I ended up going with my gut feeling on making the purchase. After my 2nd trip to the RV to look at it again, in the same day....I came home and started having thoughts that lasted well past midnight. By the time I went to bed I had decided I was NOT going to buy it...but thought I'd sleep on it.
I got up on Sunday and the feeling was stronger than ever that I was about to buy an RV that I really didn't want.
What made it hard, was the Rv was very clean, great shape, low mileage .... but it didn't fall into what I had planned. The Class A was my first idea back in November 2011 but after visiting my friends in their 36' Monaco last summer, I had decided to go smaller.
My plan from the start was to "downsize" everything I owned before hitting the road. Using the proceeds from my house sale to purchase an RV or trailer, not taking cash out of my savings. With this downsizing plan, I couldn't justify buying more RV than I needed.
I have always liked the 24' BT Cruiser's made by Gulfstream, with a couple of slides. I can still tow a 4x4 toad and it is a little bigger than a Casita trailer.
That night of many thoughts, I looked at a lot of blog posts, some forums, some pictures of smaller RV's and knew that is what I needed and had planned for.
The feeling after I called the seller telling him I would not be out for the test drive, was a much better feeling than the one I had when thinking about make the purchase. I knew then I had made the right decision.
Life in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana, the high desert of the southwest and back to 'the tropics' with the hounds and dogs.
March 22, 2013
March 09, 2013
A Day Away From the Purchase
Nothing done on the house today, so no For Sale sign this afternoon. As you can see from the picture and the story below, the house schedule was again pushed to the side.
Last week I mentioned I had found an RV for sale in the local small town I live in. I had planned on just looking at it to see if I liked the floor plan and to compare it to the trailers, Class A and Class C's I had sat in up in Indianapolis on 2 different trips.
After talking to the seller, found out he works at the same government facility that I do. He also was in racing with my next door neighbor and came highly recommended for taking care of all of his vehicles. The seller was in Florida with the family for spring vacation and due back tomorrow afternoon. After talking to him this morning, we decided I could go out and inspect the RV as much as I wanted, it was unlocked and keys on the seat. So off i went with my printed checklist for buying a used RV.
I started by looking in every outside bay, granted they have this RV packed with their stuff to camp in, still I could see enough of the bays, engine compartment, wheel wells, tires, roof, all the closets, stoves, microwave, oven, woodwork, plumbing bay, power cord bay, etc.
Condition throughout is like new ... only the driver seat needed some repair, the roof needed a new coat and the rear side light lens needed replaced.
All roof top vents, electrical wiring, electrical power cord, hoses, tanks, tubes, plumbing....like new condition. It was as good as the pictures.
Information and pictures were passed to a couple of friends that have or are rving full time and had bought used RV's, so I could get their opinion and I knew they would ask me all the right questions. They both said IF it looked as good as the pictures, that everything worked and it drove well .... it was a great deal for the price. NADA had it appraised much higher. Extremely low mileage, only 247 hours on the generator.
The first owner let it sit, older couple and hardly used it. The seller bought it in 2011 and has put 2,300 miles on it, using it while he raced locally, Indy Colts tailgating and Indy 500 tailgating.
So the deal will be final after the test drive. Everything works, extremely clean and mechanically taken care of. No sign of interior leaks, no smoke smell, no damage of any kind to the wood cabinets and trim. It has been winterized and has been sitting since last November.
I have told him to consider it sold. He has had a lot calls, emails and interest but like all the deals I lost out on when trying to buy different trailers out of state, the local interested person had the better chance to purchase.
So here are a few specs:
2000 Gulf Stream Palm Breeze, 32', one slide (table/couch), Ford Chassis, Triton V10 engine, only 6,343 total miles, tow package, towing brake, 15,000BTU A/C...$19,990.
I had not planned on buying something this soon but I felt as well as a couple of RV friends that it was a deal that I could not pass up and it was what I was looking for if I was going to go the Class A route. With the hounds I felt I needed the extra room and I believe this will be a great boondocking rig after I have solar installed. I plan on installing all new batteries, possibly the tires but they look good.
I'll post more pictures after it's in my possession.
Last week I mentioned I had found an RV for sale in the local small town I live in. I had planned on just looking at it to see if I liked the floor plan and to compare it to the trailers, Class A and Class C's I had sat in up in Indianapolis on 2 different trips.
After talking to the seller, found out he works at the same government facility that I do. He also was in racing with my next door neighbor and came highly recommended for taking care of all of his vehicles. The seller was in Florida with the family for spring vacation and due back tomorrow afternoon. After talking to him this morning, we decided I could go out and inspect the RV as much as I wanted, it was unlocked and keys on the seat. So off i went with my printed checklist for buying a used RV.
I started by looking in every outside bay, granted they have this RV packed with their stuff to camp in, still I could see enough of the bays, engine compartment, wheel wells, tires, roof, all the closets, stoves, microwave, oven, woodwork, plumbing bay, power cord bay, etc.
Condition throughout is like new ... only the driver seat needed some repair, the roof needed a new coat and the rear side light lens needed replaced.
All roof top vents, electrical wiring, electrical power cord, hoses, tanks, tubes, plumbing....like new condition. It was as good as the pictures.
Information and pictures were passed to a couple of friends that have or are rving full time and had bought used RV's, so I could get their opinion and I knew they would ask me all the right questions. They both said IF it looked as good as the pictures, that everything worked and it drove well .... it was a great deal for the price. NADA had it appraised much higher. Extremely low mileage, only 247 hours on the generator.
The first owner let it sit, older couple and hardly used it. The seller bought it in 2011 and has put 2,300 miles on it, using it while he raced locally, Indy Colts tailgating and Indy 500 tailgating.
So the deal will be final after the test drive. Everything works, extremely clean and mechanically taken care of. No sign of interior leaks, no smoke smell, no damage of any kind to the wood cabinets and trim. It has been winterized and has been sitting since last November.
I have told him to consider it sold. He has had a lot calls, emails and interest but like all the deals I lost out on when trying to buy different trailers out of state, the local interested person had the better chance to purchase.
So here are a few specs:
2000 Gulf Stream Palm Breeze, 32', one slide (table/couch), Ford Chassis, Triton V10 engine, only 6,343 total miles, tow package, towing brake, 15,000BTU A/C...$19,990.
I had not planned on buying something this soon but I felt as well as a couple of RV friends that it was a deal that I could not pass up and it was what I was looking for if I was going to go the Class A route. With the hounds I felt I needed the extra room and I believe this will be a great boondocking rig after I have solar installed. I plan on installing all new batteries, possibly the tires but they look good.
I'll post more pictures after it's in my possession.
March 06, 2013
On Schedule
It seems that I am right on schedule to plant the For Sale sign in the yard sometime Saturday afternoon. By the that time the snow will be gone, blizzard yesterday but 60's Saturday. The ground will be saturated and easy to secure the sign and my carpets will be cleaned and in the drying stage.
These past few days this week, a couple of small things knocked off my list of things to do but some really important ones. I firmed up with my old friend and college roommate in the 70's, that my custom made Romic bicycle with the "vintage" Campy parts, would go to his son who is a cycling animal. We think it will be a nice surprise for him. During the conversation I was also able to arrange my huge music collection, would go to his daughter that loves all kinds of music and does a lot of research of band members and different types of music around her job, husband and child. He said that she will be floored with excitement when the collection arrives.
Downtown in this small town, is a music consignment shop. I will be there early Saturday morning checking out their policies, what they will sell and possibly making arrangements to have them sell my old but grand Yamaha Stereo components, with a over priced Nakimichi cassette deck/recorder along with some Polk Audio tower speakers, weighing in around 70lbs a piece. This 250w per channel still plays strong and was bought in 1984 overseas.
After those items are delivered, I will be down to clothes, dishes, furniture and books.
Since I have been downsizing, I have very little furniture left, just the basics. I don't have the urge to sell my things on Craig's List or eBay. I was a fulltime eBay seller from 2005-2010 and although that was a drop shipping business, it took a lot of work. So I'll pass stuff out to friends or it goes to the goodwill and pass on the possible earnings.
I know I may be sticking the sign out a little early but on a busy highway, you never know what may happen.
I would really like to pick up a small trailer like RVsue lives in but with 3 larger dogs and one of those being a clumsy bloodhound that can clear a coffee table off with a wag of her tail, I just don't see how that would be comfortable. So I am back to looking at Class C's and some Class A's since the prices seem to have dropped a lot, and each of those can tow my H3.
Somewhere in my travels I will find the place I want to settle down when the time comes and if that time comes. All I know I am heading west. As it stands right now I will change my residency to South Dakota from Indiana the way it sounds, so depending when I leave, I will be heading to South Dakota to get the night stay in, the picture of the drivers license.
Some may ask, although I feel and my local friends feel my house will sell fairly quickly, what happens if it doesn't sell? Well I will continue to do the little fixes and when May 2014 rolls around, I will leave it empty with a Real Estate Agency to sell for me...but I really have no doubt it will sell by the time I need to hit the road. Don't know why I feel that way, I just do. Once it sells I'll give my 30 day notice at work and if I have not bought an RV by that time, it will be done within that time frame.
There is a Class A in great shape is for sale in this town, so I will make arrangements to check it out on Saturday, although I always said I would never buy an RV in Indiana.
I can't wait to hit the road!
These past few days this week, a couple of small things knocked off my list of things to do but some really important ones. I firmed up with my old friend and college roommate in the 70's, that my custom made Romic bicycle with the "vintage" Campy parts, would go to his son who is a cycling animal. We think it will be a nice surprise for him. During the conversation I was also able to arrange my huge music collection, would go to his daughter that loves all kinds of music and does a lot of research of band members and different types of music around her job, husband and child. He said that she will be floored with excitement when the collection arrives.
Downtown in this small town, is a music consignment shop. I will be there early Saturday morning checking out their policies, what they will sell and possibly making arrangements to have them sell my old but grand Yamaha Stereo components, with a over priced Nakimichi cassette deck/recorder along with some Polk Audio tower speakers, weighing in around 70lbs a piece. This 250w per channel still plays strong and was bought in 1984 overseas.
After those items are delivered, I will be down to clothes, dishes, furniture and books.
Since I have been downsizing, I have very little furniture left, just the basics. I don't have the urge to sell my things on Craig's List or eBay. I was a fulltime eBay seller from 2005-2010 and although that was a drop shipping business, it took a lot of work. So I'll pass stuff out to friends or it goes to the goodwill and pass on the possible earnings.
I know I may be sticking the sign out a little early but on a busy highway, you never know what may happen.
I would really like to pick up a small trailer like RVsue lives in but with 3 larger dogs and one of those being a clumsy bloodhound that can clear a coffee table off with a wag of her tail, I just don't see how that would be comfortable. So I am back to looking at Class C's and some Class A's since the prices seem to have dropped a lot, and each of those can tow my H3.
Somewhere in my travels I will find the place I want to settle down when the time comes and if that time comes. All I know I am heading west. As it stands right now I will change my residency to South Dakota from Indiana the way it sounds, so depending when I leave, I will be heading to South Dakota to get the night stay in, the picture of the drivers license.
Some may ask, although I feel and my local friends feel my house will sell fairly quickly, what happens if it doesn't sell? Well I will continue to do the little fixes and when May 2014 rolls around, I will leave it empty with a Real Estate Agency to sell for me...but I really have no doubt it will sell by the time I need to hit the road. Don't know why I feel that way, I just do. Once it sells I'll give my 30 day notice at work and if I have not bought an RV by that time, it will be done within that time frame.
There is a Class A in great shape is for sale in this town, so I will make arrangements to check it out on Saturday, although I always said I would never buy an RV in Indiana.
I can't wait to hit the road!
March 03, 2013
A productive Weekend
Amazing sometimes how fast things can change. I was sitting here at my Saturday morning with a cup of coffee, reading blogs, sports, news, looking at trailers, rvs, and extreme vehicles. I looked at the room I was in with all my stuff ready to go to the recycling center...so I made that trip to the recycling center. Then I went through my closets another time and left only the bare minimum I would need for work plus my jeans, shorts and tshirts...everything that I had not worn in a while, went into a bag and went to goodwill after hours.
I came back from the 25 mile drive, one way, and started to clean the rest of the afternoon and felt this energy and motivation come over me like I had been missing in the past few weeks, then had the inside of the house looking more like a "presentable view" instead of the "lived in view". My ballgame tipped off at 7:30pm, so I left for that, came back and got some sleep earlier than normal.
Sunday, it was mid 30's but clear and sunny so I went outside to do some work on my bank, picked up limbs from the high winds a few weeks ago and then did a general inspection of the outside of the house for potential repairs...there were none to do. That short time of doing little yard stuff I realized I dreaded doing what would be needed to maintain the yard and landscaping. After all, there has to be more to life than doing that over and over and over every year.
All during this time of cleaning, throwing away stuff and working outside today, I kept thinking of what I was really feeling and what I was wanting to do if money was no option, jobs were no option and the only thing I had was free time.
That answer had me traveling full-time and not here doing the weekly routine things of laundry, lawn work, and looking for something to do while my friends still were working. I thought of RVsue out in Arizona, Glenn's first couple of years of traveling and all the neat stories he wrote about. Then WheelingIt driving that 38' Class A out into the desert with their solar panels and boondocking. I thought of the summer I spent traveling cross country and then up the west coast on with a bicycle, a tent and sleeping bag.
All of this was what excited me, just like it did in October of 2011.
I thought of the times I had moved from the beach in Southern California in 1984 to Whidbey Island Washington up in the San Juan's and how nice it would be to spend just the summers up on the NW instead of the high 90's here with even that high of humidity. Or the times I drove from Reno Nevada down 395 to Southern California and remembering how beautiful that drive was. Then the time I spent the winter during a a ski season in Breckenridge Colorado....I enjoyed all of those places to the max.
Here, is yard work, after I hopefully surviving tornado season, cold winters that I do not want to experience when I'm older and a general feeling of boredom after being here for 16 yrs this month.
Everyone said this weekend, after mentioning to them "I might sell my house", either knew someone that would be interested, some that said "I always liked that house" and an real estate agency wanting to list it if I did decide to sell it, saying they knew of interested people.
With all of those people saying that, plus what I had done this weekend of getting my ass in gear, I knew there was a reason that the thought of rving full-time had never gone away even after several attempts of pushing it out of my thoughts for months at a time. I knew what my gut was telling me was the right course of action and it was time to make it happen.
So when I get home from work tomorrow, I will continue to knock something else off my "to do list", plus I have a few things to work on for even a better look and then the for sale sign is going in the front yard ... but not until I get those things done.
If things don't work out on the road, I'll sell what I have and look for a new residence somewhere out west, small town, where the weather is nice enough all year round to ride my bicycles, hike or soak up some sun.
I feel better already with my thought process. Last week was just a bummer of a week with some of the news I had received.
Now back to finding something to buy to live in on the road.
I came back from the 25 mile drive, one way, and started to clean the rest of the afternoon and felt this energy and motivation come over me like I had been missing in the past few weeks, then had the inside of the house looking more like a "presentable view" instead of the "lived in view". My ballgame tipped off at 7:30pm, so I left for that, came back and got some sleep earlier than normal.
Sunday, it was mid 30's but clear and sunny so I went outside to do some work on my bank, picked up limbs from the high winds a few weeks ago and then did a general inspection of the outside of the house for potential repairs...there were none to do. That short time of doing little yard stuff I realized I dreaded doing what would be needed to maintain the yard and landscaping. After all, there has to be more to life than doing that over and over and over every year.
All during this time of cleaning, throwing away stuff and working outside today, I kept thinking of what I was really feeling and what I was wanting to do if money was no option, jobs were no option and the only thing I had was free time.
That answer had me traveling full-time and not here doing the weekly routine things of laundry, lawn work, and looking for something to do while my friends still were working. I thought of RVsue out in Arizona, Glenn's first couple of years of traveling and all the neat stories he wrote about. Then WheelingIt driving that 38' Class A out into the desert with their solar panels and boondocking. I thought of the summer I spent traveling cross country and then up the west coast on with a bicycle, a tent and sleeping bag.
All of this was what excited me, just like it did in October of 2011.
I thought of the times I had moved from the beach in Southern California in 1984 to Whidbey Island Washington up in the San Juan's and how nice it would be to spend just the summers up on the NW instead of the high 90's here with even that high of humidity. Or the times I drove from Reno Nevada down 395 to Southern California and remembering how beautiful that drive was. Then the time I spent the winter during a a ski season in Breckenridge Colorado....I enjoyed all of those places to the max.
Here, is yard work, after I hopefully surviving tornado season, cold winters that I do not want to experience when I'm older and a general feeling of boredom after being here for 16 yrs this month.
Everyone said this weekend, after mentioning to them "I might sell my house", either knew someone that would be interested, some that said "I always liked that house" and an real estate agency wanting to list it if I did decide to sell it, saying they knew of interested people.
With all of those people saying that, plus what I had done this weekend of getting my ass in gear, I knew there was a reason that the thought of rving full-time had never gone away even after several attempts of pushing it out of my thoughts for months at a time. I knew what my gut was telling me was the right course of action and it was time to make it happen.
So when I get home from work tomorrow, I will continue to knock something else off my "to do list", plus I have a few things to work on for even a better look and then the for sale sign is going in the front yard ... but not until I get those things done.
If things don't work out on the road, I'll sell what I have and look for a new residence somewhere out west, small town, where the weather is nice enough all year round to ride my bicycles, hike or soak up some sun.
I feel better already with my thought process. Last week was just a bummer of a week with some of the news I had received.
Now back to finding something to buy to live in on the road.
March 01, 2013
An Unproductive Week
Well for those readers waiting to see if that For Sale sign goes in the front yard tomorrow, I don't know. I didn't get anything done this week as far as my house goes. I did nothing but work overtime, came home and did nothing about getting out of here. Read a lot on the internet, watched a little college basketball ... and thought ... and thought ... and thought about what to do.
Not really doubting my plans but just wondering if I am making the correct decision ... I guess that is doubt, isn't it.
Unexpectedly my neighbor had a realtor for sale in his yard on Tuesday. I was curious last Saturday why he had finally decided to clear a bank of brush and trees for over 200 feet. I own 13' of that bank from the top down but he had some men clearing to the top. Good, takes something off my "to do" list in April when it will be getting warmer.
Back to their house for sale, any disadvantage of having 2 houses next door to each other for sale at the same time?
I have a small 2 bedroom/1 bath, he has a small 4 bedroom/2 baths, both older houses.
The news of sequestration is going to affect me. I've been planning for it to happen when it mentioned the first time. I will be one of the many government employees or government contractors that will be forced to work 4 days per week and only get paid for 32 hours. My salary will be prorated for 4 days instead of 5...then add in the fact, I work overtime now and still cannot keep up with the pace of the schedules. Nothing like a 20% pay decrease to make me even more thrilled than I already have been. That may start around the middle of April and run into October 1.
Then my #1 Hoosiers got upset at Minnesota on Tuesday, only later that same night I find out that 2 close old friends of many years, are in a new battle against cancer. Puts that ballgame in a little perspective doesn't it.
So with all things considered ... I haven't been in a great mood nor motivated to do much this week, other than a lot of thinking.
I will say my range of thinking is consistent with the other times over the past year or so, when nothing gets done. It ranges from enjoying the various stories of some of the people I follow here that are in Arizona boondocking in some decent weather......all the way to the other end of the spectrum where I ask myself am I making a wise decision of selling a house that I own and only pay a very small amount in yearly property tax.
Questions that I have always had and won't know the real answer until I am on the road. I will not know for sure until I do it.
This week a friend says that with my 3 dogs, a 17' trailer would not be enough room for them and I, I'd need more room, even though they do it with multiple dogs that are smaller than mine. That 17' really equates to 14' and while I look at that measurement taped to my floor in the room I am currently writing from ... it really does look small for full timing. With that in mind that moves me away from a trailer that my H3 can tow, so I started looking at Class C's again and Class A's (prices are low) with towing my H3.
Back to the job situation ... currently not in a job that thrills me since I am out of the financial part of the work (Jan 1 policy change) and thinking maybe this sequestration might be the right time to pull up stakes and move out.
Yet, as I have downsized recently, I run into things that I really don't want to sell or store but too big to take with me or too valuable to want to get rid of. Then I read other bloggers who within a year have had doubts if they made the right decision to sell everything and hit the road full time. Makes me think.
My mind has always gone back and forth on this decision, as you know ... since October 2011.
Yet, for the readers that are checking back here or planning to check for that For Sale sign picture this weekend, I'm not positive that is going to happen this weekend. I still need to move my house inside from the "lived in" look to the "presentable for viewing" look in case I would have an interested buyer.
I'll keep you posted.
Not really doubting my plans but just wondering if I am making the correct decision ... I guess that is doubt, isn't it.
Unexpectedly my neighbor had a realtor for sale in his yard on Tuesday. I was curious last Saturday why he had finally decided to clear a bank of brush and trees for over 200 feet. I own 13' of that bank from the top down but he had some men clearing to the top. Good, takes something off my "to do" list in April when it will be getting warmer.
Back to their house for sale, any disadvantage of having 2 houses next door to each other for sale at the same time?
I have a small 2 bedroom/1 bath, he has a small 4 bedroom/2 baths, both older houses.
The news of sequestration is going to affect me. I've been planning for it to happen when it mentioned the first time. I will be one of the many government employees or government contractors that will be forced to work 4 days per week and only get paid for 32 hours. My salary will be prorated for 4 days instead of 5...then add in the fact, I work overtime now and still cannot keep up with the pace of the schedules. Nothing like a 20% pay decrease to make me even more thrilled than I already have been. That may start around the middle of April and run into October 1.
Then my #1 Hoosiers got upset at Minnesota on Tuesday, only later that same night I find out that 2 close old friends of many years, are in a new battle against cancer. Puts that ballgame in a little perspective doesn't it.
So with all things considered ... I haven't been in a great mood nor motivated to do much this week, other than a lot of thinking.
I will say my range of thinking is consistent with the other times over the past year or so, when nothing gets done. It ranges from enjoying the various stories of some of the people I follow here that are in Arizona boondocking in some decent weather......all the way to the other end of the spectrum where I ask myself am I making a wise decision of selling a house that I own and only pay a very small amount in yearly property tax.
Questions that I have always had and won't know the real answer until I am on the road. I will not know for sure until I do it.
This week a friend says that with my 3 dogs, a 17' trailer would not be enough room for them and I, I'd need more room, even though they do it with multiple dogs that are smaller than mine. That 17' really equates to 14' and while I look at that measurement taped to my floor in the room I am currently writing from ... it really does look small for full timing. With that in mind that moves me away from a trailer that my H3 can tow, so I started looking at Class C's again and Class A's (prices are low) with towing my H3.
Back to the job situation ... currently not in a job that thrills me since I am out of the financial part of the work (Jan 1 policy change) and thinking maybe this sequestration might be the right time to pull up stakes and move out.
Yet, as I have downsized recently, I run into things that I really don't want to sell or store but too big to take with me or too valuable to want to get rid of. Then I read other bloggers who within a year have had doubts if they made the right decision to sell everything and hit the road full time. Makes me think.
My mind has always gone back and forth on this decision, as you know ... since October 2011.
Yet, for the readers that are checking back here or planning to check for that For Sale sign picture this weekend, I'm not positive that is going to happen this weekend. I still need to move my house inside from the "lived in" look to the "presentable for viewing" look in case I would have an interested buyer.
I'll keep you posted.
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.
January 13, 2013
Downsizing
I have been downsizing off and on this past year and thought I was making great progress. I have taken a "ton" of stuff to goodwill, gave some things away and threw out a lot of 30gl trash bags of stuff.
Why does it feel like things are not disappearing? I've been buying nothing more than food and gas for the majority of the past year. Some clothes for work but nothing major in purchases.....still I cannot believe how much stuff I still have in this house to get rid of. Seems like a lot more than I had estimated last spring.
So with the highs today in the mid 30's and rain that started late yesterday afternoon and has not stopped ... I will begin (again) going one room at a time and sorting through stuff that will go to goodwill, trash or give away.....this week!!!
Is it too early to say that after 8 working days on a new job, that I don't like the new job?? It was the job I took when I was kind of "downsized" in December on short notice.
Like I said a few posts ago, this job situation may be my catalyst for getting me into more focused action to get on the road and quit thinking about it.
Even with the cooler temps out west and in Texas, those are still warmer than what I have been living in here in Indiana, so I'll take those 50's and 60's as highs. It was 60's here yesterday and felt great with all the windows in the house open for most of the day.
I am going to an RV Show in Indianapolis next Saturday. I am not going to buy anything new but just wanted to look at different floor plans, etc.
Still looking at Class A's and C's, lots of good prices on used RVs.
Why does it feel like things are not disappearing? I've been buying nothing more than food and gas for the majority of the past year. Some clothes for work but nothing major in purchases.....still I cannot believe how much stuff I still have in this house to get rid of. Seems like a lot more than I had estimated last spring.
So with the highs today in the mid 30's and rain that started late yesterday afternoon and has not stopped ... I will begin (again) going one room at a time and sorting through stuff that will go to goodwill, trash or give away.....this week!!!
Is it too early to say that after 8 working days on a new job, that I don't like the new job?? It was the job I took when I was kind of "downsized" in December on short notice.
Like I said a few posts ago, this job situation may be my catalyst for getting me into more focused action to get on the road and quit thinking about it.
Even with the cooler temps out west and in Texas, those are still warmer than what I have been living in here in Indiana, so I'll take those 50's and 60's as highs. It was 60's here yesterday and felt great with all the windows in the house open for most of the day.
I am going to an RV Show in Indianapolis next Saturday. I am not going to buy anything new but just wanted to look at different floor plans, etc.
Still looking at Class A's and C's, lots of good prices on used RVs.
January 05, 2013
Class A's Back in Thoughts
A few weeks ago I started thinking of Class A's and started looking at those again. That was my original RV when I started thinking on what to do. Last summer and fall I took 2 trips to large RV lots just to look at different models to get a feel for what I liked.
I remember and noted in my iPhone notes, that the Class A felt much bigger inside and I liked that. It felt comfortable. Since I am traveling with not only 3 dogs but 1 of those being fairly large (bloodhound), I feel that would be the best option. I could still boondock where I wanted, would have more storage, larger tanks and a larger area to install solar panels. Also I would have more room for the comforts of my life and some addictions ie: large mac monitor, large tv screen for ballgame viewing and room for the hounds to lay on the floor, their normal position most of their days.
I could then possibly tow a 4x4 vehicle and then do some tent camping away from the Class A, which would be my "base camp"....a little backwards from my thinking of driving a 4x4 vehicle and towing a small trailer to get further off the grid.
It may have been watching WheelingIt for the past year and seeing the places they boondock, workcamp etc ... living in a 40'er and towing a 4x4 vehicle.
Yes, if maintenance is needed, I may not be able to stay in the rv while work is being done but many that I read about are able to stay in the lot in their rv. Gas mileage....if I am not towing anything will get about the same mpg as I would if I were driving a SUV towing a trailer and would have less power. Maintenance costs might be higher, but I have some friends that have had zero to little repair work done. Upkeep would be handled by my savings.
Thinking about the Class A option makes me feel better about making a change. It helps to know I would have enough space for me and the hounds, have the ability to stay off the grid a little longer than a small trailer due to the size of tanks and having more than enough storage even if I travel light.
The prices are low right now from what I have seen. I have never stopped looking at Class A's and C's. I am thinking somewhere between the 32'-35' range in length.
Sitting here in my spare room that has desks, computers, bicycle on a stand, a large inside dog kennel and is not much smaller than the living space of a 17' Casita I keep feeling I need/want something bigger.
I finally feel like I am getting somewhere in the decision making process.
Oh ... the new job? I can see myself workcamping as an option by next spring or summer....more than staying and working. My days will be nothing more than one meeting after another .... doesn't excite me.
Back to cleaning out more of my stuff, list things on eBay, Craig's List and donate a lot of it to the local goodwill in this small town.
Snow is still around outside but at least today the vision of full-timing is much much clearer.
Class A it will be.
I remember and noted in my iPhone notes, that the Class A felt much bigger inside and I liked that. It felt comfortable. Since I am traveling with not only 3 dogs but 1 of those being fairly large (bloodhound), I feel that would be the best option. I could still boondock where I wanted, would have more storage, larger tanks and a larger area to install solar panels. Also I would have more room for the comforts of my life and some addictions ie: large mac monitor, large tv screen for ballgame viewing and room for the hounds to lay on the floor, their normal position most of their days.
I could then possibly tow a 4x4 vehicle and then do some tent camping away from the Class A, which would be my "base camp"....a little backwards from my thinking of driving a 4x4 vehicle and towing a small trailer to get further off the grid.
It may have been watching WheelingIt for the past year and seeing the places they boondock, workcamp etc ... living in a 40'er and towing a 4x4 vehicle.
Yes, if maintenance is needed, I may not be able to stay in the rv while work is being done but many that I read about are able to stay in the lot in their rv. Gas mileage....if I am not towing anything will get about the same mpg as I would if I were driving a SUV towing a trailer and would have less power. Maintenance costs might be higher, but I have some friends that have had zero to little repair work done. Upkeep would be handled by my savings.
Thinking about the Class A option makes me feel better about making a change. It helps to know I would have enough space for me and the hounds, have the ability to stay off the grid a little longer than a small trailer due to the size of tanks and having more than enough storage even if I travel light.
The prices are low right now from what I have seen. I have never stopped looking at Class A's and C's. I am thinking somewhere between the 32'-35' range in length.
Sitting here in my spare room that has desks, computers, bicycle on a stand, a large inside dog kennel and is not much smaller than the living space of a 17' Casita I keep feeling I need/want something bigger.
I finally feel like I am getting somewhere in the decision making process.
Oh ... the new job? I can see myself workcamping as an option by next spring or summer....more than staying and working. My days will be nothing more than one meeting after another .... doesn't excite me.
Back to cleaning out more of my stuff, list things on eBay, Craig's List and donate a lot of it to the local goodwill in this small town.
Snow is still around outside but at least today the vision of full-timing is much much clearer.
Class A it will be.
January 01, 2013
Will 2013 Bring Changes?
Happy New Year to my followers and the other people that read this blog. I hope that 2013 will be a good year for all of you.
I looked at my post from last January and also the last two posts I had in December 2011. It was quite a surprise actually....and sad in a way. The weather was the same and my thoughts were so similar to what I have now that I could have cut and pasted those posts for today.
To me that is a sad, depressing find.
I spend a year researching different RVs or trailer combos, read blogs from other fulltimers daily, get great advice by email .... then a year later I don't feel any different???? Really?? I guess in a way that shouldn't be surprising. I at times have felt like I have been in a major rut and I think seeing the blog posts from a year ago being so similar to what I was going to write today, confirms my feelings over this past year.
I think later today around the 2 football games I am going to watch, I will pull an old book from the shelf and re-read some different chapters explaining the "Stuck" phenomenon. The book is called Stuck -- Why We Can't (or Won't) Move On by Anneli Rufus....along with a nice fresh cup of Seattle's Best Coffee. Maybe there will be an answer in there somewhere.
Don't take all of this post wrong. I haven't fallen off the deep edge. I have made attempts to look at 3 different 16'-18' Casita and Escape trailers, all with negative results. The one I liked the best, had all the mods I wanted, sold 2 days before I could make the trip to see it. The 2nd choice, I have not heard from the owner via forum reply, email reply and a phone message. The last one was just in what I considered bad shape. I got bad vibes as soon as I was walking towards it, but the price was right ... I guess for a reason.
Since they seem to hold their resale value, I may just buy a new Casita or Escape if I decide to go that direction.
"You mean the direction may be changing AGAIN??" ... you ask.
Yep, after 14 months I still can't make up my mind what I want to travel in. I am just as confused about a RV/Trailer as I have always been. Maybe that book today will help me sort that out.
Last week after reading Wheelingit, a blog I read daily ... I thought the room for me and the hounds, the floor plan and the ability to boondock on the desert floor is the best option. I was told early in my research, that the floorplan was the most important when buying an RV. So I started looking at Class A's that were 32' - 35'.
Shoeless Joe is another blogger I read daily, with his 31' Jayco Class C. That set up would also give me plenty of room for my big bloodhound, ability to tow if needed and could get to a few more spots than the Class A could. He sent me a picture of his living room set up so we could match "sports addiction" ideas that would be nice in an RV.
Then there is the all-time favorite Casita boondocker - RVsue - with her two small dogs, great mods and how to do them along with all of her traveling information...so valuable to me. We are similar because of the reasons to full-time, enjoying being off the grid and away from people. I'll remind you that even where I live now, at times I don't leave my house from the time I get home on Friday until I leave for work on Monday morning.
So those are the three lifestyles I have been looking at for the past 14 months, along with many others that I love to read about. Everyone in different situations, different phases of their RVing and different rigs. All great blogs and a great source of information.
So will 2013 be a year of making the change?
It might very well happen. As I mentioned in December, due to a change in policy, I will be moving to a different position tomorrow January 2. This takes me away from an accounting field that I enjoy more than anything even though the job was a PIA at times, like all jobs really. The important thing that might make me change my plan fairly quick and hit the road ... I am not excited nor motivated about this new job ... at all ... nada, no zip, a bad feeling that I am trying to be positive about. It will be in an area of project management support instead of "crunching numbers and counting beans". There are just a few aspects of the job that I am not thrilled about.
So 2013 may be bring big changes and a lot more blog posts if things start heading in the direction of hitting the road. When I am not thrilled about things are the times I make major changes ... I've seen it happen before.
So stay tuned.
Thanks for reading, comments are welcomed and be safe!
Shoeless Joe is another blogger I read daily, with his 31' Jayco Class C. That set up would also give me plenty of room for my big bloodhound, ability to tow if needed and could get to a few more spots than the Class A could. He sent me a picture of his living room set up so we could match "sports addiction" ideas that would be nice in an RV.
Then there is the all-time favorite Casita boondocker - RVsue - with her two small dogs, great mods and how to do them along with all of her traveling information...so valuable to me. We are similar because of the reasons to full-time, enjoying being off the grid and away from people. I'll remind you that even where I live now, at times I don't leave my house from the time I get home on Friday until I leave for work on Monday morning.
So those are the three lifestyles I have been looking at for the past 14 months, along with many others that I love to read about. Everyone in different situations, different phases of their RVing and different rigs. All great blogs and a great source of information.
So will 2013 be a year of making the change?
It might very well happen. As I mentioned in December, due to a change in policy, I will be moving to a different position tomorrow January 2. This takes me away from an accounting field that I enjoy more than anything even though the job was a PIA at times, like all jobs really. The important thing that might make me change my plan fairly quick and hit the road ... I am not excited nor motivated about this new job ... at all ... nada, no zip, a bad feeling that I am trying to be positive about. It will be in an area of project management support instead of "crunching numbers and counting beans". There are just a few aspects of the job that I am not thrilled about.
So 2013 may be bring big changes and a lot more blog posts if things start heading in the direction of hitting the road. When I am not thrilled about things are the times I make major changes ... I've seen it happen before.
So stay tuned.
Thanks for reading, comments are welcomed and be safe!
December 04, 2012
Maybe the Time has Arrived
I've read in past blogs that for some RVer's, unexpected events took place that led them in the direction of fulltiming in an RV. For me the unexpected event may be taking place. I mentioned a few posts ago about the changes at my job. Well this week with each meeting things changed and as usual everyone has to have "their" meeting about the situation. It's actually fun to watch these people "tap dance" and each with a different spin on whats happening.
Abruptly my contract will come to a halt December 31, instead of April 2014. I can keep the same job and just switch to the company that has taken over the contract for my job. It's a company I don't like and they would pay me less for doing the same work, the same stress, the same daily bs.
Or I could stay with my current company, as they try to place me and another person they just hired 3 months ago in a different positions outside of finance. Problem is, finances/money/numbers are my thing ... not PowerPoint slides, boring meetings, written reports, etc. I love working with spreadsheets and analyzing budgets / expenditures.
So you see I am kinda between a rock and a hard place. OR I may be in a very very good place because it might just be the situation to move me in finding a trailer sooner and hit the road.
To keep the job I like ... I have to work for a company after December 31 that I don't like.
To work with a company I like ... I may have to go to a job that I don't like, also by December 31.
Have I confused you?
I noticed yesterday the house down the highway a 1/2 mile finally sold after being on the market for only about 6 months. The house was in terrible shape and the asking price was higher than what I would have asked for mine. So I am kicking myself for not making a decision last summer of putting my house on the market. I couldn't make up my mind on whether to keep it or not and it may have cost me a sale.
Now with my current job situation the thought of selling is a little more stronger and I actually see being on the road a much better option, than staying here and working in a situation I don't like but would only do for a paycheck every 2 weeks after December 31.
Maybe this recent job situation is what I needed to kick me in the ass and get me moving in the direction of pulling up stakes while the weather is still good and getting out of here before the weather gets cold and snowy. Whats the worst thing could happen? I could find out I don't like living fulltime on the road and I need a house so I would end up in the western USA where I want to stay anyway and either buy or rent a place out in the boonies somewhere in a small town.
All this I have thought about for over a year but it looks like "an unexpected event" has had to happen to move me into action.
Abruptly my contract will come to a halt December 31, instead of April 2014. I can keep the same job and just switch to the company that has taken over the contract for my job. It's a company I don't like and they would pay me less for doing the same work, the same stress, the same daily bs.
Or I could stay with my current company, as they try to place me and another person they just hired 3 months ago in a different positions outside of finance. Problem is, finances/money/numbers are my thing ... not PowerPoint slides, boring meetings, written reports, etc. I love working with spreadsheets and analyzing budgets / expenditures.
So you see I am kinda between a rock and a hard place. OR I may be in a very very good place because it might just be the situation to move me in finding a trailer sooner and hit the road.
To keep the job I like ... I have to work for a company after December 31 that I don't like.
To work with a company I like ... I may have to go to a job that I don't like, also by December 31.
Have I confused you?
I noticed yesterday the house down the highway a 1/2 mile finally sold after being on the market for only about 6 months. The house was in terrible shape and the asking price was higher than what I would have asked for mine. So I am kicking myself for not making a decision last summer of putting my house on the market. I couldn't make up my mind on whether to keep it or not and it may have cost me a sale.
Now with my current job situation the thought of selling is a little more stronger and I actually see being on the road a much better option, than staying here and working in a situation I don't like but would only do for a paycheck every 2 weeks after December 31.
Maybe this recent job situation is what I needed to kick me in the ass and get me moving in the direction of pulling up stakes while the weather is still good and getting out of here before the weather gets cold and snowy. Whats the worst thing could happen? I could find out I don't like living fulltime on the road and I need a house so I would end up in the western USA where I want to stay anyway and either buy or rent a place out in the boonies somewhere in a small town.
All this I have thought about for over a year but it looks like "an unexpected event" has had to happen to move me into action.
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