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Just Retired - Cabin Fever!


Capt Frank

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Great comments and topic and Hello Capt Frank from a fellow single Phoenician. I just applied for social security today, gulp! My business has never done well since the housing bubble crashed 6-7 years ago, I'm a residential architect, that's all I know how to do. I will be 62 very soon, I don't have a pension and got hit in the stock market but still have a decent nest egg, but it will be tight and hope I can produce a little income on the road.

I have been going to RV shows, dealers and websites for over two years now and am thinking I will get a Class C ( 25-27' or so) or a really short Class A. I think I will spend some time in the cities, still like to play tennis, but I want to be able to boondock and stay in National and state parks.

I will be putting my house on the market in a month or so and when it sells off I go, I think.

Good luck to all.

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It's been three months since I introduced myself to the group so here is an update.

 

I recently purchased a 2016 Ram 3500 Dually 4x4 with the factory 5th Wheel Prep Kit. I wasn't planning to get a dually but the deal was too good to pass up. Yesterday I had a LINE-X bed liner sprayed in and it looks fabulous. My next purchase will be a 5th wheel hitch and I'm trying to decide between a Curt or B&W. They both make models designed for the factory prep kit and they drop right into the bed.

 

Selecting a 5th Wheel is turning out to be a very challenging task and I'm not even close to making a decision yet. I really wish I knew some owners locally because I'm at my wits end when it comes to dealing with salesmen. It's quite probable I'm going to have some back surgery next month and I don't want to buy the 5er before I go under the knife, so I'm comfortable taking my time.

 

If anyone has purchased a B&W or Curt hitch made for the Ram 5th wheel prep kit, I'd love to hear your impressions. Thanks again for everyone's feedback!

 

Frank

You'll be glad you got the dually. I'm a retired VP from a CAT dealership and also a pilot ... so think weight and balance. The single weight rating that is most often exceeded is RAWR (rear axle weight rating). A dually has more capability in that particular rating than SRW (single rear wheel) trucks. You'll need to learn about getting your truck weighed at a truck scale, because you'll need to know your RAW (rear axle weight) WITHOUT the trailer attached ... but otherwise loaded to travel. Then you'll know how much "pin weight" your truck can carry. A good rule of thumb is that the pin weight is about 20% of the trailer's GVWR. Believe me, the DRW truck is the preferred tow vehicle, I just purchased a 2016 Ford F-350 DRW 4x4 King Ranch Crew Cab. Tows my 15,000 lbs 5th wheel like a dream. Lot's of go and lot's of whoa!! Both are equally important.

2017 KZ Durango Gold 381REF, 8K morRYDE IS, Disc brakes, 17.5" Hi Spec Aluminum Wheels w Goodyear G114 H rated tires

2016 F350 King Ranch DRW, 3.73, 4x4, Super Duty Crew Cab, 6.7L Powerstroke Diesel.

26,760 CGVW

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Frank. Hope your back surgery was successful. I am new here too. I am a wannabe Rv'er. I am retired so I have the time and want to travel but it's been difficult getting my husband onboard. I've considered finding a female friend and going that route. I admire those who go out and do it solo. Hope you get your fifth wheel and get mobile soon. Share your adventures with us :)

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Welcome Frank

I don't know if you took the plunge yet but would love to hear about your choice in rig.

Also wanted to tell you about the Thousand Trails Camping Pass. I just discovered it. This is my first year traveling also. I like to move often and my rig is a Class B Van.

Good Luck

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I've considered finding a female friend and going that route. I admire those who go out and do it solo.

 

You might want to check out Yahoo groups RV Buddies, and Women Go Solo. WGS is not very active right now but people do show up when someone posts.

 

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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  • 5 weeks later...

Well the back surgery hasn't happened yet as medicare won't pay for it unless I first go through a pain management program. So I'm in physical therapy and going through a 6-week session of steroid injections in my spine. Truth is, I think it's working! I'm back to hiking the foothills behind my house and can easily manage 3 to 4 miles a day. If I can keep the pain manageable I'll happily put of the surgery for as long a possible. I've also lost 50 pounds since I retired and I'm sure that is helping as well.

 

I still haven't purchased a 5'er but I think that will happen next week. Surprisingly I'm going bigger than I initially planned. After spending an enormous amount of time at the local RV dealerships I must sheepishly admit that I really enjoy the creature comforts of the bigger rigs. And I really love the greater storage capacity! For a guy that used to backpack into wilderness areas to deer hunt, and then carry out the game, I really surprised myself with this realization. But it's become clear to me that if my dog and are going to be living in this rig for months at a time I want to feel like I'm home. I'm acutely aware of the extra challenges the bigger rig creates, and especially aware that I'll have some restrictions on parks I can visit, but I'm ok with that. All my travel is out west and my research indicates that the challenges of a bigger rig aren't nearly as severe as they are east of the Mississippi.

 

I've also decided I'm going to install a full solar system with lithium batteries. I've probably given this as much thought as I have the 5th wheel selection and I'm excited to get started. The Phoenix weather is fabulous now and I'm certain I can have everything complete before I hit the road when the heat of the summer arrives. It will take 6 to 8 weeks from the time I order the 5'er until it's delivered and then I'll schedule the solar installation. My goal is to have it all done in time for the Escapees Escapades in Tucson. Fingers crossed!

 

Thanks again for everyone's willingness to share their thoughts and insights with me. It's been invaluable!

 

Frank

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It is great news to hear that your health is improving! One thing I can tell you with no doubt of accuracy, you will never be able to do this thing any younger than you are today.

 

We have camped with a tents many times, arriving at our campsite at times via the "shoe leather express" and on several occasions we toured wilderness areas on horseback. But the years do tend to pass and the body becomes more addicted to comfort and primitive camps become less attractive. I have only recently given up my last small tent, because it is very lonely where it has sat for years now, unused. There is just something about a bed that is up off of the ground and which has no rocks! :D

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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Wow Capt Frank! It's good to read about bad backs getting better without surgery. I was lucky with the steroid injections. The doc told me that they might last seven days or seven years. It's been over seven years and I'm still mostly pain free and very mobile. And that was with just one set of injections. Prior to that, the only thing I looked at was a place to sit. Follow their program and hope that it works.

 

Lance-white-sands-500.jpg

~Rich

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Frank

Great to hear the pain management program is working. Surgery is last thing to do as could be problematic for travel. I havel metal plate and 12 screws in my arm. Now effects the joint. I do physical therapy, massage, considering acupuncture. I know at some point will need total joint replacement. This is very last resort.

Have you thought about the Thousand Trails camping pass. Check it out online. It may work for you since you ate considering s bigger rig. It is a anual thing, no big commitment. I trally used it this summer.

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  • 1 month later...

I still haven't purchased a 5'er but I think that will happen next week. Surprisingly I'm going bigger than I initially planned. After spending an enormous amount of time at the local RV dealerships I must sheepishly admit that I really enjoy the creature comforts of the bigger rigs. And I really love the greater storage capacity! For a guy that used to backpack into wilderness areas to deer hunt, and then carry out the game,

Welcome! We too just purchased our very first RV...a VanLeigh Vilano 5er. I have backpacked, my husband has not had the privilege yet but with his REI gift certificate he got for retirement...he will be buying gear. We are looking forward to full time 4/24/17. We too liked the underbelly storage. I think backpacking also gives us a definite sense that every ounce matters!!! Best of luck to you!

Happy Trails,

Jim & Ginger/Nomad Hikers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Retirement 12/2016

Full-time 04/2017

VanLeigh Vilano/Ford F350

Blog site - https://www.trailer2trail.com/

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=trailer2trail

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I think backpacking also gives us a definite sense that every ounce matters!!!

 

I suspect us former backpackers have an easier time deciding which things are worth their weight to us. After all those years of backpacking the value of water increased for me. I put a 40 gallon fresh water tank in a conversion van then stocked the van with freeze-dried food; Mountain House makes tastier food than any I've ever found in a frozen food department of a grocery store. Being able to pull into a campsite then have beef stroganoff 13 minutes later made that water weight worth it to me.

 

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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