fulltiming

[cody]

As we get closer to actually fulltiming I'm wondering if anyone else went thru the excitement and shear terror that we are experiencing, now that we're down to a few days before hitting the road, more and more things keep cropping up.  All the things that we never thought about before are suddenly staring us right in the face and we're dealing with them one at a time.  Pets that we've had for years are slowly being handed over to other family members or finding new homes, that is surely the most tramatic for us but the fact remains that in a bus there is only so much room.  The sorting, packing, resorting, repacking, the things that a person gathers and takes for granted over a life time, suddenly being compressed into the room allowed in a bus means a lot will have to be disposed of and some stored.  We've spent hours pouring over maps and makeing lists of all the things we want to see and do but really don't have a clue of what to do or where to go, all these years of dreaming of this day only to realize that now that we're almost ready to leave the yard, we don't have a clue as to where to go or what to do.  All this time we're trying to ensure that life will continue and to second guess what problems may come up and to prepare for them, I've enrolled in the Good Sam road coverage program, I've climbed over the bus, crawled under the bus, studied every nook and cranny to see what could be added or removed to make life on the road easier, dug thru paperwork to see what would be needed "just in case".  I'm not sure if any of this makes sence or even has anything to do with buses, was just wondering if anyone else went thru any of this or am I just weird lol.

[Utahclaimjumper]

Your just weird................................................................and gutsy

[JohnEd]

Cody,

Go south....go south....quick, go south  

Start with the National parks and schedual your visit for the off season.  Yellow stone can take a couple of weeks on your first visit alone.  The great lodges up north can take a spring and fall for off "seasonalmost".  South west and south for the hard winter months.  Washington DC will take a month...at least to do right.  The Smith. will take a week alone...at least with my knees it will.  I think your dilemma will be short lived and fuel will become a more significant concern.

The very best of good luck and best wishes on your new adventure,

John

[bubbaqgal]

One other thing you need to remember is that you don't just make enough room for things you are taking, you need to leave a bit of extra room for the things you find you will need once you start out.  We went through our stuff and after a few months went through it again and found all kinds of things we really didn't need.  A few months later we did the same thing.  Don't take tons of dishes or cooking utensils because you will only need enough for the two of you.  You won't need tons of clothing because you will see different people in your travels and they won't know you wore that same shirt day before yesterday.  For extra blankets, put them under your mattress.  Good storage without taking up space.  Make sure your kitchen storage containers are stackable because that is a space saver.  You also don't need tons of towels or sheets.  They end up being space takers and great dust collectors.  In fact, think of everything as a dust collector and decide if you really want to dust it and if not, don't take it.

[ChuckMC9]

What you're experiencing is very, very common and is discussed at length all the time on the boards that are more oriented toward RV Living. There's tons of information and support out there that you would do well to check out. Everything from domicile states to insurance issues to medical care on the road.

I recommend Escapees, as I are one, but other boards have fulltiming sections as well. Some of the larger ones are way too 'noisy' for me.

You can literally read and interact with others for days and years over there, as this topic has more to do with life on the road in general than to do with buses specifically.

Looking forward to seeing you out there!

[Hartley]

Panic Mode = NORMAL

What did I forget Mode = Always

Why did I pack that mode = Inevitable

Don't forget the old towels to stuff under the front door to keep the cold out.
and a Floormat for in front of the step.

I fulltime now..again... Maybe I won't have to live in my bus for another 6 years...

Of course that 40 foot shipping container full of lord knows what is here with me...

Enjoy....

[ChuckMC9]

Maybe I won't have to live in my bus for another 6 years...

Have to? Have to?? Man, it's a privilege and a luxury!

Wassamadda with U? 
 

[jjrbus]

On the down side, your just weird, on the plus side you are no weirder than the rest of us.
 There is a point of diminishing returns on packing stuff. If you pack too much you cannot find anything, until you buy a replacement! It will work out over time.
 People are so different it is hard to make recommendations other than generality's. So relax, tape a deep breath. None of it is really critical, you are not going to the south pole or resupplying the space station. Just though of a critical thing make sure your charge card is not expiring the month you leave home,
 Also many people do not go touring all over in the bus, we pick an area and stay for at least a month, do the touring in the toad, keeps the expenses down.

[Kwajdiver]

I've been fulltiming for 13 months now.  Found I have too much stuff with me.  If you forget anything, Wal-Mart, Sears, and Home Depot will have it....   Plus, they all have big parking lots.....  I installed closest shelves while parked at Home Depot one night.

Be sure to put a map of America on the side of the bus, so you can mark all the places you go.  I just love those maps....  LOL

Bill
Still in Gulfport, Ms

[Hi yo silver]

That's why God only gives us one day at a time!
Dennis

[cody]

My daughter gave us one of the best gifts I've seen in a long time, it's a big red vinyl X that you put in front of your bus when your parked, it says "you are here" lol. I love it, she got the idea from a mall store map and had it made lol.  It kind of put everthing in perspective for me.

[bubbaqgal]

Whenever people ask us where we live (and they will), we point at the pus and tell them "where ever we park our bus is home".  Most get a blank look on their face and have no idea what we are talking about. 

[Hartley]

you are not going to the south pole or resupplying the space station.

I Love that comment. You obviously don't know where I moved to.. 1 1/2 Months waiting for the power company to install 1/2 mile of poles (at my expense). 2 1/2 Months after the power company was done the phone company had to build their 1/2 mile of lines.
I had to bring in everything I needed and then some. I feel like this place is like the south pole at times... of all the nastiest things was hauling diesel fuel for the generator running for over a month..." I AM the Space Station "

But seriously, The ability to crank up and go is always available, Don't need a house sitter just fuel to move the house.........

[redbus]

Cody, congrats on fulltiming! We did it for 3 years and it was great. Things came up and we started building A BUS so we are presently traveling 6 months or so every winter. But looking forward to fulltiming again soon. We sure know what you mean about the anxiety though. It is very exciting...and scary.You will forget stuff and you will take stuff you don't need. We did it all. You will meet new friends along the way, many you hope to run into again and a few you don't!!!! But all is good in the end. We are still learning from everyone we meet, from the rallys we attend, from the social hours at campgrounds and from boards like this. You will get so many tips of where to visit next you won't be able to see them all. One thing we have found out,plans have a way of changing so be flexible.

Anxious to meet you and all the others in Arcadia.

Terry and Connie

[captain ron]

I've been full timing on and off for over 10 years. First with a motor home and now with a bus. I am truly full timing as I do not have a home base to return to when I get tired of the road and I don't have to worry about what to pack as everything I own is in my bus. About every so often I get a wild hair up my a$$ and start throwing stuff away or giving it away (usually to make room for new stuff) My life has changed drastically over the past year or so, got a dog, changed my work style, and been chilling way too much. I basically have 2 fixed monthly bills, my phone and my bike payment. I still struggle to meet those some times with fuel costs and still converting the bus in which I lived in with piles of lumber and tools for way too long. I love it though and would like to have a mate traveling with me ( I do get stupid thoughts every once in a while) at least living in a bus if I get tired of her I can give her $50 and drop her off at Wal-Mart to get groceries and when she comes out I'm 50 miles away and she don't even know what direction I went.   You'll love it, good luck.

[superpickle]

This is probably the Greatest adventure of you life, of course itys going to be tramatic.. But once you gwet going and settled in . You'll think, "This is the LIFE"

WOW, hey, do you have room for me 

You MUST take LOTS of pics and Post them EVERY DAY.. Otherwise we will have to hunt you down and take the valves out of all your tires..and put Veggie fuel signs all over your bus.    (tax police will come and Drag you away ) hehehe

hehehehehe  Have fun and remember, we ALL wish it was US.. 

Paul....

[JimC]

Hey Cody,
I know you have enough to think about already, but consider setting your computer up for doing a Blog on your travels. that way we can all travel with you. Jim

[usbusin]

"We've spent hours pouring over maps and makeing lists of all the things we want to see and do but really don't have a clue of what to do or where to go, all these years of dreaming of this day only to realize that now that we're almost ready to leave the yard, we don't have a clue as to where to go or what to do."

Cody, we are not fulltimers, but "half-timers"; that is we spend about six to seven months on the road, traveling about 15,000 miles per year. 

There is so much to see in this beautiful United States and Canada, that there isn't enough time to see it all.  I know once you get started and talking to people you'll soon get a "route" planned; and will it change many times!  Unless you need to get someplace in a "hurry"; my suggestion is to stay off the Interstates, but take the State and County "back" roads.  By traveling the back roads, you'll see what the "real" country is like.

We live on the west coast and alternate between the northwest/western Canada one year and then do the east coast/Maritime Provinces the next.  Our winters are spent in the southwest.

All parts of the USA and Canada have their own special beauty.  Just go to each area at the "prime" weather and you'll never have a bad day!

Just remember; "Every day is an adventure"!!!

Here is a link to our web site and some of the places we have traveled: http://www.thegooddeeds.com/touringtheusaandcanada.html

Hope that we cross paths someday. 

Gary D

[HB of CJ]

Cody....I haven't read all the other posts--I went straight to this answer first.  You sound alot like me--I kinda am a control freak and feel rather uncomfortable unless things are under complete total control.  What I had to learn/unlearn about my bus was that sometimes more fun can be had if one takes just the basic sane precautions and then just go for it and wing the rest.

Yeah, yeah, I know it sounds kinda risky and sometimes it can be, but if you have done 90% of what you can do to prepare for your fulltime adventure, then it may be time for you to get the rest of it out of your mind.  Sorry you felt it was necessary to dump the pets---they are family toosss and would enjoy the fulltiming thing as much as you do.  Be surprised what can fit in a coach.

For 3 years I lived fulltime in my Crown with practically ZERO anything, including A/C, heat or meaninful power.  120 in the summer and +20 in the winter. (F)  I learned to sweat and to dress warmly.  Amazing how good a pitcher of iced tea can taste and how comfy a warm bed can feel.  I endured; learned a whole bunch about my coach and myself and had fun doing sooss. 

Where should you head out to?  What physical direction?  Who cares--is it THAT important?  You are setting sail with the morning tide and winds and you will figure out what direction is best.  Make and maintain a list of all the things this great country has to offer and figure out a way where you can take it all in.  We have been given a great gift having coaches.  Go for it! 

[Tony LEE]

Don't plan too much and remember that if you see everything the first time, you won't have any good reason to go back

[niles500]

Get yourself a Rand-McNally Atlas that shows all the State and National Parks (the best Real Estate the government can buy) - when traveling look for the green and brown signs that denote state and federal landmarks/parks along with the local points of interest and STOP AT EVERYONE - some will be ho-hum, some will be spectacular, and very few will be less than interesting - Post some pictures now and again and the board will let you know if your doing OK - LOL - many happy returns - Niles

[white-eagle]

Join Escapees!  you'll never find another group as dedicated to fulltiming, as supportive of fulltimers, and with a CARE facility and the Forum.

We envy your ability to fulltime.

as you've already been told, pack what you think you'll need.  if you haven't used it in 2 years, unload it at the next escapee rally during the CARE auction.  the auctions are for people to donate what they don't use, and the money raised goes to support the CARE facility where you can recooperate from injury or sickness IN YOUR BUS and the nurses/doctors come to you.

Home Depot, Lowes and other fulltimers will have what you need if you don't have it with you.

Try the Escapees forum.  lots of good advice.  you don't have to belong to view and ask questions.  there's even a bus thread.

Good luck, safe travels and Happy Thanksgiving!

[cody]

I'll check into the Escapee's club, one thing that I have that I'm looking forward to is the Golden Access Passport card for national parks, because I'm disabled I get half off at national parks, any savings is a good thing now, especially with the high cost of fuel.  We're really looking forward to traveling and seeing what all is out there.   We're also looking at ways we can stay connected to the internet and trying to determine which one will be best for us, the internet has been such a large part of our lives for so long I'd go thru withdrawal in a hurry lol.

[white-eagle]

 We're also looking at ways we can stay connected to the internet and trying to determine which one will be best for us, the internet has been such a large part of our lives for so long I'd go thru withdrawal in a hurry lol.

Cody, cellular cards are $60/month and verizon seems to be the best choice for widest coverage.  If you stay on the relatively populated roads and interstates.  We've got places in Ohio that still don't have coverage, like some of the state parks.  Out west will be worse.  the more isolated you want to be, the more you need to consider satellite.  if you're gonna stay at walmarts and flyingJ and KOA, then you will probably be able to use their wifi or your cellular always.

wifi is free or low cost but is still pretty sparse in campgrounds and state parks.  i'm sure you can find some opinions based on where you want to go.  i think flying j's plan is $30 month, but i don't know how well it works.  you do have to be in their parking lot to use it.

Satellite tripod like the Dustyfoot we sell is $1300. also $60 a month, but you have to buy a system which means you have an upfront cost compared to cellular.  automatic pointing systems start at $4200+ installed and $79/month.  Speeds are a little faster than a cellular in the city, a lot faster than cellular in the boonies.  satellite is good anywhere no matter how isolated.

i don't know what your disability is, but if you want an honest (call Jack Conrad and a few others that know me) discussion about advantages/disadvantages of each for your requirements, call me or hth.  also, you can get a ton of opinions at the Escapade site.  or even here.

hth

[Hank]

I think what I'd do is rent a storage locker and put my second tier stuff in there until I started getting acclimated to the new lifestyle. Then I could make a more educated decision about what I wanted to keep and get rid of.

My first destinations would be to visit family and friends I have scattered across the country. Hopefully you have some out there you'd like to see? It seems that the comfort and familiarity of visiting friends and family would help ease the transition into a nomadic lifestyle.

It's something I'd like to try someday...maybe for a year or so.

Good luck to you!