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Just Retired - Cabin Fever!


Capt Frank

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Hi, my name is Frank and I'm penning my first post.

 

I've been an airline pilot for the past 36 years but was forced into mandatory retirement when I turned 65 last November. (I'll spare you my thoughts regarding a bunch of 70 & 80-year old congressman mandating that I can't work past 65.) Most of my career was spent flying international routes to destinations including China, India, Europe, the middle east and South America. My retirement flight was from Shanghai to Los Angeles on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and after arriving home in Phoenix my four kids threw me a big retirement party. It was a fabulous life and I miss it sorely.

 

After five months of puttering around the house, playing golf, and managing my 401K I'm going bonkers. I love my home and I'm blessed to have a host friends and family here, but I'm just way to young to be sitting around waiting to kick the bucket! When I was a young man I would take my family camping in a tent trailer in the summer and I'd also use the trailer for my hunting trips in the fall and winter. Those experiences made me think that traveling in an RV would be a great thing to do when I retired. Well I can't just sit still any longer so I've decided to act on it! With my kids all grown this house is way more than I need as a single man, so I'm prepping it to sell and I'm going to buy a truck and 5th wheel and hit the road. I'm an avid photographer, with a special interest in astro photography and time lapse videos, so I should be able to keep myself sufficently entertained on my travels.

 

While I'm a bit taken aback by all I'm going to have to learn to make informed decisions, I'm looking forward to the challenge. I'm so happy to have stumbled onto this site and I look forward to picking your brains as I embark into this new chapter of my life!

 

Frank

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Frank,

Welcome to the wonderful world of RVing. We have been fulltiming and part time RVing now for 6 years and love it. We initially started out with a 38' fifth wheel and after hauling it to Alaska and back from Fla. we found that it was way to big for the remote spots we wanted to go to. I love to fish so being able to access some of those remote lakes and streams was important. We ended up purchasing a Lance truck camper and have had a great time traveling in it to numerous National Parks and some really off the beaten path spots. Our wonderful country has so many great places and things to see you won't be boared. Good luck with your future adventures!

Gary & Penny

2015 Lance 1172

2005 Chevy 3500

2013 Bass Tracker 190 Pro Team

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Frank you have come to the right place for information on RV life style.

 

Took me five months to get over job of 45 years. Never was a JOB----place I went to and got paid for having fun..

 

Great adventure ahead, seeing things from 30 feet instead of 30,000.

 

Good woman and I have crossed country many times and once to Alaska---all on back roads---so many people whose stories were fascinating. Guy who invented a perpetual motion machine on a John Deer was the weirdest, clerk at post office said it worked.

 

Famous guy said---happy trails to you.

Trucken

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Welcome to the Escapee forums! Keeping busy once retired should not be a problem as there are so many things that one can do, once that you are free from the constraints of a job. I took an early retirement at 57 and consider it to have been my best career decision! We got into volunteering at places that we found interesting and educational, but there are so many things that you can do and the only limit is your own imagination. You have found the place where most of us are using an RV as part of our means of keeping life interesting, but moving into the RV is only the first part of the lifestyle change that you need. I suggest that you take a look at the websites and blogs of those who post by using the links that many of us have in our signature lines. Let me also suggest that you might enjoy the opportunity to photograph a wide variety of airplanes that you can find at one of our favorite places to volunteer, Lee Bottom Flying Field.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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Just wanted to join the others in welcoming you to a "whole new world"!!! You have found the right place to gain information!! I spent countless hours reading the topics and blogs of the members and gained incredible amounts of knowledge that has saved me money, time and frustration. You sound like a perfect fit for the RV lifestyle. The hardest part is just figuring out which direction to go and what to explore first!!!




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Welcome aboard. We took early retirement 10 years ago and I can honestly say that I have no idea where the time went, it just flew by as we crisscrossed the country. We now spend the winters in Mesa (we have a Park Model in a great park) and the summers traveling in the motorhome. I'll second Kirk's suggestion that you read some of the blogs of people that post here - it will give you an idea of all of the different ways that people fulltime and a peak at some of the interesting places that they have enjoyed on their journeys.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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Frank,

 

Welcome to the forum.. and I LIKE the way you think! ;)

 

As an international pilot, and being used to a constant change in environment as a matter of day-to-day life, I think the RV'ing lifestyle would be an excellent fit for you. I've spent my life in similar circumstances and think I can appreciate how detrimental it can be to a person's general well being to suddenly find themselves "stagnant".

 

This is a great community of folks. Don't hesitate to ask any questions that might come to mind. It can seem to be a bit overwhelming when you're getting started, but that's one of the beauties of the life... you don't have to know everything all at once to be successful in your travels.

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Welcome! With your enthusiasm and sense of adventure you'll have a ball out there. We also were downsized but much earlier in years than you were. We've never regretted our 16 years of full-timing and constant travel and do we have the photos to prove it. :) Ask away at any questions you'll surely have in the coming months.

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

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Frank welcome aboard the forums.

 

We'll all try to help you get you up and qualified on your new ground craft. You are right and I'd still be on the road after our first 7 years of fulltiming when my wife decided she wanted to be near her aging parents. With your interests and skills you'll have the mobility to be where you want for a day or months regardless of the original plan to stay less or more time. One thing you will have some difficulty with at first is the lack of a schedule. It took a year for me (AF retired 27 years) when I retired at 45 to stop acting like I was on leave and would have to go back so I had to drive 12 hours a day and get to my destination. We finally got our RV Roadie 2X2X2 rule where we traveled no more than 200 miles a day, arrived by 2 pm, and stayed at least 2 days. That way we could slow down and see if we were passing something more interesting than our originally intended destination. Once we made it all of 50 miles before we pulled over for a month to explore an area. The 200 miles and early start insure our leisurely pace gets us to the next area by 2 so we always can find a spot. If you watch you'll see that the unretired come in mostly around or after 5. Once we stop we stay 2 days so we can relax after setting up camp, and ask at the office and other RVrs what there is to see in the area. We then spend day 2 exploring those and other sites and places of interest.

 

It takes some adjustment to make the most of the trip as well as the destination. You came to the right place. Join the club now and start setting up your state of residency, and set up your mail service and voting rights. Texas was ours because I retired from Lackland AFB in San Antonio and already had switched residency there the year before, so no plates required and we simply changed our mailing address to the Escapees mail service and registered to vote in Polk County Texas. We never had a problem with forwarded mail, or state income tax. There is none in Texas.

 

The magazine and the club will help you get on top with less pain than on your own.

 

Welcome to the Forums.

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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Congrats on your retirement. I echo the others with a huge welcome to the greatest source for RV info going.


I found that after we were on the road our lives went in a direction we had not anticipated. We assumed we would be moving constantly. Nope. We go places to volunteer/work and stay for months on end. So, we got rid of our initial motor home and bought a 5th wheel. That is perfect of us.


Something you may consider is renting a variety of rigs for a bit. I assume you will be solo. Don't rule out small rigs, class C or small trailers. However, you may find that you like the roominess of a large diesel pusher. While renting is pricey, buying a rig and then determining it is not ideal could end up costing quite a bit more.


I've seen some small trailers that I would love to live in but they would not work for the both of us. Escape brand jumps to mind.


Anyway, welcome and hang on - you are going to get lots of good ideas (and a few questionable ones too!)

The richest are not those who have the most, but those who need the least.

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Welcome to the wonderful world of RVing!

 

A friend who is into photography recommends these books: http://www.amazon.com/Photographing-Southwest-3--Colorado-Mexico-Soutwest/dp/0916189147/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1458777175&sr=8-1&keywords=martres+Colorado&linkCode=sl1&tag=cheaprvliving-20&linkId=b149e8604fe176b158dfd3108cf1ef35

 

He says they help him decide where to be when.

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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Frank

Welcome to the site. I am slightly ahead of you on this path. Started a couple of years ago. This site, and a couple of others will get you up to speed. I do a lot of browsing, and not much talking at this point. One of the more useful sites when I was starting was

http://rv.org/

Took me a long time to figure out what I wanted, then months to find the unit I bought.

 

This journey has kept me busy. Just figuring out how to set up the RV for photography has been fun.

Rich and Carol

2007 Dynamax DQ 340 XL

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Wow, thanks for such a warm welcome and all the insightful words of wisdom!

 

Later this morning I'm making my first visit to some of the RV dealers here in the Phoenix area. When I was in the "dreaming" stage of this adventure I was sure I knew what I wanted. Now that I'm in the research & discovery stage my head is swimming with new information and my thoughts regarding the kind of rig I want are evolving. There is some sort of big sales event at the University of Phoenix stadium (where the AZ Cardinals play) so I'll start there. I'm sure my mind will be even more cluttered by the end of the day, but I'm excited to actually start the process.

 

Is the Beginning RVing forum the best place to post questions if I'm seeking a little guidance? Thanks!

 

Frank

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That's generally a good place to pose your questions...and you are right about your head swimming when you start looking at all the different styles and options!! We were so overwhelmed after our first few trips to the big shows and dealer lots but you eventually start seeing things you like and dislike and floor plans you love. If possible I would suggest that you rent a unit and spend a week or so living it and see just how things fit for you and things you can live with and live without. Good luck and fire away with the questions, there is a wealth of knowledge from folks that are ready to help you get started.




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One of the things to do when you start to zero in on a particular rig is to spend some time in the rig - tell the salesperson you'll call if you have a question - and go through the motions of ordinary living. Sit down on the toilet (lid down) and close the door - can you manage all right. Kick your shoes off and get in the shower - can you wash ALL over and not bang into things? If the bed slides out, can you function if the slide is in during a severe storm or an overnight stay at a repair shop. With the slides all in, can you get to the toilet, the refrigerator, the sink? Think of going in and out of the rig several times a day - will that number of steps (whatever it is) be a problem?

 

At this point, I know that I would never, ever, buy a rig without an automatic leveling system. We had a Class C before we retired that we had to use boards to level - doable when we were younger, but once you get use to the automatic, no going back. I would also never have a rig without an on-board washer/dryer for fulltiming, another one of those things that once you have it you never want to go without.

 

Barb

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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When you go to that show bring a camera. At each rig that interests you first take a picture of the signage on the rig so you will later know which photos go with which rig. Otherwise, it is so easy to remember all your favorite parts as if they were all on one rig. :)

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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Well Frank I retired from the FAA after 36 years.I was the guy on the other end of all the electronics that helped you get from Point A to Point B.

 

We loved working in the aviation industry but it was now behind us. I vowed that there were a lot of things to do and I needed to do something but whatever it was it would have nothing to do with airplanes or aviation.Been there done that.We did last one year of doing nothing found out that doing nothing was not much fun.We do live on the approach to Cleveland Hopkins and we still look up when hear a aircraft on approach or departure.

 

Been retired since 2000 drove a charter bus, Drove a school bus, worked at Disneyworld Florida were we winter for 4 yearsb then last year decided we had done enough.Doing nothing is a lot more fun now.

 

You can do anything, Pump gas,work at wall mart . We Rv all over the country.Dpo anything that pops in to your mind..have fun.

Helen and I are long timers ..08 F-350 Ford,LB,CC,6.4L,4X4, Dually,4:10 diff dragging around a 2013 Montana 3402 Big Sky

SKP 100137. North Ridgeville, Ohio in the summer, sort of and where ever it is warm in the winter.

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Frank you probably have a few hearts here beating fast, single man, financially stable and don't look like a donkey. Just kidding more like Sylvester Stallone with a little less hair.

 

Waited for someone to make a post about new verses used RV, alas seems like the thinking if your sitting in the left seat of a Dream Liner you could afford anything they want..maybe so.

 

Still if want to see what your new RV IS WORTH in 5 years check out this link.

 

https://www.pplmotorhomes.com.

 

Know you have memories from your job, those will become second to the next ones. I promise.

 

Drank Scotch with one million old ice.

 

Let's us know the stories, I like people stories.

Trucken

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Hello and welcome Capt. Frank!

I have just retired ( two days ago) as an Ag

Pilot and instructor after 39 years and looking forward to doing some traveling myself.

I read the forums on here often and have found the members to be very helpful in every way.

For people who love the RV life style......this is the place to be!

 

I wish you the best!

Ag pilot

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One tip while shopping is to always keep in the back of your mind about where and what 'type' of camping you plan to do. Will you move from paid campground to campground? Do you prefer State/National parks.. C.O.E's? Back/off road dispersed camping? Bear in mind the terrain, access, and possible height or weight limitations each of those might provide.

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I have just retired ( two days ago) as an Ag

 

I wish you the best!

Ag pilot

Welcome to the forums! While I've not been a pilot, I have managed to hang out with quite a few and love the experience. If either of you have ever considered doing a little volunteering for your RV site, check out Lee Bottom Flying Field, a grass field with 4000' of runway and a bunch of friendly people.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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Thanks for all the additional comments!

 

The show was actually just one very large dealer, La Mesa RV, and they filled the entire stadium. Nevertheless, I got a lot of questions answered and gained some great insight regarding the style of interior that is most appealing to me. Although I wanted to remain at 30' or less in length, I discovered that bumping that up a bit made a huge difference in livability. I also discovered that trailers, like the Heartland Bighorn 3010RE, lead you to believe they are 30' long with their "3010RE" designation, but in fact they are closer to 34 plus feet!

 

I've since visited a couple other dealers so the process continues. Also looking at truck options since my Nissan Xterra Off Road has a towing capacity of only 5000 lbs. So many questions, but fortunately I've got nothing but time to figure it all out. Still, I'm hoping to outfitted by June.

 

Frank

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Frank,

Check out the RVs for sale on these forums. There have been some very good deals there.

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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Welcome to the forum. We are in San Tan Valley for a bout 4 months for chemo treatment. If you want to get together and pick mu brain I am available. If you want to see a HDT, I have one. If you are an instructor we need to talk as I am interested in obtaining my private pilots license. You will find that the first year or two you will be very busy. You will try to do everything that is on the back burner. Don't get too busy. Enjoy the time. Explore new restaurants. Look at a lot of rv's. We actually looked for 15 years but when it came time to purchase, we knew what we wanted and my DW picked the one she wanted. The new model year was out so we got a solid 40% off mark. KBB is more than we paid. I have heavily modified my RV, solar, lithium batteries, insulation, residential thermostats, wifi ranger and soon a Maximum Signal cellular booster.

Ron C.

2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3

2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime

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My 2 cents. I did much the same on my retirement. I knew I would be moving around a lot so avoided the 5th wheel and truck route. Lots of hassle to park it and get it set square especially if .raining.

 

A small class A with jacks and a genny let me stop and be comfy in 2 minutes or less. I carried a motorcycle across the rear.

 

Check out the Tioga George web site too.

FT since September 2007

Safari Trek + M/C

http://johncarolandcharro.blogspot.com/

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