How do you do it?

[floyd]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

So far only vacationing 7 to 10 days at a stretch in our Scamp 13. Any day in our Scamp is better than any day at work. Someday we may be lucky enough to retire and test our true compatability in our 13 Scamp. If it doesn't work then we get 2 trailers and camp side by side. If you can't stand each other in a 13 footer how does another 3 to 8 feet make a difference. Either you can make do with what you have with your best friend or you can't, I doubt a few extra feet will make a difference. If you can't then you need to make a different change rather than the length of your trailer.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

So far only vacationing 7 to 10 days at a stretch in our Scamp 13. Any day in our Scamp is better than any day at work. Someday we may be lucky enough to retire and test our true compatability in our 13 Scamp. If it doesn't work then we get 2 trailers and camp side by side. If you can't stand each other in a 13 footer how does another 3 to 8 feet make a difference. Either you can make do with what you have with your best friend or you can't, I doubt a few extra feet will make a difference. If you can't then you need to make a different change rather than the length of your trailer.

[Mike_L]

Hi Guys, apologies for the late reply. We are both from Conception Bay. Anne is from North River and I am from Makinsons although I have lived all over the island. I've also been to Labrador but only the Goose Bay area. Great fishing up that way if you like doing that.
Good to hear you enjoy our province.

[thewags]

Yes, could work. A little heavier than Scamp but more aerodynamic. An owner here in Arizona has invited me to view his, so I plan to do so. Thanks!

[k0wtz]

Wow my congratulations to you full timers at 76 it is too late for us but we do take extended trips and this year have found a love for trout fishing. The problem is 2 days trouting and we have our limit then we have to think about moving on back home.

In this manner we sort of limit ourselves for camping this July I had big-time back surgery scheduled 2 mos later so we took off to Alaska I thought I could drive and not hurt, very big mistake we made it to Omaha and had to start back home. I have now had my surgery more discs repaired and fused. Along with that old rods and hardwere removed and new longer rods and stuff put back in very painful.

The plan in June off we head again for Alaska for our dream trip we have been there before by flying and taking our tent but we want to Scamp to Alaska maybe just me I don't know!

We seem to have so many family things occurring at times we cannot plan for anything but no doubt in Feb, or March next year urge is going to hit taking off in that 13f Scamper for more sight seeing and as close to f/t as we can get. Oh how I envy you guys that do it!!

Happy Full Timing

[honda03842]

Family things.
We accommodate significant family events, weddings, 50th anniversaries,... However we skip less significant repetitive events. Ginny sends cards for virtually everyone's birthdays, so many it's a joke. Gifts go to relatives, and certainly all young ones, regularly we call and sing a poor rendition of happy birthday. We feel no compulsion to be at every grand kids birthday or to repeat the regular holidays.

A good friend, now deceased wrote a sermon on turning 70. She suggested focusing more as you age. We're now 75 and recognize that we'll be happy to make it to 85, hoping to still be traveling 7 months a year.

Unfortunately 85 will be here soon.

We noticed in our rush to get to Florida to help out with the after effects of Irma that 300 miles a day is now an absolute maximum for us. We typically only drive 150 miles though when younger we would do 500 miles when in a rush.

Our great doctor, who has gently pushed us towards health over the last 18 years of our RV life, told us we are in excellent health for our age, that our numbers are even improving, but we are getting older and there's not much one can do to reverse age, at least not yet.

Over the last 18 years we have learned that life is best together, when the two of us are out extending ourselves, learning and growing in many ways. We are no longer kids but still behave like kids.

Most of our lives was spent giving to others, now our focus is giving to each other, a conscious choice on our parts. We still reserve time for others but the road is our mistress.

Others make different choices, we know our (almost) fulltiming life is not for everyone. Ginny is forever telling me we're blessed. I hope so.

Love to all...

[John Linck]

Jill and I find our 13 foot Scamp small during the first day of a trip. By day three it always seems plenty roomy. Its probably just the adjustment going from our 1100 sq ft house to the 60 sq ft Scamp. Also we spend most time outside in vast open spaces like beaches and National Parks.

Last week at 12 mile beach campground at Pictured Rocks National Seashore we watched a neighboring tent flatten in a sudden squall while we were snug and warm. Very comfy. See attached pics.

We were fortunate to meet at 17. This month marks 45 years of wedded bliss. Certainly the best choice I've ever made. Very lucky.


Peace, john

[LyleB]

Beautiful beach photos. I'm heading to Tahquamenon Falls in a couple of days. Will be there for a week. Might have to head up to 12-Mile Campground for a couple of days too. Looks beautiful. I need to replace my Senior Pass before I head down to Florida this winter, so could do that at 12 Mile.

Anyone know if I can get a replacement card? I lost mine. Hate to have to shell out the $80 bucks for a new one when I had a $10 one.

[John Linck]

Originally Posted by LyleB

I need to replace my Senior Pass before I head down to Florida this winter, so could do that at 12 Mile.

Anyone know if I can get a replacement card? I lost mine. Hate to have to shell out the $80 bucks for a new one when I had a $10 one.

I believe there are no replacement passes. Passes also might be for sale in the National Forest that is closer to the Falls than Pictured Rocks.

BTW. 12 mile beach campground will close in early Oct. Also its a beautiful, forested 35 site, no hook-up campground with vault toilets, but great tasting well water and million dollar views. The beach is usually empty of people. You will find no shells and no litter. We walk for miles daily. 7-8 dollars per night with your senior pass. We watched leaping Coho Salmon move from Lake Superior to spawn up Hurricane River nearby. Don't tell anyone how nice it is. It gets more popular every year. ;-)

Enjoy the UP. Last week we were a bit early for Fall color. You should have better luck.

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Family things.
We accommodate significant family events, weddings, 50th anniversaries,... However we skip less significant repetitive events. Ginny sends cards for virtually everyone's birthdays, so many it's a joke. Gifts go to relatives, and certainly all young ones, regularly we call and sing a poor rendition of happy birthday. We feel no compulsion to be at every grand kids birthday or to repeat the regular holidays.

A good friend, now deceased wrote a sermon on turning 70. She suggested focusing more as you age. We're now 75 and recognize that we'll be happy to make it to 85, hoping to still be traveling 7 months a year.

Unfortunately 85 will be here soon.

We noticed in our rush to get to Florida to help out with the after effects of Irma that 300 miles a day is now an absolute maximum for us. We typically only drive 150 miles though when younger we would do 500 miles when in a rush.

Our great doctor, who has gently pushed us towards health over the last 18 years of our RV life, told us we are in excellent health for our age, that our numbers are even improving, but we are getting older and there's not much one can do to reverse age, at least not yet.

Over the last 18 years we have learned that life is best together, when the two of us are out extending ourselves, learning and growing in many ways. We are no longer kids but still behave like kids.

Most of our lives was spent giving to others, now our focus is giving to each other, a conscious choice on our parts. We still reserve time for others but the road is our mistress.

Others make different choices, we know our (almost) fulltiming life is not for everyone. Ginny is forever telling me we're blessed. I hope so.

Love to all...

Glad to read you.
I did not cross your writings for a few months and I wondered if hurricanes had caused you damage.
I think I remember that during the winter you live in the Tampa area if I remember correctly.
Have a good day,

[rgrugg]

My senior pass was pretty beat up a few years ago. At a stop where it was use the person on duty replaced it. I didn’t even have to ask. As for best friend, my wife best friend mother of my children managed to travel in 49 states. No Hawaii. We had nearly 50 years together when she passed, That was almost 5 years ago. Two years later I met a woman who likes to camp, loves my Escape19. We’ve traveled to many places and more to come. In case some of you think you’re too old to do trailer things, I’m 81 and she’s 76 and we’re ready for more even though we both have some health issues they’re not stopping us.

[k0wtz]

wow you are doing great. With my new back surgery done in July I am finally starting to be able to do things. Had the same back surgery 21/2 years ago and it was not nearly as bad as this time matter of fact I came very close to giving up the pain was so bad!

I am happy for you at 81 you are doing so well, I think go as long as you can do it and go as long as you can stand it. Movement seems to help us.

anyway pleasant journies and happy Thanksgiving!!!


bob

[RosaK]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

Lesley is my best friend. It took me 2 tries to get it right. Going on 17 years now. Its not the size of the trailer, its the size of each others heart. When you get that right everything else just fits. What a life we could have had if we were together at a much younger age. But i guess we both had some growing up to do before we met each other.

SteveBaz,

I think you have this absolutely correct. I loved your earlier post about if you can't get along in a small trailer how is a few feet more going to help?

I, too, got it wrong the first time around. Was with a man who absolutely hated it every time I took the kids camping. He was a workaholic who should have been happy I was entertaining the kids with good wholesome fun and letting him have a quiet home in which to work. The trip I took to Yellowstone with my 84 year old Mom, 13 year old son, and 7 yr old daughter in a tent will be forever etched in my mind as the best of times.

Mom is 98 now and barely holding it together in a nursing home. The kids grown and gone and don't call anywhere near enough and lucky me I have found a wonderful man who loves camping as much as me and hopefully soon will be my forever camping/ travelling companion.

Cheers to the good life where only the size of each other's hearts and capacity to have fun enjoying the simple pleasures is what matters.

[RosaK]

Good for you! My dear Mom took up tent camping with me and my kids when she was 84 years young. We got in many, many trips before she turned 91. Now at 98 we still love to talk about those trips. They were such fun.

[drjenk]

This thread has been a very encouraging read and I'm glad I found this forum.

Me 53, my wife 50. On1/1/2020, I can begin to draw on my 401k penalty free, since that is the year in which I turn 55, and the bulk of the 401k is from the company I currently work for.
We've decided to full time RV, as we've always loved camping, and have loved traveling and seeing new places. It's really taken over our psyche in the last 12 months.
We bought an escape 5.0 TA 5th wheel Feb last year, slightly before really getting the bug to full time and figuring out it can actually work. The finances dictate, if we want to retire this early, we need to use the current RV we have. I use the Fidelity investments retirement tool, which extrapolates the future based on worst case market conditions. It gives us a green light.
We both really thing we can live with the space, as we both don't really have all that many possessions to begin with. We've begun to pare down quite a bit from what we do have, getting away with as much minimal possessions as we think we'll want on the road, while still living in our 1600 sq ft house. We are finding we occupy an minuscule amount of square footage in a given day. I have just been doubting a bit about the space, but the comments here have really been insightful and encouraging, and I just thought I'd chime in and thank everyone.
I like the comment I saw once on a video. Someone asked a lady living in a van "how do you live in that thing?". She says without a millisecond hesitation, "I don't, I live out here", pointing to the vast beautiful oasis surrounding her, and follows, "I just sleep in there". That is what kind of style we like anyway, we don't like to hunker down inside unless weather dictates, we like to be outside.
We're both lucky we got it right the first time, we are each others best friend, 25 years married, kids moved out, and just starting our next chapter. We can't wait for next year, but really look forward to the journey of planning this year and getting the house ready to rent.
I'll follow up here now and then. Going to establish a blog and shoot some youtube now and then on the road, to give back a bit. Lord knows I've consumed my fair share of videos and knowledge on the subject.

[Mike Magee]

Good for you! Plenty of space, between that 5th wheel and your truck, for the necessities. Are you going to keep the house for a while, though?


My postman retired and bought a big Cedar Creek 5th wheel to tow with his Powerstroke Ford. They figured on full timing. He confided that he and his wife were on the fence about whether to sell the house or not. I told him, why not give it a year on the road before you decide? Because if you find that it wasn't what you expected, you'll regret selling the house and will need to find a whole new place, and stuff to fill it. They did exactly that, waited to put it up for sale. Within 6 months they were glad they'd kept it, and now they spend a few weeks with the RV but most of the time they're in their familiar house. Everybody's different. I'm just suggesting, be cautious.

[drjenk]

Oh yes, we have a few exit strategies/contingency plans. You are right.

Our plan is to rent our house, which is paid for. Although this is more of a financial than an exit strategy decision, it serves both goals well. I've also been toying with the idea of selling, and buying another house in a state where we desire to domicile (for cost reasons, among others), and rent that. It may be more rent profit net wise, given the tax burdens in our area (Seattle suburbs), emphasis on "may". But also, renting our current property for a while will afford my wife and I plenty of time to scope out the country to see what is out there property-wise, and what we like, so likely we'll go with plan A and take it one step at a time.
We've also purchased a condominium for our daughters to live in while attending college. Post college this could serve as our residence later. Or, after renting our house for a while, the opposite might be true and we might find we love the lifestyle so much we sell the house and use part of the equity of the sale on a bigger setup, rather than a different house, and invest the rest.
So yes it is very wise to leave an out, or a couple or three, and plan for all the possible outcomes for sure. Our good health at present is a blessing which is not to be ignored and taken for granted either, I do want a contingency plan for that possibility alone! Cheers and thanks for the input.

David J.

[honda03842]

We're now 81 and have been traveling for 23 years, about 7 months a year. The last 13 years in our Scamp 16. We've had a number of RV's but our Scamp is our favorite. Many people in our FL RV park have down sized from their long 5th wheelers to what they call baby trailers. Their Baby trailers are typically 24-26 feet long.

We just smile but feel their direction is correct. As fuel prices increase we're happy to be towing with our Odyssey that gets great mileage.

Our best recent trip was a diagonal trip to Paradise Valley, Nevada. Instead of going east west and/or south North from Florida we drove a diagonal route focusing on Corp of Eng. parks. We would rive 150 miles one day and stay in a corp park for 2 days. We did this for 9 Corp parks in a row. Corp parks are generally very well sited and relatively inexpensive.

It was a great trip that we hope to repeat.

Safe travels