in Elkhart Indiana until 5/10 checking everything out and learning what to do - what not to do - how to do and how not to do!!!
Sooooooo much to learn! :>)

That is a darn good idea. Staying that long will allow you to both get familiar with all the systems, but iron out any issues that might arise. Most folks only stay in the area of a factory or dealer for a few days.

Congratulations to both of you.

Terry

-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Saturday 7th of April 2012 06:37:27 AM

RickandJanice · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congratulations!! What a wonderful feeling that must be after all you research and planning. I agree with Terry that staying in the area of the factory for a few weeks is a really good idea just in case something comes up, the factory can probably correct it quicker and better then most dealers. Just be careful, there are allot of RV related stores and with allot of good prices, so you might end up with allot of gadgets in a short period of time! Happy full timing and safe travels!

dewwood · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congratulations on your long awaited home. While you are in the area, there are many attractions to visit. Shipshewanna has many Amish related attractions and the big flea market if you are into that. There are lots of things to do so enjoy the area while here. We live near Angola which is about an hour east of where you are.

janni · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have been following your blog and share in your excitement. It IS such a great life. Congratulations and enjoy!

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks folks - it's been a long time in the planning and we are so pleased with our choice of our RV - We love Shipshewanna - we spent time there last Oct. Love the Amish culture - no to mention their food. We will be spending a week in the PA. Amish country during the early autumn.

Can't even remember what our S&B's look like - this sure feels like home to us!

rvingft · RV-Dreams Family Member

WHOO-HOO! The day FINALLY arrived as you knew it would.

Am as excited for you as you have made us feel following your posts :D

SUPER CONGRATULATIONS !

JayKim-no regrets · RV-Dreams Family Member

Have been following your blog too, sounds like you are having a blast BIG Congrats to you both, hope you don't have too many (more) issues with your new home! Have fun becoming aquinted and enjoy your new life

big huggs Kim xxxx

Loydstuts · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congratulations!! If, no make that when, we get through Elkhart, the RV Hall of Fame will be a MUST visit!

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Kim - minor problems are expected - no big deal - Big Foot is one of the better leveler companies in the industry and they will get it fixed. I've been told there is an "infant mortality" rate in new RV's. Some things fail in the first few weeks and then one can go 5-6 years with no problems.
We are back in Santa Fe now for some commitments and also to load up and hit the road around May 1

Thanks Loydstuts

505ers · RV-Dreams Family Member

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Enjoy your travels.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks 505ers - appreciate the good wishes.

rvingft · RV-Dreams Family Member

Glad you made it back to SF earlier than planned. We have been in Goshen for the past week and bought a truck! So now we are looking for a full-time fiver. Would love to meet up with you all sometime, somewhere. Safe travels. We'll be following along on your blog :D Whooo hooo !

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks rvingft - We'll be in SF until 4/30 or 5/1 and then onto San Antonio TX for a week.
Hope we can meet up on the road sometime as well. Glad we got out of that area with all the tornadoes - I'm not a fan of the mid-west - too many tornadoes for me.

Dick

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Now that you have that quick 1,500 mile trip out of your way you can take it easier from now on. Which I know is your preference.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Right you are Bill! That go-go-go- is just not us. We do have one more go-go-go when we drive from San Antonio Tx to Charleston SC so we will leave a day early from SA to take the sting out of that drive. Chaulk it up to NEWBIE BAD PLANNING!!!!:>)

Our plan ---- once we settledl in is 200-250 mile per day and a week to a month at each major site. We will be in Nova Scotia over looking the ocean for a month and then onto Old Quebec City for another month in an RV park out on Ile D' Orleans - in the middle of the St. Lawrence river - we just love it there.

Winter will be in Florida - Punta Gorda area for 5+ months.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

I understand. We had to delay our departure from Florida waiting on a replacement air conditioner and now we are traveling west a bit faster than we like. We are leaving the Texas Hill Country this morning, in fact we are close to where the RV-Dreams rally will be held soon, and will take two days to Albuquerque (actually Tijeras) where we will stop for a couple days before doing another two day trip to Moab. We are looking forward to some New Mexican food along with being back in Trader Joe's country.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

New Mexican food and Trader Joes - two loves of my life!!! Also there is Whole Foods in Santa Fe -maybe Albuquerque - we like their stuff also.

Are you going to pop in on RVRon while in Moab?

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

Darnit! I never thought to look for Trader Joes when we were in the ABQ area! We have a couple of favorite food items that we can only get there.

Bill - Hope your ride to Moab is uneventful. We hit a wind gust about 17 miles south of town that unfurled and wrecked our awning. Hopefully all of those storms are now past us. Great weather predicted for the coming weekend.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Friends who live close to Santa Fe in Lamy were thrilled to see Trader Joe's come to town since they were spending too much at "Whole Paycheck", also known as Whole Foods. Enough people from Albuquerque were driving up to Santa Fe for their TJ fix so now there are two in Albuquerque itself. Still no Costco in Santa Fe, only Sam's Club and it is not the same.

We will be at Spanish Trails starting on Friday for 3 nights. The weather is looking good. Two years ago we hunkered down in Blanding, UT with our slides in due to the wind. But two days later it was beautiful in Canyonlands and Arches.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Whole Foods is expensive - there are a few things they have that we really like - don't go there often but once in a while for a special treat. there pizza is to die for.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well, sitting here at a KOA in Santa Fe NM and getting our RV loaded up with the needed items for our full time journey. We leave for San Antonio TX on 4/29 or 4/30. We'll get the RV weighed B4 we leave and make any necessary adjustments to distribution - I don't think total weight will be a problem.
After San Antonio - onto S. Carolina and on up the East coast on into Nova Scotia for a month - Old Quebec for a month and then back down the East coast - Cape Cod for seveal weeks and then on into Florida for the winter. WOO - HOO!!!!!

Trabuco · RV-Dreams Family Member

Good luck in the new rig! I'm a little envious right now but only 4 months or so behind you. Have a real good time in the next few months breaking in the new rig.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Ken - we are eager to finish getting the essentials in here and heading to TX soon. Your 4 months will go by quickly so use the time to get READY!!!! WO-HOO
Thanks for your support!

rvingft · RV-Dreams Family Member

Woo Hoo! It's always so much fun to read your blog & RV-Dreams posts.
So glad you are are on your way for this year. The hiccups will smooth out along the way.

We are TJ's fans too and were really happy to discover they are growing EAST ... gonna give WF a run for their $$$ is their plan. Try their freeze dried fruits ...they are great for a quick healthy snack while driving.

Kansas City now has a TJ's ..of course, right around the corner from WF.
And so does Omaha, NE.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'l try the fruit - I get the apricots and I also get the Fig Bars for driving treats - real good stuff.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Left Santa Fe this morning and now in Roswell NM - enjoying a mocha at starbucks - 86 degrees no wind - real nice. Staying in the Walmart/Sams Club parking lot on Rte 285 tonight. Nice new looking super stores and well lit big parking lot. They let 10 RVs park overnight.
Tomorrow onto Pecos TX - stay overnight and on into San Antonio for a one week stay.

Enjoying the new life!!!!! WOO-HOO