Topic Ideas for this New Forum

[A Storgard]

Any advice for Canadians that are becoming full timers? - We plan to travel the midwest U.S. in the winter months, and back into Canada when the snow is gone
We will be retaining an Ontario address as our permanent residence.

[emers382]

Where are you thinking in the Midwest in winter months? We were at our daughter's in Kansas in mid January and it's certainly winter there, we only de winterized the trailer just before we left there on Jan23 to head to southern TX because temps were staying above freezing at that time. In March when we returned I didn't winterize again as it was fairly warm until we had to head back home end of March.

You need to get at least into TX and the further south the better. Dallas and area were hit in February with a number of storms bringing snow and ice. We were in the Rio Grande valley and had some colder temps there, not close to freezing, but cold. March 5th early morning in San Antonio it was only plus one C!

Adrian


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[honda03842]

Originally Posted by drstock

Norm, you wrote " We find Internet entertainment to be better and cheaper, again thru Verizon." Would you mind elaborating on that. It seems that streaming movies would eat through most data plans quickly and foul up the campground provided internet service. If there's a good set up via internet for entertainment on the road, I need to learn about it. I do not watch TV, but love Netflix.

Formerly we had wi-fi and Dish Sat TV, together they were around $140 a month. We dropped Dish and bought Netflix ($8). We've come to love Netflix.

We are fortunate and have an unlimited wireless program on 3G from Verizon. It's fast enough to let us see Netflix. It costs us $60 a month, we use it on the road and when we're home. I just checked to see how many Gigabytes we've used have used half way thru the month, surprisingly 65 GBytes. Yikes...

Our Escapee park in FL has wi-fi. Netflix's popularity seems to be soaring and there's an effort to increase the wi-fi capability.

We do watch some TV but now through the Internet. We are presently experimenting with various services. We are members of Netflix, Amazon Prime, HuluPlus and Sling TV, testing to see what's out there. All in all we're spending less and once we filter the various Internet services it'll be even less.

[A Storgard]

We don't have a firm agenda just yet. Plan to go as far as we have to in order to get away from the snow
Certainly southern TX is in the plan, then west from there, up the coast and back into Canada in BC.
Thanks for you input - any hints/tips are certainly appreciated

[honda03842]

If you're looking for warmth in the winter I'd consider southern AZ, like Yuma or Florida, southern Texas can be cold and very windy. AZ would be my choice if I were going t head up the West coast and home.

Generally we try to leave before the first northern storm. This means we never need to winterize our trailer. It means we eliminate the family Christmas holiday. Friends who need the holiday have an early Christmas; everyone seems to like it because it simplifies their lives and yours.

[emers382]

That was our plan Norm to go to AZ last winter but went to RGV for a number of reasons.

We are going to check out AZ but will likely be returning to TX if I take the winter job I was offered there which comes with a 2 br park model trailer!

Adrian


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[Franswa]

was that better than AZ ?? AZ, SC, PNW, BC.....it gets confusing....

[Cathi]

Originally Posted by A Storgard

Any advice for Canadians that are becoming full timers? - We plan to travel the midwest U.S. in the winter months, and back into Canada when the snow is gone
We will be retaining an Ontario address as our permanent residence.

Are you aware of the Escapees organization? They cover everything on full-timers from mail service to magazines to forums on all subjects.

You do not want to be even near the Midwest in winter. Southern Arizona as Norm says, or Florida or somewhere else far south would work.

[Glenn Baglo]

If you haven't already, go here: The CSA - Voice of Travelling Canadians - Canadian Snowbird Association
Information you need about insurance, tax ramifications, length of stay permitted, etc.

[emers382]

Francois I dont know if AZ would be better than southern TX where we were since we have not yet been there. We plan to visit friends who live in NM and AZ next winter. Yea I know we all use a lot of abbreviations usually for states and provinces but its easier when typing on a phone!

Adrian


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[Franswa]

all fine and no problem... but still don't know what/where RGV is...(????)

[JackieLynn]

I had to google RGV--
The Rio Grande Valley or the Lower Rio Grande Valley, informally called The Valley, is an area located in the southernmost tip of South Texas. It lies along the northern bank of the Rio Grande, which separates Mexico from the United States. Wikipedia


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[cchandka]

We have been searching for warm for a month; now in TX hill country, days are swell but nights near freezing, one morning we had no water for several hours. Travelled the east half of gulf coast and it seems the same everywhere we have gone including one 19 deg f nite in TN :-(


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[honda03842]

Southern AZ or FL, Ginny maintains FL is the place to be.

[Tom Trostel]

Kacey,
Go south. The average high temperature in Brownsville, TX for the next 5 days is 74 and the average low is 53.

[emers382]

We are now in Las Cruces NM where it finally hit 70 for first time in two months today. They say its the coldest winter they can remember. We froze in Tucumcari was only 12F when we got up onSat am.

Heading to warmer weather in AZ this Sat.

Adrian


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[Dave in Alberta]

Originally Posted by A Storgard

Any advice for Canadians that are becoming full timers? - We plan to travel the midwest U.S. in the winter months, and back into Canada when the snow is gone
We will be retaining an Ontario address as our permanent residence.

Remember to spend less than 180 days in the USA, in a calendar tax year, or you may attract taxes in both nations !!! Also beware of medical situations, that may arise during longer vacations.
Just Sayin’

Dave in Alberta

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Carol Ann G

Is security ever an issue that needs some discussion. I am an older woman about to go full time, and I wonder if anyone's ever had any concerns about this matter. I've never pulled a travel trailer--only sailboats--so this is a big, new undertaking. I'm so excited about it.

New Member Carol

My thoughts on security.

First off there's a lot of people that still use a tent. I don't know of any way to lock a tent.
15 year trailer campers here and 35 years of backpacking. Never worried about it. Here's what I do while trailer camping. First off if there's neighbors around I get to know them. Next is leaving the trailer in the camp ground while we explore the local area, we lock the door to help keep honest people honest/ Close all the curtains inside before leaving. It's unknown if anybody is inside or not.

This has worked very well for us including zipping the tent closed when we were in the tent.Is there somebody in there? NOT known....


In my opinion a person and their trailer if safer out than in the city.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

My thoughts on security.

....
In my opinion a person and their trailer if safer out than in the city.

Boy aint that the truth, especially now. But I doubt that "New Member Carol" (whom you quoted) will benefit from that advice since she has not been on the forum for 11 years, 9 months, 3 days and counting.