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!!
Hello Everyone!We are Randy & Sandy Schafer from Central Lower Michigan!We will have been married 37 years here next week. During that time we have camped in a travel trailer, 5th wheel, fold down, tent, Class A Motorhome, Park Model, and a vintage 13 ft. fiberglass trailer.YES, in that order!! LOL
We have been thinking, planning and talking about hitting the road full time for years.We are self-employed and will be semi-retiring and working on the road.
I am a former Commercial Interior Designer and draftsmen.I have dabbled in art my entire life, 12 of that being a Lampwork Artist (making glass beads).I currently dabble in fiber arts, crocheting, quilting, embroidery, etc.
Hubby, Randy, has been a Power Seller on Ebay for over 12 years.He sells anything and has a wealth of useless knowledge that enables him to find valuable things that he can resell.I have joined him by selling my beads, and now shoes.Yup used shoes……thus the first part of our name Shoeby.We will continue selling goodies and shoes to help cover some of the expenses on the road.Plus, we wouldn’t know what to do if we were not out looking for treasure!
The name Shoeby_Doo really is a play on words that also includes our two very large fur babies.Kylee and Dozer our Great Danes!They will be traveling with us and if we are honest dictate a lot of our decisions.Yes, they travel wonderfully!They did 10 days in the 13 ft. trailer this past July and they loved it!Let alone they are in the van 5-12 hours (with walks, plays and drinks of course) when we are working a “treasure trail”, finding goodies.
So our plans are as follows.We are signing on the line today for a seasonal campsite here in Michigan.It is the same campground that our two grown daughters, their hubbies and our 3 grandsons have seasonal lots at.We will travel to and fro from there during the summer, but that will be our base.Our youngest grandson (3mths old) has medical concerns that we want to be here to help with.So being on the road 24/7/365 is not an option for us!But being without the Sticks and Bricks is!!We will be putting a decent size (36ft) 5th wheel on the seasonal lot, shopping for it this winter.
Next May the house and contents that we don’t need are going up for auction.Let someone else haul this stuff away.Yup, we have done this before, in fact a couple of times! LOL Simplify, Simplify, Simplify!Put that $$$ in the bank.The house is paid for so we can live with that!Now set back and relax in the 5th wheel over the summer and start looking for the Motorhome that will be our winter home.
Yup we are going to own both!Neither one of us wants to travel in a truck or experience the cost of owning one that is capable of towing a large 5th wheel.We both love to travel in a motor home and the storage under a large class A will accommodate our ability to work a little on the road!
Hubby is a numbers man, and we have reams of paper and printouts with budgets, pros & cons, etc.He was thrilled when he saw the proposed budgets available on here, and he was 100% on target.
Now it’s getting the house ready to sell, sort through lifes treasures and pass them onto the kids.Wait and see where our Son & his wife move after he leaves the Marines and goes back to get his Masters.That could be a good spot to make a second landing spot!!You never know!!Until then we will be sucking in all the great info on here, making new friends, and working our behinds off to make this happen!!
Sandy & Randy Schafer
-- Edited by Shoeby_Doo on Sunday 13th of October 2013 08:24:34 AM
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Randy & Sandy Schafer & our Great Danes Kylee & Dozer
We are shopping for all the goodies! You all will be the first to know what we find!!
Welcome! I enjoyed reading your post. It is always nice when I see someone else with bigger dogs since we have 2 @60+ lbs. ourselves. Looks like you have a complete and solid plan which reminds me that I need to get with it to get this done. All my best in your pursuits!
Yes, the financial information available here is so helpful! How fortunate your kids are to have you close and to help out. We love all the different lifestyles we learn about on here and the interesting folks that bring those to our attention.
You're a welcome addition to the "family".
Sherry
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I don't know where I'm going but I'm on my way. - Carl Segan
Our "Rolling Rest Home" 2013 Trilogy 3650RL dragged by a 2005 GMC Sierra 4x4 Diesel Dually -SOLD
Thanks Sherry for the kind welcome! We just love a group of people we don't have to explain the whys of what we have chosen to do without EYEROLLS! LOL
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Randy & Sandy Schafer & our Great Danes Kylee & Dozer
We are shopping for all the goodies! You all will be the first to know what we find!!
Thanks Red for the Welcome. Yup, that's what we figured having both styles. We do realize down the road we may decide we only need one, but this is how we want to start.
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Randy & Sandy Schafer & our Great Danes Kylee & Dozer
We are shopping for all the goodies! You all will be the first to know what we find!!
