Class of 2015

[Golfingdeb15]

Hello there fellow classmates. Sounds like I will be the first in our class to graduate. Yes, with fingers crossed and prayers said, I will be leaving my house, of 41 years, to renters and heading out in my 2008 24ft class C Winnebago on January 1, 2015. And flying solo. I lost my hubby back in 2012, and it is now time to continue with my dream to travel. I know nothing about the mechanics (men are good at that) but I will keep my fingers crossed. Heading to the Escapee Boot Camp/Escapade in March........till then, I hope I don't run into too many difficulties. Thanks for listening.......hope to meet a friend or two along this journey.

Oh yea....I am picking up my motorhome next week......pictures to follow. If I can figure that out. Ha,ha.

[ezdays]

Congratulations! I go the end of 2015. Sorry about your loss but so glad to see you are going to get out there as a solo. I will be, too. I know nothing either about fixing my TT if something would go wrong but this forum is great at helping. They have helped me numerous times. Can't wait to see some of your pictures. I know once you start your travels you'll wonder why it took so long to jump in and do it. Maybe we'll meet sometime in our travels. Good luck! ☺️

[Luv2pik]

Congrats on your early graduation! You will be fine on the road, fellow RVrs are the best people I've met! So helpful. We went to boot camp in the spring and it is a real learning experience. We have been camping for 42 years and still learned. So sorry for your loss but proud that you are going to make your dream work. Can't wait to see the pictures and hear your stories!

[ganto]

Luv2pik, on 30 May 2014 - 05:38 AM, said:

OK, I'll start something new, are DVDs more reliable than a thumb drive for saving photos, etc?

I always use a thumb drive for my photos. but I always back em up to dvd also and keep one copy on me and I put the other copy in a safety deposit box because you'll never know what will happen!! god forbid if something did happen you get the copy in your safety deposit box and you can re download em to your pc and rip em to another thumb drive in the event that something happens!!

[yourpcgeek49]

A quality DVD is "theoretically" good for 50 years --- if stored properly. Of course, that can be the catch. Too much heat, UV, moisture, etc. can undo everything. I never consider a Thumb Drive "archival" -- too easy to pick up the wrong one, or again damage by environmental factors. Prices for both thumb drives and DVD media are really low, so there's no need for an either/or.

 

Perhaps the easiest system is to have a USB external hard drive (or two); copy your pics and other important computer files to it on a regular basis. Ideally, you have one with you that you can add to regularly, and leave the other one in a safe place away from your RV. The safe deposit box is great, but even with a friend or family member. Just so it in your RV where whatever happens to your primary PC won't happen to your back-up. (A backup isn't much good if it burns up in the same fire as your primary computer!) And rotating two allows you to be adding to one while the other stays safe.

[scouserl41]

Woke up today at home after a nice 10 day trip to Yuma AZ with Chapter 25 Shanty Shakers.

What's special about that?

Well Dec 1st means Barbara has 4 months to retirement and I have 6 months!

Better get busy with yard sales and bathroom projects if we want to sell the house in April.

BnB

[JC and Angie]

Well December 25th we lock the doors on rupert (our volvo 780) and head toward a Louisiana rest stop then to New Orleans for 4 days. Then we're off to key West for 3 months and then the east coast of the great USA till October with stops in Boston, Washington, Maine and many more places. Then we return back to Dallas via Michigan, Indiana and ultimately ending up back in Dallas for thanksgiving and a couple weeks in town for appointments.

 

The point of this post is WE ARE STARTING OUR FULL TIME LIFE!!!!!!

 

Very mixed feeling right know. I've traveled a lot for,business. Total different than traveling for Pleasure. Renting our house that we just remodeled, good thing and weird at the same time. 2500 sq feet to 440 sq feet.

 

I have a closet with clothes to sort through and final packing of stuff and my office to close down.

Wish us luck and I will keep y'all in the loop as to our travels.

 

Thanks to Gregg Shields, forks RV, and everyone on the HDT forum for all your help and I'm sure you'll hear about a broke something.

 

JC and Angie

[Peaceful Page]

Hi All!

 

Sounds as if most of you are getting down to the final stages, as are we.

 

We decided to go ahead and remodel the master bath. It is in the midst of destruction as I type this. Hope to have it finished by next week.

 

Airstream has thrown a slight wrench into our plans because they have quit taking orders for the 2015 Classic until they get their factory expansion completed. That is scheduled for next April/May.

 

We are going to the Florida RV Supershow next month in hopes that there will be a new Classic there so that we can go over it with a fine-toothed comb before we actually make the commitment to that model.

 

I hope all have a good holiday season!

[dorrph]

We are Escapee members and have been working for 6 months to get all the ducks in a row..but we have had many issues.

1. Leaving Michigan to become residents of Florida. My employee sponsored health insurance now has to be changed because we will not be Michigan residents.

2. We can't find insurance for our storage unit in Michigan which has a fraction of our stuff in it..since we don't have a Michigan address.

3. Have people been happy with Good Sam Insurance? Naturally our car insurance has to change, but one car is staying in Michigan.

4. Perfect Storm all happens within 2 months,,,husband retires, house closes, find a place for 1 month, set up a new address in Florida Jan 1 so we can get our end of year tax info, changing residency so we don't have to pay state income tax on the pension, sell 90% of our furniture.

 

Any comments or advice is always welcomed. I really don't want to reinvent the wheel.

 

Laurie

[steved44]

Welcome to the vagabonds club. At least after the firestorm of activity you will be able to hide in the desert somewhere and rest up. Twin peaks insurance agency has been used by a number of RVers with good results. 800-507-8467 We have been carrying Blue Sky full timers insurance from them for a couple of years now. Good rates, but have not had a claim yet so not sure about that end. I'm sure someone that knows will comment. Steve

[Bill&Cindy]

We are with Progressive now and plan to stay with them when we go full time. Premium is about $1,000 annual for our 2013 KZ Stoneridge.

[SRPearson]

We are in the final stages of packing our coach for our maiden voyage to Los Lunas, NM. We are spending Christmas with the wife's brother and our nephews. On the way home, we will be stopping overnight in Las Vegas to see our daughter and grandkids. We will be on the road for 10 days. Planning on staying at truck stops overnight to save $$. We will see how well that works out. I will let you all know how it went when we get back. Merry Christmas.

[Derekstacy]

It's been awhile since I've been on. We are making a huge step, on Tuesday we close on our new home on wheels....Grand Design 379FL!! It's starting to get real!! We are very excited and emotional ready, still have a number of things to get done before we can head out fall of 2015!

 

Merry Christmas to everyone!

 

Stacy

[JC and Angie]

We are in the final stages of packing our coach for our maiden voyage to Los Lunas, NM. We are spending Christmas with the wife's brother and our nephews. On the way home, we will be stopping overnight in Las Vegas to see our daughter and grandkids. We will be on the road for 10 days. Planning on staying at truck stops overnight to save $$. We will see how well that works out. I will let you all know how it went when we get back. Merry Christmas.

Heres the problem you'll find with truck stops. Crowded and no way to put slide outs out. Now people will tell you "don't take the truckers parking". That's your call. But there's so many trucks on the road that they start parking at 5 pm and by 8 forget about it.

 

Good luck

 

JC

[TreyandSusan]

The point of this post is WE ARE STARTING OUR FULL TIME LIFE!!!!!!

Hey JC,

Tell Angie Hey from us. Susan and I hope to see y'all down the road.

Make sure and post any east coast campgrounds to the HHRV Campground Guide.

If you can fit in then anyone can.

[ganto]

JC and Angie, on 20 Dec 2014 - 9:19 PM, said:JC and Angie, on 20 Dec 2014 - 9:19 PM, said:

Heres the problem you'll find with truck stops. Crowded and no way to put slide outs out. Now people will tell you "don't take the truckers parking". That's your call. But there's so many trucks on the road that they start parking at 5 pm and by 8 forget about it.

 

Good luck

 

JC

iv'e also seen truck stops where they have a security guard come out and tell rvr's that the parking spots are for truckers only and the rvr's can't park there and they have to move on!! that might be another thing to consider!!

[SRPearson]

Thanks for the reply JC & Ganto. To report on our first two nights; the first stop was at a T/A truck stop in Barstow and no problems. Was able to put 3 of the 4 slides out. The second night out was in Little America truck stop in Flagstaff. That one was crowed, so no slides were deployed. The truck next to us was approx 30" away on one side, we could barely open the door.We had a space between us and the truck on the other side. Both left their diesels running all night. No one came by to ask us to leave at either stop. We are in Los Lunas, NM tonight staying at my wifes brothers for the next 5 days. Then on to Las Vegas NV. I hope Santa brings everything everyone wants. Merry Christmas.

[majolle]

Looks like a few fellow retires prepping for the graduation day. My day is already here, just waiting for my wife who will liberate on 30 Jun. We will be gone come July 1st. Already have read several books, just joined Escapees and enjoying the information highway. Have several years of RVing experience but like most that was vacation, this will be fulltimer. Bought a new to us 28' 5ver that was in perfect condition. Now getting it packed and making an occasional trek to test things out.

Plan on hitting Flaming Gorge and spending 2 to 3 months there, then slowly a the weather changes we will wander down to the San Juan and around Thanksgiving should be in Quartzsite or vicinity. I CAN'T WAIT. Hope to see you all on the road somewhere.

[JC and Angie]

Hey JC,

Tell Angie Hey from us. Susan and I hope to see y'all down the road.

Make sure and post any east coast campgrounds to the HHRV Campground Guide.

If you can fit in then anyone can.

3 days to go and the RV is packed and I'm sure we have brought way to many clothes. We leave on the 25th for a lousiana rest stop for our first night of our full time life style. Been planning and thinking and worrying, but at the end of the day we will be like little kids on Christmas morning waking up early full of excitement to hit the road on Christmas morning. We hit up New Orleans for a couple days, then meet up with jack and Daniell for a couple days and then spend New Years eve in Naples. Then Key West for 3 months. Then, the entire east coast for the summer. Boston for fire works, Maine for lobsters, DC for who the hell knows what. Should be interesting at some of the RV parks we have reservations at. Most have pull throughs. But still, who knows how this will work out. And yes, if we fit most everyone will fit.

 

Thinking about going to the east coast rally and definitely the hutch rally.

 

We'll keep in touch via the forum and maybe a blog.

 

Oh, and the bad news of the week is Angie got T boned ( she's fine) in the smart car 3 days ago. Slow speed, still spun her around. Hit the drivers door and riped sheet metal just behind the door and bent the rear wheel in. 50/50 if they total it. So we will load it up, drag it with us to homestead florida to have it repaired while we are in KW. Oh well, we got the bad out of the way already. (Glass half full)

 

JC

[yourpcgeek49]

First, thanks to everyone who has provided us with hints, guidance, insights, etc. While we will not actually "hit the road" until late next Fall, we are making steps to be ready for our Big Day.

 

We are planning to put our house onto the market in Feb. or March. We just purchased a 3500 Dually and will be installing the hitch over the holidays; will be moving our 5th wheel to a campground closer to home so that "when" the house sells, we can live there and commute until we can actually retire!

 

If you are interested, please visit our blog: http://yourpcgeek.com/blog/1-the-end-of-a-great-season-and-a-new-beginning/

 

Congrats to those hitting the road very soon, we are jealous!

[JC and Angie]

3 days to go and the RV is packed and I'm sure we have brought way to many clothes. We leave on the 25th for a lousiana rest stop for our first night of our full time life style. Been planning and thinking and worrying, but at the end of the day we will be like little kids on Christmas morning waking up early full of excitement to hit the road on Christmas morning. We hit up New Orleans for a couple days, then meet up with jack and Daniell for a couple days and then spend New Years eve in Naples. Then Key West for 3 months. Then, the entire east coast for the summer. Boston for fire works, Maine for lobsters, DC for who the hell knows what. Should be interesting at some of the RV parks we have reservations at. Most have pull throughs. But still, who knows how this will work out. And yes, if we fit most everyone will fit.

Thinking about going to the east coast rally and definitely the hutch rally.

We'll keep in touch via the forum and maybe a blog.

Oh, and the bad news of the week is Angie got T boned ( she's fine) in the smart car 3 days ago. Slow speed, still spun her around. Hit the drivers door and riped sheet metal just behind the door and bent the rear wheel in. 50/50 if they total it. So we will load it up, drag it with us to homestead florida to have it repaired while we are in KW. Oh well, we got the bad out of the way already. (Glass half full)

JC

One night to go !!!!!!!! All packed!!'

[RJ n P]

Hi everyone!

Just want to introduce ourselves into the Class of 2015.

 

We have been Rv's for 23 years, are are getting ready to hit the road full time in April. Will be putting the house on the market in February, after some medical procedures are taken care of.

 

We are kind of young ( 47 & 54 )to be giving up the rat race, but with both of our medical conditions, we figure we better do it while we can. If we keep working, our jobs are going to kill us.

 

Will be hitting the road debt free, with a couple of rental incomes and a nice 401k, if needed, to get us by till we are of SS age ( if it's still around ). We have been planning for over 15 years, and done everything in our power so we will not have to work when we hit the road. We believe we also have the necessary funds if life takes a turn, and we need, or want to find a home base somewhere.

 

Plan on joining Escapees, and PA, as well as getting our America the Beautiful Pass when time gets closer.

Im sure we will have questions as time goes along, but just wanted to say hi from Arizona ( for now)

 

Safe travels everyone

[JC and Angie]

Well we have made it to Naples Florida to a very nice park. It's mostly mfg homes, but a very big pad and very nice pond to look at. Key west next Monday, look out boyds here we come. All 45ft of us.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Enjoy Key West! When you get to Boyds, you might want them to take you to your site on a golf cart, Get a feel for the roads etc. It's a little small in there, nice, clean, great staff, but some of the corners are narrow.

[Luv2pik]

Congrats JC and Angie! Enjoy your new life on the road! We will be there too the end of May. House already sold, just waiting for Hubby to retire.

 

Welcome to the class RJ n P! Sounds like you have everything planned out well, so fortunate to be able to go early! Hope your house sale goes quickly!

 

Maybe we will see y'all on the road one day!