I probably should have made this my first post but I jumper right in to buying an RV.
After mulling about retirement prospects for several years, my wife (Maribeth) and I have decided that I will retire at the beginning of June, 2017 when I will be 59 and a half. We are lifelong campers who have spent reasonably long vacations in extremely tight quarters, back packing (me and the boy only), tenting (all 4 of us). Hybrid tent trailers, etc. We tend to boondock and enjoy hiking, biking and kayaking. We are likely to spend a deal of time at state and national parks and will probably need a generator and/or solar panels.
We will be travelling with our daughter who has Down Syndrome and who will be with us permanently. Part of the reason for our decision is that the post school opportunities for people with Down Syndrome are not all that great. I am curious to know if anyone else travels with a family member with developmental disabilities and how that works out. Emily has been a real trooper as we have camped over the years and should be fine provided she has access to TV and music fairly regularly. I expect she will be a hit if we ever participate in rallies.
Anyway, hello again everyone and please indulge what I imagine will be a number of plan revisions, option contemplations, and general naivete over the next couple of years. I intend to be a frightenlingly educated consumer by the time we buy
DebbieM said
09:52 AM Mar 23, 2014
Welcome to your family! I'm sure if you browse through this forum you will find many answers to questions. If you don't there are many folks on here with lots of info. I know there are some who also travel with disabilities or health issues. If you have not looked through RVillage.com yet, there is a group there in which others also share your concerns.
Sounds like you're getting a great plan together. Attending a rally in the future would be a great idea too!
WestWardHo said
11:23 AM Mar 23, 2014
Welcome Paul and MB,
Love your "intend to be a frighteningly educated consumer by the time we buy"! When I found this forum I took a couple of months to read Howard's Journal from making the decision to present. Lots of great information on there. Plus, you can search this forum's topics by using the search button in the blue bar on top.
Your Down Syndrome daughter would be welcome at Rally's I'm sure.
Sherry
Terry and Jo said
02:24 PM Mar 23, 2014
Paul,
Welcome to the RV Dreams forums. You have a definite advantage that you have a good amount of time to do your research. You will find the folks here to be very knowledgeable about a lot of information about RV's and the RV lifestyle. Feel free to ask questions as we all tend to learn from each other. Don't worry about "dumb" questions because the only dumb ones are those that DON'T get asked and the individual learns costly or time consuming lessons because they failed to ask that question.
The only topics we don't discuss here are politics and religion. For obvious reasons.
Enjoy the learning and researching process. When looking at RV's, imagine yourselves doing the normal day-to-day chores in each area of the RV. Would the arrangement of the kitchen be beneficial for preparing meals? Would the location of the bathroom sink and shower cause any problems? How about the height of the shower head? Also, keep in mind that the frame, suspension, axles, wheels and tires are the very foundation of the RV, so make sure those are of good quality, size, and strength.
Terry
PaulandMB said
03:20 PM Mar 23, 2014
I am pretty sure that She who Must be Obeyed has the layout completely under control. We had our house built and I discovered that it was possible to agonize over the pulls on one's cabinetry. Sadly, I am the ultimate white collar guy who is an accomplished primitive camper but no mechanic so things like axles, wheels and suspensions are Greek to me. Hence the long research curve. I think we will attend a rally next year with our little hybrid to meet people and pick brains.... Thanks for indulging us
Paul, Maribeth, and Emily
Jo and Ben said
09:16 PM Mar 23, 2014
Welcome Paul, Maribeth, and Emily! This is a great place to learn and connect with great people.
Alie and Jims Carrilite said
05:50 PM Mar 24, 2014
Hi! Everybody started somewhere and this a great place to start! Ask all the questions you need. Sometimes the answers are given, sometimes you'll be pointed in the right direction. Research away!
Kitties Mom said
05:38 AM Mar 26, 2014
I am a Special Education Teacher and I love how you are planning with your daughter. How is she with maps? Plan to get a map of the USA for the trailer so she can track your travels. My favorite item for our trailer is a notebook/scrapbook that documents our travels. Start talking now about what she would like to be in charge of and have fun buying the the supplies. She can send away for pamphlets and information over the next couple of years to start getting all of you prepared. Getting mail is a thrill when it is not bills. Even though she has been camping all of her life, talk about the differences now and it will make the future easier.
BiggarView said
08:10 AM Mar 26, 2014
PaulandMB wrote:
..... Sadly, I am the ultimate white collar guy who is an accomplished primitive camper but no mechanic so things like axles, wheels and suspensions are Greek to me. .....
Careful you don't pigeon-hole yourself. Howard, our esteemed Forum Host will tell you that in the beginning he was as you claim to be. I'll wager he knows more now about stuff he never thought he'd know about, including axles, wheels and suspensions. You may surprise yourself. Learning is part of this adventure and, by the by, what you learn will be passed on to those of us who will be following you out on the road(no pressure)
PaulandMB said
10:57 AM Mar 26, 2014
Kittie.
Emily does pretty well. With a lot of advocacy on our part, she received a mainstreamed education through grade 12. Taking regular but modified courses in each area and only spending one or two periods a day in the Special Ed classroom. As a result, she reads on about the fifth grade level and tends to appreciate entertainment geared to adults a bit more than kids shows. Unfortunately, the level of services available once a child ages out of secondary school was never great and is now being further limited due to budgetary constraints. This factors into our plan to retire early and go on the road for a few years.
I would imagine that she will most enjoy the outdoor life (easy hikes, kayaking, etc) which she has enjoyed for most of her life. As well as general sightseeing, cooking, and her music and TV once she is on the road.
We did a presentation at TASH (which is an advocacy group comprised of individuals with disabilities, caregivers and educators) a few years ago on developing a person centered inclusive curriculum and Emily more than held up her own on a panel comprised of the consultant who worked with our school to design her program, Emily and her parents. I could see us putting together a similar presentation about life on the road once we have some experience to share.
TRAILERKING said
11:17 AM Mar 26, 2014
biggaRView wrote:
PaulandMB wrote:
..... Sadly, I am the ultimate white collar guy who is an accomplished primitive camper but no mechanic so things like axles, wheels and suspensions are Greek to me. .....
Careful you don't pigeon-hole yourself. Howard, our esteemed Forum Host will tell you that in the beginning he was as you claim to be. I'll wager he knows more now about stuff he never thought he'd know about, including axles, wheels and suspensions. You may surprise yourself. Learning is part of this adventure and, by the by, what you learn will be passed on to those of us who will be following you out on the road(no pressure)
With the right teachers/coaches you can achieve anything....................Guaranteed!
bigredoes said
12:09 PM Mar 26, 2014
Welcome Paul, Maribeth, and Emily.....
I've been doing this RV thing since 1994 - and still know VERY little...... so don't fret just jump into the pool....
I probably should have made this my first post but I jumper right in to buying an RV.
After mulling about retirement prospects for several years, my wife (Maribeth) and I have decided that I will retire at the beginning of June, 2017 when I will be 59 and a half. We are lifelong campers who have spent reasonably long vacations in extremely tight quarters, back packing (me and the boy only), tenting (all 4 of us). Hybrid tent trailers, etc. We tend to boondock and enjoy hiking, biking and kayaking. We are likely to spend a deal of time at state and national parks and will probably need a generator and/or solar panels.
We will be travelling with our daughter who has Down Syndrome and who will be with us permanently. Part of the reason for our decision is that the post school opportunities for people with Down Syndrome are not all that great. I am curious to know if anyone else travels with a family member with developmental disabilities and how that works out. Emily has been a real trooper as we have camped over the years and should be fine provided she has access to TV and music fairly regularly. I expect she will be a hit if we ever participate in rallies.
Anyway, hello again everyone and please indulge what I imagine will be a number of plan revisions, option contemplations, and general naivete over the next couple of years. I intend to be a frightenlingly educated consumer by the time we buy
Welcome to your family! I'm sure if you browse through this forum you will find many answers to questions. If you don't there are many folks on here with lots of info. I know there are some who also travel with disabilities or health issues. If you have not looked through RVillage.com yet, there is a group there in which others also share your concerns.
Sounds like you're getting a great plan together. Attending a rally in the future would be a great idea too!
Love your "intend to be a frighteningly educated consumer by the time we buy"! When I found this forum I took a couple of months to read Howard's Journal from making the decision to present. Lots of great information on there. Plus, you can search this forum's topics by using the search button in the blue bar on top.
Your Down Syndrome daughter would be welcome at Rally's I'm sure.
Sherry
Paul,
Welcome to the RV Dreams forums. You have a definite advantage that you have a good amount of time to do your research. You will find the folks here to be very knowledgeable about a lot of information about RV's and the RV lifestyle. Feel free to ask questions as we all tend to learn from each other. Don't worry about "dumb" questions because the only dumb ones are those that DON'T get asked and the individual learns costly or time consuming lessons because they failed to ask that question.
The only topics we don't discuss here are politics and religion. For obvious reasons.
Enjoy the learning and researching process. When looking at RV's, imagine yourselves doing the normal day-to-day chores in each area of the RV. Would the arrangement of the kitchen be beneficial for preparing meals? Would the location of the bathroom sink and shower cause any problems? How about the height of the shower head? Also, keep in mind that the frame, suspension, axles, wheels and tires are the very foundation of the RV, so make sure those are of good quality, size, and strength.
Terry
I am pretty sure that She who Must be Obeyed has the layout completely under control. We had our house built and I discovered that it was possible to agonize over the pulls on one's cabinetry. Sadly, I am the ultimate white collar guy who is an accomplished primitive camper but no mechanic so things like axles, wheels and suspensions are Greek to me. Hence the long research curve. I think we will attend a rally next year with our little hybrid to meet people and pick brains.... Thanks for indulging us
Paul, Maribeth, and Emily
Careful you don't pigeon-hole yourself. Howard, our esteemed Forum Host will tell you that in the beginning he was as you claim to be. I'll wager he knows more now about stuff he never thought he'd know about, including axles, wheels and suspensions.
You may surprise yourself. Learning is part of this adventure and, by the by, what you learn will be passed on to those of us who will be following you out on the road(no pressure
)
Kittie.
Emily does pretty well. With a lot of advocacy on our part, she received a mainstreamed education through grade 12. Taking regular but modified courses in each area and only spending one or two periods a day in the Special Ed classroom. As a result, she reads on about the fifth grade level and tends to appreciate entertainment geared to adults a bit more than kids shows. Unfortunately, the level of services available once a child ages out of secondary school was never great and is now being further limited due to budgetary constraints. This factors into our plan to retire early and go on the road for a few years.
I would imagine that she will most enjoy the outdoor life (easy hikes, kayaking, etc) which she has enjoyed for most of her life. As well as general sightseeing, cooking, and her music and TV once she is on the road.
We did a presentation at TASH (which is an advocacy group comprised of individuals with disabilities, caregivers and educators) a few years ago on developing a person centered inclusive curriculum and Emily more than held up her own on a panel comprised of the consultant who worked with our school to design her program, Emily and her parents. I could see us putting together a similar presentation about life on the road once we have some experience to share.
With the right teachers/coaches you can achieve anything....................Guaranteed!
I've been doing this RV thing since 1994 - and still know VERY little...... so don't fret just jump into the pool....