ToddF

I do not have to travel. But I plan to leave MN on Sept 10 for the rest of 2020 before returning to MN at the end of Dec in time for tax season. I will be traveling solo and look forward to visiting familiar places from the NY/NJ/PA tri-state area and working my way down to Florida for Nov/Dec. I will be almost exclusively in TT parks. I am on an elite contract with the Florida "Max pass"...first time using it. Reservations booked out thru early Dec so far. I understand about the virus. I will wear gloves when I gas up. I will wear a mask in grocery stores and shop early when stores are not busy and have been cleaned overnight I am a "home body" and spend a lot of time in my RV alone. I take daily walks and bike rides.I'll need to use laundromats..the one high touch area I can't avoid. I'llnl only use pools if nearly empty. Any words of wisdom appreciated especially from anyone who frequents the East coast. I love to travel and knock 2-3 months off my winter. I have made similar versions of this trip before and am comfortable with where I am traveling. "MO" at home since the pandemic started has been similar to what I have planned for the trip. Tried eating in a few restaurants and have dropped that component due to risks and reduced enjoyment due to all the precautions.

It was the worst part of our 7,000 mile trip last year. Feels like a roller coaster ride. Not sure of alternate routes.

I remember shopping at my local grocery store before Walmart's SuperCenter (and also Target SuperCenter) opened and noticed increasing grocery prices. As soon as Walmart and Target opened, the prices on most items dropped 50c to $1.00 or more. I joined Sam's Club as a business member for $100 year even though my needs are limited, they have gained my goodwill for the grocery savings and use of their parking lots a couple of times a year for overnight stops. Walmart also has water dispensers in most of their stores and I like the filtered water for 39c a gallon. And in the town where I prepare taxes, before Walmart you could work for "Mom and Pop" and make minimum wage as a clerk or cashier. Now Walmart employs hundreds of people in our area for liveable wages with health insurance and stock purchase plan options, 401K with match etc. I think the CNN article must have been needed on a slow news day, as pointed out, no direct info from Walmart Corporate in the article. (I've seen W2s from cashiers for 40K+ )

Maybe join thousand trails? Look for work camping jobs? Hope it all works out ok for you.

I hope some will still allow it. Walmart used to be a haven for RV parking, but more stores won't allow it https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/31/business/walmart-rv-overnight-parking/index.html

My general advice would be to expect repairs in both cases (buying new or used). Have done both recently and in both cases, made many visits for various service needs and repairs. RVs are high maintenance and, unless you know how to do a multitude of things yourself, can get very expensive. Once you buy an RV and go through the initial repairs that are needed, you gradually get everything working the way you want and maintenance becomes more predictable. There will still be surprises and disappointments. Buying used kept our investment much lower and allowed us to try the lifestyle on for size before eventually buying new and spending a lot of $ and taking on a big RV loan. I make an effort to learn some maintenance tasks myself, which gives me more control, reduces visits to service centers, and saves me a few $. But I am very limited in what I can or will do. For example, I change the oil in my generator but not the RV. I winterize and dewinterize myself. I've replaced a toilet seal and installed a flat screen TV in the used RV that we bought. My sense from years of following forums and blogs is that there isn't a magic bullet in terms of a brand or manufacturer or type that will require less maintenance. RVs are complex monsters with any number of things that can go wrong. Once and awhile you get on a roll and get a good year or two without a big ticket item. Financially speaking, RVs are a money pit. I wouldn't have gotten into this game if my house hadn't been paid off and my finances in fairly decent shape. This isn't a lifestyle or hobby for anyone living on the edge. (Just my opinion...some seem to try it as evidenced by RVs that are obviously in need of repairs and maintenance in some parks I visit).

When you're on the road, most want to be as "foot loose and fancy free" as possible. Being a landlord may get in the way of that objective. I've rented out my home a couple of different times when I was in transition and was always surprised at the problems that popped up. Late rent. Broken appliances. Mostly little stuff but annoying nonetheless. Make sure you understand the tax code if you decide to rent. You may lose your exclusion on the gain on your personal residence. And depreciation MUST be taken on a rental property and recaptured upon sale in most cases. It's a very individual situation, certainly could work for the right persons, both landlord and tenant. Shutting the house down and keeping the place empty will be my choice going forward.

In Minnesota you could create a "Single Member LLC" and file income tax as a sole proprietor OR elect to be treated as an S Corporation for Federal and MN income tax purposes. If you don't have a tax advisor, consider consulting with one. (Each state will be different). naea.org (National Association of Enrolled Agents) member lookup EAs tend to have smaller practices and are very approachable for small business owners like yourself. Study the "Wayfair" decision to learn about sales tax issues, as Kirk has pointed out, very important. Each state will have different rules. In addition to tax and legal bases, be sure to cover insurance issues with a qualified insurance agent. Don't assume that business activity, however small, is inconsequential.

I've been out East multiple trips and believe most of the parks in the TT Northeast zone can handle you. But go after Labor Day as the parks will be very full July/August. Wells, ME, Gateway to Cape Cod, Lake and Shore (NJ shore), Timothy Lake South (Poconos), should all handle a big rig. Pick up a Thousand Trails Zone pass. Things are tighter out East...with careful planning, you should be ok. If you are new and not 100% able to manuever in heavy traffic, I'd be extra cautious. In the NYC area, I leave Timothy Lake South on Sunday morning and head to the Jersey shore...after Labor Day. Minimal traffic at that time. Vermont is pretty but didn't see many campgrounds.

Both states are open ...state parks in both MN and WI require online reservations. In MN, same day reservations will not incur reservation fee of about $8. KOA open. MN and WI require vehicle passes, in WI you have to buy an annual online and print receipt for use until you receive the sticker in the mail. The shutdown has made it difficult to get reservations, Sun-Thurs best odds. July and Aug are the busiest months. Try Whitewater State Park (MN) if you come home via I-90. Very quiet park with newer section in the open prairie and older section in woods. Not too far from Winona the river for scenic tours.

Here is a nice (deeded lot) in Mesa AZ. Very well maintained park and great location. If I was a FT'er I'd consider owning a "home base" lot too. This park's lots are very close together (practically on top of one another). But very good amenities and upkeep. And great location, about 1 mile from the new light rail station. Lots of RV parks in the area with rental programs. https://www.greenfieldvillage.com/

I just got an email informing me that Spirit Mountain in Mohave Valley in AZ is closing again. I fear we're in a beginning stage of new closures. We've eaten out 3X since restaurants reopened in MN and both agree it just isn't the same with reduced seating, masks, and fear of the virus on everyone's mind. On a positive note, camping has been fine in IA, MN and WI. We're self-contained so don't use public restrooms unless there are no sewer hookups, then maybe showerhouse. I'm hoping campgrounds in the Thousand Trails system remain open. Big trip planned out East from Sept 10- late Dec. I'm a tax guy and closed the office to ALL foot traffic from Mar 12-May 26. Since reopening with precautions, I find most clients come in without masks on. After entering the building and seeing me with a mask on, they offer to do same. Camping should continue as social distancing is easily accomplished and being in your RV in a campground is very low risk in my opinion. But as with the restaurant experience, won't be quite the same. The RV is my hobby...plan to muddle through this crisis at all cost. If parks are open in early Sept, I will plan to leave MN on Sept 10 with the first big stop at Timothy Lake South in the Poconos then on to the Jersey shore, both places I grew up in and love.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/rv-rental-buy-how-to-drive-repair-camp-park-coronavirus-11594132322?st=2iv7nlpmfi12vgj Ok, the Wall Street Journal hit a slow news day. I'm as green as they get and haven't hit anything in 8 years of driving.

I recommend rvtripwizard for trip planning.

Bought used last year and found these to be around $3,000. I bought mine in ebay. campground outlet as mentioned previously, is a reputable broker which of course retains a % of the sale price as a commission. I found a contract with 6 bonus parks in FL (Max pass was transferable) for a total of 9 FL parks For this I was willing to pay $5,000 + transfer fee.

In that price range, you should be able to find a gently used Class C on the Ford E450 which is a workhorse and easy to service. Our Lazy Daze had about 139,000 on it when I sold it off and replace with a Minnie Winnie on the 2016 Ford E450 which has an upgraded 6 speed automatic transmission and "tow haul" mode. Tow Haul works well, however, I am not a heavy mountain climber so can't testify to heavy mountain use. When I sold the Lazy Daze, the Ford ran like new. X2 on the swivel seats, it really adds to the comfort when parked. And the dog loves "his own chair". Look at the Minnie Winnie 31D, I've seen a few used ones on RV Trader, I bought new, it is a great floor plan manufactured for only 2 years that I am aware of (2017 + 2018) Winnebago year. The Ford is a year older. After 4 years in the 31D, I can honestly say there isn't much I would change.

Thousand Trails seems ideally suited for full timers since you can stay 14-28 days in most parks (with limited exceptions). I'm not FT but spend 3-4 months living in the RV and have found I like staying in my favorite destinations for 2 weeks or more. If you are not already familiar with TT, I would encourage you to check it out. It has worked out well for me as the membership saves money and also helps narrow down the overwhelming choices of where to go and where to camp. I plan my trips on rvtripwizard and then book my stays as my reservation window opens up (ranging from 60-120 days out).

Sounds like what you are looking for is some sense of community. Here are a few ideas... Escapee parks (have seen younger people camping in these too) - they have social activities for all with no strings. Thousand Trails zone pass. The "affiliation" creates a loose sense of community since everyone is a member. Many all age parks and quite a few 55+ too. Campground host at a state park for a month. You become part of the staff and gain an immediate sense of purpose. By the end of the month, you'll enjoy your freedom to move on and not have responsibilities and ties to park management. Do things you enjoy and maybe you'll meet other's with similar interests. Look for AA meetings which happen in all 50 states. Most meetings are open. If you drink, maybe decide to quit with AA's help. (Half serious, half kidding here). I quit alcohol 2 1/2 years ago and it is has improved my life. Not into the "happy hour" scene that does play out in some parks.

Winnebago has been great in fixing problems...our new rig has not been trouble free. We may finally be "out of the woods" as not much has come up in the last year. In talking with one of the service reps in Forest City, he said the Class Cs have relatively fewer and less complicated problems than some of their big Class A rigs.

Not in the 2017 Minnie Winnie 31D. 4th year camping 3-4 months per year. 7,000 mile cross country trip last Sept-Dec. Our rig handles like a dream, no sway (no after market mods), no unusual effects from the wind. (Any large vehicle will feel the wind when it is high). I do a lot of the driving myself and never get tired driving it because it is so easy to stop and refresh and take breaks with a Class C. We have a big overhang in the back, and it worried me at first, but we have had no problems with handling or maneuverability. We set up for 2-3 weeks at a time, so the extra room is great, more than we really need. But we've been in a smaller rig with no slides and wouldn't go that way again with 2 traveling.

That's good news. It appears that Thousand Trails (Encore) has only a short list of campgrounds that are not taking reservations. No parks in Florida listed as "delayed opening". Am planning to spend to Nov and Dec in Florida moving around to different TT parks. Not concerned about the virus as my RV is self contained and shopping will be the same as at home - mask and gloves. Pools and other common amenities may or may not be open. Should be able to get out and ride my bike daily. I guess no one knows what summer and Fall are going to look like at this point.

Pick up a TT Zone Pass (SE Zone) + Trails Collection and you'll have access to 40+ parks in Florida. The Encore park in Punta Gorda is much smaller but has lots to do and is in a great area. But there are many others too. We plan to move around quite a bit ..one nice thing is that the parks aren't that far apart so it's easy to explore.

Here is a great link to Ford...excellent information. (The Edge is flat towable for many years...only the most expensive model appears to be flat towable for 2020) https://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/ The Chevrolet Equinox is flat towable in FWD and AWD with the 2.4L (You can google the owner's manual for the years you are interested in and there will be specific information on towing in the manual). The Equinox is a nice, inexpensive vehicle that weights about 3200. The Edge weighs about 4200 and is a larger SUV "crossover" vehicle. Honda produces a great car. We own 2 and one is 12 years old and the other 17. Neither car has ever given us a problem ...just routine maintenance. But new Hondas are not flat towable in most cases except maybe a few with manual transmission. We also have a newer (2015) Subaru Outback (not flat towable) and we're learning that newer isn't better. Just replaced a $900 "head unit" (radio and navigation system) that failed after 4.5 years. Turns out the electronics are problematic on these cars. Would never buy another Subaru but I know many swear by them.

Recapping some of my proposed solutions... Acknowledge the homeless and beggars with a "resource sheet". Donate to local organizations with a long history of success in providing services to this population. Call out fraud to the appropriate authorities if you witness it and are certain of your conclusions. If you decide to "engage" these folks (or walk amongst them), carry mace or pepper spray as a possible self-defense tool. (I have starting doing this also because of loose and aggressive dogs I encounter.) Halt! is a product I found online that is marketed as a dog repellant. These folks,who are often mentally ill, can pose a danger as we just saw in the Texas Church shooting. Don't pick these folks up in your vehicles or offer to take them to restaurants or other locations. (Just my opinion). And in the case of the guy on the scooter in Las Vegas, riding up and down the lanes in between cars with his dog on his scooter, I should have called the police.

Another big problem we observe as we travel around this great country is trash. It is amazing how much trash we see along the roadways and in parking areas and even sometimes in RV parks! If I was homeless and "down and out", and I could stand on a street corner and beg for money, I would switch gears and go to business establishments and ask for a manager. I would then offer to pick up all of the trash in the establishment's parking lot and landscaped areas. I would express appreciation for the opportunity to serve a purpose and gladly accept a free meal or small stipend, although none was required. While camp hosting along Minnesota's North Shore last summer, I went out every night and rode my bike along Hwy 61 on beautiful Lake Superior and took a small grocery bag and stopped and filled it up with the trash along the roadway. It is absolutely amazing what people throw out of their vehicles. It took me a month, I cleaned up 5 miles of highway (both sides). Cig butts are the #1 item. Used baby diapers are the worst item to pick up.