New Fulltimer

Gypsy four · 11-05-2013, 04:40 PM

Hello Everyone,
We purchased our Wild wood Heritage Glen 366BH in June of 2013. We sold our home and started Full timing in July 2013. We have never owned a camper of any kind before, and there has been a bit of a learning curve involved with living this way. For example today I just figured out that my water heater will run on electric and not just propane. There is another story that involves the capacity of the grey tanks, but i will save that for another time.
Our family consists of Me, My Wife and our two children. The wife works as a Traveling Histologist (medical Laboratory) I home school the children and keep up the camper.
I look forward to chatting with all of you, learning tips and tricks, and sharing stories about life on the road.
Sincerely,
Scott & Robyn Lokker

Archicamper · 11-05-2013, 05:01 PM

Best luck with the new lifestyle! Try to soak up all the knowledge here.

Taylorgso · 11-05-2013, 05:32 PM

Wow! Takes a lot of guts to start out full timing without having ever used a camper before. My hat is off to you.

One thing about it - Fulltiming does force you into learning quickly. Just hang around the forum and you'll find answers to most any question you'll ever have.

Olratlr · 11-05-2013, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taylorgso

Wow! Takes a lot of guts to start out full timing without having ever used a camper before. My hat is off to you.

One thing about it - Fulltiming does force you into learning quickly. Just hang around the forum and you'll find answers to most any question you'll ever have.

Just Go Have Fun and Enjoy.

crunchman12001 · 11-05-2013, 05:51 PM

Welcome to the forum. Good luck with the new lifestyle.
Feel free to ask any questions.
crunchman

Zhanna · 11-05-2013, 05:58 PM

Oh wow! Y'all are brave! Good luck with it and enjoy!

**dcheatwood** · 11-05-2013, 06:17 PM

Read! Read every document and owners manuals that came with the RV. Read RV magazines. Read forums. And ask questions here, no matter how trivial they may seem. Welcome and enjoy.

ShebaGinger · 11-06-2013, 03:59 PM

Welcome aboard. Ask away with the questions. Let us know if you get to Fla.

Lawdog52 · 11-06-2013, 04:45 PM

My goodness, you guys are brave, not having camped before. My wife and i thought we were brave when we full-timed it for the seven months it took us to find and by our retirement house, and we only had a dog to deal with in our Motorhome.

Brother Les · 11-06-2013, 05:22 PM

You have been driving around since July and just found out that you have an electrical water heater? Did the Dealer not tell you that during your walk through? What other things were you not told or may not paying attention to? I commend you on your desire to home school your children, but I think that you may need to get out every book and brochure that you have and learn a lot more about your 'Home'. The life of you and your family may depend on it. Learn your electrical systems. Learn your gas systems. Learn your water systems. Learn of the maintenance that you will need to do to keep everything in tip top shape..... This is your home and you need to and had better learn how to stay on top of it. Not being critical, just giving you encouragement to know what you have and how to know when something is wrong and how to fix it.

For 99.5 % of the rest of 'us', if something 'breaks' we have a 'home' to go to and can get it 'fixed' days or weeks down the road. You may not be able to do that.

Good luck and be safe and have fun on the road.

Ford Idaho · 11-06-2013, 06:46 PM

Congratulations on the new lifestyle and welcome to the forums.

BarryD0706 · 11-06-2013, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brother Les

...
The life of you and your family may depend on it. Learn your electrical systems. Learn your gas systems. Learn your water systems. Learn of the maintenance that you will need to do to keep everything in tip top shape..... This is your home and you need to and had better learn how to stay on top of it.

For what it's worth, I don't agree with any of this.

You'll be fine. Expect some bumps and work thru them. Enjoy your new life and your new home, and welcome to Forest River Forums!

**ependydad** · 11-06-2013, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarryD0706

For what it's worth, I don't agree with any of this. You'll be fine. Expect some bumps and work thru them. Enjoy your new life and your new home, and welcome to Forest River Forums!

I agree with wanting to learn about these things- but there will likely always be things you don't want to learn or simply can't (electricity and propane being my Achilles heels). I agree with Barry- all campers have bumps and bruises and mistakes and learning to deal with them (either yourself or thru a mobile RV tech) is part of the fun of the adventure.

We talked about taking a year off and exploring with my wife, I and 2 kids (ages 10 and 1 1/2). We aren't starting it this summer- but it is still on the plate for 2015.

Brother Les · 11-07-2013, 09:18 AM

You guys are absolutely right. Hop in and go. No worries, be happy.

Wildwood Heritage Glen 366BH by Forest River - RV Wholesale Superstore

This thing they bought has 4 slides. Never heard of any problem with a slide... but mine. Took it back to the dealer twice. And the dealer still never told me how to move it if the motor stuck.

42 feet long.... that is one easy thing to drive around with no worries. Never know the thing is back behind you. Go around corners... easy peasy.... backing up.... I am sure that everyone can do it blind folded.

I know that his 'home' must have come with top to the line tires that will never blow out. For some reason my 36 footer came with crap tires that blew out with only 200 miles on it.

No need to know about tires...he can call 'service'. No need to know about slides.... he can call 'service'. No need to worry about the burnt out electric heating element when he has no water in the water heater tank... he can call 'service'. I wonder why my canopy does not come back in? Hello 'service'.

No need to know anything about the lights going dim at midnight on a cold snowy night... pick up that dead cell phone and tell the wife that he would call 'service' but no one will answer. Honey.... the furnace will not come on....

Now put the books away and go grill on that back bumper grill that you have no idea on how to hook up.

No worries...be happy.

bend302 · 11-07-2013, 10:30 AM

I agree, you have a lot of courage to jump into full timing like that but you should do fine. If the unit is new, you will have a warranty period to work through all the little things that go wrong.

I would suggest a roadside service contract forever and an extended warranty for a year or so. Read the forum and you will see lots of discussion on just about any subject.

Don't worry, I didn't know my used unit had electric water heater either until someone on the forum pointed it out. Turned out the heating element was bad.

We stay in ours about 3 months a year in FL and once you are in and set up, things don't change much. And don't worry about the little stuff. I listened to my jacks pop and crunch all last winter but my level never changed.

Good Luck!

Bill

**ependydad** · 11-07-2013, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brother Les

You guys are absolutely right. Hop in and go. No worries, be happy.

Wildwood Heritage Glen 366BH by Forest River - RV Wholesale Superstore

This thing they bought has 4 slides. Never heard of any problem with a slide... but mine. Took it back to the dealer twice. And the dealer still never told me how to move it if the motor stuck.

42 feet long.... that is one easy thing to drive around with no worries. Never know the thing is back behind you. Go around corners... easy peasy.... backing up.... I am sure that everyone can do it blind folded.

I know that his 'home' must have come with top to the line tires that will never blow out. For some reason my 36 footer came with crap tires that blew out with only 200 miles on it.

No need to know about tires...he can call 'service'. No need to know about slides.... he can call 'service'. No need to worry about the burnt out electric heating element when he has no water in the water heater tank... he can call 'service'. I wonder why my canopy does not come back in? Hello 'service'.

No need to know anything about the lights going dim at midnight on a cold snowy night... pick up that dead cell phone and tell the wife that he would call 'service' but no one will answer. Honey.... the furnace will not come on....

Now put the books away and go grill on that back bumper grill that you have no idea on how to hook up.

No worries...be happy.

"

" is right. Yes, these things happen. And yes, he should learn what he can. But we were all there once- we were all new and we survived without becoming experts at everything all at once.

rfloyd · 11-07-2013, 01:43 PM

The travel alone will provide great education to the kids. Rather than read about it in a book you simply drive there and let them experience it first hand. Wow how great is that? Hope you and your family the very best in your adventure. As everyone else has said..learn all you can for this new life style.

Gypsy four · 11-10-2013, 12:43 PM

Thank you all for the warm welcome! There have been many good points bought up. Hopefully to put some if you at ease, I have a vast mechanical background, as well as experience towing tandem 30' trailers (try backing those in some time). That being said, there is still a lot to learn about having a home that is pulled all over the country. Again thank you all, and hope to learn a lot here.
Scott

chiefly1 · 11-10-2013, 03:30 PM

Sounds like a great adventure and a nice experience for your family! Things will go wrong but that also adds to the adventure. Having secondary backup options can really help eliminating frustration when a your furnace goes kaput in the winter when it is freezing outside or your propane regulator dies... Just saying think about your key systems, spend a little time getting smarter on how they work and enjoy your lifestyle!

paws4god · 05-11-2014, 09:35 PM

Newbie and fulltimer also... my dogs and myself on a farm. I love jumping into the perverbial deep end...what an adrenalin rush

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