2gypsies

It's imperative that they remain independent of each other in the process. They are definitely two different manufacturers.

Here's a map of the area. As Kirk stated, the White River doesn't really exist as a river in the Branson/Hollister area. At this point it is incorporated into the area lakes - Table Rock Lake/Taneycomo Lake. Growing up in Missouri we spent a lot of time on those lakes.... beautiful area. Excellent fishing and very nice Corp of Engineer campgrounds. https://www.branson.com/pdf/branson-chamber-map.pdf

No, not a PR move! Hollister has flooded often by the Taneycomo River. Water coming down from those 'hills' add to it. Here's a time-lapse short video of a flood in 2017. Watch the water rise at the home.

A person can get a document from their doctor stating they have a medical metal implant in their body. We carry ours with us.

If you use the Escapees mail service you can vote via absentee ballot. You may also get called for jury duty but all you have to do is call them and tell them you're traveling - no questions asked. We used Escapees mail service for approx. 20 yr. with no issues. High quality service.

We've volunteered a lot for national and state areas. We would never consider Salton Sea. It can be very smelly at times & Feb-March will be hot. It wouldn't be very busy as it's not a destination anymore. Not much around there. There is birding if that's your interest. Have you ever been there? I would recommend doing that before a 3-month committment. Just our take.

Here's a Step-By-Step that may help answer some questions: https://rv-dreams.typepad.com/rvdreams_journal/2018/06/setting-up-our-florida-domicile.html

For sleeping have you tried using pillows either under your knee or if you're a side sleeper, between your knees? It helped me.

I believe the storage lot at Benson is for lot owners.

Glad you added it as it really does help when answering questions. Now.... if you could..... please add the MH length for when you ask if you'll fit in a certain campground. 😁

Barb answered good questions... and more. I would guess we all learned somewhat 'on the go'. Yes, mistakes will be made. Just keep pluggin'. You've had a wild start so surely it will get better. You might consider go to a manufacturer's owner's site such as for you, the Newmar site over on irv2.com forum but please don't leave us. I would also suggest you create a signature line for any forum you're on so folks can tell what you're driving and answer accordingly.

Will you travel with it (eek) or set it on a lot?

Our Corelle road beautifully. Line your cabinets with the shelf liner such as slip stop. It comes in a roll. I agree with Linda that the link you provided would be cumbersome for the dishes to be used. If you have extra space in your cabinet put rolls of paper towels, toilet paper or even linens in the cabinet to take up the space.

We thought living in the motorhome for knee replacements worked well.... no steps.... lots to hold onto..... and physical therapy even came to the RV. We both were running around the pickleball court and hiking. So glad we had it done! Keep on pluggin'. You'll get there.

STACYD: Full-timers live in their RV year-round and many use under 35'. For 6 months that really shouldn't be an issue. You state it will be your first ever towed trailer. I sure wouldn't get a 42'!!! Would you be happy with the heavy duty truck you would need to tow it? You would be very limited on what RV sites you would have. You'd almost have to always get a pull-through. For you, I'd recommend a much smaller 5th wheel. With the 42' one you're looking at it probably has slides on both sides and all the way down the RV. Slides only give you floor space. They take away storage space. They also make it more difficult to park where trees are involved. You might also be looking a two bathrooms. Do you really need two? We full-timed very comfortably for 16 years with one one! Think smaller. I think you'd be happier and could use all those wonderful Oregon state parks.

You stated you don't plan on boondocking. The chances of power failure in a RV park are slim. If power did go out it's usually repaired within a day. Take your truck and go siteseeing to kill time. Your refrigerator will run on propane. Your battery will last at least a night or two if you conserve. By that time the power would surely be running. I wouldn't buy one "just in case". Go without and see how it goes.

It's a good road. No issues.

Some information in Don Wright's books are outdated unless he's made revisions.

I know this was directed at Kirk but thought I'd reply that "yes", we would still volunteer if we had to pay to stay but only if it were in national and state parks. We love the parks and want to help out for all to enjoy. It's gratifying and know that it's appreciated.

You mentioned "personal guide". If you mean just you and a guide it would probably be very interesting. We took a horseback tour of Canyon de Chelly and it was just us and the guide. I'm sure some of the places in the canyon wouldn't be visited by a big tour group. At Monument Valley they typically use open vehicles so if it's cold, rainy or dry and dusty you'll be uncomfortable. We had a Jeep so we drove the road ourselves although we didn't need 4-wheel drive even though it was bumpy. Some even take their small RVs on the road. The road is under 15 miles so it's not long. We drove it in the morning and the evening for different lighting as we're photographers. We could take as long as we wanted and not be rushed by a tour. We dry camped right in front of the famous 'Mittens' at $5. I believe they have now made it into a 'dry' campground and charge a lot more.

Nothing works on the microwave if the RV isn't plugged into electric. The clock doesn't run.

Hope you had a great trip and a good learning experience!!!

I think you'll do just fine. Your plans are exactly what we did for 16 years. We stayed in the most popular national parks and along the coasts... minimally. Your pass will get you a site in national forest campgrounds and they can be found everywhere. Best of luck to you!

I doubt most full-timers are paying those prices. There are many ways to save money. There are many web sites of full-timers who give their budgets usually starting at $30,000/year; some less; some more. You control it. There are options instead of expensive RV parks: discount camping such as Passport America, Escapees has discounts on many parks as do other organizations, there are very nice city and county parks in pretty settings. If you're 62+ and get the Senior national pass you can stay in public parks for 1/2 price, including national parks. National forest campgrounds are great and would also be 1/2 price. You can also learn to boondock on public lands which is free - gorgeous spots on lakes and rivers, forests or desert. If you want to stay in more rural areas you'll pay less. If you want to stay in big cities or near major attractions such as Disney then you'll pay a lot more. If you just want a basic, clean park they are out there - even outside of Yellowstone. If you want all the frills you'll pay for them.

Can you tell from advertising if these are big shows? Some RV shows are not worth going to as they may only have a few manufacturers and a few models. Sometimes they're geared for motorhomes with a few trailers mixed in. Since you have to drive so far it would be a shame to attend a 'dud'. Where are these shows? I agree with Linda. Go to the Raleigh one and see if you've seen enough to satisfy your questions.