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No washer/dryer Laundromat once a week at most. 3 loads = $8 - $11 3 pairs running shoes, 1 casual summer, 1 casual winter boot, 1 flip flops, 1 hiking shoes. No formal shoes. I buy them at thrift stores then get rid of them after the formal event. I take enough for at least 14 days worth. That's the longest we go between laundromat visits. Basically about 3 sets of each, for each season. PJs, 1 set for winter, 1 set for summer. 1 of each except I carry about 3 hoodies which is too much but I'm a hoarder What's a housecoat? ;) I have 2 hats, 2 gloves. This is what my own clothing looks like right now in our 27' fifth wheel. For my husband, he's got about 1/3 what I have. We don't have tons of storage, and we travel pretty light. What I've found is that if I need clothing for an event or something, I hit a thrift store and shop. Then I donate whatever I got if I know I won't be wearing it again for at least a year.

Hi Kirk! No not yet, wanted to see if others are having the same issues before reaching out. Thanks for the suggestion!

SKPs members: If you signed up for the Fuel Access Card Network are you experiencing difficulties while trying to use the card? We signed up and have had nothing but frustration trying to use it. It's worked twice out of a dozen of attempts since we joined around December. Either the app lists a station that is not part of the network, or we arrive at the station only to get the "Invalid Card" error at the pump. Yes, we are using it correctly, the card has worked twice. I've called the customer service line twice and left messages but have not received any kind of response. Any other SKPs have the same experience?

Hey Kirk, be careful, my antivirus software just blocked me from visiting RV Weigh because it's a known virus risk. Thanks for the tips!

We've never been campground hosts, but we have workamped in hospitality settings and encountered similar jaw-dropping behavior. People are strange creatures. You get all kinds when you work with the public.

I'm not a prepper, but that seems smart considering the risk of cyber terrorism right now. Thanks for the nudge.

There is a workaround, as seen in the January / February 2022 Escapees Magazine issue: Sorry can't get it rotated.

Super duper info, thank you so much!

Hey there folks. I'm looking for places that do professional RV weigh-ins and height/length measuring, like Smart Weigh. I am not looking for CAT scales or logging truck scales. The RV Safety and Education Foundation has weigh-in events, but can anyone tell me if there are other businesses that give the same kind of weigh-in that Smart Weigh does at Livingston and Florida? I'm so bummed that the Arizona location is closing. Thanks!

You're speaking our language. We've been satellite internet users for 15 years. We do not use it for TV, strictly internet access. Yes it's expensive and relatively technical in nature when you need to troubleshoot issues. But it's allowed us to live and work on the road in some really off-the-beaten-path destinations. Cell services are better than ever so today it's more of a backup system for us, like when we traveled to Alaska and the Yukon. We will likely rely on it heavily this summer when we return. If you have any questions feel free to ask or message me.

Ooooh I knew you guys would have great feedback for the trip! Thank you so much. I've been doing some reading in a Canadian Bucket List book but many of the things / ideas you mentioned aren't in there. Much appreciated! We do plan on taking the entire summer, from about mid-May through early fall. The we'll blaze a path back to the west coast for winter. Just hope the fuel prices don't kill us before it's over!

DH and I are planning a cross-Canada RV trip this summer as long as the border stays open. We will take the Trans-Canada from BC to PEI, taking our time and checking out the sights. Everyone says there's "nothing" in the middle, but I'm determined to find out if that's true or not. If anyone here has done the Trans-Canada from start to finish, or heck even in segments, and you feel like sharing your experience, I'd love to hear more!

We are not Medicare age. When we were in the Yukon in 2018, I double checked that Blue Cross would cover us in an emergency. Yes, they would, but their definition of "emergency" seems to depend on many factors too complicated to get into here. Your best bet is to pick up a medi-vac plan like MASA air ambulance services, in case the worst happens and you need extensive care. This year we also plan on traveling around Canada. We have Kaiser health insurance now, and they've also guaranteed emergency coverage, to a point. We will have our MASA plan. Maybe we'll see you up north!

Congrats on taking the leap! We were 38 and 40 when we started fulltiming, and until Xscapers came along had the same issue. You'll definitely want to check out this segment of Escapees. Meanwhile enjoy being the young'uns in this community while you can! It goes by quickly

The health insurance situation really depends on whether or not you are on Medicaid or still under 65. We are under 65 and used our SKPs Livingston address to buy health insurance through the Healthcare.gov exchange. That address was sufficient to enroll, but our insurance was an HMO and only good in Texas. Recently we changed our Texas domicile to another state, and switched our insurance to that state. We still have an HMO, but since the company operates in most of the states where we roam, we have much better coverage. So basically wherever you are officially domiciled, that is where your health insurance should be based. I hear Florida is a good state to domicile for health insurance reasons, since there are still PPO plans with national coverage. The majority of health insurance companies across the U.S. have nixed these types of policies, including Texas. If you are under 65, this Escapees webinar about health insurance is very helpful:

WOW. The experience and wisdom shared here is just beyond compare. I can't thank you guys enough for responding with these incredible stories and such heartfelt input about what you learned. This has been one of the most interesting pieces I've put together for the magazine. I wish I could share every story, but I will make sure that links to this conversation are included in the article so that many others can learn from you. Thanks again. Now I need to get writing!

YES YES YES! Mind if this goes into the story?

OK let me just say that SKPs are tough as nails! I love these stories, just sorry they happened to y'all. It really puts things in perspective for new and experienced RVers alike, full-time or part-time. Everyone here has encountered so many challenges but finds a way to overcome and keep on rollin' along. AWESOME! Thank you so much for sharing. I'd like to feature some in the article, just need to decide which ones as there are many great stories and not enough space. We could do an entire issue on this topic alone!

WOW! These are some amazing stories you guys, thank you so much for sharing. So as far as when these things happened to you, what did you say to yourself to get through it? What went through your mind? How did you keep from having a total mental meltdown when it was happening?

I shared this question in the Xscapers and Escapees Facebook groups, and doing the same here in case I missed anyone, so I hope this is OK. I'm writing an article for the next issue of Escapees Magazine. I would like to know how more experienced SKPs have dealt with tough times on the road. I'm also talking to newbies in Xscapers, because I'd like to see what, if any, coping differences exist between the two sets of travelers. If you want to be featured, please share as many details as you'd like. Thanks so much! (The photo is from our 2018 Alaska trip, when we broke a leaf spring in Destruction Bay. Our most challenging situation to date!)

Woah. Right out of Breaking Bad. I'm sooo glad you are safe and unharmed. Honestly I'm not sure what we would have done. I fear that we would have not been thinking fast enough to duck. Fifteen years on the road and we've never seen anything like this happen. I hope we never do. I'm curious, what kind of parking lot were you in? Were you boondocking? And what kind of rig are/were you in? Just wondering.

I'm working on an article spotlighting 3rd generation RVing families, and would love to talk to any SKPs who fit this profile. Full-time or part time, it really doesn't matter as long as your family is 3 generations into the RV lifestyle and you have great photos to share for the piece. It's not for Escapees Magazine this time, but for a national print and web publication. My deadline is pretty tight so any responses this week would be great. Message me or reply below and we can take it from there. Thanks for considering it! Rene

I'm all about sunrise yoga too. I never find classes that early so I use the Down Dog app and it's wonderful. Lots of options for different skill levels and I can do it from anywhere.

Hi there! I'm writing a story for Escapees Magazine, about SKPs who travel with unusual instruments. If this is you, let's chat! I created a form for anyone interested in being included in the story. Deadline is next Tuesday 6/22. Looking forward to learning about your music. Thanks! Traveling Musicians Article Form

Are you or your traveling partner a disabled SKP who is currently RVing with a mobility device, such as a wheelchair or walker? If so, I would love to talk to you for an article I'm writing for the Escapees blog. Please let me know here or via private message if you're interested in participating and we can set up a time to chat. Thank you! -Rene