1 year, cross country and back- Now or Never

[RangeMaggotBob]

Ependydad- I've always had the impression you were already a full-timer.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by RangeMaggotBob

Ependydad- I've always had the impression you were already a full-timer.

Yessir, 4 years now. This thread started right as we were getting serious about going fulltime.

[ependydad]

Since we're back in travel model, I thought I'd share our Labor Day "Road Trip" since it was a traveling weekend for us. Started in Huntsville, AL at my cousin's house, went to a COE park in Coldwater, MS, and ended up in Hot Springs, AR where a mix-up with sites gave us a really nice upgrade!

Now Or Never - an RV Tale: Labor Day Road Trip

[ependydad]

As some have noticed, I've taken quite the hiatus from social media. Which also means, I'll read replies but likely won't respond. If you want to connect with me, shoot me a private message with your email address and I'll email you.

June 19, 2020 marked our fifth anniversary on the road. Here's what we wrote to the family Facebook page:

5 years ago today, we drove away from our house of 12 years and embarked on a 1-year trip around the US. We decided at about 5 months in that a nomad’s life suited us and that we wanted to enjoy the journey as much as the destinations. We threw my carefully curated map and plan to the wind and traveled the country like drunken sailors.

While we still love and adore the family and friends that we left in Pennsylvania and Maryland, we were lost without the support and community of Fulltime Families once on the road (like debating throwing in the towel at 3 months!). We made friends on the road, the kind of friends who feel like family. We’ve watched each other’s kids grow up.

Over the years, we watched quite a few hang up the keys and put the RVs away for stationary life. And now it’s our turn.

Earlier this month, we decided that it was time for a change and that we should start considering a home base. Somewhere without wheels, somewhere I don’t have to move things out of the microwave to heat up leftovers, and some place that has real Internet!

We will close next month on a house in Orlando, right out side of Disney! Like we almost couldn’t get closer if we tried. And very near a couple of Thousand Trails parks where we can still see our traveling family as they come through for the winter.

The plan is to keep the truck and RV for future travels. Heck a few days after closing, we are intending to take a multi-month trip up the east coast and into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan!

So celebrate this next chapter with us. ❤️

And now, some frequently asked questions:
Now Or Never - an RV Tale: Is this the end?

[Sharon455]

Wishing you and your family the best that can come your way. I've enjoyed reading of your adventures.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Doug, congratulations on finding a nice place to settle as your life evolves. It is wise to be open to change and find ways to welcome it.

[dbledan]

Good luck on your next adventure Doug!

[aceinspp]

Boy I missed this one. Good luck Doug on your next adventure in life. It was a pleasure to me you and your family while you were in the area. Enjoy. Later RJD

[ependydad]

After a hiatus of getting off of the road from 2020, we sold the rig this past February. I thought we were taking 3-4 years off of RVing, my wife had other plans. We bought a Jayco Precept 36C motorhome in April and promptly left for a "long trip" in mid-May.

Turns out, that long trip looks a lot like fulltiming as we've now setup our house to be an AirBNB-style rental and have snowbirds renting it starting Jan 2 to the end of March and another shorter rental in April.

Who would have guessed?!

Anyway... I'll admit, I'm a numbers geek. I've done these run downs for each year from spreadsheets I keep. This is 222 nights of camping from mid-May to the end of this month in our Precept 36C.




Nights/Duration:
- Locations: 36 (with some repeat visits)
- Nights camped: 222
- Average per night: 6 night stays
- Longest stay: 21 nights
- Shortest stay: 11 single night stays

Campground Type:
- Thousand Trails: 79 nights, $5.61 average (membership dues/nights camped)
- Private parks other than TT: 58 nights
- Moochdocking: 56 nights
- Public (state, COE, city/county, BLM boondocking): 24
- Parking lots: 3 nights
- Harvest Hosts: 2, $81.19/night average (membership cost, amount spent at the location)
- Storage: 11 nights @ airport parking lot, $168 for truck and camper (not counted in camping nights)

Costs:
- Per night average cost: $25.08 (campground fees + misc costs)
- Total spent: $5,568.61
- Non-TT/free Average: $50.86 (public & private park nightly cost for nights not spent in TT, moochdocking, HH, or boondocking)

Misc costs:
- Thousand Trails dues - $442.98
- Harvest Hosts - $76
- Boondockers Welcome - $22.94
- Dump stations - $24.41
- Cancellation fees - $20.00
- Mistake reservation that wasn’t cancelled - $65.00
Motorhome Driving Miles
- Total: 6,988
- Average: 194
- Top 3 Longest Days: 428, 413, 353

Fuel:
- Fill-ups recorded: 27
- Total gallons: 1,112
- Average gallons/fuel-up: 41.18
- Miles recorded: 6,528
- Average miles/fuel-up: 272
- Average MPG: 6.6
- Highest MPG: 8.1
- Lowest MPG: 5.4
- Average cost/gallon: $4.07
- Total fuel: $4,530.98
- Oil change: $175

Starlink:
- Nights setup/used: 153-ish