26 months total. The first 14 were spent with lots of travel. After we picked up our Casita in 2005, from Rice, Texas went up to the Northeast (running from first KATRINA and then OPHELIA), down to Texas again, two months in San Marcos, up to Big Bend, the Southwest, Death Valley, California, back across up North and into Canada. Many places, many people. We had planned on the Casita Caravan to Victoria Island but had to cancel and then my daughter was very ill. Melanie was in Canada for four weeks while I was in Vegas with my daughter. We were off the road for 18 months (in Philadelphia, were we helped my Mom with my Dad until he passed. We have been back in our Casita since May 5th 2008.
One year as of this month.

What we have: 2005 17 SD with few modifications (sink faucet, trapped air release for grey tank, visible level hose for grey tank). In over two years of full-time use we have not had any major problems. We have replaced three pop-rivets, the battery, the p-trap under the shower , Then we had the infamous angle iron piece through the grey water tank. We had a three-inch memory foam topper on the bed until today. The original cushions are shot. We are both getting back pains. Just bought the 8 inch mattress from Walmart. Airing out right now.

We also carry with us: 10x12 Paha Que screen house – really storm proof; a 10x10 easy-up for cooking in the rain; Weber Baby Q , Coleman two burner stove; cat condo; small Coleman aluminum picnic table; aluminum roll-up cook table; two bikes; (left our kayak in NJ, too much weight);
I’ll continue in the next post.

Joseph and Melanie

well.. thats was sooooo like... two days ago :-P

and?

Well Gina, what should i add? How about cooking!

We cook outside 90% of the time. Use our Coleman double stove top and Weber. We only cook inside when the weather is really bad and we only "boil" inside: Pasta/sauce, or soup. I even make homemade chicken soup when it is cold.

Showers: we usually use the campground facilities. As long as they are clean!!!! Even when it is cold we run to the shower room. We have used the Casita showers for extended time, but we prefer a little more room.

This winter has been different. I have been working, teaching. So my clothes hang in the van and i bring in stuff each night. i guess that is an accomplishment, living in the Casita and going to work each day. Well, I turned 62 yesterday and as of June 6th i will be finished this gig and maybe will never need another.

Joe and Melanie

With our 17 ft Burro, and future plans, we were wondering how you manage with the two cats. Do they roam or stay inside all the time? Litter box a problem? We just spent a few weeks in ours, lost the younger cat the first night but thankfully he came home 24 hours later. Do they bounce off the walls sometimes like ours?
Vicki and Ian

Hi there,

That must have been scary, 24 hours and no cat.

we have our cat condo. it is a two cage set-up that is attached to the side opening in the Casita which we cut through to the inside and even put a cat door in the area under the bed/stove. I'll look for some pictures, but I think there are some photos and an explanation somewhere here in the archives.

In the beginning we never let them outside except on a leash. Yes, they will walk around on a leash. People love it and stop and stare.

This year we have been staying for long periods in one place, two to 6 months. Sooo, we started letting them out without a leash figuring we could hang around if they did not come right back. Well the one cat, Ani, never really leaves the site. Really, she walks all around the site and sometimes sits at the edge of the road and watches the people go by. When frightened she runs back and jumps into the cage and then runs into the Casita.

The other cat, Lola, is a wanderer. She has been getting better though. She just always wants to run to the next rig, even if it is five sites down the road, and then hide under it. In the past four weeks, she has gotten to where she also stays mostly on our site. We let them out at feeding time, so after 30 minutes we just shake the food container and they run back into the cat condo (we also have treats, which we call cat crack. If we need to get them back and they are not hungry, the treats work. We only give them to the cats when they are in the Casita.

Our neighbor here at River Bottom Farms, a fellow Escapee, has a black cat that he says never wanders. She sits under his 5th wheel.

I think many cats have been lost by folks who cannot wait around when their cats have escaped. We always take them out on the leash even if we are only in camp for a day so they can look around. Also, we have left them on the leash but let the leash go. This makes them easy to catch and prevents problems with the rangers or campground managers/owners.

This also works in places where we do not set up the cat condo. For example Big Bend. We were told that they may be bobcat/coyote bait. We kept them inside except for an hour or so day on the leash.


Gosh, cat people talk/write too much.

Joseph and Melanie

Joseph and Malanie,
I really enjoyed reading your post. Thanks for sharing!

The owners of the campground I am working in now have a very sweet cat that they aquired because it adopted them in a parking lot across the street from an RV park. They guess that it came to be because someone left it after letting it run from their RV and didn't wait for it's return.

We have a renter here that lets their cat run. It does seem to hover around their rig, but I still would not do it. My cat, when at my house in California, was allowed outside.. and even tho his routine was fairly predictable, there would still be times when he fooled me and stayed away overnite.

He is not allowed outside here, and he has adjusted.

Hi there,

so now it is 14 plus 14 months. We have just broke the old record.

We are back in Upstate New York. Meadow-Vale Campsites, north of Oneonta and Southwest of Cooperstown. We like it up here and may buy a house.


But the Casita is still our home. Left SC on June 8th. Stayed in Kentucky at great State Park, Jenney Wiley. On to Virginia, another great State park, then Washington DC for a few days (great County park).

Then on to New Jersey and family. Visits with siblings, mom, and others. Brought Mom to Philly on two days.

Now we are here. Weather is not that great. Went to Great American Irish Festival in Herkimer NY last weekend. Good time, good music.

Next weekend includes Oneonta Art festival and the Speedie Festival and Hot Air Ballon Fest in Binghamton, NY.

We are seasonals here til October, but will be away for two weeks in August.

Stop by....


Joseph and Melanie

I've kept this info in my personal archives from somewhere you've posted, hope it helps:

We bought a house!!!!!!!! In Oneonta, NY. I guess we will just be snowbirds from now on.

The Casita looks so lonely in the back yard. The snow is coming.

It is amazing, our house has 1000 sq ft but only the bathroom is smaller than the Casita. After 18 months we are happy to be in our house but we miss the simple life in the Casita, i mean we have dishes and flatware now, not just two spoons, two forks, and two knives and two bowls and two plates and.... You know.


Joe and Melanie

Joe and Melanie, I wish you all the very best in your new home.

Your fulltime adventures entertained and inspired me, and I'm so glad that you shared them with us.

But, seasons change, and circumstances change. I'm glad you lived your dream, and I'm happy that your dream is continuing, although it's taking a new direction.

But, if the snow gets too deep, hop in that lonely little Casita and head to Florida for a couple of months.

That's the plan. Starting in 2011, head south or southwest in January.

Thanks for all the good wishes.