As time passes we are moving out of vacation mode and into the RV lifestyle.  It seems that when we find a good place we have little motivation to move on unless there is an outside stimulas like the kids want to see us or something is broken and needs to be fixed.  We generally find a lot of places to explore and things to do in a new place and it takes a long time feel the need to move.  Now we don't see this as a problem but we were just wondering.  What motivates you to move on to the next place?

Larry and Jacki

It's funny, we wrestle with the same problem, but coming from the oppisite side. We can't seem to slow down and set for a while without getting the urge to move on and see a new place. We've been fulltiming for over 18 months now and still seem to be in vacation mode. We get antsy after a week or so in one spot and feel the need to move on when we know where all the stores are and become familar with the area we're in. In the end, there's no right or wrong I guess, just what's right for you. It's a great life. Fred

Like Fred said, we talk about slowing down, but in actuality we don't seem to be able to.  Once we know where all the services are (grocery, gas station, drug store), the street names, and the shortcuts to get to all, it's time to move on.

It becomes comfortable, and being comfortable becomes uncomfortable.  How's that for a conundrum?  I've analyzed the situation trying to figure out what it is and one thing I came up with is fear.  Fear of settling down, fear of growing roots, fear of becoming complacent, fear of sliding into the "old life".

Just my deep thought for the day.

Life is a journey; death is the destination.

Larry and Jacki here the above reply is coming from two people that are going on vacation in a few months???? Go figure! If you like your digs stay for a while that is what we plan on doing. We will have an income and we will have to take the longer stays to get the better prices. If you find a place that is within driving distance to sites you would like to see then stay and enjoy. I really think that is what the Wishnies do but they don't tell anyone. HA! Have fun while you can Joe and Sherri

It took us a couple of years to slow down. Now, we seem to travel in "spurts". We'll stay some place for 1 to 4 weeks, and then travel for a few months.

With us, I think the higher fuel prices were partly responsible for slowing us down, but it seems after awhile, our tires get itchy and we have to move again.

Isn't full-timing great? We can all do exactly what we want, when we want!!!

Ok, ok.  Yes, we're going on vacation, but not because we need one.  After all, life now is like a vacation.  But Fred's son is generously providing a week's stay in a villa in Puerto Vallarta for the whole family to enjoy some time together on a family vacation.  It will be tough to drag ourselves down to Mexico in November, but hey, we'll sacrifice for the sake of the family.

Yes, we do some day trips to sights from where we stay, but I don't think we hide it.  Personally if it takes more than an hour to get somewhere, I'm not really interested unless it's an awesome, not-to-be-missed sight, and I can't stay any closer.

And at today's fuel prices, that's not very economical, even if you get a weekly or monthly rate at a campground.

We've stayed a week in a campground to get the benefit of a weekly rate, only to sometimes find we'd rather leave after a few days because we don't like it there.  We've also paid the daily rate for more than a week's stay because we've extended our stay at places we enjoyed more than we thought we would.  You never know.  And I can tell you, we would never sign up and pay for a month somewhere until we've been there, no matter how good the deal.  Life's too short to be unhappy for even just a month.

Hug someone you love today.

Believe me I was not knocking the way the Wishnies travel! I myself am fashioning my future travels after theirs. I have noted the places they stay and the sites they see and Sherri and I have set up a trip much the same as theirs. We enjoy their journal, which is so informative that you feel you have traveled right along with them. I would hope that all the RV-Dream folks look in on the Wishnies now and again. I will tell you some of their adventures are a HOOT. Jo and Fred keep doing what you do we need the good read. Thanks Sherri and Joe

We don't sit still well as you can see by the yearly maps we have on our journal. Our longest stay ever was one winter month in Apache Junction, AZ. We are going to try staying 2-1/2 months in Fort Myers Beach, FL this winter. It will be interesting.

But back to the original question. There is nothing wrong with finding a place you like a staying a while. It is your choice and your comfort zone. Just watch the weather situation. Many people move between the hot parts of Arizona and the high elevation parts of Arizona every year and that is their traveling, summer in Show Low and winter in Yuma for example. There is nothing wrong with that.

If you feel guilty not seeing someplace else that will eventually motivate you to move. If that takes seven months, so be it. But if you are staying really long and keep going back to the same place think about getting a condo or a park model.

To play with the OP (original post) a little, I don't know if it is "motivation to move" or "motivation to STAY" that drives me. It seems some of the other posters above can't decide which it is either!

For me, it is doing or being "where" I want to be "when" I want to be there and staying as long as "I" want. Geeze, what a fantastic lifestyle... I have done over 13,000miles in the past 3 months alone AND have already signed up to sit still for a solid month (or more) this winter skiing at Breckenridge, Colorado. Talk about both ends of the spectrum.

That freedom and flexibility to stay OR go is what motivates me!

As my wife and I are ending our first year of fulltiming, we have talked about slowing down this next year. However, we find that after 3 weeks in one place we are both ready to move on.