RV Shopping Online

I have spent most of my night....all of it really around my 2 hour nap....of looking at RVs for sale. I think I have ruled out a trailer and pulling that with my 4Runner. For a Class C, I have it narrowed down to a Jayco Melbourne 28'-30'. I found a couple on eBay that I have been watching for a few weeks and each of them have dropped in price. I am pretty sure that is the type of Class C I want if I choose a C. It is also the same model as a fellow reader of this blog.

I continue to think and look at Class A's, 28'-32', at least 1 slide, in the $50K range. Sometimes I feel that with the hounds that will be traveling with me, that a Class A space would be beneficial. I've bookmarked a few of those as well as "watching" them on eBay.

How easy is it to remove the bed in back and the storage underneath? Is it possible to make the bedroom floor flat and open if I remove the bed in a Class A or Class C?  I am thinking I could make that bedroom into a room like I have in my house, were I have my computers, a kennel for the bloodhound and my road bicycle on a stationary trainer for working out. I would not need a lot of room to convert that. With most RVs having sleeping for 4-6 people, I could find somewhere else to sleep and use that back bedroom as I described.

I will check the forums in the meantime to see if I can find some ideas there.

I need to "throttle back" on this process, take my time, get my "to do" list finished and let time take care of itself...the RV will show up at the right time. Enjoy the search and the downsizing process at home and keep marking things off my list that will get me closer to a departure date. I now have the departure date written in large font on my whiteboard on my office wall. It's doable and a good time to leave.

Well I'm going back to research and looking at RVs, maybe a movie.

Happy Thanksgiving to all that stop by to read this blog and are on the road RVing full-time.

Today Work Was an Eye Opener ... I'm Motivated More Than Ever!

I know I left you last night with my thoughts of having a lot of questions and justifications on why I could't go full-time right now....or at least I was thinking that way.  I use to be very adventurous, where location was more of a priority than a job. For some reason in the past few years I have changed to conservative, and playing things safe. I would have the chance to move but would come up with excuses not to.

Unbelievable really.  My family has stated more than a few times, they are surprised I have lived in a small midwest town, instead of on the beach somewhere, or traveling somewhere.

I have a job that pays well, I guess I like my job...I don't love my job. It's almost a daily thought when I wake up "I wish I were not going in today". So I guess I am staying for the cash. I have great managers to work for, still most of my job is out of my control. I track large amounts of funding, track expenditures, develop financial plans, and provide monthly reports....on data that is out of my control. The majority of the time I am looking forward to the weekends off and the next paid holiday.

Those are HUGE signs, aren't they?

It's not that I live in a bad area, or a bad house or with bad neighbors.....I don't. I live in a small house, a few miles outside a small rural town and I have 3 neighbors in sight and none of them close. Yet when I think of some of the places I have lived in the past, I realize that even when I am debt free (very close), this is not where I want to spend the rest of my life.

I want to sit on the beach again, like I did when I lived in Carlsbad California for 10 years. Or hike the Cascade Mountains and could get back home within an hour drive back home, looking across the water from Whidbey Island to Victoria. Or the winter I spent in Breckenridge Colorado, living in a small cabin and skiing every day.

I want to wake up in the morning and have the chance of dumping my tanks, filling up with fresh water, fuel and moving my hounds and I to a new location. If that means workcamping for a while, great!!  At least I am living where I really want to, meeting great people along the way and having control of what I want to do.

That sounds a lot better than waking up 5 days a week, dreading going to a job that I no longer like and really only do it for that paycheck every two weeks. Then paying off a house that will only need more maintenance in the future to keep it in good condition. Mowing the yard 1 per week, paying taxes annually, and having "a market" decide just how much my house is worth. The market doesn't know my house, so how stupid is that process??  That will take time and money. I'd rather put that money into RV maintenance while I am boondocking somewhere out in Arizona for the winter, rather than sitting here in the midwest waiting for the winter predictions to hit..."worse than normal"!! That means a lot of snow, going to a job I can't say I really like anymore.

So, I looked at my spreadsheet that I made last month showing all of my options, financially, depending on what I decided.

My eyes, my focus and my thoughts all went back to the same option on that spreadsheet. The same thing I posted here a few weeks ago. The only change to to the list is #1. I'm going to sell my house instead of renting it...with an option. That option being, when I get to the point that I am ready to leave and it has not sold, then I will rent the property. My house will NOT decide when I leave.

I have a lot of things to do between now and the time I leave.  I am going to be scanning full-time and shredding the rest of my paper files, photographs etc.  I am going to all electronic filing. I've been electronic for years in my banking, taxes, basic expenses, etc. I just have a lot more "stuff" to get rid of than I thought I did. Living solo I am shocked how much I have laying around that is never used.

This Friday I am heading to 3 different RV dealers within a 70 mile radius to look at A's and C's. By Monday I plan to have a For Sale sign in my front yard for my house and will sell it below market value if it means I get to RV full-time sooner.

It's sad and very disappointing when I look at myself and realize that the ONLY reason I continue to work and wait 2 years 7 months to retire, is just for a paycheck.  Honestly, that is the only reason I can come up with on why I still work. I understand in today's economy, millions of people would die for a paycheck, so what I say may sound quite strange or rude?

For me, there are a lot more ways of making money using my financial and online sales experience, rather than sitting at a desk all day, spending my free time reading RV blogs, forums and looking at RV's for sale....WISHING I was on the road!

Today at work was an "eye-opener"!!

Still Sorting Through Types of RV's

I haven't posted much this week. I've been spending most of my time sorting through my stuff for Goodwill runs or throwing away. For some reason, even with experience, I don't have the urge at this time to sell on eBay or Craig's List. I have also been spending time taking care of things on my list before I depart.

I just wish I could make up my mind on what type of RV to buy when the time comes.  I know from past comments, emails received and general discussions on different RV forums, that the right RV will "hit" me either when I see it, drive it, like the floor plan, etc. Still that process is frustrating at times.

I spend a lot of time reading my blog list and then from that list finding blogs they are reading. So I have a "million' sites bookmarked with information and files of RV's for sale that I like. Lots to look at and study.

It is not if I am going to do this but when. No doubts. The only questions now, are what to buy and when to buy. How long will the RV market be a buyers market? Best to buy new or a few years old and should  I consider a model over 12 years old that was top of the line when new and is still in good shape?  Those are just some of the questions that go through my head while I look at RV's for sale.

I do know that the hounds and I need to get out on the road. I don't really want to be a long distance landlord if my house doesn't sell but I also don't want the status of my house determine my departure date. I know I will have an "end plan" when I leave and I also know that I have no idea how long I will full-time. I do know I want to boondock the majority of the time.

Some of the things I want:

I want solar panels, I want tanks large enough where I can boondock for a few weeks if not a month at a time.  I will have my big screen HD tv for my sports addiction and I plan to either take out the dinette set and install a desk for my computers,  and to eat on....basically like I do now at home. I want an outdoor shower for not only me after a day at the beach but also to keep my dogs clean. I can say I want a Class A most of the time, yet at times a Class C feels like it would be the right type to have.

I am still not convinced that a trailer pulled by my V-8 Toyota 4Runner is the way to go for me. Maybe my 4Runner can be my toad. Anyone out on the road seen a 4Runner as a toad? I know that Jeeps seem to be popular.

So I leave you on this Friday night  (Saturday Morning really) at 12:11am, with my mind made up that I am definitely going to do this and I know what I want but still no clue on what type of RV to buy. Tomorrow will be a day of digging into my LIST and hopefully marking them off my list to make my departure closer.

How long did it take you to buy an RV after you made the decision to RV full-time?

My Mind is Hopping All Over the Place

Found some new answers on an rv forum, looked at more Class C's and A's. Read all the blogs I follow and then did some strange searching.....strange! For some reason I started checking car lots for possible trades with my Camry. I looked at 4-Runners, FJ Cruisers, Hummers H3, Mini's. Then had a very strong urge to go wheel 'n deal tomorrow and come back home with a new vehicle.

Can anyone tell me why??  During this process of getting rid of everything I own, that I would have the urge to go trade vehicles?

I am really not sure how to take that way of thinking. Maybe it happened when a friend sent me a text saying she swore she saw snow flurries 25 miles away.  When I have snow, it is a huge problem getting up my 100' inclined driveway. Maybe that is why I started looking at SUV's. I use to have a 4-Runner and loved it.

I am finding more and more Class A blogs that are boondocking. It is the type of boondocking I would do, so I am thinking that is probably the way I go....Class A. If I didn't have the hounds, that might have changed to a Class C but they are coming with me, so it keeps looking like a Class A is the way to go. I had asked on the forum if I found an older Class A priced about the same as a '06-''09 model but had more features, was in good shape and comparable condition for the similar amounts of money, which should I buy?  Some of these older models have some great features and floor plans but I am somewhat skeptical of buying an RV that is over 12 years old.

Saw some great pictures today from blogs I follow with people out on the road. From the beaches in Florida to the mountains in Utah.

The discussion came up with a friend of mine today about the cost of maintenance of a RV and how they are "money pits". She and her husband had an older one that she admitted they rarely used it but it was still costing them money as it just sat there.  So I took her estimated figure, plus some annual figures for rv maintenance from different blogs of full-timers and divided them by 12 for a monthly cost.  I then took the last two years of my house maintenance (painting, landscaping, and interior repairs, etc) and divided my actual cost by 24 to get a monthly cost for my last two years.  The monthly figures were very very similar, almost scary, they were so close. My house maintenance totals did NOT include the mortgage, taxes and insurance I had paid for my house. In most blogs and forums I have read, I find the maintenance comparison between an rv and a house to be very similar in my case.

Then the age excuse is always brought up, what if I get sick, what if my dogs need a vet. The results would be the same if i were here in a house or full-timing in an rv. I guess I will always have friends, co-workers, etc try to talk me out of this. A few think it is awesome and can "see you doing this", and there are some that think I am totally out of my mind. They seem to have forgotten that I have never really followed the straight and narrow road that is expected in society. That is one reason I have always had a lot of fun.

Well that is all I have for tonight. I have tomorrow off for Veterans day. I want to thank all the vets out there that read this blog,  for your time of service to this great country....old vets and young vets alike.  A big Thank You to all!

I'm going to back to looking at 30'-32' Class A's and maybe longer.  vbg

Did You Think I Was Going to Quit?? ... No Way!!!

I am assuming my followers looked at the title of my post last night and thought "oh, he's going to quit before he even starts".   That thought NEVER crossed my mind. What you don't know about me is my mind has always been going , will be going a 1,000 mph all the time. A friend of mine stopped by my work one day while I was answering an email, while talking on the phone and talking to the person standing at my desk....all at the same time. I'm not sure what you call that, but it probably isn't a good thing. Plus, I analyze....too much.

So last nights post was nothing more than me putting some of my mind travel down on paper (blog) for all to see, when I am usually having this discussion with my dogs and expecting them to give me answers.  :)

About the time I think I have it down what I want, I read a new blog, look at their rig, read their story and then start looking at A's or C's again. Today it was a "C" day. Yet, there is just something about putting those sides out and having room in an A. I know C's have slides but still, a lot of room in those A's.  Sadie (bloodhound) would probably enjoy that as would I. The basset's??? They don't really care about much...they are totally laidback, just a good soft blanket, bed or couch, some food, a daily walk and they are good to go. Today Winston (basset) and I took the old pickup to the local "Feed Store' to pick up some dog food. He was a happy camper when I told him he was going to go in the truck, couldn't stop that deep basset barking.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand.

New blogs, new ideas, new rigs, new thoughts, my house, my cars (1  Z4), etc, etc, etc.  You get the picture. My mind going that 1,000 mph, ALL the time. Knowing what I would like to do but not knowing if I should take a gigantic leap or go as planned. (2yrs, 7mos). Local suggestion is to keep the house, keep the Z4, sell the other car, work until May 2014, then hit the road. She says my left side of my brain is running wild right now.

I've looked at the start of blogs that I follow, to see how long it took different people to hit the road full-time after they first had the thought. (I think I'm right on schedule and all of this is normal thinking). How long did they take to by their RV? What was their financial situation, how many repairs have they had on the road, were they shut down, what type of work do they do on the road if any at all. Boondocking, or national forests, rv parks etc.

Yes, same questions I have had the past 3 weeks, but they keep re-appearing. I even fight with myself between a C and an A class RV. Will the A be able to boondock like some people say it will? Will it be more handier for me to have a C even thought it might be smaller inside with 3 hounds?

I know these questions have been asked on this blog before and many have answered either by commenting or by email and I thank you for those comments and suggested links.  They really have been a great help.  In fact all of the info has made me want to full time even more than when I started this blog a few weeks ago.

So, if all of this is not boring to you, hang around and see what happens. Comment when you want and enjoy the humor. I will laugh about these times around a campfire some day, asking myself and others...."What took me so long" ??

A Lot of Thinking

Another normal day of reading RV information, in some cases read for a 2nd and 3rd time. Looked at A's, than back at C's. Ran a lot of numbers through my head, whether to pay cash or finance. Currently my mortgage balance is so low that I am unable to write off what little interest I pay every month. While walking the hounds through the field behind my house, I wondered if it was really fair for the 3 of them to be RVing or keeping their life the way it is. Here is a picture of that field. You can slightly see the path I make while they walk 25' out on retractable leashes.

I did look at C's while I was at work today. I saw some different and good ideas how people used that space above the cab for their large tv's, and computer equipment. I am going to need to arrange for my 46" HD tv, as a sports junkie that would be hard to give up. Computers I use right now is an iPad and an iMac with a large 27" monitor that I think I can make arrangements with some slight modifications (office desk) to keep that monitor. Here is my current set up:

I am pretty set on a A's 30'- 32', and only started looking at C's after reading a blog where a couple had spent 4 years full-time RVing and running their computer business on the road. I really don't think I would use the overhead bunk if I had a C, so any ideas about large tv's and computers are welcomed. On a A I already have some pictures of fitting large screen and my computer set up.

I also thought about this blog. I've gained a lot of good information from comments, emails, suggested links but at the same time it is kind of different for me to go public with my thoughts. Yet, I got this idea to start a blog now and not waiting until I started on my RV trip because most of the blogs I started reading a few weeks ago and currently, all started the same way. I guess in a few years it will be nice to go back and look into these earlier blogs and recall just how many different directions my mind was going.

To all the A owners out there on the road that boondock, what is the smallest road you ever traveled on to get to a great camping spot? To all the C owners out there, how many of you wondered if you should have bought a C after you lived in an A for a while and why?

Why do I ask that? The example is the picture of my computer set up. I spent months researching which iMac to buy or a MacPro or a MacAir. When I decided on a iMac, then it was either the 27" or the 21.5" iMac. Even the day I went to the store to make the purchase I looked at each side by side for over an hour and walked out with the 21.5 Then months later I kept thinking about the 27" I passed up. Instead of selling my 21.5 iMac and boxing it up and shipping it to someone that would have bought it outside of my location, I decided to buy the 27' monitor and plugging it into the iMac as a 2nd monitor. I love having two monitors.

So if I bought a C and was happy with it, would I always be wondering about an A????

This picture was taken last August when the temps were really hot but the hounds were wanting to walk.

The Three Amigos

RV thoughts

Actually this is not a vacation but a day off ... one of those days off where "they can be there between 8-noon or noon-4".  I am switching out from DirecTv to DishNetwork. It's a long story and deals nothing with hounds or Rv's, so that is all I will say about it.

What that has done is give me some MORE time to read a pros and cons ebook, found some new blogs, different views, and of course more pictures of different RV's that people are living in fulltime. I would assume the reading and studying never ends?  Always keeping updated?

I still am thinking a Class C is the way to go for me, 28'-30' because I have dogs that will travel with me.  Yes it's tempting to buy a 30' class A, but I am not a "gearhead" and will need a Ford or Chevy dealer/mechanic to do work when needed. I can do the basics but not repair. So far there seems to be one consistent answer from comments here, other forums, emails, etc...."find the floor plan you like and go with it".....the engine, brand name is all about the same. It's a home on wheels, screws will loosen, sometime there will be leaks, or a dead battery etc.

Does that sound right?

BTW, my DishNetwork installer just called and that 10 minute job turned into a few more hours....so my 8-noon has now turned into 1 or 2pm.  :)

I looked over my numbers again late last night and found out, once my house is paid for (7K to go), my expenses living here mortgage free is almost identical as RV ing fulltime. Sure that is a rough estimate for expenses and you never know how much exactly it will cost until you are on the road.

Well I am going to go back to my reading and looking....more dreaming.  I'll be back later today or tonight for another post on what I may have found out new or any new questions or ideas I may have.

A short note

After some new information, and sorting of notes on my iPad,  I have changed my focus to a C, 29-31', a couple of slides. I feel pretty confident that is the direction I am going to go. It feels good to get that past me and I can move to other things on my checklist. I plan to test drive some C's on November 10 or 11. Do any of you have laminate flooring in your rigs instead of carpet?  If so, do you notice more road noise or any additional noises not heard when you had carpet?

I do not consider myself a pack-rat but looking around this small house....I have a ton of stuff to get rid of. I think I am going to start a Craig's List account and go that direction. I use to sell full time on eBay so I am familiar with that system but it just takes too much time to ship and pack things. Otherwise, local ads. Living on a highway makes it dangerous to try having a garage sale.

On to the next step....still I can't stop looking at rigs and reading information. I have to force my self to sleep.

How many of you use solar panels for your electrical needs?

I am just curious on this last question, if you would rather email the answer instead of commenting is fine....What is the worst thing that has happened to you in your travels?

Some New RV Questions

I'm typing this live and its pretty late, still have college football on (Arizona at UDub) and its 1:17am .... yes, college football could be an addiction for me.

Thanks for all the comments today and the new people following. For those following, remember that I am still not really sure when this change in careers is going to happen. It would be within months or not until I retire from my job in a couple of years. I know when I would like to leave but I have some work to do to downsize, decide what to sell, or if I should rent out my house at first to see if the full time RVing is going to work with me and my 3 hounds. Anyway, I have some new RV questions today.

1.  Is there a disadvantage in staying at RV parks if your RV is older than 10 yrs old?
2.  What would be the differences in a 30' Class C or a 30' Class A?
3.  If you had the same amount of money available to by any kind of RV, would you buy an older model for the same amount of money as a newer one?
4.  I plan on spend more time boondocking than staying in RV parks.....is that why a Class C would be better than a Class A?
5.  Best to buy locally or in those no humidity states in the southwest?
6.  I know it would be based on condition of the RV but if a Class A and Class C are the same price and have less than 25,000 miles on them, which is a better RV?

Some of these questions are based on some comments and others are ones I had as I was looking at ads for RVs while watching my football games. I have decided with the hounds I really need at least one slideout, I would prefer a bed in back. I have an iMac at home but also a large monitor attached to it. I would prefer to keep the larger screen set up rather than going to a full time laptop. I have an iPad that I will be taking. I am also going to google on ideas of mounting or installing a 46" HD tv someway the RV I buy.  If any of you have an answer for those two (computer & tv) it is much appreciated.

I decided against my friends bus. Its a great design but I am not really keen on a diesel and a 4 speed stick at that. Yet, I keep going back to a Class A that is 32-36' long. Would I need that room being single?  Probably not but with the dogs it would be more room and more storage.

I have a pretty good idea in my head when I want to make the move but do not want to announce it yet. I still want to test drive different RVs, Ill do that locally and as many different A's and C's as possible.

Can anyone suggest a good RV Guide I could buy where I would have information on what are the best RVs before I buy one. I guess I could probably look on the internet for reviews but thought someone here might have one that they really liked.

Good night everyone and for those on the road and a full-timer.....I envy you.

Can't Stop Thinking of RVing Full Time

Well it is Saturday morning here in Indiana and so far I haven't accomplished anything planned today. I am needing to install a new storm door but it was in the 30s this morning when the hounds and I went outside for the first time of many today. (They think I am their doorman on Weekends) So without being motivated enough to start that installation and complete before my addiction of college football that starts at noon, local time....it looks like it might be a multiple day job.

Thanks for all the new followers, comments and emails.  It is certainly nice to hear from those that have gone through similar thoughts I have had when first thoughts of RVing full time start to appear on a daily basis. As you see I have added some new blogs from the ones you listed and I liked. Also my favorite links is increasing and you will notice that is also becoming longer.  

I figured out the process of uploading photos to blogger from iPhoto. I have also renewed my little knowledge of HTML to where I can manipulate the way I want things.....except staring this post to the right of the photo above instead of below it.

That picture is across the highway from my house, looking from my drive.  It is a July picture but looks much better than what is there now, since the farmer spent last Thursday picking his corn before it rained. Is the view a reason I am hesitant in selling my soon to be paid for small house in rural america? 

Like I said yesterday, I have about decided what I need is a Class C - 25-29', 1 or 2 slide outs, and something around the $50K range or lower. After reading some blogs last night and then at different RVs pictured online I was feeling pretty good about what I wanted.

That is until I called my friend Dennis in Alamogordo NM who has converted an older passenger bus into a 40' beautiful RV.  Here is a picture of it:

That paint job is a vinyl application like you see on cars for NASCAR. The dome in front is the TV Satalite with 2 AC. So you see where I am going with this story?  Scrambles the brain cells doesn't it. Yet I would be limited in where I could park, what RV parks I could get into. Yet it is built with added features to boondock for quite a long time.

These pictures will give you some idea what is inside but they were taken during installation.  He is about finished wrapping everything up and will take finished photos then. He and his wife bought all top of the line stuff.

With the amount of generators, propane tanks, fresh -gray-black water tanks, staying somewhere solo for a while is possible. Tires have been changed to be able to get off and on pavement. Everything inside is new, from the laminate flooring to the custom made kitchen cabinets. You might be wondering why is he selling this after doing all the work???  Health reasons.

It is so tempting, it's within my price range, I know he has done quality work with long term RVing in mind. Gets 10-12 mpg cruising at 55-60 mph. Still it's HUGE! It might be too much to drive for a first timer like myself. I was really beginning to like those Class C's 25'-29' long.

So there you have it.  It's a lazy Saturday morning so far, good coffee, the hounds have been out and are all sleeping for most of the day and I sit here and read new information, new blogs and look at different vehicles.....and my storm door is still in the box leaning up against the wall waiting to be tackled.

The converted 40' Bus or the Class C RV ?????

RV Sizes and Types

First of all thanks for all the comments and new followers after my first post. I am not new to blogging, just to this niche and it was nice to see that some people decided to hang around and see what I end up doing. I will read all the comments and will answer emails as soon as I can.

Well it was a pretty productive day and some answers are starting to surface. With my 3 dogs that I am going to travel with, I am thinking a 27'-29', Class C with a sideout is what I am going to need. It is tempting to buy the older 35+ Class A but from most of the blogs that I am reading, they are able to get into some spots where a smaller RV has it's advantages. I am going to want to stay out in the open more than parks. There is a huge selection but I have narrowed my search to the Southwestern part of the USA. I found in my VW Bus buying day, the southwest had dry metal and very little rust if any.

Which brings up the question, is it better to buy from a private party or a dealer?

Even the Class C 28' with no sideouts looks to have enough room for my hounds to sleep (their favorite hobby) while driving or even after parked and set up for a month stay. I walk the dogs daily using retractable leashes. They can go out 25' while we walk but I can control that with a push of a button. Their only problem is, they love people and always seem to move that direct to be able to sniff them a little or sit to be petted.

These blogs are really a great source of information for someone that has traveled but NEVER by RV.

So, before I head out to do some work on my blog, I guess I am looking for a Class C, 1 sideout, 27'-29', Gas Fuel, from either a dealer or private owner located in the Southwestern USA.

In the mean time I am going to try to get some pages up and filled in. Then give you some pictures and history of the hounds so you know will be taking this adventure with me. Also I tried many times to get a profile picture up but Blogspot didn't like them and kept having "internal errors", yet they didn't seem to mind adding the same picture to when I was following a blog.....go figure.

I am also finding that adding photos from iPhoto on my iMac is not a smooth friendship. As soon as I figure out how to keep Picasa from importing ALL (1,000s) of my photos from my hard drive, I will then load them into the blog from Picasa. I am computer literate, worked online at home from '05-'09, so it should not take to long to figure out what I want to do.

Can I follow these blogs of other people if I am using a WordPress blog instead of Blogger?  My frustration trying to use Blogspot is the same as it was years ago when I decided to move to WordPress.

Anyway, wherever you are, have a great Friday night and weekend.

Yes, my mind is still going a thousand mph with all this new exciting information.