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Full time RVing as a single ER?
Old 11-13-2013, 12:27 PM   #1
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Full time RVing as a single ER?

I'm considering renting out my house and transitioning to a full-time RV/snowbird lifestyle. The main concern I have is what my social life would be like. I'm 54, single, and active (rock climber, rafter, backpacker, etc). It seems like most of the folks I see out there traveling full time in their RVs are couples in their 60's and 70's, and it doesn't seem like I'd have much in common with them, not to mention the lack of dating potential.

Any insights or thoughts?
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Old 11-13-2013, 12:49 PM   #2
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I think you are right. You are not going to find a singles scene in the campgrounds. With the internet and groups like Meetup, though, I think that you can find like minded people anywhere.
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Old 11-13-2013, 12:50 PM   #3
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In following RVers' blogs to see the interesting places that they go to, I ran across this group called WIN, short for Wandering Individual Network. It's a coed group so I would expect some dating going on. They often travel together and arrange for group hiking or touring of attractions and landmarks, potlucks, etc... Sounds like fun for people who like some company. Searches on the Web may show more groups like that.

I am not single nor a full-time RV'er, and a loner at that, so am not interested in these groups. And I have also read blogs of single male RV'ers who camp out alone in the boondocks. Unless they have some romance going on without describing it on their blog, they appear to be leading a celibate life.
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Old 11-13-2013, 02:19 PM   #4
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Single RVers- Loners On Wheels - RV Singles

Here is a photo gallery of a seemingly active singles/RV group. They appear to be various ages, but I did not see any pitons or climbing rope. I think the loners title refers to their travel and marital status, not to their proclivities regarding company.

The photos show that there are many women. I would imagine that there might be a spirited competition for them also.

Ha
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Old 11-13-2013, 02:35 PM   #5
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...They appear to be various ages, but I did not see any pitons or climbing rope. I think the loners title refers to their travel and marital status, not to their proclivities regarding company...
It does appear to me that most people in these single clubs or groups are in the 60s or older. The OP at 54 may not find many in his age group, I think.
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Old 11-13-2013, 03:08 PM   #6
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Sometimes I find myself looking at Gumtree dreaming of a life on the open road; my dream is transcribed to Europe though: Used Campervans & Caravans for sale in United Kingdom | Gumtree

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Old 11-13-2013, 03:46 PM   #7
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I think you are right. You are not going to find a singles scene in the campgrounds. With the internet and groups like Meetup, though, I think that you can find like minded people anywhere.
I concur. There will not be many young full time RV'ers, but you can round out your social life by using Meetup everywhere you go. We do this on our multi month RV trips for a similar reason. We're extremely active 50-somethings that love to do long hiking days and rarely do we meet similarly active people in the RV parks and campgrounds where we stay. Meetup, and also the Sierra Club, are our go-to sites for locating other like minded people.
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Old 11-13-2013, 04:23 PM   #8
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Sometimes I find myself looking at Gumtree dreaming of a life on the open road; my dream is transcribed to Europe though: Used Campervans & Caravans for sale in United Kingdom | Gumtree

YMMV
Not sure about England, but I have found that it is impossible for a foreigner tourist to buy a vehicle in continental Europe and have it registered in his name. This info was what I gleaned from Web searches of forums and posts made by people who have looked into this.

Bringing your own motorhome from the US is different, and many people have done it.
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Old 11-13-2013, 05:22 PM   #9
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Single RVers- Loners On Wheels - RV Singles

Here is a photo gallery of a seemingly active singles/RV group. They appear to be various ages, but I did not see any pitons or climbing rope. I think the loners title refers to their travel and marital status, not to their proclivities regarding company.

The photos show that there are many women. I would imagine that there might be a spirited competition for them also.

Ha
I am sure that this depicts the typical lifestyle for singles who are fulltime RV'ers.

To me it looks so boring I could scream. But then, I knew before even opening this thread that a full time RV lifestyle is not my cup of tea. Each to his/her own! But for me, well, I wouldn't that kind of life, nope....
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Old 11-13-2013, 06:07 PM   #10
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I am sure that this depicts the typical lifestyle for singles who are fulltime RV'ers.

To me it looks so boring I could scream. But then, I knew before even opening this thread that a full time RV lifestyle is not my cup of tea. Each to his/her own! But for me, well, I wouldn't that kind of life, nope....
I do not know the exact statistics, but as I mentioned I have found plenty of blogs of RV'ers, both male and female introverted types and also apparently celibate, who camp out all by themselves in the boondocks. I am sure that is also boring to many people.
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Old 11-13-2013, 07:46 PM   #11
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I do not know the exact statistics, but as I mentioned I have found plenty of blogs of RV'ers, both male and female introverted types and also apparently celibate, who camp out all by themselves in the boondocks. I am sure that is also boring to many people.
Quite a bit more boring. We have 100,000+ years as modern humans and many earlier years as various social primates. The great majority of humans need other humans, we are mostly not Robinson Crusoe, and his isolation was not planned anyway.

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Old 11-13-2013, 07:46 PM   #12
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Probably true. Hence, they create blogs and try to reach out to other people via the Internet. The question is whether that's sufficient.

I observe that they do meet other RV'ers occasionally face-to-face. And it does not appear to be for romance, but what do I know.
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Old 11-13-2013, 07:50 PM   #13
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And it does not appear to be for romance, but what do I know.
That would not surprise at all. I would imagine that once out of one's twenties, simple human contact is a more basic need. Hang around together a while and it may ripen.

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Old 11-13-2013, 08:26 PM   #14
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Boring? Now, that's funny.

We have been full time RV travelers since late 2005. We stopped in our old home-town last week for some final appointments. Friday night, we went to an adult birthday party with old friends.

It seemed the main thing the others had was stories about grandkids- mostly how they felt they were being used as babysitters. Or having to go back to work- cause, you know, they just missed working. One couple had flown to Niagara Falls for a few days. Another couple had been to Vegas a couple times this year. Like last year, and the years before that.

I had to keep elbowing my wife to shush her. Made me feel guilty that we are having the times of our lives, and these friends seem to be caught in one of the outer circles of hell.
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Old 11-13-2013, 08:30 PM   #15
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Boring? Now, that's funny.

We have been full time RV travelers since late 2005. We stopped in our old home-town last week for some final appointments. Friday night, we went to an adult birthday party with old friends.

It seemed the main thing the others had was stories about grandkids- mostly how they felt they were being used as babysitters. Or having to go back to work- cause, you know, they just missed working. One couple had flown to Niagara Falls for a few days. Another couple had been to Vegas a couple times this year. Like last year, and the years before that.

I had to keep elbowing my wife to shush her. Made me feel guilty that we are having the times of our lives, and these friends seem to be caught in one of the outer circles of hell.
Good for you, but you apparently did not notice that we were talking about singles living alone in isolated locations. Since you referred to DW, I assume that would not describe you.

Ha
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Old 11-13-2013, 08:42 PM   #16
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Another poster said RV life would be boring for her, but Ha and myself were just digressing...

As an INTJ, I think the RV meet-up groups are too socially active for me. Not boring at all, but too exciting for this guy, whether he's single or not.

Single RV'er groups are what the OP needs for social contact as he stated, and we found some suggestions.

Many full-time RV'ers do not join any group, though they usually make friends with other full-time RV'ers and often run across each other in real life when they travel. However, these are mostly couples.
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Old 11-13-2013, 08:49 PM   #17
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Another poster said RV life would be boring for her,
Yes, that was me. I was commenting that the life depicted on that video looked really boring. All those people were doing was sitting around outside gabbing with other people and eating. Nobody was doing anything that looked interesting to me. I would have been desperately looking for an excuse to get out of there!
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Old 11-13-2013, 08:52 PM   #18
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Doing at least a few years of full time RV wandering sounds like a great way to start an ER. Don't know if I'll still feel that way when I do stop working, but it's pretty high up on my list of things to try.
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Old 11-13-2013, 08:55 PM   #19
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Yes, that was me. I was commenting that the life depicted on that video looked really boring. All those people were doing was sitting around outside gabbing with other people and eating. Nobody was doing anything that looked interesting to me. I would have been desperately looking for an excuse to get out of there!
There's more to it than that!

As I read people's blogs, I found out that they organized hikes, trips to visit landmarks, state capitols, museums together. They have potlucks, talent shows, poetry readings, etc... They organize square and line dancing.

All the things an extrovert needs, but not this introvert guy. I did learn about some interesting spots to visit for my RV trips, and I have learned the same from RV'ers who do not belong in any club.
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Old 11-13-2013, 08:56 PM   #20
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There's more to it than that!

As I read people's blogs, I found out that they organized hikes, trips to visit landmarks, state capitols, museums together. They have potlucks, talent shows, poetry readings, etc... They organize square and line dancing.

All the things an extrovert needs, but not this introvert guy.
Or this introvert gal. Boring, boring, boring.
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