Click here: for a great RV book.
I am putting that link at the top for all to see. This is NOT an affiliate link, just a link to send you to the book on Amazon. Why am I "advertising" this? It's because I just read it tonight, it's a fast read and loaded with good RV information. I bought it, downloaded it to my Kindle, synchronized all of my devices and read it on one setting on my iPad.
For those of you that have emailed me about my blog, telling me that you are still deciding on what to do ... this book is definitely for you as well as me. It explains a lot in the different phases we have gone through ... or maybe in your case ... currently going through, in our thought process.
It also covers those mental phases for the people that have bought their rig and have hit the road, whether just in your first month, first year or many years.
Every phase is covered and is very informative.
Now for a little update on nothing in particular, no new dramatic news either in the RV or my hounds. Still some things to write about each and kind of a follow up to my last post.
For the past few weeks I had an idea for walking my two basset's, Winston and Heidi with a splitter and one leash. Maybe a possibility for future camping or traveling. They are the same height which is a plus, same speed when not on the leash but a slight error in judgement. Daily as we walk through the field in back of the house I have Sadie (bloodhound) on a 25' retractable and one of the bassets on a 20' retractable and one lucky basset on their own pace. That pace is indescribable. The meaning of Slooooowwwwww would be faster than the pace of either basset hound walking off their leash.
Of course due to the heat and humidity we try to walk after 7 or 8pm. With Winston (10yr), it's a combination of the heat, his bad lower basset back or maybe just that he is getting older but when he is off the leash he will drop pretty far behind us walking one step at a time. Picture that on basset hound length legs ... LOL. He will always cut off his walk short and head to the return path to meet us on the way back. It's all open field so I can see where he is.
When Heidi is off leash (6yr), she is off on her own and hard to control because she will ignore you just like the AKC description says about the basset hounds breed (stubborn) and will get away if I am not keeping tabs on her. At times she starts going in different directions to where I have to walk the other dogs over to her and take the leash off of Winston and attach her.
So last week I found my old leather splitter hanging inside a door with all past leashes, different sized and different kinds of dog collars that have collected over the years. I remember in 1997 when I moved to this house Harry and Maggie walked using that splitter like two dancers...almost in step. They were both bassets. I thought if they could do it, then Winston and Heidi could also. I was wrong.
In the experiment this week, the combo of Heidi and Winston never worked that way and as of tonight, June 28, the experiment has been shelved. Some of what I described earlier about each basset off of the leash, is a factor on why this experiment didn't work.
Whether Winston is on or off a leash .... his pace is the same ... slowwwwwww. When Heidi is on the leash she will do anything to stay in the lead and is always ahead of the bloodhound. Then at times with her great nose, she is off on a scent that will pull me if I let her, but the stop on the retractable leash stops her tendency to bolt.
So with one basset hound wanting to be in the lead of the pack, that is connected by a collar splitter to a basset that is on a constant laid back stroll through the country ... it was not going to work. Each night this week I stopped them soon after to unhook the splitter and only putting Heidi on the leash, otherwise Winston would be strangled with Heidi pulling him through the field.
How does this information tie into the last blog post? For the past few weeks I had thought seriously of taking the hounds and I tent camping. The plan was to head to locations with low temps and at least lower humidity. I was thinking Yellowstone, maybe Glacier or even the coast of the PNW. Yes ... all of us in a tent, a large PaHa Que with plenty of floor space and I could stand up if needed.
The concerns were:
1. My hounds barking in a SP on the way out when they saw new people and new dogs.
2. The hound ability to take off when they lock onto a scent and either getting lost or killed by a predator.
On the first concern, here at home when someone shows up to visit, UPS/FedEx delivery or like the installer this week ... if I don't let them outside to meet and greet the people, one hound will start their "hound howling" and the other two follow. It's loud and I could see us getting kicked out of campgrounds because of that. Also, if I were to take off to either bike or hike, I would have had to leave them in the back of the FJ Cruiser and that's never a good thing in hot weather, even with the windows cracked. Would they be barking then? They bark here at home when they can't go out when I mow the yard. I can only assume they would bark if I were to leave them in the car.
The second concern is a big one. Sure, it doesn't happen often or at least you don't read about dogs being killed by predators. My friend asked at dinner the other night "are you really going to tent camp with three dogs in bear country"? I jokingly replied that my bloodhound would probably be lunch for a bear and then I would. Not a good answer I know, but it just kind of came out that way.
One the drive home I thought more about that. Around here in the country about all I hear are coyotes. Unless they are really hungry in the winter, you don't see them. You will see their tracks in the snow.
The safety of my hounds have always been a concern. Tent camping would change the safety parameters. It would be much different than sleeping inside a hard shell trailer, or staying in one during the day.
I thought of how hard it is to walk all three hounds on a leash. I thought of our trip last September 2013. I thought if they were an excuse or a justifiable concern. I don't deal in excuses nor do I make decisions feeding my brain positive thoughts over and over, never have. I make decisions based on facts, tendencies and thoughts of safety if the hounds were traveling as well for myself. That is they way I've always been ... analysis then decision. Maybe when I was younger I made some of those "I'll do it now and figure it out on the way" but being older I don't have time to correct major mistakes in thinking, financially or otherwise.
So, long story short, I decided tent camping off the grid with three hounds was not possible. These are not dogs in the working breed that stay around, they are hounds and their noses dictate what they do in an outside environment. The stronger the scent, the more unconscious they become ... that's their DNA. It's not a training issue.
Like I stated in September 2013 post after our 586 mile trip, any full-time or majority of the time traveling will have to take place after the number of hounds I have decreases to one.
I have had bassets or bloodhounds or both, since 1987. Depending on circumstances, determined the quantity at the time. When I purchased Heidi in July 2011 from Basset Hound Rescue, RVing and retiring was not even a thought....even a passing thought. I did not see Glenn's interview with Yahoo until October 2011, then started my blog, with the subtext "finding out if I can travel with three hounds".
I'm good with the decision. We will try to get away for short trips, maybe see what happens and then go from there.
Showing posts with label Decision is Made. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Decision is Made. Show all posts
June 28, 2014
May 14, 2014
That Is One Nice Rig - A Deposit Was Left
When I said I was going to look at this rig between forecasted severe thunderstorms, that proved to be more than I bargained for. When I left my house it was blue skies and sunny after raining for 3 straight hours. By the time I arrived 50 miles away the skies were black, not gray, and was raining so hard that cars were pulling off the road because we could not see. I thought to myself, what a great day to look at a RV.....at least if it leaks I will no. When not used though it is kept under a portable garage so that made a difference.
Well I had brought my bright small LED flashlight that can penetrate walls if it needs to, it's that bright. I brought my small camera thinking it would take better photos than my iPhone (wrong) and my checkbook which I never use just in case I needed to leave a deposit. I also brought all the knowledge I had read on everybody's blog the past few years, plus the new information on 'vintage' RVs from the forums last night, that I had added to the "notes" of my iPhone so I would not forget anything.
By the time I pulled into the drive, the rain had decrease to a nice solid downpour but I could see. I did a walk around, opened the engine bay outside, looked and felt the tires, moved my fingers over the aluminum siding ... it was as nice as the photos. Maybe even nicer. The rig barely fit in the garage so there was no chance of lowering the patio awning but the rails looked new. I put my finger up on the tire thread ... they felt new. I asked, he told me he just put on a set of tires. He then said I like to keep all of my vehicles up to date with maintenance and I did that with his RV. I glanced around and saw his pick up truck, 3 cars for kids and wife, then in "his" garage a mint 67 Camero along with his new weekend toy, the Harley. Everything around his house was immaculate.
So we have new tires, he said he had replaced all the belts but if it were him he would have everything checked out before a trip west. I agreed. By this time it was back to raining to hard for me to climb the back ladder to look at the roof. We moved inside to get out of the pouring rain. As soon as I stepped inside, I felt this was the one. I was immediately thrilled that the seats, furniture was a tan based color and not the 80's pink, purple or raspberry colors that seemed to be popular back then. All the oak cabinets were flush when closed, solid oak and looked brand new. ALL the furniture was nice, stain free, comfortable including the drivers seat.
Already I noticed it had a lot more interior room than my Coachmen Class C I had sitting here over the winter. This has no slides but it still looked roomy. The dining table had TWO legs holding it up, with 2 brackets in the floor. The dining table, kitchen counter and bedroom night stand look purple in the photos but they were more of a brown color with maybe a tint towards that color. All the carpets were between a tan/white but on the photo it shows the carpet over the engine bay being a little orange??? Not so...it was all tan color and in great shape for carpet. He had laid a darker runner over the isle that looked very clean when I looked closer. He had just de-winterized it so the ice machine was punching out pink ice cubes. Tons of drawers and closet space, more than I need or will use.
I was very impressed. I took my LED flashlight and looked inside every overhead storage, along the ceiling ... it did not sag and everything inside the cabinets and headliner looked brand spanking new. I'm serious ... I was shocked to say the least. This model has two single beds in back. That could work both ways...one for me and one for the hounds, although the bloodhound prefers the floor and no blankets of any kind. Or I might take out one bed and install a desk from Ikea to put my iMac and 2nd 27" monitor along with the printer/scanner.
The blinds were in good shape, the curtains will come out because they are not my style. The carpets are nice enough to keep or I can rip them out and install some kind of wood flooring or vinyl.
I turned the key and the engine fired right up and purred like a kitten. The seller lifted off the section between the seats to expose the engine and it sounded great. He said I would love the way it drove. He also said he would not take a final payment until I test drove it and we both knew the weather this week will play a factor on when I can pick it up. It has to be backed out into his yard you saw on the photos yesterday for him to turn onto the long driveway to a country road.
Some history of the rig. As he grew up his family always traveled by motorhome all over the country. His dad bought this 1987 Holiday Rambler brand new. Then 8 years ago the seller bought it from his dad and used it during the summers taking his young daughters and her friends camping. They would tow their pontoon boat and usually camp in state parks, even at 33' long. With his daughters now in college, the seller and his wife turned from RVing on weekends to riding their new motorcycle...thus the reason for selling. It was no longer being used.
I thought he told me the tags were current and it was used but I may have confused him with a different rig because tonight he told me it had been sitting for 3 years with very little use. It has 67,616 miles and no history of any repair work done. The only work performed was routine maintenance inside and out. It is wired for satellite tv, he had a tripod and dish that would come with it if I wanted it.
Some of the features - double sink, full size fridge, ice maker, great water pressure, great condition inside and enough storage outside even with smaller storage bays. More than I had on the Class C. I did not see any signs of leaks anywhere, under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, under the beds, the ceiling and inside the cabinets. Both A/Cs worked, heater etc.
I knew the answer before I asked but I assumed he had a lot of calls on it. He said he was getting calls 15 minutes after he listed it on Craig's List but with his work schedule and their work schedule, most people could not stop by to see it until the weekend. I told him I had no doubt that I wanted this rig and I would leave him a deposit. We both agreed that the weather would dictate when I could pick up the rig, I didn't want to tear his yard up and with the amount of rain we have been getting plus a forecast of 3 more days of rain, I didn't want this rig stuck in his backyard.
We both agreed that a final payment would not be made until I took it for a test drive. He lives 4 miles out in the country on the edge of a State Park and a US highway...so once I get it down the narrow country roads to the highway, it should be a good test drive. He did offer to deliver it to me and do the test drive at my house but the problem is ... I have to find somewhere besides my house to park it. The Class C barely made it up here around my house while keeping it on the top of the bank. It is not possible this rig will make it anywhere near my house.
So remember when viewing this bad photos ... the purple tables and counter tops are more of a brown color. ALL of the carpet around the engine bay is tan, not orange. The furniture color in the photos are accurate.
Well I had brought my bright small LED flashlight that can penetrate walls if it needs to, it's that bright. I brought my small camera thinking it would take better photos than my iPhone (wrong) and my checkbook which I never use just in case I needed to leave a deposit. I also brought all the knowledge I had read on everybody's blog the past few years, plus the new information on 'vintage' RVs from the forums last night, that I had added to the "notes" of my iPhone so I would not forget anything.
By the time I pulled into the drive, the rain had decrease to a nice solid downpour but I could see. I did a walk around, opened the engine bay outside, looked and felt the tires, moved my fingers over the aluminum siding ... it was as nice as the photos. Maybe even nicer. The rig barely fit in the garage so there was no chance of lowering the patio awning but the rails looked new. I put my finger up on the tire thread ... they felt new. I asked, he told me he just put on a set of tires. He then said I like to keep all of my vehicles up to date with maintenance and I did that with his RV. I glanced around and saw his pick up truck, 3 cars for kids and wife, then in "his" garage a mint 67 Camero along with his new weekend toy, the Harley. Everything around his house was immaculate.
So we have new tires, he said he had replaced all the belts but if it were him he would have everything checked out before a trip west. I agreed. By this time it was back to raining to hard for me to climb the back ladder to look at the roof. We moved inside to get out of the pouring rain. As soon as I stepped inside, I felt this was the one. I was immediately thrilled that the seats, furniture was a tan based color and not the 80's pink, purple or raspberry colors that seemed to be popular back then. All the oak cabinets were flush when closed, solid oak and looked brand new. ALL the furniture was nice, stain free, comfortable including the drivers seat.
Already I noticed it had a lot more interior room than my Coachmen Class C I had sitting here over the winter. This has no slides but it still looked roomy. The dining table had TWO legs holding it up, with 2 brackets in the floor. The dining table, kitchen counter and bedroom night stand look purple in the photos but they were more of a brown color with maybe a tint towards that color. All the carpets were between a tan/white but on the photo it shows the carpet over the engine bay being a little orange??? Not so...it was all tan color and in great shape for carpet. He had laid a darker runner over the isle that looked very clean when I looked closer. He had just de-winterized it so the ice machine was punching out pink ice cubes. Tons of drawers and closet space, more than I need or will use.
I was very impressed. I took my LED flashlight and looked inside every overhead storage, along the ceiling ... it did not sag and everything inside the cabinets and headliner looked brand spanking new. I'm serious ... I was shocked to say the least. This model has two single beds in back. That could work both ways...one for me and one for the hounds, although the bloodhound prefers the floor and no blankets of any kind. Or I might take out one bed and install a desk from Ikea to put my iMac and 2nd 27" monitor along with the printer/scanner.
The blinds were in good shape, the curtains will come out because they are not my style. The carpets are nice enough to keep or I can rip them out and install some kind of wood flooring or vinyl.
I turned the key and the engine fired right up and purred like a kitten. The seller lifted off the section between the seats to expose the engine and it sounded great. He said I would love the way it drove. He also said he would not take a final payment until I test drove it and we both knew the weather this week will play a factor on when I can pick it up. It has to be backed out into his yard you saw on the photos yesterday for him to turn onto the long driveway to a country road.
Some history of the rig. As he grew up his family always traveled by motorhome all over the country. His dad bought this 1987 Holiday Rambler brand new. Then 8 years ago the seller bought it from his dad and used it during the summers taking his young daughters and her friends camping. They would tow their pontoon boat and usually camp in state parks, even at 33' long. With his daughters now in college, the seller and his wife turned from RVing on weekends to riding their new motorcycle...thus the reason for selling. It was no longer being used.
I thought he told me the tags were current and it was used but I may have confused him with a different rig because tonight he told me it had been sitting for 3 years with very little use. It has 67,616 miles and no history of any repair work done. The only work performed was routine maintenance inside and out. It is wired for satellite tv, he had a tripod and dish that would come with it if I wanted it.
Some of the features - double sink, full size fridge, ice maker, great water pressure, great condition inside and enough storage outside even with smaller storage bays. More than I had on the Class C. I did not see any signs of leaks anywhere, under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, under the beds, the ceiling and inside the cabinets. Both A/Cs worked, heater etc.
I knew the answer before I asked but I assumed he had a lot of calls on it. He said he was getting calls 15 minutes after he listed it on Craig's List but with his work schedule and their work schedule, most people could not stop by to see it until the weekend. I told him I had no doubt that I wanted this rig and I would leave him a deposit. We both agreed that the weather would dictate when I could pick up the rig, I didn't want to tear his yard up and with the amount of rain we have been getting plus a forecast of 3 more days of rain, I didn't want this rig stuck in his backyard.
We both agreed that a final payment would not be made until I took it for a test drive. He lives 4 miles out in the country on the edge of a State Park and a US highway...so once I get it down the narrow country roads to the highway, it should be a good test drive. He did offer to deliver it to me and do the test drive at my house but the problem is ... I have to find somewhere besides my house to park it. The Class C barely made it up here around my house while keeping it on the top of the bank. It is not possible this rig will make it anywhere near my house.
So remember when viewing this bad photos ... the purple tables and counter tops are more of a brown color. ALL of the carpet around the engine bay is tan, not orange. The furniture color in the photos are accurate.
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September 04, 2013
My First Trailer ... 2012 Lil Snoozy LS3
Editor's Note: I ended up not buying this trailer, only because I changed my mind about towing a trailer with my dogs in the vehicle. See post about the 584 mile trip for the reasons why.
I hadn't thought anymore about this trailer, the Lil Snoozy LS3, after I looked and read about it over a year ago. Thought it could work but didn't pay a lot of attention to the dimensions or anything because it was an all electric trailer. No propane....so I moved on even though last year it looked bigger than the Casita's trailers.
So the past few weeks I have been looking at other trailers, back and forth on the Starcraft, even made sure I didn't want a Class C. Sometime over the weekend a friend that full times and was in the process of buying a trailer after selling hers, emails me about a 2012 LiL Snoozy that she likes. I started thinking, this lady has been full-timing with dogs and cats for a lot of years in all kinds of trailers, different trucks and she is considering the LiL Snoozy as a full-time trailer???
I went back to their site, looked more, paid attending to the exterior and interior measurements. There were a few things I liked about it last year and those features were still attractive this year. Once my friend told me she was going to buy something else but thought this would be a great trailer for what I was looking for and what I was wanting to do .... Knowing how many years experience she had living on the road, I spent the rest of the time researching, looking at pictures again and reading forums to find out any kind of information I could. I wanted to see all the good and bad things about this trailer. I could only find 1 used LiL Snoozy trailer for sale all over the internet and this was trailer was the one.
So, we are to the point of dotting the I's and crossing the T's. It is located 584 miles from me, so I plan on loading the hounds into the H3 sometime this weekend or early next week, drive down and pick it up and then spend some days traveling the back roads through Missouri and Kentucky on my way home to Indiana. It should be a good "shake down cruise" for the hounds and I.
Am I "hearing" SHOCK and AWE from the crowd? Surely not ... not after everything you have read here in the past ... LOL
Was it this past March I was within a day of test driving a 32' Class A and buying from a local family but they were in Florida for spring break, holding the test drive back a day?? The the Starcraft AR-ONE 17RD was declared the winner twice, but on two different occasions I had changed my mine, once with the check in hand.
So you have to be asking yourself why this trailer instead of the Starcraft AR-ONE 17RD.
1. Same size bed
2. A COUCH !!!!
3. If needed a TV already mounted for travel sitting across from the couch.
4. Aisle is wider
5. 3" taller inside
6. 2'5" shorter inside
7. Plenty of room to mount solar panel(s)
8. A lot bigger Fresh Water and Gray tanks
9. A floor plan that I love (hounds will have plenty of room)
10. Can be towed by the H3
11. Good storage
12. It's different and cool looking
I do not need a trailer big enough that I can do the same things in the trailer that I do in my house!! I've never wanted that. If I need to stretch my legs I will do what I do here at home, tell the hounds "lets go outside" and walk around. I decided a long time ago in this process that I wanted something small that I could get to places off the grid, unhook the H3 and still go scouting in a 4x4. I the "entertainment center" will be good for those days/nights your are stuck inside with storms outside. I will not miss propane, I have other ideas for a heater, stove etc.
So here are some photos of the new purchase and yes I will be taking pictures on pick-up day and the return trip.
I believe I have looked at every possible option over these past 22 months before I finally came to a conclusion that I like and one that will work for what I want to do.
I have already sold a lot of my possessions, the buyers agreed take ownership on some of the stuff when I leave. I have talked to the real estate agent and will place my house for sale when I leave so she can show the house empty and move in ready. I am selling my Chevy truck and my Mini Cooper. As soon as the Mini Cooper sells, I will be giving my 2 week notice at work and hope to hit the road before mid-October.
August 17, 2013
Starcraft AR-ONE 17RD is Back !!!!
The more blogs I read with people in small trailers, vans, tents....made me go back through reading a lot of saved information I had. Looked at a lot of pictures of all the above mentioned ways of living on the road. I then went back and re-read my blog posts on why I "almost" bought and why I didn't, I read comments to those posts.....I read emails concerning those indecision's.
Then Friday night after seeing my Cincinnati Reds lose a game on the road in the bottom of the 9th inning with their "Flame Thrower" on the mound .... I went to claz and looked at different trailers for sale. Claze is a site that combines all for sale sites on the net for whatever "term" you put in the search box. What popped up first in my search for Casita was the Casita trailer that was 30 miles from me in Bedford Indiana...from the same guy that told me he had two buyers if I did decide to change my mind. Well that trailer was still there and $600 cheaper on the asking price. He had dropped it off the site that sells nothing but fiberglass trailers to a website that sold trailers, rv's and 5'ers. When I didn't see it on the fiberglass trailer site I figured it has sold.
So I went back through my Casita notes, pictures and still could not see any way the hounds and I could survive full time in that 14' of living space.
What that did do was take me back to the Starcraft AR-ONE 17RD notes I had taken, the blog posts, and the pictures I had collected, or took and saved. The inside of that trailer looked large compared to the Casita. I looked at prices for used trailers and they were higher than what I was buying a new 2013 for. So by midnight Friday night my brain cells are scrambling like mice that found a ton of free cheese!! The more I read, the more I looked, the more convinced I was on the right path before in June when I backed out at the last minute with dollars in hand at the dealership.
Before there were some conflicts in opinion on how long the interior was based on the Model name "17RD" and what the dealership was telling me. I couldn't honestly tell what size the inside of the trailer was. Plus I needed to see if my hounds were bigger than I thought inside that trailer.
I decided about 2:45am....yes, AM....on Saturday morning (still Friday night to me), that I needed to go back to that trailer with a tape measure in my hand and perform some further investigation.
The first thing I measured were my 3 dogs, just to see how long they were and tall the bloodhound was. These measurements were used when I sat in the trailer later in the day. When I sat at the kitchen table and on the opposite end on the bed.....I stretched out the measuring tape to 29" (bloodhound length) to see what I was going to be looking at, along with 2 24"er's. Surprisingly, everything looked like it should work.
Long story short ... the interior is 17'L and 6'9" wide. So the model number is the inside measurement instead of the length from tongue to bumper like most trailers are labeled. I don't think you want to see all the numbers but I measured aisle width, front entry space, bed size, bathroom shelves (potential ballgame/movie dvd's) ... cabinets, floor to ceiling (6'1") and that nice exterior storage space that goes the complete width of the trailer. I even measure the ground clearance to the lowest hanging pipe (11"), an inch higher than my H3 Hummer.
The 3 windows in back are not as big as a Class C or even a larger trailer but they are still good size. The top of the trailer has plenty of room for the solar panels installation. The AC is 8,000 btu's...I am guessing that is enough for a 17x6'9" space. I won't use the AC any more than I do here at home, last year I survived the 100 degree temps with windows open and fans on, just to see what the cost savings would be at the end of the year.
Sooooo the Starcraft AR-ONE 17RD deal is back on. I will pick it up in a couple of weeks. I am having 2 vents changed out for 2 Fantastic fans, plus their prep which includes the anti sway bar, the brake controller installed, propane filled and the new Interstate Marine battery fully charged.
The house is being listed with an AGENT!! for the first time on Monday. The Chevy Truck and Mini Cooper that are on Craig's list will be added to eBay and/or Cars dot com on Sunday night 11pm local....so that 7 day listing will end on Sunday night 8 pm on the west coast. In my past eBay full-time selling experience that seemed to be the best time and day for me for total sales.
Anyone wanna bet if I change my mind? lol lol
Plan is to be heading west no later than 30 October 2013! When the vehicles sell, then I can leave at any time, with the house vacant, move in ready and with a real estate agent.
It took a while, I admit, but it feels great to finally have a firm plan of action and a totally different feeling within myself than anytime in the past.
Then Friday night after seeing my Cincinnati Reds lose a game on the road in the bottom of the 9th inning with their "Flame Thrower" on the mound .... I went to claz and looked at different trailers for sale. Claze is a site that combines all for sale sites on the net for whatever "term" you put in the search box. What popped up first in my search for Casita was the Casita trailer that was 30 miles from me in Bedford Indiana...from the same guy that told me he had two buyers if I did decide to change my mind. Well that trailer was still there and $600 cheaper on the asking price. He had dropped it off the site that sells nothing but fiberglass trailers to a website that sold trailers, rv's and 5'ers. When I didn't see it on the fiberglass trailer site I figured it has sold.
So I went back through my Casita notes, pictures and still could not see any way the hounds and I could survive full time in that 14' of living space.
What that did do was take me back to the Starcraft AR-ONE 17RD notes I had taken, the blog posts, and the pictures I had collected, or took and saved. The inside of that trailer looked large compared to the Casita. I looked at prices for used trailers and they were higher than what I was buying a new 2013 for. So by midnight Friday night my brain cells are scrambling like mice that found a ton of free cheese!! The more I read, the more I looked, the more convinced I was on the right path before in June when I backed out at the last minute with dollars in hand at the dealership.
Before there were some conflicts in opinion on how long the interior was based on the Model name "17RD" and what the dealership was telling me. I couldn't honestly tell what size the inside of the trailer was. Plus I needed to see if my hounds were bigger than I thought inside that trailer.
I decided about 2:45am....yes, AM....on Saturday morning (still Friday night to me), that I needed to go back to that trailer with a tape measure in my hand and perform some further investigation.
The first thing I measured were my 3 dogs, just to see how long they were and tall the bloodhound was. These measurements were used when I sat in the trailer later in the day. When I sat at the kitchen table and on the opposite end on the bed.....I stretched out the measuring tape to 29" (bloodhound length) to see what I was going to be looking at, along with 2 24"er's. Surprisingly, everything looked like it should work.
Long story short ... the interior is 17'L and 6'9" wide. So the model number is the inside measurement instead of the length from tongue to bumper like most trailers are labeled. I don't think you want to see all the numbers but I measured aisle width, front entry space, bed size, bathroom shelves (potential ballgame/movie dvd's) ... cabinets, floor to ceiling (6'1") and that nice exterior storage space that goes the complete width of the trailer. I even measure the ground clearance to the lowest hanging pipe (11"), an inch higher than my H3 Hummer.
The 3 windows in back are not as big as a Class C or even a larger trailer but they are still good size. The top of the trailer has plenty of room for the solar panels installation. The AC is 8,000 btu's...I am guessing that is enough for a 17x6'9" space. I won't use the AC any more than I do here at home, last year I survived the 100 degree temps with windows open and fans on, just to see what the cost savings would be at the end of the year.
Sooooo the Starcraft AR-ONE 17RD deal is back on. I will pick it up in a couple of weeks. I am having 2 vents changed out for 2 Fantastic fans, plus their prep which includes the anti sway bar, the brake controller installed, propane filled and the new Interstate Marine battery fully charged.
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| 2012 Starcraft AR-ONE 17RD |
The house is being listed with an AGENT!! for the first time on Monday. The Chevy Truck and Mini Cooper that are on Craig's list will be added to eBay and/or Cars dot com on Sunday night 11pm local....so that 7 day listing will end on Sunday night 8 pm on the west coast. In my past eBay full-time selling experience that seemed to be the best time and day for me for total sales.
Anyone wanna bet if I change my mind? lol lol
Plan is to be heading west no later than 30 October 2013! When the vehicles sell, then I can leave at any time, with the house vacant, move in ready and with a real estate agent.
It took a while, I admit, but it feels great to finally have a firm plan of action and a totally different feeling within myself than anytime in the past.
June 27, 2013
2006 Casita Liberty Deluxe 17'
After 21 months of research, changing my mind a million times, test drives in A's, C's, tow vehicles and sitting in 5er's and trailers, I decided to start with the smallest. That fits in with the goal I had in 2010 after reading about Glenn over at "To Simplify", was to downsize and travel. I will not go through the reasons I didn't buy the larger rigs but I will tell you why I bought this trailer.
1. The least expensive cost for me to get on the road and a place to live.
2. I can start this weekend to apply for workamping jobs if I wish to go that route, who knows I might have an offer from a location that I can't refuse.
3. Trailer is in great shape with free add-ons included in the price.
4. I have a ton of research bookmarked on Casita mods, repair, and places to go.
5. Too many Casita owner love these trailers.
6. Aerodynamic for good fuel mileage. Without a tow my H3 is getting 17.8 mpg since it left the lot.
7. Owners on forums have shown me it can be done with 2 adults and 2 large dogs so why can't 1 adult with 1 large dog and 2 short dogs fit ok?
8. If I want to change it up later, these trailers have great demand and resell value.
9. Small spaces equal less electric used for heat and A/C.
10. Bigger bed to sleep on than the one's I used on Aircraft Carriers :)
All of you are thinking "what about the hounds"?? Well nothing has changed, they are going with me and THEY will decide where their comfortable spot is. Good weather days and nights, I don't plan spending time inside a trailer living on a computer ... I plan on sitting outside in the quiet watching the sky at night and hiking, napping, cooking, photography and writing during the days. As a suggestion from a friend that has been traveling for a long time in set ups like these, I will take a tent with me that is as big as a spare room, "sun room", "porch" when I feel like going large.
On days and nights like we experienced last night in Indiana the hounds and I will be in the "cave" waiting it out even if it's for days or weeks. I'll move before it is weeks. Last night we had tornado like winds that blew over power poles, trees and anything else .. along with more rain water faster than I had ever witnessed in my 17 years at this house. The Casita was in perfect condition today after high winds and hard rain.
I will install solar, the wiring already added by the seller. He is installing laminate flooring for me and as a "gift" he is giving me a new Sway Bar. He has installed tubular lighting inside and rope lighting in all the cabinets spaces. He has installed an electrical system with LED warning lights to let me know (old and senile), that I have left something on that is using battery power. It was 92 and muggy today when I stopped by and the AC ran freezing temps inside or as cold as I wanted it...78 felt pretty good.
As we sat on each side of the trailer inside going over all of the operations and features, I noticed where my hounds could hang out even with 2 people inside the trailer. Everything is as nice as it looks in the pictures. I must say inside it is in "mint" condition and the exterior is not far behind the "mint" rating. TV has HD quality with an antenna that lays flat inside the door beside the tv. All appliances looks like they have never been used. The canopy is manual and has a new top that was changed just to make sure it was not aged.
I will be able to carry and store more water for my hounds and I inside my H3. I will have a full Baja roof rack where I will keep out of season clothes (not much), spare tire, Hi-Lift Jack (made in this small town I live in), and thinking of a drawer slide out system in the back of my H3 for tools and emergency equipment that I might need. All ideas are from the Hummer Forum.
I've never been a "pack rat", so the storage inside the Casita is perfect for me.
So the plan is, within two weeks the seller will finish the floors, maybe in 3 days, maybe 14. It's hot back here and he is in his late 70's so I told him to take his time and do the floors on his schedule. He has a 2nd Casita he is working on to resell. This seller traveled in these for 30 years and I can honestly say loves these trailers....loves them. Has been all over the Rockies, the west, Texas etc but the body wore out so he had to get off the road but he loves "rehabbing" these trailers and getting them back on the road for traveling and camping.
I will bring it home and park it in my backyard, hook up the electric, water and they don't know it yet, but the hounds and I will be moving into the trailer and we will find out real quick what works and what doesn't. My place of employment starts the Government forced "Sequestration" July 12 and that is scheduled to go through September. So as soon as possible with my weekly Friday off to save them money and a 3 day weekend, the hounds and I will hook up and go to the nearest State Parks or one National forest for the weekend. In fact where I work, they have a nice facility for RVs that is in a wooded area and borders a lake.
I have had many suggestions from everyone, local and distant, on whether to sell my house or not. I can't decide if it should be Plan B or not. Most people tell me to travel 6-12 months before I make a decision whether to sell it, since I have ZERO experience in RVing, although I have experience tent camping and backpacking in the Rockies, Cascades and the Olympic Peninsula. I would prefer to be on the road out west before the winter weather hits the Midwest and end up in Quartzsite AZ for my first big rally and possibly only rally. Boondocking off the grid is going to be my DNA. With small tanks, small fridge I will implement some of my backpacking and tent camping knowledge to extend my stays in the Casita.
If I didn't have dogs, i would go the teardrop route....yes, I'm serious about that. I want to get small and travel anywhere I want to go ... with this small trailer and my H3 4x4, I can do that. For the first time in my life I will learn and take the time to fish when the chances present themselves.
So there you have it. After all the turmoil I put you through, this is what I have decided on with no doubts it will work.
I will have more pictures later but here are 5 basic views I took with my iPhone because I forgot to take my camera with me today.
1. The least expensive cost for me to get on the road and a place to live.
2. I can start this weekend to apply for workamping jobs if I wish to go that route, who knows I might have an offer from a location that I can't refuse.
3. Trailer is in great shape with free add-ons included in the price.
4. I have a ton of research bookmarked on Casita mods, repair, and places to go.
5. Too many Casita owner love these trailers.
6. Aerodynamic for good fuel mileage. Without a tow my H3 is getting 17.8 mpg since it left the lot.
7. Owners on forums have shown me it can be done with 2 adults and 2 large dogs so why can't 1 adult with 1 large dog and 2 short dogs fit ok?
8. If I want to change it up later, these trailers have great demand and resell value.
9. Small spaces equal less electric used for heat and A/C.
10. Bigger bed to sleep on than the one's I used on Aircraft Carriers :)
All of you are thinking "what about the hounds"?? Well nothing has changed, they are going with me and THEY will decide where their comfortable spot is. Good weather days and nights, I don't plan spending time inside a trailer living on a computer ... I plan on sitting outside in the quiet watching the sky at night and hiking, napping, cooking, photography and writing during the days. As a suggestion from a friend that has been traveling for a long time in set ups like these, I will take a tent with me that is as big as a spare room, "sun room", "porch" when I feel like going large.
On days and nights like we experienced last night in Indiana the hounds and I will be in the "cave" waiting it out even if it's for days or weeks. I'll move before it is weeks. Last night we had tornado like winds that blew over power poles, trees and anything else .. along with more rain water faster than I had ever witnessed in my 17 years at this house. The Casita was in perfect condition today after high winds and hard rain.
I will install solar, the wiring already added by the seller. He is installing laminate flooring for me and as a "gift" he is giving me a new Sway Bar. He has installed tubular lighting inside and rope lighting in all the cabinets spaces. He has installed an electrical system with LED warning lights to let me know (old and senile), that I have left something on that is using battery power. It was 92 and muggy today when I stopped by and the AC ran freezing temps inside or as cold as I wanted it...78 felt pretty good.
As we sat on each side of the trailer inside going over all of the operations and features, I noticed where my hounds could hang out even with 2 people inside the trailer. Everything is as nice as it looks in the pictures. I must say inside it is in "mint" condition and the exterior is not far behind the "mint" rating. TV has HD quality with an antenna that lays flat inside the door beside the tv. All appliances looks like they have never been used. The canopy is manual and has a new top that was changed just to make sure it was not aged.
I will be able to carry and store more water for my hounds and I inside my H3. I will have a full Baja roof rack where I will keep out of season clothes (not much), spare tire, Hi-Lift Jack (made in this small town I live in), and thinking of a drawer slide out system in the back of my H3 for tools and emergency equipment that I might need. All ideas are from the Hummer Forum.
I've never been a "pack rat", so the storage inside the Casita is perfect for me.
So the plan is, within two weeks the seller will finish the floors, maybe in 3 days, maybe 14. It's hot back here and he is in his late 70's so I told him to take his time and do the floors on his schedule. He has a 2nd Casita he is working on to resell. This seller traveled in these for 30 years and I can honestly say loves these trailers....loves them. Has been all over the Rockies, the west, Texas etc but the body wore out so he had to get off the road but he loves "rehabbing" these trailers and getting them back on the road for traveling and camping.
I will bring it home and park it in my backyard, hook up the electric, water and they don't know it yet, but the hounds and I will be moving into the trailer and we will find out real quick what works and what doesn't. My place of employment starts the Government forced "Sequestration" July 12 and that is scheduled to go through September. So as soon as possible with my weekly Friday off to save them money and a 3 day weekend, the hounds and I will hook up and go to the nearest State Parks or one National forest for the weekend. In fact where I work, they have a nice facility for RVs that is in a wooded area and borders a lake.
I have had many suggestions from everyone, local and distant, on whether to sell my house or not. I can't decide if it should be Plan B or not. Most people tell me to travel 6-12 months before I make a decision whether to sell it, since I have ZERO experience in RVing, although I have experience tent camping and backpacking in the Rockies, Cascades and the Olympic Peninsula. I would prefer to be on the road out west before the winter weather hits the Midwest and end up in Quartzsite AZ for my first big rally and possibly only rally. Boondocking off the grid is going to be my DNA. With small tanks, small fridge I will implement some of my backpacking and tent camping knowledge to extend my stays in the Casita.
If I didn't have dogs, i would go the teardrop route....yes, I'm serious about that. I want to get small and travel anywhere I want to go ... with this small trailer and my H3 4x4, I can do that. For the first time in my life I will learn and take the time to fish when the chances present themselves.
So there you have it. After all the turmoil I put you through, this is what I have decided on with no doubts it will work.
I will have more pictures later but here are 5 basic views I took with my iPhone because I forgot to take my camera with me today.
June 26, 2013
In Process of Making the Purchase
This is just a short note to let you know I have FINALLY made a decision. Buying from a private party, we have agreed on the price and delivery will take place after a couple of modifications are complete. I can honestly say I have been more excited about what I am buying than any other rig/trailer I have looked at.
Details - Pictures - Reasons to follow in the next few days! I'll just say one thing ... most if not all of you will be shocked .... lol
Details - Pictures - Reasons to follow in the next few days! I'll just say one thing ... most if not all of you will be shocked .... lol
June 17, 2013
House Back on the Market !!!!
Basically I have to make changes, I don't want to keep living safe like this when I would rather be living back in the western USA. The more I think about it, I go back to my original train of thought in October 2011. Sell the house and everything I own and hit the road. If/when I settle down again it will be out west somewhere, not in the same western places I spent 20 years living but in the west somewhere. I will find that place during my travels.
The sign is back in the front yard. The blog is back online http://leavingbloomfield.blogspot.com and by late tonight I will have listed my car, and the house on Craig's list, with a link to the blog for more pictures and description. There are more pictures at the end of this post.
What about the "backup plan" or the "need to have a base camp" thoughts in past posts. Well if I decide I don't care for the traveling or need to get back to a 'sticks n bricks' then I'll find something out west, possibly some land and put up one of those new 'tiny homes' on it, or buy land and build a home around 800 sq ft, or a small town with a small home that I can work on while I live there.
Endless possibilities!!
In the meantime I could be up camping right now in the Dakotas, Montana, PacificNorthWest at higher elevation to keep cool, then head for Arizona, or New Mexico, eastern Calif for the winter...just like I have been dreaming of the past 20 months.
Ballgames??? I have a DirecTv account where I can watch a game on any device (iMac, iPad, iPhone) as long as I get an internet connection and if not, it will not be the first time I have missed ballgames...not really a big deal. I was wondering this weekend, is the reason I watch so many games on tv is because of boredom?
Today I could picture hiking or mountain biking trails off the grid, dogs off a leash and spending most of the day outside. I could get use to that type of day real easy.
I also sold my '94 Chevy Truck today to a manager at work. He commutes by my house daily to work and noticed and laughed about "one day your house is for sale, two days later it isn't"...I see "my" truck is still up on the hill waiting for me to buy it....well I'm ready to buy it.
My Mini Cooper will be on Craig's List tonight and Cars dot com. That will leave me with trading the H3 Hummer in for a 4x4 Truck that can tow more than 7,000 lbs. Some of my friends are still pushing me to get a diesel truck and a 5'er. I am thinking a Ford F-150 4x4, towing a Bigfoot or a Nash Trailer.
Exciting times!! Stay Tuned!!
I swear, I only have one personality. LOL
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| NOT Part of Sale - Property Behind House |
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| Early Morning From The Front Corner Of The House |
June 06, 2013
Fear and Decisions
Since returning to blogging and stating I was back in the RV/TT decision mode, I have received a lot of good feedback from blog followers and friends via blog comments and emails. I have asked over the months if not this past year, why I am having such a hard time deciding on whether to by a Class A, Class C or a TT and that question would bring a lot of answers through blog comments and emails.
All along I really knew that answer but didn't feel it needed to be public knowledge. Maybe afraid to say.
A friend today pointed it out to me via an email and it's a word that many have and it's only 4 letters.
FEAR
Yes I was and continue to be confused on what to buy but the difference is, not only today but the past few days, I am going to buy one of my options and hit the road. If that doesn't work out, I'll sell it and buy something else.
Yes, my house is paid for but I'd really rather live in a different part of the United States. I grew up in Indiana, graduated from Indiana U and am an avid fan but I also spent 10 years in southern California and another 10 years NW of Seattle in the San Juan Islands. I spent only a year in Breckenridge Colorado and traveled through many of the western states. I would love to live in a different part of the United States, I just don't know where yet.
I would rather end up in the west or southwest therefore I am putting my house up for sale by Sunday afternoon and sell it as is, by owner.
My best option is to wait to sell the house and then buy the rig and then travel but that is not the only option. My other option is to buy the rig/TT now, apply for some workcamping jobs even though it's late in the game for that and then travel to the job, learn more about my rig and in May of 2014 when I can add Social Security as another source of income, I would then have the choice of workcamping or not. The last option is work until May 2014 or until the house sells and then hit the road.
I did look at and thought of keeping the house as a few suggested or even rent it out but looking at all the angles, being an out of state out of mind landlord or home owner is never a good thing in my opinion. I need a clean break while I am out traveling. No late night calls from renters or disturbing news by email about a house problem.
If I decide RVing fulltime is not for me, then I move to a place I like in the west and go from there. As they say in basketball "no harm no foul".
Sooooo, it's back to selling as much as I can and/or donate what doesn't sell to the local goodwill or others that need it.
You didn't think I would leave you hanging by ending this post and not telling you my fear(s) did you?
1. Financial disaster - either have something break on the RV/Tow Vehicle that would cost a lot of money to fix that would put a huge dent into my savings. Even after seeing all options spelled out for me on an Excel spreadsheet showing me that it would be ok, that I had enough income to live on ... the question was always in the back of my mind "what if...."
2. Regret - selling a house already paid for where you have lived for 16 years. I don't 'love' where I live, but it's not that bad, where I just have to move to keep my sanity. Plus, having to buy a house later possibly where I was getting less bang for the buck .. but like a friend reminded me the other day, the difference in house cost is the cost of living in an area that you love compared to an area that you could leave at any time.
3. Dogs - My dogs have a great set up here. The field behind the house where we walk every day is 10 acres of hay. Would it be good enough for them to travel all the time and be outside in the dirt of the desert floor at times, etc, while their environment now is perfect for them? I know they can/will adjust but I kept wondering if it was the right decision for them.
Those were basically the 3 main fears.
They WERE a factor in not making a decision sooner because at some point in time I started focusing on the worst possible situations instead of remembering what led me to RVs enough to learn about them and the places to travel and how to boondock. I forgot about my original plans to "follow the weather", or travel to see a specific area that I had been to in the past or an area that I had always wanted to visit but never took or had the time. Or, have the ability to pack up and move when my mind wanted to change views.
You have NO reason to believe me because I have said the decision has been made before....you can scroll down on the right side of this blog to the "decision" or "decision is made" and see the number of times I posted that....but finally it has been made and I am already in action to make it happen.
1. Final inspection level cleaning by Sunday afternoon.
2. For Sale sign planted in the front yard by Sunday afternoon after the cleaning evolution.
3. Look for, find and buy the vehicle, a Class C or TT
4. Advertise my 2006 Mini Cooper and my 1994 Chevy Pickup for sale in various formats.
5. Sell as many possessions as possible before I leave.
The excitement is back about fulltiming on the road, selling everything and not looking back.
P.S. - Yes I will post a picture on this blog Sunday night that shows the For Sale sign in the front yard with the house in the background!!!
All along I really knew that answer but didn't feel it needed to be public knowledge. Maybe afraid to say.
A friend today pointed it out to me via an email and it's a word that many have and it's only 4 letters.
FEAR
Yes I was and continue to be confused on what to buy but the difference is, not only today but the past few days, I am going to buy one of my options and hit the road. If that doesn't work out, I'll sell it and buy something else.
Yes, my house is paid for but I'd really rather live in a different part of the United States. I grew up in Indiana, graduated from Indiana U and am an avid fan but I also spent 10 years in southern California and another 10 years NW of Seattle in the San Juan Islands. I spent only a year in Breckenridge Colorado and traveled through many of the western states. I would love to live in a different part of the United States, I just don't know where yet.
I would rather end up in the west or southwest therefore I am putting my house up for sale by Sunday afternoon and sell it as is, by owner.
My best option is to wait to sell the house and then buy the rig and then travel but that is not the only option. My other option is to buy the rig/TT now, apply for some workcamping jobs even though it's late in the game for that and then travel to the job, learn more about my rig and in May of 2014 when I can add Social Security as another source of income, I would then have the choice of workcamping or not. The last option is work until May 2014 or until the house sells and then hit the road.
I did look at and thought of keeping the house as a few suggested or even rent it out but looking at all the angles, being an out of state out of mind landlord or home owner is never a good thing in my opinion. I need a clean break while I am out traveling. No late night calls from renters or disturbing news by email about a house problem.
If I decide RVing fulltime is not for me, then I move to a place I like in the west and go from there. As they say in basketball "no harm no foul".
Sooooo, it's back to selling as much as I can and/or donate what doesn't sell to the local goodwill or others that need it.
You didn't think I would leave you hanging by ending this post and not telling you my fear(s) did you?
1. Financial disaster - either have something break on the RV/Tow Vehicle that would cost a lot of money to fix that would put a huge dent into my savings. Even after seeing all options spelled out for me on an Excel spreadsheet showing me that it would be ok, that I had enough income to live on ... the question was always in the back of my mind "what if...."
2. Regret - selling a house already paid for where you have lived for 16 years. I don't 'love' where I live, but it's not that bad, where I just have to move to keep my sanity. Plus, having to buy a house later possibly where I was getting less bang for the buck .. but like a friend reminded me the other day, the difference in house cost is the cost of living in an area that you love compared to an area that you could leave at any time.
3. Dogs - My dogs have a great set up here. The field behind the house where we walk every day is 10 acres of hay. Would it be good enough for them to travel all the time and be outside in the dirt of the desert floor at times, etc, while their environment now is perfect for them? I know they can/will adjust but I kept wondering if it was the right decision for them.
Those were basically the 3 main fears.
They WERE a factor in not making a decision sooner because at some point in time I started focusing on the worst possible situations instead of remembering what led me to RVs enough to learn about them and the places to travel and how to boondock. I forgot about my original plans to "follow the weather", or travel to see a specific area that I had been to in the past or an area that I had always wanted to visit but never took or had the time. Or, have the ability to pack up and move when my mind wanted to change views.
You have NO reason to believe me because I have said the decision has been made before....you can scroll down on the right side of this blog to the "decision" or "decision is made" and see the number of times I posted that....but finally it has been made and I am already in action to make it happen.
1. Final inspection level cleaning by Sunday afternoon.
2. For Sale sign planted in the front yard by Sunday afternoon after the cleaning evolution.
3. Look for, find and buy the vehicle, a Class C or TT
4. Advertise my 2006 Mini Cooper and my 1994 Chevy Pickup for sale in various formats.
5. Sell as many possessions as possible before I leave.
The excitement is back about fulltiming on the road, selling everything and not looking back.
P.S. - Yes I will post a picture on this blog Sunday night that shows the For Sale sign in the front yard with the house in the background!!!
February 24, 2013
Time To Get My Ass In Gear
Once again, a lull in activity and then the brain cells scramble like I've been struck by lightning!
I have a "ton" of stuff to do and today I have gone from room to room, tweaked my "to do" list and updated it. It became longer than last month, but it's very clear what needs to be done.
No more excuses.
The For Sale sign will be posted in the yard by the end of the week and I have a gut feeling it will be a quick sale. Even in today's economy, in my area, my house due to size and price will be attractive. Also within a 6 mile area, houses in this area are selling fairly fast. Still it should give me enough time to get rid of all of my stuff that is not going with me.
Last week I called about an Escape Trailer in mint condition but I was on a long list of potential buyers...it sold to someone locally in the Portland Oregon area. Last month had another potential buy, within a 4 hour drive but was on a list of potential buyers and it sold before I could make the trip on the following Saturday.
Trailers?? You are hearing the word trailers again, after last month I let people know I was back to looking at Class A's or Class C's.
I would say right now I am only considering 2 options:
1. A 17' trailer I can pull with my H3.
2. A Class C where I can tow my H3.
Basically I am tired of sitting here reading about people's travels, how great it is, seeing their great pictures on a daily basis and how they wish they would have started sooner. I know the hounds will be fine. I know where I want to be in what month and I have a spreadsheet with 4 options that is screaming at me to get going....plus a few friends.
There is nothing more I can do here and it's time to hit the road!
{edit} .... After I posted this morning, I still could not throw away a 3rd option of a Class A. Yes fuel is going up in price but it's hard to resist having room available that it offers. Currently sales prices are dropping on a lot of them that are for sale. I would be parked most of the time but like "WheelingIt" told me a few weeks ago, they like to be run. They did have a low mileage year in 2012 with their Class A, about what I would plan on traveling.
I know whatever I buy will be the "right" one...I just have to get working on my "to do" list and have already started today.
I have a "ton" of stuff to do and today I have gone from room to room, tweaked my "to do" list and updated it. It became longer than last month, but it's very clear what needs to be done.
No more excuses.
The For Sale sign will be posted in the yard by the end of the week and I have a gut feeling it will be a quick sale. Even in today's economy, in my area, my house due to size and price will be attractive. Also within a 6 mile area, houses in this area are selling fairly fast. Still it should give me enough time to get rid of all of my stuff that is not going with me.
Last week I called about an Escape Trailer in mint condition but I was on a long list of potential buyers...it sold to someone locally in the Portland Oregon area. Last month had another potential buy, within a 4 hour drive but was on a list of potential buyers and it sold before I could make the trip on the following Saturday.
Trailers?? You are hearing the word trailers again, after last month I let people know I was back to looking at Class A's or Class C's.
I would say right now I am only considering 2 options:
1. A 17' trailer I can pull with my H3.
2. A Class C where I can tow my H3.
Basically I am tired of sitting here reading about people's travels, how great it is, seeing their great pictures on a daily basis and how they wish they would have started sooner. I know the hounds will be fine. I know where I want to be in what month and I have a spreadsheet with 4 options that is screaming at me to get going....plus a few friends.
There is nothing more I can do here and it's time to hit the road!
{edit} .... After I posted this morning, I still could not throw away a 3rd option of a Class A. Yes fuel is going up in price but it's hard to resist having room available that it offers. Currently sales prices are dropping on a lot of them that are for sale. I would be parked most of the time but like "WheelingIt" told me a few weeks ago, they like to be run. They did have a low mileage year in 2012 with their Class A, about what I would plan on traveling.
I know whatever I buy will be the "right" one...I just have to get working on my "to do" list and have already started today.
August 16, 2012
Is My Job Making the Decision For Me?
After the 4th day in a row this week .... yes, I know, it's Thursday night as I write this, so that is 4 out of 4 days.....my job seems to be getting worse and worse. A job that at one time I really liked but with some major changes out of my control,the past year has made this job a big pain.
I am beginning to think this job situation is "part of the solution" as in motivating me enough to get me out the door and soon. Long time readers will say, "we have heard this before". Yes you have, but this time it is much different. I have contacted 2 different people about their interest in my home before I stick the sign in the yard. The last 2 people that were interested last spring, first part of summer made different decisions on location. I already know without any doubt what I am finally taking and what I am getting rid of. I am going to be very very busy this weekend.
My RV spreadsheet to analyze different options was important in this process by showing me, that yes, it is ok if I leave after I sell my house or rent it out but one of those two things must happened before I can hit the road due to the reduction in my monthly income. (temporary) Still I have enough pension coming in monthly that I can survive ... and travel ... listen to the waves at the beach for a few days ... feel the warm temps this winter instead of freezing and complaining about it on this blog and seeing some of the pictures from blogs I follow, in person instead of on my monitor.
This job thing is not just something that has taken place to where some readers may think I am acting irrationally or impulsively. Some of this "circus" has been playing since I got there. In the past, the job was new, I had a different attitude than I do now and I had no plans 2 years ago to retire anytime soon...so I decided to put up with it. Now I have decided I no longer need to nor want to. Life is too short to put up with daily bs that is out of your control.
It's going to be a Class C, that I buy and one that I pay cash for. I have a few manufacture names that I like and will look for. I am not going to be taking all the stuff I thought I was. I am taking only things that I needed. The rest will be sold or donated, nothing will be left in storage. I am going out Saturday morning for a short trip to a RV dealer just to look at some floor plans of C's. This is a small family owned lot where they personally drive all of their inventory from Florida to sell in Indiana.
That is a BIG change in my downsizing philosophy.
I am not having much luck selling my spare set of wheels and tires from my Z4 on Craig's List so I guess I will go where I have been successful at in the past, enough success where I sold fulltime from 2005-2009, and that is eBay. I know it has changed a lot in the past couple of years but it still gets a lot of traffic for selling used items. I am going to follow Glen's plan where he got rid of most of his stuff on eBay and Craig's List and those small dollars added up.
Any way not much to say other than, after today I realized it was never going to change if I stayed where I was. That is job and location. I am finally going to change them after a lot of years thinking about it but never doing it. Only the past 10 months of those years of thinking considered the RV lifestyle. Tonight I was back full steam ahead in downsizing and having a specific plan to get this plan in action.
I think the more I looked at my spreadsheet, showing me actual expenditures and income of RVing full time for me or staying with a house and retired, made me decide to go for it now and not wait for May of 2014. A vacation is not an option. These thoughts of leaving the job and area have been going on for more than a few years.
Back to not having enough hours in a day/night to get everything done!
I am beginning to think this job situation is "part of the solution" as in motivating me enough to get me out the door and soon. Long time readers will say, "we have heard this before". Yes you have, but this time it is much different. I have contacted 2 different people about their interest in my home before I stick the sign in the yard. The last 2 people that were interested last spring, first part of summer made different decisions on location. I already know without any doubt what I am finally taking and what I am getting rid of. I am going to be very very busy this weekend.
My RV spreadsheet to analyze different options was important in this process by showing me, that yes, it is ok if I leave after I sell my house or rent it out but one of those two things must happened before I can hit the road due to the reduction in my monthly income. (temporary) Still I have enough pension coming in monthly that I can survive ... and travel ... listen to the waves at the beach for a few days ... feel the warm temps this winter instead of freezing and complaining about it on this blog and seeing some of the pictures from blogs I follow, in person instead of on my monitor.
This job thing is not just something that has taken place to where some readers may think I am acting irrationally or impulsively. Some of this "circus" has been playing since I got there. In the past, the job was new, I had a different attitude than I do now and I had no plans 2 years ago to retire anytime soon...so I decided to put up with it. Now I have decided I no longer need to nor want to. Life is too short to put up with daily bs that is out of your control.
It's going to be a Class C, that I buy and one that I pay cash for. I have a few manufacture names that I like and will look for. I am not going to be taking all the stuff I thought I was. I am taking only things that I needed. The rest will be sold or donated, nothing will be left in storage. I am going out Saturday morning for a short trip to a RV dealer just to look at some floor plans of C's. This is a small family owned lot where they personally drive all of their inventory from Florida to sell in Indiana.
That is a BIG change in my downsizing philosophy.
I am not having much luck selling my spare set of wheels and tires from my Z4 on Craig's List so I guess I will go where I have been successful at in the past, enough success where I sold fulltime from 2005-2009, and that is eBay. I know it has changed a lot in the past couple of years but it still gets a lot of traffic for selling used items. I am going to follow Glen's plan where he got rid of most of his stuff on eBay and Craig's List and those small dollars added up.
Any way not much to say other than, after today I realized it was never going to change if I stayed where I was. That is job and location. I am finally going to change them after a lot of years thinking about it but never doing it. Only the past 10 months of those years of thinking considered the RV lifestyle. Tonight I was back full steam ahead in downsizing and having a specific plan to get this plan in action.
I think the more I looked at my spreadsheet, showing me actual expenditures and income of RVing full time for me or staying with a house and retired, made me decide to go for it now and not wait for May of 2014. A vacation is not an option. These thoughts of leaving the job and area have been going on for more than a few years.
Back to not having enough hours in a day/night to get everything done!
August 11, 2012
Back To The Original Plan
Back in October 2011 when I read an article on Yahoo Business page about Glen living full-time in his van, that led me to blogs of people doing this full-time in all different kinds of vehicles. I have followed a lot of those blogs since that time, learning a ton of information about the RV lifestyle on the road.
After my blog post last night, thoughts started literally bombarding my mind. Clear thoughts, a lot of thoughts....to the point I wondered if I should go back and delete that post because of all the indecision I had written about. A couple of things struck me as quite clear.
1. What was my original plan back in October 2011?
2. What caused all my excitement to the point of an obsession?
3. WHY ... yes, why was I wanting to do this?
When I answered those three questions, I had my clear plan once again and my "to do list" was out visibly so I could check the items off and get closer to a departure date. Like anything else, when you stray from a plan, confusion, indecision and 2nd guessing come into play.
All of the answers to those 3 questions were applicable 10 months later.
So, with it being a cool sunny morning here in the "tropics" of Southern Indiana, I am having one more cup of coffee then hitting my list of things to do and back to my downsizing expedition.
After my blog post last night, thoughts started literally bombarding my mind. Clear thoughts, a lot of thoughts....to the point I wondered if I should go back and delete that post because of all the indecision I had written about. A couple of things struck me as quite clear.
1. What was my original plan back in October 2011?
2. What caused all my excitement to the point of an obsession?
3. WHY ... yes, why was I wanting to do this?
When I answered those three questions, I had my clear plan once again and my "to do list" was out visibly so I could check the items off and get closer to a departure date. Like anything else, when you stray from a plan, confusion, indecision and 2nd guessing come into play.
All of the answers to those 3 questions were applicable 10 months later.
So, with it being a cool sunny morning here in the "tropics" of Southern Indiana, I am having one more cup of coffee then hitting my list of things to do and back to my downsizing expedition.
December 08, 2011
Downsizing Buying an RV and Hitting the Road This Spring
Well it's been almost a week since my last post, last Friday night.
In my last post I had someone comment that I am just screwing around. They told me what to buy, hitch up my 4Runner, load the hounds and hit the road.
That comment struck home with me and made me think. He was right.
THAT is the way I use to make decisions, now I over analyze EVERYTHING!! ... as you can see from this blog.
So, I spent the week re-thinking, reading blogs, more stories, looking at Class A's, C's and trailers...basically everything that I have been doing since October 21 when this huge urge hit me.
What I found was, all the reasons I first had to RV fulltime, KEPT COMING BACK to me. A few friends that knew of my plans kept asking me when I was leaving. "What are you waiting for?".
Then something hit me like a ton of bricks. I had been thinking of everything that could go wrong. I'm a survivor. Just like most everyone, I have had my ups and downs in life, things at times didn't go as planned and yes there have been a few times after taking risks I ended up with very little cash left. Each time I was able to rebuild and continue on.
One thing when I look back over the years, that no matter what happened ... in some way I was always provided what I needed and only when I needed it.
I cannot think of a time I ever went without getting what I needed to go on.
This week I started downsizing again ... a bunch of stuff was picked up by my garbage man sometime around 4am this morning. He may be a trash collector but out here in the rural area, he loads anything I sit out to be picked up. Last night it was a TON OF STUFF. After I post this blog, I'm hitting my closets again and filling up those 32gal black hefty bags with clothes to take to goodwill on Sunday. I am starting at one end of my kitchen cabinets and throwing away stuff I don't use or don't need.
The For Sale sign goes out front of my house no later than Saturday morning...I am still looking for the sign stand to plant in the yard. I will sell the house as is and will start on minor repairs while it is advertised. If I have someone stop to see the inside unexpected, they will see a "lived in" house, otherwise give me about a week and Ill have it spotless for showing.
I plan on leaving May 14, 2012
I plan on buying my used RV for cash. I will have solar panels and large tanks to boondock and in the spring or as soon as my house sells, my first RV trip will be heading to South Dakota (spring time) to set up residency and getting my SD drivers license. I will workcamp when I feel like it or see a place that I don't want to leave for a while. I will also follow the weather. I realize it may get a little cold in SW Arizona at night in the winter but I'll take my chances. It can't be worse than what I am feeling right now in Indiana at night.
So there it is ... a plan and a SET DATE for departure!
In my last post I had someone comment that I am just screwing around. They told me what to buy, hitch up my 4Runner, load the hounds and hit the road.
That comment struck home with me and made me think. He was right.
THAT is the way I use to make decisions, now I over analyze EVERYTHING!! ... as you can see from this blog.
So, I spent the week re-thinking, reading blogs, more stories, looking at Class A's, C's and trailers...basically everything that I have been doing since October 21 when this huge urge hit me.
What I found was, all the reasons I first had to RV fulltime, KEPT COMING BACK to me. A few friends that knew of my plans kept asking me when I was leaving. "What are you waiting for?".
Then something hit me like a ton of bricks. I had been thinking of everything that could go wrong. I'm a survivor. Just like most everyone, I have had my ups and downs in life, things at times didn't go as planned and yes there have been a few times after taking risks I ended up with very little cash left. Each time I was able to rebuild and continue on.
One thing when I look back over the years, that no matter what happened ... in some way I was always provided what I needed and only when I needed it.
I cannot think of a time I ever went without getting what I needed to go on.
This week I started downsizing again ... a bunch of stuff was picked up by my garbage man sometime around 4am this morning. He may be a trash collector but out here in the rural area, he loads anything I sit out to be picked up. Last night it was a TON OF STUFF. After I post this blog, I'm hitting my closets again and filling up those 32gal black hefty bags with clothes to take to goodwill on Sunday. I am starting at one end of my kitchen cabinets and throwing away stuff I don't use or don't need.
The For Sale sign goes out front of my house no later than Saturday morning...I am still looking for the sign stand to plant in the yard. I will sell the house as is and will start on minor repairs while it is advertised. If I have someone stop to see the inside unexpected, they will see a "lived in" house, otherwise give me about a week and Ill have it spotless for showing.
I plan on leaving May 14, 2012
I plan on buying my used RV for cash. I will have solar panels and large tanks to boondock and in the spring or as soon as my house sells, my first RV trip will be heading to South Dakota (spring time) to set up residency and getting my SD drivers license. I will workcamp when I feel like it or see a place that I don't want to leave for a while. I will also follow the weather. I realize it may get a little cold in SW Arizona at night in the winter but I'll take my chances. It can't be worse than what I am feeling right now in Indiana at night.
So there it is ... a plan and a SET DATE for departure!
November 11, 2011
Decision is Made
It might seem quick but since October 21 I have spent practically every hour at home on the internet reading blogs, reading forums, asking questions, emailing my questions to people on the road, looking at different RVs for sale late into the early morning hours (1am-3am) on a daily basis. Then asking local people that I know that RV part time about their experiences, getting sometimes new but a lot of the same consistent answers. After this intense research, reading how people got started RVing fulltime, their why's and what happens when you are tired of RVing. Then going over my financial analysis and making sure my finances can support life on the road. .....today I spent not even thinking about RVing, nor looking what Class A or C was for sale. Thus the later than normal blog post tonight.
I spent most of my day-off from work today, looking at different SUV's for sale. Finding out what my vehicles are worth for putting them up for sale. I read my usual large amounts of sports news, took a nap, walked the hounds longer than normal. Then after watching my favorite college team play their first basketball game of the season, I sat outside in the cold on a bright clear night, just enjoying what was around me. It was beautiful outside.
Still not thinking about any plans, not a thought on what RV to buy and no urge to read any thing about RV's tonight, just enjoying the environment around me. Not thinking about RV's .... THAT surprised me, because that is ALL I have been thinking about since October 21. For those just reading this blog....I had this urge to sell everything and hit the road this past April 2011, then came up with every justifiable excuse not to do it and talked myself out of it.
Then late tonight, totally unexpected I had a feeling of a lot of relief knowing in detail what I was going to do. No doubts, no questions, just a really good and exciting feeling on what I really wanted and how I was going to do it.
The decision came to me and it was quite clear.
1. Put the house up for sale immediately, I'll be getting signage Saturday morning and putting it up for all to see.
2. Downsize my 2 cars and 1 old truck to just 1 vehicle that will be used until I leave.
3. Start listing things I want to sell on Craig's list hopefully all by the following week, November 18.
4. Spend this weekend sorting what goes to Goodwill and what gets thrown away and by Sunday drop it off at the Goodwill.
5. Write my departure date in BIG font on my white board right above my desk.
6. Work fast on downsizing / simplifying my things.
7. Upon sale of the house, by an RV for cash
8. If house is not sold 1 month before that date, rent it out (good local rental market)
9. If house is rented, use part of my savings and the funds from selling my vehicles to buy an RV for cash.
I will be working fast on sorting and moving stuff I no longer need and in some cases have not used in YEARS!! Based on my past experience, once I make a decision, I work fast on what needs to be done and things happen fast to make my decision happen.
This is going to be fun!!
I spent most of my day-off from work today, looking at different SUV's for sale. Finding out what my vehicles are worth for putting them up for sale. I read my usual large amounts of sports news, took a nap, walked the hounds longer than normal. Then after watching my favorite college team play their first basketball game of the season, I sat outside in the cold on a bright clear night, just enjoying what was around me. It was beautiful outside.
Still not thinking about any plans, not a thought on what RV to buy and no urge to read any thing about RV's tonight, just enjoying the environment around me. Not thinking about RV's .... THAT surprised me, because that is ALL I have been thinking about since October 21. For those just reading this blog....I had this urge to sell everything and hit the road this past April 2011, then came up with every justifiable excuse not to do it and talked myself out of it.
Then late tonight, totally unexpected I had a feeling of a lot of relief knowing in detail what I was going to do. No doubts, no questions, just a really good and exciting feeling on what I really wanted and how I was going to do it.
The decision came to me and it was quite clear.
1. Put the house up for sale immediately, I'll be getting signage Saturday morning and putting it up for all to see.
2. Downsize my 2 cars and 1 old truck to just 1 vehicle that will be used until I leave.
3. Start listing things I want to sell on Craig's list hopefully all by the following week, November 18.
4. Spend this weekend sorting what goes to Goodwill and what gets thrown away and by Sunday drop it off at the Goodwill.
5. Write my departure date in BIG font on my white board right above my desk.
6. Work fast on downsizing / simplifying my things.
7. Upon sale of the house, by an RV for cash
8. If house is not sold 1 month before that date, rent it out (good local rental market)
9. If house is rented, use part of my savings and the funds from selling my vehicles to buy an RV for cash.
I will be working fast on sorting and moving stuff I no longer need and in some cases have not used in YEARS!! Based on my past experience, once I make a decision, I work fast on what needs to be done and things happen fast to make my decision happen.
This is going to be fun!!
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