Edit by moderator: Deleted post as it duplicated the first post in the thread. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Saturday 15th of September 2012 12:34:26 PM
Terry and Jo said
09:42 AM Jun 21, 2012
Part of your posting:
"We found, again through research, that there is advice on Where to Park to park for free or at least very cheap. This is called Boondocking. Boondocking is 'free parking' that is not listed as an offical RV Campsite. One place that is always open to RV's is WalMart parking lots. Not that I want to wake up to a parking lot when there is so much natural beauty to be had out there, but in a pinch!"
Unfortunately, this statement is misleading. Not all WalMart locations allow overnight parking of RV's. If one does not see signs prohibiting RV parking on the premises, then one still needs to be sure and check with that store's management for permission.
Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Thursday 21st of June 2012 09:59:28 AM
53 Merc said
01:50 PM Jun 21, 2012
You might find the attached website interesting http://www.freecampgrounds.com/ also, in case you have not found it, look at http://www.rvparkreviews.com/ for additional suggestions. Be sure and use an average of reviews. Different strokes for different folks, ya know.
Edit by moderator: Activated links. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Thursday 21st of June 2012 09:39:01 PM
RVLivingUSA said
03:05 PM Jun 21, 2012
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -MARK TWAIN
Introductions....we are Jazmin and Nate - a couple in our 30's about to take on the biggest adventure of our lives: living in an RV full-time while traveling the great U.S.A. But first, we have to fully renovate our RV as we bought it completely gutted!
We will be blogging about our adventures, starting with the renovations at:
Here's a little on what we have done thusfar to prepare..... Step 1: Research, research, research From our first thoughts of 'maybe' we can pull this off, we found numerous RV blogs & RV websites of other people who have gone before us. From Full-Time RV'ers to occassional tripsters, there is actually a ton out there!
We wanted to see if other's had tried RV or Motorhome Living Full-Time. Once we saw that the RV Lifestyle is totally doable (even Cheap RV Living) we felt the nudge getting even stronger. We read blogs and watched Videos of RV Living, which were all very informative & just added to the excitement.
Once this dream seemed realistic, we started researching some of the other logistics we were interested in, like what kind of RV to Purchase. There's no way we can afford a New RV (in the 50k range), so we are looking for a reliable Used RV. There are so many options: Class A (Winnebago), Class B (extended van), Class C (truck chassis with extended bed), or even Converting an everyday vehicle into an RV. We settled on a Class C as our best choice. It is big enough for us and our cats, but uses much less gas than a Class A.
We are also interested in doing this as a Green RV Lifestyle, so we researched how others made their RV Living experience Green. Very doable actually!
Once we did enough research to made an educated decision, we started talking about the logistics of life on the road. One of the biggest questions is, "will we be able to pay for gas?" So, in our search for the perfect Class C Motorhome, we need something that has a truck engine for gas mileage at 10mpg and above. RV Fuel Economy is a must right now.
The next big question is parking. We will probably have an issue in the beginning as we live in an apartment community with limited parking, so that will be fun trying to figure that one out! BUT, when we leave here, finding Overnight RV Parking is do-or-drive.
We found, again through research, that there is advice on Where to Park to park for free or at least very cheap. This is called Boondocking. Boondocking is 'free parking' that is not listed as an offical RV Campsite. One place that is always open to RV's is WalMart parking lots. Not that I want to wake up to a parking lot when there is so much natural beauty to be had out there, but in a pinch!
Next is BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) - my favorite option. This is federally run National Forrests and other preserved lands. Usually parking is free, if not very, very cheap - especially if you buy a yearly pass, which gets you on any BLM land for one yearly price. Another plus is the extended stay policies. Most National Forrests allow up to 2 weeks parked in one spot within the property. If you want to stay longer, you just have to move a predetermined distance and park again! No problem-o. The biggest perk is that you wake up to the beauty that this country has to offer as your front and back yard.
Harvest Hosts is another option for free overnight camping although it is just for one night at a time for a low yearly fee. Harvest Hosts are a network of farmers, wineries and other RV'rs who are currently settled down and offer up their driveways for parking. We hope that maybe one of the wineries needs some laborors in exchange for parking & wine. Whoot, whoot!
Actual RV Campsites, like KOA's, Good Sam Campgrounds, CampUSA are options as well, but definitely at the high-end in pricing. One way to help with pricing on campsites and other logistics is to join RV clubs like The Good Sam RV Club, Passport America, and Escapees. It is very inexpensive to join and from there you can get services like insurance, road-side assistance, discounts and mail service.
Joining RV clubs is really helpful for info & discounts. The Good Sam RV Club has been around forever and is really inexpensive to join. Plus they offer many services all in one place: RV Insurance, RV Roadside Assistance, RV Campsite Discounts, Storage Unit Discounts
Knowing where to turn for RV Maintenance is important as a lot of that responsibility falls on the RV owner. RV Roadside Assistance is helpful, but not free. Luckily there are plenty of websites that offer advice or call-in assistance like: RVers Corner, Money Saving RV Repair.
There are other things we will probably just figure out as we go. For example, if we are going to stay somewhere for an extended period of time and you need RV Hook-Ups, you can work at a campsite. This is called Workamping. You get paid a very low hourly wage for being the RV Campsite Host, but your camp fees are also included so it's a pretty good deal.
Finally, we are traveling with two cats so there are other considerations for RVing with Pets.
There is obviously much more, but we'll post as we figure it all out!
Thanks for visiting RV Living USA and feel free to contact us with questions or experiences you have had in this lifestyle.
adeline and ed said
03:36 PM Jun 21, 2012
This looks like planned advertising. moderator please check
RVLivingUSA said
03:42 PM Jun 21, 2012
This is not an ad!! I was just sharing everyting we researched to do RV Living full-time. Our website is purley a road journal. We are just a regular couple trying to find community. that is all!
Gary said
05:01 PM Jun 21, 2012
In cases like Walmart Parking Lots or similar establishments, it is always best to call ahead and, if approved, get the person's name. This way, when you arrive, check in with the manager on duty. If it is someone other than who you talked to, provide the name of the person you did talk to.
Then buy your dinner or breakfast from them along with any supplies you might need. Always good to patronize the store that is letting you stay the night for free.
PIEERE said
07:29 PM Jun 21, 2012
Ypu can web search Allstays.com for box stores; state parks; truck stops; free camping. Quite informative and updated often. Pieere
Racerguy said
08:05 PM Jun 21, 2012
RVLiving USA Welcome to the site.I'm a little shocked at the welcome you received as normally everyone is very friendly here.Don't be deterred by what you have seen so far and come back often.
Technomadia said
10:11 PM Jun 21, 2012
Hi Jazmin & Nate.. and welcome! It's awesome to have you join us on the road! We also hit the road in our early-30s and 6 years later, still loving it! Last year we bought a 1961 bus conversion, and have been totally renovating it as we roam - fun fun fun.
Aside from this group, I'd also recommend hooking up with www.NuRVers.com (and their Facebook group) - which is made up mostly of us non-retired age RVing crowd. You'll for sure find some additional community connections there. :)
Best wishes.. and if you have questions along the way, ask away!
- Cherie
Workinrvers said
10:44 AM Jun 22, 2012
Welcome Jazmin & Nate,
Just finished reading your blog, Great Job! Looking forward to hearing more of your adventure.
Edit by moderator: Deleted post as it duplicated the first post in the thread. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Saturday 15th of September 2012 12:34:26 PM
Part of your posting:
"We found, again through research, that there is advice on Where to Park to park for free or at least very cheap. This is called Boondocking. Boondocking is 'free parking' that is not listed as an offical RV Campsite. One place that is always open to RV's is WalMart parking lots. Not that I want to wake up to a parking lot when there is so much natural beauty to be had out there, but in a pinch!"
Unfortunately, this statement is misleading. Not all WalMart locations allow overnight parking of RV's. If one does not see signs prohibiting RV parking on the premises, then one still needs to be sure and check with that store's management for permission.
Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Thursday 21st of June 2012 09:59:28 AM
You might find the attached website interesting http://www.freecampgrounds.com/ also, in case you have not found it, look at http://www.rvparkreviews.com/ for additional suggestions. Be sure and use an average of reviews. Different strokes for different folks, ya know.
Edit by moderator: Activated links. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Thursday 21st of June 2012 09:39:01 PM
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed
by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
-MARK TWAIN
Introductions....we are Jazmin and Nate - a couple in our 30's about to take on the biggest adventure of our lives: living in an RV full-time while traveling the great U.S.A. But first, we have to fully renovate our RV as we bought it completely gutted!
We will be blogging about our adventures, starting with the renovations at:
WWW.RVLIVINGUSA.COM
Here's a little on what we have done thusfar to prepare.....
Step 1: Research, research, research
From our first thoughts of 'maybe' we can pull this off, we found numerous RV blogs & RV websites of other people who have gone before us. From Full-Time RV'ers to occassional tripsters, there is actually a ton out there!
We wanted to see if other's had tried RV or Motorhome Living Full-Time. Once we saw that the RV Lifestyle is totally doable (even Cheap RV Living) we felt the nudge getting even stronger. We read blogs and watched Videos of RV Living, which were all very informative & just added to the excitement.
Once this dream seemed realistic, we started researching some of the other logistics we were interested in, like what kind of RV to Purchase. There's no way we can afford a New RV (in the 50k range), so we are looking for a reliable Used RV. There are so many options: Class A (Winnebago), Class B (extended van), Class C (truck chassis with extended bed), or even Converting an everyday vehicle into an RV. We settled on a Class C as our best choice. It is big enough for us and our cats, but uses much less gas than a Class A.
We are also interested in doing this as a Green RV Lifestyle, so we researched how others made their RV Living experience Green. Very doable actually!
Once we did enough research to made an educated decision, we started talking about the logistics of life on the road. One of the biggest questions is, "will we be able to pay for gas?" So, in our search for the perfect Class C Motorhome, we need something that has a truck engine for gas mileage at 10mpg and above. RV Fuel Economy is a must right now.
The next big question is parking. We will probably have an issue in the beginning as we live in an apartment community with limited parking, so that will be fun trying to figure that one out! BUT, when we leave here, finding Overnight RV Parking is do-or-drive.
We found, again through research, that there is advice on Where to Park to park for free or at least very cheap. This is called Boondocking. Boondocking is 'free parking' that is not listed as an offical RV Campsite. One place that is always open to RV's is WalMart parking lots. Not that I want to wake up to a parking lot when there is so much natural beauty to be had out there, but in a pinch!
Next is BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) - my favorite option. This is federally run National Forrests and other preserved lands. Usually parking is free, if not very, very cheap - especially if you buy a yearly pass, which gets you on any BLM land for one yearly price. Another plus is the extended stay policies. Most National Forrests allow up to 2 weeks parked in one spot within the property. If you want to stay longer, you just have to move a predetermined distance and park again! No problem-o. The biggest perk is that you wake up to the beauty that this country has to offer as your front and back yard.
Harvest Hosts is another option for free overnight camping although it is just for one night at a time for a low yearly fee. Harvest Hosts are a network of farmers, wineries and other RV'rs who are currently settled down and offer up their driveways for parking. We hope that maybe one of the wineries needs some laborors in exchange for parking & wine. Whoot, whoot!
Actual RV Campsites, like KOA's, Good Sam Campgrounds, CampUSA are options as well, but definitely at the high-end in pricing. One way to help with pricing on campsites and other logistics is to join RV clubs like The Good Sam RV Club, Passport America, and Escapees. It is very inexpensive to join and from there you can get services like insurance, road-side assistance, discounts and mail service.
Joining RV clubs is really helpful for info & discounts. The Good Sam RV Club has been around forever and is really inexpensive to join. Plus they offer many services all in one place: RV Insurance, RV Roadside Assistance, RV Campsite Discounts, Storage Unit Discounts
Knowing where to turn for RV Maintenance is important as a lot of that responsibility falls on the RV owner. RV Roadside Assistance is helpful, but not free. Luckily there are plenty of websites that offer advice or call-in assistance like: RVers Corner, Money Saving RV Repair.
There are other things we will probably just figure out as we go. For example, if we are going to stay somewhere for an extended period of time and you need RV Hook-Ups, you can work at a campsite. This is called Workamping. You get paid a very low hourly wage for being the RV Campsite Host, but your camp fees are also included so it's a pretty good deal.
Finally, we are traveling with two cats so there are other considerations for RVing with Pets.
There is obviously much more, but we'll post as we figure it all out!
Thanks for visiting RV Living USA and feel free to contact us with questions or experiences you have had in this lifestyle.
This looks like planned advertising. moderator please check
This is not an ad!! I was just sharing everyting we researched to do RV Living full-time. Our website is purley a road journal. We are just a regular couple trying to find community. that is all!
Then buy your dinner or breakfast from them along with any supplies you might need. Always good to patronize the store that is letting you stay the night for free.
Hi Jazmin & Nate.. and welcome! It's awesome to have you join us on the road! We also hit the road in our early-30s and 6 years later, still loving it! Last year we bought a 1961 bus conversion, and have been totally renovating it as we roam - fun fun fun.
Aside from this group, I'd also recommend hooking up with www.NuRVers.com (and their Facebook group) - which is made up mostly of us non-retired age RVing crowd. You'll for sure find some additional community connections there. :)
Best wishes.. and if you have questions along the way, ask away!
- Cherie
Just finished reading your blog, Great Job! Looking forward to hearing more of your adventure.
Phil