I am a solo RVer in a small Class A coach. No tow car. At age 92, I look at my “home” and feel so thankful to have it. I think about how I would be living if I did not have this rig. I would be in a small not so upscale apt. or worse, an assisted living. Lonely and friendless. Costs would be straining my income, leaving me unable to travel or enjoy buying any extras. I would be stuck in one place. No redecorating or upgrading in an apt. I am thankful I have my own affordable space, decorating it as I choose, upgrading when I can, and moving to a different location if I don’t like where I am or just want to see something new. I also treasure the many friends I have made from all over the country. I can do all this and pay off debt and save and invest to improve my finances. Yes I am so thankful for living the RV lifestyle. I will never leave it until I am forced to because of ill health or injury. Yes I will die in my RV. lol!
Doris thank you for such a wonderful description of what I want my life to be. I was just thinking I’m too old to do full time when I saw your comment! I’ve been doing camping trips for years and had different rigs. May you be blessed beyond measure.
Oh my goodness! Doris, you go young lady!! Do you stay in RV Parks? Boondock? How do you save money?? As a near future RV’er in my new to me but used Travel Trailer, I am in fear my SS income won’t get me out of debt & travel the USA. I’ve took care of everyone else over 50 yrs & only have my 86 y/o mom left. She can go if wants or stay home as in good health. I lost everything tragically about 6-7 yrs ago, no home anymore, multiple surgeries bankrupt me, cost great debt I’m trying to pay off. I live with folks to care for them. Dad’s gone now. It’s my turn to see the country!! Bumping 70 & slightly disabled now & forced into retirement after the accident. I would love any of your advise!! God Bless you on your journey!!
We RV differently than most full-time people do. We live in our RV full time, but we only move twice a year. We didn't sell everything. We have the adult kids and grandkids living in our house. We park our house right in our pasture for the summer and spend good quality time with the family. Then we go to the beach for the winter and enjoy our adventures together. It is awesome for us.
@@foxesfouracres629 that’s exactly the plan I had in my own mind to do, but unfortunately it was just my wish list. Because my young adult children just aren’t old enough for that sweet set up, yet. A longing of my heart.
Good idea! Have a base or a couple of base sites, where you live w/o constant moving along road and country. We lived on sailboat and it’s exhausting being on the go w/ weather etc. Also, maybe add few annual airline trips to visit loving friends and family who boost you up:) 💓🌅
I’m 60, rented my first RV last month. Knew for years I wanted to boondock. Loved it so much I came home, bought a great RV and am hopefully taking off before Dec. Me & my fur kids. Thank you so much for sharing your selves. May God bless you!
We finished dinner, while watching your video. My wife got up and said “these two are more far real than a lot of tubers.” Keep it real. See you out there on the road.
Instant follow ❤ your story about your Dad touched me. I’ve been solo full time in my 26ft toy hauler for 3 years; just me, my dog and my Harley. My son joined the service right after high school (total surprise to me!) and I retired from the service when I was 38. I tried the rat race of healthcare as a nurse, then a nurse practitioner and as much as I loved my patients, I was miserable. I saw my Dad die suddenly when he was only 49 years old. It changed everything about how I viewed life. No longer was it something that just happens, but the fragility became so real to me. I found myself turning 44 and it hit me that I had this lengthy bucket list I hadn’t even started on…so I sold everything I owned, bought a truck and my trailer, saw my son off to his first duty start after boot camp and hit the road. I’ve cleared a lot of my bucket list and have new things I’ve added. Tomorrow is never, ever promised. People always say to me “I wish I could do what you do” or “I wish I was brave enough” or my personal un-favorite “hopefully soon, someday”. Someday might not be there when you are ready for it. Live well, travel more, find peace and joy; whatever that means to you…but do it now. Make it happen. You will never regret taking the chance, I promise.
I just retired as a nurse after almost 40 years, and l wholeheartedly agree with your description of the medical field as a 'rat race!' It definitely has changed over the years into something l don't even want to be a part of anymore.. it's no longer about the patient, only about $$ I am trying to catch my breath and focus on what my retirement will look like.. so far it has been about deep cleaning my house, and decluttering and trying to reduce belongings after years of collecting things and raising five kids..! l would like to simplify my life and possibly downsize homes, and that starts with minimalizing what we have. I have always wanted to be a snowbird, and go south for the winters.. but that hasn't happened yet.
Same, but it was my mother. She and my dad had all of these big plans... The kids were gone. We had a 5 bedroom house. We had lived for everyone else in our lives except ourselves. We sold everything and paid cash for our new home on wheels. 2 years in with zero regrets. Husband and I are discovering so much every single day. We are living life wide open now because it's never too early, but we have seen that it can be too late. Happy Travels to everyone!
Good morning from Kentucky, My wife Jo-Ann and I were Full Time RVing for just over 2 1/2 yrs. Although we had some great times Full Time RVing, and met some great friends along the way, there were also a lot of bad times as well, mostly from bad campers who purchased RV's, but never took the time to learn any camping etiquette. I had a serious health issue, and we were over 2hrs from any hospital who could deal with it. (I've had 4 stomach surgeries already) Luckly it sorted itself out that time. We had to deal with some really sketchy people in National Forest where there was no cell service. Going through Kanab, Utah the engine blew in our pickup truck, and cost us $8,000 to have a new engine put in. We had our share of ups and downs, but we're glad we got to experience Full Time RVing, and we're glad for the friends we made while on the road. After 2 1/2 years, we had enough of full timing. So, we sold our travel trailer and bought a small 2-bedroom home in Barren County, KY. We feel more comfortable and relaxed in our sticks & bricks home now, than when we lived in our RV. RVing was fun, but it's nowhere near as easy or as glamorous as some TH-camrs make it out to be. Have a Fun, Safe & Blessed 4th of July weekend guys. JT
Right.. it seems ok for a time, until people just get tired of the 'work' it requires to do it.. l can see wanting to travel to experience new things and see new places, but at some point, you have crossed everything off the bucket list, or just get too tired to keep doing it.. and at $60 a night, or upwards of $800 a month to 'set up camp', there's nothing cheap about it.. and that doesn't even account for the wear and tear of 'blowing an engine' or having something go wrong with the rv..
My husband and I Full-timed for 4 years back in 2013. The things you listed and shared here are real considerations. After 4 years of moving every 3 weeks, my husband and I were really tired. We had a 19ft travel trailer with no laundry & small corner shower. If we had a better shower and more income to spend on monthly spots, we probably would have continued the journey longer. Lots of pros and cons to consider with this lifestyle and this video covers a good chunk of them. Great job & good luck to you both!
I agree.. we have owned a travel trailer for years and camped with our kids since they were very young. It IS a lot of work to set up and take down and probably not something l would want to do full time, as l am always ready to go home and sleep in my bed after a camping trip.. l love to camp and my husband and l continue to camp 2-3 times a year; my plan has always been to take the camper south for the winter and be a 'snowbird'.. but waiting for the hubby to retire to do that.
Wow, thanks. My wife and I are looking into this, full time. We're still looking into what RV to go for and what all we need to plan for. In our late 30s and early 40s. As a disabled vet and it seems like 2k a month seems like it's worth doing. Looking forward to meeting and doing much more research on you all. We're kinda like excited kids who still have to wait. What all should we also consider regarding safety, health and good environment we can establish with an RV. Are there groups that we can meet? Who all should we talk to or real questions to ask? I'm just excited and asking anything that we should know and consider. Thanks for the time. Semper Fi
Thanks for posting. Hubby and I are close to being on the road. I understand your "whys". My mom kept waiting for retirement. Hated her job and couldn't wait. She finally got there and got the chance and she got cancer. She passed away at 63. I'm 57. I don't want to do that. I've worked hard to pay off debt and get things in the right place and all of that is to clear the way to do what we've always wanted to do. I'm trying not to miss my chance. See you on the road. 😁
We are full timers for 4 years now. The tip I have is for travel days. If we have to leave early, we get everything ready possible the day before. We close all the slides and climb into bed. We unhook everything except the electricity. It makes early departures so much less stressful.
We are working towards full timing next year. I’ve been watching a lot of TH-cam videos over the past few months and I have to say I appreciate yours the most. The honesty is amazing. Keep up the good work.
I've been solo fulltime for 5.5 yrs. Its just life. The biggest thing I can stress is DO THE MATH. It can be as cheap or expensive as you can afford. Im a wildlife/ environmental lover. I do some touristy stuff, but mostly just like to avoid snow, see new places, and visit family. If you are able... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND BEING DEBT FREE! I sold my house of 22 yrs,started debt free, paid cash for my rv. It makes all the difference to me to not have debt and actually enjoy my retirement. Cant stress enough to know what kind of traveler you want to be, how much junk you want to lug around, and how often you want to break camp or easily run to a store or tourist sites. I have a B+ rv so its my only transportation. I researched rigs for 2+ yrs & had rv techs look over my choices. I love my rig & the lifestyle & like everything in life- some things suck. I also am a single female for last 27 yrs, stubbornly independent, have TWO tool boxes, not afraid to fix basic things, install a faucet, build a fire, dump stinky tanks, etc. Someone once told me rv living is just the same as normal life, vehicle problems, house repairs & maintenance...except they're on an earthquake everyday! 😂
@4anitamartinez it's a 2016 Dynamax...not made anymore. You need to pick according to your "non-negotiables." Any vehicle can work..just need to know what kind of lifestyle you want.Ive seen so many people in different vehicles. Amazing what people can live with/ without.
I just found your channel tonight. I really enjoy hearing you guys. I am a single woman in my 50’s and breaking away from the norm because Ive seen so many people leave this earth before their time. My kids are grown so it’s my turn now.
Hey I am 62 and thinking about this too. Have wanted to do this for a very long time. I still work full time but think I can pull this off and be very happy.
I just retired from the military after 28 years and my wife and I are seriously considering full-timing. I've been binge-watching hours and hours of YT videos in prep work, but I keep coming back to yours. Solid content, no fluff, and really well put together. I know the time it takes to make good videos, so thank you for your attention to detail and really thinking through what might be helpful. I'll keep coming back as long as y'all keep putting the videos out. Thanks! --Andy
My husband and I are both Navy retirees (he did 21 and I did 24) and have been full timing for 2 1/2 years with no regrets. If I had known the life was like this, I would have bought an RV when we returned to the states from my last overseas assignment (11 years in Japan) instead of buying a house. I studied RV life for five years before taking the plunge. I contacted every manufacturer, watched every RV TH-camr, went back to school (at age 65) and got my diesel technician certification, sold the 2500 sq. ft. house and gave away everything in it. We moved from Norfolk, VA for the more tax friendly Houston, Texas. Signed up with Escapees in Livingston, Texas as a domicile address and for mail forwarding and February 2022, we bought a 2013 Tiffin Phaeton 40 ft motorhome and began this amazing adventure on the road...LIFE IS SOOOOO GOOD!!!!
My wife and I are on the road full time as truckers. After 42 years I want to fulltime rv to experience what we have been driving by. Rving would give us a lot more room to live in. We are together 24 7 in a much smaller space. We don't see a downside to your lifestyle
My wife and I absolutely believe it was worth it for us to go fulltime traveling 7 years ago. We were so done with the so called "American Dream". We had it all a very nice home, 5 kids and now 9 grand kids and 4 great grand kids. The thing is we felt something was missing, I had retired from 21 yrs in the military and she retired early from a great accounting job which she loved but we still wanted more. When we decided to hit the road we were more than ready for a new adventure and this has been the best 7yrs. Was it hard to leave family somewhat, but we see them more now than before. We get to see old and new friends more, so overall it has been amazing and we look forward to many, many, many more years on the road.
I just fell in love with you two so much. Because you both were so raw and real before us and the camera. In this day and age when deception , fake and fraud and manipulation are everywhere, it was refreshing to see and hear yall being so honest and so human. GOD bless you both and I’ve just subscribed.
We are a family of 5 on a 38 ft sailboat for the past three years fulltime. We've sailed US east coast, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic and now in Guatemala. We are considering coming to shore to RV fulltime. We sold the house and I left my good job of 20 years at a cement plant. I have no regrets going all in but I can say its definitely not as easy as many make it appear. Our family loves the travel and adventure and we look forward to our next adventure together.
That is amazing. We have watched a couple of sailing adventure channels. It’s not for us but love seeing it all and the similarities to some parts of the Rv life.
I would not give up my home and life to live in an RV knowing the struggles, but I have thought about If it came down to not being able to afford to live any other way I would make it work, But to travel yes it would be nice but to live 24/7 otherwise not.
I’ve lived in an RV for almost a year. I didn’t sell my house, nor I plan to. It’s cheaper than an apartment, if you stay put. I don’t regret it, however I’m glad I still have a home. I don’t feel stuck. Which was the best decision for me so when I’m tired of RV life, I still have another option.
We are a sailing family and sold everything. I figure we can always come back to a stick built home if we agree as a family to go back to a more sedentary life. Currently considering RVing fulltime
Planning on full time RV life in 3 years (after retirement) I have been watching a ton of videos on full time RV living and your channel is by far the most helpful....keep it real 😊
My wife and I love how genuine you are! We really appreciate your channel and want you to know that you have encouraged us to do what we have always wanted to do!! Blessings to you both
Thank you so much 🤗 please let us know how we can help. We have an episode coming where we are answering your questions. So if you have some, send them over.
We used to RV but we had young kids & weren’t retired. 20:32 Set up & take down time was exhausting. Parks where we would get spaces required reservations 6 - 12 months in advance. Some parks are very choosy about which trailers they allow, etc. it’s definitely not as easy as other TH-camrs want people to believe!
It can certainly be a challenge but pretty rewarding at the same time. State and National Parks are so hard to get into sometimes. I totally agree. That's why we end up boondocking most of the time. Thanks for tuning in.
Thank you for your honesty. I've been watching a lot of RV videos, and few are as honest & open about the real RV life. We will be weekend warriors until my husband retires, and we hope to spend more in RV life. Please keep going so I can discuss & think about things I may not think about. ❤
I have a Caravel 22FB Airstream. I prefer full hook-ups and I’m usually at a site from 3 months up to one year. I love your honesty because it’s not all fun and games. I have learned just like when I owned a home,it’s things that have to be worked on and there is maintenance. I have learned a lot and I’m loving it!!!!
I love y'alls energy. We're going full time in our mid-thirties with no kids after this coming February. We are also learning as we go as well. Appreciate the helpful content!
That is awesome! Thanks so much for tuning in. We have lots of full time how to coming. We are releasing a course with every detail, checklists, downloads… everything we wish we had when we hit the road two years ago. 👍
Retired at the end of last year. I am enjoying being able to get out for longer periods of time in my camper but always ready to get back to my house and acreage after a month or so.
I agree.. l don't think l could do this full time as 'there's no place like home' to me.. and l always look forward to coming back to the 'bricks and sticks!' 😊
Hello fellow hoosiers! Thanks for the videos! My husband and I are really considering selling everything after our youngest graduates (few years) and are starting to look at 5th wheels and trucks. Your videos are very helpful!
We began looking at this lifestyle in 2019. My husband is retired due to a disability. I was planning to work until 65 but covid hit and as a letter carrier I was forced to work out away from the safety of home. I decided to retire at 62 instead and we had plans to buy a house in NC which didn't work out. So we rented out our house and moved to an apartment to downsize. We decided to start rv life a few months before I retired. Now more than 1 yr on the road we love it. Our kids & grands live in 6 different states...now we go visit them. No regrets. 😊
I’m from st Pete. Sold home and full time for 5 months. Oh boy. I’m loving it but it is all that! Anyway one thing I always have done have a plan. ABC. In the event of accident health issue weather problems. Have a go bag . Like when we had one for hurricanes. cash , card meds. Just a thought
OMG! Y'all hit on so many points that we feel day to day. We've been doing this nearly five years and have been through pretty much everything you've described. As a matter of fact, we have a very similar video coming up!! I swear, no lies, it has been on our video list for a while now. Excellent job! Great video. We can only hope that we can do it half as well.
Great video y’all. We’re considering going full time but can’t seem to find the right time. My wife owns a business that will need to be sold first & I have a corporate job with a steady pay check that’s hard to leave. Eventually we’ll get it figured out.
Just watched your show about traveling in your retirement and what you did for a living and I have to say I admire the two of you and your wife is absolutely adorable. Enjoy life while you can because it is very brief and short thanks for the encouragement.
Thank you for your videos and your content. I’m about to go full-time. My house is currently under contract with the closing on July 15 then off I go to buy a truck and an RV. Thank you for the honesty. BTW Chev/GMC 3500 Alliance Avenue 32RLS is the goal.
I would love to do this kind of lifestyle but my husband has Parkinson’s and we’re afraid. I’m tired of the constant increase in bills that we really don’t have any control over like utilities and insurance and house upkeep and repairs. It is getting harder all the time. I’m going to sit down today and look at our bills and expenses and see if I can re-work anything. We don’t have any extra bills aside from house payment and utilities and insurance and food and gas and drs. I enjoyed your video today and intend to watch past ones. Y’all enjoy 🙏❤️
This is something we are seriously considering after my youngest is done with school. I've been watching pros and cons and so far I think we can handle the hard parts. It's so exciting and I'm enjoying just thinking about all the amazing places we could visit. We both work from home so working from places like national parks seem like a great plan!
we listed our home in Central Florida one week ago and we are going to go full-time RVing but my husband still has to work at remodeling. Which she does locally for a while anyway so we’re going to plug-in at our daughters 1 mile away. We are right now, sorting dumping packing selling, every time someone buys a chest, everything gets dumped and we start over again. Today we tackled the garage and all the storage at the front. I am having my annual watercolor sale this weekend in the middle of all of this. We are having a moving sale the following weekend. And our realtor is having an open house the following weekend and we sure pray that will be able to sell the home so that we can buy a smaller. We’ve never had a vacation. We’ve been married 58 years. We’re ready for a break. I enjoyed your video very much. I’m gonna send it to my husband. He’s sleeping in a chair right now. It’s hot day.
We couldn’t afford to get a true “RV” so we bought and converted a school bus into a Skoolie. We traveled and lived in our Skoolie for almost 3 years and it was the best experience ever! We’ve since bought a house and less than six weeks in my wife and I were already missing the nomadic lifestyle… it’s now coming up on 4 years later and we are now planning to go back to full time nomad living again.
This is absolutely perfect. These are the issues that I have had to deal with in being an expat (and if I were in the US, I’d be a nomad). Thanks for helping people face these HUGE life issues that have to enter into this decision.
Great post. Thanks for addressing some of the difficulties that living on the road requires. I've just started taking 2 and 3 week trips in a small, rebuilt class C and find the planning part to be a bit daunting. A lot of the RV campground apps aren't great or else not easy to navigate, the dog has to be on a leash a lot of the time in the parks, or else I'm worried he'll get lost, and sometimes I feel like there's no wilderness left. But I know I'll figure out a system with practice and when I'm out I love it and never want to come back. Then something else rattles loose and I can come home and regroup for the next try. You've really said a lot that's worthwhile here.
The opacity of courage.full of wisdom.living on the edge of life.fulfilling every moment of the uncertainty of time in our short life.your raw emotions of bringing the truth into the picture.all and all is appreciated.well done.your footprints will be remembered for the ones who looks for courage to live the life you are living. He who does not travel,does not know the value of man. Thank you for your courage to live..
Definitely worth it! Thank you for sharing your journey and setting expectations. Three years and counting 'till we hit the road FT! Keep doing what you are doing and keeping it real.....
You two are adorable. I am glad I found your channel. I thought I would like the nomadic life but as an older single widow I couldn't do it. I live in my RV on a friends property.
Yes! New sub here! We are weekend warriors now, and our youngest is in 8th grade. I am a swim and dance mom and really enjoying this chapter, and we are preparing for the next. Right now, we travel everywhere we can with her and our 2 dogs to create the memories. It’s about the experiences for sure! Your authenticity is awesome. Hope to see you on the road now, or when we got full~time. Safe travels….thanks for your content!
It’s been my dream for many years! I am hopeful this Nomad life is still coming for me. Thank you for sharing your story which continued to confirm my dream. God bless.
Seems like our story parallels a lot of your story. The Wife and I have known each other since we rode the school bus together, born and raised in small town Indiana near Kokomo. Left IN the day we got married 46 years ago for CA since I was in the military at the time, and our base was near Fresno CA. After the military both of us worked corporate jobs, computers and healthcare and our civilians jobs moved us around America. Since marriage we have been nomads and explorers living where ever corporate America sent us, so it has been easier for us to transition to fulltime RV living. We've never had that comfort zone of living in the same place all our married lives, never missed it either. Ended up our working life near Austin TX for over 20 years. We waited a little longer than y'all, fully retired, joined Escapee's, sold everything and hit the road fulltiming. Has been 4 years now fulltiming, still keeping domicile in TX. Now both of us are on Medicare. Going from 2 acres of land and a 3000 sq ft home to less than 400 sq ft in a 38 ft RV. Couples have to like each other or it isn't going to work fulltiming, but also each needs their space once in a while. Oh, and the spats you will have, shoot we have been having those for 46 years!! LOL's! Lots of family, including children and grand children still lives in Indiana and Ohio, we get up there at least once a year in the spring or summer to visit for multiple months. Yes we have had to drop everything and our plans to return across country to IN/OH for emergencies and the deaths of family members. Otherwise we travel America, spend winters in Galveston and start the process over every year beginning in April.. Yes it is essential to keep an emergency fund, spare parts, tools and the knowledge and skill to make on the road repairs yourself. Otherwise it's going to get expensive fast, or you will be waiting for hours/days for help. Keep an emergency roadside kit in your truck/RV, tire jacks, safety triangles/flairs, reflective vests, ratchet straps, gloves, tie downs, flash lights etc. Keep access to your roadside emerg kit on the passenger side of your truck or RV away from passing traffic. If you can't rely on yourself, then you will end up hating the RV life and then start posting RV hate TH-cams. We had our first major break down in 4 years on the road this August near Richmond Indiana. Broke an axle leaf spring tie bolt on I70. Interstate 70 from Indianapolis to the Ohio border has got to be the worst pot holed highway in America! Anyway got the RV off the interstate and replaced the leaf spring ourselves in a Bob Evans parking lot, then got to our campground for the night. Going RV fulltime - You have got to be self reliant, work together, willing to take whatever comes your way, deal with it and move on. Still we wouldn't trade our current lifestyle to go back. Still on the road, still loving every minute of every day. Been to a lot of spectacular places all over the US. Knoxville area near Heiskell TN is looking really good for when we finally get off the road, settle back down, hopefully many more years from now.. Keep making it real!
No fear, F'n A right. Good on you both for your willingness to make those big moves in search of a fulfilling life. Hope to meet you one day on the trail
Great info! We full timed for 2 years and wife wanted a house. So much more maintenance and upkeep on house and yard than I ever had on trailer. Guess we’ll meet you at Romp it Up in Oct.
Great video! Thanks for all the info. I tend to be a simple camper. Many years it was a tent. Now that I am older I have a van which I love. Get up and get into the drivers seat!! All I need is a cup of coffee and off I go.
Im full-time RVer from AZ for 2 years now. For us its totally worth it. We have learned so much about ourselves and still learning. Its so true about figuring it out. Love the life.... we always say, its not an easy life but for us its a simple life.
I can't wait... I'm working on getting healthier now but am anxiously waiting 4 yrs until my grandson grads HS. (Raised him since he was a baby)Your comment about your parents hit home with me! It has been my dream..I'm sooo afraid of having that regret...Am now 63 & disabled (back) 🙏
Yes, to the letting go of our work/volunteer/hobbies etc. Having those things of the past that gave us our identity- is a big deal. But it gives us as couples a new vista view and a new way of being together without all the things that distract. It is kind of like falling in love again with the person we first fell in love with. Just us and being a bit self focused for the first time in 35 years. Putting each other first again. And navigating that has a learning curve that is so worth it. We literally have served hundreds of meals and changed hundreds of sets of sheets in our home - most of our married life. Hospitality and generosity is important to us. We also have friends all over the nation because of it. It is interesting to be thinking of our we-ness/us-ness and learning to have each other be the main priority and focus. It is living in Wonderland and hard can be good. It isn't not ever having problems but it is dealing with problems in a healthy way and forgiving and apologizing and getting right again. Life is NOT all rose colored glasses and being real and having a life style be worth it is the point. Well said!!!!!! Love your wisdom! Thanks for being honest and real! What you are sharing is so valuable. You are an asset in this community!
Hey Barry and Darlene! Great video and thanks for sharing your insights and reflections on the last couple of years. All of the things you meantime are things we are currently considering. Glad to see you out there doing it. We are just a few years away from on the road FT , but for now we get out there as often as we can!
I loved your video- so honest! I feel like we live parallel lives. We are living full time for 2 years in our 44 ft 5th wheel and we have been married for 33 years- together for 35. Your video speaks to me and I can TOTALLY relate!!! Thank you for sharing!!
Wife and I are a couple of yrs away from your situation and just started researching if this is for us. The only reason I clicked on your vid is because of the Oberlin Merch. We live 10 min down the road from the college. Thank you for the video, lots of food for thought. We are looking forward to both being empty nesters and rv’ers.
Ha! Oberlin for the win. Our daughter is a third year swimmer there. Such a pretty school an area. Let us know if you have any questions. We are actually working on an online course for going full time Rv. Stay tuned.
In the non-shoulder seasons, we live on two acres in an 80 YO home that we love. We have a barn, 1280 squaare foot garden and a pool we can swim laps in. We actually find rig time relaxing... But, we are both handy and think anyone considering this lifestyle needs to figure out how to do many repairs/maintenance ourselves. I look forward to a time when we can full-time and hope to see you on the road!
Hello. We are glad you are out here on the road with the rest of us. For people with families I am sure this is a much harder challenge. Patience, hassles and drama are all part of the journey. Trip planning is OMG!! Decision fatigue is so real!! There is maintenance in a sticks & bricks, and critters that get in the house, it's just different in an RV. Safe Travels.
As a former Qstoves user, I've found the switch to Asmoke to be entirely worthwhile. The precision temperature control and automated pellet feeding system of Asmoke have completely transformed my RV living experience. The convenience of being able to set and maintain my desired cooking temperature, as well as the distinct smoky flavor added by the wood pellets, has made cooking on the road a more enjoyable and delicious experience. The Asmoke Essential's portable and lightweight design paired with its battery-powered operation has made it perfect for our full-time RV living. It's also quite versatile, allowing us to grill, smoke, roast, and bake a variety of foods. And the best part? We can monitor our food's temperature remotely through the app, making our cooking process even more hassle-free. We sold everything for this lifestyle, and with Asmoke, it's definitely worth it. #Asmoke
I'm looking forward to it However; I'm single --- I'm hoping it won't be as lonley as it seems ---- I watch these guys & gals van lifing It seems to be lonley --- but; I'm going to try it --- I can always find another apartment - keep my van & just travel occasionally
Get involved with groups. There are many solo female fb groups. They often do meet ups. Xscapers also has a ton of solos at their events. Seems like they often travel together.
You guys are super-cool. This is the second video I have watched and I thoroughly enjoyed them both. We are not full timers, and probably won't ever be, but your content is thought provoking and spot on. Just had a bad "setup" experience this past weekend and this video was just what I needed to remind that most things that are worth doing require more effort and usually involve some miss steps. I look forward to watching future videos. Rock on!
Thanks Guys!!! We are in the process of selling our home and starting our adventure. Thank you for being real and giving so much information. You confirmed so many things. We appreciate it.
Love the "real" you guys! You have helped us make our choice a while ago. We are going full time in the next month or so. Have everything ready and used your videos as a staging order to what to do. And seeing the emotions and real love between you two make us feel like we are able to do it too, before its to late for me.
Thank you for making this video! We are in the empty nest phase of life too and trying to figure it all out. Definitely feeling like the time is now to be active and enjoy traveling while we still can. That’s one of the reasons we bought a Jeep a few years ago. We’ve camped out of it and been able to see some beautiful places, but this is a whole other level! Very cool!
You are two VERY talented and creative people. The wine skirts are absolutely fabulous! I found you two recently with the video about Darlene's injury and hope she's doing much better. I saw your dogs and knew I'd like you and then your honest & open way of presenting yourselves along with your soft heart and tears are so real and appealing. PLEASE don't apologize for having a tender heart - the world needs lots more tender hearts. We're getting ready to do a 6 week trip (our longest in our 13 years of RVing) soon to East Glacier, Banff, West Glacier, Yellowstone & Tetons and hope we won't kill each other. All our other trips nearly that long included other people so we'll see how we fare, LOL! We think we'll be fine and actually love being in our little Winnebago View so much that we're sad when we come home. Sadly, we're traveling dogless this time - our last of 2 Cavaliers passed away unexpectedly in April (very hard!), but we'll be getting a dog this winter. I'm glad to have found your channel so I can binge your TH-cams during this upcoming trip - looking forward to enjoying your adventures.
Thank you! Loved this video. We are just starting to part time in a new toy hauler. Upgraded from a travel trailer which was a BIG transition. It made me laugh when you mentioned KYD who we love watching but can make it look so easy. When in reality it is a lot of work. Love the lifestyle and loved your honesty with a positive perspective.
We have a lot of similarities to you two. Full time since Oct 31, 2022. Work full time from the road. Similar ages. Married 31 years. But real good content! But we did have our first grand born in January this year so he makes it harder to leave Omaha when we pass through twice a year. But we keep going and do lots of FaceTime. I’m the social one so my trip to walk the trash out can turn into an hour because I talk to strangers! We have connected with several that we stay in touch with and even plan our winter destination together with. But we also go see friends and family around the country. Mostly when they are at or on the way to our planned destination. We reduced conflict during setup by using radios and deciding how to describe what needs to happen, like when backing up, etc. Keep sharing your journey!
Some of the saddest stories I see on TH-cam is retired people selling their sticks and bricks, putting everything they have in a rv to live the dream. Their health declines and they have no idea what they are going to do or where they are going to go. They watch the ‘live the dream’ TH-camrs and think it is easy.
@guystl I agree.. after raising five kids and now starting retirement years, l am so glad we traveled the country with the kids when we were younger, and had the energy to! I thought l would continue traveling in my retirement, but hitting 60 years old.. l realize that l have lost 'steam' and am very content to sit on my back porch and listen to the birds, look at my flowers 🌸 and babysit my grandchildren two days a week 😊
Like this couple says you make the best of it. I'm getting ready to pull out getting ready to get get out of my apartment. No longer pay rent no longer pay utilities and I've built out of van and I'm getting ready to live in it but I really can't go anywhere yet because my mother still in the nursing home but when the day comes, my mother is no longer around my wings are going to be flapping
Thanks for sharing. Keep up the good work. Full timing is a dream for now. We are able to go RVing/camping, adventuring, resting, and relaxing at least once a month. We see it as a wonderful chapter in our lives. It is so worth it!! Safe travels.
You two are awesome! My wife and i are about to start out on our adventure doing the same thing you did. Were just going to go for it and see what happens. Love your videos!!! Cheers
I did the van life for a while. Sort of like RVing but with less than half the room...lol At my age I can tell you that it was worth it. I went a lot of places and was able to see some incredible things on the road. Lots of time in parking lots but I wouldn't trade it for anything
New subscriber from Bloomington, Minnesota. You two are definitely easy listening. Thank you for your raw and real approach. You make it easy to understand and you spark interest because of your delivery method. And I don't even RV! but I do have friends that do. I most definitely will be sharing your channel with them. Have a Blessed day/life.
I am getting ready to start my full time rv life with in the next year. Spent the last 5 years building my camper trailer from scratch (imagine a 21’ fiberglass airstream best description).
Goooood video guys!!! We have been FT almost 2 years now and this video really resonates!!! The moving can sometimes be a hassle with the setup/breakdown of a fifth wheel. We love the boondocking/drycamping aspect bcuz it simplifies the setup/breakdown side of it. Our 3 kids are scattered across the country and having the 5ver make it easier to spend more quality time with them as well as other family members and friends…a big plus!!! 👍😃🍻
Really great video and informative! Almost 69 and getting ready to go full time in probably a Class C. Being single and retired means I don’t have many of the issues you guys talk about, but some unique challenges when I figure I probably only have 10-15 years left that I can do this!
Consider doing some meet ups. Escapees has several groups that gather several times a year and I know there is a singles group (if you like to meet new people that is:-)
We've wanted to RV fir years. At 25 I had a kidney transplant another at 54. We are working hard to get an rv. We have the truck so we're ready for the rv.
Just found y’all this evening and love y’all already!! I really appreciate your honesty and sincerity!! Girl I was crying right along with you…keep enjoying life!! Gods Blessings always…
Great video. I'm ex-military and that's been the extent of anything that smells like "RV-life"...mostly just tent-life. But, I've driven some large machines, towed some large equipment, and I am certainly used to the unexpected. I'll never be a TH-cam'er...I'm just not socially inclined enough, but I do expect the need for a mobile office. Your setups are great so I expect I'll be binging your videos to get some insight into desk-anchoring and such. I appreciate you folks, cheers.
I am a solo RVer in a small Class A coach. No tow car.
At age 92, I look at my “home” and feel so thankful to have it. I think about how I would be living if I did not have this rig. I would be in a small not so upscale apt. or worse, an assisted living. Lonely and friendless.
Costs would be straining my income, leaving me unable to travel or enjoy buying any extras. I would be stuck in one place. No redecorating or upgrading in an apt.
I am thankful I have my own affordable space, decorating it as I choose, upgrading when I can, and moving to a different location if I don’t like where I am or just want to see something new.
I also treasure the many friends I have made from all over the country.
I can do all this and pay off debt and save and invest to improve my finances.
Yes I am so thankful for living the RV lifestyle.
I will never leave it until I am forced to because of ill health or injury.
Yes I will die in my RV. lol!
You are an inspiration because you are doing life your way. Love it.
Good for you!!!
Doris thank you for such a wonderful description of what I want my life to be. I was just thinking I’m too old to do full time when I saw your comment! I’ve been doing camping trips for years and had different rigs. May you be blessed beyond measure.
Oh my goodness! If you can do it I am going to head out in spring 2025 in my travel trailer! What an encouragement! Bumping 70…
Oh my goodness! Doris, you go young lady!!
Do you stay in RV Parks? Boondock? How do you save money?? As a near future RV’er in my new to me but used Travel Trailer, I am in fear my SS income won’t get me out of debt & travel the USA. I’ve took care of everyone else over 50 yrs & only have my 86 y/o mom left. She can go if wants or stay home as in good health. I lost everything tragically about 6-7 yrs ago, no home anymore, multiple surgeries bankrupt me, cost great debt I’m trying to pay off. I live with folks to care for them. Dad’s gone now. It’s my turn to see the country!! Bumping 70 & slightly disabled now & forced into retirement after the accident.
I would love any of your advise!! God Bless you on your journey!!
We RV differently than most full-time people do. We live in our RV full time, but we only move twice a year. We didn't sell everything. We have the adult kids and grandkids living in our house. We park our house right in our pasture for the summer and spend good quality time with the family. Then we go to the beach for the winter and enjoy our adventures together. It is awesome for us.
Wow. That’s a great plan. Good for you guys.
Preparing to do the same.
Great idea!
@@foxesfouracres629 that’s exactly the plan I had in my own mind to do, but unfortunately it was just my wish list. Because my young adult children just aren’t old enough for that sweet set up, yet. A longing of my heart.
Good idea! Have a base or a couple of base sites, where you live w/o constant moving along road and country. We lived on sailboat and it’s exhausting being on the go w/ weather etc. Also, maybe add few annual airline trips to visit loving friends and family who boost you up:) 💓🌅
I’m 60, rented my first RV last month. Knew for years I wanted to boondock.
Loved it so much I came home, bought a great RV and am hopefully taking off before Dec. Me & my fur kids. Thank you so much for sharing your selves. May God bless you!
That is awesome! Hope to see you out in the road!!!
We finished dinner, while watching your video. My wife got up and said “these two are more far real than a lot of tubers.”
Keep it real. See you out there on the road.
Goal! Keep watching. We’ll keep
It real for ya.
Instant follow ❤ your story about your Dad touched me. I’ve been solo full time in my 26ft toy hauler for 3 years; just me, my dog and my Harley. My son joined the service right after high school (total surprise to me!) and I retired from the service when I was 38. I tried the rat race of healthcare as a nurse, then a nurse practitioner and as much as I loved my patients, I was miserable. I saw my Dad die suddenly when he was only 49 years old. It changed everything about how I viewed life. No longer was it something that just happens, but the fragility became so real to me. I found myself turning 44 and it hit me that I had this lengthy bucket list I hadn’t even started on…so I sold everything I owned, bought a truck and my trailer, saw my son off to his first duty start after boot camp and hit the road. I’ve cleared a lot of my bucket list and have new things I’ve added. Tomorrow is never, ever promised. People always say to me “I wish I could do what you do” or “I wish I was brave enough” or my personal un-favorite “hopefully soon, someday”. Someday might not be there when you are ready for it. Live well, travel more, find peace and joy; whatever that means to you…but do it now. Make it happen. You will never regret taking the chance, I promise.
Beautiful
I just retired as a nurse after almost 40 years, and l wholeheartedly agree with your description of the medical field as a 'rat race!' It definitely has changed over the years into something l don't even want to be a part of anymore.. it's no longer about the patient, only about $$
I am trying to catch my breath and focus on what my retirement will look like.. so far it has been about deep cleaning my house, and decluttering and trying to reduce belongings after years of collecting things and raising five kids..! l would like to simplify my life and possibly downsize homes, and that starts with minimalizing what we have. I have always wanted to be a snowbird, and go south for the winters.. but that hasn't happened yet.
Same, but it was my mother. She and my dad had all of these big plans...
The kids were gone. We had a 5 bedroom house. We had lived for everyone else in our lives except ourselves. We sold everything and paid cash for our new home on wheels. 2 years in with zero regrets. Husband and I are discovering so much every single day.
We are living life wide open now because it's never too early, but we have seen that it can be too late. Happy Travels to everyone!
Good morning from Kentucky,
My wife Jo-Ann and I were Full Time RVing for just over 2 1/2 yrs. Although we had some great times Full Time RVing, and met some great friends along the way, there were also a lot of bad times as well, mostly from bad campers who purchased RV's, but never took the time to learn any camping etiquette.
I had a serious health issue, and we were over 2hrs from any hospital who could deal with it. (I've had 4 stomach surgeries already) Luckly it sorted itself out that time.
We had to deal with some really sketchy people in National Forest where there was no cell service.
Going through Kanab, Utah the engine blew in our pickup truck, and cost us $8,000 to have a new engine put in.
We had our share of ups and downs, but we're glad we got to experience Full Time RVing, and we're glad for the friends we made while on the road.
After 2 1/2 years, we had enough of full timing. So, we sold our travel trailer and bought a small 2-bedroom home in Barren County, KY. We feel more comfortable and relaxed in our sticks & bricks home now, than when we lived in our RV.
RVing was fun, but it's nowhere near as easy or as glamorous as some TH-camrs make it out to be.
Have a Fun, Safe & Blessed 4th of July weekend guys.
JT
Great insights. Thanks for sharing.
Right.. it seems ok for a time, until people just get tired of the 'work' it requires to do it.. l can see wanting to travel to experience new things and see new places, but at some point, you have crossed everything off the bucket list, or just get too tired to keep doing it.. and at $60 a night, or upwards of $800 a month to 'set up camp', there's nothing cheap about it.. and that doesn't even account for the wear and tear of 'blowing an engine' or having something go wrong with the rv..
@@Jkaye13owning a home is work too
@@Jkaye13owning a home is work too
My husband and I Full-timed for 4 years back in 2013. The things you listed and shared here are real considerations. After 4 years of moving every 3 weeks, my husband and I were really tired. We had a 19ft travel trailer with no laundry & small corner shower. If we had a better shower and more income to spend on monthly spots, we probably would have continued the journey longer. Lots of pros and cons to consider with this lifestyle and this video covers a good chunk of them. Great job & good luck to you both!
Thanks so much
I agree.. we have owned a travel trailer for years and camped with our kids since they were very young. It IS a lot of work to set up and take down and probably not something l would want to do full time, as l am always ready to go home and sleep in my bed after a camping trip.. l love to camp and my husband and l continue to camp 2-3 times a year; my plan has always been to take the camper south for the winter and be a 'snowbird'.. but waiting for the hubby to retire to do that.
Wow, thanks. My wife and I are looking into this, full time. We're still looking into what RV to go for and what all we need to plan for. In our late 30s and early 40s. As a disabled vet and it seems like 2k a month seems like it's worth doing. Looking forward to meeting and doing much more research on you all. We're kinda like excited kids who still have to wait. What all should we also consider regarding safety, health and good environment we can establish with an RV. Are there groups that we can meet? Who all should we talk to or real questions to ask? I'm just excited and asking anything that we should know and consider.
Thanks for the time.
Semper Fi
Thanks for posting. Hubby and I are close to being on the road. I understand your "whys". My mom kept waiting for retirement. Hated her job and couldn't wait. She finally got there and got the chance and she got cancer. She passed away at 63. I'm 57. I don't want to do that. I've worked hard to pay off debt and get things in the right place and all of that is to clear the way to do what we've always wanted to do. I'm trying not to miss my chance. See you on the road. 😁
I’m so sorry about your mom. They would want us to do it all, now! Good for you.
Amazing.
We just decided to make the change it will be next year in December I like your truth about RV living thanks so much for sharing this information 😊
We are full timers for 4 years now. The tip I have is for travel days. If we have to leave early, we get everything ready possible the day before. We close all the slides and climb into bed. We unhook everything except the electricity. It makes early departures so much less stressful.
Excellent advice
We are working towards full timing next year. I’ve been watching a lot of TH-cam videos over the past few months and I have to say I appreciate yours the most. The honesty is amazing. Keep up the good work.
We try. lol thanks for watching
Yeah buddy 👋😁
I've been solo fulltime for 5.5 yrs. Its just life. The biggest thing I can stress is DO THE MATH. It can be as cheap or expensive as you can afford. Im a wildlife/ environmental lover. I do some touristy stuff, but mostly just like to avoid snow, see new places, and visit family. If you are able... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND BEING DEBT FREE! I sold my house of 22 yrs,started debt free, paid cash for my rv. It makes all the difference to me to not have debt and actually enjoy my retirement. Cant stress enough to know what kind of traveler you want to be, how much junk you want to lug around, and how often you want to break camp or easily run to a store or tourist sites. I have a B+ rv so its my only transportation. I researched rigs for 2+ yrs & had rv techs look over my choices. I love my rig & the lifestyle & like everything in life- some things suck. I also am a single female for last 27 yrs, stubbornly independent, have TWO tool boxes, not afraid to fix basic things, install a faucet, build a fire, dump stinky tanks, etc. Someone once told me rv living is just the same as normal life, vehicle problems, house repairs & maintenance...except they're on an earthquake everyday! 😂
Speaking TRUTH bombs left and right with this post. Thanks for chiming in.
Curious what make/model did you purchase?
@4anitamartinez it's a 2016 Dynamax...not made anymore. You need to pick according to your "non-negotiables." Any vehicle can work..just need to know what kind of lifestyle you want.Ive seen so many people in different vehicles. Amazing what people can live with/ without.
I would like to chat with you about this life style
Love how you feel a show your compassion and realism
We try and keep it real. It’s not always easy to do. lol
I just found your channel tonight. I really enjoy hearing you guys. I am a single woman in my 50’s and breaking away from the norm because Ive seen so many people leave this earth before their time. My kids are grown so it’s my turn now.
Yes it is. Do it. See it. Live it up
Hey I am 62 and thinking about this too. Have wanted to do this for a very long time. I still work full time but think I can pull this off and be very happy.
I just retired from the military after 28 years and my wife and I are seriously considering full-timing. I've been binge-watching hours and hours of YT videos in prep work, but I keep coming back to yours. Solid content, no fluff, and really well put together. I know the time it takes to make good videos, so thank you for your attention to detail and really thinking through what might be helpful. I'll keep coming back as long as y'all keep putting the videos out. Thanks! --Andy
Awe, thanks so much Andy. You are too kind. Glad we can help you on your journey.
My husband and I are both Navy retirees (he did 21 and I did 24) and have been full timing for 2 1/2 years with no regrets. If I had known the life was like this, I would have bought an RV when we returned to the states from my last overseas assignment (11 years in Japan) instead of buying a house. I studied RV life for five years before taking the plunge. I contacted every manufacturer, watched every RV TH-camr, went back to school (at age 65) and got my diesel technician certification, sold the 2500 sq. ft. house and gave away everything in it. We moved from Norfolk, VA for the more tax friendly Houston, Texas. Signed up with Escapees in Livingston, Texas as a domicile address and for mail forwarding and February 2022, we bought a 2013 Tiffin Phaeton 40 ft motorhome and began this amazing adventure on the road...LIFE IS SOOOOO GOOD!!!!
My wife and I are on the road full time as truckers. After 42 years I want to fulltime rv to experience what we have been driving by. Rving would give us a lot more room to live in. We are together 24 7 in a much smaller space. We don't see a downside to your lifestyle
If you guys can do a truck, an Rv will be a piece of cake! Good luck
My wife and I absolutely believe it was worth it for us to go fulltime traveling 7 years ago. We were so done with the so called "American Dream". We had it all a very nice home, 5 kids and now 9 grand kids and 4 great grand kids. The thing is we felt something was missing, I had retired from 21 yrs in the military and she retired early from a great accounting job which she loved but we still wanted more. When we decided to hit the road we were more than ready for a new adventure and this has been the best 7yrs. Was it hard to leave family somewhat, but we see them more now than before. We get to see old and new friends more, so overall it has been amazing and we look forward to many, many, many more years on the road.
BRAVO! Thanks for sharing.
I just fell in love with you two so much. Because you both were so raw and real before us and the camera. In this day and age when deception , fake and fraud and manipulation are everywhere, it was refreshing to see and hear yall being so honest and so human. GOD bless you both and I’ve just subscribed.
Awe. You just made our day. The best compliment we could get. Thanks for the sub
@@liketheresnotomorrow my pleasure for sure. 👍
We are a family of 5 on a 38 ft sailboat for the past three years fulltime. We've sailed US east coast, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic and now in Guatemala. We are considering coming to shore to RV fulltime. We sold the house and I left my good job of 20 years at a cement plant. I have no regrets going all in but I can say its definitely not as easy as many make it appear. Our family loves the travel and adventure and we look forward to our next adventure together.
That is amazing. We have watched a couple of sailing adventure channels. It’s not for us but love seeing it all and the similarities to some parts of the Rv life.
I would not give up my home and life to live in an RV knowing the struggles, but I have thought about If it came down to not being able to afford to live any other way I would make it work, But to travel yes it would be nice but to live 24/7 otherwise not.
We get that, it’s not for everyone.
You can live your life for others. Yes you can make new friends and keep up with the new friends and family..
I’ve lived in an RV for almost a year. I didn’t sell my house, nor I plan to. It’s cheaper than an apartment, if you stay put. I don’t regret it, however I’m glad I still have a home. I don’t feel stuck. Which was the best decision for me so when I’m tired of RV life, I still have another option.
Good plan
It makes since to have a home base and then travel part of the year to explore.
We are a sailing family and sold everything. I figure we can always come back to a stick built home if we agree as a family to go back to a more sedentary life. Currently considering RVing fulltime
@@onboardsvtsunami7662 I think most ppl get their fill within a year. But everyone is unique. You’ll find which you prefer
Wow, talking about having something to look forward to all the time! Thanks for the insight!
Our pleasure! thanks for watching❤️
This is such a good video. I just wanted to give you a hug. Great job, and thank you for sharing your raw emotions and experiences.
Thank you so much!
OMG! I said the same thing! I wanted to give her a hug🤗 . Great video. So real. Even the fussing with the hubby lol😂lol. Keep it real. It's authentic.
Planning on full time RV life in 3 years (after retirement) I have been watching a ton of videos on full time RV living and your channel is by far the most helpful....keep it real 😊
That is so kind of you to say. We are really trying to be the channel we needed two years ago when we were starting out. Thanks so much for watching
My wife and I love how genuine you are! We really appreciate your channel and want you to know that you have encouraged us to do what we have always wanted to do!! Blessings to you both
Thank you so much 🤗 please let us know how we can help. We have an episode coming where we are answering your questions. So if you have some, send them over.
We used to RV but we had young kids & weren’t retired. 20:32 Set up & take down time was exhausting. Parks where we would get spaces required reservations 6 - 12 months in advance. Some parks are very choosy about which trailers they allow, etc. it’s definitely not as easy as other TH-camrs want people to believe!
It can certainly be a challenge but pretty rewarding at the same time. State and National Parks are so hard to get into sometimes. I totally agree. That's why we end up boondocking most of the time. Thanks for tuning in.
Thank you for your honesty. I've been watching a lot of RV videos, and few are as honest & open about the real RV life. We will be weekend warriors until my husband retires, and we hope to spend more in RV life. Please keep going so I can discuss & think about things I may not think about. ❤
Our pleasure! Glad it was helpful.
Watching this right now and you have both confirmed it for us. We are doing it. Like there’s no tomorrow!!
Thank you both! ❤
You got this!
Been living in RVs for 21 years love it
I love that you still live it. #goals
I have a Caravel 22FB Airstream. I prefer full hook-ups and I’m usually at a site from 3 months up to one year. I love your honesty because it’s not all fun and games. I have learned just like when I owned a home,it’s things that have to be worked on and there is maintenance. I have learned a lot and I’m loving it!!!!
Great to hear!
I love y'alls energy. We're going full time in our mid-thirties with no kids after this coming February. We are also learning as we go as well. Appreciate the helpful content!
That is awesome! Thanks so much for tuning in. We have lots of full time how to coming. We are releasing a course with every detail, checklists, downloads… everything we wish we had when we hit the road two years ago. 👍
Retired at the end of last year. I am enjoying being able to get out for longer periods of time in my camper but always ready to get back to my house and acreage after a month or so.
I bet. I’ll look forward to that again someday.
I agree.. l don't think l could do this full time as 'there's no place like home' to me.. and l always look forward to coming back to the 'bricks and sticks!' 😊
Thank you for sharing your experience. I like the chemistry between you both. Keep rolling along, and I hope we see each other out there sometime.
Thank you! Will do!
Thanks! We enjoy all your videos!
Thanks so much.
Hello fellow hoosiers! Thanks for the videos! My husband and I are really considering selling everything after our youngest graduates (few years) and are starting to look at 5th wheels and trucks. Your videos are very helpful!
We began looking at this lifestyle in 2019. My husband is retired due to a disability. I was planning to work until 65 but covid hit and as a letter carrier I was forced to work out away from the safety of home. I decided to retire at 62 instead and we had plans to buy a house in NC which didn't work out. So we rented out our house and moved to an apartment to downsize. We decided to start rv life a few months before I retired. Now more than 1 yr on the road we love it. Our kids & grands live in 6 different states...now we go visit them. No regrets. 😊
Love that you now get to cost the grands more. Thanks for watching.
I’m from st Pete. Sold home and full time for 5 months. Oh boy. I’m loving it but it is all that! Anyway one thing I always have done have a plan. ABC. In the event of accident health issue weather problems. Have a go bag . Like when we had one for hurricanes. cash , card meds. Just a thought
Great reminders. (Love the Pete area!)
OMG! Y'all hit on so many points that we feel day to day. We've been doing this nearly five years and have been through pretty much everything you've described. As a matter of fact, we have a very similar video coming up!! I swear, no lies, it has been on our video list for a while now. Excellent job! Great video. We can only hope that we can do it half as well.
It’s always good to share the real deal with people. Hope your video does well
@@liketheresnotomorrow Thanks so much for the well wishes. Thank you for being real and straightforward
Great video y’all. We’re considering going full time but can’t seem to find the right time. My wife owns a business that will need to be sold first & I have a corporate job with a steady pay check that’s hard to leave. Eventually we’ll get it figured out.
Take your time. It’ll happen when you’re ready.
Wow, would never have guessed you would be old enough to be together this long. Must be great relationship ❤
Thx met at 15, married at 20 and now I’m 53. We’ve been through so many ups and downs, but we always make it work. - Darlene
Just watched your show about traveling in your retirement and what you did for a living and I have to say I admire the two of you and your wife is absolutely adorable. Enjoy life while you can because it is very brief and short thanks for the encouragement.
Thank you!
Thank you for your videos and your content. I’m about to go full-time. My house is currently under contract with the closing on July 15 then off I go to buy a truck and an RV. Thank you for the honesty. BTW Chev/GMC 3500 Alliance Avenue 32RLS is the goal.
Go for it!
I would love to do this kind of lifestyle but my husband has Parkinson’s and we’re afraid. I’m tired of the constant increase in bills that we really don’t have any control over like utilities and insurance and house upkeep and repairs. It is getting harder all the time. I’m going to sit down today and look at our bills and expenses and see if I can re-work anything. We don’t have any extra bills aside from house payment and utilities and insurance and food and gas and drs. I enjoyed your video today and intend to watch past ones. Y’all enjoy 🙏❤️
My husband and I loved this. Very relatable. Maybe we’ll see you on the road!
I hope so!
This is something we are seriously considering after my youngest is done with school. I've been watching pros and cons and so far I think we can handle the hard parts. It's so exciting and I'm enjoying just thinking about all the amazing places we could visit. We both work from home so working from places like national parks seem like a great plan!
Glad it was helpful! Keep researching, take as much in as you can. It’s a big decision but very rewarding.
We are a sailing family 3 boys 6,12,12. The boys are learning more from traveling then they would learn in traditional school.
So cool. I admire the fulltime families is see on the road. There are also lots of groups of families that do meetups.
I understand being emotional. I’ve been known to cry for commercials, that just shows we have a soft ❤️
Indeed😍
we listed our home in Central Florida one week ago and we are going to go full-time RVing but my husband still has to work at remodeling. Which she does locally for a while anyway so we’re going to plug-in at our daughters 1 mile away. We are right now, sorting dumping packing selling, every time someone buys a chest, everything gets dumped and we start over again. Today we tackled the garage and all the storage at the front. I am having my annual watercolor sale this weekend in the middle of all of this. We are having a moving sale the following weekend. And our realtor is having an open house the following weekend and we sure pray that will be able to sell the home so that we can buy a smaller. We’ve never had a vacation. We’ve been married 58 years. We’re ready for a break. I enjoyed your video very much. I’m gonna send it to my husband. He’s sleeping in a chair right now. It’s hot day.
It’s so much work…but worth it. Hang in there
We couldn’t afford to get a true “RV” so we bought and converted a school bus into a Skoolie. We traveled and lived in our Skoolie for almost 3 years and it was the best experience ever! We’ve since bought a house and less than six weeks in my wife and I were already missing the nomadic lifestyle… it’s now coming up on 4 years later and we are now planning to go back to full time nomad living again.
Loooooooove the skoolies! We have seen some of the most impressive skoolie rigs.
This is absolutely perfect. These are the issues that I have had to deal with in being an expat (and if I were in the US, I’d be a nomad). Thanks for helping people face these HUGE life issues that have to enter into this decision.
❤️
Great post. Thanks for addressing some of the difficulties that living on the road requires. I've just started taking 2 and 3 week trips in a small, rebuilt class C and find the planning part to be a bit daunting. A lot of the RV campground apps aren't great or else not easy to navigate, the dog has to be on a leash a lot of the time in the parks, or else I'm worried he'll get lost, and sometimes I feel like there's no wilderness left. But I know I'll figure out a system with practice and when I'm out I love it and never want to come back. Then something else rattles loose and I can come home and regroup for the next try. You've really said a lot that's worthwhile here.
The opacity of courage.full of wisdom.living on the edge of life.fulfilling every moment of the uncertainty of time in our short life.your raw emotions of bringing the truth into the picture.all and all is appreciated.well done.your footprints will be remembered for the ones who looks for courage to live the life you are living.
He who does not travel,does not know the value of man.
Thank you for your courage to live..
Wow! You should write. Beautiful words
Definitely worth it! Thank you for sharing your journey and setting expectations. Three years and counting 'till we hit the road FT! Keep doing what you are doing and keeping it real.....
Absolutely!! Thanks so much for watching!
You two are adorable. I am glad I found your channel.
I thought I would like the nomadic life but as an older single widow I couldn't do it. I live in my RV on a friends property.
It’s wonderful you are finding a way to enjoy rv life! Thank you so much for watching. We appreciate it.
Yes! New sub here! We are weekend warriors now, and our youngest is in 8th grade. I am a swim and dance mom and really enjoying this chapter, and we are preparing for the next. Right now, we travel everywhere we can with her and our 2 dogs to create the memories. It’s about the experiences for sure! Your authenticity is awesome. Hope to see you on the road now, or when we got full~time. Safe travels….thanks for your content!
Awe thanks so much!
Both of you are beautiful people and I am amazed at how you two work through difficulties. I support you and I am envious of how you get to travel.
Thank you so much!
It’s been my dream for many years! I am hopeful this Nomad life is still coming for me. Thank you for sharing your story which continued to confirm my dream. God bless.
Seems like our story parallels a lot of your story. The Wife and I have known each other since we rode the school bus together, born and raised in small town Indiana near Kokomo. Left IN the day we got married 46 years ago for CA since I was in the military at the time, and our base was near Fresno CA. After the military both of us worked corporate jobs, computers and healthcare and our civilians jobs moved us around America. Since marriage we have been nomads and explorers living where ever corporate America sent us, so it has been easier for us to transition to fulltime RV living. We've never had that comfort zone of living in the same place all our married lives, never missed it either.
Ended up our working life near Austin TX for over 20 years. We waited a little longer than y'all, fully retired, joined Escapee's, sold everything and hit the road fulltiming. Has been 4 years now fulltiming, still keeping domicile in TX. Now both of us are on Medicare. Going from 2 acres of land and a 3000 sq ft home to less than 400 sq ft in a 38 ft RV. Couples have to like each other or it isn't going to work fulltiming, but also each needs their space once in a while. Oh, and the spats you will have, shoot we have been having those for 46 years!! LOL's!
Lots of family, including children and grand children still lives in Indiana and Ohio, we get up there at least once a year in the spring or summer to visit for multiple months. Yes we have had to drop everything and our plans to return across country to IN/OH for emergencies and the deaths of family members. Otherwise we travel America, spend winters in Galveston and start the process over every year beginning in April..
Yes it is essential to keep an emergency fund, spare parts, tools and the knowledge and skill to make on the road repairs yourself.
Otherwise it's going to get expensive fast, or you will be waiting for hours/days for help. Keep an emergency roadside kit in your truck/RV, tire jacks, safety triangles/flairs, reflective vests, ratchet straps, gloves, tie downs, flash lights etc. Keep access to your roadside emerg kit on the passenger side of your truck or RV away from passing traffic. If you can't rely on yourself, then you will end up hating the RV life and then start posting RV hate TH-cams.
We had our first major break down in 4 years on the road this August near Richmond Indiana. Broke an axle leaf spring tie bolt on I70. Interstate 70 from Indianapolis to the Ohio border has got to be the worst pot holed highway in America! Anyway got the RV off the interstate and replaced the leaf spring ourselves in a Bob Evans parking lot, then got to our campground for the night.
Going RV fulltime - You have got to be self reliant, work together, willing to take whatever comes your way, deal with it and move on.
Still we wouldn't trade our current lifestyle to go back. Still on the road, still loving every minute of every day. Been to a lot of spectacular places all over the US. Knoxville area near Heiskell TN is looking really good for when we finally get off the road, settle back down, hopefully many more years from now..
Keep making it real!
What a wealth of knowledge and experience! Thanks for sharing with us all❤️
No fear, F'n A right. Good on you both for your willingness to make those big moves in search of a fulfilling life. Hope to meet you one day on the trail
🙌💯
Great info! We full timed for 2 years and wife wanted a house. So much more maintenance and upkeep on house and yard than I ever had on trailer. Guess we’ll meet you at Romp it Up in Oct.
Nothing wrong with that. Find us at romp it up
Great video! Thanks for all the info. I tend to be a simple camper. Many years it was a tent. Now that I am older I have a van which I love. Get up and get into the drivers seat!! All I need is a cup of coffee and off I go.
Awesome! Enjoy each and every day and create beautiful memories ❤️
💯% not irresponsible. Pros outweigh the cons. Great video and can’t wait to live this life.
Absolutely!
Im full-time RVer from AZ for 2 years now. For us its totally worth it. We have learned so much about ourselves and still learning. Its so true about figuring it out. Love the life.... we always say, its not an easy life but for us its a simple life.
No truer words
I can't wait... I'm working on getting healthier now but am anxiously waiting 4 yrs until my grandson grads HS. (Raised him since he was a baby)Your comment about your parents hit home with me! It has been my dream..I'm sooo afraid of having that regret...Am now 63 & disabled (back) 🙏
Work on your health, have a rig that’s easy to work with, you’ll do great.
Yes, to the letting go of our work/volunteer/hobbies etc. Having those things of the past that gave us our identity- is a big deal. But it gives us as couples a new vista view and a new way of being together without all the things that distract. It is kind of like falling in love again with the person we first fell in love with. Just us and being a bit self focused for the first time in 35 years. Putting each other first again. And navigating that has a learning curve that is so worth it.
We literally have served hundreds of meals and changed hundreds of sets of sheets in our home - most of our married life. Hospitality and generosity is important to us. We also have friends all over the nation because of it. It is interesting to be thinking of our we-ness/us-ness and learning to have each other be the main priority and focus. It is living in Wonderland and hard can be good. It isn't not ever having problems but it is dealing with problems in a healthy way and forgiving and apologizing and getting right again. Life is NOT all rose colored glasses and being real and having a life style be worth it is the point. Well said!!!!!! Love your wisdom!
Thanks for being honest and real! What you are sharing is so valuable. You are an asset in this community!
What a beautiful thing to share with everyone. Thank YOU.
Hey Barry and Darlene! Great video and thanks for sharing your insights and reflections on the last couple of years. All of the things you meantime are things we are currently considering. Glad to see you out there doing it. We are just a few years away from on the road FT , but for now we get out there as often as we can!
I loved your video- so honest! I feel like we live parallel lives. We are living full time for 2 years in our 44 ft 5th wheel and we have been married for 33 years- together for 35. Your video speaks to me and I can TOTALLY relate!!! Thank you for sharing!!
That so cool. Hope we can connect in the road sometime. Thanks for watching
Wife and I are a couple of yrs away from your situation and just started researching if this is for us. The only reason I clicked on your vid is because of the Oberlin Merch. We live 10 min down the road from the college.
Thank you for the video, lots of food for thought. We are looking forward to both being empty nesters and rv’ers.
Ha! Oberlin for the win. Our daughter is a third year swimmer there. Such a pretty school an area. Let us know if you have any questions. We are actually working on an online course for going full time Rv. Stay tuned.
In the non-shoulder seasons, we live on two acres in an 80 YO home that we love. We have a barn, 1280 squaare foot garden and a pool we can swim laps in. We actually find rig time relaxing... But, we are both handy and think anyone considering this lifestyle needs to figure out how to do many repairs/maintenance ourselves. I look forward to a time when we can full-time and hope to see you on the road!
Love it! I think we’ll eventually find a home base again. Not yet, but we look forward to figuring it out eventually.
Hello. We are glad you are out here on the road with the rest of us. For people with families I am sure this is a much harder challenge. Patience, hassles and drama are all part of the journey. Trip planning is OMG!! Decision fatigue is so real!! There is maintenance in a sticks & bricks, and critters that get in the house, it's just different in an RV. Safe Travels.
Thank you so much!
Thanks for the heartfelt discussion. So true that tomorrow is not promised. Here’s to safe travels and fun times ahead for you;
Same to you!
As a former Qstoves user, I've found the switch to Asmoke to be entirely worthwhile. The precision temperature control and automated pellet feeding system of Asmoke have completely transformed my RV living experience. The convenience of being able to set and maintain my desired cooking temperature, as well as the distinct smoky flavor added by the wood pellets, has made cooking on the road a more enjoyable and delicious experience. The Asmoke Essential's portable and lightweight design paired with its battery-powered operation has made it perfect for our full-time RV living. It's also quite versatile, allowing us to grill, smoke, roast, and bake a variety of foods. And the best part? We can monitor our food's temperature remotely through the app, making our cooking process even more hassle-free. We sold everything for this lifestyle, and with Asmoke, it's definitely worth it. #Asmoke
I'm looking forward to it
However; I'm single --- I'm hoping it won't be as lonley as it seems ---- I watch these guys & gals van lifing
It seems to be lonley --- but; I'm going to try it --- I can always find another apartment - keep my van & just travel occasionally
Get involved with groups. There are many solo female fb groups. They often do meet ups. Xscapers also has a ton of solos at their events. Seems like they often travel together.
You guys are super-cool. This is the second video I have watched and I thoroughly enjoyed them both. We are not full timers, and probably won't ever be, but your content is thought provoking and spot on. Just had a bad "setup" experience this past weekend and this video was just what I needed to remind that most things that are worth doing require more effort and usually involve some miss steps. I look forward to watching future videos. Rock on!
You are spot on. Don’t let the hiccups get to you. Learn from them and make a new plan. You’ve got this!
Thanks Guys!!! We are in the process of selling our home and starting our adventure. Thank you for being real and giving so much information. You confirmed so many things. We appreciate it.
Absolutely. Thanks for watching.
My son is a swimmer. He’s about to be a sophomore in high school. After that I’m getting my van and I can’t wait!
Good for you! (Also, swim moms rule!)
Love the "real" you guys! You have helped us make our choice a while ago. We are going full time in the next month or so. Have everything ready and used your videos as a staging order to what to do. And seeing the emotions and real love between you two make us feel like we are able to do it too, before its to late for me.
Awe thanks so much for your comment. So glad we can help.
Thank you for making this video! We are in the empty nest phase of life too and trying to figure it all out. Definitely feeling like the time is now to be active and enjoy traveling while we still can. That’s one of the reasons we bought a Jeep a few years ago. We’ve camped out of it and been able to see some beautiful places, but this is a whole other level! Very cool!
There’s a whole jeep community within the Rv community. They do lots of meetups. Good luck on your journey
You are two VERY talented and creative people. The wine skirts are absolutely fabulous! I found you two recently with the video about Darlene's injury and hope she's doing much better. I saw your dogs and knew I'd like you and then your honest & open way of presenting yourselves along with your soft heart and tears are so real and appealing. PLEASE don't apologize for having a tender heart - the world needs lots more tender hearts. We're getting ready to do a 6 week trip (our longest in our 13 years of RVing) soon to East Glacier, Banff, West Glacier, Yellowstone & Tetons and hope we won't kill each other. All our other trips nearly that long included other people so we'll see how we fare, LOL! We think we'll be fine and actually love being in our little Winnebago View so much that we're sad when we come home. Sadly, we're traveling dogless this time - our last of 2 Cavaliers passed away unexpectedly in April (very hard!), but we'll be getting a dog this winter. I'm glad to have found your channel so I can binge your TH-cams during this upcoming trip - looking forward to enjoying your adventures.
Thank you so much! Your trip sounds epic!!! Those are all places we have yet to visit. Enjoy every second
Thank you! Loved this video. We are just starting to part time in a new toy hauler. Upgraded from a travel trailer which was a BIG transition. It made me laugh when you mentioned KYD who we love watching but can make it look so easy. When in reality it is a lot of work. Love the lifestyle and loved your honesty with a positive perspective.
Awe thanks so much. We appreciate your support.
We have a lot of similarities to you two. Full time since Oct 31, 2022. Work full time from the road. Similar ages. Married 31 years. But real good content! But we did have our first grand born in January this year so he makes it harder to leave Omaha when we pass through twice a year. But we keep going and do lots of FaceTime. I’m the social one so my trip to walk the trash out can turn into an hour because I talk to strangers! We have connected with several that we stay in touch with and even plan our winter destination together with. But we also go see friends and family around the country. Mostly when they are at or on the way to our planned destination. We reduced conflict during setup by using radios and deciding how to describe what needs to happen, like when backing up, etc. Keep sharing your journey!
Thanks for sharing your story and tips! It’s so good to hear from fellow full-timers.
Some of the saddest stories I see on TH-cam is retired people selling their sticks and bricks, putting everything they have in a rv to live the dream. Their health declines and they have no idea what they are going to do or where they are going to go. They watch the ‘live the dream’ TH-camrs and think it is easy.
You have to have a plan A, B and C. You just never know what’s ahead.
@guystl
I agree.. after raising five kids and now starting retirement years, l am so glad we traveled the country with the kids when we were younger, and had the energy to! I thought l would continue traveling in my retirement, but hitting 60 years old.. l realize that l have lost 'steam' and am very content to sit on my back porch and listen to the birds, look at my flowers 🌸 and babysit my grandchildren two days a week 😊
Like this couple says you make the best of it. I'm getting ready to pull out getting ready to get get out of my apartment. No longer pay rent no longer pay utilities and I've built out of van and I'm getting ready to live in it but I really can't go anywhere yet because my mother still in the nursing home but when the day comes, my mother is no longer around my wings are going to be flapping
@@Jkaye13 Damn , you have given up at 60 !
Great thoughts we just retired are mostly full time but still have homebase hoping to sell it next year when rates are better for buyers.
Thanks for sharing. Keep up the good work. Full timing is a dream for now. We are able to go RVing/camping, adventuring, resting, and relaxing at least once a month. We see it as a wonderful chapter in our lives. It is so worth it!! Safe travels.
That is awesome!
Thank you for being real and vulnerable. I appreciate that.
You are so welcome
You two are awesome! My wife and i are about to start out on our adventure doing the same thing you did. Were just going to go for it and see what happens. Love your videos!!! Cheers
That is awesome! Good luck to you.
Probably the best video put out. Appreciate your honesty
Wow thanks so much
I did the van life for a while. Sort of like RVing but with less than half the room...lol At my age I can tell you that it was worth it. I went a lot of places and was able to see some incredible things on the road. Lots of time in parking lots but I wouldn't trade it for anything
We agree, it’s definitely an adventure and worth it.
Like your videos and honesty we are planning to go full time soon. 😊
Good for you. See it all!
New subscriber from Bloomington, Minnesota. You two are definitely easy listening. Thank you for your raw and real approach. You make it easy to understand and you spark interest because of your delivery method. And I don't even RV! but I do have friends that do. I most definitely will be sharing your channel with them. Have a Blessed day/life.
Awesome! Thank you!
I am getting ready to start my full time rv life with in the next year. Spent the last 5 years building my camper trailer from scratch (imagine a 21’ fiberglass airstream best description).
That’s awesome. We’ve met so many people who did their own build. Every one is so unique and interesting. Good luck to you on your journey.
Your Halloween costumes are AWESOME. Hilarious strolling wine skirts! Maybe you can be designer idea person for the crafters and makers:)
Just one of the best videos I’ve ever seen. Thank you. Beautiful couple. So blessed to become a subscriber. Be blessed.
Wow, thank you!
Appreciate your authenticity. New sub. 🙏🐾😎
Thanks for watching and subscribing! We so appreciate it.
Goooood video guys!!! We have been FT almost 2 years now and this video really resonates!!!
The moving can sometimes be a hassle with the setup/breakdown of a fifth wheel. We love the boondocking/drycamping aspect bcuz it simplifies the setup/breakdown side of it.
Our 3 kids are scattered across the country and having the 5ver make it easier to spend more quality time with them as well as other family members and friends…a big plus!!!
👍😃🍻
So true! Thanks for watching
Really great video and informative! Almost 69 and getting ready to go full time in probably a Class C. Being single and retired means I don’t have many of the issues you guys talk about, but some unique challenges when I figure I probably only have 10-15 years left that I can do this!
Consider doing some meet ups. Escapees has several groups that gather several times a year and I know there is a singles group (if you like to meet new people that is:-)
We've wanted to RV fir years. At 25 I had a kidney transplant another at 54. We are working hard to get an rv. We have the truck so we're ready for the rv.
Good luck to ya.
Just found y’all this evening and love y’all already!! I really appreciate your honesty and sincerity!! Girl I was crying right along with you…keep enjoying life!! Gods Blessings always…
And to you❤️
Great video. I'm ex-military and that's been the extent of anything that smells like "RV-life"...mostly just tent-life. But, I've driven some large machines, towed some large equipment, and I am certainly used to the unexpected. I'll never be a TH-cam'er...I'm just not socially inclined enough, but I do expect the need for a mobile office. Your setups are great so I expect I'll be binging your videos to get some insight into desk-anchoring and such.
I appreciate you folks, cheers.
Thanks so much. We appreciate you watching and following along.
When i can i surely will. Thank you. Right now i need to help out with my grand kids.
Good for you. Family is so very precious
Sold our home last August… bought a Brinkley 3500 and been full time 10 months. So far, we love it!!!
Love love love the look of the Brinkleys
@@liketheresnotomorrow we are pretty happy with it. Starting to do some mods to make it “home”
Loved your tour video on your mods