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Old 04-30-2011, 08:41 PM   #1
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Old 04-30-2011, 08:51 PM   #2
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We're still dreamin', but closer to that goal with every month that passes.

The plan here is to hit the road by 62 while we still have bodies that will co-operate with the rigors of full to extended part-time travel. I keep seeing my dear brother in law and his wife who bought the toys in their late 50's, then didn't get to use them and sold them off. Now they're in their 70's and while they would like to travel and are currently looking for a small rig their Frontier can tow, they aren't up for long cross country trips any more.

I read once on another RV site that no-one ever said they wish they had waited til later....they wish they'd done it sooner.

Carpe diem, yanno.
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Old 05-01-2011, 12:17 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian in Ontario View Post
Anybody out there decide to go full time before retirement.
Yes!

But the plan was to "fulltime" while working. Unfortunately life had other plans. I have been living full-time in my RV that I bought for traveling.

Fortunately, time has passed, life has changed and the future has opened up for opportunities to travel again like I wanted to do. So, I started a little blog about it. The blog, like the future Casita, is called The Don Pod. It's just the beginning and things will move slow for awhile. But in a couple of years or so, hopefully I will have the time and resources to hit the road and enjoy seeing more of the USA via RV.

Fourteen years ago, i was telling people to DO IT NOW. Don't wait. Do it now!!!

I took my own advice as much as finances allowed. And that is exactly what everyone should do. I knew of several folks who waited 'till retirement and then health issues prevented it. So if you are thinking about it, think fast...like isn't waiting.

Do it now!

Don
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Old 05-01-2011, 07:28 AM   #4
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Yes!

But the plan was to "fulltime" while working. Unfortunately life had other plans. I have been living full-time in my RV that I bought for traveling.

Fortunately, time has passed, life has changed and the future has opened up for opportunities to travel again like I wanted to do. So, I started a little blog about it. The blog, like the future Casita, is called The Don Pod. It's just the beginning and things will move slow for awhile. But in a couple of years or so, hopefully I will have the time and resources to hit the road and enjoy seeing more of the USA via RV.

Fourteen years ago, i was telling people to DO IT NOW. Don't wait. Do it now!!!

I took my own advice as much as finances allowed. And that is exactly what everyone should do. I knew of several folks who waited 'till retirement and then health issues prevented it. So if you are thinking about it, think fast...like isn't waiting.

Do it now!

Don
You might find it interesting to read about the people who stared the Escapees group, becoming fulltimers at an early age as they traveled the country. Their wrtings can be found at Escapees.com

Norm
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Old 08-02-2011, 06:44 AM   #5
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starting early

I started my fulltiming adventure at 47 years old after contemplating whether I could afford it.
As many others did, I decided to just do it! with a small income stream and I am mad I didnt do this earlier!.. get out and enjoy life! no one will pat you on the back in your stick house environment, but they will envy you secretly!.
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Old 08-02-2011, 07:52 AM   #6
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And then there are some, like us, who enjoy both lifestyles. We full-time for a couple of months, twice during each year. Our Scamp serves all our needs such that we rarely even eat out during our full-timing months. During our travels we usually connect for a long weekend with each of our busy kids.

So far it has worked quite well, we are able to pretty much pick the best time for weather and look forward to both life situations. Using mathematical terminology one might call it "piecewise linear full-timing". How's that for a mouthfull? :>)
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Old 08-02-2011, 08:45 AM   #7
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Full Timing

Fulltiming can be individualized. It does not necessarily mean you are constantly on the move but does mean you can easily move anytime.

I agree it's not for everyone but it does provide marvelous opportunities. We regularly travel for 7 months sometime between September and May. Every third year or so we take a 2 month May to August trip to places that are too cold to go during our normal RV season.

As the former poster mentioned it is an opportunity for extended time with adult and grand children. I'm certain because of RVing we have gotten to spend many months with our Seattle family though our homes are seperated by 3000 miles. Equally we get to see old and new friends during our travels.

I would also agree that I would have started earlier or at the minimum had a job that gave me six months off, like owning a small campground on the coast of Maine.

I envy those that figured it out early; as well, I know it's not for everyone. For most it's two people in a small rig for months who actually must like each other to enjoy the trip, surprisingly to me RV couples seem to like each other.

As for math analogies, my first boss asked me if I had taken calculus. Yes I said. He responed there was only one thing to remember "Maximize the fun integral". Basically life is short; have fun.

As to the rigors of full timing or extended travel, we don't find it hard at all, particularly with a small rig. You first have to get out of the vacation mode, wanting to rush from place to place because you only have a week. Taking your time was a key lesson for us. We hardly ever drive more than 150 miles in a day and try not to do it every day. We stop early and take time to relax or get to know a new little town somewhere.

Ginny just got a Landsend Catalog and asked me if I want a new NO IRON shirt. I told her all my shirts and other clothes are no iron - we don't carry one.

Try to minimize what you carry, an organized, reduced stuff trailer reduces the complexities of life.

I can't wait to hit the road again this fall,

Norm
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Old 08-02-2011, 09:41 AM   #8
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You might find it interesting to read about the people who stared the Escapees group, becoming fulltimers at an early age as they traveled the country. Their wrtings can be found at Escapees.com

Norm
Hi Norm, I first joined Escapees probably around 15 years ago. I also joined Good Sam. I wanted to see what RVers and full-timers did and to read about them. I would have joined the WBCCI but I did not own my Airstream yet. Escapees is an overall excellent group for info for serious RVers, those who really travel alot, even if not fulltiming.

Thanks for the suggestion!

D*
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Old 08-02-2011, 10:17 AM   #9
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Fulltiming can be individualized. It does not necessarily mean you are constantly on the move but does mean you can easily move anytime.
...

You first have to get out of the vacation mode, wanting to rush from place to place because you only have a week. Taking your time was a key lesson for us.
YES, you have to stop and smell the roses. Full-timing does not mean being on the highway every day. That was a misconception my family had when I told them I was going to buy an Airstream and become "a fulltimer." They responded with, "You're gonna live in a trailer for the rest of your life??" I said, "The rest of my life is not here yet!!"

Over the years, I have compiled a list of places I want to visit for various reasons. Even now while i am still working, I am working my list. When I eventually settle in my future home base somewhere in central Florida, I will work out of there, traveling in the Casita for long periods at a time.

In September, it will be 14 years that I have lived in an RV as my residence, although I haven't been on the road. My blog tells more about how that happened. For me it has been a great experience, even though I am not going anywhere. I have learned alot. Ya can't live in an RV and not learn about them. So at this point in my life, I have decided to not live in an RV full-time again, to have a convenient home base instead, nothing elaborate, just some place to settle, some place out of which I can travel in a smaller RV. Plus, I've wanted to live in Florida for years anyway. So having a base there will get that little dream-lette out of my system but I can still RV all I want.

Full-timing means enjoying the view, stopping to smell the flowers, then taking time to enjoy them...sometimes alot of time.

Don
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Old 08-02-2011, 11:05 AM   #10
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Don,

SKP 85478 here. My childern are now members and with numbers well over 100,000.

Norm and Ginny
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Old 08-02-2011, 12:12 PM   #11
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Don,
SKP 85478 here. My childern are now members and with numbers well over 100,000.
Norm and Ginny
I just checked with my poor blind eyes:

SKP 41366

Norm and Ginny, we will probably see each other down the road!! I hope so and expect to.

I enjoyed the reading the Escapees magazine for several years, then let my membership expire a few times. But always re-energized it. It was tremendous motivation when I first wanted to do this. I even found articles on baby-boomers who were full-timing, then Xeroxed the articles to give to my relatives. I wanted to give them an idea of what i was doing.

They weren't impressed.

My parents looked on with amusement as they always did with my many projects. My Mom wasn't thrilled until I bought my '86 Argosy and parked it in her driveway for a week. Soon, all her friend started coming by to "see what she had" as she told them. I have a photo on the DON POD blog with my Mom and a big grin standing beside the Argosy, the first Don Pod, in her driveway. She really liked it after she saw it. But she still wasn't that crazy about my Dad getting one for them.

My older brother (jackarss) ignored me as always and my younger brother didn't care one way or the other. But my younger brother is a real nester and doesn't really care about traveling. My Dad always wanted to...but my sweet Mother's idea of roughing it is a Holiday Inn without a microwave. Know what I mean???

One thing I did not expect...as time has passed, so have my desires for full-timing and my ideas for traveling. Fourteen years ago, I wanted to hit the road with that big 7000 pound Airstream product. Now, I am not so crazy about pulling that thing around. I'm considering fiberglass.

I already downsized, gave away furniture and belongings this time fourteen years ago. Now, I'm ready to go halfway back the other way at this point in my life. Even Joe and Kay Peterson stayed on the road about 14 years before settling into Livingston TX.

So those thinking about it should go ahead and do it while the excitement is there. You ain't getting any younger. I am...but you aren't!!

Don
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Old 08-02-2011, 01:35 PM   #12
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I know what you mean

Relatives don't understand what we do. They keep asking "Haven't you seen it all yet?" No matter how we try to explain our life style they just can't imagine it.

Fortunately both of our children are anxious to hit the road, both with fiberglass rigs and both planning for that phase of their lives.

They are both Escapees and have their names on the list for an Escapee Park.

There is a magic in the lifestyle.

I must tell you we were at The Resort (Escapee Park) in Florida at a potluck. The guy across from me had a hat on that had 296 on it. I asked him what the number meant. He said it was his SKP number. Of course we met number 1 as well.

Safe travels and long life,

Norm

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Old 08-02-2011, 06:39 PM   #13
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A question for whoever's at the steering wheel...

What in the world happened to the Original Poster's Original Post in this thread?

Or is it just the shortest post of all time....
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Old 08-02-2011, 07:37 PM   #14
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All members can edit their own posts within the first twenty-four hours of posting. What we can't do is delete the entire thing. So, perhaps Brian didn't like what he posted or felt it didn't fit the fourm and deleted all but a couple of periods. Who knows... he had Last Activity: 06-24-2011 06:50 PM on Fiberglass or we could ask him.
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Old 08-02-2011, 07:45 PM   #15
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Who knows... he had Last Activity: 06-24-2011 06:50 PM on Fiberglass or we could ask him.
...and so...

... it must remain a mystery...wrapped in a riddle...surrounded by a conundrum...




.?.
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Old 08-03-2011, 09:45 PM   #16
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It's quoted in post number 3.

So much for mystery.
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Old 08-04-2011, 12:09 PM   #17
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Ahhhh yes...I see it now.
Thanks, Mary.

Maybe Brian's edit simply represents an attempt at perfect minimalism- achieved, in my opinion:

"..." = an infinity of unknown, indeed perhaps unknowable, possibilities.

My hat's off to you, Brian!

Francesca
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Old 08-04-2011, 12:24 PM   #18
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Do it before you can't!
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Old 08-04-2011, 01:06 PM   #19
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Advice

Quote:
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Do it before you can't!
The best of advice. Can't creeps up on you; one day you wake up and can't. One unfortunate part of aging is that most have little perspective on it.

Norm
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Old 08-04-2011, 01:09 PM   #20
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Eggxactly
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