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!!
2 years ago we left our driveway for the last time.Hard to believe it’s been that long, time has flown.As we finish year 2, we’re so thankful that this year was much less eventful and complicated than our first year.We figured out quickly that we needed to slow down.We’ve traveled less miles, been in far fewer states, only added one new state to our states “RV’d in” list and determined that flying for family visits was a lot less complicated, although we miss having our home with us.
Just a few facts:
Yr 2 we towed the 5’ver 40% less miles than Yr1
Yr 2 we only had one full weekend occupied by a relocation vs. 8 full weekends of driving in year 1
Year 2 only had 7 nights of enroute stayovers, vs. year 1 we had 16 nights of one night stopovers enroute
Year 1 we stayed in 45 different locations (excluding the one night stopovers) with only 1 stay being 4 weeks in duration, all others being 2 weeks or less, year 2 we only stayed at 26 different locations and had 4 different times where we stayed at least a month.
Each year included 10 art shows, future years will include 6- 8 as we’ve slowed the business down a bit.
Yr 1 – very little vacation time between my corporate job and Dale’s art show schedule, year 2 we managed to fit 2 vacations in, one in our home on wheels as we traveled through ID and the second one a cruiseJ
Yr 2 included twice as many miles bicycled and probably more than triple the number of miles hiked.
One the financial side year 2 was much less expensive, more money went into savings and yet it felt we were living a bit more extravagantly with more time to vacation and enjoy more weekend time, you know, we had more LIFE!!Year 1 also included a lot of expenses that I classify as “one time expenses”, solar install, trading out the furniture, tool boxes / roof rack for the truck to haul art show “stuff”, etc.Year 2 did included replacing both the truck and 5th wheel tires, but overall a less expensive year.
So what’s in our plans for year 3?That is still a work in process.My work status has changed and teleworkers are no longer in my company’s staffing plan.So we’ve got a couple more months of traveling in Western WA and ID based on my Dale’s art show schedule and then may become static for a while as we continue to evaluate options, finances, etc.as I’ve shared in a previous thread.http://rv-dreams.activeboard.com/t60382690/an-unexpected-change-in-plans/.We’re operating with 2 sets of plans for the winter, not really sure yet if we’ll be in the Northwest or Southwest.
Life continues to change, but we are still thankful for the opportunity to enjoy this full time life.We’ve had to remind ourselves that our original goals were to downsize, reduce expenses, give more and save for an early retirement.Thus far we’re achieving all of that, so even if we’re not moving around quite as much and perhaps not being exactly where we want to be for the winter time frame, we are still grateful for the simplification of our life, thankful we’re out of debt and we have lots of options as we continue this full time life.
You might have more time for "enjoying life" if you weren't keeping track of all the dates and stuff that you did in traveling, sitting in one place, etc. Even being retired, I wouldn't be keeping that good of a record of events.
Slow down some more, Girl.
Terry
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Terry and Jo
2010 Mobile Suites 38TKSB3 2008 Ford F450 2019 Ford Expedition Max as Tag-along or Scout
Sounds like you guys are slipping right into the lifestyle. Come to think of it last time we saw you guys you had the travel trailer. Little more room in your 5er' I bet!