Planning to RV full-time this spring

[audreyh1]

Well after several days of discussion with the DW about the possibility of full time RV'ing she seems totally intrigued and excited about the possibilities. So we now have a plan that in the spring of 2011 (my daughter's last year in college) we will fly out to North Carolina and rent an RV for a month. My DD plays softball for a university and we will use the RV to travel to all the cities she plays in thus, killing two birds with one stone. We get to see all of her games in her last season and we get to practice retirement in an RV to see what it is all about... now if only 2011 would hurry up and get here...

I have a lot to learn before then...

The first book I read was "RVing for Dummies". It told me enough that I was confident in using our first RV (a trailer). Something like that would probably help significantly reduce the confusion and hassles of that RV rent experiment. Of course, you can also always ask your camping neighbors - they're usually happy to help.

Audrey

 

[Gone4Good]

4100 lbs is a pretty good number for a gas model. Our CCC was 4400.

We're probably comparing apples and oranges. My 4,100 is dry. If I fill it with water, propane and the two of us, its more like 3,100 . . . which is probably still plenty considering our more limited basement space.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

You recall correctly . . . no basement air. I've heard mixed things about it. Some people claim its better, others not so much. In either event, it's not a big enough factor to be a decision maker for us.

But I gather you have it and prefer it to the rooftop units?

DW is sensitive to the noise at night and during conversation. As you know most units have roof air and depending on how it is ducted it could be just fine or quite noisy - didn't bother at first but after sitting and talking with the salesman for 30 minutes it became noticeable and a bit annoying. The basement air is the quietest I've seen (inside, that is).

Easy enough to try out, just give it more than 5 minutes before deciding. Of course where we live it's always on for 6 months a year.

 

[Gone4Good]

DW is sensitive to the noise at night and during conversation. As you know most units have roof air and depending on how it is ducted it could be just fine or quite noisy - didn't bother at first but after sitting and talking with the salesman for 30 minutes it became noticeable and a bit annoying. The basement air is the quietest I've seen (inside, that is).

Easy enough to try out, just give it more than 5 minutes before deciding. Of course where we live it's always on for 6 months a year.

I did notice the Winne air on the 33C was noisier than the Tiffin we were also looking at (also a roof top design). But both were quieter than the wall units we have in our place now . . . so its all a mater of perspective.

I guess living modestly is paying off in more ways than I originally expected.

 

[audreyh1]

We're probably comparing apples and oranges. My 4,100 is dry. If I fill it with water, propane and the two of us, its more like 3,100 . . . which is probably still plenty considering our more limited basement space.

Yeah - our CCC was with full fuel, water, propane, and two adults. That's normally how CCC is quoted.

But 3100 is still a good number for a gasser.

Audrey

 

[REWahoo]

Thought this was an interesting measure of economic recovery:

A closely watched report Tuesday on consumer confidence is expected to show modest improvement, but some economists are heartened by a more obscure measure of buyer sentiment: recreational vehicle sales.

RV wholesale shipments jumped 16% in August from July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 209,800, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association reports Tuesday.

While that's about half the industry's torrid sales pace in 2006, it's a 136% surge from January.

On the road again: RV sales see an upswing - USATODAY.com

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

And fuel prices are down.

ROAD TRIP!!

(Going to Sanibel for a few days on Thursday. Periwinkle campground is our destination, an odd-ball place half a mile from the Gulf with monkeys in cages and a other curiosities.)

 

[REWahoo]

And fuel prices are down.

ROAD TRIP!!

Yep! Heading up to Arkansas and Hot Springs National Park in mid-October for a couple of weeks of fall color.

 

[Gone4Good]

On the road again: RV sales see an upswing - USATODAY.com

Grrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Gone4Good]

I'm guessing one of the biggest hurdles is letting go of "stuff" and deciding what to take with you, what to keep/store and what to dispose of/sell. How are you working through that one?

The latest thinking on the "stuff" question is that everything goes. After considering a bunch of alternatives, it looks like we might end up selling almost everything that is not coming with us. We'll keep a few irreplaceable things with family, but everything else might get sold. We're going to talk to a couple of estate sale companies to see if someone will come in and haul everything away in one big transaction.

 

[REWahoo]

The latest thinking on the "stuff" question is that everything goes. After considering a bunch of alternatives, it looks like we might end up selling almost everything that is not coming with us.

Wow, that is a huge step. I'm impressed with your determination to let go - and go.

 

[Gone4Good]

Wow, that is a huge step. I'm impressed with your determination to let go - and go.

My thought on the topic was always very practical . . .

Value received from sale + storage cost - replacement cost <> $0

The huge swing factor is how long stuff has to be kept in storage. There's no way you can balance that equation if you're only going to be gone a year or so. But the more we think about it, the more we realize we're likely to be gone for a while. There's so much to do I don't think we'll even leave the east coast within the first year. And if we don't get tired of life on the road, we'd like to do the same thing all through Europe. So there is a chance we could be gone for a really, really, long time.

O course there is always a risk that we'll hate it and want to come back sooner. But the risk of having to replace our stuff earlier than expected is relatively small compared to the risk of quitting a good paying job and sinking six figures into an RV. That's been my view, anyway.

I figured my wife would have a harder time letting go so I just assumed we'd end up storing a bunch of stuff. I didn't really have strong feelings either way, so I haven't been pressing for any particular outcome. But after talking through a bunch of the issues the past couple of weeks, she kind of came to the conclusion that it made the most sense to sell everything. That's the way I've been leaning too, so it looks like that's what we'll do (at least for now).

 

[heyduke]

My thought on the topic was always very practical . . .

Value received from sale + storage cost - replacement cost <> $0

The huge swing factor is how long stuff has to be kept in storage. There's no way you can balance that equation if you're only going to be gone a year or so. But the more we think about it, the more we realize we're likely to be gone for a while. There's so much to do I don't think we'll even leave the east coast within the first year. And if we don't get tired of life on the road, we'd like to do the same thing all through Europe. So there is a chance we could be gone for a really, really, long time.

O course there is always a risk that we'll hate it and want to come back sooner. But the risk of having to replace our stuff earlier than expected is relatively small compared to the risk of quitting a good paying job and sinking six figures into an RV. That's been my view, anyway.

I figured my wife would have a harder time letting go so I just assumed we'd end up storing a bunch of stuff. I didn't really have strong feelings either way, so I haven't been pressing for any particular outcome. But after talking through a bunch of the issues the past couple of weeks, she kind of came to the conclusion that it made the most sense to sell everything. That's the way I've been leaning too, so it looks like that's what we'll do (at least for now).

wow, please keep me informed as my DW and I are going thru the same thought processes but we don't Er until 2012...

 

[audreyh1]

My thought on the topic was always very practical . . .

Value received from sale + storage cost - replacement cost <> $0

We used a planning number of 10 years fulltiming to help make these types of decisions. For us that meant get rid of all the furniture and almost all clothing. Only a very few kitchen items - the "rare" or "special" stuff. Got rid of everything from hobbies that we weren't taking on the road. Got rid of all old electronics.

We managed to get stuff down to a 5x10 climate controlled unit that costs us $50 a month. We had older slides, family photos, fine art prints, and a few such things that needed to be kept under good conditions. Some favorite appliances, pots, books, very small amounts of china/flatware, misc items that would not be so easy to replace and would store well. Didn't try to store our beloved gigantic espresso machine - we weren't convinced the seals/reservoirs would survive a long storage.

Also, have some things in that unit that we can exchange out from our motorhome depending on where we travel. Plus, it's a pretty good place to store wine (we occasionally pick up a case or two when touring the NW).

So, we have the storage unit, and a bank safety deposit box.

BTW - I had a few nice artsy pieces given to me as gifts from family members. These are on display at my Dad's rather than packing them away.

Audrey

 

[RonBoyd]

And fuel prices are down.

ROAD TRIP!!

Yeah, we returned last week from a trip starting in the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming down through Jackson Hole, through Rock Springs into Colorado to Grand Junction, and then through Gunnison and Walsenburg to I-25 and Denver.

Fuel was not too bad -- between $2.25 and $2.64.

The fall colors were fantastic -- the gold of the Aspens and the Reds of the Oaks -- particularly after the snow fell giving everything a white background.

 

[Gone4Good]

We used a planning number of 10 years fulltiming to help make these types of decisions.

I'm having trouble with this. The best I can come up with is, we're going to do it until we're done (yup, that works in other areas too). I don't really have any long-term plan. In 5 or 10 years I have no idea where I'll be or what I'll be doing. It's kind of neat.

BTW, how are you feeling after being on the road for 7(?) years? Do you still think 10 years is a good number or are you planning on more or less now?

 

[audreyh1]

Well, we picked 10 years because we already knew that 5 years would go by pretty fast based on past experience. We knew that we would definitely do it at least 5. And we also never thought we would do it indefinitely.

We're actually just shy of 4.5 years now. Is 10 years still a good number? Probably. We've already been doing it long enough that all our planning decisions were probably the right ones. How much longer? Not a really clear idea. We've still got lots of traveling to do, and we're still not sure where we would settle down.

That last is probably the trick. If we come up with a firm idea of where to settle down, that will probably be the deciding factor. We've tossed around a few ideas, but nothing has stuck yet.

And there is lots of other traveling we would like to do - international, travel by boat, etc. The RV does not preclude that kind of travel - you just need a good trusted RV park to leave the motorhome. But if we start doing a lot of that kind of travel - especially extended overseas stays - it might be easier to work from a more sticks&bricks home base.

Someday I'd like to have a piano. DH would like a big art space to play with fine art prints. It would be nice to have a real gym, and a real kitchen. But we still don't care about gardening or maintaining a lawn - yech!

Audrey

 

[Martha]

Someday I'd like to have a piano.

There are some really nice electronic pianos now. T-Al has one that is mighty portable. Put it in basement storage, pull out when needed, hook up the earphones and play.

 

[audreyh1]

There are some really nice electronic pianos now. T-Al has one that is mighty portable. Put it in basement storage, pull out when needed, hook up the earphones and play.

I know. And I've even thought about it. But what I really want is a baby grand.

Audrey

 

[REWahoo]

But what I really want is a baby grand.

I think one of the new Prevost models comes with one...

 

[audreyh1]

I think one of the new Prevost models comes with one...

Thanks, but NO THANKS!

 

[heyduke]

I know. And I've even thought about it. But what I really want is a baby grand.

Audrey

... think big Big BIg BIG RRRVVVV...!

 

[audreyh1]

Speaking of RVs - a buddy saw the photos of our new "RV House" and promptly declared that we needed a bigger RV because the RV in the photo looked too small for the garage.

LOL! I don't think so!!!!

Audrey

P.S. There still isn't really room for a baby grand in the new house unless I forgo any other living room furniture. I guess I'll have to "settle" for one of those electric pianos.

 

[heyduke]

Speaking of RVs - a buddy saw the photos of our new "RV House" and promptly declared that we needed a bigger RV because the RV in the photo looked too small for the garage.

LOL! I don't think so!!!!

Audrey

P.S. There still isn't really room for a baby grand in the new house unless I forgo any other living room furniture. I guess I'll have to "settle" for one of those electric pianos.

But I thought you had furniture in the RV ... put the grand in the house.

 

[Stevewc]

I know. And I've even thought about it. But what I really want is a baby grand.

Audrey

Just use the same old technique as the Walmart Free camping.
Go to the local piano store when you have the desire to play and use theirs.
I'm sure they would be happy to have a customer try them out.
Steve