Bit of a change

[Colliemom]

Decided it was time to do a bit of a change in my RVing lifestyle here at the 45th. Most of you know that I have said a number of times that I haven't started my SS and that with the economy, my finances are a bit tight right now. Well, I have been giving some thought to how and what I have been doing as far as using my TT is concerned and all thatand after some long term thinking, am making a major change for the time being.

I've done about 15 or 16 campings trips with my truck and TT over the past couple of years including an almost week long trip last fall. During those trips I have enjoyed being around the other campers at the park, exploring new sights at some of them and old sights at others, watching people having fun with families and friends. I've gotten my feet wet as far as jumping into the RVing lifestyle and have learned a lot in that time, found out I can pull a TT by myself etc.. But by last summer I was also finding that camping alone was getting kind of boring for me and due to working and only having like two nights to go anyplace, staying at the parks within an hours drive of home with a few exceptions asime and distance keep me from exploring new parks farther away. I'm not a person to sit and do nothing for periods of time. I want to be out exploring new places and seeing new sights and would much rather be on the road to new adventures. I can only sit and read so long, can only walk the dogs so much and as they get older, those walks are getting shorter, I don't have a bike and can't leave my dogs unattended anyway either outside or in the TT due to state park rules so no riding around the park or exploring bike trails for awhile etc. And now with gas prices rising etc., my budget has gotten tighter and those parks close to home would probably be as far as I would be going. With the new boss at work now, I think my schedule is going to be bouncing around from working morning shifts to afternoon shifts and back again. So working that kind of schedule, doing the necessary things that need to be done around here, taking care of my persnal business etc., will not leave me much time to worry about camping etc.

My big dream like a lot of others on this forum is to hit the road and travel in a couple of years. Want to spend some time out in the wesern states seeing the sights and enjoying the places I haven't been to yet alongwith the other places on my "bucket list". So, I have decided to sell my TT and have traded my truck for a 2012 Ford Flex. Just picked it up yesterday. My TT is at the RV brokers near here and hopefully a buyer will come along before the summer is over. I"m going to sit tight and do day trips here and there this summer, to places I haven't been to for awhile, seeing whats new and whats stayed the same. Will be fun to just get out and explore on the road again. Now that I have a vehicle that gets better mileage than what my truck did 16-23 as opposed to 14-18), I can even go downstate and do some quick visits with my cousins and a couple of friends if I want. And actually, if I want to do an overnight someplace, I can lay all the seats flat in the Flex and throw in an air bed and sleeping bag and sack out for the night. That will also give me a chance to see if tan idea I am toying around with might work or not. Don't need anything fancy for just an overnight. Can even get one of those Easy Up's to pop up if I want. Go back to the "old" way of camping for a bit. Don't think I will buy a tent however unless it's one of those you can attach to the back of a van. Plus it can tow up to 4500 lbs and is trailer equipped.

Then in two years when I retire and start my SS, I am going to hit the road and follow that dream. Not sure just what I am going to do it in yet, thinking of looking for a small rig of some kind later down the line here, not till next year at the earliest. Don't know if I will sell my S&B or just hang on to it and travel the summers. As I get older I know this place is going to be too much to keep up for me and I might want the freedom to not have an S&B or perhaps sell this one, travel for awhile and then settle down and just do smaller type trips for a few weeks at a time. Those of you who have sold your homes, condos, whatever or downsized to something smaller to follow your dreams, know this in not an easy decision.

So I just wanted to let you know that I'm making a few lifestyle changes here for a bit, in case you wonder why I'm not posting about heading to this park or going camping to that park or whatever. I will post about my adventures though as we all share those regardless or whether or not we currentlly own and RV, are dreaming of owning one, have one and it's parked for whatever reasons, are on the road full timing, going to be or just part timing. I love the way things are shared on this forum and I feel like you are all one big family for me and that no matter where my future travels take me, there will be a forum sister or sisters around someplace. Thanks for all your support, comments, opinions and what nots. Hope to see you when you are in MI or on the road someplace. You are all welcome here.

[Carolinagal]

Isn't it a great feeling when you have finally come to a decision of what you really want or need to do?? Good Luck, Sue.

CArol

[cpatinjones]

We all need to do what is best for us. It all works out.

[Readytogo]

Absolutely the right decisions for you! You/re not giving it up, just postponing and making new plans.You can still keep up with and draw ideas from us ( well, not so much me! as them!). And I find a nice day trip can also give that nice feeling of escape and change os scenery. it;s a state of mind!Your friend, Wendy

[Travelinana]

Sue, I know you have thought long and hard about these decisions. You do remind me of myself..I toss and toss and finally come to the best decision for me. There are no absolutes, this is all we can do and you know it's okay to reverse and go back to plan A if Plan B doesn't pan out. It is great to have a place to share and bounce off of. Send us a pic of the new car.

[BirdbyBird]

What ever makes sense to you. You are the one paying the bills...

I did catch the part in the sentence where you indicated that you never left your dogs alone in your TT...? That would make traveling, hiking and sightseeing the country side in any kind of RV difficult if your dogs/cats were not able to be left alone for a few hours. I think of it as similar to mine being here in a S&B house while I am at work. I have stayed in many state parks (even one in MI) never had trouble with that rule.

[Birdie]

Hey, you are the one paying the bills, driving the vehicle, and living the life. You have to do what you believe fits you. You have done that. So you go girl. Since you can pull 4500 with your new vehicle....you could still pull your TT if the idea slapped you up side of the head.

Good luck in making these changes work for you and the girls. Still may see you down the road one day.

[Rufflesgurl]

Decisions, decisions, decisions - At least you know you can make them and for sure are what is best for you. Enjoy and good luck. It always works out.

Linda

[Colliemom]

Tina, leaving the dogs unattended in my TT isn't a problem. As long as they don't bark. But if they do and somebody tells a Ranger, then I'm in for a lecture. Working in the park like I do, we hear our fair share of dogs left unattended here and there, who are barking or yapping everytime somebody walks by the campsite and of course we report it to the Rangers who will later pay a visit to the owners. And in some cases, I myself have had to go and talk with them, usually cause somebody heads to the beach or someplace and leaves the dog tied up outside where it proceeds to bark and what not. My two are quiet and I have had more than one person say how well mannered they are. Dogs are the number one problem in Michigan State Parks and more than one park has set aside an area for campers where dogs are not allowed. So if everybody plays by the rules, things are fine. But it's those few who don't that ruin it for everybody else. I'm just playing by the rules

You never know what people are going to do. Last fall after the campers were gone for the season but the campground was still open, one of the neighbors who walks her dogs in the park all the time and keeps them leashed, was walking in the park with them off leash as some do when the park is quiet and the boss kind of bends the rules. I've been able to do that myself. Well, there was one camp in the park, only one. And they filed a complaint to the DNR headquarters in Lansing instead of going to my boss first. So the boss got a call from the head cheeses down there about the dogs being loose and had to go talk to the neighbor about it. So you just never know. And there's no saying that, you have quiet dogs, you leave them in your MH or TT and go for a bike ride or something or a hike. Come back and somebody notices that you were gone, but the dogs were still there and files a complaint that you left them unattended.

[AlmostThere]

Sue, I am happy you have made a decision that sits well with you, for the time being.
Congrats on the new vehicle. Hope it's everything you wanted.