Things you see in an RV Park

[howellma]

Originally Posted by nomad297

This truck didn’t happen to have New Jersey plates, did it? Was it spotted somewhere near to New Jersey?

Bruce

No, it actually had Texas plates, and we live in Ocean Springs, MS. Right next to Biloxi.

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

That “Tiny House” craze is something I’ll never understand.
Cramped space, not enough amenities, inconvenience and a cost that’s way more than you can simply buy a trailer or 5th wheel for.

But they're "COOL".


Wonder how the build quality compares?

[Buck1032]

In the late 90's I was a Survival Instructor (SERE) at the Navy's West SERE school. I was the opposition force. One morning around 0300 I had heard some rustling along the river bed South of my position. It was a dark moonless, cloudy night. I had a fully loaded rifle, with blanks. LOL As I approached the area of the noise I stopped to listen. We had been briefed that a mountain lion had been seen on the course earlier the day before. As I stood there in pitch black of night, I heard the noise (leaves rustling) and it was coming from in front and above me. I stood there thinking "oh crap". I shouldered the rifle, drew my MK5 knife and was bringing the flash light to bear when the noise started coming towards me. I got the flash light on, as my nerves peaked at fight reflex just as I turned the light on I saw some coming down at me from the tree in front of me. I thought I was going to have to fight a mountain lion. It was a freaking turkey that almost made me crap my pants and have a heart attack. Not one of my proudest moments of 20 years in the USN.

[Cowracer]

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

That “Tiny House” craze is something I’ll never understand.
Cramped space, not enough amenities, inconvenience and a cost that’s way more than you can simply buy a trailer or 5th wheel for.

Going slightly off topic here, but I think I can fill you in.

Short answer: It's a hipster/hippie thing.

Long answer: Human nature is that when people that subscribe to an ethos or certain school of thought will feel the need to show that they are more dedicated to that ethos than the other people. We have all seen it. Be it bikers, or golfers or politics or canning artisinal pickles... If you are going to do it, you must do it 'better' than the next guy.

I am on the fringes of the tiny house craze. I built a small cabin at my lake lot, and because of that, I am on a couple tiny house forums. There is a definite 'pecking-order' in the tiny house world. It goes something like this: At the lowest and most abhorrent end is the standard homeowner. 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1400 square feet. At the highest upper end is the off-grid, composting toilet, trailer mounted, 160 square feet tiny house (although living in a converted school bus is making a strong push for the top tier). "Store bought" RV's are held in almost as high as contempt as a traditional house.

I personally am a pariah on the forums because not only do I own a traditional house and an RV, but my cabin is stationary, it's 576 square feet and is hooked to the electric grid. I have been treated like crap on the one forum by a couple of the 'purists' who look down their noses at me for not being 'dedicated' enough.

At any rate, most of the THOW (tiny house on wheels) are made to impress the other members of the THOW community, and not for actual living conditions or practicality. Its a "Hey! Look at me! I'm more dedicated to the cause than you!" thing.

Hope this clears it up a little

tim

[formerFR]

right...buying into the 'cause' is the reality, not even whether it's a 'tiny' house, or an 'off-grid' living arrangement, or if it's just 'tenting' versus 'RVing'... so, if you have 'hookups', you are not part of the 'cause'!

I actually like the idea, whether called a 'tiny house', or called a 'travel trailer', or called an 'RV', it makes no difference to me, as most of these 'tiny houses' run much more expensive than the 'store bought, factory made' RVs, with the same floor space and usability.
I like the idea of small, low overhead, low mortgage, and simple living... whether you are doing this in a high-end motorcoach, or you feel as though only roughing it in a 'tent' the rest of your life. There are advantages to it over the normal 'permanent' house, where the rule there is to have 'more' than the neighbor next door, though human nature dictates that it also raises it's head within the 'tiny house' movement, as well.
"I am 'more' off-grid and carbon-neutral than you!", some may tout.

What I find interesting, though, is that few of the episodes really show the 'off-grid' nature of these units - as for sewer, water, electrical, fuel sources, heat, air...etc.
Do they have holding tanks? If not, how is their plumbing outlet designed?
Where will the sewage go?
Do they have electric water heating? gas? instant? or none(!)?
Do they have a heat source other than wood? How is it powered?
Do they have a Shore Power cord? or are they designed to be wired directly to the utility?(oh lord, no!)
Do they have 'enough' solar power to do anything more than charge the cell phone? or do they have a battery bank large enough to give power during the overnight hours? Where is this battery bank located?

and lastly, are these 'tiny houses', some not so 'tiny', REALLY able to be pulled down the road to all of those 'exotic' and 'mountainous' and off-grid locations they propose??
If so, where do they park this HUGE vehicle that is required to pull this 'tiny house'? Is this vehicle 'carbon neutral'??

[aeblank]

Don't get bogged down with facts and/or details. Get caught up in the characters and their life dramas. Duh!

[itat]

I have step-sister on Vancouver Island who is apparently renovating an old school bus as a tiny home. In her case, it’s not a hippie thing but a matter of financial necessity as she can’t afford the crazy real estate and even rental prices around there. She lives alone so a school bus tiny home can work for her and a few animals. She is admittedly the eccentric artist type. Her biggest problem is having a property where she can get a lease to park it. In real estate markets like Vancouver, tiny home developments have a place. The nose-in-air attitude doesn’t have a place.

[Johnfort]

Originally Posted by itat

I have step-sister on Vancouver Island who is apparently renovating an old school bus as a tiny home. In her case, it’s not a hippie thing but a matter of financial necessity as she can’t afford the crazy real estate and even rental prices around there. She lives alone so a school bus tiny home can work for her and a few animals. She is admittedly the eccentric artist type. Her biggest problem is having a property where she can get a lease to park it. In real estate markets like Vancouver, tiny home developments have a place. The nose-in-air attitude doesn’t have a place.

I wonder if any of them think about where they are going to park them. They probably think that some farmer will let them park on the back forty for $100 a month and string a 300' extension cord from the barn.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by itat

I have step-sister on Vancouver Island who is apparently renovating an old school bus as a tiny home. In her case, it’s not a hippie thing but a matter of financial necessity as she can’t afford the crazy real estate and even rental prices around there. She lives alone so a school bus tiny home can work for her and a few animals. She is admittedly the eccentric artist type. Her biggest problem is having a property where she can get a lease to park it. In real estate markets like Vancouver, tiny home developments have a place. The nose-in-air attitude doesn’t have a place.

I hope she can find someplace, if not it might be more money but she could stay at CGs good for her, she sounds independent. What is the difference if she is doing that, same as a full timer, I have seen some nice bus conversions. I assume you know about RVs , give her a hand wish her the best from me.

[alsdas88]

Originally Posted by itat

My dish at home can drive 4 receivers. It depends on the number of LNBs and the type of switches you have on the dish. I have no need for more than one receiver when we're camping but if we were full-timing I'd want more than one.

I am using a Dish standard house antenna and LNB mounted on a custom stand at ground level. I can run 4 receivers if needed, but am only using 2, one for the bedroom and one in the living room.

[AbdRahim]

Originally Posted by robbiels7

This cool old bus was sitting on lazydays used lot. I thought it was primer gray until I got close enough to see it was wrapped in carbon fiber vinyl. Attachment 199643Attachment 199644

Old but still looks cool. Wonder how much work it needs.

[robbiels7]

Originally Posted by AbdRahim

Old but still looks cool. Wonder how much work it needs.

Not sure it was locked up. It may have been stored for someone. Most of the other units for sale were open.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by Cowracer

Going slightly off topic here, but I think I can fill you in.

Short answer: It's a hipster/hippie thing.

Long answer: Human nature is that when people that subscribe to an ethos or certain school of thought will feel the need to show that they are more dedicated to that ethos than the other people. We have all seen it. Be it bikers, or golfers or politics or canning artisinal pickles... If you are going to do it, you must do it 'better' than the next guy.

I am on the fringes of the tiny house craze. I built a small cabin at my lake lot, and because of that, I am on a couple tiny house forums. There is a definite 'pecking-order' in the tiny house world. It goes something like this: At the lowest and most abhorrent end is the standard homeowner. 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1400 square feet. At the highest upper end is the off-grid, composting toilet, trailer mounted, 160 square feet tiny house (although living in a converted school bus is making a strong push for the top tier). "Store bought" RV's are held in almost as high as contempt as a traditional house.

I personally am a pariah on the forums because not only do I own a traditional house and an RV, but my cabin is stationary, it's 576 square feet and is hooked to the electric grid. I have been treated like crap on the one forum by a couple of the 'purists' who look down their noses at me for not being 'dedicated' enough.

At any rate, most of the THOW (tiny house on wheels) are made to impress the other members of the THOW community, and not for actual living conditions or practicality. Its a "Hey! Look at me! I'm more dedicated to the cause than you!" thing.

Hope this clears it up a little

tim

Spot-on!

Bruce

[Papaduck]

Saw this little Airstream at a campground on the way back from the "Fun in the Sun" Lazydays Rally. Not much bigger than the picnic table.

[LynnGlaze13]

Originally Posted by Papaduck

Saw this little Airstream at a campground on the way back from the "Fun in the Sun" Lazydays Rally. Not much bigger than the picnic table. Attachment 199994Attachment 199995

We looked at those at an Airstream dealer and my wife loved it.



She said if she was going to buy one just for her it would be perfect.




Being 6' 7" there is no way I could ever fit in one!


They are well built and thought out nicely and for 40K or so they should be.

[MainelyUS]

Saw this rig in a Walmart parking lot this morning, Fredericksburg, TX. A painted history of the Southwest.

Maybe they are on their way to celebrate the 50th Woodstock reunion ?

[Paulie1138]

Interesting picture. Nice murals.
Maybe they are headed to a Spanish version of The Grateful Dead concert!

[CAT-RN]

Looks pretty much Mexican except for that NASA sticker?

Russell

[5picker]

Originally Posted by CAT-RN

Looks pretty much Mexican except for that NASA sticker?

Russell

And the Dale Sr. portrait.

[bareftn]

saw this one day a few years back just found the pic