Two years until full time

[anonymoustraveler]

I am a middle aged single disabled female looking to full time in two years. As soon as my youngest graduates high school, moves into college - I hope to hit the road.

I would like to post a blog detailing my efforts, where I travel, how much I spend as well as freely publishing any and all of my writing.

Thinking of a smaller class c or b and tow a small car or motorcycle. I will need to make frequent stops for naps and/or walking around. I want to have room and storage but also make parking and navigation easy. I forsee little highway travel and would like to take mostly back roads to explore the US and Canada.

I am an avid camper - my whole life - but up to now have towed a family pop up, With my family moving out and on - I want to continue the camping but make it easier for me with my disability.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!

Shout out to JudyJB on the existence of this forum!

[Bethers]

Welcome! And a big apology from me that it's taken 2 days to approve you. But now you're approved and I, for one, am glad you're here. I travel in a smaller (25-26 foot class C) sometimes towing, sometimes not. It works well for me.

Join in anywhere and ask any questions you have. Hope to see you on the road one day.

[snowball]

and I went the other way when my late husband came up with the idea of full timing he wanted a TT I talked him into a 5th wheel... I love it until it's moving on day... because I am a chicken I have turned myself into a snow bird I live in my 5th wheel but at the moment I leave Idaho where I park it at my dd's... so spring finds me leaving AZ for Idaho fall finds me leaving Idaho for AZ ... once I have something pd off then perhaps I will convince myself that I can actually travel more than 1000 miles one way... one would think that if I can travel a thousand miles one way I could take a different route and travel a thousand miles one it right??? but self it's convinced. I think that my husband thought that I would stay in the campground full time and not even travel but this works for me...
I am widowed have 5 children and 13 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild she is two month's old have a dog drive a 3500 Ram towing a 36 or so foot 5th wheel
welcome to the forum
you will if asking questions get quite a variety of responses....and you will find us from coast to coast from border to border.. sheila

[BarbaraRose]

Welcome from the Palm Springs area in California!

Where are you at? Do you have pets?

[monik7]

Welcome from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Sandi

[MandysMom]

Welcome from Roseville CA. I was widowed last September and recently made my first solo journey in many years. I travel in my class B RV van. Not sure I'd full time in it but I enjoy traveling in it. Glad you're here. Look forward to hearing more.
Velda

[Rufflesgurl]

Welcome from N. Central CA where it is very hot right now. I travel in a 25' Navion class C with my 2 year old pup. Look
forward to hearing about your travels.

Linda

[BirdbyBird]

Welcome fromSE Ohio went I am not out traveling the roads with my dogs. What size? Look look and look again. Everyone has different space needs that works for them. We all find space for what is valuable to us as we drive down the road. Think how you want to use it and how you will access all the functioning mechanics.....

[gypsyrose1126]

Hello from WI -- I have a 18' TT and tow it with a jeep. I started out with a smaller TT but found I wanted a real bed and traded it in. I am happy with my choice and like having the jeep to explore with.

[Cudedog]

Welcome to the forum from the Northern California area near Sacramento!

I have a 17' Jayco 154BH "bunkhouse" trailer (Baja Edition), and it is perfect - for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICUpx75i6GE

I removed the table (thanks again, JudyJB for suggesting this!), to give myself a "living/dining room" , and I sleep on the lower bunk (upper bunk used for additional storage of light weight items). I am not a full-timer (although I could easily do full-timing with this trailer).

I pull the trailer with my full-size GMC Cargo van.

http://heartdogs.net/wordpress/?page_id=171

I have an Andersen anti-sway, weight-distribution hitch, which I cannot recommend highly enough! 110% (at least!) (Thanks again, Laura, or suggesting the Andersen!).

Oh - and Melissa - thanks for explaining how I could compute how much my van could safely tow, and where and how to get my van weighed!!

LOL - Notice I have just mentioned the advice and help I received from three Forum members - JudyJB, Cougerfan Laura, and Melissa! The ladies on here have been a godsend to me (and many others I have not mentioned!), so feel free to ask questions and to share your thoughts!!

I pulled this trailer - solo - from Northern California to Yellowstone and back last year, and had one of the most wonderful and amazing trips of my entire life.

We all love a good story on here - please tell us about yourself, where you want to go, how you plan to get there, and... Pets! We love to hear about pets.

Happy travels!

Anne

[JudyJB]

Glad you made it onto the forum!

A Class C has more headroom and is easier to walk around in, but a B would be easier to park, although I can almost always find a place to park my big C. Might have to walk a couple of blocks sometimes, however. As Tina mentioned, the thing is to make sure what you buy fits YOU! You will want to sit in sit in all the chairs, lay down in the bed, sit on the toilet to see if your knees fit with the door closed, and try getting into and out of the shower. And make sure you can reach the ceiling lights to turn them on! I can barely reach mine by standing on my tiptoes.

You will also want to open all the underneath storage doors and make sure you can reach stuff. A big mistake I made was not checking out my utility cabinet. I am only 5'1" and have correspondingly short arms, so in order to reach in and hook up my sewage dump hose, I have to literally stick my head partway into the compartment!! (Much like cars, they build these things for taller people with longer arms!)

[anonymoustraveler]

Thank you for such a kind welcome! I am currently in NE Ohio and my youngest is going into his junior year of high school. I hope to move into full time when he enters college. I spent most of the day looking at Class C, Class B and TT. I may be traveling with a dog (companionship and security) but don't have one now. I have been considering a service dog.

I have Stage IV cancer and have been tumor free for ten years. I have also several medical conditions that resulted from the cancer treatment - hence the disabilities.

I am leaning toward a class c so I can pull over and rest frequently without leaving the coach. Might also be safer. I like the layout of TT but unhitching and so on may be more than I can do alone. I did look at a fifth wheel today and really like the layout but the length is intimidating.

I plan to be slow, explore national and state parks. Do my writing and photography. Visit family. Go where the wind takes me.

I would love input on TT and fifth wheelers vs class c/class b.

[snowball]

T
I would love input on TT and fifth wheelers vs class c/class b.

there are as many lengths in 5th wheels as there are any other rv.. you didn't say what the length of the
5th wheel was that you found intimidating. look at others that are shorter... I have friends that have one that I bet
is around a 26 ft. my reason's for wanting the 5er instead of TT more storage was a consideration, I had heard that they
(the 5er) was easier to tow than a TT I imagine that those who have a TT will refute that... I like the space at that time it was the two of us... and we had the space we wanted and felt needed... I still enjoy it I have never not wanted to live in it...since we got it... it is a 2007 model that we got in 2006 and moved into in late spring of 2007 when my husband retired. When I got my new truck about 3 years ago it had a BMX goose neck I had kept the hitch for the 5th wheel but they couldn't get the railings out so was looking at solutions to the problem found an adapter that fixed it so I could use the BMX instead of getting new railings... it was the cheaper fix.. and I love it it's an Anderson hitch by the way so if you decide to tow look into them...
I personally am happy with what I have but when Cheryl chimes in she will tell you she is happy with her choice... as it has been mentioned you buy what you need and or want... yes we can tell you why we did but it still boils down to your needs
sheila

[JudyJB]

I chose a Class C so I could do exactly what you talk about--pull over and rest or fix a meal at a rest area without going outside. It makes it very convenient also to pull over somewhere and use the bathroom, which I tend to do a lot. (My kids will tell you I seldom miss a rest area.)

A trailer or 5th wheel is a good choice if you are going to stay in one spot longer, like months. A motorhome home is a good choice if you are going to move often and want to be able to get on the road with little effort. That is pretty much what I do. I tend to stay in national, state, and county campgrounds and mostly stay 1-10 days and then move on. Most of the time I have only electric and maybe water to unhook. Between closing my slides and unhooking my water hose and unplugging my electrical cord, I can be on my way in less than 5 minutes. (Less, if my neighbors are really obnoxious!) Add another 5-10 minutes at the dump station, and I am gone!!!

Regarding storage, generally there is less storage in a trailer, a little more in a 5th wheel, and considerably more in a motorhome because you have a lot more underneath storage.

One big consideration in a motorhome or trailer, by the way, is cargo carrying capacity. One secret is that often, they build bigger and smaller Class Cs on the same chassis. That means a bigger Class C may be able to carry less weight than a smaller one. This is something the salesman will never, ever tell you. I have only 1,300 pounds of CCC, which means I cannot drive with a full water tank or sewage tank. It also means I cannot fill up all the cabinets I have. Right now, I am struggling to cut down on weight. Being overweight means you could crack the frame or blow out tires--serious things. So when you are shopping, ask about CCC and look at the stickers that show this. Cargo carrying capacity includes the weight of you and any passengers, water, sewage, clothing, food, bedding, pots and pans, vacuum cleaner, gasoline, tools, any bikes or recreational equipment, and even your potential dog and his stuff.

The funny thing is that my rig potentially can sleep 7 people, but if I took along 7 people, they would have to be really skinny, and I would have to dump all of my belongings!!

[BirdbyBird]

I think Donna is planning on visiting PA this summer and she and Other Sharon may end up at Donna's favorite state park in western PA. If you are up for a day trip I encourage you to to check up and sees what their plans are. I am in SW Ohio but head up to the central part of the state often. Dog Shows also take me many places. Besides on line viewing see if you can't grab a friend and visit and walk through as many rigs as you can. If nothing else you can figure out what you don't want. Elimination of choices helps! And don't be afraid of looking at used. There is money to be saved if you evaluate carefully. Have fun. The high school years go past in a blur. (I suggested to both my children that they should go to college and move where ever they wanted, just to make sure it was places that were nice to visit......)