I wasn't going to do an introduction. I signed up last week. I went to post this comment on Howard & Linda's blog and it wouldn't let me for some reason. (too long maybe) So I decided to post an intro and post the note here.
First the intro. We are Stacy & Michael. Husband & wife of six years. We have four children from my previous marriage. 21, 19, 14, and 12. We live in a small town in SE Minnesota. My husband is a transplant from Houston Texas. (He hates the winters) He has lived in many different places, California, Florida, Massachusets, Iowa, & Kansas. So he's got to experience that. I, on the other hand, have lived in Minnesota, and in this area my entire 39 years. I have a gpysy spirit though and have wanted to venture out for years, but I had my children young, and that tied to Minnesota until they were grown. My youngest is just finished 6th grade. When she graduates in 6 years we plan to leave MN, make a new home base, and travel & live full time in an RV.
Our plan is to be debt free by then, have our RV, truck, & toys paid for, and have a small nest egg. We fully intend on working on the road. I am a photographer and my dream is to travel the country empowering women by helping them see how truly beautiful and sexy they are through my boudoir photography.
We will still be too young to retire when we start fulltiming. We will both be 45. We've decided we want a fifth wheel toy hauler. (haven't chosen the brand yet, but leaning towards KZ) We want to haul to motorcycles. If possibly, we want an HDT and a Smart car as well, but we haven't figured that out yet.
Right now our main focus is on reading books, as many of the ones recommended by Howard + Linda as possible. Reading the forum, chatting, and reading blogs. (lots of them!) Plus we need to focus on becoming debt free & saving money. Last, we have already started downsizing. Clearing the clutter and unused crap is going to be so therapeautic. I can't wait!
So now onto my note: Dear Howard & Linda,
My husband & I have talked about living full time in an RV on the road for years. We knew there were some people that did it, but we figured not many. Ha!
We had a long talk last week and decided one way or another we could make it work and that is what we wanted. We're the kind of people that get this response when we tell people, "that sounds perfect for you." as opposed to, "are you nuts?" So this lifestyle totally fits our personalities.
Once we made the decision I told my husband I was going to go online and do some searching, surely there were others out there that would have advice. HA Again! Thankfully I happened upon your site first, and within 1 minute of beginning my search. What I didn't learn from your site I've found help for on your forum.
You are both amazing for not only living this lifestyle, but by running the site & forum. I was so moved my first day I donated $ to the adventure fund!
We have a long wait, six years. We don't have a house to sell, just vehicles and the contents of our house. Mostly it is just a matter of saving, paying off debt, and purchasing our new home. So I wanted to thank you. Finding your website was a turning point in our lives, it totally solidified our decision and we were so happy that there are so many out there who live this lifestyle. We'll be following your blog & forum for years to come.
Namaste.
Speedhitch said
06:43 PM May 13, 2009
Sounds like a plan to me. It will all pass faster than you think and before you know it you will be wishing you had just a little more time to get it all done. Sherri and I are down to the final weeks and I find that I need an extra two to get some things completed...can you believe it. We have only been planning this for 35 years...LOL
Good luck to you both. We wish you all the happiness for a Dream come true.
Joe and Sherri
FD5 said
07:25 PM May 13, 2009
Good luck with your plan, we are looking at full timing Jan. 2010, I will be 47 and DW will be 48. Hope to have the sticks and bricks on the market by mid June. Stay focused on the Dream. Visit the chat room, starts filling up around 8:30 pm CST.
SplusH said
08:25 PM May 13, 2009
Speedhitch wrote:
Sounds like a plan to me. It will all pass faster than you think and before you know it you will be wishing you had just a little more time to get it all done. Sherri and I are down to the final weeks and I find that I need an extra two to get some things completed...can you believe it. We have only been planning this for 35 years...LOL Good luck to you both. We wish you all the happiness for a Dream come true.
Joe and Sherri
Thank you so much! I wish we had decided years ago this is what we wanted and could have been working toward it all this time. I know it'll fly by, with kids, time always does.
SplusH said
08:27 PM May 13, 2009
FD5 wrote:
Good luck with your plan, we are looking at full timing Jan. 2010, I will be 47 and DW will be 48. Hope to have the sticks and bricks on the market by mid June. Stay focused on the Dream. Visit the chat room, starts filling up around 8:30 pm CST.
How awesome! It's almost your time...that'll be the best part is watching people one by one realize their dream.
Jim01 said
05:48 AM May 14, 2009
First of all, Welcome to the forum!!
You've found a great web site to learn all about Full-timing, and between the site and this forum, I don't think there's much you can't find about the subject. However, if you have questions, be sure to ask. The folks here are always ready to help, and always remember, there are no "dumb" questions on this forum.
Good luck with all your plans.
Jim
retread said
08:13 AM May 14, 2009
Welcome and best wishes on pursuing your dream! You'll find tons of help here - we know that this bunch has been so helpful to us!
Blessings,
Linda
FDchief said
09:07 AM May 14, 2009
Congratulations on your future plans. Six years seems so far away, but with our busy lives, this time will fly by. Enjoy the journey, that's half the fun.
NorCal Dan said
01:20 PM May 14, 2009
SplusH wrote:Thank you so much! I wish we had decided years ago this is what we wanted and could have been working toward it all this time. I know it'll fly by, with kids, time always does.
I know I wished the same thing...sometimes the crystal ball just doesn't work. But, better late than never. Sure is fun watching peoples dreams come to life.
Happytrails said
09:06 AM May 21, 2009
Welcome!! This is such a great group and everyone is so helpful. Don't hesitate to ask questions. You all seem to have a great plan and even though it seems like a long time to wait you will find that the time goes by quickly. You might try checking out http://2takinga5th.blogspot.com I believe they travel in a Escalade(KZ) toy hauler. I believe they would be more than happy to answer questions about that particular rig.
My husband and I have been working toward fulltiming for about 3 years. We have had a few bumps in the road that put this "dream" aside for awhile but we are pushing forward. Our house is on the market and we are waiting for a buyer. The market is slow (almost at a standstill) but it seems that there is some slow movement that we haven't seen for some time. We are hopeful. We have tried to remain focused and involved with this group and those on the Escapees site. There is much to do to prepare, lots of purging, so we have stayed busy with those activities. There is much to learn. We also love reading many fulltimer journals and follow their travels. It keeps us connected.
Good luck and we will look forward to hearing from you on this forum and the chat room. Keep us updated on the progress.
Howard said
10:31 AM May 21, 2009
Wow! Welcome aboard and thank you so much for your letter and donation. It is the people that are a part of this ever-growing RV-Dreams Family that make the effort worthwhile.
Congrats on your new dream and we look forward to meeting you down the road.
SplusH said
09:38 AM Jul 6, 2010
Popping back in. I read Howard & Linda's blog pretty regularly and our dream is still alive. We're still saving away and whittling down our debt. We went last weekend and actually looked at RVs. That was so exciting and got us motivated all over again. We've got a much better idea now of what we want. We still have to figure out how to transport two motorcycles with us.
We have decided not to buy anything new for the house like furniture & appliances. We'll save the money and then can more easily dispose of things when we begin full time RV life.
There are still people that think it's nuts and that we are ridiculous. The funny thing is, when we first told the kids about it, they all thought it sounded perfect for us.
Right now, the wait is the hardest part followed by the saving. :/
Reading blogs and the forum helps keep me motivated.
phyllen said
01:46 PM Jul 6, 2010
Good to hear you are still on track. I found just getting rid of accumulated stuff kept me motivated. Each article that left the house or shop felt like weight lifted off our shoulders.
Again, glad you "popped" in again.
Happytrails said
08:06 PM Jul 6, 2010
So glad to hear from you and get an update on your progress!! Your story sounds so familiar because we have all started at the point where you are. You are on the right track by getting debt free and doing your research!
I remember so well how hard the wait is. We actually started full-timing 3 times....the first two didn't make (talk about disappointment) but third time was charm. It is worth the wait and all you go through to get here.
We are all here to encourage you and support you as you move toward your goal. Keep in touch!!
SplusH said
08:25 AM Jul 11, 2010
Friday we went shopping at TJ Maxx because I needed a new carry-on suitcase. As we browsed we found several cool things we liked, nick-nacks and such. However, we were both like, "Nope, we won't want that on the RV so we're not buying it." We walked out of there with my suitcase, some gourmet food things, some drink mixes, and a new painted martini glass for me, which I CAN take on the RV. So we didn't bring anything new into the house that we can't take with us when we go on the RV. That felt good, and it made 'saying no' much easier because we're working toward something wonderful instead of just denying ourselves.
laurly said
08:48 AM Jul 11, 2010
Good plan. We say that too...won't buy anything 'wanted' unless it can go in the RV later. We're always thinking 'RV'. Good luck to you on your journey!
GENECOP said
10:52 AM Jul 11, 2010
Welcome to the party, G
SplusH said
08:44 AM Jan 18, 2011
I thought I'd come make an update. We're down to just a little over 4.5 years until we go full time. However, this is the summer we buy our new home! We have done a lot of research, soul searching, and discussing, and we've decided we want to try to go vintage. From what we've read, anything under 1970 is considered vintage. We were both born in 1969 so that is what we're looking for. However, if the perfect trailer comes along and it's a 1975 we won't be too picky about the age. We're just focusing the search on 1969.
We have looked at probably hundreds of newer motor homes, travel trailers, fifth wheels, etc. The newer ones are exquisite. However, I don't want anything to obnoxiously large because I'm worried about hauling it. Second, one of the big reasons we want this life style is to simplify. Bigger doesn't necessarily mean better, but it does mean more expenses and possible headaches.
No offense to anyone who lives in a nice big motor home. More power to you. If we had 500,000 in the bank, we might consider it more.
I think we both feel pretty good about our decision. We're scrapping the toy hauler idea. We're not getting a new truck. We're going to get our 1994 Ford F150 extended cab truck fixed up and running pristine and put a truck bed extender on it for hauling the Harley.
We're looking for a vintage travel trailer that we can renovate and customize and make our own. My Aunt who is 62 now is thinking of joining us. She will get her own travel trailer though. Everyone we've talked to has been really positive about it. We are currently working on planning our first year according to what events/rallys we want to attend. This summer we'll be getting our new mobile home :) and having a huge garage sale to start the downsizing process. We're also renting a roll off this summer to unload a bunch of 'clutter' from our lives. This house is a rental and it'll be so easy to just walk away from. We want to have nothing more than a trunk full of mementos in storage.
We are also working on ideas to make money & support ourselves while on the road. We're planning on having roughly $30,000 saved by then to support ourselves our first year. That year we'll be making money and putting it away to live off the second year...and so on.
NorCal Dan said
12:10 PM Jan 18, 2011
Good to know the dream is still alive. It sounds like you have things planned pretty well and continue to work towards your goal. Just a couple thoughts...first, you can find Class A diesel pushers for much less than $500K. It wasn't clear in your post what type of rig your looking for now, be it Class A, C or a fifth wheel or travel trailer. I know you want to haul motorcycles and have a car with you, and if you ruled out a toy hauler then a Class A hauling an enclosed trailer might be the next best answer.
Second, why buy a house? There is a lot of overhead with a S&B house and all of it is expensive. One option you could research is buying your rig now and living in it while you continue to pursue your dream. Use the time to pay off the coach and save money for when you hit the road.
Workamping is an easy way to lighten the expenses of traveling and living. For a few hours of work a week you can have a free space to park your rig. Fuel and lodging are 2 of the big expenses for RV'ers so it helps if you can spend time at a location. And workamping would allow you to continue your photography business.
Thanks for keeping us updated on your progress...
Froggi said
01:56 PM Jan 18, 2011
Welcome to the forum! We are KZ toy hauler owners, pulling with an MDT and carrying a Harley trike and a Sportster. No car....yet...LOL!
We have friends with a regular 5th wheel, carrier on the back for the Harley E-glide and a Smart Car on the deck of their HDT.
All kinds of combinations....keep the dream going!
MNdrifters said
05:10 PM Jan 19, 2011
Welcome also, from some Minnesotans. We are 3 years out from our kick off date. Vintage trailers are fun. We have owned some really nice older pop-ups and travel Trailers and have had some great memories in all of them. They do have a lot of Character and charm to them. Good luck with all your preperations.
Pinon said
12:18 AM Jan 21, 2011
How fun! Have a blast buying your new (vintage) home. My wife and I love older styling, and we salivate at every 1960's Airstream or Avion we see! We are in a similar situation, waiting to full-time until our 15 yo is independant. But so much fun preparation! Heidi
SplusH said
08:21 AM Jan 21, 2011
NorCal Dan wrote:
Good to know the dream is still alive. It sounds like you have things planned pretty well and continue to work towards your goal. Just a couple thoughts...first, you can find Class A diesel pushers for much less than $500K. It wasn't clear in your post what type of rig your looking for now, be it Class A, C or a fifth wheel or travel trailer. I know you want to haul motorcycles and have a car with you, and if you ruled out a toy hauler then a Class A hauling an enclosed trailer might be the next best answer.
Second, why buy a house? There is a lot of overhead with a S&B house and all of it is expensive. One option you could research is buying your rig now and living in it while you continue to pursue your dream. Use the time to pay off the coach and save money for when you hit the road.
Workamping is an easy way to lighten the expenses of traveling and living. For a few hours of work a week you can have a free space to park your rig. Fuel and lodging are 2 of the big expenses for RV'ers so it helps if you can spend time at a location. And workamping would allow you to continue your photography business.
Thanks for keeping us updated on your progress...
We have decided to go much smaller scale. A big reason this lifestyle is appealing to us is that we really want to simplify. We want to cut expenses and monthly bills. It is also to explore the US, not spend all day in an RV. So we talked a lot about why did we need a big fancy, roomy RV when we didn't plan on spending the majority of our time indoors. We have done a lot of research and found that there is a fairly big sub culture of people that travel/live in vintage travel trailers. We've decided this is for us. I have spent hours and hours looking at websites, blogs, books, videos. I love the idea of a vintage trailer. We would really love one that is a 1969, which is the year we were both born. However, it's more about finding one in our price range that is solid and has features we want. We are looking for something that is structurally sound, but that needs work. We are buying it this summer and plan to spend less than $3000 then spend the next 4 1/2 years refurbishing it. There will definitely be photos!
As far as supporting ourselves on the road. We plan to have our first year of expenses saved, then work to refill that savings for the next year, so we're always working for the next year on the road. We've started a list of ways to make money, including workamping. Niether of us are above scrubing some toilets or emptying some waste tanks for a free site.
We were originally talking about going all out and getting a big 5th wheel and a new truck to haul it. It made it seem more overwhelming. Now that we're going vintage, we've decided to just fix up our 1998 Ford F150 and use that to haul. We're going to have the hardware installed in the bed and get a ramp so we can just haul my husband's Harley with that. I don't plan on getting my own.
2fortheroad said
11:26 AM Jan 21, 2011
SplusH wrote:
NorCal Dan wrote:
Good to know the dream is still alive. It sounds like you have things planned pretty well and continue to work towards your goal. Just a couple thoughts...first, you can find Class A diesel pushers for much less than $500K. It wasn't clear in your post what type of rig your looking for now, be it Class A, C or a fifth wheel or travel trailer. I know you want to haul motorcycles and have a car with you, and if you ruled out a toy hauler then a Class A hauling an enclosed trailer might be the next best answer.
Second, why buy a house? There is a lot of overhead with a S&B house and all of it is expensive. One option you could research is buying your rig now and living in it while you continue to pursue your dream. Use the time to pay off the coach and save money for when you hit the road.
Workamping is an easy way to lighten the expenses of traveling and living. For a few hours of work a week you can have a free space to park your rig. Fuel and lodging are 2 of the big expenses for RV'ers so it helps if you can spend time at a location. And workamping would allow you to continue your photography business.
Thanks for keeping us updated on your progress...
We have decided to go much smaller scale. A big reason this lifestyle is appealing to us is that we really want to simplify. We want to cut expenses and monthly bills. It is also to explore the US, not spend all day in an RV. So we talked a lot about why did we need a big fancy, roomy RV when we didn't plan on spending the majority of our time indoors. We have done a lot of research and found that there is a fairly big sub culture of people that travel/live in vintage travel trailers. We've decided this is for us. I have spent hours and hours looking at websites, blogs, books, videos. I love the idea of a vintage trailer. We would really love one that is a 1969, which is the year we were both born. However, it's more about finding one in our price range that is solid and has features we want. We are looking for something that is structurally sound, but that needs work. We are buying it this summer and plan to spend less than $3000 then spend the next 4 1/2 years refurbishing it. There will definitely be photos!
As far as supporting ourselves on the road. We plan to have our first year of expenses saved, then work to refill that savings for the next year, so we're always working for the next year on the road. We've started a list of ways to make money, including workamping. Niether of us are above scrubing some toilets or emptying some waste tanks for a free site.
We were originally talking about going all out and getting a big 5th wheel and a new truck to haul it. It made it seem more overwhelming. Now that we're going vintage, we've decided to just fix up our 1998 Ford F150 and use that to haul. We're going to have the hardware installed in the bed and get a ramp so we can just haul my husband's Harley with that. I don't plan on getting my own.
Sounds as though you are staying right on track to start your new lifestyle.
You might want to reconsider your tow vehicle, IMO a F150 is not the right truck for towing. I would suggest at least at least 3/4 ton pick-up for towing just for the saftey factor. I don't know how much you intend to spend on your F150, but in the long run I think you would be happier with a bigger truck.
Penny and Paul said
11:13 AM Jan 25, 2011
We were at the last Escapees rally and were parked in the big field, right in the middle. We were surrounded by rigs of every type, size, age and brand. Many were vintage travel trailers pulled by all kinds of pickups, vans and station wagons. I talked to some of the owners and found they were full-timers. One guy had a 1950's vintage teardrop trailer pulled by a 1970's era Chevy Caprice wagon. On another occasion Penny and I talked to a couple full-timing in a pickup camper. Their attitude was, why have a big rig when we're always outside.
Go for it! It's your dream to dream!
2fortheroad said
12:50 PM Jan 25, 2011
Penny and Paul wrote:
We were at the last Escapees rally and were parked in the big field, right in the middle. We were surrounded by rigs of every type, size, age and brand. Many were vintage travel trailers pulled by all kinds of pickups, vans and station wagons. I talked to some of the owners and found they were full-timers. One guy had a 1950's vintage teardrop trailer pulled by a 1970's era Chevy Caprice wagon. On another occasion Penny and I talked to a couple full-timing in a pickup camper. Their attitude was, why have a big rig when we're always outside.
Go for it! It's your dream to dream!
I guess I may have stepped over the line suggesting a bigger pick-up for towing. I was just thinking it would be safer and more practical if they were to be hauling their motorcycle in the bed of the tow vehicle and pulling a trailer too.
I was also taking into consideration that most Harleys are a heavy ride. We had a 2001 Ultra full dresser and it was heavy. Then there is the fact that most 1/2 ton pick-ups have small brake drums and pads and many of the teardrops have no brakes at all.
I have driven long haul trucks for over twenty years and I can't remember how many times I have seen someones possessions scattered all over the road because of their choice in tow vehicles. So if I am a dream buster so be it, I would much rather see people getting to were their going and living their dream than waking up to a nightmare.
karen948 said
01:45 PM Jan 25, 2011
We have had experience with the 1/2 ton pick-up towing a trailer. We had a 1/2 ton and a toyhauler trailer that we hauled our harley in. We researched before buying the trailer and did not go over the weight limit for the truck with our trailer and this included the weight of the harley inside. We towed the trailer up the Cajon Pass in So.Calif, and the truck pulled the trailer okay, but then we noticed smoke coming out from under the truck. The heat from the exhaust became so hot that it ignited the spare tire which was located under the box. Luckily for us, we had a fire extinguisher with us and got the fire out before we had any major problems. However, after that experience, we sold the 1/2 ton pickup and bought a 3/4 ton heavy duty diesel, and would not pull a trailer with a 1/2 ton after this experience.
Penny and Paul said
04:01 PM Jan 25, 2011
2fortheroad wrote:
I guess I may have stepped over the line suggesting a bigger pick-up for towing. I was just thinking it would be safer and more practical if they were to be hauling their motorcycle in the bed of the tow vehicle and pulling a trailer too.
I was also taking into consideration that most Harleys are a heavy ride. We had a 2001 Ultra full dresser and it was heavy. Then there is the fact that most 1/2 ton pick-ups have small brake drums and pads and many of the teardrops have no brakes at all.
I have driven long haul trucks for over twenty years and I can't remember how many times I have seen someones possessions scattered all over the road because of their choice in tow vehicles. So if I am a dream buster so be it, I would much rather see people getting to were their going and living their dream than waking up to a nightmare.
No worries mate,
I was thinking along the lines of the rig and not thinking about the load. DOH!
SplusH said
09:39 AM Apr 27, 2012
NorCal Dan wrote:
Good to know the dream is still alive. It sounds like you have things planned pretty well and continue to work towards your goal. Just a couple thoughts...first, you can find Class A diesel pushers for much less than $500K. It wasn't clear in your post what type of rig your looking for now, be it Class A, C or a fifth wheel or travel trailer. I know you want to haul motorcycles and have a car with you, and if you ruled out a toy hauler then a Class A hauling an enclosed trailer might be the next best answer. Second, why buy a house? There is a lot of overhead with a S&B house and all of it is expensive. One option you could research is buying your rig now and living in it while you continue to pursue your dream. Use the time to pay off the coach and save money for when you hit the road. Workamping is an easy way to lighten the expenses of traveling and living. For a few hours of work a week you can have a free space to park your rig. Fuel and lodging are 2 of the big expenses for RV'ers so it helps if you can spend time at a location. And workamping would allow you to continue your photography business. Thanks for keeping us updated on your progress...
I'm not sure where you got the idea that we're buying a house, but we're not. We're still in the same rental we've been in since 2005. We plan on living in this house until we are ready to move into our dream home/RV :)
SplusH said
09:49 AM Apr 27, 2012
I guess I may have stepped over the line suggesting a bigger pick-up for towing. I was just thinking it would be safer and more practical if they were to be hauling their motorcycle in the bed of the tow vehicle and pulling a trailer too.
I was also taking into consideration that most Harleys are a heavy ride. We had a 2001 Ultra full dresser and it was heavy. Then there is the fact that most 1/2 ton pick-ups have small brake drums and pads and many of the teardrops have no brakes at all.
I have driven long haul trucks for over twenty years and I can't remember how many times I have seen someones possessions scattered all over the road because of their choice in tow vehicles. So if I am a dream buster so be it, I would much rather see people getting to were their going and living their dream than waking up to a nightmare.
We have actually reconsidered keeping the '94 Ford f150 and just having it overhauled and using it to haul. We've decided to either get a Class C and tow the motorcycle or get a newer 3/4 ton truck. If we go with the Class C we'll go newer, but if we go with the travel trailer we're still thinking vintage. We didn't end up buying our trailer last summer as we just can't seem to decide on exactly what we want.
SplusH said
09:52 AM Apr 27, 2012
I wanted to pop on here for advice.... Some things have changed since my first post. We are both back in college and will not be done for several years. Once we're done we both plan to actually get real jobs, and that is going to keep us pretty tied to one location for most of the year. However, we still want to live in an RV full time and have the option to travel in the summer and during breaks. My issues is, we live in Minnesota and all the camp grounds are closed during the winter. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Terry and Jo said
02:28 PM Apr 27, 2012
I don't have any idea as to what is available in your area, but you might consider mobile home parks instead of RV parks. Some mobile home parks may have some facilities for RV's or have their mobile home sites set up where either could be used.
Here in Oklahoma City, we are in a mobile home park. When we were researching everything, we found 3 or 4 mobile home parks that were set up for RV's.
If your experience would be similar to ours, it is cheaper for us to be in the mobile home park than in an RV park. RV park's monthly rates can be pretty high and you may still have to pay for electric.
Just be sure and take proper procedures to protect your water lines.
Terry
PIEERE said
03:04 PM Apr 27, 2012
SplusH wrote:
I wanted to pop on here for advice.... Some things have changed since my first post. We are both back in college and will not be done for several years. Once we're done we both plan to actually get real jobs, and that is going to keep us pretty tied to one location for most of the year. However, we still want to live in an RV full time and have the option to travel in the summer and during breaks. My issues is, we live in Minnesota and all the camp grounds are closed during the winter. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I do not think I would want to try living in an RV in Minnesota; They are not made for below zero temps. Not saying it can't be done; but you both had betrter have thick skin . Now if you keep the Apt. and use the RV in the good months. I am not trying to burst your balloons; but why do you think most retirees go to the South and Southwest in Winter. Pieere
NorCal Dan said
08:22 PM Apr 28, 2012
We met some folks from Minnesota who owned an RV park/golf course. They closed their park in the winter and traveled south/west during the winter months. IIRC they said they had a caretaker on site during the winter. Maybe you could meet some of the park owners and see if you could arrange something similar.
rvingft said
08:36 PM Apr 29, 2012
LOVE your sig line ... it is SOOOOO right-on! You will find what is right for you ... part of the process is weeding thru all the possibilities. As you work thru the logistics of each one and get closer to the "this is IT!" feeling, either it will resonate with you ... or NOT. If not, then you move on to the next option.
Either way, visualizing and actually feeling what your RVing life will feel like in the rig you have virtually selected will help you decide if that is REALLY the RV that will work best for you.
We have discovered as have many of our RVing friends, there will be some compromises in each class or floorplan you review. So far, we haven't found ANY RV that is 100% perfect in every way ... at least for us ... yet :D
SplusH said
12:20 AM Aug 12, 2013
Wow! I haven't been here since April of 2012. I guess it was hard coming on here when I didn't know when we'd be getting our RV. Well, yesterday was the day! We are now the proud owners of a 1992 Winnebago Adventurer 32' Motorhome. It was purchased brand new by an elderly couple in '92. They enjoyed it together until last year when the husband passed away. The wife was the nicest woman. It only has a little under 32,000 original miles on it. The interior is in immaculate condition. They have every single bit of paper work. It's been so fun, except we know NOTHING! I've had my nose stuck in the manual trying to figure everything out. So I'll definitely need to spend more time in the forums asking questions and reading threads! Just two more years and we'll be on the road full time. Until then... we'll be taking lots of trips! Our maiden voyage is going to be to Houston Texas the end of September.
Lucky Mike said
12:46 AM Aug 12, 2013
Ta Da!!!!!...................life is gooD !!!!!!!!!
SplusH said
01:11 AM Aug 12, 2013
I agree 100%
Now I just need to hire someone to come teach us how to use it LOL
GENECOP said
01:17 AM Aug 12, 2013
Congrats on the purchase.....Let the good times roll....!
SplusH said
01:36 AM Aug 12, 2013
Thank you :)
mjlitz said
01:41 AM Aug 12, 2013
Welcome and your fun is just beginning. Pretty soon you will be an old pro at it. When we bought our rig, all we knew was that it had a steering wheel!!
Safe and happy travels
Melissa
PIEERE said
02:00 AM Aug 12, 2013
This will all come together with the experiences of owning your own Rig!!! Read the manuals; attend one of the RV Dreams rallys; join an RV club. It seems like you both are getting your ducks in a row and the early planning helps because it gives you both plenty of time to research; drive a little; hook and unhook; rearrange the inside of the coach to your likings. Welcome again!!!! Happy Dance!!
SplusH said
04:34 AM Aug 15, 2013
I am so happy! I'm overwhelmed, but overjoyed. Willow, our Winnebago, is parked in our driveway and I am basically living in her. I've been having so much fun adding some little touches to personalize her. I don't want to start any painting until next spring. Ironically, with the decor we're going with the 1992 wallpaper and blinds actually work pretty well. I still plan to paint & replace them eventually, but it looks pretty awesome as is. I do plan to replace the light fixtures with updated LED lighting. I also plan to replace the microwave & refrigerator. The refrigerator & microwave work fine, but they are from 1992. I'm sure the newer models are safer and use less energy. I also need to hire an RV expert to teach me the ropes. I'd like to hire someone to help me install solar panels and learn how to use the battery system with the panels. I have no idea how to use the hot water heater, the LP tank, the generator, nothing. I also don't know how to dump my black tank at home. I am hoping I can hire some porta potty company to come empty it for me. I know with the house right here we should just be going inside, but I've been sleeping in the motorhome and I don't want to go out at night, so I use Willow's restroom. Right now the only obvious repairs are that she's going to need new tires, a brake job, and there is a leaky hose connected to the water pump, luckily it leaks onto the group. It's leaking roughly 2 gallons a day.I can see where it's leaking from, but I'm not sure how to fix it yet. I am showering inside still, since I have no hot water. The first of September we're taking her in for a full inspection. I hope she gets a good report card.
I've been a bit disappointed at how unenthusiastic my family & friends have been about this. It's been my dream for over 10 years and nobody seems all that excited about it. I feel like it's just me and my hubby that care. I am trying to tell myself that is enough, but it hurts that they don't even really seem interested. At least I have this forum to be my nerdy RV self and discuss things that others have no interest in discussing. I can't wait to attend a rally and pick everyone's brains.
Until later~
acehighnoon7676 said
08:44 AM Aug 21, 2013
Stay positive, the best things in life are when you take the lead. Things will change and over time you will still have the memories. Also, Congrats!! Big time. I cant wait to get to where you are in life only about 19 more months and counting.
MerryPaws said
02:00 AM Aug 28, 2013
Stacy,
Please don't be discouraged by your family and friends reactions. I get the same thing; you want to do what? Why? Are you sure? I get it all. But I don't think they mean to be discouraging, they just don't understand. The static lifestyle is the society norm and I think it's something they will not 'get' until you actually do it and they 'see' you happy and enjoying life! So keep your dream alive and lean on your husband for that support. I am currently solo and I keep coming back to this forum for my encouragement. Otherwise I think I might have given up. But I'm stubborn. Watch out FT world! LOL
Good luck! See you out in the world!
Loretta said
05:56 PM Aug 28, 2013
I am so excited for you. After reading your first post til now. When we bought our RV everyone thought us crazy and, like MerryPaws said, living in a s/b is the norm for most people. We knew nothing about our MH when we purchased it, Bill used to tent/camper camp, but you learn, it seems to come natural sometimes. We have been full timing for a year now and haven't looked back.
Hopefully we will meet one day 'down the road'. Enjoy following your dream and drive safe.
bigboomer said
08:48 PM Aug 30, 2013
Stacy,
As others have said, we have gotten it all from "your nuts!" to "are you sure you have a plan?". Then there are those who are really cool to it (and there are more of them then the nay-sayers)
We just celebrate our 1 year anniversary living FT after selling our S & B and love it! No looking back....that was a different chapter in our lives.
Whatever you do, make yourself happy and you too will have no regrets!
Good Luck,
Les
ggflyfish said
05:51 PM Aug 31, 2013
What an interesting thread and this is the first one I've started to read (other than the abbreviations). Right now I am in the "swamp of information" mode. I'm still exploring Howard's journal (they haven't even taken off yet in 2005!). My dream is to have a setup like Froggi family...the toy hauler, a Can-Am Spyder 3-wheel motorcycle and hopes of being a fulltime RVer... Geesh, this must be my wildest dream ever, but I can't shake it. A 60+ single lady on a motorcycle???? Well, the rest of it, living in a small space, getting rid of all the "stuff" is easy, thanks to all the years in Oregon with camping, fishing and such. Good luck on the new acquisition, your schooling and future plans!
DeeJee said
01:54 AM Sep 1, 2013
Hi SplusH:)
I've enjoyed reading your journey... we just got this CRAZY RV notion this year when the nest emptied a year sooner than we expected and I'm so burnt out on driving 45 min. - and hour to get home in the Charlotte traffic. We thought we'd sell the house and move closer to work only to find out the housing market hasn't recovered enough for us to make what we would need to buy what we would WANT to live in. So DH jokingly mentioned an RV one day, but the longer I stewed on it the better it sounded. I downloaded a book from AMAZON to read up on the full timing idea and 5th wheel should be ready when we get back from our middle son's wedding in TX on 9/21.
We have gotten the opposite response to our choice. Everyone is jealous and happy for us! Although we do live in a campers paradise, NC with so many campgrounds and NASCAR followers:) My youngest daughter is still shocked I will be LIVING in a CAMPGROUND, since the ONLY camping I've done was rent a furnished, air conditioned cabin! lol (she loves the idea though:) From some of the earlier comments on WI camping I would guess maybe that's part of the families reaction, none the less, once you start bringing back the stories and pictures I think they'll start to see the other side:) What people don't know they're afraid of.
We're like you, KNOW NOTHING, but the RV stores around here offer 2-3 nights of free camping/training with your purchase. You should see if some of your local dealerships offer that option. Maybe if you paid for your space and a training class they would do that for you??
Best Wishes!!
Dana
SplusH said
02:56 PM Jan 7, 2014
I'm so excited when I come back here to see the posts, comments, encouragement, advice! I love this forum, even if I don't frequent it as much as I should.
Well our maiden voyage to Texas was quite an adventure to say the least. There were wonderful parts, and not so wonderful parts. All in all, a great learning experience. I've got really good at emptying the black/grey tanks. Which I find very exciting, only in that it's something I've actually mastered on the RV.
We had two extra passengers with us on our maiden voyage. It was a two week trip, and needless to say, four people, in the RV, for two weeks... it got old. On the way down we ended up stranded on the interstate. We decided that trip insurance, such as AAA or one of the many others, could wait. Well that totally bit us right in the backside! I did all the driving as my husband doesn't feel comfortable and I have my CDL and drive school bus, so it was second nature to me. I knew I was losing power and was doing everything I could to milk it another 1/2 mile to the exit. It was still dark and I did not want to be on the freeway broke down. We didn't make and stalled out literally 1/2 a mile from the exit. It was dark, cars & semi's were whizzing by, and it was scary. Finally come dawn we got ahold of a local towing company. He came out, had a jump pack which he hooked up to our battery and left it hooked up and followed us off the exit to a truck stop that was just off the exit. I would rather be broke down at a truck stop than the freeway.
The jump pack cost us $75. Once at the truck stop we called a local shop and he came out to the truck stop, which is not the norm, and checked our battery. He said he thought the battery was just bad. So he went back to his shop, got a battery, installed it, and check again. Nope, it was the alternator. The battery cost $175. So then we found a local guy who could change the alternator, and lost a day of travel getting that fixed. So around $800 later we were on the road again. Ugh.
The drive down, other than the break down, went great. She gets about 10 miles to the gallon, which was more than I expected, so I was happy about that. We rolled into Galveston around 2:30am, tried to park and get set up without waking all our neighbors. I have to say, we LOVED the park we stayed at in Galveston. Delanara RV Park.... Highly recommend it. They were awesome, it was right on the water, nice facilities, free wi-fi. Loved it!
Everything went well there, except it was super hot and our air conditioner started leaking inside. I'd love some advice about that problem!
The drive home... that's when the nightmare began. We were about an hour from being out of Texas. It was about 10:00pm, I was on the freeway, driving about 55 in a 70mph zone because the wind was hellacious! Suddenly I see cherries behind me. I pull over, and it was a long story, but I got pulled over because the bikes on our bike rack were obstructing the view of our license plate. I was detained behind the RV in the dark, along the side of the highway for about an hour & a half. He ended up calling for back up, searched the entire RV for drugs, illegal aliens, or other contraband. All because he thought I seemed overly nervous! Well duh! He looked in all our cupboards, under the seats, in our suitcases, in all our outside compartments, even the ones on the traffic side I had to open for him. He even went on top of the RV. It was ridiculous. Needless to say, all he found was three fat people and some snacks. Once we finally got back on the road, the wind was awful. By the time we got to Des Moines I was a nervous wreck. We spent the night there and headed back to Minnesota the next day. The motorhome handles way worse on windy days than my school bus does.
So we learned a lot. Had some adventures, and can't wait to live in her full time!
First the intro.
We are Stacy & Michael. Husband & wife of six years. We have four children from my previous marriage. 21, 19, 14, and 12. We live in a small town in SE Minnesota. My husband is a transplant from Houston Texas. (He hates the winters) He has lived in many different places, California, Florida, Massachusets, Iowa, & Kansas. So he's got to experience that. I, on the other hand, have lived in Minnesota, and in this area my entire 39 years. I have a gpysy spirit though and have wanted to venture out for years, but I had my children young, and that tied to Minnesota until they were grown. My youngest is just finished 6th grade. When she graduates in 6 years we plan to leave MN, make a new home base, and travel & live full time in an RV.
Our plan is to be debt free by then, have our RV, truck, & toys paid for, and have a small nest egg. We fully intend on working on the road. I am a photographer and my dream is to travel the country empowering women by helping them see how truly beautiful and sexy they are through my boudoir photography.
We will still be too young to retire when we start fulltiming. We will both be 45. We've decided we want a fifth wheel toy hauler. (haven't chosen the brand yet, but leaning towards KZ) We want to haul to motorcycles. If possibly, we want an HDT and a Smart car as well, but we haven't figured that out yet.
Right now our main focus is on reading books, as many of the ones recommended by Howard + Linda as possible. Reading the forum, chatting, and reading blogs. (lots of them!) Plus we need to focus on becoming debt free & saving money. Last, we have already started downsizing. Clearing the clutter and unused crap is going to be so therapeautic. I can't wait!
So now onto my note:
Dear Howard & Linda,
My husband & I have talked about living full time in an RV on the road for years. We knew there were some people that did it, but we figured not many. Ha!
We had a long talk last week and decided one way or another we could make it work and that is what we wanted. We're the kind of people that get this response when we tell people, "that sounds perfect for you." as opposed to, "are you nuts?" So this lifestyle totally fits our personalities.
Once we made the decision I told my husband I was going to go online and do some searching, surely there were others out there that would have advice. HA Again!
Thankfully I happened upon your site first, and within 1 minute of beginning my search. What I didn't learn from your site I've found help for on your forum.
You are both amazing for not only living this lifestyle, but by running the site & forum. I was so moved my first day I donated $ to the adventure fund!
We have a long wait, six years. We don't have a house to sell, just vehicles and the contents of our house. Mostly it is just a matter of saving, paying off debt, and purchasing our new home. So I wanted to thank you. Finding your website was a turning point in our lives, it totally solidified our decision and we were so happy that there are so many out there who live this lifestyle. We'll be following your blog & forum for years to come.
Namaste.
How awesome! It's almost your time...that'll be the best part is watching people one by one realize their dream.
First of all, Welcome to the forum!!
You've found a great web site to learn all about Full-timing, and between the site and this forum, I don't think there's much you can't find about the subject. However, if you have questions, be sure to ask. The folks here are always ready to help, and always remember, there are no "dumb" questions on this forum.
Good luck with all your plans.
Jim
I know I wished the same thing...sometimes the crystal ball just doesn't work. But, better late than never. Sure is fun watching peoples dreams come to life.
Welcome!! This is such a great group and everyone is so helpful. Don't hesitate to ask questions. You all seem to have a great plan and even though it seems like a long time to wait you will find that the time goes by quickly. You might try checking out http://2takinga5th.blogspot.com I believe they travel in a Escalade(KZ) toy hauler. I believe they would be more than happy to answer questions about that particular rig.
My husband and I have been working toward fulltiming for about 3 years. We have had a few bumps in the road that put this "dream" aside for awhile but we are pushing forward. Our house is on the market and we are waiting for a buyer. The market is slow (almost at a standstill) but it seems that there is some slow movement that we haven't seen for some time. We are hopeful. We have tried to remain focused and involved with this group and those on the Escapees site. There is much to do to prepare, lots of purging, so we have stayed busy with those activities. There is much to learn. We also love reading many fulltimer journals and follow their travels. It keeps us connected.
Good luck and we will look forward to hearing from you on this forum and the chat room. Keep us updated on the progress.
Congrats on your new dream and we look forward to meeting you down the road.
We have friends with a regular 5th wheel, carrier on the back for the Harley E-glide and a Smart Car on the deck of their HDT.
All kinds of combinations....keep the dream going!
Heidi
We have decided to go much smaller scale. A big reason this lifestyle is appealing to us is that we really want to simplify. We want to cut expenses and monthly bills. It is also to explore the US, not spend all day in an RV. So we talked a lot about why did we need a big fancy, roomy RV when we didn't plan on spending the majority of our time indoors. We have done a lot of research and found that there is a fairly big sub culture of people that travel/live in vintage travel trailers. We've decided this is for us. I have spent hours and hours looking at websites, blogs, books, videos. I love the idea of a vintage trailer. We would really love one that is a 1969, which is the year we were both born. However, it's more about finding one in our price range that is solid and has features we want. We are looking for something that is structurally sound, but that needs work. We are buying it this summer and plan to spend less than $3000 then spend the next 4 1/2 years refurbishing it. There will definitely be photos!
As far as supporting ourselves on the road. We plan to have our first year of expenses saved, then work to refill that savings for the next year, so we're always working for the next year on the road. We've started a list of ways to make money, including workamping. Niether of us are above scrubing some toilets or emptying some waste tanks for a free site.
We were originally talking about going all out and getting a big 5th wheel and a new truck to haul it. It made it seem more overwhelming. Now that we're going vintage, we've decided to just fix up our 1998 Ford F150 and use that to haul. We're going to have the hardware installed in the bed and get a ramp so we can just haul my husband's Harley with that. I don't plan on getting my own.
You might want to reconsider your tow vehicle, IMO a F150 is not the right truck for towing. I would suggest at least at least 3/4 ton pick-up for towing just for the saftey factor. I don't know how much you intend to spend on your F150, but in the long run I think you would be happier with a bigger truck.
I was also taking into consideration that most Harleys are a heavy ride. We had a 2001 Ultra full dresser and it was heavy. Then there is the fact that most 1/2 ton pick-ups have small brake drums and pads and many of the teardrops have no brakes at all.
I have driven long haul trucks for over twenty years and I can't remember how many times I have seen someones possessions scattered all over the road because of their choice in tow vehicles. So if I am a dream buster so be it, I would much rather see people getting to were their going and living their dream than waking up to a nightmare.
I was thinking along the lines of the rig and not thinking about the load. DOH!
I'm not sure where you got the idea that we're buying a house, but we're not. We're still in the same rental we've been in since 2005. We plan on living in this house until we are ready to move into our dream home/RV :)
We have actually reconsidered keeping the '94 Ford f150 and just having it overhauled and using it to haul. We've decided to either get a Class C and tow the motorcycle or get a newer 3/4 ton truck. If we go with the Class C we'll go newer, but if we go with the travel trailer we're still thinking vintage. We didn't end up buying our trailer last summer as we just can't seem to decide on exactly what we want.
Some things have changed since my first post. We are both back in college and will not be done for several years. Once we're done we both plan to actually get real jobs, and that is going to keep us pretty tied to one location for most of the year. However, we still want to live in an RV full time and have the option to travel in the summer and during breaks. My issues is, we live in Minnesota and all the camp grounds are closed during the winter. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I don't have any idea as to what is available in your area, but you might consider mobile home parks instead of RV parks. Some mobile home parks may have some facilities for RV's or have their mobile home sites set up where either could be used.
Here in Oklahoma City, we are in a mobile home park. When we were researching everything, we found 3 or 4 mobile home parks that were set up for RV's.
If your experience would be similar to ours, it is cheaper for us to be in the mobile home park than in an RV park. RV park's monthly rates can be pretty high and you may still have to pay for electric.
Just be sure and take proper procedures to protect your water lines.
Terry
Either way, visualizing and actually feeling what your RVing life will feel like in the rig you have virtually selected will help you decide if that is REALLY the RV that will work best for you.
We have discovered as have many of our RVing friends, there will be some compromises in each class or floorplan you review. So far, we haven't found ANY RV that is 100% perfect in every way ... at least for us ... yet :D
I agree 100%
Now I just need to hire someone to come teach us how to use it LOL
Welcome and your fun is just beginning. Pretty soon you will be an old pro at it. When we bought our rig, all we knew was that it had a steering wheel!!
Safe and happy travels
Melissa
I've been a bit disappointed at how unenthusiastic my family & friends have been about this. It's been my dream for over 10 years and nobody seems all that excited about it. I feel like it's just me and my hubby that care. I am trying to tell myself that is enough, but it hurts that they don't even really seem interested. At least I have this forum to be my nerdy RV self and discuss things that others have no interest in discussing. I can't wait to attend a rally and pick everyone's brains.
Until later~
Stacy,
LOL 
Please don't be discouraged by your family and friends reactions. I get the same thing; you want to do what? Why? Are you sure? I get it all. But I don't think they mean to be discouraging, they just don't understand. The static lifestyle is the society norm and I think it's something they will not 'get' until you actually do it and they 'see' you happy and enjoying life! So keep your dream alive and lean on your husband for that support. I am currently solo and I keep coming back to this forum for my encouragement. Otherwise I think I might have given up. But I'm stubborn. Watch out FT world!
Good luck! See you out in the world!
I am so excited for you. After reading your first post til now. When we bought our RV everyone thought us crazy and, like MerryPaws said, living in a s/b is the norm for most people. We knew nothing about our MH when we purchased it, Bill used to tent/camper camp, but you learn, it seems to come natural sometimes. We have been full timing for a year now and haven't looked back.
Hopefully we will meet one day 'down the road'. Enjoy following your dream and drive safe.
Stacy,
As others have said, we have gotten it all from "your nuts!" to "are you sure you have a plan?". Then there are those who are really cool to it (and there are more of them then the nay-sayers)
We just celebrate our 1 year anniversary living FT after selling our S & B and love it! No looking back....that was a different chapter in our lives.
Whatever you do, make yourself happy and you too will have no regrets!
Good Luck,
Les
What an interesting thread and this is the first one I've started to read (other than the abbreviations). Right now I am in the "swamp of information" mode. I'm still exploring Howard's journal (they haven't even taken off yet in 2005!). My dream is to have a setup like Froggi family...the toy hauler, a Can-Am Spyder 3-wheel motorcycle and hopes of being a fulltime RVer... Geesh, this must be my wildest dream ever, but I can't shake it. A 60+ single lady on a motorcycle???? Well, the rest of it, living in a small space, getting rid of all the "stuff" is easy, thanks to all the years in Oregon with camping, fishing and such. Good luck on the new acquisition, your schooling and future plans!
I've enjoyed reading your journey... we just got this CRAZY RV notion this year when the nest emptied a year sooner than we expected and I'm so burnt out on driving 45 min. - and hour to get home in the Charlotte traffic. We thought we'd sell the house and move closer to work only to find out the housing market hasn't recovered enough for us to make what we would need to buy what we would WANT to live in. So DH jokingly mentioned an RV one day, but the longer I stewed on it the better it sounded. I downloaded a book from AMAZON to read up on the full timing idea and 5th wheel should be ready when we get back from our middle son's wedding in TX on 9/21.
We have gotten the opposite response to our choice. Everyone is jealous and happy for us! Although we do live in a campers paradise, NC with so many campgrounds and NASCAR followers:) My youngest daughter is still shocked I will be LIVING in a CAMPGROUND, since the ONLY camping I've done was rent a furnished, air conditioned cabin! lol (she loves the idea though:) From some of the earlier comments on WI camping I would guess maybe that's part of the families reaction, none the less, once you start bringing back the stories and pictures I think they'll start to see the other side:) What people don't know they're afraid of.
We're like you, KNOW NOTHING, but the RV stores around here offer 2-3 nights of free camping/training with your purchase. You should see if some of your local dealerships offer that option. Maybe if you paid for your space and a training class they would do that for you??
Best Wishes!!
Dana
Well our maiden voyage to Texas was quite an adventure to say the least. There were wonderful parts, and not so wonderful parts. All in all, a great learning experience. I've got really good at emptying the black/grey tanks. Which I find very exciting, only in that it's something I've actually mastered on the RV.
We had two extra passengers with us on our maiden voyage. It was a two week trip, and needless to say, four people, in the RV, for two weeks... it got old. On the way down we ended up stranded on the interstate. We decided that trip insurance, such as AAA or one of the many others, could wait. Well that totally bit us right in the backside! I did all the driving as my husband doesn't feel comfortable and I have my CDL and drive school bus, so it was second nature to me. I knew I was losing power and was doing everything I could to milk it another 1/2 mile to the exit. It was still dark and I did not want to be on the freeway broke down. We didn't make and stalled out literally 1/2 a mile from the exit. It was dark, cars & semi's were whizzing by, and it was scary. Finally come dawn we got ahold of a local towing company. He came out, had a jump pack which he hooked up to our battery and left it hooked up and followed us off the exit to a truck stop that was just off the exit. I would rather be broke down at a truck stop than the freeway.
The jump pack cost us $75. Once at the truck stop we called a local shop and he came out to the truck stop, which is not the norm, and checked our battery. He said he thought the battery was just bad. So he went back to his shop, got a battery, installed it, and check again. Nope, it was the alternator. The battery cost $175. So then we found a local guy who could change the alternator, and lost a day of travel getting that fixed. So around $800 later we were on the road again. Ugh.
The drive down, other than the break down, went great. She gets about 10 miles to the gallon, which was more than I expected, so I was happy about that. We rolled into Galveston around 2:30am, tried to park and get set up without waking all our neighbors. I have to say, we LOVED the park we stayed at in Galveston. Delanara RV Park.... Highly recommend it. They were awesome, it was right on the water, nice facilities, free wi-fi. Loved it!
Everything went well there, except it was super hot and our air conditioner started leaking inside. I'd love some advice about that problem!
The drive home... that's when the nightmare began. We were about an hour from being out of Texas. It was about 10:00pm, I was on the freeway, driving about 55 in a 70mph zone because the wind was hellacious! Suddenly I see cherries behind me. I pull over, and it was a long story, but I got pulled over because the bikes on our bike rack were obstructing the view of our license plate. I was detained behind the RV in the dark, along the side of the highway for about an hour & a half. He ended up calling for back up, searched the entire RV for drugs, illegal aliens, or other contraband. All because he thought I seemed overly nervous! Well duh! He looked in all our cupboards, under the seats, in our suitcases, in all our outside compartments, even the ones on the traffic side I had to open for him. He even went on top of the RV. It was ridiculous. Needless to say, all he found was three fat people and some snacks. Once we finally got back on the road, the wind was awful. By the time we got to Des Moines I was a nervous wreck. We spent the night there and headed back to Minnesota the next day. The motorhome handles way worse on windy days than my school bus does.
So we learned a lot. Had some adventures, and can't wait to live in her full time!