RVing can work wonders.

[honda03842]

Tim,

We travel no more than 150 miles a day, typically 3-4 hours a day. The amount of time we stop is dependent on the place. As well we read a lot, carry e-books, have the Internet and Satellite TV.

We stay at all kinds of parks though our first choice is Escapee Parks, mainly to keep in touch with experienced full timers. On the even years we spend a lot of time in Florida, Florida has great state and county parks. On the odd years we travel all about the USA and Canada. Their will never be enough time to see it all.

Safe travels, Tim

[MC1]

A great topic Norm and thnxs for posting.

My years of aggressive mountain bike racing/riding and "age" LOL have taken it's toll on the back. Now dealing with bulging disc's/sciatica. If it wasn't for the types of ab exercises you have described I'm sure the issues would have shown up years earlier. Anyway I value the importance of the ad workouts and carry on with them. Hope your travels up here in Canada are going well.

[Nut501]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Tim,

We travel no more than 150 miles a day, typically 3-4 hours a day. The amount of time we stop is dependent on the place. As well we read a lot, carry e-books, have the Internet and Satellite TV.

We stay at all kinds of parks though our first choice is Escapee Parks, mainly to keep in touch with experienced full timers. On the even years we spend a lot of time in Florida, Florida has great state and county parks. On the odd years we travel all about the USA and Canada. Their will never be enough time to see it all.

Safe travels, Tim

Norm,
Thanks very much for all of your input on the forum!!! You have lots of wisdom and it shows! HA! I was wondering why you like Escapee Parks so much? What makes them so special?

Nut501

[honda03842]

W-
We lucked out on our trip to Newfoundland, there are record numbers of icebergs this year, the most in almost a century. Though we love the wonder of these kind of sights, the people of Newfoundland are amazingly friendly and the lives of the small communities at least as interesting as the icebergs.

In some sense going to Newfoundland is a 'going back', a return to another time. We are definitely 'from away', our accent gives us away. Like visiting Ireland, it takes a few minutes to sync up one's mind with their speech.

The use of words sometimes surprises. One woman was talking about lobsters and how she 'bathes' her lobsters for the winter. (bathes means cans)

For me, there's a peace at the end of Newfoundland's roads.

[honda03842]

Escapees have a number of special attributes. It was started to support the travel of full timers. Gradually it added functionality for full timers. Since many full timers sell their homes and will eventually have to retire from the road, members gathered together to build a number of RV parks for their 'road retirement'. Escapees also provides us with a permanent legal address, mail services, a very good magazine.

After waiting 8 years we bought into one of these parks in Florida ($12,000 refundable when we leave) with monthly charges of $100 a month.

As well the Escapee organization has built an assisted living facility in Texas where RVers can go to recuperate or live when they can no longer travel and need the assistance. Escapees live in their rig and the charge is only about $600 a month, meals, laundry, rv cleaning, dumping, professional services all provided.

The parks are special because virtually all the members were travelers and have all kinds of good information to share but more importantly they are nice people.

I'm not saying it's perfect but it was a good attempt by two marvelous people, Kay and Joe Peterson. to create an organization for full timers.

If you go to Escapees.com you can purchase a number of their books, we did before we started our travels.

[2yax2go]

Thanks, Norm for this thread. I love so much of what you say about how this lifestyle...and it IS exactly that...has benefited you and Ginny both physically and in your relationship. Finding "us" after years of raising our respective kids and the life changes we've been through otherwise is a real plus in doing this.

We are on our first long term....months...US trip and we are finally at 2 weeks finding the rhythm that works for us. We've done a few 6 and 7 hour days because of camping availability at this time of year in desirable locations. But, we tend to agree that 4 hour days work the best for us as well.

OY!!! Plank is much harder to do...correctly...than I imagined. 10 seconds...that was it and that was pushing it. I have work to do here. This is going to become daily for me until I can also do 30. I can feel how it will help my lower back and my biceps. Thank you.

Thank you also, Thom, for the links you provided. I can't wait to try this and get to work upgrading this short, round little body where at 2 - 3 mile hike doesn't feel like supreme torture. I got lazy over the winter and it's kicking my rump now that we're doing the "tour"...we're calling it a Madventure...so to speak.

Mrs. 2yax (Josie)

[Mike Magee]

Melanie, you sound a bit like my brother John. He retired about a dozen years ago, after a career in business that culminated as president of a cosmetics firm. To this day, he does not sit still. Every day is planned out in detail. He stays fit by walking several miles on most days, he watches his many investments, and he stays active in the business world as a member of several boards of directors of various firms. He vacations around the globe with his wife, plus he goes fishing and hunting alone and/or with buddies. At least once per year he tent camps in below-freezing weather, for the fun of it.

I'm not like that at all. I can sit around a campsite and watch the world go by for a while. Get up and take a walk or bike ride around the campground or on some trails. Sit some more and read a book. Relax. Think about where I'd like to sightsee next. Take a little drive, take some pictures, come back to the campsite and enjoy peace & quiet. BUT I could never envision my brother camping like this! He is always go, go, go. Some people are like that.

My wife won't go camping with me any more; she is a total home-body. All she wants to do is sit at home with her computer and the TV. Everybody is different.

By the way, like Norm and Ginny I do find that I get more exercise when out camping. I am walking and biking more than I otherwise would, and while I eat more I also lose weight as I tone up from the exercise.

[Nut501]

Norm,
Thanks very much for the information about Escapee Parks. I will check them out. They sound like great places to visit! One other question, are they kind of like time shares or what?
Thanks again!

[honda03842]

Mike,

One advantage I had was my dad died at 45, I was 21. This told me I could die young. As a result I made a list of everything I wanted to do in life and was a super busy person until retirement. A corollary was I decided to do things in short stints (5 years), in my mind effectively leading more lives. As a result change is part of who I am. I absolutely love 'new'.

Leaping to RVing upon the death of my college room mate was easy for me, more difficult for Ginny. Fortunately for me Ginny has supported me through every change. She is a great person and the person I have tried to emulate (still not really good at it but conscious of trying).

As to RVing and eating, we do eat less. There is no stress eating, no business eating, less junk food eating.... we find since we're gone about 7 months that generally the on the road eating habits survive our stints at home. We really have changed.

I am less driven (but more driving) than when I worked.

Ginny reminds me that this is not for everyone. I try to tone it down when we spend time with non-RVing friends.

As to traveling alone, Ginny's sure I can not do it. She has told the kids that should something happen to her that they need to make sure I get a new navigator. I really can't imagine life without her smile.

I want to add that my Dad dying young was the greatest tragedy in my life. Though I expect his dying, in a sense was freeing, in a sense was a setting free.

Oh well...you all know I love life on the road.

[honda03842]

Craig and Josie,

Where are you headed?

As to planks, I do them until I quiver a little than hold it a few more seconds. Another way to get into planking is to do one in the morning and evening.

There's no rush about these things, Ginny and I have lost well over 100 lbs between us over our RVing years. We look at old pictures and laugh.

[2yax2go]

Norm...we are currently in Page, AZ in the Glen Canyon area. We had hoped to do a slot canyon but the temps are over 100 and I can't deal with hiking through that even inna shade. (see red face here)

Tomorrow we are headed to Kanab, UT as a base for a week to do the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Brice, Zion and what ever else we can fit in for a day trip. Then we'll head to Yellowstone...unless, of course, we head somewhere else.

Our ultimate goal is the Pacific somewhere in Oregon or Washington up to Vancouver, maybe back down here and back across country to the East Coast and New Jersey for our grandson's birthday in October. Then we'll head back down south in time for my sister's 60th birthday.

Funny....I wuz think' twice a day might be a good way to get into it...thanks for the nudge. It took me time to get this way...it'll take me time to get out of it. But, what else have I got to do with 10 seconds twice a day, eh?

Josie

[honda03842]

Carl,

Escapee parks are not time shares in any way. If you're an Escapee you can stay in any Escapee Park (there are 20) that has space and they usually do. Our park has 3 levels of camping: boondocking $5, semi-serviced (W & E) $11, and full service ($15).

To purchase a site in our park you put $500 down (refundable upon request) and get on the list for a permanent spot. It took us 8 years to get to the top of the list. Once at the top you are offered a spot, cost about $12,000 (your original $500 is applied towards this purchase). If you no longer want the spot, it goes to the person on the top of the list and he pays you your $12,000 back.

You can live on the site all year if you choose. When you are not on your site they rent it out for you and 60% of the rental goes towards your monthly fees.

The monthly fees cover the cost of running the park - for water, taxes, grass cutting, heated swimming pool, wireless and sewer plant, ...... The park has a large club house, laundry, and library. The fees are about $100 a month. You are only responsible for electricity, (and optionally for phone or tv service).

Our park has green grass lots, the lot size varies but is at least 40x70, and wide, paved Palm lined streets. The miracle of it all is 125 couples, the original members, got together and built this park from the ground up some 25 years ago.

Glad to answer any other questions, Also don't hesitate to go to Escapees.com

[Nut501]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Carl,

Escapee parks are not time shares in any way. If you're an Escapee you can stay in any Escapee Park (there are 20) that has space and they usually do. Our park has 3 levels of camping: boondocking $5, semi-serviced (W & E) $11, and full service ($15).

To purchase a site in our park you put $500 down (refundable upon request) and get on the list for a permanent spot. It took us 8 years to get to the top of the list. Once at the top you are offered a spot, cost about $12,000 (your original $500 is applied towards this purchase). If you no longer want the spot, it goes to the person on the top of the list and he pays you your $12,000 back.

You can live on the site all year if you choose. When you are not on your site they rent it out for you and 60% of the rental goes towards your monthly fees.

The monthly fees cover the cost of running the park - for water, taxes, grass cutting, heated swimming pool, wireless and sewer plant, ...... The park has a large club house, laundry, and library. The fees are about $100 a month. You are only responsible for electricity, (and optionally for phone or tv service).

Our park has green grass lots, the lot size varies but is at least 40x70, and wide, paved Palm lined streets. The miracle of it all is 125 couples, the original members, got together and built this park from the ground up some 25 years ago.

Glad to answer any other questions, Also don't hesitate to go to Escapees.com

Norm,
I will put Escapee Parks on my to do list and check them out! They sound great! Do you have any other words of wisdom about RVing?
Thanks for the input!

[honda03842]

Carl, We were 58 when we discovered Escapees. We joined because we hoped to get old (and now we are). There are or have been well over 100,000 escapee members, (couples are considered one member). It's a lot of people. Escapees typically have a logo with a red wagon with a house in the wagon. If you see one while camping don't hesitate to approach them.

As to other words of wisdom, we all have them. Little and big things we've learned through life, RVing is no different. For RVers I always suggest attending rallies. Once there be friendly and outgoing. Most everyone has something to share. Texas has some very good fiberglass rallies, some of the largest.

At our first fiberglass rally I came away with a long lists of things to do to improve my trailer and places to go to improve myself.

Safe travels,

[Nut501]

Norm,
Can you tell which rallies in Texas are good ones to attend? Will I be able to find them in this forum or where do I find the rallies? I plan on retiring at the end of this year. So, I am using this time to gather advice and wisdom about RVing!
Thanks for your help!!!!

[honda03842]

Carl,

The following is a link to the FRV map of rallies. This map can be found under the rallies in our forum.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...266&dg=feature

If you scroll down the list you'll see at least 3 Texas rallies. I've only been to one in TX but it was a hoot. If you look at the map you'll see there are rallies every where. Just click on the pin for a rally definition. Red ones have already happened.

There's a Scamp rally in FL in February that's also interesting. Really I've been to 5 or 6 and they are all have been good.

[Huck]

Originally Posted by honda03842

You can live on the site all year if you choose. When you are not on your site they rent it out for you and 60% of the rental goes towards your monthly fees.

Our park has green grass lots, the lot size varies but is at least 40x70, and wide, paved Palm lined streets. The miracle of it all is 125 couples, the original members, got together and built this park from the ground up some 25 years ago.

How does it feel to be surrounded by RVs 2 or 3 x your size?

Can you put up a tent along side your trailer?

Thanks

[honda03842]

By a tent along side our trailer I assume you mean attached to create another enclosed room.

We don't do it though I've seen others do it. We travel a lot, 7.5 months a year and have never had a day where we wished we had more room. That said, our children are adults and we have no pets. The reality is that outside of sleeping and evenings we don't spend that much time in the trailer, Generally we go to bed much earlier when traveling and get up early.

As to parking next to big rigs. We used to have one and belonged to a big rig club. On occasion we still go camping with them in our small rig. Inevitably they all want to see our rig.

In Newfoundland we were surrounded by big rigs. It simply doesn't bother us. We're getting 20+ mpg and they're getting 7. As well they tend to not travel as much as us because of operating costs. On top of us there are many places we go that they can't. We rarely see a big motorhome in one of Newfoundland's Provincial Parks.

I just realized that you're talking about Escapee Parks. You can have a Sunroom next to your trailer, not common but I've seen it. As well every lot comes with a shed. The limit in our park is 128 sq feet. Other Escapee parks allow even larger sheds, almost small home size. Each park has their own rules.

We are usually the smallest rig where ever we go. There are few people in our Escapee park that have not come to see our trailer. The people with larger rigs frequently leave them there for the summer. Many of then have considered purchasing one like ours for traveling back and forth. There are also a number of people who have small rigs for camping and travel back and forth.

If you go to Escapees.com there are links to each of the parks with pictures. They differ widely from the extravagant in Southern CA to the simple in TX. The prices match with a lot in S. CA $30,000 to Hondo, TX where the basic lot is $3,000.

Hope I finally got it right.

[accrete]

Originally Posted by Huck

How does it feel to be surrounded by RVs 2 or 3 x your size?

My wife and i full time in a luxurious 38ft fifth wheeler...Parked right next to it is our cute little 15ft fiberglass Parkliner. Certainly-consistently the tiniest rig in the RV/Golf Resort we stay at. The one people want to see inside?..The Parkliner



Thom

[honda03842]

My 13 year old grand niece Aimee is visiting and I asked her if she new what a plank was. She immediately did one and told me she won her grade competition for planking, 30 minutes. Yikes! It ended because the class ended.

Oh to be young.....