Class of 2014 Status update - RV-Dreams Community Forum

jrzygrl64 · RV-Dreams Family Member

RE: Class of 2014 Status update

DebbieM · RV-Dreams Family Member

Such wonderful news!! So excited for you two! So that just leaves us now Hope you'll still be in NH when we get there?! We'll also be in FL for December. ENJOY ENJOY!!!

jrzygrl64 · RV-Dreams Family Member

All house selling mojo to Debbie and Steve now!

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yep, sending mojo your way, Debbie & Steve!

George Fin · RV-Dreams Community Member

We have just started participating in this forum. Because we started our full-time adventure in April 2014, I guess we are part of the "Class of 2014." We were fortunate as we sold our house in February 2014 to our daughter. After the sale and a few false starts we finally got on the road in April.

DebbieM · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats George Fin! So how has it been going? Anything come up you didn't think of? As we travel East, I've come to realize I need to call the campground direct to see if they fit a 40 ft long 5th wheel and that there is good height clearance and turning. We've camped around the east a lot in a pop up. Very different in a big 5er. Also, are there any bridges to go over? Is there a weight or height limit for the bridge? Is the campground down a narrow one lane road? I do use reviews and google earth, but a phone call really helps.

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats Trace & Lee!! Just catching up on the news, so happy the house is under contract.

Debbie and Steve - hugs and best wishes for a sale of your home but so great that you are out there living life on the road!!

George Fin · RV-Dreams Community Member

My All Stays app is my primary research source. All Stays provides me with information and ratings for a lot of campgrounds, low clearances, and steep grades on highways and state roads. My Garmin GPS keeps me off roads with weight and height restrictions. My motor home is 34' and so far I have been able to navigate campgrounds, but we have had some brushes with low hanging branches. I have found that if we are planning to stay in a specific location on a weekend, it is usually a good idea to call ahead to check on availability.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

George Fin wrote:
My All Stays app is my primary research source. All Stays provides me with information and ratings for a lot of campgrounds, low clearances, and steep grades on highways and state roads. My Garmin GPS keeps me off roads with weight and height restrictions. My motor home is 34' and so far I have been able to navigate campgrounds, but we have had some brushes with low hanging branches. I have found that if we are planning to stay in a specific location on a weekend, it is usually a good idea to call ahead to check on availability.

I'm not sure why you posted this in the "Class of 2014" thread. I'd think it would better fit in the "Technology on the Road" category.

However, be sure and NOT rely completely on All Stays and the Garmin GPS. I've never used the All Stays, but the various GPS units can very well put one on the wrong roads. While we will eventually get a GPS unit, right now we use our Trucker's Atlas for height restrictions, and an Atlas always lets one have a better look at routes. Then, I use Google maps (and its satellite views) to actually look at interchanges and other possible problem areas.

Then again, I've always preferred paper maps. We are even going to get a Colorado topographical map while we are here in Colorado so that I can check out the forest service roads as well.

Terry

Butterfly Hollow · RV-Dreams Community Member

SOMETHING MUST BE IN THE AIR!!!!! Debbie and Steve you are next

W E H A V E A C O N T R A C T T O O!!!!!!!!!!!

Now the dance of appraisals and inspections. And if the music continues, the two of us and our "little happy place on wheels" will pull away from Butterfly Hollow and officially begin this next chapter of Two Lanes of Freedom sometime around December 1st.
(...we type as knees are shaking, smiles and tears are colliding, and a glass of wine is slowly being poured for a toast)

Cheers everyone.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congratulations! I hope the closing goes very smoothly and you hit the road on time!

The Restless Youngs · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats Dave and Sharon!! Totally awesome news!! So excited for you guys!!!!!

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Remember to sign up (and update) to RVillage.com so we can all find each other!

George Fin · RV-Dreams Community Member

Terry and Jo wrote:
George Fin wrote:
My All Stays app is my primary research source. All Stays provides me with information and ratings for a lot of campgrounds, low clearances, and steep grades on highways and state roads. My Garmin GPS keeps me off roads with weight and height restrictions. My motor home is 34' and so far I have been able to navigate campgrounds, but we have had some brushes with low hanging branches. I have found that if we are planning to stay in a specific location on a weekend, it is usually a good idea to call ahead to check on availability.

I'm not sure why you posted this in the "Class of 2014" thread. I'd think it would better fit in the "Technology on the Road" category.
However, be sure and NOT rely completely on All Stays and the Garmin GPS. I've never used the All Stays, but the various GPS units can very well put one on the wrong roads. While we will eventually get a GPS unit, right now we use our Trucker's Atlas for height restrictions, and an Atlas always lets one have a better look at routes. Then, I use Google maps (and its satellite views) to actually look at interchanges and other possible problem areas.
Then again, I've always preferred paper maps. We are even going to get a Colorado topographical map while we are here in Colorado so that I can check out the forest service roads as well.
Terry

Sorry Terry, I was responding to an earlier question in this thread. However, I agree with your comment and I still back-up my research with paper maps, the Trucker's Atlas as well as the Mountain Directories.

jrzygrl64 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats Dave and Sharon! How exciting! While I haven't been there in person - based on the amazing pics of your place - I'm sure inspections will be a breeze!

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

OK, George. I missed that one. As a moderator, I sometimes do more reading of individual posts to insure that improper comments aren't made, thus I tend to "lose" the thread of a "conversation."

Good job on using the back-up. I remember the story recounted to me by someone at one time that their GPS got them into a bad spot, leading to a low overpass and it peeled back the roof of their fifth wheel.

Terry

Jo And Craig · RV-Dreams Family Member

That is AWESOME, David and Sharon! So very happy for you. I have been wondering, lately, how everything has been going. Now I know! A toast and HaPpY DaNcE is certainly in order! Hope all goes well! 😃 Keep us informed of your progress. CHEERS! 🍷

el Rojo and Pam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats David and Sharon! Great news.

Jo and Ben · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats David and Sharon, welcome to the Class of 2014 :)

DebbieM · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats!! Keep us updated. I'll check out the blog soon!

LibertyLinda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Many Congrats to you Dave & Sharon, we are so very happy for you!

Deb & Steve - continued prayers for your freedom to begin ;)

A warm welcome to the 2014 Graduate Class to you both George & Nancy "George Fin". I glanced at your blog and can't wait to read it - love the pictures! Looks like you have had many journey's already during your time of being free :)

Rock on Class of 2014~ !

Camper Chronicles · RV-Dreams Family Member

Butterfly Hollow wrote:
SOMETHING MUST BE IN THE AIR!!!!! Debbie and Steve you are next

W E H A V E A C O N T R A C T T O O!!!!!!!!!!!

Now the dance of appraisals and inspections. And if the music continues, the two of us and our "little happy place on wheels" will pull away from Butterfly Hollow and officially begin this next chapter of Two Lanes of Freedom sometime around December 1st.
(...we type as knees are shaking, smiles and tears are colliding, and a glass of wine is slowly being poured for a toast)

Cheers everyone.

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!! So so happy for you guys

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats to everybody!!! Happy Closings!

TheNewhalls · RV-Dreams Family Member

Good luck to everybody, hope all the closings go well.

We are in Bradenton Florida for the next six months, if you're anywhere near us give us a shout. We would love to meet up with other 2014 grads.

As an update Eileen is walking the 40 mile Susan G Komen walk for the cure in NY this weekend. She walked

26 miles yesterday and is walking the last 14 today.

And my favorite:

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

We're heading back down to FL after Thanksgiving. We need to be in Ft. Ogden for the boondocking rally on Feb. 8th. We may attend the Passport America rally in Sarasota 2 weeks later. Also have relatives in Panama City Beach who we promised we'd all spend some time together in St. Augustine with. Other relatives and friends in Ft. Myers, Naples and Deerfield Beach. I haven't worked out the itinerary yet, but I'll be sure to make Bradenton one of our stops!

Make sure to keep your RVillage location up to date.

TheNewhalls · RV-Dreams Family Member

cherylbrv wrote:
Make sure to keep your RVillage location up to date.

You have a busy winter planned. Will do.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

TheNewhalls wrote:
You have a busy winter planned. Will do.

Ha ha! Our plans are always as solid as jello!!! We shall see if it actually comes to fruition!

Camper Chronicles · RV-Dreams Family Member

Closing date is Friday Nov 14 at 10 am ...then immediately on the road. Our itinerary so far is

1. See Cori and Greg in PA (by land and sea) first weekend
2. Drive to Rock Hill SC for a stay near my sister until end of Dec. (Steve and Debbie are coming by)
3. Clearwater Fl Han - mid March for RV tech school for Lee. ( will be popping over to see Jo and Ben and will visit the Boondocking rally for a day)
4. Looking at outer banks in SC with Kellie and Bill and Cori and Greg in April
5. May not sure yet but Pam and Red had better be there :)
6. Reunion Rally in NC

June ...

The vast unknown 😊

Butterfly Hollow · RV-Dreams Community Member

Lee and Trace wrote:
Closing date is Friday Nov 14 at 10 am ...then immediately on the road. Our itinerary so far is

1. See Cori and Greg in PA (by land and sea) first weekend
2. Drive to Rock Hill SC for a stay near my sister until end of Dec. (Steve and Debbie are coming by)
3. Clearwater Fl Han - mid March for RV tech school for Lee. ( will be popping over to see Jo and Ben and will visit the Boondocking rally for a day)
4. Looking at outer banks in SC with Kellie and Bill and Cori and Greg in April
5. May not sure yet but Pam and Red had better be there :)
6. Reunion Rally in NC

June ...

The vast unknown 😊

What a great itenerary Lee and Trace... especially "The Vast Unknown" Part! We're scheduled to close the Friday after you. We'll be camping at a couple local state parks here in TN during December as Sharon finishes up her commitment at her job and then heading south through Georgia on our way to Silver Springs SP in Florida and Hillsborogh River SP and the Tampa RV show in mid January. So we will be nearby and hopefully we can all get together, celebrate and share a toast to this exciting RV-Dream! Where are you staying in Clearwater?

jrzygrl64 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Loving all this great news! We all definitely need to keep in touch!

Congrats to all!

Bill and I are heading out from Outer Banks today (Sat Nov 8) and arriving in the Atlanta area Monday. Will be there for 8 days - then south to Stephen Foster SP for 5 days - then on Nov 23 we land in Clearwater FL thru Jan 1. After 2 weeks in the Keys - we will spend 2 weeks with Jo and Ben (Ft Myers) and a week near the rally site then the rally. We will be in Clearwater again with Trace and Lee and Cori and Greg for a week and no plans after that until we firm up Outer Banks for the spring! This is all very exciting!

Bill and I are loving life right now - I must tell you all! There are still kinks (mostly organizing the rig) that we are working out - but we are very happy. I can't say it enough how helpful all of you have been (especially the select few - you all know who you are!). The support you all have given us has just meant so much - to say we might not have made it (ok - we probably would have made it - but with a lot more bumps and bruises!) is not an understatement!

Ok - enough of that!

Congrats again on all the great news everyone!

-- Edited by jrzygrl64 on Saturday 8th of November 2014 08:46:45 AM

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

Try not to get caught up in the "We have to be there at such date" routine. It will make you feel rushed, and like your on somebody else's schedule. Remember, this is about slowing down a little and enjoying yourself.

Butterfly Hollow · RV-Dreams Community Member

Alie and Jims Carrilite wrote:
Try not to get caught up in the "We have to be there at such date" routine. It will make you feel rushed, and like your on somebody else's schedule. Remember, this is about slowing down a little and enjoying yourself.

Great advise and words of wisdom. We'll try to remember to keep it in low gear and search for that "slow meander and wander mode".

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sounds like I have a somewhat similar itinerary in Fl as some of you guys (ya'all!). I haven't really worked out exact dates yet, as the only thing set in "stone" is Ft. Ogden for the boondocking rally Feb. 8-15 (may not stay the entire time though).

So here are my plans and I'd love to coordinate with you. Maybe we can start another thread listing our travel plans? Here's mine:

Leaving Raleigh area Dec. 1 or 2 (not sure yet Sun or Mon). First stop Myrtle Beach, SC. Again, not sure how long I want to stay there - at least a week, maybe 2 or 3?

Next - Savannah, GA. Maybe a week there.

Then to: St. Augustine, FL (meeting my brother and sister in law - the ones who put us up during my hip surgery). We'll probably be spending Xmas and New Year's Eve there but if anyone else is down there, I'm open to planning around that timing as well.

Down to Pompano Beach to visit an old HS friend. Might stop at Cape Canaveral or some other sights along the way.

Then heading west to Naples where my sister lives and Ft. Myers where my cousin lives. Will probably stay in Bonita Springs which is the halfway point between them.

Then up to the rally.

Will also be going to the Family Reunion and Spring rallies, but having figured out the travel plans after Feb. yet. At some point in April will be going back to Raleigh and am open to the Outer Banks as well!

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

cherylbrv: We will keep in touch, probably via RVillage, since we will at least overlap in the Fort Myers area, if not more.

jrzygrl64 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I agree about not wanting to feel rushed - the only reason we are "reserved" so far ahead is we didn't want to get to FL for the winter and have no place to stay. Most of the nicer places are booked - we have friends that are having a hard time finding a place for a week in Feb. Our plan is to not be as structured after leaving FL. I like the word meander - will have to do some of that!

The Hensons · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats David and Sharon! Here's to an easy and joyous closing!

rocknb · RV-Dreams Family Member

Howdy Howdy Class of 2014,

We were able to leave our Ranchett in Bethany, MO on Thanksgiving day and travel to Beeville, TX. Located about 60 miles NW of Corpus Christi.

We haven't list our property yet, would like to sell it privately. But if it doesn't sell by the time we head back, we will list it with a realtor.

Due to having my DW's Father & Bro in a nursing home @ Bethany, we must spend time in that area at least a couple of months twice a yr to take care of business for them. So we have worked out a schedule that will hopefully work for us, and with this FT lifestyle we can be flexable and do what we need to when we need to. So from now on we will FT'rs even when we are @ Bethany.

We plan to up grade to a Motorhome when the Ranchett sells. I find that the 5'vr is a little more work than I want to do with my Psoratic Arthritis being the problem that it is.

Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday Season ON THE ROAD.

DebbieM · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hello there! Welcome! Sound like you have a great plan!

Aurora Borealis · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi there everybody!
I had a separate thread as I sought and purchased my motorhome. Some of you I know from other posts, but I thought I should be sociable and claim the title of "Class of 2014" and celebrate with each of you as you make your final steps:)
Maybe soon I'll figure out how to put a picture of my rig.
I hope to be able to stop by the Boondocking Rally if no more sites become available to actually attend it.
Maybe meet some of you along the way in FL.

Jim and Barb · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congratulations on claiming your title! We are planning on attending the Boondocking Rally, maybe we will see you there.

gilljr · RV-Dreams Family Member

We are Gill & Norma Gillespie. We are in Class OF 2015 but were able to make the jump to full time 11/12/2014. We have a 2009 Select Suites 36resb3 and love it. We were to leave 12/1/14 for Pahrump, Nv. but when packing wheel bearings we found problems so now arts and warranty adjuster. We hope to meet many of you on the road and appreciate all the advice we have received on this site.

DebbieM · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yay! Congrats! Welcome to the Class of 2014!! Hope all goes well for you!

-- Edited by DebbieM on Saturday 6th of December 2014 10:16:59 PM

el Rojo and Pam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats Gill and Norma! It's funny how hanging around this bunch advances ones time tables.

Red

Aurora Borealis · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks, Jim and Barb! I look forward to meeting you at the Boondocking Rally as well as others going.

Red and Pam, you are right about hanging around this group helps a person get going. I doubt I would have had the confidence to start otherwise.

Camper Chronicles · RV-Dreams Family Member

Aurora Borealis wrote:
Thanks, Jim and Barb! I look forward to meeting you at the Boondocking Rally as well as others going.

Red and Pam, you are right about hanging around this group helps a person get going. I doubt I would have had the confidence to start otherwise.

Congratulations and I totally agree. I am convinced I would have chickened out if it wasn't for all these folks leading the way. In this case I am happy to be keeping up with the Joneses :)

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ditto for me. DH and I always dreamed of doing this when we retired, but 3 years ago, we realized that we have careers that lend themselves well to living on the road, so why wait? There was still a lot of trepidation (being that our only experience was tent camping 30 years ago). We went to a rally in 2011, kept up with this great forum family (and the leaders, Howard & Linda, who also took that path), and our dream was cemented and became reality.

jjm219 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi everybody,

I haven't been here in a while. Almost thought I wouldn't make the class of 2014. My house is under contract but we don't close until January 30. Still hope you guys will count me in the class of 2014 since I am under contract and the 5th wheel is in Florida waiting for me. So excited biggrin

congrats to all of you who have joined the class of 2014 recently. I am nervous about selling my "home" but look forward to the next part in my new home.

Jane

el Rojo and Pam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome to the Class of 2014. Looks like your all in to me, not your fault the banks are slow.

Red

jjm219 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you It is an FHA loan so I'm hoping there aren't many repairs to be made. I know I will have to add a hand rail in the house by the steops but other than that I should be alright. I will stay in PA to finish the school year and then head to Florida to join my husband who is already there, lucky him! Hopefully I can go to a rally soon to meet some of the great people on this forum.

Camper Chronicles · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome Jane and Scott...2014 is more about your heart tham anything else and it sounds like your totally on the road already :). Good luck over the next 30 days it's pretty stressful. Just take lots of deep cleansing breaths!!!