Just found RV-Dreams.com and have been enjoying all the information found within. My wife, daughter and myself have been camping since 2010 part time. In 2009 fall I bought a slightly used 2000 Holiday Rambler Admiral 35 ft from a friend to pull my drag race trailer. I wanted the girls (pit crew) to be comfortable while we raced. We would use the camper for that as well as taking our long summer vacation with it and other various stays in local state parks. We enjoyed the camping so much that when I quit drag racing we continued to camp all summer with it. I sold the Admiral in the fall of 2014 so I could full fill my promise to my wife to remodel the kitchen/main floor/2nd floor of the house before my daughters graduation. It was very sad to see the camper drive away because of all the memories we had with it. The summer of 2015 was really a tough one since it was the first summer not camping and also my daughter(only child) left for basic training, so lots of time to think. We kept busy that winter with small house projects like remodeling downstairs bathroom and finishing laundry room, but we knew another summer like that could not be tolerated. :) This spring we were looking at campers and decided on a 5th wheel since I had a 2001 Ford F250 diesel already that I used to pull race trailer before I had the motor home. We found a 2016 Jayco Eagle that we really liked and while showing the wife that one the salesperson showed us a hold over 2015 Open Range 368RLS. We couldn't believe the openness of the Open Range and the options and features and build quality really was far better than the Jayco. We would be getting way more space, features and deal with the hold over since they had lots of rebates on it. We decided on the Open Range and couldn't be happier. We've camped all summer long with no issues at all. I'm pretty handy so I've fixed little minor things along the way and with the experience I had with the motor home, the 5th wheel camper has been a piece of cake.
We've spent a lot of time thinking of full timing with the new camper. We have always dreamed of doing it when we retired, but now we are reconsidering this because of so many things can happen with age etc that we decided we would like to do it while we are relatively young (47 currently). I would still work since I can work from anywhere as long as I have internet. I've watched lots of full-timers do the same. We have come up with a tentative plan to take 2017 to downsize and sell stuff and prepare the house for sale in spring of 2018. If all goes well and the house sells quick (which it should) we would then rent a town home for a few years while daughter finishes college. We would be debt free when house sells, so we would stick away one of our salaries and save big time because we wouldn't be able to use investments for any income. We would still camp in the summer and use the time to prepare the camper for full-timing and get it just the way we want it so no surprises when we do decide to leave. I will buy a newer truck when we are ready to take to the road. We would start off going to warmer climates in winter and then make our way back to home in the summer months. The hardest part I think will be is to leave our only child behind and the wife is really struggling with that, but with social media and all the technology the distance would be an issue. She'll be gone for 6 months this winter for training, so we'll get a taste of it then. I think it will be good for everyone and let her spread her wings. I think that is a doable plan that will give us enough time to prepare and not stress each other out. Of course life can change in a heart beat, so we'll take it one day at a time. :)
I appreciate all of you sharing your journeys and I look forward to eventually sharing ours. :)
Thanks, Matt and Lisa
BiggarView said
09:55 AM Nov 23, 2016
Welcome aboard. As fellow future FTers I'll say you have given some thought to your plans. Having gone through certain portions of the research phase ourselves, I have a couple of thoughts, first it occurs to me that your mindset of "camper" should change to "House on wheels" for FTing. Having said that, I'd prioritize upgrading your truck. I'm guessing that your 5er is at or exceeds the F250's rated limits both on GCVW and probably on RAWR loading (with a full compliment of people and gear in the truck when you move your "house".) Respected voices on here recommend more truck than merely adequate, the arguments for such thinking are sound. I'd hate to hear a horror story. Just sayin', Yes you can tow it, but safely (which includes stopping) is the name of the game. Next I'd look at trailer tire (and possibly wheel) upgrades. As it is common espoused on here, "it all depends" and "your milage may vary".... so that one, is just food for thought. We are looking at 2019 spring for our FT kickoff, so you'll beat us out of the gate (not jealous, okay maybe a bit).
Happy trails, Brian
-- Edited by BiggarView on Wednesday 23rd of November 2016 09:56:42 AM
fallguy said
11:33 AM Nov 23, 2016
BiggarView wrote:
Welcome aboard. As fellow future FTers I'll say you have given some thought to your plans. Having gone through certain portions of the research phase ourselves, I have a couple of thoughts, first it occurs to me that your mindset of "camper" should change to "House on wheels" for FTing. Having said that, I'd prioritize upgrading your truck. I'm guessing that your 5er is at or exceeds the F250's rated limits both on GCVW and probably on RAWR loading (with a full compliment of people and gear in the truck when you move your "house".) Respected voices on here recommend more truck than merely adequate, the arguments for such thinking are sound. I'd hate to hear a horror story. Just sayin', Yes you can tow it, but safely (which includes stopping) is the name of the game. Next I'd look at trailer tire (and possibly wheel) upgrades. As it is common espoused on here, "it all depends" and "your milage may vary".... so that one, is just food for thought. We are looking at 2019 spring for our FT kickoff, so you'll beat us out of the gate (not jealous, okay maybe a bit).
Happy trails, Brian
-- Edited by BiggarView on Wednesday 23rd of November 2016 09:56:42 AM
Yep. I agree. I will be changing the "camper" to our "home" once we are full timing. It took us a while to change our verbiage from "motorhome" to "camper" . :)
I'm going to use my current truck for now since I just got new tires, all new brakes, new tranny cooler, air bags and extra fuel cell. It pulls great and stops great so we'll keep it a few more years. We just camp locally for now in the various state parks and when we sell the house I'll upgrade to a dually and that will be our FTing rig. I also just bought all new Sailun's that I'm going to put on the camper in the spring and tire monitor sensors. I worried about those Akuret tires every trip.
I'm not sure I'll be beating you FTing, since we will hopefully sell the house in 2018, but we'll be renting a town home for a few years and making sure daughter is set with her life, but who knows. I'm hoping by 2020.
RonC said
10:17 PM Nov 23, 2016
So just adding a voice here ... I'm sure your truck "hauls and stops everything just fine". Have you weighed your truck "ready to travel", have you weighed your total rig "ready to travel" ... now, having done that, and calculating your RAWR and your CGWR are you legal? Do you have the appropriate license for your rigs GVWR's in your state? If any of those don't look like a green light, you are risking everything on "it hauls it and stops it just fine". Which no law enforcement officer or court cares about. Get legal and get licensed or you will be held liable and accountable. Sorry to be a buzz kill, but LAWYERS just love this stuff. Insurance Companies love lawyers ... so get legal or you will ALWAYS BE AT FAULT. This is serious business, when others are giving you bad advice. YOU are responsible for all of this. So my advice is get it right because you can't afford to do anything else.
Hello all,
Just found RV-Dreams.com and have been enjoying all the information found within. My wife, daughter and myself have been camping since 2010 part time. In 2009 fall I bought a slightly used 2000 Holiday Rambler Admiral 35 ft from a friend to pull my drag race trailer. I wanted the girls (pit crew) to be comfortable while we raced. We would use the camper for that as well as taking our long summer vacation with it and other various stays in local state parks. We enjoyed the camping so much that when I quit drag racing we continued to camp all summer with it. I sold the Admiral in the fall of 2014 so I could full fill my promise to my wife to remodel the kitchen/main floor/2nd floor of the house before my daughters graduation. It was very sad to see the camper drive away because of all the memories we had with it. The summer of 2015 was really a tough one since it was the first summer not camping and also my daughter(only child) left for basic training, so lots of time to think. We kept busy that winter with small house projects like remodeling downstairs bathroom and finishing laundry room, but we knew another summer like that could not be tolerated. :) This spring we were looking at campers and decided on a 5th wheel since I had a 2001 Ford F250 diesel already that I used to pull race trailer before I had the motor home. We found a 2016 Jayco Eagle that we really liked and while showing the wife that one the salesperson showed us a hold over 2015 Open Range 368RLS. We couldn't believe the openness of the Open Range and the options and features and build quality really was far better than the Jayco. We would be getting way more space, features and deal with the hold over since they had lots of rebates on it. We decided on the Open Range and couldn't be happier. We've camped all summer long with no issues at all. I'm pretty handy so I've fixed little minor things along the way and with the experience I had with the motor home, the 5th wheel camper has been a piece of cake.
We've spent a lot of time thinking of full timing with the new camper. We have always dreamed of doing it when we retired, but now we are reconsidering this because of so many things can happen with age etc that we decided we would like to do it while we are relatively young (47 currently). I would still work since I can work from anywhere as long as I have internet. I've watched lots of full-timers do the same. We have come up with a tentative plan to take 2017 to downsize and sell stuff and prepare the house for sale in spring of 2018. If all goes well and the house sells quick (which it should) we would then rent a town home for a few years while daughter finishes college. We would be debt free when house sells, so we would stick away one of our salaries and save big time because we wouldn't be able to use investments for any income. We would still camp in the summer and use the time to prepare the camper for full-timing and get it just the way we want it so no surprises when we do decide to leave. I will buy a newer truck when we are ready to take to the road. We would start off going to warmer climates in winter and then make our way back to home in the summer months. The hardest part I think will be is to leave our only child behind and the wife is really struggling with that, but with social media and all the technology the distance would be an issue. She'll be gone for 6 months this winter for training, so we'll get a taste of it then. I think it will be good for everyone and let her spread her wings. I think that is a doable plan that will give us enough time to prepare and not stress each other out. Of course life can change in a heart beat, so we'll take it one day at a time. :)
I appreciate all of you sharing your journeys and I look forward to eventually sharing ours. :)
Thanks,
Matt and Lisa
Welcome aboard. As fellow future FTers I'll say you have given some thought to your plans. Having gone through certain portions of the research phase ourselves, I have a couple of thoughts, first it occurs to me that your mindset of "camper" should change to "House on wheels" for FTing.
Having said that, I'd prioritize upgrading your truck. I'm guessing that your 5er is at or exceeds the F250's rated limits both on GCVW and probably on RAWR loading (with a full compliment of people and gear in the truck when you move your "house".) Respected voices on here recommend more truck than merely adequate, the arguments for such thinking are sound. I'd hate to hear a horror story. Just sayin', Yes you can tow it, but safely (which includes stopping) is the name of the game. Next I'd look at trailer tire (and possibly wheel) upgrades. As it is common espoused on here, "it all depends" and "your milage may vary".... so that one, is just food for thought. We are looking at 2019 spring for our FT kickoff, so you'll beat us out of the gate (not jealous, okay maybe a bit).
Happy trails, Brian
-- Edited by BiggarView on Wednesday 23rd of November 2016 09:56:42 AM
Yep. I agree. I will be changing the "camper" to our "home" once we are full timing. It took us a while to change our verbiage from "motorhome" to "camper" . :)
I'm going to use my current truck for now since I just got new tires, all new brakes, new tranny cooler, air bags and extra fuel cell. It pulls great and stops great so we'll keep it a few more years. We just camp locally for now in the various state parks and when we sell the house I'll upgrade to a dually and that will be our FTing rig. I also just bought all new Sailun's that I'm going to put on the camper in the spring and tire monitor sensors. I worried about those Akuret tires every trip.
I'm not sure I'll be beating you FTing, since we will hopefully sell the house in 2018, but we'll be renting a town home for a few years and making sure daughter is set with her life, but who knows. I'm hoping by 2020.