HappilyEverHanks Update - Answering Some Hard Questions
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ค. 2024
- We want to talk with you about some feelings we have been having related to RV living. This is a very different pace of video from HappilyEverHanks, but we need to get things off our chest.
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You two have experienced more in 5 years than many will experience in a lifetime. Do what makes you happy. Your followers will understand regardless of the direction you choose.
The only thing that's permanent is change! I've been watchingcyou for about a month and enjoyed every minute.you are quite the comedy team with dexter! These rv's are not made to last being on the move constantly . You guys gotta do what makes you happy ! Your lives will have changes in stages as you age .lo
ve each other well and you can face anything together . From 1 RN to another.
My wife has used a saying for years now "no expectations, no dissappointments". Truth. 😀
I feel the Hanks need to open their own RV Park!
I second that !!! How much fun would that be !?
I agree! It would be awesome!
I would totally go for it!!😂😂😂
GREAT idea!!!!
Or buy a place where they can host boondockers and still do there rallies!!
I’ve been following your channel for several years, this 70 yo fart sends you a heartfelt thanks! What ever happens I wish y’all the best!
We kept our home and spend winters in a warmer climate. For us 3 months on the road is enough and we look forward to coming home. Once we're home, we look forward to our next trip. Choice is a luxury.
Hanks, we love watching your channel. Your channel is called Happily Ever Hanks, well tune in if you keep inviting us to share a part of your story. It doesn’t have to be RV or travel, I just love your vibes. This is one of most positive channels on TH-cam.
Speaking on behalf of the majority of your 223k subscribers (I'm guessing), we love you guys and thank you for everything you have shared.
If the hanks open up their own RV park, I’m coming
Travel burn out is so incredibly real. I got kicked out of an rv group on fb for saying that. In some of those groups they only expect you to post positive stuff but the reality is everything you said is true.
Britt, we like real world comments like this
Time to have some babies
Same thing happened to us on fb. Like a reality show scripted not real life.... Thank you for your comment...
My husband and I were part time RVers for 10 years, and had the exact conversation that you're having now. We toyed with the idea of going full time but came to the conclusion that not only didn't we want to go full time, but we had had enough of the repairs, work and issues that inevitably occur. We got to the point where instead of enjoying the travel, we were holding our breath that something else wasn't going to fail. We sold our class A at a loss, but we've never had a moment of regret. As I write this, we are in Oslo, Norway, having just completed a tour of Ireland, and before that Switzerland. Now when we walk away from a cruise, hotel or rental, that's the end. No more hassles. Don't feel like you've failed or let anyone down if you decide you're ready to move on from this.
HI guys. We're in our 14th year fulltime in our 31-year-old diesel motorhome. In those years we've been out exactly one night for repairs; we've also spent 12 nights in a shop's parking lor, and on another occasion, four days next to a garbage truck. Fairly early on we learned that go-go-go is a fun-killer, so we go to a location or area for the winter and spend two to three months to enjoy the area and rest, repair and refit, then we do the same for the summer. Spring and fall are our go-see times with frequent traveling. That way we don't get burned out traveling and don't get burned out on an area. If you feel that you need to slow it down, then slow it down. If you feel that you need to take a pass on visiting family, then take a pass; they'll never really undertand what's involved in visiitng them but they'll get over it.
now everyone is wanting to know the BRAND of your motorhome eh!!
Your honest reactions on RV life is appreciated.
First off you guys are not just full-time RV'ers you are Content Creators as well, and that has it's own level of burnout that you have to deal with. We know that because we do it as well. The constant need to feed the beast can be exhausting, no matter how much you enjoy doing it. One of the things we do is set aside a day or two while in a location to just be a tourist. No cameras, just us and the area we are in. We try to do this early in our stay in an area because it can also give us ideas on what to film.
Your idea around taking break and staying in one place for a bit is so spot on. We are forced in a way to do this each year because we still have a business in the town we grew up in. We have to go back there every year to work with clients. This puts us in one place for 4 to 5 months. And trust me, a couple months into it we are chomping at the bit to get back out on the road. This is a great way to battle the travel burn out.
Of course this partial stationary life may pose an issue for you assuming TH-cam is your main source of income. How do you feed the beast if you're not traveling and producing new travel content? Maybe use that time to produce more review, or how to content? That's what we try to do when we're stationary. Honestly, we don't produce as much as we want because the client work keeps us so busy.
Ney Ney - You are absolutely spot on when you say that you need to be a little outside of your comfort zone. This is what keeps us growing and learning. But, taking some time to be in that comfort zone is also needed so that you're not always on edge. Make some time for that too.
Also keep in mind that no matter what you decide to do, nobody can take away the last 5 years of adventuring that you two have had. You have seen and done things that most people only dream about, and you have done it while you are young. It took Toni and I until we got into our 50's and had a tragic life changing event to do this. We envy your courage and adventurous spirit.
Most importantly, oo what is right for the two of you, because that's what matters most. Whatever you decide to do just know that we send much love and positive vibes your way.
We have been on the road for two months. We left SC (home) visited 9 states. We had a blowout tire on the trailer. We decided to get all new tires, the truck lost power in a small town of Marquette MI 🤦🏾♀️we had to stay in a campground for an additional three days until the truck was fixed. Now we're noticing our slide out cable is loose on the backside (pull behind RV). The refrigerator isn't cooling well due to a power incident. Our black and gray tanks continue to show full even though they're emptied. We're so thankful we have the finances to pay for these incidentals. We're close to home (one more campsite) Should be in SC Wednesday. So, yes as the Hanks has stated. We have a home to go back to but after getting a checkup with our RV which includes the under belly where the tire blew out. We will return to the road 👏🏾👏🏾 Happy Camping all.
We’ve been in our RV for 4 years. We just bought a lot on the gulf shores - less than 1000ft from the beach. We built an RV cover with a covered deck above. We plan to winter there for 4-5 months and then travel the rest of the country. Even with the cost for property and utilities, we will save money being there. Plus we have a place to stay in place and do repairs/maintenance to the Rv. So we still RV full time, hit stay in place longer.
We live in Baldwin County! We also own in Gulf Shores. I bet I can guess where u bought lol.
WE keep our motorhome in an RV resort in central Florida. We have an RV port (cover) and an attached 400 ft executive suite with full kitchen, sitting/TV area, full bathroom, and storage area with washer/dryer.
One of the most frustrating parts is when we have time, we can't PLAN, because: 1) weather 2) breakdowns 3) health issues. You don't actually meet terrific people while driving - you meet them while making camp, breaking camp, or crawling on your back in 100F heat in fire ants to fix a NEW coolant leak. LOL But your zaniness is what puts things into perspective!
Guess what? Can't "plan" much in sticks and bricks either, lol.
@@purselmer5931 Harumph! That is not true - if only because you can lay out dependencies and keep more tools and parts around the garage. However, a year after full-timing, I surrendered all hope of planning, and my life is ... better.LOL
@@mikebrant192 LOL, if only I had a garage. Oh, and "tools" and "parts" to keep in it. Unfortunately, I don't have any of this. (Lots of houses come w/out garages.) 🙂
@@purselmer5931 I'm soooo sorry. We lived in one BR apts for decades.
I believe every RV needs a home base.
I agree, home base or purchase RV lot or work at a Hospital and stay in their parking lot😎?
Not necessarily. My wife and I sold our property and moved into an RV permanently. The difference between us and most full time RV folks is that we don't travel. Our trailer is parked in one place and we haven't moved it, yet. We did it to downsize, not to see the country. It's parked on a 100' by 35' lot in an RV community in the southwest. We may move it, eventually, to visit our children and grandchildren in Colorado and Montana. But, for the most part, we just stay here.
My husband and I love your video. We are 67 we retired at Covid......We soon realized that A home base in Quartzsite Arizona was the only thing we could do. We live our lives. Doing the best we can. You 2 have done what we wanted to do but we may not ever get to do it but. Thank you for your Video. We look forward to your videos. We look forward to seeing what we may never get to do. What you both are doing. We are ok with our RV life. We had to do what we had to do and we call you our kids. At 67 and A hard life....we thank you for being honest about your journey. Youth is on your side .
I agree. We keep our motorhome in an RV park in Florida where we own the lot. We have an RV port and small executive suite that has a full kitchen, sitting area, full bathroom, storage area with washer/dryer.
Absolutely agree. We always thought our RV was our safety net but, when COVID hit, we found there was no place to park it or store it so, instead of a safety net, it became an albatross. As a result, we bought a small RV site in deep south Texas where we winter. If the world goes crazy again, at least we have a place to live or store the RV that is safe.
We all know your not going to quit, it's in your blood. And you guys do the RV life so well. If you are going to quit, buy some land and set the RV on it. It's your home.
Let me start by saying - I appreciate all you guys have done for the RV community through your channel, whatever you ultimately decide to do. When my wife came to me and said, "What would you think about taking our jobs remote, moving into an RV, and roaming the country?" my first thought (after "Who are you, and what have you done with my wife?" since her idea of camping was a hotel that didn't have room service...) was that we needed to look at what that really meant, do the research, and your channel was one of a very few (you, Today is Someday, Changing Lanes were must-watch, several others that we'd look to for specific things) that led us to the choice to do it. Part of our personal philosophy, long before that, was "F*ck yeah, or hell no." If the response to "Do you wanna...." isn't one of those two answers, it's a soft no and can be discussed to move the needle one way or the other, but either of those two only left room for one kind of followup discussion - what do we have to do to make it happen?
So, day one of the question it was a soft no, but we looked at it. Made the decision after about a month of looking at different things to move forward. One of the driving factors was having watched both our parents and grandparents do the "Someday, when we retire...." thing, only to get to retirement and for one reason or another not be able to do the fantastic things they'd put off till "Someday..." We bought an Alliance 5th wheel, and started on the road in May of 22. Our agreement was one year. We were going to do this for a year, see how we feel about it. If we're loving it, we keep going, and if we hate it, we'll pick a landing spot and get out of it. And watching you guys, and some of the others, and the pace you were keeping up, we set a minimum time in place of two weeks to avoid the risk of travel burnout. Unless circumstances dictated otherwise, we were going to travel over the weekend, preferably one day of travel, stay for at least two weeks in each spot, and have at least one free weekend that we could go do the things, see the sights, and visit the people that brought us to that area. And it was fantastic. By December, we had our 2023 schedule roughly mapped out, sites booked through July, and had a conversation about long range plans 5-10 years out - stick with the 5th wheel? move to a Class A or Class C? Two days after that conversation, my world imploded.
My wife passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. I won't go into detail here, but the timing with our holiday plans let me get through the worst without having to deal with moving the RV right away, and the first couple of months of 23 were long enough stays at each location, with short enough travel days, for me to get back into a rhythm. The advice I'd gotten right away was to not make any huge life changing decisions for a while, and since we'd planned things, staying moving was an easy(ish) choice. Over time, it became clear to me that staying in the rig wasn't going to be good for me, alone. I started looking at where I wanted to land, picked a spot near Houston, and just a little over a year after moving into the RV, signed a lease on an apartment, moved out of the rig, and sold it. I'm in a much better place emotionally, socially, and physically now, doing well.
And if you've read this far (I didn't really start off intending to write a novel here...) - all of that leads to this: Thanks to your willingness to show not just the super happy fun times in your RV, but to film and put on display your hard times in the rig, thanks to your willingness to invite a few hundred thousand strangers to watch it, we entered the RV life with realistic expectations and set reasonable goals, and I get to move forward without the regret that so many in my position have - I will never have to think, "I wish we'd done more." We did the things, and the things we didn't get to, well, we just ran out of time getting there because we were doing the other things. Thank you.
❤❤😌 Read your post, and many hugs to you. It is good you got to try this with your wife when you did. God bless you.
I’m sorry for your loss, and congratulations on finding your new normal in a very tough world right now. May God bless you. 😔🙏🏻💖
@michaelkleymann9561 I'm so sorry for your loss. What a wonderful experience you and your wife had together before your tragedy, leaving you with precious memories. My husband and I are about to embark on the same with the same idea from my parents wanting to live an RV life but their health and delay taking it from them. We are in our 60s and looking forward to this. The Hanks, Changing Lanes, Grateful Glampers, Today is Someday, and Discovery Bound have been our go-to RVers. Prayers for peace for you, and if you have faith in your life, that the knowledge your wife is in the arms of the Savior brings you comfort. Hugs.
WOW; quite the story, sir. My heart goes out to you, its good you guys got to do the full time RV life for a while and enjoy it! I hope you will keep company with many friends who will hold your hand going forward. Keep the Lord in your heart and obey His word, so you will re unite with your partner over on the other heavenly shore. Amen to you Sir.
It's too bad Grand Design didn't take this opportunity to have you guys do some product reviews over at the Elkhart campground for the time you were in the shop. Both sides would have benefited. If you are thinking of a new RV, I heard Alliance might have a brand ambassador spot open.... just sayin, we'd love to have you as part of our famAlly.
Yea...going to miss The Wags for sure. We have an Alliance and have been to two National Rally event and hung out with them. Great people, but life happens and they made the right choice.
We agree!
I’d go with a Brinkley if you want to stay with an Indiana rig or branch out & get an Outdoors RV. No mysterious screws showing up or iron twisting (frame). A solid rig. The Alliance looks good and I’d go for one but finding out that the I beam is actually two I beams! Two different sizes so that’s a weak spot!
@@Elizabeth-rq1viBrinkley for sure!
Don't stop we gotta have the hanks.
Hallelujah guys, thank you for bringing the reality to RV life! The RV life is not all peaches and cream at all times, but rather it has its those icky times far to often. Yes absolutely, you need to take things slower once every few months in order to recharge and recover from all the hustle and bustle of traveling. If you don’t, you will burn out quickly! RV life isn’t easy, and everyone needs to face that reality, wether young or older. Take the time to be with family and relatives, and friends to bring balance back into your lives . Everybody involved in the RV life has had the same conversations on occasions as you two are doing. What I see is a long overdue change in your RV life, so take the needed time to reevaluate how you want to travel, RV life, and your willingness to begin a family!! As always, take care and enjoy this downtime together ❤
Keep in mind, we would certainly miss you, but you HAVE to do what YOU need to do. I'm sure you will make the right decisions, whatever they are...😊 Scratch Dex's head for me!❤
Look, your channel isn't called "HappilyRVHanks", so do what makes y'all HappilyEVERHanks. You're young, smart, and have tons of potential. Do what you two want to do, no-one else gets an opinion. Cheers! 🥂
Lived full time in a travel trailer two years in Texas. After two tornados and many hail storms I needed to replace to roof. Found black mold. Now I live in an apartment first apartment I’ve lived in thirty years. It’s actually great. Missed the bathtub a lot.
I've long thought you guys were burning the candle at both ends; I would've burnt out on your schedule. Rest, take time, breathe, and travel more slowly. Sending happy thoughts your way!
I am so grateful to have been able to watch you both and you’re a beautiful cat travels across America to show us beautiful campsites, and give us all the lowdown on the truth about RV life. You have educated us all and giving us all such useful knowledge and showing us beautiful places to travel to, we have enjoyed your relationship, which is so beautiful, so loving and educational we cannot thank you enough for all you have given us and even if you stop RVing, we know you will on the side and we hope you will keep us in touch with your travels because you are loved by many thank you for all of your knowledge and experiences, and please keep sharing go go go
Heres a shot in the dark. New content with a new RV. Get after it.
I really relate to the decisions you are facing. Face it guys, in your RV life, you aren't on vacation, you are living life. Being in the AirBNB is a vacation for you. Enjoy your time in a stationary location. You have a few weeks to decide what direction you want to go. Enjoy the change and don't over think it. You will do what works best for you. We retired in 2017 and have been FT ever since. We spend 4-6 months every winter in deep South Texas and the rest of the time we travel the country, with an emphasis on trying to see a baseball game in every MLB park. After 7 years, being in our 70s, we realize frequent relocation is getting old during the summer. So, starting next summer, we will also be looking to spend 3-4 weeks in each location and moving far less. Thousand Trails/Encore helps greatly with that scheduling. We have family in Denver, Michigan and Tennessee so we are also driving across the country every year to see family. I am a planner so I want to know where I will be parking every night we're on the road. There is some stress there but it's also a challenge that keeps me thinking. We plan on another 3-5 years but that will certainly be influenced by our health and RV/Truck health. Lots of variables but also very exciting. Hang in there. You will figure it out
Trade that 5th in for a diesel pusher and don't look back! We much prefer the dp over the 5th and I now tow my truck instead of the camper!
2 engines 2x the maintenance 2x the problems!
The advantage is 2 points of failure instead of one.
No,no,no!
Yes! This is the correct answer. Get a Diesel Pusher!
Either run one engine all the time or 2 engines half the time. Not 2X the maintenance. You may own 2 engines, but the maintenance is half per engine.
Everyone needs a home base. I've ben staying in my r.v. due to a slab leek in my home. The insurance had taken 5 months and the house is still torn apart and unlivable. The insurance would pay for a hotell but with the pets it is better staying at home with the backyard ect. I own an older A class and I perform repairs myself however I haven't had to repair much. Maby look into some cheep land to do an off grid home base when repairs pop up. I know a lot of people would like to see how you guys would build a home base for the rig. I always look forward to your videos. 😊
This is a really good idea for the Hanks, hope they consider it.
My late husband and I had a 30 ft. Travel trailer at Myrtle Beach.
We would live in our trailer for 3 months at a time.
I loved the RV life and miss it.
I wished I never would of sold my trailer now.
Cassie❤
Remember this phrase . . . "Happiness is reality divided by expectations".
Damn am I the only one trying to do a math here...
couldn't be a better time for an rv break ... crazy weather and everywhere is just jam busy. God makes everything good.
A possible consideration is finding a home in a location of your choice, but also keeping your RV so you can have both. It would allow you to scratch both itches at the same time.
Think about a home base-I can’t imagine that you two would give up the Rv life all together. We are retired, have a home, but RV 6 months out of the year. Whatever you do, have fun, enjoy life!
Have a base camp and take short RV trips.
Been watching you guys for a few years, actually bought my 5th wheel because of you guys and I love it, I am actually stationary in an amazing park in the north west Arizona area and wouldn't change it, thanks Hanks!!
What I see is two great young people growing up. All that really matters is yesterday, today and tomorrow. Love the channel, your adventures and what's to come you you three.
I think both of you look the most rested you’ve been in a long time!
We/ve been with ya since before you hit 1000. Love yall! We hung up our full time wheels in October and honestly it took a bit of time for us to feel like our home base was "home". We made an agreement when we went full time that if either of us called it, we'd come off the full time road life. He called it, I honored that. Each situation if different, but we so love how transparent you are. Be well! Dave and Lorrie
No matter what you decide for your future, you have entertained us, kept it real, and I speak for a lot of people when I say Thank You. Even if you go Air BnB full time, or buy a sticks, and bricks home, we would still love to check in, and see how the Hanks are doing. You don't know a lot of us, but a lot of us out here consider you family. Stay Safe family Hanks. 🙂
Been watching you guys for a long time! Always somewhat envious that you are seeing so much of the country at a young age. I'm almost 80 and it took me a life time to see what you have seen although I have been to Hawaii 3 times and you can't drive your RV there lol. Seems to me that the prime issue is how you make your living which everyone has to do to just get through life. RVing was probably perfect for the travel nursing jobs however there are more ways to travel between the gigs as you well know. As far as family goes they have those things called airplanes and rental cars to handle that. Your financial future should also be a consideration and sticks n bricks houses appreciate and RV's DEpreciate. If I were in your position I would come to an agreement on how much longer the current RV will service your needs and then find a Brick n mortar house, maybe half way between PA and CA . Good luck with whatever you choose!!
Maybe @BrinkleyRV could use some ambassadors? Love your honesty and presentation. Do what feels right for both of you.
We love you guys! RVing is hard and lots of work! When you "move on" we will miss you.
I know you must be great nurses. So fun, warm and caring. Best wishes! Thanks for sharing with us!
I think the keys to avoiding burn-out are a) finding the right pace and b) having a purpose. We've been full time for 2 years and work remotely. For us, we've found that moving every 2 weeks is the right pace to balance between touring/adventure and living life (working, maintenance, bills, downtime, planning, etc). We can do weekly moves for a while, but our to-do list gets longer rather then shorter which increases stress. After 3 weeks we're getting anxious to move and bored. We have a 7 year plan and will continue the 2 week pace to complete the states & provinces and see all the National Parks (ie, our purpose). But like you, we're not exactly sure what we'll do after the 7 year plan, but we know it's important to set new goals, otherwise life becomes boring and/or meaningless. But I can guarantee you that our long-term plans will include avoiding the hot Texas summers - we're WAY spoiled following the 60/70 degree weather and can never go back!
You guys are amazing, you are funny and you never hide the reality of Van Life
❤
Glad you’re able to get some real rest…important lesson we all need to learn. As nurses (RN here of 45 years) I’m sure you are have taught your patients about energy conservation during the recovery process. Sooo…I’m instructing you to “do a little bit and rest, then do a little bit more”…😊
Love your content! Thank you for all the hard work you put in to making these videos! You have inspired my wife and I. We stumbled on your channel a few weeks ago and have loved watching your videos in preparation for our upcoming life style change with our cat and two kiddos! Cant wait to hit the road! Keep the content coming and happy travels!
It’s nice to see you take the time to reflect on your journey, reason with yourselves about the future, and share your perspective. A bright future always awaits those that follow their heart.
Your rv needing repairs is giving you a nice break! Change of scenery is good!
This should be required viewing for all the people that have recently posted in the RV groups I’m in that say they have sold their house and hitting the road. I think most of these people have never RVd before and don’t have a clue about how hard and expensive it is. Good video.
We’ve RVd for 35 years and love it. I’ve never been ready to come home from vacation, but even with that selling everything is huge. I can’t imagine it for a person that has never end or camped.
In 2017 I bought Cessna 172, equipped it with cameras, hired pilots, and had the incredible experience of flying and filming the entire state of Michigan and creating my little TH-cam channel. After producing films for 5 years and enduring our time with repairs (airplanes are very expensive) in 2022 I decided to sell it and move on to other things. I sold it for more than I paid for it, so overall, it was a good investment. This year we decided to buy a brand new 37 foot camper with 3 slides and our goal is to take off out of Michigan for the winter months. I will be 63 in November so we plan on doing short trips to get used to it and when I retire at age 65, we plan to do our winter away trips. I have been self employed for nearly 30 years. Love your stories and the best to you as you move forward..Cheers!
We have been RVing full-time now for just over two weeks. We are selling our home in CA and right now hanging out in CO near one of our kids. We agree we need to do a month at a time wherever we go. Looking forward to the adventure but also understand that there will be ups and downs. Hope we see you on the road. I am a physician and can see my patients online (also licensed in all 50 states) so work won't change much. Appreciate you both. You were part of our many months of YT watching in preparation for this transition. So thank you.
a big difference in owning a home and a R V is the home will increase in value the R V will depreciate value rapidly 👍
Not necessarily. Lot of people went upside down in their homes value.
💯
Fact ,a r.v. is a no win financial investment .
This is a really good point. I feel like it is a common misconception that full-time RV life is a cheaper minimalist lifestyle. You actually need to be fairly wealthy...
@@4rebeln8 RV's are toys. That rear out and lose value at a rapid rate. 10-15 years are mostly junk.
Well....keep doing your RV life, keep traveling on your RV but buy a lot in a nice RV park. Somewhere you can declare your own to rest, recharge and recover, re group, and continue driving to your goal of 50 states. Get a lot, buy it ! have a base where you can come back and relax.
I'm rather new to your channel but I love your videos because they DO tend to show real life in an RV. We purchased a RV when I retired 4 years ago and do want to go, go, go, but we're finding life doesn't let us with parents aging and our own limitations. Thank you for your honest presentation of RV life as it helps us be realistic in our own expectations.
This video needs a love button, not just the like button. 💖 You've always had a straight forward approach. That's what makes you special. Follow your heart and we'll support you 100%.
We've been RV-n for 45+ years, but not full time. Pretty much weekend warriors except 1x a 12 week x-country trip. 5 years ago things changed. We go out ~1x a month year round for 4-6 days & 2-3x a year out for 10-14 days + one snowbird trip for 4-6 weeks. We find after 4-5 weeks out we're wanting to get back home. We will not sell our home. Need our base station & space. Yes, the anxiety has been the last few years getting a spot when we do not know where we'll be. I don't like being on a set schedule that comes with making reservations 3-4 months in advance for every night. We do boondock ~70% of the time though, but that can have its challenges as well. Keep moving forward, it's a path to somewhere.
We lived in a boat for three years. Talk about expensive. We are now 10 months into full time. We watched you guys all the way.
Ha ha! Yeah, we lived aboard for 30 years - I get it!
You all had me nervous!!! We are an older couple, almost empty nesters. But you all have been AWESOME! We have learned a lot from you! Thank you!
Sometimes I think full time RVing would be fun. But the longest trip we have done was 21 days. That was in 2014 in a 32ft bumper pull with two teenage boys and a dog. Now we have a 5th wheel and it is just me, the wife, and a dog. My current job won't work for full time but when I retire in 7 years, we are definitely taking some looooooong trips.
Love your openness and honesty. Hope your rv days are not over. We went stir crazy when our rv was in the shop for 6 months.
Hi Hanks, air b & b are ok don't think there all roses lol. I think they should have given you a loner 5th wheel so you could stay comfortable. It's to bad you didn't or couldn't rent a fifth wheel foe your Alaska trip seems to me that would have been easier on your home and just parked it some place for a once over for repairs, we all know prevention is cheaper than repairs.
So relatable! Challenging to get repairs to an RV when you are full-timing especially if you need dealership repairs. Hope you hear good news about Solly soon! We remind ourselves on a regular basis, this isn't vacation, this is our life. Sometimes you have to rest. Y'all are amazing! Take some time, rest, rejuvenate - you've definitely earned it! ♥
Thanks for putting into perspective the things that stress you. I have been full time for the last 16 months. I receive a blessing every day, rain or shine. I'm on no schedule where I'm forced to push to get some where. The places I want to experience will still be there even two weeks later. Thanks for your continued encouragement even when things appear to be going wrong. I love 💘 you guy's. Grandpa Jack
You guys should consider being on RV Unplugged for season three!
Glad you are getting the work done that is needed to your RV. One unique thing about Airstream repairs done at the Mother Ship is, full timers can still live in their RV because it is brought out of the shop every night for them to sleep in. Enjoy being in one place and seeing the sights where you are. Michelle
Totally get what you guy's are feeling. We've been full-time for five years , and have experienced everything you mentioned. We've been home since March and I have itchy feet and want to get the wheels rolling.
We are full time, we do 2 or 3 week at a time. Our rv is in the middle of repairs at the moment, it still ready but the nickel and dime is just around the corner. Your comment about prices is so true, and finding a place to go even for a night is very expensive too
Even if the Hanks quit the RV life, totally understandable. They’re young and probably would like to start a family soon. They have more memories of traveling from the last 5 years that most people don’t see in a lifetime so they’ve done very well!
Preach it!! I hope everyone really hears you. Burn out is real
These two always seem to have reasonable discussions. Great points. 💯💯
We went full-time in November 2023. My wife is a travel nurse, and I'm retired after 30 years as a repair tech at AT&T. We are currently in Monroe, Michigan, after spending 6 months in Fort Myers, Florida. We upgraded from a 312BHTS to a Big Mo 395ms. We appreciate your transparency on things breaking and the maintenance involved. My things to do checklist is long, but if I put one ✅️ a day, then I'm happy. We waited four weeks for a site with sewer. The daily honey wagon trip destroyed my back. We love your channel!
We used to have the 312BHTS!!! Loved it! We did need to upgrade tho. We now have a luxe toy hauler since we live in it 2-3 months at a time w our kids as well as guests
I completely understand where you both are coming from. You should never feel guilty for traveling as many times traveling can sometimes be more stressful than living in a sticks & Bricks. You are my favorite two people on you tube in the Rv community. You both are real and never fake. You both really are a cute couple and love you guys. I hope to meet you both one day including Dexter. God bless you all…
Thanks Hanks!
I have a toy hauler on a seasonal site may through October and in November I will head down southwest for the winter that way I take advantage of the weather patterns and gives me a little bit of both scenarios! Maybe you could schedule your own life similar to this so you won’t burn out! 5 months staying put and 7 months traveling south!
We plan a 5 week camping trip once a year Mid Jan to March and try to camp several times for the summer. I own my home and am happy not RVing full time. I wish the best for wherever life takes you two.
We full timed 12 years (2 motorhomes-1 Fifth Wheel) and loved it, staying 4 to 6 weeks in one place. The wife worked in a medical office and I traveled for a living. When we needed repairs most of the time a mobile tech or myself would make them. Once in a while we would move to a hotel for the repairs to be made. Due to medical reasons we had to give up the life style, but it never truly leaves you. Currently we own a travel trailer and travel all over the state. If all goes right next year when my wife retires we will be rving again, but will have a stick and brick base to use a few months a year. My wife and I feel your dilemma as we have been there. Also if a little one comes along that will definitely change things. Wish you 3 the best and stay safe. What ever you guys decide please don't leave us behind.😀
Whatever happens, I hope we get to keep following you for what comes next. Be it, your purchase of sticks and bricks for part time RVing, purchasing an RV lot, maybe getting a new RV, who knows?! My point being, I hope you keep your channel active and continue to put out new, excellent content. ❤
Our goal is to stay RV-only until the real estate bubble bursts from all this speculation, inflation, foreclosures, etc.
Our guess is another year or so at least til the market correction is fully felt by the real estate industry.
Another reason for the full-time life is that we are currently back and forth on both coasts to help family members with chronic health conditions. It's so much easier to have our "home" with us - and nothing to hold us back somewhere else - because our visits never seem to have a set duration time-frame.
Even the Starship Enterprise has to go be docked and repaired. The crew always enjoys the time off the ship too!
I have learned so much from you both. I want the RV life, and y’all have played a vital role in my learning the good the bad and the ugly before we even buy our RV. Thank you so much for being so honest and up front with every possible scenario you have come across. We love you!
Thank you for your honesty. Like a few others have said, too many YT'ers only show RVing in the best scenarios. Life happens and Murphy's Law-man makes sure it's at the worst time.
A base of just a lot size in an area that's comfy weather, close to the fill up / dump until you're ready again. Either way you two decide is yours alone. Good luck🙂
68 & 66 yr old couple. We will likely sell the house and live in our 24ft TT. We’ve done 2 and 3 month trips and love it. At our age, it’s a choice: we can sit at home and do the same things everyday or live in our TT in different places every week or so. We have no desire to “travel” as we’ve already seen many great wonders of the USA. We live in the deep South, and there are hundreds of Corps of Engineers campgrounds from which to choose, and they are always on some body of water, so the sights are nice. And, with our Senior Lifetime pass, the daily fee is between $9 - $16. We typically drive 100-250 miles
to our next site and stay a minimum of one week.
Glad for the honesty. RVing is relaxing. I enjoy going south in winter.
It’s time for the hanks to take the next step for the hanks. Hope you take us all with you!! If not, we’ve really enjoyed the ride!!!
When the RV craze began, I predicted that around the 4 to 5 year mark a lot of people would be getting out of it due to the fact that they'll have pretty much gone where they wanted to go.
Love this talk! One thing I related to is finding a monthly rate, not easy. I’ve been a travel nurse and now taken a staff job in Raleigh- not easy finding a spot for my little apartment on wheels. I love my RV and having the option of moving around but finding a place to park it is a challenge
As a long haul truck driver I see so many people getting burnt out and I myself am ready to start rv life next year full time because after 30 years I am completely burnt out thank you so much for this video
I fully appreciate that you’re wondering about what’s next. Finding a place to call home, if only a few months in the year sounds great. I’m in the same situation, though only on year 3, Europe is very complicated. While last year was spectacular, we are now 6 months into issue after issue with residency, changing rules in different countries, family passing away, work/life balance, growing kids. I’m considering going back to my own country for several months (the summers) each year just to see family, get needed work done, and plan our next months instead of always on the move. But it’s hard as we were trying to get away from there and are afraid to be sucked into our old lives again.
So good luck and whatever you guys do, you’ll be killing it.
Thank you so much for this video. Watching, I could feel what you are going through. If your 5th wheel is not repairable to your satisfaction, maybe another one or a class A if the pocket book allows, like Phil and Stacy. Maybe they could weigh in on your situation?
You hit it when you said how much you’ve packed in to these last months, and it’s a good thing to stop and catch your breath.
To me, your channel is just terrific. Selfishly, I would hate to see you give it up as I get so much entertainment in watching- as I’m sure so many others do as well.
Get some rest and I already look forward to next Thursday.
God bless.
Someone once said it perfectly “ 🎶slow down, you move to fast, you got to make the morning last🎶” Anyway. It’s ok to slow down. Take your time finding the answers. Take your time traveling down the road. You’ll figure it out. 💕
🎶just kickin down the cobble stones... 😊
Oh noooo I love you guys. I totally get it with the way the RV industry is today. Customer service is NOT their priority that's for sure!! Whatever you do I wish you all the best!!! Thank you for sharing your life with us!!
Home base. Travel when you want. Stay when you must or want. Best of both worlds.
Hey Carl and Renee, I can't believe you haven't burnt out sooner. You could be 7 years into paying off a mortgage. The you tube channel must be the key to keeping on. I've enjoyed watching your adventures. It's brought back a load of memories.
I agree and all the life experiences the three of you have packed into the past 7 yrs will now be shared with the next generation of little Hanks! That is to say when you decide to raise another child. Then you will think how can we not take our family on the road after all we know now?
You two are such a good couple.
We still have our sticks & bricks, but travel when we want to, or when we can, depending on priorities and expectations. I follow many channels of RV life, and there are many reasons why one might travel, and then either stop, or find they can only video & edit much less than before. Such as, if say the two of you (or others) made the decision on having a family, the choice of moving about in an RV would be very different! Yet, there are couples that have small children that travel full time, so it takes hard work to make that work! Different choices have to be made, for times such as this, if you have a family and the RV has to go in for repairs, choices have to be made for accommodation as well as thinking about your next journey/adventure, and videoing it. Life can be tough, but being on the road is a pleasure for most of us, but you have to realize not all days will be peaches and buttercups!
Thank you for being brave enough to share this with us. I, for one, think I know enough to manage these repairs on my own just to find out I only know enough to be dangerous. This was great info. We are so glad you are out there! You are both entertaining and informative. Love your channel.
Anyone thinking about full time RV should be REQUIRED to watch this. We are weekend warriors now, but will both be retired this time next year. We have seen a lot of what you are talking about. You need to start with small bites and figure out what works for you. Y’all are the best.