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Thread: Cold Feet? Not Really.
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01-19-2021, 05:52 AM #1
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Cold Feet? Not Really.
The sticks and bricks just got listed for sale today. I just wanted to share a few thoughts for the day.
It has been about 2 1/2 years since DW and I first kicked around the idea of going full time. There has been a lot of thinking, planning and preparing. We have read about the experiences of many people who have made this transition. There have been alternating periods of anticipation and dread. For better or worse, one of us always brought the other back to "This is the plan. This is what we want to do."
Many of you here may remember this process when you were making the transition, but maybe this will be helpful to others who are considering it now. Deciding to live full time in an RV is not an easy thing. The details are simple: Buy an RV. Establish a new address. Sell or give away all your stuff. Enjoy life. That's what the YouTubers say. But there is always that voice in the back of my head reminding me that when things go bad, you can't just go home and take a break. To me anyway, that's a little scary. It's not that I'm afraid of adventure and challenges, but we have been programmed all our lives that we need to work to build security in our lives and to consciously choose to leave that security is a little hard to wrap my head around sometimes.
The other side of the argument for me is that I feel like I've become a prisoner to all that security I mentioned above. My adult life has been all about building a bigger, better house. Get the better job, buy the bigger house. Fill the bigger house with better stuff. Then spend all my time taking care of the stuff. I have come to the conclusion that while I've been doing that, I've have missed too many sunrises and more importantly, I've missed the point.
Enough rambling for now. Today is the day that we have been working toward for last 2 1/2 years. I think bittersweet is a good word for the day.Roger, Stacy and the Sophie the fur kid
2017 Solitude 300GK
2015 Chev 2500 Diesel (replaced)
2020 F350 DRW
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01-19-2021, 06:41 AM #2
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Well said! Yes, for us, we chased the static dream for too long. About a year ago, we finally made the decision to go full-time. We have about 18-24 months left before my daughter goes off to college, then we sell almost everything and away we go. I have always been more of a nomadic type, while she has been more of the nester. What finally convinced her was the fact that we could see all the things about the continental US and Canada that we have talked about since we got married (second marriage for both of us). All while looking for another permanent spot to re-settle down. We are planning on full-timing for approximately 3 years, possibly longer if we take to it, then settling down again.
Sent from my phone using TapatalkMark & Mary. Full-timing across the USA (and Canada)!
Current Coach: 2021 Grand Design Reflection 320MKS
Current Rig: 2019 Ford F350 SD Crew Cab, w/8' box, Lariat, SRW, 6.7l Diesel
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01-19-2021, 06:50 AM #3
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Good for you Roger and Stacy ! After reading your posts for sometime, it is pretty clear that you all have a wonderful approach and disposition for dealing with life's challenges and opportunities. Bless you and all the other folks who live on the sunny side of life.
Look forward to reading your future posts and seeing your positive and just "roll with the changes" outlook !
DanDan & Carol
2014 303RLS Reflection #185 (10/2013 build)
2012 Silverado LTZ Crew Duramax 2500HD
2700/16K Pullrite Superglide
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01-19-2021, 07:05 AM #4
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01-19-2021, 08:12 AM #5
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We went fulltime July 2020 and remember well the process we went through.
All our young years we were taught the conventional life process by our parents and in the end, wind up with the right house paid off and relax and live out our golden years in the same place we were born. Work till you can stand it anymore and retire at 70+ with a maxed out Social Security income and also with a little nest egg to tide you over till the end.
Well the wife and I since marriage in 1978 left our little small midwestern town and lived all over the US, never spending more than 10 years in any one place. So in the end it was easier for us to transition to RV fulltime since we were pretty much nomads anyway. I'm 64 and the wife is 62, we retired early, still have good health. Yup we don't receive our max SS benefits, but what we do get, we will receive it longer and will enjoy it longer in theory. To us what good is receiving max SS benefits if you not in good enough health, long enough, to enjoy it.
The housing market is excellent around Austin TX, so when we sold our home we doubled our money. And now if we don't like where we are, or what is going on where we are, we just go somewhere else.
We did collect a lot of stuff over the years and for us that may have been the hardest time consuming part, getting rid of the stuff. We don't regret it one bit!
Some of the extended family still think we made a mistake, some envy us secretly but would never have the guts to do what we did and are still stuck in that same small midwestern town where everybody knows everybody. We visited there over the holidays for about 2 months and it was great to see and spend time with the family but boy are we glad to be out of there!
Tami and I were sitting in our lawn chairs enjoying the beautiful weather, watching the waves roll into shore, thinking this is it, this is what enjoying life is all about, and we still have several more years left to enjoy it!Steve & Tami Cass - Escapee's, FMCA Members, Texas Fulltimers Since July 2020
2019 Solitude 3350RL S-Class, 2018 Ram 3500 DRW, Laramie Longhorn, B&W Companion, Texas Class A Non-CDL Drivers License
Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle - www.youtube.com/@tsrvadventures3219/videos, Nonprofit Channel
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01-19-2021, 03:17 PM #6
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I somewhat envy you for going for it. I would love to give full timing a go. The DW on the other hand is not interested. We go on winter trips to warmer weather for 3or 4 months. I can live with that but I still dream.
2013 Ford Eco Boost CC ( previous)
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01-19-2021, 10:27 PM #7
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Roger and Stacy
Safe travels. You are ahead of us by about a year. My wife had picked January 2022 as hit the road month. We are doing garage sales already. Fixing up the stick house a bit more to get a bit more hopefully.
We I traveled a lot on motorcycle trips. I posted on a motorcycle forum daily. I had lots of followers as I road across the USA on a coast to coast trip from Oregon to NYC to Kentucky and back home to Oregon on US 50. We will definitely be traveling on US 50 again. Check it out.
I follow a few people on FB that are full time, but it would be nice if members would post here about their travels more. KENBackpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021
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01-22-2021, 01:07 PM #8
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You just described DW and I. We started planning 3 years ahead of our "total change of life". Been FT 1 year and still "feel the thrill" of the RV life. We basically sold and gave away all our material possessions (except money!). You find in life that you actually do not own things, things own you. We retired from our jobs (do not miss). We sold our 50 acre farm (do not miss). Sold boats, tractors, cars, trucks, 4 wheelers, zero turn mowers, cattle, furniture, tools, etc. We traveled 20,000 miles our first year (put 8,500 miles on the RV). we're headed to the great Northwest this year after we spend the next few months on the beaches from FL to TX. You will have challenges on the road. You will have RV and tow vehicle issues to deal with. Please don't think everything you read about on this forum will happen to you! If this was the case, we'd all be scared to death to live this life. You can always go back to sticks and bricks. At least down the road of life you will not have the "woulda, shoulda, coulda" regrets. Hoping you and your wife happy and safe travels. Benny
RV: 2020 Solitude 310GK - FB Paint, 300W Solar, Onan 5500 Gen, DP Windows, Samsung R-Frig, Splendide Stacked W/D.
Tow Vehicle: 2020 3500 Silverado, DRW, HC Pkg., D-Max 6.6L Diesel, 10 Spd. Allison Trans.
Hitch: Andersen 3220 Ult 2 With Safety Chain Package.
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01-22-2021, 09:19 PM #9
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Best quote ever...."You find in life that you actually do not own things, things own you"...that is so true! And I could only "Like" it once.....so I had to quote it! [emoji3059] Congratulations and [emoji482]here's to many more years of safe travels for you and DW!
God Bless!
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkDavid & Janelle plus April & Jazzee our blue heelers
Farming/ranching in eastern Colorado...but not for much longer!!
2019 Solitude S-Class 2930RL (4/2019)
2020 Ford F450 DRW 4X4 8' bed (1/2020)
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01-23-2021, 06:10 PM #10
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I feel like "one of those" that posted and then never followed up. Sorry it's been a week, but we've just been busy trying to sell.
Thank you all for your support and sharing your experiences. Hopefully soon I will be posting that we are houseless and not looking back.
Thanks again to all for being real that it's not all ponys and rainbows but it's worth it.
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