bruce t

Linda the link Kirk posted is from 2009. I haven't read through it for some time but doing so just now I can't see much that is out of date. Phones and internet aside much of the information is still relevant.

Anyone who is considering such an adventure is encouraged to do their homework and double check everything. What worked for us may, or may not, work for others.

I'm here!

It's not as hard as it may seem. But from experience some make it overly complicated.

Caveat- it's been a few years since we sold up in the USA. 2018. So things may have changed.

Join Escapees. And get your address. 

Open a bank account if you can. I know BofA will help non residents. Now a caveat. I'm not 100% sure a bank account is essential. But it will help. You can't get a SSN so be prepared for a few complications.

Find your RV.

Insure your RV. It MUST be insured first to get registration. Note - registration does NOT include the compulsory insurance as it does in Australia. Sit down because your insurance will be expensive by Australian standards.

Register your RV in Livingston using the Escapee address. 

Go RVing.

Caveat - this is all assuming you buy and register in Texas. Something I would recommend.

Caveat - each county has different registration requirements re inspections etc. Be prepared for those differences.

PM me if you need any help

Bruce

I have no issues with what is coming in the way of innovation and change. Bring it on. What I STRONGLY object to is governments forcing the issue. Let the market decide. 

Here in Australia government policy has forced the early closure of coal generated electricity. Yet renewables aren't yet available to fill the gap. (Just a note - our federal government has set a target of renewable for 2030 that requires the installation of 22000 solar panels a day. Government figures not hearsay. That's 330000 a day in USA population terms). No planning, just ideology. Government is interfering in the EV market to 'force' the share of EVs in the market with legislation. Yet Australians want pickups. Our biggest sellers are fossil fueled pickups. American RAMs are one of the biggest sellers. So who's right? Government ideology or consumer demands?

Australian taxpayers are paying to have charging stations installed along highways. Over easter one of Australia's best known motoring writers pulled into a government funded charging station on our busiest freeway to charge his EV. 6 of the 8 chargers didn't work. He had to wait an hour to have his turn at the charger. And hour afterwards he had enough charge to move on. 2 hours v 15 minutes to fill a gas tank? My point is that let the government plan anything at it will go to #$@% very quickly.

Bring on innovation but don't let a politician have anything to do with the planning!!

RV you need a thicker skin. It's obvious that I made a tongue in cheek comment. Well obvious to some!

Over the years how many times have we all heard predictions of what the future will be like? Cures for cancer spring to mind.

All I know is that our grandkids will be inventing and using things that we never even thought of. 

Note the - here's something none of us thought of https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65296763

RV the Jetsons were pure fantasy. Figment of someone's overactive imagination. Is history repeating itself?

Back in the 1960s The Jetsons made all sorts of predictions. I'm still waiting 60 years later.

Yes I know it's not related to RVing but I thought some folks may be interested in what happens when a heavy vehicle runs away from its driver. So next time you look in your mirrors wonder if the heavy vehicle behind you is going to stop!!

https://www.9news.com.au/national/heart-stopping-dash-cam-footage-truck-crash-chaos-adelaide-south-australia/a85ba13f-b592-4cc8-b90b-f7b94bec36c7

. 

Has the tow vehicle got a "smart" alternator?

What about the beer? How do you keep it cold if you turn your fridge off? 🤗

7 minutes ago, hemsteadc said:

I sense a climate change comment here.

No. Let me put it this way.

If you ride your push bike down the Interstate there's a high risk of being squashed by an 18 wheeler. Yes? Well if you build by a river isn't there a high risk of mother nature claiming the ground you built on at some stage?

Not a climate change post. It's a "be responsible for your decisions" comment.

At some time folks will realize that mother nature is unpredictable. Always has been. "Extreme" events will always happen. Always have. Utopia doesn't exist. Never has. 

You can't change mother nature. Even though some folks think they can. She has been changing on her own for thousands of years. 

What can change is folks expectations. Learn to live with mother nature and accept that every now and again she's going to upset societies plans and expectations.

It ain't a perfect world. Never was. Never will be. We all need to take a step back and lower our demands on mother nature. 

4 hours ago, Vladimir said:

When Fiat had the ownership transferred to it from the US government the CEO of FIAT said that the RAM truck division of Chrysler was the ONLY viable part of the company.

I  have no problem with the rest of your statement.

BTW....who in their right mind would buy a FIAT designed truck??

Full disclosure I own a 2010 one-ton FIAT diesel truck.

I didn't say is wasn't viable. I just said they were told to build a 'better' truck or they would reconsider their place in the market. Either way I'm a RAM fan and what Fiat did to the RAM brand was all positive.

Just keep in mind that in 2008 Fiat took over Chrysler and split Ram away from Dodge and formed RAM Trucks. They then gave RAM Trucks an ultimatum to build a better truck or Fiat would cease building trucks. ie regain market share. RAM Trucks completely redesigned the Ram. My understanding is that every nut and bolt was reassessed in the redesign. The 'new' RAMs were released with the 2013 models. (We owned a 2013). I only raise the point because you need to compare apples with apples.

FWIW it don't recall a chapter in the RAM manual labeled 'stupid things to do with your RAM Truck'.

Not that rare. We see if quite often in smaller pickups here in Australia.

I wonder who sold them the camper and did they say the RAM would do the job?

Maybe I can smell some lawyers circling!!!

Way back in the late 1970s I was pulled over by a local highway patrol officer. (Big gun here in Australia). He gave me a ticket for speeding. A week later I was the first on the scene when a motorbike hit a car. The bike rider was alive but literally in bits on the road. The next to arrive was that same highway patrol officer. Between us we gathered up the biker riders leg and other bits and put them under a blanket my wife gave us. While we waited for the ambo that officer and me went through hell with the biker. He died shortly after being put in the ambulance. After that incident I had a much greater appreciation for the work LEOs do. That officer and I became good friends. 

Sorry. A bit off topic. But I see way too much police hate nowadays and folks need to realize that it's not an easy job. Defund to police? Are those folks nuts? 

OK consider this! My speedo is calibrated, tested etc etc and found to be spot on. A week later I put new tyres on. New tyres naturaly have a larger diameter. Thus a larger distance for a given revolution. So with the old tyres my speedo showed 30mph. New tyres and same speedo reading but because my tyres are larger the LEOs radar show a higher speed. Follow my logic?

So I personally don't believe any of the 1mph speeding ticket stories. No LEO will take being knocked of in court on those sorts of variables.

Yes I know about electronic v cable v gps Speedos. Just saying that new v old tyres alone can give you a ticket? 

There are hundreds of conversions on the roads. Look at all the Merc Sprinters and RAM Promasters out there. Its only natural that there is demand for something larger. Many schoolies have been well looked after. So they make a great starting base.

The biggest problem will be snob RV parks that deem any conversion a stain on their park standards.

"Real sea sickness'? Out at sea on a yacht with waves so big breaking over the boat that a number of times only the crews heads and the rigging were visible! Nighttime at sea away from land in a storm gives a whole new meaning to strong winds.

Mind you I have used my tacking skills a number of times on the roads.

Remember these same folks are on the highways!

Yes. Their colours don't match!

We watched one trailer for an hour in a state park trying to get into a space. No matter how they tried their hose wouldn't reach the faucet. It wasn't far away. Soon they unhooked. Left and came back in about an hour. Unrolled a new longer hose and settled in for the night. They found it easier to drive to a nearby town for a longer hose than figure out how to park the rig.

I would never interfere. Not because I fear a punch on the nose. But because it's great entertainment.

FWIW I'm blessed with great backing skills. I have no idea why. I just find it easy to back a rig. Even backed a 40ft MH with a toad 4 wheels down. Only 20ft but it did did it!

I did off shore sailing for many years. Those who thought they would get sick did get sick. I believe 95% of folks talk themselves into it. I can only recall one crew member getting sick. And that may have been an off can of beer!

When this subject comes up we tend to forget the disconnect between those on holidays and those who live on the road. Two weeks of $50.00 a night is cheaper than hotels for those on holidays. (Yes I'm ignoring the capital cost of the RV). But if you live long term in an RV $50.00 a night becomes a real pain in the wallet. 

Its now becoming more and more financially viable to set up your RV for complete off grid camping. Boondocking. Yes I know it's not for everyone. But life has choices. Pay the going rates for RV parks or look at alternatives.

Here in Australian the tide has turned. I'm now guessing that 50% of folks now dry camp/boondock simply because campgrounds have priced themselves out of the market. There are also those who simply prefer more remote or "free" camping. (FWIW we have stayed at 2 RV parks in almost 3 years).

Towns away from the big smoke towns love the tourist dollars. They are prepared to provide camping alternatives in exchange for your dollars. Yes you have to get away from the interstate highways. But accept that those RV parks along the interstates and near tourist hot spots are going to meet the demand with their prices.

We were camped at Meteor Crater RV park some years ago. The wind blew over semis on the nearby interstate. We had sand coming in through the breather holes in our window frames. Power lines were like skipping ropes. The wind was so strong we couldn't open our MH door! Years of Rving and never want to camp in winds like that again. A 40ft Country Coach dp and we thought it was going over a number of times. No thanks.

If you have a spare what pressure do you put in it if your current pressures don't match?

Just throwing one more complication into the various theories.