Do you expect to be traveling , using the RV in your 80s?

[Roadtrek 1]

5 hours ago, Kirk W said:

It is interesting to read the thoughts on aging from many different people of different ages. Most of us discover that our views on when you reach "old age" seem to change with the passing years. I think that we had more of the answers when we passed 50 than we do today as we near 80. While I agree that there is no magic number of age that will be a line in the sand, the aging process is something that while individual, can be predicted and anticipated to a large degree if you pay close attention to your own processes and are honest with yourselves. Our home-base is part of a 55+ community which is aging, as do most such communities and doing so has enabled us to observe rather closely a process that we can begin to detect in ourselves. Not all of those discoveries are things that we wanted to see, but it is probably important that we realize. While we have not "hung up the keys" the handwriting is clearly on the wall. I will caution you that most of us discover that knowing the answers was much easier when younger than it is as we get there.

It's clearly a dynamic thing.  Everyone's different.....no one can predict the future or live forever....it's not how long you live.. it's how well you do. 

On the health care..... while things are generally fine at the moment...I've had friends who have gotten sick and within 6 or 8 months passed away....   

Access to really good quality care should not be taken for granted.....all hospitals are not equal and being outside a major metropolitan area in a rural area is definitely not where you want to be in a life threatening situation... they have more limited resources and expertise...not to mention the travel time to get there.....when you're having a heart attack time is of the essence. 

 

[rynosback]

1 hour ago, Roadtrek 1 said:

It's clearly a dynamic thing.  Everyone's different.....no one can predict the future or live forever....it's not how long you live.. it's how well you do. 

On the health care..... while things are generally fine at the moment...I've had friends who have gotten sick and within 6 or 8 months passed away....   

Access to really good quality care should not be taken for granted.....all hospitals are not equal and being outside a major metropolitan area in a rural area is definitely not where you want to be in a life threatening situation... they have more limited resources and expertise...not to mention the travel time to get there.....when you're having a heart attack time is of the essence. 

 

This is not necessarily true.  There are some GREAT doctors outside of major cities.  Sometimes you might even get care as there patient load is to large.  

I am just going to place you on my ignore list.  As I am not sure what ALL of your threads are trying to accomplish besides asking for thoughts and then defending yours.  So why ask questions that you have already formed your own opinion and mindset on?  And just about the way you ask things.  Best of luck with your travels and life.

[Randyretired]

In rural areas with a small hospital some illnesses will be beyond their resources and expertise.  Often they will move a patient to a bigger hospital.  Rural hospital trauma centers rarely have the certification or capabilities of larger hospitals.  They frequently have trouble hiring and keeping many specialists.  There is at least one large county in Colorado that doesn't have a doctor or hospital.  Residents and visitors must drive long distances for health care. However, sometimes the roads are closed due to weather.  We are aware of all of this and even experienced it but we still live in a rural area and we don't have any plans to move to a big city.

[RV_]

Retired military here and in Colorado Springs there is Ft.Carson, Peterson AFB, Cheyenne Mountain's underground NORAD HQ, The USAF Academy, and Space Command soon to stand up there afaik. Good hospitals and military pharmacies and base services. And endless rivers, mountains, boat ski, and all kinds of outdoor activities.

I wanted to move up to the NW corner of Colorado to Rangely or Meeker, but she who must be obeyed wanted shopping, big box stores, and base services nearby. The heat down here combined with the horrible humidity just makes working outside difficult at best anymore. I know I can do more, longer, and much more comfortably in the dry climate.

We have always been able to do pretty much what we've wanted, and with none of the heart/cholesterol/Blood Pressure/diabetes issues that plague so many. But as pointed out that can change in a heartbeat. So enjoy what you have, the way YOU want.

Safe travels!

 

[Roadtrek 1]

2 hours ago, rynosback said:

This is not necessarily true.  There are some GREAT doctors outside of major cities.  Sometimes you might even get care as there patient load is to large.  

I am just going to place you on my ignore list.  As I am not sure what ALL of your threads are trying to accomplish besides asking for thoughts and then defending yours.  So why ask questions that you have already formed your own opinion and mindset on?  And just about the way you ask things.  Best of luck with your travels and life.

Well, well, well..... apparently other people do agree...yeah, go ahead and put me on your ignore list...I don't care.... someone else stated this.....

Actually... I have a vacation home in a very small town..and good medical care is an issue....the nearest hospital is over 22 miles away....at least one person died because they couldn't get there in time..... you think I'm making this up.... Sorry...I can't help you.....

Randy retired wrote....

"In rural areas with a small hospital some illnesses will be beyond their resources and expertise.  Often they will move a patient to a bigger hospital.  Rural hospital trauma centers rarely have the certification or capabilities of larger hospitals.  They frequently have trouble hiring and keeping many specialists.  There is at least one large county in Colorado that doesn't have a doctor or hospital.  Residents and visitors must drive long distances for health care. However, sometimes the roads are closed due to weather.  We are aware of all of this and even experienced it but we still live in a rural area and we don't have any plans to move to a big city". 

 

[rynosback]

2 hours ago, Randyretired said:

In rural areas with a small hospital some illnesses will be beyond their resources and expertise.  Often they will move a patient to a bigger hospital.  Rural hospital trauma centers rarely have the certification or capabilities of larger hospitals.  They frequently have trouble hiring and keeping many specialists.  There is at least one large county in Colorado that doesn't have a doctor or hospital.  Residents and visitors must drive long distances for health care. However, sometimes the roads are closed due to weather.  We are aware of all of this and even experienced it but we still live in a rural area and we don't have any plans to move to a big city.

Sure there are some illnesses that are better dealt with in a LARGE hospital.  My point is that the big city hospitals are not the be all end all.  That you can receive some excellent care outside of the big city hospitals.  Sure some people have to drive a ways to get to a hospital if they choose to live in a desolate area away from everyone.  As they are expensive to build and run.  

[Dutch_12078]

If I was paranoid about potential health issues, I'd park our coach as close as possible to a large hospital and just sit there and wait with 911 on speed dial... Fortunately, I'm not so concerned that I structure my life around close proximity to medical care. I'll be 76 in a week or so, and I have no intention of hanging up the keys any time soon. My wife's health issues may take us out of fulltimer status before long, but still won't stop us from traveling as much as possible. My own health is pretty good, and taking a reflex test at my recent annual physical, my reaction times put me in the 35-40 year old range. That's up just slightly from the 30-35 range I scored 5 years ago.

[Randyretired]

I agree large hospitals can have problems but there is a shortage of healthcare in a lot of rural areas that is critical.   You say drive a way  as if it is not far.  Farmers, ranchers and others that support the community may be hours away from healthcare.  Unless things have changed just recently Park county in Colorado is 2211 square miles without a doctor or hospital.  To access healthcare requires mountain passes in almost any way out.  These roads can be closed for hours during storms.  We are about 90 minutes to the closest hospital in Mesa county Colorado.  While visiting Fort Mohave, AZ my DW had an emergency that they needed to move her to Las Vegas.  Doctors and especially specialists  tend to be few and far between in many rural areas.  It is not a small problem. When we visit these areas we also may need healthcare but it may not be near.

[sandsys]

Some RVers invest in medical evacuation insurance just for these emergency cases. As a fulltimer you also have the ability to research which facility has the best care and then drive there if your situation allows you that type of time. More than one RVer has gone to where they could get the best care for their type of cancer, for instance.

Linda

[Kirk W]

9 hours ago, Randyretired said:

I agree large hospitals can have problems but there is a shortage of healthcare in a lot of rural areas that is critical. 

Since this is a concern of yours, I suggest that you not spend time there.  I grew up in one of those areas and still have many friends and some family in rural areas. While there is somewhat increased risk in some ways, there are also benefits like clean air, low crime rates, less stressful lifestyle, and a host of other things. People do seem to live to old age there somehow. 

You may also want to avoid places like Yellowstone NP and Glacier NP as they are both a long way from major health care facilities. 

[accumack]

I'm 66 and my wife is 63 both in good health and we hope to still be traveling in our motorhome for another 10 to 12 years. When we are ready to get off the road we will most likely look to be in or near a large city with good healthcare. Until then we look forward to being in some of the more remote areas of the country enjoying life!

 

[Darryl&Rita]

I'll be pleasantly surprised to see 80. Just sayin'.

[Roadtrek 1]

1 hour ago, accumack said:

I'm 66 and my wife is 63 both in good health and we hope to still be traveling in our motorhome for another 10 to 12 years. When we are ready to get off the road we will most likely look to be in or near a large city with good healthcare. Until then we look forward to being in some of the more remote areas of the country enjoying life!

 

Great plan...we might be able to do the same thing.

  Tell me will you continue this in the same RV or get something newer in the next couple of years?  Did you acquire your RV new?   It's a beautiful diesel pusher. 

The real question is... do you think my Mercedes Benz Sprinter turbo diesel will last 20 years?   Or... do I need to consider switching vehicles?

 

 

1 hour ago, accumack said:

I'm 66 and my wife is 63 both in good health and we hope to still be traveling in our motorhome for another 10 to 12 years. When we are ready to get off the road we will most likely look to be in or near a large city with good healthcare. Until then we look forward to being in some of the more remote areas of the country enjoying life!

 

 

[Roadtrek 1]

18 minutes ago, Darryl&Rita said:

I'll be pleasantly surprised to see 80. Just sayin'.

I understand... maybe the RV will out last us?

[Jaydrvr]

27 minutes ago, Roadtrek 1 said:

Great plan...we might be able to do the same thing.

  Tell me will you continue this in the same RV or get something newer in the next couple of years?  Did you acquire your RV new?   It's a beautiful diesel pusher. 

The real question is... do you think my Mercedes Benz Sprinter turbo diesel will last 20 years?   Or... do I need to consider switching vehicles?

 

 

 

Any vehicle can last as long as you want it to. It just requires planning, care and maintenance. I generally do that with most of my vehicles. My truck is twenty years old and has almost two million miles on it. YMMV Jay

[Randyretired]

4 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Since this is a concern of yours, I suggest that you not spend time there.  I grew up in one of those areas and still have many friends and some family in rural areas. While there is somewhat increased risk in some ways, there are also benefits like clean air, low crime rates, less stressful lifestyle, and a host of other things. People do seem to live to old age there somehow. 

You may also want to avoid places like Yellowstone NP and Glacier NP as they are both a long way from major health care facilities. 

If you had bothered to read my  posts it would be clear that I live "THERE".  Where I spend my time is my choice.  

Health care in rural areas is a topic that local governments have toiled with for some time.  Park county that I mentioned is nearly the size of Delaware but does not have a single doctor.  It is a popular place and providing emergency response for travelers and residents is very difficult.

[richfaa]

13 hours ago, sandsys said:

Some RVers invest in medical evacuation insurance just for these emergency cases. As a fulltimer you also have the ability to research which facility has the best care and then drive there if your situation allows you that type of time. More than one RVer has gone to where they could get the best care for their type of cancer, for instance.

Linda

We have one of those plans just in case. There was a bad accident outside of the CG we were wintering in. We noted two helicopters  landing on the highway  transporting the injured  and a sticker on the mangled car indicating the number to call for evacuation. We did purchase that plan.

 

[Roadtrek 1]

1 hour ago, Jaydrvr said:

Any vehicle can last as long as you want it to. It just requires planning, care and maintenance. I generally do that with most of my vehicles. My truck is twenty years old and has almost two million miles on it. YMMV Jay

Jay, congratulations and that's fantastic... I presume you are talking diesel engines?

What kind of vehicle and what engine?   You purchased it new?

[Jaydrvr]

51 minutes ago, Roadtrek 1 said:

Jay, congratulations and that's fantastic... I presume you are talking diesel engines?

What kind of vehicle and what engine?   You purchased it new?

Yes, of course diesels are more reliable and therefore easier to get to longer miles. I have a '99 Volvo VNL610 with the N14 Cummins. I bought it used in 2004. It's still my everyday work truck and when I'm not working it's towing my fifth wheel. Jay

[Roadtrek 1]

9 minutes ago, Jaydrvr said:

Yes, of course diesels are more reliable and therefore easier to get to longer miles. I have a '99 Volvo VNL610 with the N14 Cummins. I bought it used in 2004. It's still my everyday work truck and when I'm not working it's towing my fifth wheel. Jay

Jay, I purchased my Sprinter with only 26,000 miles in 2017...it's a 2012 Roadtrek... really a 2011 Mercedes Benz... you know how that goes..😀😀😀.   

Now I have 43,700 miles...runs excellent.  Do you think I can get at least 500,000 miles ...

[Jaydrvr]

46 minutes ago, Roadtrek 1 said:

Jay, I purchased my Sprinter with only 26,000 miles in 2017...it's a 2012 Roadtrek... really a 2011 Mercedes Benz... you know how that goes..😀😀😀.   

Now I have 43,700 miles...runs excellent.  Do you think I can get at least 500,000 miles ...

Of course you can. You may have to decide at some point if a new motor and/or transmission is worth doing. It certainly helps to have some mechanical aptitude and understanding do you know what MUST be done vs. What SHOULD be done..

[RV_]

1 hour ago, Darryl&Rita said:

I'll be pleasantly surprised to see 80. Just sayin'.

Darryl,

I second that. I too will be pleasantly surprised to see 80. My wife's mom and dad lived to their mid 80s and were physically able to have quality of life When I quit my major vice, smoking, in 2010, I was smoking three packs a day. I also quit drinking beer because always drank when I smoked. Spent 27 years in the military, 7 years in Germany which is the cause I can't donate blood anymore. We never knew until after we returned and retired that it was a mad cow disease prion infection center. On base I ran the small arms ranges indoor and out door so I inhaled gunsmoke and was exposed to lead daily for the last 20 of those years. IT is a lot different when you have 20 machine guns, or 50 M-16s, all shooting at once. Then there is the JP4 jet exhaust, since several of my last firing ranges were within 200 yards of the runway. We were near the Benzene plants and now we find carcinogens in base and local city groundwater from firefighting foam. I'm tickled I made it to 66, 67 in May.

[RV_]

RoadTRek,

I agree with Jay. I stick with the 2004.5-2007 Cummins 5.9 now as those years have to me the best mileage, power and no DEF fluids to track. My Cummins experience started with the 1992 1 Ton Dodge Ram diesel we pulled our first and second fulltiming rigs with for 7 years which was a 12 valve and had 100k miles on it when I bought it in 1997. It also had a new tranny, and a new paint job. We came off the road and bought a 2002 Ram 2500 diesel for running around for siting buildings. I had 300k miles on it when I bought it. I sold the 1992 Ram 3500 at about 600-700k miles in excellent shape to my mechanic who'd kept it in perfect condition. The 2002 I sold later with 425k miles on it and it looked and drove like new. They were loud but the direct rail injection 2004.5-2007 5.9 engines are very quiet. I bought my current one, a 2004.5 direct rail Cummins before I decided we were moving back to the springs and are now selling it because it is only 2 wheel drive.

All that to get to this. With the Cummins 5.9 I found that if I never idled it more than a couple of minutes on starting at most, and never let it idle to run the A/C or heater for hours, my oil never turns black with carbon soot or "coke.". Some folks do all because they see the reefer trucks do it and don't realize that, unless their trucks have a manual or automatic throttle control, they are hurting their trucks. The Dodge Rams I have owned have had no throttle control. Diesels will not warm up like gas vehicles at idle, they will stay below minimum operating temperature, and cause incomplete burning of the diesel. That results in "coking" or increased carbon in the engine oil and results in the always black engine oil some folks think is normal for diesels.

If your diesel has no throttle control, don't idle it. I don't idle longer than it takes to see the engine oil up to pressure and a minute or so more in winter. Then I am gentle with the throttle until the engine oil temps start to come up.

My diesels engine oil is just amber and clear, not black, when 6k miles roll around for another oil and filter change. Mechanics are surprised and think I can't remember if I just changed the oil and filter.

That may not apply to your Mercedes if it has a throttle control. If not, stick to recommended oil and filter changes in accordance with your manufacturer. And don't leave it idling just because everyone else does. I don't mind my trucj getting hot in summer or cold in winter because within a minute or two running at speed or under load it cools down or warms up just fine again. If a diesel does have a throttle control I'll be danged if I am going to waste diesel throttled just to keep it cool or warm.

Contractor idling their trucks all day can't get it. But then again, they get new trucks every year or two, I don't.

 

[accumack]

6 hours ago, Roadtrek 1 said:

Great plan...we might be able to do the same thing.

  Tell me will you continue this in the same RV or get something newer in the next couple of years?  Did you acquire your RV new?   It's a beautiful diesel pusher. 

The real question is... do you think my Mercedes Benz Sprinter turbo diesel will last 20 years?   Or... do I need to consider switching vehicles?

We hope to be in the same RV if not then probably a class C. Then we may continue longer.

 

 

 

[hemsteadc]

I hope to, that's about the best I can say at age 71.  It's not so much the "big one Elizabeth, I'm comin' to join ya" I worry about, it's the little injuries here and there. 

Like this morning I crawled under the rig for inspection of my slide rails, and suddenly.. yeow! ...this sharp pain grips my upper rib muscles like a needle was jammed in there.  I stay in shape, walk all the time, gym workouts when available.. but, we get old and can't move in ways we used to.