Am I Dreaming! Or am I willing to make a change! - RV-Dreams Community Forum

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

Am I Dreaming! Or am I willing to make a change!

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well, if you are dreaming, the AZ desert is the thing to be dreaming about. We are sharing your dream. My husband subscribed to AZ Highways last year, a magazine full of photos of the beauty of the desert and we checked the temps there this morning. We spent 6 years 17 miles north of Tucson in the 90's. I have aches and pains as does my husband our son with DS so the desert is calling loudly.

We, too, have a VA Healthcare. We have not used it in AZ, well, really only once to get records set up. I see they opened a CBOC in Casa Grande since we left the area. We were looking at the SE corner of the state before we left to possibly move to, out the Sierra Vista way. I also think that AZ is one of the states that expanded Medicaid but haven't actually verified that yet.

In our dream, we would travel north for the hottest months to maybe workcamp until we could not possibly travel anymore.

Maybe you could get some input on the VA hospitals there either the one in Tucson or the one in Phoenix. If you google, you might be able to find that being discussed elsewhere if no one here is aware. Considering the number of older, extremely older people that populate AZ, they may just have some great care there for the heart. You might already be aware but if you go to the gov site for VA and look at the individual hospitals, some list their "specialties".

We are both 59, to be 60 this summer and we want to make plans now that will basically carry us through, well, the final "destination". It is tough to decide. I keep saying to myself "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." but still the you know, the "what ifs" will kill the smallest of dreams.

I am tired of getting up with my joints feeling like I was dropped from a plane onto a cement platform and I remember fondly the first time we traveled through New Mexico as it felt like the pain was just being drawn away and the feeling continued while in the desert.

Crazy is good. Sane people never have any fun.

-- Edited by SnowGypsy on Monday 16th of December 2013 10:20:55 AM

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well Change is good!!!!

I,m not in your shoe's yet Im walking the same path so heres my take

Your already on the east coast , your already familiar with Florida and the infamous I-95 route.

you could have the best of both worlds.....warmth in the winter and cool in the summer with easy traveling!

running back and forth and options with places to stay with medical services & VA's are clustered very densely up and down the coast.....so you could be where you need when you need it!!

Flea markets and rallies are also loaded up on the east coast....so pocket cash is available!!

the 2k you need ? ....is it for mechanical repairs that are immediate or is it general maintenance and shoulda done-its......can they be prolonged during travel and be done a little at a time.....or is it time to cut your losses and move on...

I sent you a PM Ed.......get back to me , maybe I can give you a few simple outs$$

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Pieere: I did have another thought and that was, have you considered somewhere like SE AL? Not as severe of a move as cross country. We were there from 2004 to 2006 in Ozark, AL about 90 miles south of Montgomery where the VA hospital is and the people going up there were very pleased with it. It was comfortable in the summer and winter, more or less and we were in an older 5th wheel. Cost of living was very reasonable and the atmosphere laid back. I am actually torn between AL and AZ. With Mike's help, I'm sure you could make the east coast work but for us, the east coast always seemed so expensive. Originally from MI, I've seen enough snow and my brother is getting one of the worst winters ever.

MarkS · RV-Dreams Family Member

I know a lot of us enjoy the Arizona desert. Personally, I'd rather eat razor blades than look at brown dirt. The DW finally agreed to traveling through AZ and even stopping long enough to see friends. I draw the line at anything extended. Pierre, go south... Florida. Tampa is lovely this time of year, the Keys have drinks with little umbrellas in them, Miami has Cuban food. Arizona has dirt, miles and miles of dirt. Do you know why Quartzite is popular with snowbirds? Because there is no competition for space by others. Their travel brochure says, "we have this horrible place we will share for cheap". I probably stepped on some toes with this post. My solution to that is, safety shoes.

manycats · RV-Dreams Family Member

MarkS, stepping on toes is good sometimes, it's a reality check. There are some areas in Texas where they say everything stings you, stabs you or bites you. I would prefer not to be there either. Actually, I thought the whole idea behind fulltiming was to be able to go where you want when you want. Two seasons - good and better.

Nowadays you can find good medical care anywhere, it's better to look for the place you love and let the rest take care of itself.

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

That is the difference with this North East Yankee; I lived in the desert; Apache Jct. AZ. and absolutely loved it. But it is a very expensive state and the VA medical care was used once for a mere physical in 1985 and I was treated very poorly and vowed not to go back for any healthcare!
I am just in the very early stage of making any move; it will be late in 2014 before I decide and like I said maybe it is just a crazy passing thought. Getting other peoples perspectives gives one some good ideas and that is the reason for my post! PIEERE

Lonney Wade · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mark, I like what you said, you speak your mind but for us, all I see right now in Michigan is white everywhere, on the ground, on the trees, when I'm driving, all I can see is white, I can't get away from the white and the cold, I hate cold, I would love to see dirt in the winter just one time, like I said Mark it could be worse, LOL !!!!
Ok, just breath I tell myself, I just need to settle down, as soon as our Laundromat sells I'm gone, we won't even wait for the house to sell, I will let someone sell it for us and just tell me when it's sold, that is how bad I want out of here LOL !!!!

Lonney

MarkS · RV-Dreams Family Member

Lonney, I get that. But like I said, the drinks in key west have little umbrellas. I remember one April when we lived in Mesa, AZ we decided to pack a lunch and go four wheeling north and east of town. We had a very wet winter and everything was blooming and green. It only lasted a couple of weeks and it all changed to brown. But for the moment it was really pretty. I thought seriously about carrying a stick to swing at everyone that said, "it's a dry heat".

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'll admit that at first I didn't care for the desert brown but once I fell in love with it, nothing ever compared to that beauty and serenity. Also, almost no bugs and the lizards took care of the ants! Climates and scenery as diverse as the population of the world allows us all to make the choices that work for us. Anyone going into the Tucson area, don't miss the Desert Museum! The views there are breathtaking.

-- Edited by SnowGypsy on Tuesday 17th of December 2013 04:05:18 PM

WestWardHo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hey Mark,

Didn't step on our toes as we think Arizona is one of the most beautiful states we've ever been in. Agree about the brown dirt but there is SO much more to this state and there is a whole Northern half that is green and gorgeous with ever changing vistas.

Pieere, although we love Arizona, I'm thinking Mike's advice might be best given your circumstances.
Truly hoping it works out to your liking!

Sherry

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

blankstare I may come off as sounding rude; but I am only looking for suggestions! I lived in Arizona for ten years and already have wrote it off my bucket list. I also have seen enough of the East coast as I want; humidity; bugs; rain; Ice; Snow; Etc. I also don't follow in no one elses footsteps as I like exploring and making my own paths! About the only places I have never been in the US are The Great Northwest; Alaska; Hawaii and Texas.
Texas is on my bucket list as I have been investigating Austin; San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley. I can almost envision using Livingston Texas as most know Escapees RV Park can be used as a domicile address; and going up to Santa Fe New Mexico or Colorado Springs during the hottest months! I have a friend who use to go to the VA in San Antonio in 2007-10 and said it was good. I also heard the VA expects to have a new one in the process of completion by Feb. 2015.
I also use to do sales at Open-Air Markets; sold anything from household; to renovated bicycles; vehicles and Watkins Home Products. Starting a new chapter in my second life; so I need to convince myself what I want; maybe i will have better luck than my first one! LOL! wink wink
As always; thanks for listening. PIEERE

-- Edited by PIEERE on Wednesday 18th of December 2013 09:15:26 AM

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

PIEERE: It's not rude to clarify. I guess I'm not sure what "suggestions" you are looking for? What are your desired traits in an area? I haven't been in TX in years but lots of people head that way and most of the state appears to be booming. You have traveled enough to know that no place is perfect but also traveled enough to know what you want in an area so you're way ahead of many.