Hello everyone,
I have been following this forum since 2004. Although never a huge poster, I had over 400 at one time. For a few years while stationed in the DC area I quit posting on Escapees and evidently, due to software upgrades, all my posts were deleted but not my account. Most of my posts back then were newbie questions as I was just beginning my research into the full-timing lifestyle. Even back then folks like Kirk, Jack, Stan and others were a wealth of information and helped give my wife and I a much better appreciation for the lifestyle.
So, here we are 10 years later and I think my wife and I have finally decided that 2016 will be our year. Although I have been posting again in other threads, I thought it was important to introduce myself to the Class of 2016. I plan to retire in 2018 but we think we will be money ahead by selling our house in 2016 and using the money savings to either pay down the balance of the fifth wheel loan we plan to take out or to apply it towards our truck.
I am an ex-Navy/retired Coast Guard active duty member (retired in 2008 w/ 34 yrs. total service) and now work for the Coast Guard as a civilian. My current (and last) duty station is in Houston, TX, and we live in Friendswood, TX. We are avid bike riders but due to four back surgeries since 2009, I now ride recumbent bikes and trikes. I also am an amateur wheel builder and bike mechanic. I was a homebrewer (beer/cider/mead) for 20+ years but sold all of my equipment several years ago when we finally decided that we were definitely going full-timing. I still am a lover of craft beers with IPAs being my go-to. My wife, Jan, has worked all her adult life but since moving to Houston in 2012 has been a stay-at-home grandmother (son and grandson live only a few miles from us). In all honesty, she probably wants to full-time more than me and I REALLY WANT TO GO FULL-TIMING!
Since we first started talking about full-timing in 2004, hitting the road in a fifth wheel pulled by an HDT has held a high appeal for us. Back then we dreamed of owning a Teton fiver but, with them out of business now, we have looked at other fivers and are leaning heavily towards a New Horizons. As far as the HDT, I have corresponded back-and-forth with Gregg at RV Haulers and hope to have him do a custom Volvo 780 for us.
I didn't mean to run on so long but that's our story...