How did you decide how has it worked out

[Lynn2]

Ok I think I'm stuck. I keep going sell or not sell, travel or not travel?!?!? I know several of you have sold your S&B and moved into an RV. How did you make that decision and how has it worked out? I love the scenery and safety of my small town, the view of the mtns from my home that are less than 10 minutes away. I've lived here all my life, the kids and I built this house with our own little hammer and nails. Hauled the tons of rocks that landscape it. That said the horses are gone, the pigs are gone, the cattle are gone, the kids are gone but the grass keeps growing plus always something needs work. Since I'm the fixer there never seems any down time. Then I wonder what would I do on the road? Here I go to work each day then come home and well..work. I'm thinking doing something different sounds like fun. I would be traveling solo (with my dog).

Any thoughts you would like to share would be welcomed.
CLynn

I hope to get my pics posted soon but I am technologically challenged and I keep doing something wrong. Will try and try again.

[retiredhappy]

Lynn, you don't sound to me like you're ready to give up your home. Do you have an RV yet? I came off the road fulltime a year ago; bought a mobile home; sold my 30' rig and bought a used 19' Roadtrek so I can take trips but still come home to my house.

I decided to go fulltime when I came home from a 3 month workamping job and found the grass knee high. I decided I no longer wanted all the work a house involved so I rented it for a year, put my stuff in storage and took off. I workamped for the next three years to get a free site/electric so I could enjoy different parts of the country. The workamping gave me something to do but I got to the point when I was no longer enjoying enjoying it and was missing having a small garden and a small area the dogs could be loose and so I bought my mobile.

Each one has to decide when or if the time is right for them. If you've never RV'd I would strongly suggest you don't go fulltime until you've tried RVing by either renting or buying an older/small rig to try out the lifestyle. On the other hand, since you're really handy you might really like workamping.

[JudyJB]

I decided because I have always wanted to travel and the time was right for me to retire.

I agree that you sound like you have a lot of attachments to your home. In my case, I lived in a condo, my kids both lived out-of-state in opposite ends of the country, my parents were gone, nearly all of my relatives had passed away or moved out of the state, and I did not want to spend another cold winter stuck inside my condo alone.

In addition, neither my kids nor I had any attachments to my condo since they had not grown up there or had lived there.

And finally, I knew I wanted to move somewhere warmer, but couldn't decide where to move to. Full-timing would let me travel and help me find the place where I might eventually want to live.

Everyone is differnt. I have had the wanderlust since I was a child--always dreamed of going places.

Perhaps in your case, you ought to buy something used and cheap and try traveling for a few months, while keeping your home.

[Dawn309]

Based on what you wrote, I would keep your house and like everyone said, give RV'ing a try with an inexpensive RV. I would make sure it is something you really want to do.

My husband and I camped/RV'ed for about 30 years off and on. Before he passed away, we talked about the fact that there was no way I could keep up our small farm by myself. Full timing had always been my dream for someday. He and I talked about my doing this before he passed and started the planning then. We decided to make my someday happen a lot sooner. I think you really should give it a try before jumping into this big a decision. I will not be traveling by myself. My Mom will live in my motorhome with me and my brother Paul will travel with us in his motorhome.

[Bethers]

Hate to say it, but only you can decide if you can sell your place or not. We can give you our stories, and if they help, good. But think things through - both with your heart and brain - and then, no matter what you decide, go for it. And if it doesn't go how you thought, don't berate yourself. Life is simply too short.

Simply put, I was a workaholic and life was passing me by. I put things in storage for a couple years, and for me, would have been better off getting rid of it all right away. I feel so lucky to have downsized so much and feel soooooooooo much freer. Never want the headaches of a lawn, garden, etc. Yes, I know, the rv has things needing down, but so would a house or condo or apt, etc. That I'll take. And with it I can see so very much. Because I know I need things to do - I do workamp (for the money, also). It allows me to settle for a time (3-6 months, usually) and make friends (many of whom are now friends for life) and helps keep me busy. When I do travel, I've finally learned how to relax for at least a few days or more at a time and sometimes do absolutely nothing. And, yes, I had to learn how to do this. Like many do when retiring, it's not something we know.

Oh, I took off for a year - and am now into my 8th year full-time. It's now in my blood. And my intentions have also been to find a place where I'll eventually want to settle for at least 1/2 the year. Ha. Lots of places I like, but haven't picked one of them to do that yet. Too many places to go in the summers - and too many great places to also go in the winter. Maybe someday. And if that day is forced on me, I have several places I know I could stay - maybe not as happily as traveling, but without regrets, should that time come.

[Lynn2]

Thanks, yes the stories do help, each bring different perspectives to consider which I appreciate. Beth, it's interesting to hear your story. I am self-employed and always busy, too busy I'm thinking. I've wondered if there would be enough to do on the road since I am not a craft type person. Sounds like working part of the time would be something I would enjoy.

[Liz]

It took me several years to decide. I started traveling summers (school teacher). Then after retirement I called myself a "most-of-the-timer," traveling more and more of the year. Gradually I found out that I usually did not look forward to going home, and when I was there I was busy planning my next trip. When I was traveling I had all the expenses of maintaining my house...elec./ AC in summer, paying someone to mow and clean the pool when I wasn't even there to use it.

Once the decision was made, there were no regrets. I love my full-timing lifestyle. But it's not for everybody, so you need to try it out on shorter trips. That will help you decide, but it may take awhile.

[Lynn2]

I can see getting away and not wanting to come back to the old routine. There is much to learn about an RV, (who knew). No one I know do travels much in an rv unless its for hunting or fishing, short vacation. Like some have mentioned I also don't talk much anymore about my thoughts of traveling in an RV since most think it's a crazy thing for me to consider as a solo woman of a certain age. A big reason I find this site so encouraging. I'm thinking I wouldn't make any decision before spring of next year. Lots to sort thru one way or another. (can't believe I collected rocks-petrified wood anyone?) Thanks for the thoughts, I find it helps me focus and gets my imagine working.

[retiredhappy]

Had to laugh at your "rock collecting." I, too, love rocks. I just brought home a piece (stepping stone size) of the Black Hills of South Dakota and it now resides in my front yard. When I left my S&B my daughter took the pieces I had collected. Do any of you remember the Lucille Ball movie "The Long Trailer" I think it was where she filled the trailer with rocks?

[JudyJB]

I'll bet a local science teacher or the local elementary school would love to have your petrified wood and maybe some of the other rocks.

A lot of people have said I was extraordinarily brave or even crazy to want to travel alone in a motorhome full time. I have always responded that lots of business women travel alone and that campgrounds are very safe because everyone can hear and see everything.

Also, as someone pointed out to me, almost all school bus drivers in this country are women and they have an excellent safety record, so women can certainly drive big vehicles.

What is important is what YOU want to do. Why not go to one of the get-togethers and meet a lot of the women from this site personally and hear their stories? You can stay in a hotel since you don't have an RV, or rent a small one for a few days to try out the lifestyle.

[Colliemom]

Lynn, I think you and i have somewhat the same problem. I have a big three bedroom, two bath home on approx. 4 acres of land. At the time the house was built, my dad was living with me and there were two of us here, my mom having passed away the year before, and never having lived in this house. Dad passed away 9 years ago and now it's all mine alone with my two dogs. I'm working full time during the summer and seems like I'm always doing this or that around here, never having time to do the "down time" as you call it although I make a point to just take a day and do something different when i can. There are many days and have been a lot these past couple of years when all i want to do is get out on the road and go, leave it all behind.

I'm planning to start my SS next year and my thoughts are that I want to take a trip out west in 2014, just take my time and go to Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Mt. Rushmore and places I haven't seen in between. I Don't think that I want to full time. I have travelied all over MI alone, but that will be the first big trip that I will attempt by myself. I think i want to keep an S&B, perhaps a small cottage someplace to come back to. I"ve lived in MI all my life, love my home state and have no desire to leave it. I have no family or ties to this particular area anymore, but my heart is here in a way. Maybe it's more of a "comfort zone" than anything and I need to step out of the "zone" for awhile. I think the best thing to do, is to get out on the road, go someplace for awhile. We will either find that we want to keep going or after awhile want to come back "home" and then maybe go again later. I don't have a rig right now either and that's on my agenda for next year. I did have a TT till this spring and didn't mind towing it around up in this part of the state, going camping just to go. But after awhile, I found myself getting bored and always wishing i could just be on the road with it instead. Unfortunately, finances don't allow that at the moment. So I sold it and am sitting back for a couple of years.

So, I'm glad you started this thread as it's interesting to read the others comments and sharing their stories.