FT plans delayed - advice?

[gheen]

I am sure to get the gamut of advice and suggestions, but since everyone is bored I thought I would at least ask:

Hubby and I were planning to go full time this spring. After researching and preparing for the past year(+) we were literally in the final stages of going on the road. The final weeks of working, turning in my resignation and waiting for weather warm yard sales to release the last of our stuff. We sold our house 2 years ago and currently renting. Since we don't have a place to store a rig we waited to purchase one until now (in the final stages and ready to buy). Of course all this hit and put our plans on hold. The good part is that we are not stuck out on the road right now, especially as newbies. My heart breaks for some of you struggling to find places to park till this blows over. I know my situation seems small since I have a safe place and don't have to worry about water, supplies or dumping. I pray for all my future fellow RVers. 

So my question is this. Do you have any advice or info we may not have considered with the current situation? We are still going FT just a bit later than planned. Hopefully just a few months. In the meantime we can make sure we have everything prepped and not rush. I am also figuring out how to sell the last of our stuff online instead of yard sales. Waiting until the stay at home orders have passed and the parks open up again. Then we (all) can go out with renewed appreciation for the freedom we have to see the beauty this country has to offer. We can not wait and it is difficult to put our dreams and plans on hold even longer than we already have. Patience is not my strong suit.

Thanks for your feedback and please be kind, we are all here to support and help each other - right?

Abby 🌺🦋

[Darryl&Rita]

It's really not all that bad, in our experience. In the Western States, it looks like only Federal and State facilities are closed, private parks are still accepting arrivals in the Phoenix valley. Private parks typically cost more, so have some cushion in your budget. In the meantime, keep your eyes open, this could be a good time to get the perfect rig.

[hemsteadc]

Quartzsite is open for business, AZ state parks too.  Doesn't make a lot of sense to close state parks when a private RV park (ugh) puts people much closer together.

[GR "Scott" Cundiff]

Sounds like you are handling it just about right.  If I were in your shoes I'd do the same - just tap the brakes a bit and give this thing more time to play out.  Hopefully you aren't depending on investments for part of your income - this isn't a good time to tap into them.  

There's a good chance that the country will open at different speeds in different areas.  My guess is that rural areas will be declared "okay" first - something that works well for RVing.  

Good luck with your plans, I think you will love it.

[Kirk W]

The only thing I can offer is an opinion but I too think you are doing the right thing. As former fulltimers, we are glad that we aren't among those forced to move at this time. Many areas are concerned that new arrivals will bring the virus into areas where it hasn't been before. I have cousins living in a rural county that has only a very small hospital and they are trying to prevent travel into or out of the county for fear of overwhelming  their medical capabilities.

[remoandiris]

Have yet to find a town/city park in Texas that is closed.  They are no frills and cheap...some are free for a night or 4.  Have yet to find a commercial park that is closed due to COVID.  Saw plenty of toilet paper for sale at a truck stop.  

[SWharton]

Many campgrounds are still open, especially the Mom and Pop. You need to be self-contained as the "public" facilities are closed. I would do some calling ahead to confirm a CG vs. just winging it. If you are newbies you aren't ready for boondocking yet but there are plenty of boondocking locations out west.

 

[sandsys]

I suspect the challenge with selling things online is delivery. Will you meet with buyers? Is your local post office accepting packages? Do you have a UPS store still open? Please, check out that before listing. Otherwise, I think your plan is a good one.

Linda Sand

[SWharton]

If they use Craig's List, Offer Up or Nextdoor Neighbors that will be mostly local.

[sandsys]

1 minute ago, SWharton said:

If they use Craig's List, Offer Up or Nextdoor Neighbors that will be mostly local.

Which may mean meeting face to face. Although I read about one who placed the item in the back of a pickup truck then got back in the cab. The buyer then picked it up and left the money there. Social distancing business style.

Linda

[fpmtngal]

I’ve only been full-timing for about 6 months, so understand your dilemma.  In your shoes, I’d do what you are planning - wait a month or two, let the dust settle as you sell the rest of your stuff.  

This could be a good time to buy a used RV, perhaps a new one off of a dealer’s lot but at least one manufacturer I know is shut down, wouldn’t be surprised if many of them are also, so special orders would be a problem.

In the past 2 weeks I had a reservation canceled at a private park in Arizona because they didn’t want to chance outsiders bringing the virus to endanger their permanent residents.  I also talked to a campground in California who sounded really dubious about letting me stay there - they wondered why I wasn’t self-isolating, why I was traveling at all (I ended up not going - the appointments I had which were the reason for going were canceled).

Quartzsite looks like it did over the winter, definitely open for business. There might not be as many Canadians here as there were a month ago, but other people seem to be moving in to replace them.  I keep delaying leaving because I‘m now concerned about finding a place to stay elsewhere. 

 

[gheen]

You are awesome, thanks for all the positive feedback and encouragement. We could easily second guess ourselves into analysis paralysis right now. 

You have brought up some good points and interesting ideas about the selling issues. I have a large amount of craft items, mostly scrapbook that I plan on packaging up into "kits" and offering on Ebay. Those can be easily shipped nationwide during the shutdown. I had an entire craft room that I just packed up and moved when we sold the house 2 years ago since we had not fully decided to FT yet.

We live in a small town just outside a larger metro area in NC. I am hoping things will open up that we can have yard sales in 6 weeks to sell the last of the big items and one final estate sale for our furniture. Then there are the car(s). Oh how much stuff we accumulate in 40 years and we have already purged a lot! 

Some days it gets discouraging then I try and watch the videos of the places we want to go and remind ourselves of why we want (need) to do this.

thanks ya'all!

abby 🌺🦋

[jamtracy]

20 hours ago, sandsys said:

Which may mean meeting face to face. Although I read about one who placed the item in the back of a pickup truck then got back in the cab. The buyer then picked it up and left the money there. Social distancing business style.

Linda

You have to think outside the box. There is also porch pickup, driveway pickup, curb pick up..... I have not seen a slow down of ads on nextdoor or facebook.  People are making it happen. It's the gougers that irritate me.

[remoandiris]

On 3/25/2020 at 10:12 AM, SWharton said:

 You need to be self-contained as the "public" facilities are closed. 

Stayed at 4 RV parks in Texas over the past 4 nights.  Each had the showers and restrooms open for business.  Got my temp taken at a park in Clovis, NM.  All normal so I was allowed to stay.  Facilities open there, too.

Edited March 26, 2020 by remoandiris

[mb36912]

Brewster County, TX has declared a state of disaster and pretty much shut all non-essential business down.  Hotels, motels, BNB's, short term rentals, RV parks, and campgrounds are closed to any travelers with the exception of law enforcement and health professionals.  The long term/permanent residents have been permitted to stay as long as they were registered prior to March 9.

[rpsinc]

Also consider that some opinions are that this may hamper our lives for 12-18 months AND there may be another round IF this virus is affected by weather and returns next year when we get similar temps.  And without a proven vacine, it could be a while before things retrun to SOME normalcy, but it wont likely return to what we had before.

Caution is the best approach for all of us.  Be patient and be watchful

[sandsys]

6 hours ago, rpsinc said:

Also consider that some opinions are that this may hamper our lives for 12-18 months AND there may be another round IF this virus is affected by weather and returns next year when we get similar temps. 

It's happening now in New Zealand as well and they are having fall not spring.

[Dollytrolley]

On 3/25/2020 at 7:15 AM, GR "Scott" Cundiff said:

Sounds like you are handling it just about right.  If I were in your shoes I'd do the same - just tap the brakes a bit and give this thing more time to play out.  Hopefully you aren't depending on investments for part of your income - this isn't a good time to tap into them.  

There's a good chance that the country will open at different speeds in different areas.  My guess is that rural areas will be declared "okay" first - something that works well for RVing.  

Good luck with your plans, I think you will love it.

Scott...   

Until yesterday I felt like you that rural areas would be the "best" places to be and would recover fast if INFECTED.... 

 

Unfortunately..... Covid-19 does NOT think OR act like us.....

 

Yesterday I called a friend from Idaho.... He was NOT in Idaho....  He was in his camper van 30 miles outside......Needles Kalifornia.....a location just about as remote as his home in a small town in Idaho....  

So..... Wilber plans to start travel back home to Idaho so.....he calls his brother next door in Idaho.....no brother...brother can't talk on the phone while in vent-gizmo......uhoh.....not good.....

NOT good...   out of a few thousand locals, 89 are symptomatic and several hundred are almost certain INFECTED but shortage of testing prohibits actually KNOWING who IS or NOT INFECTED....OUCH

Bottom line..... Wilbur is NOT welcome to go....  Home......he was born there has lived there his entire life (until now) and most of his family is there HOWEVER he is no longer welcome to go home.... 

In a quirk of the Laws of the science of Large Numbers Wilbur's home location in Idaho HAS more CONFIRMED infected Covid-19 cases than New York City....  OUCH

Wibur is NOT going home......

OUCH

Drive on..... To more remote location???

[agesilaus]

Yes a few people in rural states may get it, most of those are probably from plague carriers from the infected states.

However being out in your RV is probably the best isolation you will find unless you socialize with fellow campers. The SE states seem for the most part to be open for business for state parks and commercial parks. Florida is an irritating outlier. BLM and NF sites are mainly open except when local authorities close them.

I just don't believe this will still be around in 4 to 6 weeks. I'm convinced that the seasonal effect will kick in. Humidity, Warm Temperatures, and sunlight and fresh air are all shown to knock down the transmission rates. Washington State is saying that they think they they've turned the corner.

[Solo18]

Hate to tell you, but Florida has been hot and humid most of the winter, and there are more cases in the southern part than in the northern part.  Course, some of that is due to crowds, but it has been a very sunny winter as well, with lots of fresh air.

However, I agree that being in an RV is the safest place to be if you live alone, as I do.  No way do I want to head north or west and hang around with family!! 

I have not found any commercial campgrounds closed in Florida, and am at one right now, even though I checked in only a week ago.  Only thing I see wrong with starting out full-timing right now is boredom.  You can do all the traveling you want, but museums, national parks, and other interesting places are all closed. 

[jamtracy]

18 hours ago, agesilaus said:

Yes a few people in rural states may get it, most of those are probably from plague carriers from the infected states.

However being out in your RV is probably the best isolation you will find unless you socialize with fellow campers. The SE states seem for the most part to be open for business for state parks and commercial parks. Florida is an irritating outlier. BLM and NF sites are mainly open except when local authorities close them.

I just don't believe this will still be around in 4 to 6 weeks. I'm convinced that the seasonal effect will kick in. Humidity, Warm Temperatures, and sunlight and fresh air are all shown to knock down the transmission rates. Washington State is saying that they think they they've turned the corner.

I totally agree. We were in a campground in Central Arizona about 10 days ago. The seasonal full timers still had their gatherings. On ST Patrick's Day they had there potluck and Corn Hole Tournament. Their attitude was "we are rebels and don't follow the rules". Most of these 35-40 people were 65 and up. Needless to say me and the wife did not participate. I hope all is well with them folks. It was a great RV Park and I look forward to visiting it again.

[Barbaraok]

19 hours ago, agesilaus said:

Yes a few people in rural states may get it, most of those are probably from plague carriers from the infected states.

However being out in your RV is probably the best isolation you will find unless you socialize with fellow campers. The SE states seem for the most part to be open for business for state parks and commercial parks. Florida is an irritating outlier. BLM and NF sites are mainly open except when local authorities close them.

I just don't believe this will still be around in 4 to 6 weeks. I'm convinced that the seasonal effect will kick in. Humidity, Warm Temperatures, and sunlight and fresh air are all shown to knock down the transmission rates. Washington State is saying that they think they they've turned the corner.

"Plague carriers" - nice term there.  

It is a virus, it may or may not show up less in the summer because summer will have people who are healthier do to be out and about in fresh air, rather than confined in closed-in quarters.  People get the flu in the summer if they are exposed to it and have no immunity through either previous infections or vaccinations.  I take it you are too young to remember when summer beaches were closed during the polio outbreaks?  The reason transmission goes down in the summer is guess what - social distancing that we all normally practice when it is nice outside - - we move away from other people and enjoy the fresh air.   And until a vaccine is developed and available, or we have ~75% of the population who have had the virus and recovered (herd immunity),  the virus will continue to go in waves through the country if we are all vigilant about things like social distancing,  hand washing, etc.   And if we get in the habit of doing those things, it will also help with next year's flu outbreak.   Washington state may have turned the corner because the governor jumped on it, started the isolation processes,  got educational information out to people, etc.   

[docj]

9 minutes ago, Barbaraok said:

The reason transmission goes down in the summer is guess what - social distancing that we all normally practice when it is nice outside - - we move away from other people and enjoy the fresh air.

Actually, some diseases have very apparent seasonal variations and some don't.  Here's a good article in a respectable journal that compares the seasonal behavior of a number of diseases.  Seasonal behavior of diseases

[fpmtngal]

This might be a dumb thought - it is certainly an uninformed/uneducated one.

In a mythical situation, you could have 40 people who live in a closed community.  They are resupplied by deliveries and are careful to sanitize them or leave them alone for enough time for any possible virus to die.  They don’t go anywhere outside their community.  They don’t allow anyone else into their community.  I don’t see how they can be exposed to the virus or be potential carriers.

That’s a mythical situation, of course.  However, I think some RV parks in more isolated locations, ones with permanent residents, think they are like that mythical situation.  They are closed to new people and figure that they can continue to have social functions .

Reality is that they are not like the mythical situation - the residents still have to go to the grocery store, they still order supplies from Amazon Prime.  That means they are as likely to be exposed to a carrier as anyone else is, though it might take longer for a carrier to reach their local store than it would for a carrier to reach a Costco in a major metropolitan area.  But I think it’s human nature to just not see it that way when they only see the same 30 people every day.

Edited March 30, 2020 by fpmtngal

[agesilaus]

Quote

ate to tell you, but Florida has been hot and humid most of the winter, and there are more cases in the southern part than in the northern part.  Course, some of that is due to crowds, but it has been a very sunny winter as well, with lots of fresh air.

Well no, the infection rate in south Florida has been caused by the ongoing flood of plague carriers from NYC and other infection centers in that area. The governor has tried to limit their flow into the state but his hands are tied by the Constitution's guarantee of free travel between the states. The feds should have closed the airports but were blocked by political screaming.

Up here in the north part of the state most counties have been little affected since historically people from NY prefer the Miami-Lauderdale-Palm Beach part of the state. Our winter hasn't been that warm but we have had no hard freezes. The gainesville area has had more than other counties but it is the location of the large 50,000 student University Of Florida with many thousands of international students and profs. Even so the infection rate seems to be leveling off at about 200 cases with zero fatalities and few hospitalizations. Of course if we were doing antibody testing I suspect tens of thousands probably had it.