GeoKat

5 days into full-time.

I really like hearing others do short travel days. I thought maybe it's just because I'm new to this but so far each planned stop is at most a 3hr drive. That way we can leave when it's light and get to the next spot before it's dark and still have time to check out our surroundings while we can still see.

I'll be doing something similar but I'll be up in Oregon in April and start my way across the top of the US over the summer until we end up in Maine in the early fall and then head south again for the winter. Having bought my rig in Ohio last week we're currently heading south and then west to be in arizona by the last week of March. I'm picking up my college kid from her grandma and taking her back to college in Oregon. Honestly I think I'll purposely avoid the south during the summer. Boondocking and a/c don't go hand-in-hand.

Oh yeah I've been lucky. I've found two good forums so far. There are a lot of cool people in a similar boat.

Well I made it. I'm on my 4th day of fulltiming in my new 5th wheel. Nothing went exactly as planned but everything turned out great in the end. Maybe better than I could have planned. I ended up with a beast of a truck, '16 f350 turbo, crew cab, long bed, 4x with a 3.73 axle. Got to know it while driving to Ohio to pick up my 2021 Palomino Puma unleashed, toy hauler with a 13' garage that's now my 12yos new bedroom. She's loving it. I'm sitting in a koa while waiting for the solar panels and such to get set up for cheaper living but I'm definitely enjoying full hookups right now with this crazy cold weather. I cooked our first real dinner last night. Mushroom chicken with broccoli and cheese. Got the ruko hooked up and definitely feeling at home unpacking the stuff we brought with after selling the farm. My body is still getting up at 4am (farm chore time) which leaves me a lot of time in the morning before I get the kid up to research everything I could possibly want to know and getting to know the rig.

What's the axle ratio on the rig? The only way a 250 will work is if it's a 3.73 (and that's pushing it) or a 4.3. A 350 with a 3.73 axle ratio will work fine but a 4.3 is better.

Solar mostly. I'm still researching the ins and outs. I'm looking into small pellet stove because of energy efficiency and heating ability, I can even pipe heat under the rig for colder climates without much effort. I'll have a spare tank in the truck for mid boondocking runs. It'll be a learning curve. I'm used to tent camping, backpacking, cooking on a fire and wearing extra layers. I'm going to be spoiled with a house on wheels.

That's awesome

Xlr nitro 351. While I'm getting set up I'll hang out in Delaware then we will "practice" boondocking on our way to AZ for spring break, I promised the OSU student a ride home from the x-in-laws. Then make our way back to boot camp in Georgia. After that the plan is just to explore the US 14 days at a time (or whatever the limit is wherever we're at).

With the advice about knowing how tall my trailer is and knowing where steep grades are I ran into the Garmin rv. Anyone use it? Tell me the pros and cons (other than the $300 price tag).

I camp in NW Oregon. West side of the Cascades, above Detroit and local, when I was in college I packed with horses in the northern Sierra's. I'm graduating from tent camping (house living) to full-time RV in Jan so there's going to be a lot to discover.

Ice fishing is something I've only seen on Grumpy old men but would love to experience. So by draining pipes you keep them from cracking? We drain hoses a lot on the farm during the winter. If you can't keep it above freezing then make sure it's drained. Where is Blue Mesa?

My 5th wheel has a garage with a half bath. Way better than my mudroom at home. Can't call it home without a couple of toys. Honestly though it's going to be a weird adjustment to having an cabin on wheels. I might sleep in a tent just to feel normal. lol

I don't know about az but in oregon if you look up hunting maps they always show BLM.

Give me your best snowy boondocking tips. Up until this year my kids and I tent camp in snowy conditions. We snowshoe for Xmas tree and just have some fun off the beaten path. How do I translate that to RVing? Where do you go, how do you winterize, etc. I keep reading about snowbirds but I'm not going rv to escape the winter just expanding our horizons. Rv has to be way easier than tent camping in the snow right?

I feel a dash cam could be a easily accessible positive. I have an app on my phone through my car insurance that gives me discounts for safe driving, shows if I use my phone while I'm driving and has accident detection. It's not a have to and I haven't been in an accident or had a ticket since I was 17 and still learning to drive but definitely gives me a little peace of mind and cheaper insurance.

I agree with this statement and do not subscribe to that habit. The tools and insurances that fit my needs has nothing to do with what others find important or about collecting gadgets. Finding opinions and information that'll help solidify my choices is the whole purpose of forums like this. We all share common interests despite the fact that everyone rvs their own way.

I don't think that's completely true. My closest neighbor has a suburbia type home. We both look over my farm, animals, barns, gardens and such. He sees dirt, manure and noisy turkeys (he resents me deeply for not developing my land to expand suburbia), I see dreams, memories and my children growing up half wild and free. Perspective from a person who owns a luxury rv (my neighbor does) is seldom the same as someone who rvs on a smaller budget.

I do have an iPad. I'll look up the app. Sounds like mountain directory is insurance. lol I hadn't thought of that. I haven't gone more than 150 miles from my home in 16yrs (pitfalls of farm life). I looking forward to brake assistance on my f350 diesel.

I appreciate that article. Mostly because like with all areas of life the bottom line is it cost whatever it is you want/have to put into it. What's a realistic budget for me has nothing to do with the person who might be living nextdoor or uptown.

One of many things on the list. I haven't decided yet how I'm going to set up residence or where. Until then I will just keep what I have. I've always been self-employed so insurance has always taken a little homework.

Awesome thanks!

Where can you find 4k of panels for 2k. I'm very much a newbie, won't be in my rv until Jan, but plan on boondocking the majority of the time so anywhere I can save a couple grand just makes the transition so much easier.

What setup do you have?

What do you use? Do you scan your video after each trip to make sure you don't miss anything? I'm very much enjoying learning all the new skill sets I'm going to be using on my new adventure.