Living full-time in an AS

[backphil]

Hello to everyone. This is my first post. I was drawn here due to the fact my 2nd career (cross country gas pipeline construction) requires me to be away from home for months at a time. The separation between husband and wife is grinding. Many of my co-workers pull a TT and bring their wives along to the jobs. My question is this . . . has anyone ever sold their house and bought a TT and lived in it full time? If so, I would like to read your comments about full time living in a TT. If I were to do this, I would only feel comfortable buying an AS due to it's perceived build quality, ruggedness, and longevity. Thoughts?

[87MH]

Selling the house and "betting the farm", so to speak, on marriage bliss within the confines of any TT needs some introspect.

I know first hand the problems of leaving your main residence unattended for long periods of time, but examine the downside if marriage in a TT, (or the job) do not work out.

If you've given it a lot of thought, by all means, try it, and you'll not find a better brand than Airstream to do it in, but, if at all possible, leave your options open.

[Porky Pig]

Can't say that I've been there ...

but can say we're going to do that.

Petunia and I will start living fulltime in our Airstream this Spring. Our plan is to do it for at least 3 years. We've been planning this for over 10 years.

However, we are not selling our house. We are going to hire a management company ... and rent it out.

The part of California we live in is very very nice and real extate is appreciating at a pretty fast clip. If we sold the house and decided to come back ... we'd be priced out of the market.

Depending upon your own situation ... you might want to think about keeping your house. For example .. what would happen if you lost your job?

Also ... there's a big difference between wanting to live in an RV fulltime and having to live in one.

[j54mark]

You might want to take a look at: http://www.escapees.com/

They are an organization by and for the full time RVer.

There are a lot of issues involved, including the possibility of discovering two weeks into the new lifestyle that you hate it. But many people have done it and love it.

The point about selling the real estate is worth consideration. Of course, that too can cut both ways. What if you find an area of the country that you fall in love with and get a job there? If your house is sold already, hey, no problem.

You may have noticed that travel trailers are not usually the first choice among full timers. The issue here is one of storage space for large bulky items. This is where larger motorhomes and fifth wheels shine. Of course then you have to deal with the steps up to get in the thing! Some solve this by having a second vehicle and pulling a cargo trailer.

Among the full time travel trailer crowd, Airstream does seem to head the list of favorites. BUT.... be aware that they are not the best choice out there for extreme cold conditions. There are some threads on this elsewhere in the forums.

Lots to think about. Good luck to you.

Mark

[RivetED]

While looking for our A/S I met a salesman in OK who had recently retired from full-time pipeline construction living in an R/V. He had a few R.V.'s that we talked about. I'll send you a pm with his name & tel.
This past summer Deb & I were in the N.H. mountains & ran into 3 full-time rvers working on the high-pressure line in that area. 2 Texans & 1 Okhmer ! we had dinner & drinks together & talked about the fun & trials of such a life, 2 were 'still' married.
It can be done but from what I heard keep your options open as previously mentioned.
-Good Luck...

[John]

As stated above, starting off by renting your house is an excellent idea just in case fulltiming doesn't agree with either of you.

Fulltiming in the right size Airstream is comfortable, but if you're not a true lover of Airstreams, but rather looking for quailty and space, you may want to think about getting a late model used 5th wheel.

With the living room and bedroom slide outs, the amount of living space is much larger than an Airstream. Many also come with a washer/dryer. 5th wheels also have high ceilings(which have ceiling fans), which again adds to the a more open/home feel.

My advice would be to look at both and let the person who will be inside day after day decide what makes them feel more comfortable and happy, since this is your goal, eh!!!

Good luck ~ John

[Photobitstream]

Check out the full-time RVing forum at http://www.rv.net. There is a lot of information posted by people who've made the plunge.

The full-time forum at http://www.irv2.com has some good info also.

[Royce]

Full time can work for some for sure. Fresh out of High School I worked for JSG he was 78 at the time owned his own business and been told several times by his doctor to slow down. One day the doc told him to sell his business or his widow would. JS took this one to heart, sold the businss, and home. Bought a MH only kept what would fit in the MH. I saw JS again 10 years later, he looked 15 years younger. JS was in a motorcycle dealership, when asked what he was doing he replied, buying a moter cycle. Only one stipulation, it had to be light enough to put on the rear of the MH as if it didn't fit in or on the MH he didn't need it. I have often thought of JS and hoping to escape myself some day.

[Colet343]

My husband and I full-timed for six years and only stopped because we felt we needed to have a home base near children when we got older. We kept traveling for many years after our home, attached to our son's house, was built. We had freedom without worry about property.

When we bought our Airstream we didn't even know if we would like trailering. We had taken an early retirement in our 50's. After six months with our Airstream, experiencing the trauma of getting a call from neighbors when we were across the country telling us the sprinkler system was erupting at the house, cemented our decision to make the leap of freedom. We got rid of the excess, rented a climate controlled storage unit. Cataloged the stuff we decided to keep in boxes in the computer and numbered the boxes. Racks were built on the sides of the storage to set the boxes so numbers were visible and anything could be found quickly. A 12' pole was installed to hang seasonal clothes and a card table and file were placed at the front of the storage. We roosted one winter in northern Alabama for several months when it was in the teens. Extra insulation stuffed behind the drawer on the front couch, bales of hay placed around the bottom of the trailer outside and insulation with electric heating wire around water hose made the inside much cozier. Foam plugs in skylights reduced cold as well as space cloth placed in windows was easily removable and reduced cold from windows. We called it our "house with a rubber foundation". We lived with pets and found our only real necessary items for sanity while living in 31' was two lap top computers. It was the best and healthiest time of our lives!

Regarding your sewer concerns. Although they can be cumbersome, the blue boy sewage disposal allows you to dump your sewage, attach it to the tow vehicle and drag it on its wheels to the dump station if you are in a campground or a place with a sewer cleanout outlet near a building.

Remember everything in an Airstream comes through the door so it is easy to remodel an Airstream. Many box trailers are built from the ground up with the roof fastened to the cabinets. The body is beautiful and classic, loves pets and people. It's beauty attracts friends where ever you go. Fellow Airstreamers are your instant relative.

Unfortunately, we did get older, my husbands health failed, and our beautiful Airstream left our driveway without us last Friday. We are truly in mourning for the loss of our best "friend" and beautiful house with a rubber foundation.

[niftypkg]

Wonderful thoughts here. Would love it just to relieve me of the burden of maintaining my house and about 5 bills a month for utilities. Unfortunately, spouse likes her nest and doesn't travel well unless its to the nearest Hilton. So I travel alone to SPI from AZ. It's my yearly adventure. Tough to sell a home in this market so I don't know how that will work out. Don't want to keep two burdens. Thankfully I have a RM on the home so I could recoup almost full price. Lots of luck on YOUR adventure.

[fmr.capt.evi]

niftypkg, I think you are very wise to not impose full-time RVing upon your wife. Based on what I have observed out here, if both are not completely on board, it's doomed to failure, (and sooner rather than later).

[scorpiontimo]

we have been on the road for 6 years due to our work, the first 3 years in corp housing and extended stay hotels our job requires us to stay 8 to 10 weeks at a time in a town than on to next job site. 1st it was just myself working and my spouce staying at room after about 4 months she got on with my company which put her with me 24/7 very hard at times we decided on a TT airstream looked at 5th wheels motor homes and other brand trailers airstream was the best bet we went wioth a vintage and remolded it for us have spent winter in chy wy, summers in phx az, and it held up just great at times we have to take a weekend off from each other or we we kill one of us ,so i pack the tent or go to a hotel just for a mini break this seems to work, right now we have taken and extended break from our company travels and are work camping at a very nice park in NM small sal and site covered so we dont tuch our saving of work, and think on this you can save a lot by staying in rv parks as compared to motels our motels were ava 250 to 350 per week and food 150+, now we cook our own, and save half the cost for lodging paid the cost for the trailer and truck in a year now last 2 years saved a lot which enabled us to take time off and vacation for half a year it works just takes planning and camon sence Charles & Rondie

[Air Apparent]

The founders of the Escapees club (Joe and Kay Peterson) did exactly what you want to do. They fulltimed in an Airstream 25 then moved up to an Avion 34. They fulltimed for 15 years. Joe worked on the road as a tramp electrician. The link to the Escapees forum is here Escapees Discussion Forum (Powered by Invision Power Board).

[fmr.capt.evi]

After about 5 years of full-time Airstream living, the wife started complaining about the lack of "alone" time. My solution was to get her a class B, which could tow a Safari....not a cheap solution (but cheaper than a divorce). She's been an extremely happy camper now for almost 3 years. Recently got her an iphone to play with.....now I'M extremely happy, too.