Change of heart on fulltiming

[Missouri Mark]

I have seriously thought of fulltiming when I retire in 2018, but have come to the realization that I can't do it. All the travel to seeing this great country sounds good, but I would be travelling alone and know I would get lonely and miss my life at home. Small things like weekend golf with my buddies, getting together to watch the big game, and seeing family regularly are the highlights of my life. I love to travel, and see other parts of the country, but I also know that not having anyone around to share it with takes most of the joy away.
I have now reset my sights. I still plan to purchase a FB trailer, and I'm actively following this site and others looking for the ideal purchase. I have lowered my expectations (and price range) on the type of RV I want, as I now know it will just be temporary living quarters. I can do without some of the nicer things in life for away. I am now thinking 1 or 2 month trips to different parts of the country I want to see. But I know myself well enough to know that by then I will be ready to get back home to Missouri and have a few beers or a round of golf with friends and family. Those things are more important to me than spending months in the most beautiful spots in the US.
I honestly don't know how people do it year round. I had grandiose plans of living the life, but had to be honest with myself, and know I would not be happy. I've lived in other parts of the country throughout my life, working a thousand miles from home, and remember how after the newness wears off, I get homesick.
Still look forward to this site for advice along the way. Please, God, help me find the ideal Egg Camper, Lil Snoozy, Parkliner, Escape, or other brand to fit my 6'5" frame and make me comfortable to live in for a couple months at a time.

[cpaharley2008]

A couple of months camping and traveling is admirable. Although retired I would not want to sell my home and live full time in my Escape. After a couple of weeks you start to look forward to going home. I think full timing does not necessarily mean traveling full time, one may stay in a region for months and travel with the weather. I enjoy the seasons as well but from my home.
Once you start traveling you can always shorten or lengthen your trips, that is the nice thing about having a camper, freedom of choice.

[Jon in AZ]

Everyone is different, Mark. I am like you. I enjoy traveling, but I have deep roots in my home community. Retirement won't change that.

The important thing is to be honest with yourself about your own needs and temperament. And whatever you end up doing, you can change your mind any time you want!

[monB]

Person needs to do what's right for THEM. You can always change your mind later, if you wish. Or not! Could be fun if you have a buddy (or buddies) who like to golf AND have trailers/RVs....you could make a mission to visit a number of "special" golf courses.

Mon

[Mary F]

And one cool thing about fiberglass RV's is they hold their value, especially if you start with an older model. (I'm not talking about a project trailer, just one that isn't brand new.) Anyway, you can travel some and, if/when you change your mind about wants/needs/plans, you can recoup most of your investment.

Good luck in your search!

[Glenn Baglo]

You're the lucky one Mark.
I fear for those who sell their home and all that goes with it, and then head off into the sunset. I don't care how big or fancy the trailer, the lifestyle should really be experienced before making a commitment.

[floyd]

You live close to us. We have enriched our lives immensely, and met many new friends by attending ScampCamps and other fiberglass gatherings.
Start by looking here under gatherings, there are plenty of them close to home and many more all over the U.S.
They give you many nice destinations on the way and lots of fellowship upon arrival. You can stay gone as long as you like and still be home when you care to.
This would give you plenty of experience which could lead to full timing,selling your camper, or more likely something in between.
Come join us at Door County in June or Lanesburro or LBL...
There are many close to home and many at a distance, all near great destinations.
Contact me directly for more info.
Visiting a gathering is the best way to find the trailer you'll like best.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Missouri Mark

. . I've lived in other parts of the country throughout my life, working a thousand miles from home, and remember how after the newness wears off, I get homesick.

Mark, I hear you. I also spent way to much time away from home due to my work and know the feeling all to well. Missed more than a few big family & friends events that in hindsight I wish now I had not. There are no guarantees in life that there will be a next time....

Also wrestling with the home base issue and know that I don't need all I have now but I do want and need to keep a place that I can call home that close to family and life long friends that is a bit more than a trailer on wheels.

[Byron Kinnaman]

The idea of full timing has crossed my mind more than once. But, I would miss all my toys. I enjoy wood working, sitting on my patio with fire in the chiminea, and going to musical jam sessions.
That said, we also enjoy traveling to snow bird locations. Meeting other snow birders, playing camp fire concerts, seeing part of the country we couldn't get to otherwise. Warm weather when the it's cold and wet, maybe snowy here in Oregon.

Our trips are 3+ months in the winter and a few 1 to 2 week trips in the summer and shoulder seasons.

There's always plenty to do both while traveling and while at home. I not ready to give up either my anchored home or travel trailer.

[Badger]

Mark,
I congratulate you on taking an honest appraisal of yourself and realizing what brings you joy. I have a similar plan and timetable to what you were contemplating so I have followed your posts here with interest. It seemed from the beginning you had reservations about leaving your friends, family and golf buddies.

It sounds like you have an excellent idea of what is going to work for you in retirement. Best of luck to you, where ever the road may lead.

[GregandTeresa]

Our plan if/when we do get to retire is to keep a home base, but downsize in both house and yard. My retirement plans do not include mowing a yard, nor doing a lot of home maintenance. So I can see us moving into a condo or townhome community, so that we have the ability to just up and go when we want, and can stay gone for as long as we want. But having a place to come back home to is very important to us both.

[Uplander]

Mark, I am retired and both my wife and I agree that full time living in any RV is not our idea of retirement. In the winter we are happy to stay home and take both short and long RV trips in the spring, summer and fall. We enjoy the trips but it is good to have a home to return to when each trip is over.

We both just can't seem to understand how anyone could be happy long term living in a box on wheels....different strokes for different folks!

Your decision gives you the best of both worlds. When real old age problems begin to slow you down it is best to have a home base and local doctors and hospitals at your door. Enjoy your retirement!

Happy Camping!

[Ruth C.]

Aren't you glad you realized it now instead of in the midst of the venture with no "home" to go back to? Whew!

[Gigi]

Hey, Mark! It's insightful for you to realize this now. Good for you. I purchased a condo in Tempe, Arizona about 6 years ago. After living there through 3 summers, I bought another home in Minnesota to be back where my kids are and many of my friends. We call it the "Family Home" because it is large enough for everyone to stay when I'm here and we are all together. Ironically, while I'm young and can work from anywhere, I have already learned I want to sell the beautiful condo in Arizona, even though it's gorgeous, I redecorated it and it's a beautiful smaller complex with a lot of grassy areas and in a wonderful location. Why give it up? I missed too much of my children's lives and my friends. I'm going to use my Lovebug in the northern states in the summer to camp and my other camper in the lower states to go for a month at a time to various areas while returning to my family between times. In addition, I'm an artist and like the variety and I can go visit my other friends who live around the country.

An option that I think worth considering is to build a Tiny House and have a camper like ours. The Tiny House idea is so great as everything is so smartly done, one lives well while living smart. One can also add a nice pergola or summer screened porch that's permanent and enjoy those times with buddies. They often are on wheels, are priced around 20-30,000 and are great houses with very low overhead.

I'm happy I had the Arizona experience and can escape for one last winter this year for a few months while I put it on the market, but, I do appreciate what you are saying here.

I'll scout for you and add a prayer that God gives you exactly what he wants you to have for your journey.
Best wishes,
Gigi

[Darral T.]

Mark,

This is a beautiful post in my eyes. Your honest and heart-felt post reflects many of us though we dont "speak" it. We see/hear/read MANY that love "fultiming" and wonder.... HOW do they do this?

#1, we dont want to be away from our home church.

I'm also like others, I have a super little workshop that's heated/cooled that I can spend many happy hours "creating" things. I couldnt do this on the road- with saws, lathe, mills, etc. without a horribly expensive set up in rig etc.

Another thing...I've wondered about these people in motorhomes that full time. Think about it... you have a wreck. Your "home" goes into a bodyshop for how long? Then there's continual maintenance...maybe even an overhaul and your "home" goes into the shop. I realize things can happen to a house...but you're much likely to have accidents when traveling continuously. Not to even mention a break-down and have nowhere to fly/bus home to and have the RV follow you via a towtruck.

We love Scamping in our 13'er but would NEVER even consider full-timing in it. And have come to realize we dont want to full time in anything.

So to summarize, we love taking a few days to go camp and enjoy "getting away". But then, return and as we turn onto our street, see our little home sitting there waiting on our arrival! To me, that's living at its best

Originally Posted by Missouri Mark

I have seriously thought of fulltiming when I retire in 2018, but have come to the realization that I can't do it.

[reeves99]

I think many full-timers would tell you how "free" they feel after letting go of all their stuff. Take it from someone who has recently, by choice, jettisoned the majority of his treasures. It's unbelievably liberating. Note: Not giving advice here, just looking at the other side of the coin


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[Darral T.]

And I have to add...should I wind up being alone..and one day we'll all be there..or she will... then that would TOTALLY change my outlook on my "Home"... so life has a way of altering your never-thought-possible plans.

Originally Posted by reeves99

I think many full-timers would tell you how "free" they feel after letting go of all their stuff. Take it from someone who has recently, by choice, jettisoned the majority of his treasures. It's unbelievably liberating. Note: Not giving advice here, just looking at the other side of the coin


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[Jon Vermilye]

For me the huge advantage or retirement is the ability to travel when & for as long as I want. Even though I take long trips (the longest 304 days) I could not give up my home in upstate NY. While not all that much bigger than some RVs (1100 sq ft) it is in a beautiful location where I've lived for 53 years.

I suspect I'll continue long trips around the US & Canada until I'm no longer able. While having a home to return to is important, the "travel bug" has held me all my life.

[Gerry Kiernan]

The biggest beauty of being retired is that you can decide whats right for you, and what works for you. Like you, I love to get away for a while, but I know my limitations. I love my gardens, my workshop, and my cats. Full timing is not for me. It is a good thing you thought this idea through before jumping into it. Good luck, and best wishes on finding the rig that is just right for you.

[honda03842]

Mark,

Change is always difficult. You gave it reasonable consideration and made a choice that's probably wise for you, a small adventure in itself.

Most people find it very difficult to set off on a new path and that's very understandable. All I can say is that fulltiming is not simply about seeing North America, as wonderful as it is.

For me it was growing beyond what I was while seeing North America.

As most know we just sold out home, as it turns out to family. Here we are in the middle of taking our condensed possessions to FL and I just received an email from Ginny's 3 sisters. They arrive for a visit 4 weeks after we get to FL. Of course I love them all. The ties that bind never cease.