Prioritizing (aka: where should the money go)?

[2gypsies]

You stated 2m for Alaska.  If you can, plan on leaving the 3rd week of May and re-crossing the Canadian border in the lower U.S. the end of August to mid-Sept.  How often do you plan to go on this long trip?  You might as well see it completely your first time.... just in case.  There is just so much to see in Canada and the Yukon before you even get to Alaska.  It's an awesome trip!

[TherapyBound]

You're reading our minds.  Our estimated departure date is mid-May 2021, with an eye toward being in Alaska by July and returning to the lower 48 at the end of Aug/beginning of Sept, then either heading east for a couple of months for the fall colors or poodling around the northern states for a bit, with the intent of being out west for the winter. We haven't firmed up the rough plan once we return from Alaska yet, so that may change. We may stay in the western half of the country if we think it'll be a 2-year trip, and save the eastern half for the second year.

We've been to Alaska twice and just love it, so we want to spend a lot more time there. If this does indeed turn into a 2-year adventure, we want to add more of Canada into the mix. I think we'll know once we're several months into it if we'll extend it to 2 years or even consider not having an ending date. 

[Kirk W]

9 hours ago, Bigthinkers said:

We've got a long list of destinations and their must-see attractions, as well as the lesser-known places we'd like to visit, and our next move is to consider how long, roughly, we'd like to spend in each area.

We started with a few points of interest that we considered to be "must visit" locations but quickly discovered that for us a quick visit was not enough. We then shifted to selecting an area in which to spend an entire season to allow is to visit everything we discovered there and to meet some of the local people. We did this by doing volunteer positions in those areas where we did some work in return for our RV site (which saved a lot of money) and that helped us to meet local residents, thus hearing from them what we should see and do there, and we also had activities that we could never had in any other way. For example, in Maine we helped with a black bear study and a Canada goose tagging project, in Montana we helped capture and tag songbirds, in Virginia we helped to inventory trees on a tree farm, and have helped with numerous interesting projects which also involved the local residents of the area. In so doing we have done things that we only dreamed about and we have made friends in every part of the country, some of whom we continue in contact with years later. 

There is a negative to our approach. That list of places to visit and things to experience had not gotten shorter like we thought it would as each place we stopped we heard of new things to seen and do and so our list is longer today than when we started! I have come to the conclusion that to experience everything out there would take more than one lifestime!

[TherapyBound]

That idea holds great appeal for us, Kirk W. We're hoping to be involved in several volunteer-type experiences, such as Harvest Hosting, disaster relief, etc. The things you mention sound incredible. We'd be all over that kind of volunteerism. Can you share how you've found those opportunities?

With a 1-2 year timeline as our initial expectation, we know we can't do it all, nor can we stay in one place for months at a time (Alaska is our exception). We do anticipate having a base in interesting places for 2-3 weeks and getting out into the community during that time, and we've traveled most of the US already, so it's really only a large handful of states we specifically want to experience. There is nothing we love as much about travel as hearing other people's stories.

[Kirk W]

8 minutes ago, Bigthinkers said:

Can you share how you've found those opportunities?

I suggest that you spend some time on our website and in particular going through the pages about volunteering, where we went and how we found the positions. We have now completed 30+ tours as RV volunteers in more than 25 different locations and the story of 28 of those experiences is told in that section of our website. In most cases the places we went ask for at leas a 1 month stay, so with only 2 years to travel you probably want to limit how much time you spend in this way but there are places that seek volunteer help in nearly every state. Let me know if you have questions once you have looked over the pages I have posted. 

[TherapyBound]

Thank you, Kirk W! This is something we're both quite excited about, and will give added purpose and meaning to our adventure.

[Bill Joyce]

19 hours ago, Carlos said:

Has anyone discussed the need for a washer and dryer?  You should give it some thought.

 

 is one example of such a discussion.  It is not the only one.

[Carlos]

LOL.  I knew someone would miss the humor.

 

[TherapyBound]

3 hours ago, Bill Joyce said:

is one example of such a discussion.  It is not the only one.

It was a joke, since over the course of 7 pages, including very decisively in my original post, I've said "We're getting a washer/dryer, and that's non-negotiable" about 10 times, but opinions on the matter keep cropping up.  

[Al F]

7 hours ago, Bigthinkers said:

It was a joke, since over the course of 7 pages, including very decisively in my original post, I've said "We're getting a washer/dryer, and that's non-negotiable" about 10 times, but opinions on the matter keep cropping up.  

Yep, the washer/dryer issue does keep coming up.  I DO hope you read through the link Bill Joyce provided.  

Since you have not been there and done that (the washer/dryer in an RV) but yet you are absolutely convinced you must have one, reading others experiences will give you some insight on what to look for and the limitations.   I could be wrong, but I feel you truly believe the washer/dryer in an RV will meed most all your needs for doing laundry.   Six months of doing laundry in the RV and you may or may not feel the same as you do today.

I always find it very informative to read the experiences of others, when I am sure I KNOW what I want.  Sometimes others experiences change my mind before I jump into what I KNOW what I must have.  

[TherapyBound]

Okay, let's set this to rest, since it doesn't appear to be enough that I AM going to have a washer/dryer and I am NOT looking to be talked out of it. As I stated in two posts (my original and a follow-up) there is an excellent reason I won't be going into a laundromat, and I would  not do the trip if it meant going into laundromats every couple of weeks. I don't feel anyone is entitled to my reason, so I won't provide it, but go ahead and think about one of your worst traumas, and decide if you'd like to revisit that trauma every couple of weeks.

Got it? Thank you for your concern, but I'm getting a washer/dryer. It really is as simple as that.

9 minutes ago, Al F said:

 I could be wrong, but I feel you truly believe the washer/dryer in an RV will meed most all your needs for doing laundry. 

Yup. You're wrong. That's not my reasoning. Sorry. Can we move on from the washer/dryer now, please?  

[Barbaraok]

I had two requirements for our DP.  Mid door and washer/dryer.  Have never regretted either decision.  Only thing I couldn't do in ours was heavy blankets.  And they only need to be done once in a while, so when visiting relatives, that is what I would do.     Over the years learned when it was absolutely necessary to use a Laundromat (rig in for service, stay at park without sewer hookup) but that was it.  

SINCE THIS WAS IN THE ORIGINAL POST, WHY THE H*LL IS EVERYONE TRYING TO CONVINCE THEM THAT THEY CAN DO WITHOUT?   I just don't get it! 

[Carlos]

Because that's what you do when people are asking for overall ideas on something they haven't done before.  Now that a personal reason has been posted for avoiding laundromats, I hope it can stop being mentioned.  Until now, it was reasonable to assume that it was based on something irrational like assuming that doing laundry onboard is easier.  She's got a perfectly rational reason to avoid the public washes and that's that.

 

Edited June 25, 2019 by Carlos

[Al F]

7 minutes ago, Bigthinkers said:

Okay, let's set this to rest, since it doesn't appear to be enough that I AM going to have a washer/dryer and I am NOT looking to be talked out of it. As I stated in two posts (my original and a follow-up) there is an excellent reason I won't be going into a laundromat, and I would  not do the trip if it meant going into laundromats every couple of weeks. I don't feel anyone is entitled to my reason, so I won't provide it, but go ahead and think about one of your worst traumas, and decide if you'd like to revisit that trauma every couple of weeks.

Got it? Thank you for your concern, but I'm getting a washer/dryer. It really is as simple as that.

Yup. You're wrong. That's not my reasoning. Sorry. Can we move on from the washer/dryer now, please?  

I still hope you read the link Bill Joyce provided.  Lots of folks there love there washer/dryer and there are 1 or 2 posts about which they believe work better that others. 

Still good info to be found by reading everything which is offered. 

[TherapyBound]

18 minutes ago, Carlos said:

Until now, it was reasonable to assume that it was based on something irrational like assuming that doing laundry onboard is easier.  

 

Incorrect. I stated it was non-negotiable in my first post, then in my second (!!) post I stated the following: 

I know the washer/dryer won't be as efficient as I'm used to, but this is a "thing" for me. Without going into the grim and upsetting reasons, I couldn't do this trip if I had to go to a laundrymat every week or two (not because of snobbery; more based on trauma). We'll leave it at that, just by way of explaining that it's a top priority. 

On page 4 I stated: As for the washer/dryer, I know it adds weight. I know weight is limited and it won't take much to reach full weight capacity. If I weren't so firm in my reasons for making it a requirement and not a luxury, I'd be talked out of it by now! I do have an excellent reason for it being a necessity FOR ME, and that reason would stop me from going at all rather than having to go to laundromats every week or two. As I originally stated, I prefer not to go into the details. So...I'll have an RV with a washer/dryer and very happily sacrifice something else instead. 

So yeah...I know my own mind on this matter, I've stated it repeatedly, and it was not a reasonable assumption that I was thinking irrationally and simply didn't understand how it worked, and perhaps I could be talked out of it.

Edited June 25, 2019 by Bigthinkers

[TherapyBound]

Al F, may I just very respectfully request that you drop the washer/dryer thing? I could really do without having to repeatedly revisit the issue. Can you please just accept that?

Edited June 25, 2019 by Bigthinkers

[sandsys]

Come on guys, have a heart. She said is was traumatic and you keep asking her to replay it. What's wrong with you? Would you ask someone involved in a fatal car crash to keep replaying it so you could explain why it happened? STOP NOW!

Linda

[Kirk W]

9 hours ago, Bigthinkers said:

Al F, may I just very respectfully request that you drop the washer/dryer thing? I could really do without having to repeatedly revisit the issue. Can you please just accept that?

If I may make a suggestion, just ignore the folks who insiste that your way isn't right. There are a few on these forums who have told me that I was wrong to buy a gas coach for fulltime, even now when it has been 8 years since we completed our 12 year adventure of fulltimeing in ours. There will always be a few who know that their way is the only right way on any given subject. 

[TherapyBound]

Thank you, sandsys.

Kirk W, I've been a moderator on discussion forums for 26 years, so I've got quite a bit of patience and I don't mind asking people directly if they'll cease and desist. If the direct request is ignored, I can usually find the Ignore/Block button. It's easy to get carried away with a strongly-held opinion, so I'm hoping a gentle nudge directly to the chest will ensure we're all still friends at the end of the day.