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lebolewis · 06-26-2007, 06:22 PM

Aug. 1st is my drop dead date. I'm going FULL-TIME!! I'm in the process of selling everything that I own (scary), except the stuff that I am taking with me, which is only light weight things that I will actually use!

Headed North and Northwest, out of this unbearable heat and HUMIDITY! Headed up the Lewis and Clark trail, Wyoming, Montanna, Idaho and eventually to Oregon. Probably will then swing South down through CA and AZ and Winter in dry Southern NM.

Any advice, warnings or words of encourgement?

Bill

overlander63 · 06-26-2007, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lebolewis

Any advice, warnings or words of encourgement?

Bill

Good luck, and we'll be behind you by a few months.

wannaroam · 06-26-2007, 06:28 PM

Go with your heart; ride with the wind, have a wonderful time.

Silvertwinkie · 06-26-2007, 06:36 PM

Nice. 31' should be more than enough. I'm rather envious you can do it!

Happycampers · 06-26-2007, 06:48 PM

Good luck, have a great time, we hope to be doing that in a year or two.

ArtStream · 06-26-2007, 06:50 PM

Bill,

May your travles bring you peace, truth and happiness!

FT 7 years now.

Michael

RDM16CCD · 06-26-2007, 06:58 PM

You don't mention if you've traveled in the west before - I live in UT and travel mostly in WY, MT, CO, ID, and SD. There are high elevations and steep roads out here, and some of them you can get into trouble if you don't know what is coming when you select your travel route. There is a book that lists and describes these roads, published for truckers and and RV drivers. I find it is very accurate - there is one in WY that the locals call the 'Oh, My God' hill - I will not drive that again in just my truck without the trailer. There are plenty of roads that aren't a problem, and some of the best places seem to be in the mountains, but it's good to know what is ahead.

Here is a website where you can check out this book and see if it's something that would be helpful:

Welcome to Mountain Directory

You should keep a travel log and post pictures for the rest of us to envy - wish I was doing what you are going to do.

pinkflamingoes · 06-26-2007, 07:12 PM

Please blog or start a thread! I want to hear all about it. Congratulations.

thecatsandi · 06-26-2007, 07:14 PM

welcome to the roaming crowd.I plan on spending some time in NM this winter. Maybe I will see you there. I will be in Boise for the next three months. stop by and say hi!

Jaxon · 06-26-2007, 07:15 PM

Good luck, Bill. I second "keep a travel log" & take photos for us to see. Drive defensive and by all means, take the road less traveled!

Blu_Hwy_Lady · 06-26-2007, 07:16 PM

When you get to New Mexico, we're between Santa Fe and Albuquerque in the high desert mountains with lots of wide open spaces around us and courtesy parking with electric and water.

Air Apparent · 06-26-2007, 07:28 PM

Bill:

It should be a great adventure.

If you haven't already, you may want to look at the Escapees organization which is a support organization for fulltimers. Their web site is Escapees RV Club – the club for all RVers They also have a good forum. I've been researching fulltiming for five years and recently joined the Escapees even though I have a long time to retirement. They have a "birds of a feather" group of Airstreamers.

Good luck!

Big Dee · 06-26-2007, 08:10 PM

Wow, so jealous. It's my dream to some day set out for a few years on-the-road. Although I don't know if I could sell everything. I agree with everyone that it would be fun to read your travel blog. Good luck and godspeed!

lebolewis · 06-27-2007, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RDM16CCD

You don't mention if you've traveled in the west before - I live in UT and travel mostly in WY, MT, CO, ID, and SD. There are high elevations and steep roads out here, and some of them you can get into trouble if you don't know what is coming when you select your travel route.

Thanks for the heads up on the steep roads. I really had not given it much thought, but I will now. I had planned to stay close or actually on the US Interstate system. And, when I venture off the beaten path for sightseeing, especially in the Mountains, I will park the AS and just be in my Suburban with no trailer in tow. I'm not sure just how that will work, but that's what I have in mind right now. I used to live in Oregon and I pulled a 17ft SOB around a bit, within the state. Also I have driven a loaded 25ft truck across the US coast to coast, via I40, so I have a little road experience on steep slopes. I will definitely look into getting that Mountain Directory. Thanks, Bill

overlander63 · 06-27-2007, 07:56 AM

Just an idea, but before you get rid of everything, put it in storage for a month or two, and stay in a more or less local campground. That way, you will be able to tell what you really need, and can go back and get it, without having to buy something you threw out last month. After a couple of months, you can then safely contact Salvation Army for disposal, or have a big garage sale.
We are more or less doing the same thing now, our extra "stuf" is in a storage unit, and we have found we need some stuff we would have tossed, and have no use for stuff we thought we couldn't live without.
Also, you may as well toss that Sam's Club membership card, there's no room for a case of peanut butter in your coach...

lebolewis · 06-27-2007, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

Just an idea, but before you get rid of everything, put it in storage for a month or two, and stay in a more or less local campground. That way, you will be able to tell what you really need, and can go back and get it, without having to buy something you threw out last month.

TOO LATE!! It's almost all gone. I have had garage sales for 2 week-ends in a row (4 days) and I am sick of them. Ads in the paper, eBay sales and give aways, and I just dumped some things in the trash can. This is HARD work for a single guy! I kept most of my tools and some power equiptment and will take some hand tools and small power things with me and the rest will be in storage in the basement of a relative.

I will tell all of you who are thinking of going FT RVing.....deciding what to take with you and deciding what to get rid of......and then the getting rid of it is very hard work and very time consuming....and nerve racking. When I get all this done, I will need a REST!! Remember, you cannot start ridding yourself of STUFF too soon. Think of how long you will need....and then double it!

I'm beginning to feel a hint of LIBERATION!

Bill

sd90mac · 06-27-2007, 10:56 AM

Bill,

Can't wait!! We start full timing in a few months. I remember the packing and sorting, garage sales, etc, etc, etc.

Of course, I got rid of a couple of things we now need, but can make do in other ways.

Good luck and keep us all in the loop.

Marie

Fyrzowt · 06-27-2007, 10:58 AM

Good for you Bill. It's a huge step that I hope is everything you wish for, but one that is reversable if things don't work out. Good luck,
Dave

Sean Michael · 06-27-2007, 12:21 PM

Bill, we think alike!

My wife and I are taking an extended trip west to escape the Alabama summer heat. We aren't selling all of our stuff just yet, though.

One thing I would mention, is that if you are looking at visiting Yellowstone...it's VERY crowded in the summer. We are having trouble finding decent reservations there.

We've started a blog to document our journey.

The Honeymoon, Part 1

Best of luck to you!

lebolewis · 06-27-2007, 05:43 PM

After working a year on "Elvira", the AS, getting her in good shape, ready to travel, I never thought that getting ready to go FT would be so stressful!

Actually, I had not planned to go FT, until just recently. My idea was to maintain a homebase here in Cullman to come back to from time to time. But then after reading a book "Basic RVing" and another one "Full-Time RVing", by Bill and Jan Moeller, I started looking at the COSTS and liabilities of maintaning a "homebase"!! The costs are rediculas if you plan to be gone 2 years or more!

I looked at all options.......storage of everything, buy/rent a smaller house, sell some/store some, etc., etc. NOTHING was financial appealing; hence, my decision to sell everything! So, Im selling everything.......except some hand tools.....you know, the good stuff to have.

But, frankly I was not prepared for the stress of ridding yourself of all the "stuff" you have accumulated over a lifetime!

However, I'm feeling better now. Looking forward to hitching up and going. And, I hope to meet some of you nice folks out there somewhere!

Bill