Class of 2019

[fpmtngal]

Well, I think I’m really close to joining the Class of 2019. My buyer’s buyers finally signed the paperwork and that house is supposed to record Monday. I’m picking up a U-Haul tomorrow and moving what I’m keeping to Vegas on Monday, return Tuesday. The house is scheduled to close Wednesday and my buyer is going to give me a couple of days extra here after we close. I still need to sell the Jeep, do laundry (silly thing, but I’m going to miss the washer and dryer), visit the dump one last time and it’ll be nice to use the hook-ups here and get the trailer re-organized. 

Keep your fingers crossed, I’ve had so many set-backs with the sale, I’m afraid to believe it’s really happening.

How is everyone else doing, including those that are already on the road? Having any issues? Did you have plans where you went after moving out? I have no idea where I’m going, I’ve got about 10 days before I’m supposed to be somewhere. I really have no idea where I want to go yet.

[fpmtngal]

Woo hoo! The house closed today!

I am now officially a member of the Class of 2019! 

[NDBirdman]

Congratulations! 

[Cheryl Mc]

That's so awesome! Congrats!

[hamrs_62]

Quote

we went fulltime in May, we have worked our first work camping job, it was a little much for the first one, we are in Patterson CA. planning on going to Arizona soon, we still have stuff in storage we have to deal with, sell or give away, and send to where ever we decide to domicile, no hurry just something we have yet to do, looking forward to attending a rally sometime, somewhere, I would really like to head to Maine next year, we will see,  if you see us on the road, say hey 

 

[Kirk W]

8 hours ago, hamrs_62 said:

looking forward to attending a rally sometime, somewhere,

Check out the Escapade next June in Rock Springs, WY.

[fpmtngal]

Is anyone from this class going to Escapade? I’m on the fence, I love Wyoming, and I think it would be a fun event. But another camping group I’m involved with has a rally the same weekend in Oregon.

 What to do, what to do? I can’t make up my mind!

 Hoping to see some of you in Quartzsite this winter. Now that I’m really house-less, I’ll be getting an LTVA permit and will be spending a certain amount of the winter there. 

[Kirk W]

8 hours ago, fpmtngal said:

Is anyone from this class going to Escapade?

There are always quite a few first time attendees and many are also new fulltimers. There is also a social for first time attendees to help you make contact with each other. 

[Yellowcake]

I am joining the Class of 2019!  I camped as kid growing up, but never as an adult and definitely not solo.  I purchased my 28' Airstream and a 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 last year (2018) so I could hike, bike and kayak with my dog and not have to worry about pet friendly hotels and restaurants.  As I researched what type of RV I wanted, I realized there is this huge community of FT'ers.  My interest was definitely peaked and I slowly came to the realization that I could camp part time for a couple years to learn the ropes and then perhaps work FT from the road before retiring.  However, plans changed quickly when I found out I qualified for retiree benefits (at 59!), including medical coverage until I reach medicare at 65.  It was a game changer financially and after years of scrimping and saving, my financial advisor confirmed my calculations, that I could actually retire NOW!  So I quickly put my house up for sale and gave my retirement notice.  My house sold faster than I expected, so as of August 2019, I have been living FT locally in various County Forest Preserves, while I finish out my final days at work (great practice actually, since I have a great support system of friends if I need help).  My last day in the office is October 14th and I leave the cold north (Chicago area) on October 15th for the warmth and sunshine that I miss so badly.  I'm originally from Florida and almost all of my immediate family still lives there (except one sibling in South Carolina).  I'm looking forward to establishing my domicile in Sumter County, FL and spending the holidays with family down south. After that, I'm not sure.......still catching up on all SKPs events and getting familiar with the site.  I plan to hit as many National and State Parks as I can so I can continue to explore places with my dog (Sadie, a Cavalier King Charles) and with my family and friends across the continent.  

[fpmtngal]

52 minutes ago, Yellowcake said:

I am joining the Class of 2019!  I camped as kid growing up, but never as an adult and definitely not solo.  I purchased my 28' Airstream and a 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 last year (2018) so I could hike, bike and kayak with my dog and not have to worry about pet friendly hotels and restaurants.  As I researched what type of RV I wanted, I realized there is this huge community of FT'ers.  My interest was definitely peaked and I slowly came to the realization that I could camp part time for a couple years to learn the ropes and then perhaps work FT from the road before retiring.  However, plans changed quickly when I found out I qualified for retiree benefits (at 59!), including medical coverage until I reach medicare at 65.  It was a game changer financially and after years of scrimping and saving, my financial advisor confirmed my calculations, that I could actually retire NOW!  So I quickly put my house up for sale and gave my retirement notice.  My house sold faster than I expected, so as of August 2019, I have been living FT locally in various County Forest Preserves, while I finish out my final days at work (great practice actually, since I have a great support system of friends if I need help).  My last day in the office is October 14th and I leave the cold north (Chicago area) on October 15th for the warmth and sunshine that I miss so badly.  I'm originally from Florida and almost all of my immediate family still lives there (except one sibling in South Carolina).  I'm looking forward to establishing my domicile in Sumter County, FL

Welcome fellow solo classmate! Great to see another one join the class, and retired life. It’s wonderful!

I paid my final gas company and electric bill today and it was such a great feeling!

[Reedhoppa]

Leaving Minnesota in two days ... my brother will be tagging along and pulling his own trailer. We have both recently sold our houses. I will tell him that he needs to officially join the class of 2019! Cold weather coming down from Canada is what I’m hearing so we are planning to head down to Albuquerque and then work our way over to southern Utah (to avoid Denver and the higher mountain passes). I think I’m getting out of here just in time. After southern Utah, it will be Arizona, probably Quartzite and all of southern Arizona and New Mexico. Christmas without snow will be a little strange but I think I might just learn to like it. 😊

[fpmtngal]

Safe travels, Reed!

I’m still hanging out in California for a couple of appointments, then I’m heading to Livingston to become a Texan.

But before I leave, there’s the California RV Show and I want to take a look at what’s out there. It’s always fun to look at new, shiny rigs, even if they don’t meet my needs.

[Packman]

We are officially in this class. We have the fist week under our belt, but have much to do (get rid of more stuff).

[fpmtngal]

12 hours ago, Packman said:

We are officially in this class. We have the fist week under our belt, but have much to do (get rid of more stuff).

I know what you mean, I’ve got too much stuff too. I’m going to go to an RV show tomorrow to look at trailers - do I get a larger trailer or work harder at getting rid of stuff?  My problem is that I have more storage space than I do weight capacity. I really should get the rig weighed again, to see if It really is overweight (it was just under last year on a big trip).

[Cheryl Mc]

On 10/1/2019 at 11:46 PM, fpmtngal said:

Is anyone from this class going to Escapade? I’m on the fence, I love Wyoming, and I think it would be a fun event. But another camping group I’m involved with has a rally the same weekend in Oregon.

 What to do, what to do? I can’t make up my mind!

 Hoping to see some of you in Quartzsite this winter. Now that I’m really house-less, I’ll be getting an LTVA permit and will be spending a certain amount of the winter there. 

We registered for Escapade in WY last week!

Also plan on being in Quartzsite for at least a little while in late Jan/early Feb. Our plans are very fluid after Jan 3 as of this time.

[fpmtngal]

10 hours ago, Cheryl Mc said:

We registered for Escapade in WY last week!

Also plan on being in Quartzsite for at least a little while in late Jan/early Feb. Our plans are very fluid after Jan 3 as of this time.

I got off the fence and registered for Escapade. Plus I made reservations at Rainbows End Nov. 1-8 so that I can change my domicile. One more appointment on Monday and then I’ll be leaving California, for a long, long while. No definite plans past the Rainbows End reservation, other than a vague idea of heading west to Arizona and Nevada.

One thing I just discovered is that I’ll be paying more for prescriptions. But it will still be less than paying CA state income tax!

Itching to really get on the road and out of state.

[Kirk W]

9 hours ago, fpmtngal said:

One thing I just discovered is that I’ll be paying more for prescriptions. But it will still be less than paying CA state income tax!

I would be sure to file a partial year income tax return with CA as soon as you get set-up as a TX resident to make it clear that you have broken ties to CA. The most common domicile issue is that of the previous state wanting to keep taxing you but the partial year return helps to avoid that problem. 

Also I want to give both Cheryl Mc and fpmtngal an early welcome to your first Escapade! Be sure to attend the special gathering for those who are "first timers" as it will help to orient you to what can be almost overwhelming the first visit. It also gives you an opportunity to meet others attending for the first time and many of those will be people who have been Escapees for a long time but never went to an Escapade. We were Escapees for about 10 years before we made our first one. Should you have any problems or questions, feel free to stop any member of the Security Team anywhere in the event center as we are there to help. 

I look forward to seeing you both in WY as I'll be one of those at the entry when you arrive. 

[mds1]

Thank you Kirk for the continued input into our class of 2019 thread.

I just learned something from your post - about it being a good idea to do a partial tax return to your old state. 

We are arriving in Livingston the first of December to finalize our domicile. I'll make sure to do an 11 month tax return for Missouri from where we are moving. And then a state return for Texas on that last month.

 

Mark

[Cheryl Mc]

3 hours ago, mds1 said:

Thank you Kirk for the continued input into our class of 2019 thread.

I just learned something from your post - about it being a good idea to do a partial tax return to your old state. 

We are arriving in Livingston the first of December to finalize our domicile. I'll make sure to do an 11 month tax return for Missouri from where we are moving. And then a state return for Texas on that last month.

 

Mark

Good idea on the 11 month return in MO, Mark. But can't file one in TX cause NO STATE INCOME TAX!!!!!😄😄😄😄 (Not laughing at you, just celebrating that fact.) But Escapees does recommend filing an intent to domicile in TX to help break those ties.

Cheryl

[mds1]

Well I knew there was no state income tax but now I know I don't even have to file a return with them.  Bonus!

[fpmtngal]

Kirk - Thanks for the reminder. I need to talk with my tax accountant about timing for all this - there are figures I won’t have until later as far as figuring income, so while I’m planning on paying California state tax up until I leave, I don’t know about timing.

And also thanks for the info about nothing to file for Texas. Very cool!

[fpmtngal]

The point of no return is past - I just surrendered my California drivers license for the first time since I was 18. And I need to memorize my new license plates - perhaps filling out a few campground registration cards will help with that.

I must admit to some unexpected, different emotions about the drivers license, things that I didn’t feel when moving out of the house, and seeing it close. Then it was relief that the whole agony was finally over. For some reason I feel far more rootless. Has anyone else from our graduating class feel the same way?

It doesn’t help that my original plan was to head back west when I was done with the formalities, but my sister is going to spend Thanksgiving at a cousin’s house in Florida, so more it looks like I need to start planning a trip east instead. I haven’t thought about visiting the area at all and have no idea where or how to get there or must-see places along the way.

 In any case, I’ll be heading west again after Thanksgiving. Only issue is that while I have a heavy coat with me, most of my winter stuff is in Vegas! Going to be an interesting trip to say the least.

[Barbaraok]

Memorize?  I have ours on the iPhone.  I no longer remember telephone numbers, license plates, etc.  I also have it written down someplace in the coach.  

[mds1]

I take a photo of most numbers I need to remember and just save them on my phone or the cloud.  For example our account number, locker number and security code to get into our 10x5 storage unit.

I don't miss my sticks and bricks home even in the least.  Too excited about seeing what is ahead. Most of the emotional stuff for me is just the rush to get things finished up.  We still have our Missouri driver's licenses for a month or so. Feeling rootless is part of the thrill of it all.

The guy parked next to us and his wife have been on the road 7 years and hoping for 10 more. He correctly commented most people do major changes in their live every six years or so anyway. So someday moving back to a common sticks and bricks home may just be another one of those changes in 

 

[Grizz1]

Well it seems there will be no 2019 graduation for us!

The plan was to keep my S&B, its a 2 family. My daughter and her family lived in the front apt and my wife and myself lived in the rear. The plan was for her to move to the rear apt (much bigger more bedrooms) and I would rent out the front to someone else. Sounded like a great plan...well you know what they say about the best laid plans!

They ( my daughter and her husband) have decided to buy a house and they close on the Dec 16th. So now I will have to wait till they are out and do what needs to be done to the front apt and put the whole shebang on the market. I don't want to be an absentee landlord and have the worries about what may/will go wrong while we are on the road. Even with a property management Co. I would not be comfortable. So with the work that needs to be done and then putting the house on the market, 2019 graduation ain't happening.

I also have to rethink domicile. I was going to keep my address the same and have her collect any mail but now I'm not too sure on what domicile route to take? Well they say things happen for a reason so I'll just roll with it and see where it takes me.

So...Congrats to all the 2019 graduates! Looks like I will have to transfer to the class of 2020.