Danny and Yonderer,

If I didn't have to have a toad, I might like the idea of two rigs. I wouldn't mind paying the fees for two rigs tooooo much. But I still think there's a better way.

Stan,
I looked at MDT's and HDT's and I can't see myself driving those. Plus, looking at problems people have with them - with people thinking its a commercial truck, etc., it just seems beyond me right now.

I know I can't pull 2 units behind me. I'm not sure about pulling ONE, let alone two. So I need a motorhome so I can get used to it and then begin to tow a toad.

But thanks for the ideas....

Keep'em coming!

Walter

quote:

Originally posted by lianeh2444:
Hi Walter:

I have been reading with great interest your idea and my motto is" If there is a will, there is a way." Go for it and know that there are always going to be bumps on the road and will pass.

My wife and I are really feeling the pull to hit the road. I don't know if we'll do it more than a few years, although we're currently planning on doing it full time for 5 years.

quote:

What are your plans about homeschooling your children? I assume that is your plan. We homeschool here and we are stationary, and not all states allow homeschooling and some states are passing laws to stop homeschooling from being down.

If you need any information, please let us know here as we have some information and site that helps parents with homeschooling information and materials.

Liane, the Zoo Mama

Thanks Liane. My wife currently homeschool's our kids. She's been doing it for 4 years now. Our curriculum changes, as we find material that better fits our family. We use Math-U-See, Character Quality Language Arts, plus Switched On Schoolhouse to fill in the gaps. We're looking at All American History, and Mystery of History (for world history), as well as Apologia for science. The State of Tennessee requires 4 hours per day, 180 days per school year. We are members of HSLDA. When we go full time, we'll probably move our residence to Texas, which has fewer requirements than Tennessee. Although I need to be sure doing so will not adversely affect our health insurance.

Let me know if you have more questions.... We're trying to think this out so we do nothing that will adversely affect our family.

The boys are used to sleeping in the same room, so it will only be an adjustment to sleep in the same bed. It will also be an adjustment to have so little space - but that will be true for all of us. It will also be an adjustment to not be part of a community. Although, the kids are used to moving about every two years. Even so, they are all excited about moving into an RV and beginning a life on the road. They want to go visit old friends, and make new ones, and visit places they've read about or seen on TV.

My second son said when asked about what he thinks about life on the road, "Not too private, really loud and hectic, but really fun and will love it. We will make lots of great memories, and learn lots. Meet lots of new people. Boring at times. Still have to do schoolwork and not play computer games until after 4PM."

My third son said, "It sounds cool, fun and at the same time boring. I'll learn new things and have memories I can remember really cool things that I want to remember. I can feel what it feels like to be standing up in a moving RV (I don't really remember what it feels like to be standing in a moving RV). " -- I reminded them they will be buckled up while in motion.

My oldest son wanted me to edit this to include his comments. He said, "I do not think it will be boring except for rainy days. I would love it because I would make lots of friends. AND... I'm hoping to start a business." He's thinking of making chocolate and a pet care (sitter, bathing, walking) business.

I worry about the sorts of children they will meet. I imagine it will be more difficult to monitor them in some ways, and easier in others. I also worry about church life. I want the kids to be involved in something to help them learn team work. I also want them involved in church, but I have yet to figure that out.

There is still much to research. My son reminded me I wrote a lot on this post. So please forgive my lengthiness.

Walter

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Walter Moore,

quote:

Originally posted by Walter Moore:
I also want them involved in church, but I have yet to figure that out.
Walter

Some campgrounds have Sunday morning services. Some church camps will let you participate. Some churches sponsor work projects around the country where you could stay for awhile. Have you checked out the Christian BoF group here yet, to see what they might offer?

When I was a kid camping with my family we attended whatever Methodist church was in the nearest town. We were working toward attendance medals so had to have each church sign something that said we were there. It was interesting to learn how much different congregations were alike and how much they were different from our home church.

Linda

quote:

Originally posted by sandsys:
Some campgrounds have Sunday morning services. Some church camps will let you participate. Some churches sponsor work projects around the country where you could stay for awhile. Have you checked out the Christian BoF group here yet, to see what they might offer?

These are great ideas. I had been thinking of either attending church where there was one available or holding services in our MH.

I didn't know there WAS a Christian forum. I'll go look for it.

quote:

When I was a kid camping with my family we attended whatever Methodist church was in the nearest town.

I think we may end up doing something similar.

quote:

It was interesting to learn how much different congregations were alike and how much they were different from our home church.

Linda

That is part of the fun of this life style. We want the kids to be exposed to people of all sorts - including churches of all sorts.

thanks for ideas.

Walter

Here is the major downside after living full time in an rv for 6 years,but traveling for only the last six months. I started traveling just after turning 61 and it is very obvious that there is way too much to experience to get it done in one lifetime. I get frustrated that my checkbook cannot keep up with the available adventures. In the last 5 weeks, I have spent $$ for new u-joints, power steering hose and some emission control device on the truck. Are these downsides of RVing? NO. They are part of living. My new glasses that are not right are giving me fits. Are they a downside of RVing? NO. They are part of living. Generally I have to stick in a campground long enough for a monthly rate. The good part is I get to saturate visit the area and visit and experience every little thing there is to see or do. Then I can spend diesel for towing for a couple of weeks, then settle for a month. If I still had that albatross called a house choking me, I would never have had most of the adventures found on my blog. What a waste of life to sit in one spot doing the same thing over and over like lots of my relatives and ex-relatives. Ok off my soapbox. I am very glad most do not like to travel so the places are less crowded for me.

How often DO people need to get repair work or maintenance work done when traveling, staying 2 weeks or a month in any one place?

Walter

Hi Walter:

I already am looking forward to hearing from you when you and your family get on the road and share your adventures.

It will not be the same, but I know from my own experience of being a military brat and moving a lot that though there were difficulties here and there I would not have traded my life for some others.

Those the diverse lifestyles of people on and off the base often at times caused confusion it made me more aware and open and most of all respectful to others that were not like me and my family. It gave me grate insight of the world around me and I am glad for it.

There is nothing like going to the Alamo and seeing it all for yourself than in some picture or movie. I was glad to have been to walked on the same ground as those that lived and died there for freedom.

As am example of confusion was when I lived in Texas I dressed a certain way like others, but when I returned to Rhode Island the teacher sent me home with her sweater and a note saying I was not to return to school until I had proper and decent cloths to wear.

I also was exposed in military life to many different forms of moral and religous values as well. I learned about Seventh-day Adventists, Catholics, Methodists, etc and some other out of the way beliefs as well because of the fact that we in those days had schools on the base instead of in the community.

I would suspect that this would also apply to RV parks and the different types of people and backgrounds that you will fine, though they all may like RV'ing, but differ in things about life.

I have learned in this day and generation that children are not following the norm of what their parents believed and lived, but are searching for something for themselves and what they think is right. I believe this is going to continue as time comes closer to the coming of Jesus than it has in the past.

Thank you for sharing your life with us as I am learning much from the reading.

This trailer is 2+ years old with no repairs. My last trailer was three years old with some touch up paint on the trailer tougue when I sold it. The Sunnybrook I had in 1999-2000 was a whole different story. Seemed like it needed repairs to everything from the A/C to the drain lines in less than 2 years. I had to remove the interior paneling in the living room to get to the tub drain that failed. Warrenty whats that????? Some units are better than others.

quote:

How often DO people need to get repair work or maintenance work done when traveling,

The answer to that is, as often as something breaks, or maintenance is needed. The wise RV traveler never puts off any significant repair or maintenance. Just like an automobile, an RV has maintenance that must be done on a frequent basis in order to keep it livable. The amount of use tends to increase the frequency of both repairs and of maintenance.

The higher the quality of the RV that you buy, the less time that will be required in repairing and maintaining it. If you start with a well worn RV, expect the repairs to be more frequent and more costly. RVs and their appliances do wear out in time. Living full-time in an RV will put more wear and tear on it each year than a vacation RV would experience in twenty years. You won't have twenty times as much maintenance, but you will have five to ten times as much.

The time that you sit still does lessen the chassis maintenance on a motorized RV, but it does not lessen the impact of constant use on appliances and the coach. In addition, realize that children are more damaging to any kind of housing than is an all adult crowd and numbers of residents also increases both wear and maintenance.

It can not be predicted the cost in either money or time required to maintain your RV until we know what you purchase and the condition that is happens to be in.

Hi Liane,

As I learn more, I'll post more about my studies. I'm learning alot from the folks on this forum, and appreciate questions, suggestions, and cautions anyone feels like providing.

Thanks for your encouragement.

Walter

texnomad, Kirk,

thanks for your replies. I appreciate all the info I can get. Presently, unless I can find a used model to meet my needs, I'm planning on getting the Damon Outlaw 3612. Its a class A toy-hauler. Maybe by the time I'm ready to buy (read: sell my house), I will be able to find a slightly used one.

Walter

I am new around here and have not yet sold everything and took off to seek out my dream. I read the first page of this thread and want to add my two cents worth.

I have been a struggling single mother in and out of bad relationships for 24 yrs. Work, work, work has been my life. Always too broke to go anywhere or take a vacation. Kids hated school and learned more from their so called friends than they did from the teachers. Stress broke what otherwise could have been great relationships between me and my boys. However, as they grow older we are developing new relationships.

I seem to not know when to quit... lol Now I have a 10yo and a 2yo and I am not looking forward to another 16 yrs of struggling and never being able to do anything.

Thanks to an unfortunate accident I know have some financial resources to take on some traveling. However, these resources are my house and a few other things I have paid for. Unfortunately I still struggle with being able to find a job that supports the bills, taxes, insurance, and still pay daycare. So... I plan on selling everything and buying a small camper and selling my craft at shows and festivals. Something I can't afford to do while supporting my house and white picket fence dream.

One big reason pushing this decision is that I meet people all the time who have stories to share about where they been and what they have done. All I have done is struggle through raising kids. When I tell my story I sound pathetic and this is not who I am.

I want to develop newer and happier stories, see things I can't see but in the movies, and take on new challenges other than the same old crap I've been doing.

I have been reading forums and taking in all I can about the life style and as Kirk said - life is what you make it no matter where you are. I have repeated these words throughout my life. However, sometimes we get into this endless circle of life making us instead of us making life. It is time to make life happen for me rather than life making me. I hope this choice will be the right one but if it turns out that it wasn't - at least it was my choice and I will hopefully have some great stories to tell in the end.

The Mama- Sounds like you've been doing a lot of soul searching---GOOD FOR YOU! I love that definition of insanity--Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.

Sounds like you're ready for some new changes and yes...the outcome will be different.

One of the best things about life (especially life in America) we have the freedom to re-evaluate things in our journeys and change them as we see fit.

There's no such thing as failure---every experience we have is beneficial----if we allow it to be.

I wish you nothing but the best!

Mama, Good luck with this. Very cool and courageous. All of our friends thought we were nuts to do this but we all have to walk our own walk. Home Schooling?
The biggest hurtle I have in this lifestyle is myself. That is an ongoing project according to Carol. Keep us posted on how it goes.
Phil

quote:

Originally posted by motojavaphil:
The biggest hurtle I have in this lifestyle is myself.

Lord isn't that the truth!!! We are our own worst critics and it's our fear that holds us back from succeeding!