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If you don’t mind staying about 30 miles east of Yuma, there’s a nice Passport America associated park called Copper Mountain. It’s out in the middle of nowhere so not a good stop if you need to shop in Yuma, and may be too far east depending on where you are going in California. I don’t know if they have pull-through sites, I’ve only stayed in their back-in ones, which are huge, much wider than normal. It’s typical desert, no trees. I’ll be there tonight and tomorrow. Otherwise there are tons of campgrounds in Yuma, but haven’t stayed at any of them. There’s an Encore Park that looks really nice, I’ve driven past it occasionally. I’m going to be staying with a friend of mine there (he has full hookups) from the 18th-21st, I’ll do the trip up to Vegas in 2 days.

Cheryl - you have certainly put on the miles this fall! Funny that you left Houston Thursday, That’s the day I left Livingston. Right now I’m in Las Cruces, I’ll be in Tucson this evening, Yuma area tomorrow for a couple of days. Then Christmas with my sister in Vegas, leaving the 29th. I’m going to Quartzsite, definitely in January, possibly for New Years (haven’t decided yet). My idea at this point is to buy an LTVA permit at the BLM office in Yuma, since I’m going there anyway. That will give me more options for staying in the area. So my guess is I’ll be there the first of the month, moving over to Scaddan Wash area to meet up with friends January 9th, the week before the big top opens. I’ll be leaving Q on the 23rd for a place near Phoenix, not entirely sure what my plans are for February (thinking about going back to Q for a while, maybe) and early March, there’s a lot to see in Arizona. I’ll definitely be at Escapade. I also signed up for the RV boot camp, figured they can tell me all of the things I’ve been doing wrong for so long! My first days as being a full-timer have been fun and unexpected. I’ve visited places I never expected to visit now (Florida), got to be better friends with a TC owning couple I had met a couple of times before, and met lots and lots of new friends at various campgrounds I’ve stopped at. Not sure it feels any different than when I took long trips before I sold the house. I keep thinking that it will eventually feel different, it probably will in February, when I realize I don’t have to shovel my driveway!

Love it!!!!

There is a difference between the question "where are you from" and "where do you live" in my mind. I'm "from" California (twice) but I've lived and have contact or ties to a number of other places. If I were asked that question for a work camper name badge, I'd be tempted to put down the place where I had the most emotional ties to and knew the best. Right now I'd probably put down Texas as I'm a newly minted Texan, so my emotional ties are now to Texas and I can talk intelligently about Copperas Cove, having lived there happily for a few years in the 1980's. I know California best for having been born and raised there, then moved back there 30 years ago. However, I have few emotional ties left there and not sure I would want that state, that I couldn't wait to leave, on a name badge. The answer to where I live is wherever I'm parked now. Totally different question, totally different answer.

The point of no return is past - I just surrendered my California drivers license for the first time since I was 18. And I need to memorize my new license plates - perhaps filling out a few campground registration cards will help with that. I must admit to some unexpected, different emotions about the drivers license, things that I didn’t feel when moving out of the house, and seeing it close. Then it was relief that the whole agony was finally over. For some reason I feel far more rootless. Has anyone else from our graduating class feel the same way? It doesn’t help that my original plan was to head back west when I was done with the formalities, but my sister is going to spend Thanksgiving at a cousin’s house in Florida, so more it looks like I need to start planning a trip east instead. I haven’t thought about visiting the area at all and have no idea where or how to get there or must-see places along the way. In any case, I’ll be heading west again after Thanksgiving. Only issue is that while I have a heavy coat with me, most of my winter stuff is in Vegas! Going to be an interesting trip to say the least.

Kirk - Thanks for the reminder. I need to talk with my tax accountant about timing for all this - there are figures I won’t have until later as far as figuring income, so while I’m planning on paying California state tax up until I leave, I don’t know about timing. And also thanks for the info about nothing to file for Texas. Very cool!

I got off the fence and registered for Escapade. Plus I made reservations at Rainbows End Nov. 1-8 so that I can change my domicile. One more appointment on Monday and then I’ll be leaving California, for a long, long while. No definite plans past the Rainbows End reservation, other than a vague idea of heading west to Arizona and Nevada. One thing I just discovered is that I’ll be paying more for prescriptions. But it will still be less than paying CA state income tax! Itching to really get on the road and out of state.

I’m such a newbie to the world of RVing. I bought my first, and only RV, a Lance 1685 travel trailer, new the end of 2015. However, I’ve been an RV wanna-be for a long time, buying a 3/4 ton cargo van in 1976 and adding a foam “bed” in the back, but never got further than that. I recently went to the California RV Show and looked at a number of new RVs, expecting that something out there would say, “you’re a full-timer now, buy me.” I was somewhat surprised that nothing did. When it came right down to it, I find my trailer very comfortable and suits my needs. Many people around now say that it takes a couple of RVs to figure out what really works for you. In 6 months I might decide I really do need a bigger trailer (and truck) but for now I’m very happy with my rig.

I know what you mean, I’ve got too much stuff too. I’m going to go to an RV show tomorrow to look at trailers - do I get a larger trailer or work harder at getting rid of stuff? My problem is that I have more storage space than I do weight capacity. I really should get the rig weighed again, to see if It really is overweight (it was just under last year on a big trip).

Safe travels, Reed! I’m still hanging out in California for a couple of appointments, then I’m heading to Livingston to become a Texan. But before I leave, there’s the California RV Show and I want to take a look at what’s out there. It’s always fun to look at new, shiny rigs, even if they don’t meet my needs.

Welcome fellow solo classmate! Great to see another one join the class, and retired life. It’s wonderful! I paid my final gas company and electric bill today and it was such a great feeling!

Thanks for starting this thread and all the information that has been shared so far. I’ve never been to one and just sold my house, so I’m brand new to full-timing. I’m on the fence for this one only because another camping group I’m involved with is having a rally the same weekend and I can’t go to both. I’d love to hear more about it so I can decide whether to cancel my reservation for the other event.

Is anyone from this class going to Escapade? I’m on the fence, I love Wyoming, and I think it would be a fun event. But another camping group I’m involved with has a rally the same weekend in Oregon. What to do, what to do? I can’t make up my mind! Hoping to see some of you in Quartzsite this winter. Now that I’m really house-less, I’ll be getting an LTVA permit and will be spending a certain amount of the winter there.

Woo hoo! The house closed today! I am now officially a member of the Class of 2019!

Well, I think I’m really close to joining the Class of 2019. My buyer’s buyers finally signed the paperwork and that house is supposed to record Monday. I’m picking up a U-Haul tomorrow and moving what I’m keeping to Vegas on Monday, return Tuesday. The house is scheduled to close Wednesday and my buyer is going to give me a couple of days extra here after we close. I still need to sell the Jeep, do laundry (silly thing, but I’m going to miss the washer and dryer), visit the dump one last time and it’ll be nice to use the hook-ups here and get the trailer re-organized. Keep your fingers crossed, I’ve had so many set-backs with the sale, I’m afraid to believe it’s really happening. How is everyone else doing, including those that are already on the road? Having any issues? Did you have plans where you went after moving out? I have no idea where I’m going, I’ve got about 10 days before I’m supposed to be somewhere. I really have no idea where I want to go yet.

I camp a lot with a manufacturer specific owners group. I also enjoy talking to the people I meet in campgrounds, one of my friends who I traveled with has kept up with a couple we met on the Lu Lu Belle, then ran into them again in Haines. They spent a couple of weeks traveling with them this summer. I like the idea of the local chapters of Escapees, and may pursue it later on, once I figure out what I’m going to do after the house closes. I had at one point joined a women’s RVing group but it seemed their activities kept coinciding with my other camping group and I never got involved.

Another success story! Love it! Safe travels tomorrow as you head to Livingston (and I’m envious!).

Interesting. Yes, Camping World has a horrible reputation. One salesman when I was starting to think about a trailer tried to convince me that the smallest trailer they had would be perfect for my tow vehicle, even though the GVWR of the trailer was well over the tow rating, and the dry weight was barely under it. I go into Camping World’s store often, it’s fun to see what stuff they have, occasionally something I hadn’t known about and that will fit into my life perfectly. Sometimes their sales items are cheaper than Amazon, which is where I cross-shop. I like being able to go in and grab something immediately rather than wait for UPS or FedEx to deliver something in a couple of days if it’s something I really need and isn’t something Walmart carries. I guess RV sales are more profitable for them. The only person I know who ordered a trailer through them had all sorts of problems with getting the trailer, and got more response from the manufacturer. On the other hand, they’ve had excellent warranty service from the service center at the same store. Sales manager was lousy, service manager excellent. I’m sure it varies from store to store. I’ll be sorry to see them close the stores as I do find them handy on occasion. I don’t think I would ever have a reason for buying an RV from them.

Well done! Safe travels! I'm on pins and needles today, hoping my realtor calls me sooner rather than later to let me know if my "nibble" is a full-on "bite". My "nibble" is a contingency offer and if their property closes today like it's supposed to, the contingencies should be released tomorrow (hope, hope). I haven't made any plans on where I'll go and won't until after I'm sure the buyer won't back out for some reason. And what am I doing spending hours here on the computer? There are things that I could be doing but somehow I'm so afraid something will happen and the house won't sell.

Does it get better? Absolutely! Yes, there's a huge learning curve. I'm on my first RV, it's over 3 years old and is a travel trailer, so many of your questions (order of things with generator/inverter/ignition) don't apply. I had ordered mine and had a couple of months to watch YouTube videos on the basics (how to back a trailer, how to empty holding tanks, etc.) plus I got involved with a manufacturer specific forum and learned a whole lot from them. But even then, I immediately had an unexpected camping trip thrust on me. I was scared stiff, but now I'm grateful that I did go camping immediately because I got to put into practice all that theoretical knowledge. The folks at the manufacturer specific forum were most helpful as were the folks at the manufacturer's service department who fixed the issue that led me to that unexpected camping trip and who also answered a lot of questions I had that came up on that trip (I didn't remember or wasn't briefed on how to work the television/audio system). I also learned a few things I hadn't read before like don't leave the water hose hooked up if the overnight temp is going to be 22F. Before I even ordered my trailer I thought a lot about whether I would be one of those people who get an RV, go out on the first trip and hate it (I have a friend who did exactly that). Once I got the trailer, I never let the idea of failure to enter my mind, I was too busy trying to figure it all out. I didn't want to make a decision about it all until I had figured it out, I was so concerned that I would be like my friend and really wanted to give the whole RV thing a fair trial. It only took a couple of trips before I came to the conclusion that I really liked the whole RV community, people I met in campgrounds and that once I learned how things worked, it was actually pretty easy (though there's a lot to it - make lists and use them!!!). I don't know it all, I'm constantly learning new things and re-learning things I've forgotten, but that's half the fun. I still make mistakes and I'm constantly learning from other people's mistakes and issues when they are willing to share about them. If you can, take a break from traveling, sit for a while if you can, take a deep breath and let all that info you've been trying to absorb sink in. Take your time going home, enjoy the drive and take days off. Good luck and enjoy.

Timeshares work very well for those who will spend the time to figure out how they work, buys the one that works for them AND THEN USES IT. I was a happy timeshare owner for over 15 years, until I bought an RV. I was very tempted to keep it with the idea that I would go back to it once I was no longer able to manage an RV, and that I might use it occasionally. I quickly discovered that RVing can’t easily be combined with timesharing and that I preferred RVing so much that I wasn’t using my timeshare at all so I sold it. If in 10 years I decide I’m ready to go back to it, I’ll buy another. I’ve been looking at membership campground systems now that I’m trying to go full-time. There is a certain amount of similarity between them and timesharing. As far as I’m concerned though, they make figuring out timesharing simple. It’s a matter of different strokes for different folks.

An issue with the various products like Slime sealer is that they can gum up in-tire TPMS sensors, in that case a last resort choice. I do carry a spare(s) and a 12V or battery tire inflator.

What a fabulous idea! If my house really closes, count me in! I know I’ll be in Quartzsite in January (get-together with friends for the third time), and I’ll most likely get an LTVA permit and spend the winter around Arizona and southern Nevada.

Woo hoo! Congrats big time! Glad your plan worked out well and you are officially a member of the class of 2019! Am I so envious (fingers crossed that I might join you in a month).

Great stories!!! Keep them coming! I have a nibble on my house. It’s a contingency offer, so I’ll be on pins and needles until the buyer’s house closes, supposed to be August 30th. Assuming that happens and the rest goes smoothly, I could be houseless by September 20th. I’ll head home September 1st to start that final push. Until then I won’t believe it will happen.