Rambling's of a Dreamer & HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Well its finally here the end of another year has just wrapped up. Goodbye 2013 and Welcome 2014. This is our departure year, the year we will hit the road as full time RV'ers. As long as everything goes according to plan. But you know what they say about plans. You plan, God laughs.

We hope to be laughing as we drive away from our sticks and bricks house around November. Still have a lot to do before that happens. We continue to clear the house of years of accumulation, I sometimes stop and wonder where it all came from. For example I found a metal box in the spare bedroom. It had a number 3 on the cover and checkerboard trim around it. After opening it I found a lock back knife inside. It had the Dale Earnhardt #3 and finish line checkered flag on the handle. I don't even like Nascar. So where did this come from and how long have I had it. It even had a sticker on the box for $4.99, it was a cheap knife. But again WHY would I have it to begin with. A mystery I'll not spend anymore time on. It goes into the garage sale box for when spring get here.

 

I wrote recently about feeling I'm not getting anything done due to winter being here and not to many people have yard sales in the cold. I know we don't. I came across some groups on facebook, kind of online community yard sale pages. You join and post pictures of the item you want to sell and any description needed and wait for people to say they want the item. The three groups I joined are all local so you can agree to meet close by and exchange money for the item sold. Not the answer to a house full of stuff to get rid of but if it gets a few things gone, so much the better.

One resolution I'm making this year is not to worry so much, but needing to earn an income while being on the road will be a thorn in my side until we actually get out there and find work. Barb doesn't think this will be a problem but as I keep telling her the glass is half empty. She on the other hand seems to see the glass as spilling all over the floor because its so full. I guess that makes us a good team, we can kind of rein each other in as needed. Although she seems to do most of the reining.

We are still debating over what floor plan we will want but I think that is a minor issue for now. For now we concentrate on emptying a full house, doing some minor upgrades and dreaming of the day we can jump off this hamster wheel.

I wish for all reading this your dreams come true, you too jump off your hamster wheel and lead the life you want, where you want to, and how you want. I can't wait to meet you out there on the road. Until that time comes, Safe Travels and HAPPY NEW YEAR. 

Should I go?

Making the decision to become a full-time RVer is one of life's "big ones." Only in a few other instances will the average person have the opportunity to choose a new direction for his or her life that will have the impact this one does. The change from a conventional life to a full-time life on wheels has outcomes as dramatic as going from single to married, from being childless to becoming a parent, or from an idle life to fully employed. It affects where you are, what you do, how you do things, who you are associated with -- in short, it's a whole new ball game. For that reason, it is definitely a question that deserves your very best attention and thought before you take the plunge.

It is a fact that not everyone is suited for full-timing. True, anyone can do it, but not everyone can do it successfully. For example, theoretically, anyone can jump out of an airplane with a parachute; anyone can raise goats on a farm; anyone can live the life of a hermit in a shack in the desert; but the reality is that most people don't want to do those things.

By the same token, from the standpoint of being physically able to, anyone can get a motorhome and live it it full-time, but not everyone wants to.

Psychological makeups are the deciding factor; not everyone has the attitudes necessary.Which takes us to the question: How do we know if we are suited for full-timing? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could simply take an attitude test and the score would tell us whether or not we should go for it? However, there are some characteristics of successful full-timers that are readily apparent to anyone who observes such people carefully. A review of some of them might help a person who wonders about his or her prospects for the full-timing lifestyle.

Anyone considering making the dramatic change in lifestyle that full-timing calls for should ask him/herself these basic questions:

Am I dissatisfied with the way I am living? If you are completely happy with the life you are living, why make a big change in it? If you get up happy, spend the day happy, love the people around you, enjoy your home and where you live, why on earth would you want to change it? On the other hand, do you have the feeling that you would like to go more, do more, see more -- a feeling that you want something more in your life than what you have and that something has to do with seeing other places, other people and other things? If your answer is "yes," then you are beginning to fit the full-timer mold.

Do I like adventure and excitement? Surprisingly, not all people do, but it is definitely a characteristic of most full-timers. They're the people who are always looking at maps and seeking new roads and places to visit. They're curious and have enough daring spirit to tackle the unknown. They listen to others tell of wonderful places they've been to, and it makes them want to go, too. Most have some of Daniel Boone's genes!

Am I a daring person? Very simply, you have to be rather brave just to tackle driving a motorhome or pulling a big trailer. Most full-timers' motorhomes are quite large because they serve as homes, so it isn't unusual for the rig to be 30-plus feet long and weigh 10-plus tons. Getting behind the wheel of such machines and joining the traffic in a city or on a winding mountain road isn't a task for a timid person. Successful full-timers are people who don't mind a challenge.

Am I a gregarious person? Full-timing is definitely a "people-intensive" lifestyle. The best illustration of that point is that RVers talk to each other. They don't need formal introductions, they don't even need reasons to greet each other and start chatting; they simply do it naturally. RVers live close to each other in parks; they have to be good neighbors in order to get along. On the other hand, if you are shy and reticent around strangers, you might find that you have a problem fitting in with the RV crowd.

Above all, do I have a good relationship with my spouse? Full-time RVers live very close to their spouses even in the largest motorhomes. It takes real understanding and the ability to compromise for a couple not to get on each other's nerves. In a house, they can get away from each other relatively easily by going into another room.

You need to answer these questions truthfully before charging ahead with the fulltime RV lifestyle.

Christmas Wish List

Well with just hours before jolly old St. Nick makes his rounds there's still time to get your wish list up to the North Pole for those last minute gifts for the RV'er. I believe these are some of the things most fulltimers might like to unwrap this year.  I know I would. 

Multimeter – This doesn't have to a top of the line meter just something you can test the power box at your campsite so you do NOT fry your RV because there was a problem. I'd rather fry a multimeter than my rig.
Weather Alert Radio – Let's face it most of us get into this life style to stay one step ahead of bad weather. It sure would be nice to know when the storm is going to hit and more importantly, Where.

Shower Head – How's the water pressure in the shower? A new Oxygenics replacement shower head will not only save water, it will push enough water pressure to get you rinsed.


T.P.M.S. - Tire Pressure Monitoring System. This bad boy not only monitors tire pressure but also the temperature of each tire so you have plenty of time to get off the road safely before a blow out happens.

Heavy Duty Tire Gauge – I'm not talking about those $2.00 jobs at the auto parts store. You need accurate readings when checking tire pressure. After all, Tires aren’t pretty but they are expensive.

Cell Amplifier and Antenna – There are a lot of areas out there that won't get real good cell phone reception so you can amplify the signal.

America the Beautiful National Parks Pass – Save lots of money and see some awesome place at the same time.

Passport America – The original 50% off camping club. Enough said.

Gift Cards – Amazon comes to mind, so does Camping World, Cabela's, any restaurant, or 100's of others.

So if you've been nice this year you just might get lucky tomorrow night. And just in case you run into Santa let him know I've been pretty darn nice myself.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Part II by Gaylord Maxwell HOW MUCH DOES IT TAKE

HOW MUCH DOES IT TAKE

The following article written by Gaylord Maxwell orginally appeared in Motorhome magazine June 2001 issue.
How much income do you need to be a full-timer? Undoubtedly, that is the question I am most frequently asked regarding living on the road. Younger people, particularly, are concerned about what kind of economic goals they should set to prepare for their future. Folks who are around retirement age are concerned about whether or not the fixed income that they have will be sufficient to maintain an acceptable standard of living. Obviously, these are legitimate concerns that must be addressed by every person who is considering taking to the road full-time.
So, how much does full-timing cost? My glib answer is: Whatever you've got. There is no specific amount that can be pinpointed as the right amount for full-timing or, for that matter, any mode of living. It's just fact of life that people live pretty much according to what their incomes will permit in terms of houses, vehicles and leisure-time activities..
People will do very much the same in the RV lifestyle as they did in "normal" life. The wealthier will have more expensive motorhomes, stay in fancier parks and indulge themselves in the way they live, while the poorer will have smaller, cheaper rigs, stay in less expensive parks and pinch pennies. Obviously, people who had high incomes during their working years will require more retirement income then people whose earnings were more modest. Both, however, will probably do well as full-timers because they will make what they do, where they go and what they spend fit their pocketbooks.
And it is a fact that, regardless of income, much of what people enjoy most about the full-time lifestyle does not depend on how much money you have. The reality is that the sun shines at exactly the same temperature on a poor fellow as it does on a rich fellow. Yellowstone National Park's famous views cannot be enjoyed any more by a rich man than they can by a poor man. The feeling of freedon that is enjoyed by most full-timers is no more intense for wealthy people than it is for those with less money. In short, full-timing is not a lifestyle that requires a definite amount of income for all participants. However, each individual who is preparing for it should have some definite ideas about how he expects to live and what the costs would be to support that plan.
Let's look at some economic realities that pertain to everyone who expects to be a full-timer. Above all, we should be aware of changing economic realities. About a dozen years ago, I did a study of full-timers' incomes to prepare for a seminar on full-timing. My figures showed that at that time the median income of those I surveyed was about $1500 a month. Many of today's retirees or near-retirees have incomes exceeding $5000 per month. I haven't seen any professional studies on this, but I would be willing to bet that the median income for recent full-timers has moved up to almost double what it was 12 years ago.
Whether or not those figures correspond favorable with those of the average retiree in all lifestyles, I don't know. But I'm sure that the recent influx of "boomers" has pushed the retirement-income median upward, and it quite likely will continue to go up. My point is that many of today's retirees have greater expectations for their retirement years than many of us in the previous generation, so they will need more income to live successfully as full-timers.
Add to the greater expectations factor the reality of increases in many costs associated with RVing. Motorhome prices, for example, have increased primarily because of two factors: diesel engines and more bells and whistles. Then there's the price of fuel, which has gone off the wall, and heaven knows where it will be next year. Campground fees are higher, partly due to the demand for more amenities and partly due to the higher operating costs that are being passed on to customers. Rising utility prices will undoubtedly drive prices up even further. (Utility costs affect homeowners even more.)
I suspect that a study of full-timers' incomes today would show that the median monthly income is in the $2,000-$2,500 range. I also suspect that in five years it will be $500 higher. That isn't to say that your income goal should by $3,000 per month for full-timing as of 2006, but that's quite likely where the median figure will by. However, even if it is that high, remember that one-half of all the folks on the road full-time will be making less - many much less - then that, and they will be all getting by just fine.
Despite the higher incomes of today's full-timers and the rising costs of some of the expenses associated with RVing, my original response to the question of how much full-timing will cost is still essentially the same: whatever you have.

Full-timing RV Aptitude Test

This week I will start a 4 week series about the RV lifestyle. First let me say none of the articles were written by me. The original author was a man by the name of Gaylord Maxwell.

From Chuck Woodbury in an article from RVTravel, 2012

Maxwell was the beloved founder, director and guiding light of the Life On Wheels conferences.

The former history teacher turned RV dealer started writing articles for TL Enterprises (Trailer Life, MotorHome, RV Business, Woodalls Campground Management) in 1972. His column in MotorHome magazine has been a feature for more than 25 years. The author of two books -- Fulltiming: An Introduction to Fulltime RVing and Home, Sweet Motorhome -- he and Margie had spent their winters in Yuma, Arizona. Among Gaylord's many honors in the RV industry was his induction into the RV Heritage Foundation Hall of Fame in 1997. Mr Maxwell died in September 2008.

                                    The Maxwell Full-timing Aptitude Test

October 1, 2000

The Maxwell Full-timing Aptitude Test

The following questions pertain to your attitudes about how you want to live your life. The objective of the test is to compare your attitudes with those most characteristic of RV full-timers in order to determine whether or not you are suited to the RV full-timing lifestyle.

Print this test and choose the answers that best describe your feelings.

1. Most of the time, I feel that

a.	I am happy and completely content with my home, family and my present mode of living.
b.	I would like to go more, do more and see more.
c.	we live in a lousy world, and there’s not much anyone can do about it.

2. My idea of a perfect Sunday afternoon is

a.	to sit in a comfortable chair, eat snacks and watch a TV special.
b.	to work at my hobby alone.
c.	to take a drive in the country on a road we’ve never taken before.

3. At a large gathering of people

a.	I sometimes start conversations with strangers.
b.	I find a quiet spot at the side and watch.
c.	I talk only with people I know.

4. When planning a trip, I like to

a.	choose roads I am familiar with.
b.	select roads I’ve never taken before.
c.	stay on the interstates when possible.

5. My spouse

a.	is my best friend.
b.	bores me much of the time.
c.	generally does what he or she likes, and I do my own thing.

6. In heavy traffic or on mountain roads

a.	I am usually nervous or terrified.
b.	I watch the scenery or the people in their cars.
c.	I am usually bored.

7. When something breaks around the house or won’t work

a.	I usually try to fix it and frequently succeed.
b.	I usually just let it stay broken.
c.	I always call an expert to come and fix it.

8. My favorite book is

a.	a romance novel.
b.	an atlas.
c.	a spy thriller.

9. I most enjoy visiting

a.	shopping malls.
b.	historical houses.
c.	flea markets.

10. Given the choice, I would choose first to see

a.	Carlsbad Caverns.
b.	my favorite soap opera.
c.	a pro football game.

11. My favorite food is

a.	at restaurants.
b.	what I (or my spouse) prepares.
c.	what anyone else prepares.

12. My idea of the perfect way to travel is

a.	by air, staying and eating at hotels.
b.	by automobile, staying at motels and eating at restaurants.
c.	by motorhome or towing a travel trailer.

13. I would love to see more of

a.	Europe.
b.	Asia.
c.	the United States.

14. I am happiest when

a.	I am involved in a familiar routine.
b.	I am embarking on a new adventure.
c.	I am alone in my favorite room.

15. My experience in RVing:

a.	Never have done it, so I don’t know anything about it.
b.	Rather new at it, but I like it very much so far.
c.	Been at it for several years and love it.

16. How I feel about my home:

a.	It provides me with the roots that I must have.
b.	I love it, I am very sentimental about it, and could never give it up.
c.	I like it but it isn’t absolutely crucial to my happiness.

17. How I feel about my kids and grandkids:

a.	I love them dearly, but I have other things to do in life that cause me to be without them much of the time, and I can live with that.
b.	If I don’t see them every few days, I am very, very unhappy.
c.	I feel that families should get together every Sunday and holiday.

18. Meeting new people is

a.	not very exciting or interesting.
b.	usually a pleasant experience and sometimes leads to new friends.
c.	a meaningless chore most of the time.

19. My preference in a vacation destination would be

a.	to visit relatives.
b.	Nova Scotia.
c.	a nice hotel in Chicago.

20. My spouse and I

a.	tolerate each other most of the time.
b.	often laugh at the same things.
c.	go along together without much fuss and feathers.

21. Given the option, I would usually

a.	drive 100 miles out of the way rather than drive through Los Angeles.
b.	drive over a curvy mountain road rather than a flat desert road.
c.	not drive at all if I could ride with someone else.

22. If I were taking a long trip in an automobile, I would be least likely to
leave at home

a.	my tool box
b.	my best suit
c.	my favorite cassettes

23. Of the following three options, I would most like to

a.	spend a month at a Florida beach condo.
b.	have a month in which to do absolutely no work or chores.
c.	drive the Alaska Highway.

24. Before I leave this earth, I would like most to

a.	visit all 50 states.
b.	save up a lot of money.
c.	be elected to a political office.

25. If I won the lottery, my first big purchase would be

a.	a new house.
b.	presents for all my relatives.
c.	a new motorhome or trailer.

Answers:

1-b; 2-c; 3-a; 4-b; 5-a; 6-b; 7-a; 8-b; 9-b; 10-a; 11-b; 12-c; 13-c; 14-b; 15-c; 16-c;
17-a; 18-b; 19-b; 20-b; 21-b; 22-a; 23-c; 24-a; 25-c.

Scoring:

Each correct answer counts one point.

23-25:	Your chances of becoming a successful full-timer are excellent. Pack your rig and get going.
20-22:	Probably you will do OK, but you may have to work on a few problems now and then. Keep the house for a while.
15-19:	Success is up in the air. It looks like you would encounter some bumpy roads as a full-timer. Test the waters carefully with a trial run (say six months) before you cut home ties.
10-14:	Success doubtful. If you try full-timing, do so with your eyes open to the fact that you need to overcome some very anti-full-timing attitudes
9 or less:	Do yourself (and others) a favor; you’ll be happier if you stay at home.

The Maxwell Full-timing Aptitude Test was prepared by Gaylord Maxwell — motorhome
enthusiast, former RV dealer, founder of Life on
Wheels

Gumby and Pokey

As a kid I had a Gumby and Pokey set of figures. If you don't know or forgot who they were just Google them. Most people my age should know Gumby and Pokey. You could twist and bend them into just about any position you wanted to, after a while the wire inside them would poke out and fun time was over. That's OK they were cheap and could be bought anywhere.

My point here is as full time RV'ers you need to be flexible like our friends Gumby and Pokey. I have learned quite a bit about becoming a full time RV'er since I started doing my research. I don't know how much more I can learn without actually getting on the road and doing it. So some of the things I've learned so far are.

#1. Become Flexible. It's for your own good. Things are going to change often whether you like it or not. Go with the flow.

#2. Challenges are going to come up. Yes you can say they are problems instead, but problems are harder to deal with, besides who doesn’t like a good challenge now and then.

#3. Roll with the punches. That campground you were looking forward to staying at just booked the last site and you have to drive another 20 miles and pay a little more. Your blood pressure will think you.

#4. Always be Prepared. You just dumped your black tank and the valve broke off in your hand. No problem, you can replace it with the spare valve you carry with you. Just don't forget to stop at the next Camping World you come to so you can replace that spare valve.

#5. Yes, You can RV full time. If you can live in a permanent house you should be able to live in a home on wheels. Expenses will change, some will go away altogether and some will fall into a different category. I've learned most fulltimers have fewer bills. They no longer have homes to maintain, lawns to cut, utility bills are much lower and a whole lot more.  I think you get the general idea.

The bottom line is Be Flexible and get out there and enjoy life as best you can.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING           

 

 

SAFE TRAVELS

Plan for full time RV travel

What's your Plan for Full time RV travel

What's your plan once you get on the road. OK, Let's say all of your planning is done and you are somewhat satisfied with your budget and plans. Are you retired and going to live off your social security and savings? If yes, Do you plan on traveling the country and seeing the sights or will you settle down (to a certain degree) and stay in one area for an extended amount of time and really see the sites. Will you set an agenda of say visiting every national park in the country. Are you ready to give back and do some volunteering for your site. All very good options.

If you are like me and still have six years before retirement you'll need to work to make your plan feasible. Barb will retire next year so that will help us some. We will both need to work as close to full time as we can to live the style of life we want. Will it be easy? No. Is it doable? Yes it is. Will we have to make sacrifices? Of course we will. We've already started making sacrifices.

We have been having garage sales all summer long and will continue to have more when spring comes back around. This all means we are downsizing just about everything we have to get to the lifestyle we want. We plan to work the next six years doing whatever to make a living. 

I've researched possible jobs for RV folks. Some jobs are seasonal like working for Amazon during the Christmas season, typically working from October til about December 23^rd. The pay is a lot better than working at a campground but it is work so don't go in thinking this is going to be easy. Plan on working 4 10's every week. At least til they start with overtime. You might try the sugar beet harvest. This is a short term job usually only about 2-3 weeks but again the pay is better than minimum wage. The big drawback is the work is at night and the weather is cold. But the common thinking is, I can do just about anything for a few weeks or a few months.

Where will we work? Ideally wherever we want to go. Practically, wherever we find work. Looking at the different resources on the internet that shouldn’t be a big problem. 

Sure working someplace with a beautiful mountain range, or lake shore out the window would be great and yes we will look for those places. But that's not a deal breaker for us.

Getting on the road next year is not our end game. No its just the beginning. We want to travel the country to see and experience the wonders that are out there. Yes we will still be part of the rat race but hopefully a much smaller part, we hope. We are even looking at the possibility of Gate Guarding out in Texas. Gate Guarding is kind of misleading, you don't actually guard a gate. You are there to log oil workers in and out of the project so there is an accurate accounting of who is coming and going in case of an emergency.

The pay is so much more than minimum wage but the drawbacks are so much more. The gate must be watched 24 hours a day, so while one of you is sleeping the other is working. 7 days a week. No days off. But remember I said getting on the road was not our end game. If you can do this for a couple of years, you've saved up a nice little chunk of change. You have no campground fee, the company supplies you with a generator, 500 gallon water tank and pump out service as needed. I forgot to mention some of these oil field sites can be close to the Mexican border so illegals roaming around can be a problem at times.

There are amusement parks around the country that hire seasonal workers

(aka Workampers). You could also try some of the national parks. Some of the concessionaires rely heavily on workampers at national parks. A couple being Yosemite and The Grand Canyon.

So no matter what your plan for fulltime RV travel is there should be a plan for everybody out there to work and enjoy themselves along the way. Hope to see ya down the highway.

Stages

10 Stages To Getting On The Road

When Planning any BIG endeavor you need stages along the way as you go. This goes for anything weather building a car or getting ready to live the full time RV lifestyle. So lets take a look at what I believe the stages are and see if you are any closer to getting on the road.

1. I have a Hunch. The light bulb goes on over your head. Hey, I think I can do that. In other words, ACT ON IT.

2.Talk about it. Tell your family, friends, community. Yes you might have to explain quite a bit to some of them and some will still not understand. Try to involve
them as much as you can, it will make them feel better. They will be your support system.

3.The Sponge. Learn everything you can. Read all you can, watch you tube videos, ask   
questions on forums, join Facebook groups. Sponge up ideas.                                            

4.Build. Build your idea. Read, Write, Collect information. All you can. Visit RV dealers and ask lots of questions. (its best if you know most of the answers before you ask) That way you'll know if the salesperson knows what he's talking about.

5.Confusion. Dread, Heart of Darkness, Doubt, Fear. Think you’re confused now, wait till you start working on a budget. That's where you want to pull your hair out. Trust me. I know. But not to worry, as my Mom always said “This too shall pass”You will have fear and doubt, that's natural. You can work through it.

6.Take a Breather. Step away and take a break. Stop thinking about what you are doing. It may seem like a monumental task. Just remember the saying, How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Clear your head for a few days and then go back to work.

7.The Love Sandwich. Get constructive feedback from family, friends. Go back and look at #2. Those people. Again ask them questions. They will think of things you haven’t. Don't think they are trying to squash your dreams, they may be playing devil's advocate. Listen to what they have to say, and then go find out the answers. 

8.The Breakthrough. You will have many many false breakthroughs. Celebrate these little breakthroughs. All these little ones will ultimately lead to the Big breakthrough.

9.Revisit your notes. Go through your notes from time to time, try to find what you might have missed. Compare your figures to other full timers. Are your numbers close to theirs? If not see what may be different and why. You will always find a clue that brings it all together.

10. Know when you are done. Enjoy the Ride.

Work Till You Drop

Work Till You Drop, It Might be Healthy For You

Economists are saying we may have to work till the day we die. This could actually be good for you. I keep preaching you need to have a goal in life instead of going with the flow. You know, graduate, get a job, get married, have kids. The American Dream. I say you must have a purpose in life, AKA a Goal.

You also need to interact with other people in your work and have a social life. Weather you get paid for working or volunteer your time a person needs to stay busy. Put another way,

USE IT OR LOSE IT. Staying active keeps the blood flowing and the mind working. If you don't stay active all kinds of ailments can set in leading to even death.

Brigham Young University did a study showing health effects of social isolation the same as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Jeanne a Target cashier recently retired at the age of 95 might not be such a rarity any more. She said “If you don't use it you lose it”, she enjoyed every minute of using it.

Anybody working a strenuous job nearing retirement age should probably start thinking about what they might want to do after retirement. White collar workers can always cut back on their hours or of course volunteer their time usually at a slower pace.

A recent survey of 1000 middle class people indicates 37% will work till they are too sick or die.

A study of former workers found that those that retired at 55 died younger. I'm 55 and hope this is no longer true. But I know I will be working for a very long time, so I'm not to worried about that. Retirement should not be confused with being idle. So how can fulltime RV'er combat these risks.

Workamping comes to mind. Workampers usually work at campgrounds or state or national parks and do just about any job that needs to be done. From checking in campers to cleaning campsites or maintenance. Still others will find work at amusement parks, Amazon, doing sugar beet harvests. Fulltimers also become docents at lighthouses or sanctuary's.

No matter what type of work we do or where we do it at least we aren’t sitting idle

I'm Fine, Thanks

For the past year Barb and I have been planning our escape from this rat race lifestyle. We've looked at to many RV's to count, we've worked out a budget at least four or five times. I've researched working on the road and where to stay and paying less by staying longer in one place. I think this is going to work. This is doable, it really is.

Then that little devil that sits up on your shoulder and tries to get you in trouble by whispering things in your ear. You know what he says. This is life get use to it, You need more stuff, you can't just up and sell everything you own that's crazy. You are the sensible one. So why do I listen to this little guy? Because what he says makes a lot of sense.

But at the same time he's also a little full of himself. The truth is I'm tired of doing what's right or the norm. I'm ready to live life as I see fit. I downloaded a great movie called “I'm Fine, Thanks” it was put together by a guy that went to cinematography school. He had spent his life doing what was expected of him. You know getting a job, wife, children, house, more stuff. But he wasn't happy. He never made a movie. Like a lot of us “Life got very Ho Hum”.

So he set out to make a movie. With the help of four friends they set out across the country to interview people that had the same attitude, “THIS IS LIFE, THIS IS WHAT WE DO”. What started out without a lot of direction turned into one of those Ah Ha moments. He found a bunch of people that had no direction in their life and then they found the courage to take a stand from Ho Hum and turn their lives around. They had found their direction in life. I've recently found myself second guessing our decision to join the full time RV'ing lifestyle.

You know, is this the right choice for me, Can I really make this plan a reality? Since watching this movie I've come to the conclusion I've got to power through my doubt's and fears and just do this. I keep hearing this quote from the movie “If you're going to do something, Now's the chance, You don't have forever”

I saw a thread on one of my facebook groups this past Tuesday. The question that was posted was Am I making a mistake by going Full time. The question got 39 responses (all positive) and it sank in finally. This is MY choice to do and if I fail at least I tried.

In closing, I only have this left to say.

It's Only When You Start Making Choices For Yourself, That You Can Live Your Own Dream Instead Of The American Dream Which Is Somebody Else's Dream.

My reasons

People are stilling asking me if I've lost my mind. I ask them why they think I'm losing my mind. Well you're selling everything you own and moving into a recreational vehicle and traveling the country. Where will you live? Where will you work? Is your wife OK with this?

Well, let me attempt to explain some of this to you. We will live wherever we park the RV. There's a saying in the RV world, it says “Home is where you park it”. It's as simple as that. Work, well there are all kinds of places that hire full time RV folks. So we will look for these places wherever they might be. And YES Barb is very OK with this.

The two main reasons for this change in lifestyle is I'm tired of the BRAINLESS WONDERS in Washington. (see my post of Oct. 6^th.) The other reason is easy to explain but I think Charlie Daniels can explain it better. Please watch the video and I think you will understand my Why.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxi7bL53eqg&feature=player_detailpage
 I want to see all of this.

Get your money up front

Garage sales

This past weekend we had another garage sale. Yes it was very profitable. But I also learned some lessons that I feel I need to pass on to other Dreamers like myself. First of all get plenty of rest the night before. I don't mean stay up till midnight the night before because you think I'm off tomorrow I'll just be sitting in a lawn chair collecting money. No it does NOT work that way.

First off you have to get your signs out. I don't recommend putting them out the night before because you won't know if some mean person comes along and takes them down. (FYI) two weeks ago after sitting for what seemed like a couple of hours, a lady stopped and said I didn’t know you were having a sale today. I looked at Barb and said I think I'll go check our signs. Sure enough, our sign at the end of the street was on the ground. I put it back up and we were in business again.

So yes you need to get up early in the morning. I'm saying no later than 6am if your sale is going to start at 8am. You need time to put your treasures out so people can rummage through them and say that's it. No really you do need set up time and remember just because you advertise a 8am start time the hard core yard saler's(is that a word) will be there early. Please tell me you already have everything priced, if not then you better set that alarm for 5am. Buy plenty of little stickers you can price things with or a better plan is to group things together that you are willing to sell all at the same price. I have boxes that I write on saying everything in this box 25 cents or all DVD's $1.00. Big items all get a price sign so there is no mistake what the price is.

Its a good idea to talk to your better half before hand on any item that you are not willing to negotiate on, that way both of you can show a united front and people can't play the mom against dad game. Well they will try but they soon learn the two of you communicate and back down or pay the price you want. On most other things it's not a bad idea to negotiate, I mean the plan is to get rid of all your stuff. Of course you want to make as much money as possible.

The last thing I want to pass on to you is this. GET YOUR MONEY UP FRONT. I sold a couch and love seat, or I should say I agreed to sell a couch and love seat. They needed to go to the bank and get some cash but first wanted to move the couch out of the house. PROBLEM, the man damaged the side of the couch getting it out the door so now he didn't want it, the wife felt bad but the husband said it wasn't his fault. She ended up giving us $60.00 for the damage and they drove off. Lesson Learned.

So if you are interested I have a $450.00 leather couch and love seat for sale. Only $350.00. Slightly damaged...

Shopping for a RV

   So today we went RV shopping. Well not really shopping to buy but shopping for the things we would need, things we would like to have, and things we definitely did not want. When you do this I suggest you take a note pad and pen and a camera to record things that are important to you. You are going to want to act like you already live in the RV that you are in at the time.

   Sit at the table or dining booth to see how easy it is to get in and out. Are the chairs or cushions comfortable? How about the recliners? Leather or fabric, rocker or swivel or both. Can the television be seen by sitting on the couch and recliners? Look at the overhead lighting, is there enough? Are they in the right places. I hate trying to read a book without enough light to see.

   Are you a gourmet chef? How's the layout? Can you reach all of the cabinets and refrigerator? Is there sufficient storage for food items? Do you even have a pantry? One of our primary concerns. Now take a look in the bathroom. Step in to the shower, act like you are taking a shower. Do you have to duck your head when stepping in? Do you bump your elbows? Is the sink even big enough to spit into?

   Next comes the bedroom. Don't think because you only spend time sleeping in there it's not important. You still need some storage space. I feel at a minimum you need a dresser, end table, and at least one wardrobe. Just about every RV we've looked at so far has a hookup for a washer and dryer in the closet. I believe that's a lot of wasted space. Some people wouldn’t think of going on the road without a washer and dryer. Personal preference is all I can say about that. One thing that really bugs me is having to do the sideways shuffle to get into bed. That's when you need to turn sideways to walk around the bed. That's bad, but try to make a bed when can't even get to the head of the bed.

   Don't forget about storage. If you are going to become fulltimers you'll need extra storage space. Make sure when you're looking at RV's you look for all the storage areas available. Starting in the living room make sure the couch is a hide-a-bed and also has a drawer under it. The entertainment area should have lots of cabinets around the television, some units even come with a pull out desk which has some storage. Above the couch and recliners should be a set of cabinets to hold all kinds of stuff.

   Kitchens can be awfully small and that goes for storage also. Hopefully the kitchen will have a set of drawers at least and one large drawer for pots and pans. You'll need a pantry, got to keep your canned goods somewhere. One with slide out racks are the best. Most RV's have a two bowl sink at least with a cover to increase counter space which is always in short supply in any RV.

   Don't forget outside storage. If you are looking at a Class A motorhome than basement storage should not be a problem for you. Class C's can be a whole different story. Very little storage at all. Most 5^th. Wheels will have one large basement storage compartment that can be gotten into from both sides. One other area you should consider for storage is your tow vehicle or a towed vehicle. Both of these have storage space that can be used when you are pulling the vehicle or in the back seat of your tow vehicle. The longer you travel the more storage solutions you will be able to find.

BRAINLESS WONDERS

When I decided to start a blog I told myself my comments will always be about the RV lifestyle. I guess you could say this has something to do with RV'ing but really its more about the brainless wonders running this country into the ground up in Washington. My parents always taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything.

Well you can only bite your tongue for so long before your tongue starts to bleed. I figure you already know what this is going to be about and I promise to keep it as short as possible. Let me get the RV'ing part in first. There are millions of people out there living fulltime in their RV's and staying at national parks and national monuments all across the country. Now when the government shut down they are told sorry folks you have 24 hours to pack up and leave. No mention was made about getting a refund for the time the campers had already paid to camp there, guess they were just SOL. And what about all of the workampers working in the national parks? I guess they became some of the thousands of furloughed government workers.

Now I don't care if you are a democrat, republican, or a independent. If you are in Washington and claim to be working to end this mess do us all a favor and just fix it. We don't need a bunch of brainless wonders ( yes I'm going to keep calling them that) adding to the problem. IF YOU AREN'T PART OF THE SOLUTION, THAN YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

Stop being part of the problem and fix the problem. It seems like you brainless wonders are only concerned with whats best for you. Well screw your heads on straight and remember why you went to Washington in the first place. Learn to work together as a team (for the good of the country). Did any of you ever hear of the book titled “All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten” well maybe all of you need to go back to school and read it. And while I'm on my soapbox, Why is it OK for you brainless wonders to continue to draw a paycheck while over 800,000 other government workers aren’t drawing theirs. Its called a show of good faith, maybe the general public won't believe you but it might be a start. Although I think it would be a false start. Sorry I quit believing anything you BRAINLESS WONDERS say anytime your lips are moving.

It seems that everybody up there thinks, if you won't play by my rules I'll just take my ball and go home. Sorry brainless wonders it might be that way on the playground but it doesn't work that way in the big leagues. And you are in the big leagues. START ACTING LIKE YOU ARE A BIG LEAGUER. If not you might be sent down to the minor league before long. You know in the business world if you don't perform and make money for the company (aka USA) there's a good chance you will get fired. I'm sure most of you know with the way the economy is right now there are plenty of qualified applicants out there who would love to take your place and your salary that won't stop coming. I'm going to stop now mainly because I'm getting a headache just thinking about all of you BRAINLESS WONDERS.

Sorry folks I just had to add this.

The House of Representatives passed a bill Saturday that would grant federal employees retroactive pay for the time they were out of work during the government shutdown. Can you say paid vacation. Well here's your Show of Good Faith. Now don't we all feel much better about the BRAINLESS WONDERS running this country into the ground. Makes me proud to be an American.

I'M DONE

Searching for answers

You've decided that the RV lifestyle is the right move for you. But now you have 1000's of questions, Right? Where do you turn for answers? Well the answers are closer than you think. Thanks to the internet there's very little you can't find answers to. You just need to look. Social Media has made looking for information so easy. Are you a member on Facebook? If so just type in RV in your search bar and you'll find all kinds of RV'ing groups to join and you can pick the brains of all members in that group. Here's just a sample of groups on Facebook.

Rving on a budget, Workampers, RV Blogs, Workamping for Fulltimers, RV Dreamers,

Full Time RV ing, Rvers over 50. And that's just Facebook. How about LinkedIn, there's a RV group there also. Don't forget Yahoo. I'm sure you can find a bunch of groups on Yahoo.

How about just doing a Goggle search. Think you might find some answers there. Type these into your search and see what comes up. 

Workamper News, Escapee's, Gateguards.org, iRV2, Trailer Life Magazine, Hitch up and Go, RVThereYet Blog Network, Cranky Ape, Everything About Rving, New Rver-Beginners Guide to Rving. Again this is just a small sample of what's out there.

And don't forget about Blogs. Everybody traveling in their RV and those still dreaming about the lifestyle and trying to figure out how to do it has a blog. And of course you are reading my blog, Thank you by the way.  Good Luck and Happy Searching.

DOWNSIZING

OK so you've made the decision to become full time RV'er's, Now what? Now you are faced with many more decisions to make. When do I go? What do I drive or tow? Am I going to have to work? (You bet your sweet patootie you have to work). Unless you're independently wealthy. What clubs should I join? And a really big decision will be, What do I do with all of my stuff? Let's talk about DOWNSIZING..

Even if you live in an average sized house, let's say 1700 sq. feet., You are moving into a house that's about 250 sq. feet. See the Problem...

You will have limited space even with the added basement storage space. You have to make some thoughtful decisions on what to keep, what to store, what to toss.

Organize first

If possible empty out one room so you have a place to sort your stuff. Divide this room into sections.

Stuff to sell

Stuff to keep for the RV

Stuff to store

Organize by Groups

1. Clothes and Shoes
2. 2. Kitchen and Household Items
3. 3. Files, Papers and Office Items
4. 4. Tools and Garage Items

1. Downsizing Clothes and Shoes -Be Realistic!

This can seem like an overwhelming task, but unless you will be working a job that requires dressy clothes, you can probably pare down your wardrobe drastically.

Clothes You'll Need While RVing

Basic casual clothes will be the most useful, but in limited amounts. Don't pack 10 pairs of jeans or dozens of t-shirts!

• jeans
• light weight slacks
• shorts
• tee and knit shirts
• a few button up shirts
• one dressy outfit each with appropriate shoes.
• fleece jacket and windbreaker
• raincoat
• sweat shirt or sweater
• bathing suit and cover-up
• knit cap and gloves
• socks
• sweatpants and shirt
• bathrobe
• night clothes
• slippers
• hiking boots
• athletic shoes
• a pair of dress shoes
• sandals
• crocks or shower shoes

This pile includes necessities, but must be limited by storage space. Generally, an RVer's life style is much more casual . Downsizing Clothes and Shoes -Be Realistic!This can seem like an overwhelming task, but unless you will be working a job that requires dressy clothes, you can probably pare down your wardrobe drastically.

What's left donate for a little tax deduction. Toss anything that is torn, stained, or just not wearable.

Kitchen items you will need.

Only you can tell what items you'll need on the road. Nobody knows how you cook so don't let anybody tell you what you will need. The only advise I would give is take more than you think you will need and purge as you go. Mu rule is (if you don't use something in 2 or 3 months, get rid of it) You'll find a Goodwill drop off box just about anywhere you go.

Household items you need

This is another area that only you can decide what to take. If you are handy you might think about taking some tools. This might help you save some money when it comes to repairs. Keep in mind you have a limited amount of space to store stuff. You also need to be aware of the weight of your RV. You only have a limited weight to work with.

Important Papers

Certain papers need to be available to you at a moments notice. Insurance papers on the tow vehicle and the trailer or your motor home and any vehicle you may be towing. Drivers license you probably carry on you but you might want to make a back up copy. If you plan on traveling out of the country don't forget you will need a passport. Tax returns are a must. I'm going to invest in a fireproof safe to keep my papers in.

If at all possible try not to store anything. Copy pictures onto a flash drive and give originals to family members or friends. You can also have photos put onto CD's and take them with you.

Some final advise

You can't take everything with you. Decide what's important to you and get rid of everything else. This won't be easy but it is one of the most important steps to getting on the road. So be realistic and objective. Consider the cost and consequences of storing your stuff.

Is it right for you?

Full-timing. More people are thinking about it every day. Is it right for you? Ask any RV forum on the internet How many people are doing this kind of thing and you'll get somewhere around one million people are living the life of a wandering traveler. Many are already retired, but many more are working at least part of the year. Or just long enough to build up a little nest egg to keep them going for a few more months or longer.

A large number of construction workers travel the country living in RV's making a living every day. For the retired folks they don't have the stress of maintaining a home. Cleaning the house really only takes minutes since they are only cleaning about 250 sq. ft. compared to 1800 sq. ft. Don't forget there's no grass to mow, no shutters to paint, no snow to shovel, no__________ (fill in the blank).

The scenery is as they say, “to die for”. It can be whatever you want it to be. It can change as the mood strikes you. All you need to do is decide what you want to look at and drive there. And best of all it's free.

Retired travelers and people between jobs can save a bunch of money by Boondocking. This is simply camping in undeveloped areas. You can do this by what is known as the 14 day law. The federal law says federally owned public lands outside of national parks and monuments is open to camping unless management has closed it for a specific reason. Campers can camp anywhere they like within limits placed by land management. You must move every 14 days. There are different opinions about how far you must move so check with the ranger so you can continue to camp for free.

Some things you will need to consider before hitting the road.

Can you handle being a little cold some times or hot at other times? Can you survive if you run out of propane and you're nowhere near a town? Heaters in an RV don't really work all that great most of the time, and if you're boondocking you can pretty much forget air conditioning unless you have a generator.

Can you live without them

Are you the type person that can't function without a cell phone stuck in your hand all the time. Well the full time lifestyle might not be the ideal situation for you. Coverage across this great nation can be a little spotty at times. You might need an booster antenna or a personal hotspot. Not to mention out of coverage overcharges, going over your minutes. You get the picture. Right. It can be expensive if you aren't careful. If it works at all.

You can now get television just about anywhere you go. It will probably be from satellite so there's another cost to factor in. Just too many payment plans to cover them here. What about storage space for all of your stuff. Some RV's do have storage underneath but don't think it will be anything like that walk in closet you left at home. So you will need to do some serious sorting before hitting the road. I recommend buying an e-reader of some kind instead of lugging all of your books with you. Just too much weight for the old RV. Bring along some CD's and a laptop and you've got your entertainment covered.

Money

Do you have enough? That's a tough question, what's enough? I have no idea really. The best answer I can give is- Make a budget and stick to it. Nobody can tell you how much is enough, only you can answer that. Do a goggle search on RV budget and you will get all kinds of budgets. Find what works for you and go with it. You can always change it to fit your needs.

Can you fix that

You can always pay somebody to fix whatever breaks in the RV, and trust me it will break. More often than you like, so it can and will get expensive if you can afford for somebody else to fix it. It's been suggested that you get an assortment of tools and a couple of repair manuals and learn as much about your rig as you can. And save yourself a bunch of money.

Where to call home

If you're still going to go full time, one really big thing to do is decide on a legal domicile. This is the state you will register your vehicles, register to vote, get a drivers license, do your taxes. And get your mail forwarded to you.

There are still many things you need to consider but those will have to wait for another time. But if you still decide to go full time, it will be an experience you won't soon forget.

Running the Race

So you've decided to drop out of the rat race.  Maybe you feel there's more to life than getting stuck in traffic twice a day.  Maybe you have retired and found there's not enough to keep you busy.  Or maybe you are a twenty-something and don't want to be a slave to your mortgage for the next 15-30 years.  These are all good reasons to become full time RV'ers.  As a fulltimer you live in an RV.  You might travel from

state to state while enjoying the sights along the way till you get to your next destination whether that be the next national park on your list or just an rv resort you'd like stay at.

You might work during your travels or you might live off a retirement fund. You could really live a million different ways, but know this. If you live in a RV you are a full timer.
If you are already a full timer I appreciate you stopping by to read this but this article really isn't for you. I'm hoping you are one of the growing number of dreamers wanting to become a full timer. In which case I hope you will gather some useful information from this article. If you are already a full timer then you know how easy it is to make the move. You might tell me that everything I'm about to say is nothing more than common sense. Well it might be but if you've never heard it before, it's news. I'm finding out it is easier then we think it is. So here's a few steps to becoming a full timer.

1. Get rid of your debt. Rein in your spending. Easier said than done. But its one of the most important steps you can take to prepare yourself for the full time lifestyle. Start eliminating all unnecessary bills. Cable bill, eating out, anything that isn't essential to your survival.
2. Verify your reason for going. Hiding from the bill collector, having problems at work or home, maybe a bad relationship. If you're running from something, that's not a reason for hitting the road. So my point would be look at your reasons for going. Be sure they are good reasons. Adventure, Seeing the sights of our great nation. If those are some of the reasons for you going on the road, then I say Go for It.
3. Set your Goals. Make a plan. Get your goals or plan on paper. Use a pencil, sometimes your plans will change. Some things you might want to write down.
   -When do you quit your job.
   -what kind of RV do you want to live in.
   -what kind of budget will you have.
   -what cell phone plan is right for you.
   -how will you support yourself.
4. Quit the job. Start living in your RV, get the feel for how it will be.
5. Get comfortable. It will take some time to get used to living this new lifestyle. So just enjoy yourself. As the commercial says JUST DO IT.

Carpe Diem

carpe diem to seize the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future. n. Also known as Seize the Day

So what does any of this have to do with full time RV'ing? You ask. You need to seize each and every day. To move from just dreaming about becoming a full time RV'er to actually turning the key and driving off on your new and exciting lifestyle.

We (Barb and I) began exploring and researching this lifestyle back in January of this year. I continue to research as much about RV'ing as possible each day. I follow several different blogs and forums and learn something new almost daily.

We have visited several RV dealers and have pretty much decided on the rig we want, we've at least narrowed the choice down to three. For now anyway, I have no idea what Barb will see at the Good Sam Rally at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in October or The Atlanta RV and Camping show in January. Only time will tell and who knows maybe the list will increase by 1 or 2.

But back to Seizing the Day. I have subscribed to Trailer Life magazine and found it to be a wealth of information. I have bought many books about the lifestyle and how to make a living while living on the road. The best book I have read and would recommend to anybody that should ask is “Work your way across the USA-You can travel and earn a living too” by Nick Russell.

This is one way I'm Seizing the Day. Knowledge is getting me closer to my goal.

But Seizing the Day also means facing your fears about this full time lifestyle. What if the house doesn't sell for what I need it to? Will I really be able to support the both of us by workamping? And what about insurance? I can't even begin to answer any questions about insurance, who knows what it will be like when the new health care act starts.

Go back and read the first sentence again. One of the definitions says to seize the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future. Now I'm NOT saying not to think about the future, I'm saying let's get out there and see what we can do to shape our futures. Will everything fall into place. I doubt it, but I'm not going to just lay there an let life run me over. I'm going to get up and fight. And I'm going to SEIZE EVERY DAY that comes along. So to you I say

carpe diem