Full Timing Coming To An End

[BigJohnD]

Well, after 7 months of full timing, we parked the fifth wheel in the shop at our home base and started to unload. It is just not for us. Kind of like the motorhomes that we dreamed of owning, and finally did own 2, we found out that it wasn't what we really wanted. I won't elaborate too much on why we're getting out of the lifestyle. It was a large combination of things. Not health, not financial, just stuff. It's not for everybody. We'll probably never do it again. My son is the only one disagreeing right now.

At this point, there is a 50 / 50 chance that we'll sell the rig, but still undecided at this point. We may even get out of RVing for a while. To be determined. For now though, we'll remain on the forum to chat and help anybody we can.

[Weezer]

Don't know what to say John, other than we wish you the best with this decision. The good thing is you have that GREAT set-up at your home base, and if things change it'll be easy to move back to full timing.

Take time to decide if you really want to sell the CC. And for Pete's sake DO stay around here!

[BigJohnD]

I figure I'll be around a long time. We'll be moving into the family owned house across the road for now. Hope to put a new place in front of the shop in the next year or so. I was kind of glad to get the fiver all cleaned up and back into the garage. It'll be clean when I get home if we choose to use it. Knowing I won't get a call or email at work saying this is broke or that is broke, is somewhat peaceful.

We'll be hauling it to the dealer one more time when I get home to get the front cap fixed again, and change a cracked slide out wear strip. That's all that's left of the long road of issues.

[Cajun Po-Boy]

DW and I have discussed many times that in the future we may become most timers but never full timers due to the always present "what needs fixing on the camper" issues...I like the idea of coming home to brick and mortar and taking a break from all the camper work!


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[sail2liv]

We have our schedules, so a most timer here.....leave NC when it gets below 32....come back when warm enough to plant garden....have brick house, but DW got mad when I refered to it as storage shed....so now refer it as farm...since we garden and live there a couple days a week....have prop on lake that we park 5 er or in driveway at house....so stay at lake in 5er when not picking and canning.....still have sailboat in water that we stay on about one week a month when in state....last winter was Gulf states for 6 months....then back to reg routine....snow bird here for sure whether on sailboat or 5 er when it gets cold we go to warm.....good luck to all who have the good life of rvs

[Wiscampsin]

BigJohnD,

Don't feel too bad about you decision. If you didn't try full timing you'd never know. You tried it and found out it wasn't for you, but at least you tried it. Hopefully you made some good memories along the way.

[MeepMeep]

Sorry to see you go, BigJohn. Don't be a stranger on the forum - I've enjoyed reading your posts and some of your interactions with other posters. I'm not sure that the DW and I would be full timing if we weren't retired and empty-nesters. We love the freedom of the lifestyle and just being able to go where we want, when we want. Imagine having kids in an RV could prove to have its own unique challenges.....
Best of luck to you and yours!

[bikendan]

we're retiring this year and had considered full-timing.
but we have close friends who chose to do this and after spending time with them when they'd stop by, we've concluded that it's not for us.

but, since we're retiring to Western Washington, we will leave during the bad weather months for warmer and dryer climates.
not snowbirds but "rain birds".
but we'll postpone upgrading to a bigger trailer/truck for awhile and stick with our HTT, until we figure out what retired life is like.

[BigJohnD]

Thank yall for all of the kind words. We can definitely say we've tried it. It was interesting and learned a lot in the short time we did it. Cajun Po-Boy hit on one thing big for me. That's the feeling I got when we got back home from a 2200 mile run this last time home. Take a break from the camper work. When you live in it, stuff breaks, stuff gets dirty, stuff wears out, and a LOT more than a weekend or short trip user. I am so particular about our rigs with keeping them running and clean, the full timing just worked me into the ground. Always fixing, cleaning, tweaking and on it goes. Never ending, to the point it was more work, and no rest. The feeling I got when we backed it into the garage a week ago was priceless. I actually sat back and relaxed. That's when I approached my wife and said, I'm done. I like it how it used to be when we "went camping", brought it home, cleaned it up, and it sat in the garage ready for the next adventure. Used to, when I got home from offshore, we always had a "camping trip" to look forward to. Lots of excitement. Full timing, I came home to quite the opposite. I came home prepared to fix stuff, clean stuff, and live in it. Definitely different.

I'm pretty sure we'll keep this rig for a while. It's paid for, and most all of the bugs fixed, so wife does not want to start over watching me tear apart and reconfigure another one for months. Understandable. Wife even mentioned last night, planning a "camping trip". I'm already getting that excitement back. It took me this long to realize what I was missing. Planning and going on camping trips, and coming home to rest for a while.

[Weezer]

John,

having two sons WDWYD I totally understand what you just shared. My middle man-child decided out of the blue that he didn't want his wife to work. Then decided he didn't want her earning "pocket money" by staying home and babysitting either.

Shore time is family time. Time to catch up on what you missed re the kids, etc., and relax (he didn't want other folks' kids underfoot during his shore time).

My youngest is HUGE on muddin'. His son is now old enough to join him, and his wife is right in the middle of it with 'em. Though they have a TT and take long muddin' trips, most of the time they just hit the local areas and also hit the foothills just to ride.

Sounds like you've "re-centered" yourself!

[53jimc]

I'm new to RVing, so your perspective is very interesting to me. You tried it, know what it's all about now and can say BTDT.
Not sure me an' DW would ever want to go full time. Maybe snowbird for a month or so after Christmas when we retire.
I can see how you would lose the excitement of camping, though. We're scheduled for two trips from now to the end of Sept and we're looking forward to them. The prep and setup are always educational. Breaking camp is a lot less fun.
Anyway, good luck and thanks for your insight.

[BigJohnD]

That's part of the beauty of how our family is. We homeschool our little ones, so we still have the option to go for more than a weekend if we choose to. Sometimes the planning and getting there is as much fun or more than the destination itself.

Looking back, I kind of wish I could have all the money I've lost on trial and error through different rigs, full timing etc. But, then I'd never know what I know now.

[BiigDaddy]

[QUOTE=BigJohnD;663847] Sometimes the planning and getting there is as much fun or more than the destination itself.

Such a true statement. I wholeheartedly agree!

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by BigJohnD

...But, then I'd never know what I know now.

And you wouldn't have met all the fine folks here on the forum. Good Luck John & Rebecca. BTW, my awning motor shot craps too.

[LittlePM]

John you need to what is right for you and your wife, like you said you can say you been there done that, you might even have a T-Shirt. Yes we would like you to stay on the forum you have a lot to offer.

[ependydad]

LittlePM took the words I was thinking. John, it's been awesome reading your posts here and I'm sure you don't make decisions lightly- if it is best for your family, then you're making the right choice.

But, please- for the love of Pete - stick around the forum! You're a wealth of information and ideas.

[BigJohnD]

Again, thank you for all the kind words and encouragement. Yes, I'm sticking around. Wife has been slowly unloading stuff since I left, and I'll be finishing it off when I get home. Now, I suppose I can load all that stuff I used to bring camping back in there. I gutted the cargo trailer before I left, so it's bare and screaming to be customized into something else. More than likely, it'll be a father / son project at some point. Already drawing sketches for that one. One good thing is, I can do a lot of the modifications I've been putting off, without it interfering with our "living". Very easy to gut the master bed when you don't have to sleep there.

We keep debating selling it and getting something smaller, but, we've got so much time and money in it, and it's paid for. Wife has a number in mind if it were to go on the market, or consignment, and I'm not sure anybody wants to dig that deep. Believe me she knows what they're worth as she's been around and handled the $$ for all 7. So, for now, we'll be using it just like all the other ones we've owned.

[Terier]

I'm glad to hear that you plan on sticking around here. The place wouldn't be the same without you. And thanks for all you do.

[Phil57]

I understand what you mean John. Full timing changes everything. We are starting our 6 month and it has had its ups and downs. It is a lot if work and have our "stuff" scattered form storage to the kids house is tough. It seems we never have enough room. Happy to here you Are planing a camping trip and that the transition back to S&B will be an easy one.


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[BigJohnD]

And, it's gone, we hope. Dropped the rig off at PPL Motorhomes in Houston yesterday. It's already listed on their website, minus the pictures right now. It'll make somebody a good rig I'm sure.

We're headed out camping again on Thursday, except in our cargo trailer. Good thing is, it doesn't leak, no water damage, no fit and finish issues, no warranty to worry about, no issues period., and it's a 2007. For us, it's the start of a good thing getting away from the mass produced RV industry. Still debating what to do next, but buying something out of Indiana isn't looking favorable. Hard to describe the feeling of having my garage free of problems right now.