JimK

Personally I travel light and inexpensively with the emphasis on travel. I rarely stay in campgrounds or RV parks with hook ups and average well less than $10/night for camping. I spend about $10/month on propane and about the same for generator gas. By contrast lots of RVers want big rigs with all the comforts of home including a washer/dryer and even an onboard central vac. A big rig can easily cost $100-500 K and can depreciate by $25-50 K/year or more. Operating costs are often in the range of $1/mile or more for fuel, maintenance, tires, etc. I typically travel about 30K miles/year so if II had a big rig that could easily add up to another $30K. Then there are the campground fees. Those have gotten to be considerable for any place that is really attractive for example near a national park. In many places it is hard to find a campground with hook ups for under about $35/night. $50/night is probably closer to the norm for popular locations. Anyway fees could easily exceed $10-15 K/year. So total costs for big rig RV living can easily exceed $50-75 K/year or $200/day. That would be for a full timer. For part time use, daily costs would be much higher.

The most comfortable way to see the country would be primarily staying in good hotels, resorts, and even motels. Lots cheaper than a big rig and paying for RV parks with hook ups.

You need to decide on your preferences. A great many people want to get an RV as big as a house with all the conveniences of a house. Of course, that can be expensive. On top of the original cost, you then need to be concerned about campground fees. Depending on the area, a decent campground with hook ups can easily be in the $30-60 range. Personally, I am a believer in going as light and small as possible while still having basic comforts. My wife and I spent a couple of years as full timers in a medium sized truck camper. We still go out for months at a time and never miss having a big rig.

People do this frequently and usually for no purpose. My manual even has a clear warning about doing other troubleshooting before replacing the circuit board. Replacement of the board is rarely needed. Most of the time the remedy was actually just a matter of unplugging and replugging the ribbon connector due to board replacement. Do that first before replacing the board. Also replace the inexpensive sensor before replacing the board.

I have no idea what you mean by changing "the wire that is a cut off...". First step is to disconnect and clean the electrical harness style connectors. Mine seem to loosen up and I use an office binder clamp to keep the connection tight. Next step would be to clean the flame sensor and set the gap. If that doesn't work replace the sensor.

No one can make this decision for you. It is all about what you want to do and the lifestyle that interests you. For some, a big comfortable RV is important. They want lots of space, slides, an oven and a microwave, a/c set on automatic, a laundry center, a big screen TV and reclining chairs. They are willing to make reservations and pay a lot for resort level camping. They are likely to stay at one place for a while. They cannot comprehend and would not tolerate a navy style shower with a gallon or two of water. I am on the other end of the spectrum. I want a comfy bed, a wet bath and a small kitchen and dinette. I rarely make reservations. Typically don't pay much for camping and often boondock or stay in forest service or other camping areas that would not even accommodate a large RV. I travel a lot and typically only stay in one location for a few days. My wife and I along with 2 cats managed quite well in a small truck camper with no slides. No RV will meet every need. You will have to decide for yourself what is most important for you.

$3? $5? That would not seem to be worth the issues of carrying large amounts of cash especially when you can avoid going in the station to have the pump activated and then returning to pay. Also don't forget about the credit card points or cash back. Those could be worth more than the extra charge.

It has been quite a few years since I paid with cash. I seem to remember having the pump activated and then leaving my drivers license while I fueled. I am sure there are a few small towns with lax procedures where you could fuel up and then pay without leaving money or an ID. I guess some people routinely pay with cash to avoid an extra charge for using a CC. Typically that is only a few cents extra. A few years ago I stopped at a Mobil station where the markup for using a CC was over 50 cents a gallon. I noticed before I fueled and went to another station. I did send an email to Mobil customer relations. They responded that the station was independently owned. I told them their name was on the station. The problem was soon corrected.

I cannot begin to imagine the thousands of times I have fueled the RV or my cars. I have never kept a receipt and don't ask for them. It must have been decades since the time when you could fuel up and then pay. Every pump runs the credit card before starting to pump. The biggest issue I have had is scumbucket dealers who ask if you want a car wash. If you make a mistake and push the wrong button, you will be charged.

Swipe twice or if that does not work use another card. I always have at least 3 different cards. On one trip I still had an issue. One stopped working because the magnetic tape would not work. One expired and the CC company decided to replace the 3rd due to a fraud alert.

This woman plays with her clothing. I learned how to fold a T shirt in about 5 seconds. It is called the 2 second fold, but it actually takes longer especially for polo shirts with collars. I then roll and keep the roll tight with a couple of rubber bands. 30 rolled T shirts easily fits in a small cabinet above my bed.

I rarely have access to lots of water. In fact for my last 4 month trip, I never even used a hose. I got small amounts in a 5 gallon jug and filled the tank from the jug using a funnel. So no laundry and not even hand washing of clothing. I do manage to keep pretty clean when traveling, hiking and doing chores. I have AGM batteries. I never check or change any fluids on the RV. It goes to a shop for maintenance when the oil and fluid changes are needed. Anyone who gets soiled at the dump station needs to reconsider their procedures. The dirtiest job I have had to do on the road is caulking. On one occasion I managed to get caulk on a T shirt.

We full timed in a truck camper. Still managed to keep a month worth of clothing to avoid frequent laundromat stops. 30 days of clothing meant 30 pairs of socks, 30 underwear, 30 T shirts and some changes of pants and long sleeved shirts. It sounds like a lot could be stored in a fairly small area. We set out with only new clothing. Later on I did save one set of old clothes for use when doing something especially dirty. I always travel with one set of dress clothing: blue blazer, black leather shoes, black socks, a couple of dress shirts and a bright tie for happy events and another for unhappy events.

I don't know where you are planning on traveling but I travel and boondock primarily in the western US. where it is sparsely populated and it could be difficult finding someone reliable and competent to do an install. Not only are there fewer choices but it can be difficult to get good information and references. Where I live I know who to call to get work done or to get referrals. Even batteries can be difficult. Mine are over 100# each and they need to be lifted well off the ground for installation. When I replaced mine last year I was at home and needed to use saw horses, ladders and scraps of wood to support the batteries while I wired them and then slide them into position. Of course, with enough money, you can always pay a shop assuming you can find a decent shop and they can readily schedule you in.

Lou has a good recommendation. Right now those 2 lane roads appear challenging and the open highway sounds better. You may change your opinion if you attempt driving through Portland on I5. Either way drive at your own comfort level and don't try to keep up with those lumber trucks on the coast or city commuter traffic.

If you are serious about boondocking and solar, I suggest you begin by doing an expected power usage estimate. You can start here: http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volt.htm Then think about where you are going to be doing this boondocking, the cloud cover, time of year and whether you expect to be in wooded or open areas. Then plan the battery bank and number of solar panels to meet most of your expected needs. It will be much easier and cheaper to do this in advance rather than waiting until you are on the road. If you are going to handle the install yourself, I would recommend working with one of the many RV solar providers. If you are going to have the work done, I would recommend going to a specialty RV solar installer and avoid the typical RV dealer and shops.

You bought the RV and it is not going to get any smaller or lighter with time. You might as well just plan on getting used to 2 lane roads or start planning your trips to avoid any rural areas. Route 101 is a major well traveled route without any major issues.

You are getting an RV as big as a house and even a washer and dryer. Do you really plan on boondocking more than a night or two? If so will you go without using the microwave, big screen TV and A/C.? You can probably do without solar and just get a generator. That is one less envelope.

Twenty thousand dollars will buy a decent used car and a tent. If a tent just does not cut it, I would still spend the vast majority of the money on the vehicle and look for something like an old popup tent trailer in need of refurbishing. I don't know what to advise on $1300 a month for total living expenses except to plan on working at a very minimum as a campground host.

Congratulations on selling the house and buying an RV. If not included, be sure to add solar and decent batteries before you begin your travels.

I have been attacked 3 times with the owners nearby and this is exactly what I heard from the owners. The other phrase is my dogs are "friendly". Since I have had so many issues, I often carry something for self defensive. When I was fishing it used to be a large hand held gaff. It is strange how the owners started to lose confidence in the friendly nature of their dogs, when I made it clear the dog would only bite once. IMO no dog should ever be in public without a leash. Even that is not sufficient in crowded areas and narrow trails. As to what might have been helpful for self defense, the gaff was pretty impressive with a nice handle and a quick release holder. I have also carried a long walking stick with a sharp point. Once when the trail was not clear, I had to return to the RV for a small hand ax. I once had to use a camera tripod to fend off a dog.

I see nothing that is super risky. I would make one financial suggestion. When you go to an investment advisor have them invest for the long term. Then when and if you buy another house, finance it and leave your investments working for you. Regarding expenses, my wife and I traveled for two years at minimal costs. We had solar and did not need hook ups. We spent time in national parks, forest, BLM lands, etc. With a senior pass we averaged $7/night for camping. Without a senior pass and fee increases over the past few years, figure $12-15/night. We used less than 1 propane tank/month. We paid about $25/mo for mail service. Fuel was highly variable depending on the miles we traveled. It was high the first year at about $1200/mo. Healthcare is a whole different issue. You will need to investigate and decide what you need and how much risk you are willing to take.

How safe would you feel in buying a 20 plus year old car and taking off for a cross country trip? That is one of the disadvantages of a motorhome. At a certain point they are not worth the risk.

I never had an issue with my SD drivers license. Renewal can be done online once every 10 years.

I consider my TPMS all but essential. I only had one leak due to tire damage. A sharp rock actually went through the middle of the tread of a new tire. Even then we did not actually need the TPMS. My wife heard the leak when we stopped for the day and at that time the tire still had near full pressure. You can take your chances and be lucky....or not. I would rather know in advance if I have a tire issue, am loosing pressure and are likely to have a blow out. If our tire damage had occurred a little earlier, we could have had a blow out at highway speeds and our truck camper and truck would be unlikely to survive the event.