kb0zke

Our story, FWIW: We started our full-time journey without any campground memberships, just a membership in Escapees. Our plan was to drive a day, stay for some period of time, and repeat. We then joined Passport America on an annual basis, and quickly found that we could save quite a bit of money that way, so after a couple of years we went to a lifetime membership. We also checked out some of the Escapees Parks. We found them attractive, so we checked out a couple of the co-ops and ERPUs, with the idea that maybe one of them might be a good winter headquarters for us. Earlier this year we became leaseholders at The Ranch. Spot, you may want to do something similar. As was mentioned above, buying C2C or TT new is very expensive, while buying a used membership is much less expensive. Passport America is pretty cheap, and with a one-year membership you can try as many parks as you want. Each park sets their own rules about when and how many nights you can stay for half-price, so they aren't a great choice for long-term stays, but are great for traveling. Now, if you are looking at C2C or TT just to be able to use their network of parks, and you may or may not make use of your home park, then look at the maps of where the parks are located and chose the one that best suits your planned travels. Just remember that your annual cost for your home parks will be part of your annual travel costs. If you don't make much use of the system you may well find that it is cheaper to just pay the regular rate.

That's my opinion, too. We visited Corpus Christi a few years ago and drove the Jeep out on the beach a bit just so I could exercise the 4WD. Our MH was parked several miles away, so we didn't worry too much about the salt air since we weren't going to be there very long. We were advised to take the Jeep to a good car wash that would spray off the underside of the car. We were told that if a tow truck had to get you from the beach it was considered a retrieval, not a tow, and the fees were astronomical. There are some boondocking sites near the National Seashore office. There may be a small fee for their use, but it would be FAR less than the cost of a retrieval from the beach. You might also check into time limits. I'm not sure how long you can stay there, but few places allow more than two weeks.

Someone posted a rant on another forum about their experience at an Escapees park. I'm not going to give any other identifying information, as I encouraged them to share their experience with the good people in Livingston. Their experience got me to thinking about the differences we've encountered at the Parks we've visited. I know that the Co-ops are not owned or run by Escapees, but that they got their start from the club, and that each co-op has individual rules, with some pretty much as standard (must be a current Escapees member, at least one person must be over 55, etc.). I know that some, but not all, Parks offer long-term leases (ERPU). The ERPU sites, as I understand them, require an up-front lease payment and an annual maintenance fee. The initial lease period is five years, and can be extended as often as desired. When the site is no longer wanted, the initial lease payment is then refunded. I've heard that some Parks offer annual rates, but there is NO return of any payment. True? If so, does that annual lease allow the leaseholder to put up their own shed, build a dog run, etc.? Every park we've been at, whether COE, State park, or commercial park, required pet owners to keep pets on a leash and not leave them outside unattended. We've seen examples of people who obey the letter of the law (the dog is on a leash) but not obeying the spirit of the law (the leash is an extendable one, so the dog is really allowed to run free over a circle with a radius equal to the length of the cord in the leash). Some parks seem to do a better job of enforcing a leash length than others. One time a manager of an Escapees Park told me that the managers are trained to be managers, and can go from one park to another, but are expected to stay at one park for at least several months at a time. Some managers, apparently, work certain months at "their" park, then spend the rest of the year doing something else, while someone else is the manager. Is that manager training done in Livingston, or by a manager at a park?

We learned about reservations and holidays the hard way. We had attended a conference, and then decided to go to a State Park near where some relatives were - over the Independence Day holiday. Called the relatives and told them our plan. They told us that we wouldn't get anything and to camp in their driveway. We made our reservations for Labor Day weekend a couple of weeks ago and got one of the last spots in that park. We'll be campground hosts over Independence Day this year, so that's taken care of. The park where we are now is a first-come, first-serve one (city park), so we got here about a week before Memorial Day and paid for a month. If we don't have reservations we like to arrive as early in the day as possible. Once or twice we've had to wait until the current occupant left, but usually we can get a spot right away. Part of that is arriving during the week, rather than on a weekend. If we don't have reservations, we figure out where we want to land, and Jo Ann starts working the computers and phones. We have yet to stay at a Flying J/Pilot, Cracker Barrel, or Wal-Mart, but I suppose that some day that will be our only option.

Several years ago I bought a three-pack of Rescue Tape (red, clear, black) and have used maybe 1/3 of each. When used as designed it works well.

Our s-i-l works remotely and they have talked about going full-time for a year or so. The question that I couldn't help them with was how to handle travel. We prefer to travel on weekdays, so that we are landed for the weekend, but then we are retired. We leave after any rush hour and stop before the afternoon one. How do those of you who have to work set hours handle the travel part? Our son also works remotely, but as long as he gets 80 hours in in a two-week period the company is happy. Yes, sometimes there are meetings at specific times, but otherwise he pretty much sets his own schedule. Unfortunately, he isn't at all interested in the RV life. Too bad, as it would really work well for him.

PPL is a legitimate outfit that sells lots of recreational vehicles each year. They tell a potential customer (buyer or seller) upfront what they will have to pay PPL and what optional services you can have. It cost far more than $300 for them to handle a sale. The person who offered to advertise and sell someone's rig for $300 is most likely a scam. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

Many people suggest that you keep about $10,000 to spend the first year on repairs and upgrades, with the emphasis on repairs. Get the rig working correctly first, then spend money on making it better for your purposes. A solar system is more important to someone who boondocks a lot, while it isn't as necessary for someone who only stays in FHU parks. Also, living with the coach for at least several months will point out to you what needs to be done first. You may know that certain things need attention immediately (and the price reflected that fact), but other things won't become obvious right away. This will also allow you to work out the best deals on parts and labor, and maybe you can combine some projects. When we bought our coach six years ago we were not at all impressed with the curtains, but we knew that there were other things that were more important. Once we thought we were ready to start on the curtains, we made a plan. We ordered one MCD shade for the window by the dining table. When it arrived I installed it. In the meantime Jo Ann recovered the chairs and the valance with matching fabric. We liked the MCD shade, so later we ordered the shades for the living room windows. Again, Jo Ann recovered the valances with material to match what we wanted in that area. We've not yet done the bedroom windows, but when we do them, it will be the same deal: valances will be recovered to match what we want in that room. Some repairs and upgrades you can do yourself, while others are best left to professionals. The more you can do yourself the less cash it will take.

I think I'd have to agree. This sounds like a scam to me. PPL is a consignment company. You take your rig to them and they have it on their lot for customers to see. They handle the paperwork of the sale and take a cut of the sale price. Assume that the type of deal you heard about was legit. YOU still have your rig, so YOU have to make the appointment to show it to the potential buyer. So what are they doing for you? Advertising? You are already doing that. Maybe they can write a better ad? Go to a nearby college, or even high school, and pay a faculty member there to write the ad for you. Pictures? For $300 they aren't going to send a photographer out to take pictures of your rig. If you can't take good photographs, find someone who can and pay them something. For that $300 you could hire some professionals to prepare a great ad to put up on RV Trader. Better yet, find the owners' forum for your brand and post it there.

If you have ever visited PPL you will quickly see why no one here seems willing to rent out their RV. There are companies that rent RV's, usually Class C rigs. You pay plenty for the rental of those, because they expect that when you bring it back they will have to spend time and money cleaning and repairing it before the next customer can have it.

Welcome to the forum. If you can post a picture of it and which year and model you have you may get a better response. In the meantime, do you have any manuals with your rig? That may answer your question. Our coach came with three notebooks full of information, since each appliance had a manual. Most newer rigs have hot water heaters that don't use a pilot light, but if yours is an older one it may have a pilot light. It sounds to me like it may be a way of lighting the pilot light from inside, rather than going outside with a lighter.

X2. Even then, your second one may not be exactly right. About the time you think you have it right, circumstances change, and something else makes more sense. My suggestion is that you try to figure out what you will be doing and what sorts of things will be necessary for you to accomplish that. For example, if going up and down steps is difficult, you probably don't want a 5'er, since going from outside to the upper level is about a flight of stairs in a house. If you are going to stay in one place for several months at a time, a towable probably makes more sense than a MH. Spend some time talking about what you want to do and how you want to live. Are you going to boondock a lot, some, or never? Are you going to be going to luxury RV resorts or will you be in COE parks? If you are going to boondock a lot you will be looking for solar, superior batteries, low-current appliances, and large tanks. If you are going to be at FHU sites all the time it doesn't matter how big the tanks are or how much current the appliances draw. Next, get into every RV you can, no matter the type, condition, or cost. Imagine yourselves living in that. "Wash" the dishes, "make" the bed, "take" a shower, "watch" television, "prepare" a meal. It won't take you very long to figure out what floor plans will work for you and which ones won't. Look at rigs that are several years old to see how they age. You can buy some very low-priced rigs that are ready for the junk yard after a few years of full-time use. That same money can buy you a used high end coach that will still look fairly new even after you've used it for several years. What's the difference? The quality of the construction. Pay attention to the difference between Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Unloaded Weight. That difference is how much weight you can carry while traveling. In the case of a MH it includes the weight of the people, pets, fuel, water, groceries, television, etc. Some vehicles don't have much difference between GVWR (the most the rig can weigh) and the empty (dry) weight. Also find out what is included in that empty weight. Sometimes a dealer will spec a trailer with NO propane tanks or batteries and only one air conditioner. That keeps the price low and the empty weight low. They then advertise it that way. When you want propane and a battery, the price and weight go up. Dealers also like to quote the empty (dry) weight to unsuspecting customers. They may even tell you it is towable by a half-ton pickup. While they are technically correct, by the time the trailer is loaded for actual use it is beyond the safe ability of the half-ton truck. Travel trailers (bumper pulls) are the least expensive type of RV, and diesel pusher motor homes are the most expensive, at least as a general rule. Get used to the idea of something towing something else. A travel trailer of 5'er will require a truck. A MH can tow a fuel-efficient car or an off-road Jeep, or whatever else you want. You will have two or three engines to maintain with a MH, one or two with a towable. What's the extra engine? The generator.

Kirk, our system is a Voyager purchased from Camping World. The camera is about 40' from the monitor. Our Foretravel is a steel frame for the walls and ceiling, covered with foam insulation and fiberglass on the outside, walnut wood on the inside. I think we paid around $600 for it six years ago. I suspect that a similar system from Amazon would be cheaper.

We have a box that gets all receipts. When it starts looking like it may be an attractive kitty toy Jo Ann starts putting them into the computer. Each receipt is compared to what Quicken thinks it is (info downloaded from CC), and details fixed (not everything at Walmart is a transfer). Those receipts that are important for other reasons are then filed in the appropriate place, while the rest are fed to the shredder. Should someone decide that we had driven off without paying for our fuel we would have the receipt to prove that we did pay. The receipt would also have the mileage written on it, so it would be easy to prove that the receipt is, in fact, for the fuel we just purchased. The date and time stamp would also support that.

An apparently single man in a VW Van camper is setting up as I type this. Don't know whether he is full-time, part-time, or just here to fish. We met a couple who full-time in a 1973 (yes, 73) Dodge van conversion. They aren't small people, but are minimalists. A major factor in your decision will be what you want to do. If you are going to set up at a nice COE or State park and then stay there for several days to a couple of weeks, nearly anything will work. If you are planning to set up at a site and use it as a base while you make day trips to various places in the area, you will probably want to have a living space and a separate vehicle for going places. In short, your planned use will have a big effect on what you choose. Your finances will also affect your choice. The cheapest route is one that lets you use a vehicle that you already own. While few passenger cars can tow much, many SUVs can tow a trailer. Some vehicles can be towed on their own wheels so you don't need another trailer. Check your owner's manual to see what your current vehicle is capable of. If you will have to trade vehicles no matter what, consider what you are going to be doing. A motorhome can tow another vehicle. While it can be something that is very fuel-efficient (think Smart Car), it doesn't have to be. You can have a Jeep set up for extreme off-road exploring if you want. If you're interested in a motorcycle, you can put a couple on a small trailer. Each could be set up for different purposes. A truck towing a fifth-wheel or travel trailer gives you a mobile apartment. If you go with a travel trailer you have the bed of the truck available for whatever you want to put there (within weight limits, of course). You could even put those two motorcycles I mentioned above there. The 5'er gives you more space, both living space and storage space, but costs you most of the bed. Watch side-rail height. It is easy to get a truck that is too tall to tow a 5'er. That's not as much of an issue with a travel trailer, unless you start going to an extreme. Will it get old packing everything up just to go to the store? Maybe. I'm getting a bit tired of packing everything up each Wednesday to drive a few yards to the dump station, but that will only happen three more times and then we move on. You've gotten several different suggestions here. Consider what we've told you in light of what you think you will be doing. Seriously consider buying used, as once you hit the road you will get a better idea of what you really need and want.

I replaced the dead original (1993) camera with a wireless one six years ago. The only time it didn't work properly was when the salesman's switch got turned off. The backup camera is on whenever the Detroit is on. No, it isn't wired that way - I start the Detroit, start the generator, turn on the camera. I turn it off when I turn the Detroit off.

Kirk got it. We've stayed there a few times. It is right on the river and has been known to flood. It is surrounded by hills, so maybe less likely to be hit by a tornado.

We have a 148-gallon diesel tank. The normal practice is to get fuel as close as possible to the night's stop. If a truck stop is available we'll go there. If not, a station with a truck island out back. Jo Ann goes in with the credit card and radio while I open the door and get ready to fuel. When she tells me that I'm good to go I start pumping. We generally have a pretty good idea of how much fuel we will need, so Jo Ann can tell the clerk that we need $200 or whatever. Once the tank is full I radio Jo Ann the dollar amount and number of gallons, then I pull ahead so someone else can use the pump. Jo Ann usually comes out a few minutes later, we put the mileage on the receipt and head for the campground. Why fuel at the end of each travel day? Condensation. Not all of the fuel that goes into the engine is used to power the coach. Some of it is returned to the tank, and that fuel is much warmer than the ambient temperature. As the fuel cools overnight, it will pull moisture out of the air in the tank. By having the tank as full as possible there is less moist air there.

Does anyone know how Turkey Creek fared in this afternoon's storms? We saw a news clip about the damage in Hollister.

Back to the original question, assuming that you have sufficient access to all of the rafters involved, I would go with centering the unit on the rafter that will be cut. I'd double the other two rafters, then build the box for the unit. I would glue and screw everything. I'd use a GOOD marine-grade or aircraft-grade plywood and coat it with the best waterproofing compound I could find. Make the box as tight to the unit as you can so that it can't slide around. Yes, that means that everything has to be absolutely straight, but that will also give you the strongest structure.

We have an HP laser scanner/copier/printer/fax. While it is wifi, it can also be hard-wired, and I'll be doing that one of these days. We have a Verizon router that feeds our Time Machine, which is our actual wifi. The router's radio is turned off. One of these days I'll check into getting a new Time Machine just because this one is starting to get full and is several years old. We print a few times each month and scan maybe one every 3-4 months. About once a year we actually copy something, and since we don't have a phone line the fax part is never used. Like most people, our financial records are the most important data we have. I'm working with our son-in-law (app developer) and son (computer security) to figure out a way to safely store those records off-site without using up all of our data just storing stuff.

We've only been full-timing for five years, so we're still new at this. Most of the parks where we've been, whether COE, State parks, county/city parks, or commercial parks, if there is a view, are set up so that people can enjoy it no matter which way is best from their RV. All they have to do is park on one side of the street or the other. For example, there is a small campground that has a great view of Chimney Rock. They are set up with the utilities between each pair of sites and a larger "yard" between one site and the next one over. That way you can park either way, depending on where your windows are. Since we are in a MH, we were parked with the view out of our windshield. The 5'er that parked next to us was pointed the other way, as his living area (and large window) were at the back of his coach. As for backing into parking spots with the car, that's what I prefer to do, too. If the parking lot is laid out in such a manner that I can pull through one space into the next one and then drive out going WITH traffic, I'll do that. I use the backup camera to make sure that I'm all the way into my space (I can see the line behind the car). I will also generally try to park a little farther from the door so that I am less likely to confuse a driver who is following me. BTW, when we're staying for several nights or longer I prefer a back-in site to a pull-through. Why? Let the people who might have difficulties backing or are only going to spend the one night have those spots. One park we frequent charges more for a pull-through, and since we don't need it, we don't want to pay for it.

Welcome, Frank. It sounds like you have done some research, which puts you ahead of quite a few people. You have several things that you can do more or less at the same time. While you are researching your RV you should also research your domicile and mail forwarding service. Unless there is a good reason to remain in your current State, you will probably want to change your domicile to Florida, South Dakota, or Texas. Why? Those three States have no income tax AND let you use your mail service address as your legal domicile address. Other States have no income tax, but require you to use have a physical address in the State that will be your official domicile address. All three States have several mail forwarding services that offer various services. Find the one that best fits you and your needs and set up your new address. Once that is done you can start telling those people who write to you what that address is. Second, set up as much on-line stuff as you can. Get your bank statements online and set up online bill paying. This will cut down on the amount of mail that is going to be forwarded to you while on the road. Hint: if you are getting "begging letters" from entities that you don't want to hear from, don't tell then your new address. Might I ask why you are focusing on Class B or C units? Yes, people can and do full-time in these, but they aren't for everyone. Class B units, especially, have much less storage capacity (NOT necessarily space) compared to others. If you are thinking that you will have only one unit to take care of, you are correct. You also have only one unit to take to the grocery store, laundry, sight-seeing, etc. A Class C has more interior space than a Class B, but that's about it. Being larger, it will be heavier, more subject to the effects of passing trucks, side winds, etc. and will use more fuel. As I said, people can and do full-time in these units. We know a couple that full-times in a 1973 (yes, 1973) Dodge Conversion Van. They aren't small people, but they are minimalists. They carry a screen Easy-Up type device that they set up at their campsite. A folding table, dorm-size refrigerator, microwave, and a couple of folding chairs and tables go into that. That's their living space. They use the campground bath house. The van is used only for sleeping and trips for various purposes. Since they have something set up at the campsite all the time, there is no question that the site is occupied. Any time that you move your vehicle you will have to pack what's inside for travel. That doesn't mean that you have to pack up your lawn chairs, bbq, etc. to go to the dump station, but anything that can fall or shift will have to be made ready to travel every time you move the vehicle. What, if anything, can your current vehicle tow? Can it be towed four-down (all four tires on the ground, not on a dolly or trailer)? If your current vehicle is too small to tow anything, but can be towed four-down (see http://www.remcotowing.com/Towing/Store.php) you can make your life much simpler because you can take it on all of the running around, towing it behind the RV. If your current vehicle can tow something, your budgeted amount can go MUCH farther. Earlier I mentioned several things you can do while you are researching the perfect RV. One of them is to visit as many dealers and shows as you can. Go into EVERY vehicle - no matter the condition or price - and imagine living in that for three days straight without setting foot outside. Why? eventually you are going to run into weather that will keep you inside that long. Imagine doing the dishes, taking a shower, making the bed, watching television, etc. It won't take you long to get to the point where you can stick your head in the door, look around, and know whether you could use that rig or not. There are only so many ways to arrange the interior of a box to make it livable, so you will see the same floor plan from many different manufacturers. Yes, there will be differences in quality and price, and minor differences in details, but you will see the same thing over and over. Hope this helps. Ask lots of questions here, and we'll try to answer them. Don't be surprised if answering one question raises five more. That's the way it works. Once you find some brands that interest you, join their owners' forums and ask specific questions there. Don't be afraid to ask the GEE WHIZ owners if the Whiz Bang 1000 is suitable for your purposes. If it isn't they will tell you. Why? They don't want an unhappy owner badmouthing their brand because he bought the wrong RV. Enjoy the research and the hunt for the perfect RV.

The generator on our 1993 Foretravel is mounted on the side, just below and behind the driver's seat. It does slide out, but the back side is still a pain to get to. We have it serviced annually in Nacogdoches, TX, at one of the several places that specialize in Foretravels (that's where they are made). Ours gets plenty of exercise as we run the generator while traveling. At a minimum it is powering the refrigerator, and on warm or hot days it is running one or both air conditioners.

No, the site is free as long as you are getting work done. That may be one of the reasons why we've never wallydocked. Going in those doors is expensive!