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I’ve been a full time rver for over a year now. There are challenges to this life such as finding a new place to park every week/month/couple of months. Getting groceries, storing food, getting gas, propane, showers all at once takes some logistics planning. If your boondocking on public land, the limit is 14 days. Don’t make the ranger have to come out there.
One think I learned is that problems can happen no matter where you are, rv, van, house.
Another is that people tend to bring their 21st century problems with them into “nature.” Things take longer to do out here. Getting water, cooking, cleaning, they may take a little longer. Things aren’t as instantaneous as a sticks and bricks. And being without wi-fi for a few days is not the end of the world.
I'm not certain who you were targeting, kentucky62, but it's certainly an interesting site.
As for me, since I'm in the investigating/dreaming state I plan on
going to the RTR with the Cube and a tent. I was planning on going last year but I just wasn't prepared. I know a lot more now and will be better prepared. I may just go to the women's rtr, rather than the combined one. I really don't like crowds much and the women's was smaller.
If you haven't seen this story Ms. Meo, you may like reading this older ladys' blog of life on the road, how she got started, prices, boondocking. etc. Very innovative woman, to be sure
I found RV travel to be very low cost. I average $7/night for camping. I have a senior pass which cuts camping costs in half for National Parks, forests, etc. Propane costs me about $15/month.
My truck has an extended warranty and I also have tow insurance. I have had no expenses and minimal issues other than a flat tire.
My camper is now 15 years old. Considering the years and thousands of nights of use, repairs have been minimal. I can only think of a few items costing money: $15 water heater ignitor, $100 water pump, $10 generator spark plug, $100 solar controller. I replaced the batteries twice and had to replace a jack that cost $300.
I cannot begin to imagine what your friend is doing that is costing thousands of dollars.
Thanks for your reply.
My friend and his wife drive a lot. They have been from NJ to Alaska and every state in between. They don't hang much in camp grounds. He generally does not like camp grounds because of the density and air conditioners running all night. But they do have a camp ground they like very much in MD above the Chesapeake. They take their grandkids there for a week. Lots of kid activities planned by the managers.
My friend is super handy. Does a lot of home repair. They just re did the cushions in their third wheel. On the road to Alaska he changed his own springs. But he did comment if he purchased again he would buy a better brand.
And some repairs were on his pickup truck. Had to wait in one town for several days for a new transmission. He is conservative on repairs and he does things for the long term.
I don't know. Not sure I am happy I read this thread. The bug is coming back..
I’m retired and I like my home to stay in one spot. I think the idea of moving around from one strange place to another, under primitive conditions, sounds terrible. Humans do not like change. Retired humans do not like change, squared.
Thankfully, dh and I are on the same page. If we pass a campground full of expensive motor homes, lined up side by side, we always say, “does that look like your idea of a good time?” Oh, heck no.
When I started, I bought a new pickup truck and an extended warranty. That covered the first 7 years. I only had to pay for tires and fluid changes. I bought a used camper in excellent condition. It was a consignment sale so the dealer found and fixed any even minor issue because the seller covered the costs. It was also a brand recommended by the dealer. Many RVs are really built poorly. An honest dealer should be able to tell you which are well built and which are junk.
I’ve been a full time rver for over a year now. There are challenges to this life such as finding a new place to park every week/month/couple of months. Getting groceries, storing food, getting gas, propane, showers all at once takes some logistics planning. If your boondocking on public land, the limit is 14 days. Don’t make the ranger have to come out there.
One think I learned is that problems can happen no matter where you are, rv, van, house.
Another is that people tend to bring their 21st century problems with them into “nature.” Things take longer to do out here. Getting water, cooking, cleaning, they may take a little longer. Things aren’t as instantaneous as a sticks and bricks. And being without wi-fi for a few days is not the end of the world.
I like your attitude. As I've stated, I am in the dreaming and studying stage. Even though my apartment is reasonable, due to finally getting section 8, there's no guarantee I'll get it forever.
I think of traveling and how nice that would be. I don't know how long I would do it but the savings, as I'm very frugal, would allow me to eventually buy a small mobile trailor, a moveable one like a casita, if I choose to settle down.
I could ,a: buy a small plot of land to put it on, b: settle in a RV/mobile home park, or c: go so far as to return to Minnesota and live on the family farm close to my brother and sister. The farm is 40 acres so there's no space problem.
I've lived with both of them when I lost my job and house. Love them but don't want to live with them in their houses. Near them would be fine. My brother posts these wonderful pictures of the garden he's doing this year. Everything looks so yummy my mouth waters. In fact, now that I think of it, if I do this I could spend the hot months on the farm.
The farm is right on the lake and the fishing is excellent! I do miss the fishing. There's nothing quite as tasty as fresh caught fish.
I’m retired and I like my home to stay in one spot. I think the idea of moving around from one strange place to another, under primitive conditions, sounds terrible. Humans do not like change. Retired humans do not like change, squared.
Thankfully, dh and I are on the same page. If we pass a campground full of expensive motor homes, lined up side by side, we always say, “does that look like your idea of a good time?” Oh, heck no.
I'm not even sure what we're all talking about anymore. I thought the idea was to take a van and drive around the country for a year. I took a tent in my car and did it for a few months a long time ago--saw all the national parks and loved it. But we broke it up into smaller trips, like the next winter, we took car and tent down the east coast, camping most of the way, and ended up skin diving in Florida. Thing is, we were both teachers and we got 2 months of summer off plus maybe ten days at Christmas.
We had a place to come back to also. I would never want a gigantic RV and I can't stand those ugly RV parks with all the RVs crowded in together either. What's the point? Maybe they have their place, but I don't know about it. dh and I sort of do the same traveling around now when we go to the UK--rent a car and see the sights. Stay in quaint olde cheap Victorian hotels or B&Bs out in the country. If I wanted an American style hotel, I might as well stay home.
Almost forgot, one summer ex dh and I and two German friends camped all over Europe. It was great because we were with the ordinary people and we got to see out of the way things. An oom pah pah pah band marching down a village road, waking up in the tent to a stray cow wearing a bell, other things that were off the beaten path. The Alps...on our own, all of it on our own, driving where we wanted to, camping in nice campgrounds with other friendly campers. You don't really get the feel of a place or a genuine experience if you travel with an organized group. To me, this thread is not about living in a van. I would hate that. It's about traveling. Traveling light. I love that. And when you are traveling, you have a place to come home to. Otherwise, it's not traveling, it's living permanently.
Last edited by in_newengland; 08-22-2019 at 07:50 PM..
Or an adventurer. Or a life long learner, always seeing and learning new things.
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