The first question applies mainly to retired folks with little or no RVing experience.
KEEP THE OLD HOME OR NOT?
Retaining a stick home is expensive--even if you’ve paid off the mortgage. Unless you have substantial economic resources, lack of money can limit RVing freedom. RVers we’ve met who were happy to keep their stick home didn't mind housework and usually tended to enjoy gardening, working in a shop, etc.
Why not hang on to your homes until completing a scouting trip of three months or more over widely varied locations? It will cost more than normal RVing since you'll use more fuel and won't be able to take advantage of monthly campground fees but serves a double purpose. You'll learn whether you like the lifestyle or not (My wife who hated the idea originally was surpised by how much she loved it once underway).
Even if you still prefer a stick home when you return home, you may decide you'd prefer to own elsewhere. You'll also have some idea of what sort of rig suits you best. That’s the best reason to start with used and cheap. Make sure any tow vehicle has enough capacity to allow bigger, heavier choices.
HOME BASE OR FULLTIME?
Some folks will rarely feel a need for a home base. Even if you don’t enjoy puttering around a house, you may like the idea of a fixed base for other reasons provided it doesn't tie up too much cash and involve a ton of responsibilities. A park home or something similar alternative might be ideal. If you've sold your old house and if you invested most proceeds, full timing is a highly reversible decision. The reverse is true is you invest in a stick home too quickly. There’s no hurry.
INDIVIDUAL PLOT OR RV COMMUNITY?
Buying a small plot of land and placing a “home” of your choice on it is less expensive than the seasonal or annual fees of most RV resorts, though such costs are far lower than rents. The downside of privacy is social isolation. Those who have come to enjoy the social contacts associated with RVing may prefer an RV resort with certain desired features you’d rather not invest in on your own.
EAST, WEST OR CENTRAL LOCATION?
Let's assume you want one home base for now. Even in prime season, you’ll surely want to use the RV a bit so you’ll want other attractions in reasonable distance. If you are partial to the West but plan to travel eastward occasionally, the central part of the USA would fit best: from Texas to South Dakota.
A FIXED HOME BASE FOR WHICH SEASON?
Fuel and distances to other potential attractions must count here. Let’s assume the chosen homebase meets all personal requirements. The next question should be: Summer or winter home base?
Most RVers--even fulltimers--cover much less ground in the winter so we originally thought a winter homebase would make the most sense. Texas makes the most sense for us and—due to personal tastes-- the Hill Country specifically. It has no much of what we love: quaint towns, real homecooked food everywhere at reasonable prices, scenic country, genuine roots music, decent hiking opportunities and shirt sleeve weather by midday.
As we travel northward in early May, I wonder if I got the seasonal thing upside down. The Hill Country is a big place and even in winter. Thus, we’ll want to wander but costs will be low given the distances involved and the lower cost of fuel. The furthest we'd wander in most winters would be Big Bend and the Cajun area of Louisiana.
Whatever we'd spend on fuel as we migrate norhtward in the spring, we'd spend anyway, so a fixed home base in Texas offers no benefits there. At a minimum we'd travel as far as Cloudcroft, N.M. and probably further. It’s quaint, summer temps are moderate and forest campgrounds and hiking trails are close to town. Like many so places in the West, Cloudcroft falls down when it comes to restaurants and food shopping. That’s OK for short stays but no longer. By contrast Santa Fe has great ood shopping (Trader Joe's/ Whole Foods, etc.) and some very good restaurants. Comapred to Texas, prices are much higher however.
We are headed toward Durango which sounds promising as a potential home base for a number of reasons. It’s not far from Texas and, should we want to go to the Pacific West or South Dakota, we’re hundreds of miles closer.
HOW DO YOU DETERMINE IF A SPECIFIC LOCATION SUITS YOUR OWN TASTES AND NEEDS?
You have to know yourself here. The answer to “What is essential and what isn’t?” is different for a long stay than a short one. Sustained RVing will give you insight. It can teach you things about yourself you'll may surprise you. My wife can vouch for that.
We’ve gained some insight into what would constitute the “perfect” home base for us. I’ll describe it later. Your answer will depend of your wants and needs. Nevertheless, what I provide is a model for thinking it out.
IMO your post is also ONLY aimed at those who find it unbearable to spend the summer where it gets hot. Believe it or not, there's many of us who have decided that the summers are quite tolerable in some parts of the sunbelt. We certainly don't mind the summer here in San Antonio. Therefore, having our permanent base here is no problema.
Willie & Betty Sue
Miko & Sparky
2003 41 ft Dutch Star Diesel Pusher/Spartan
Floorplan 4010
Blazer toad & Ranger bassboat
I confess: I'm thorough. I really thought this out. However, if you are going to make a long-term investment in a location, doesn't it make sense? For short term RV stays, we wouldn't regard any of what follows is essential.
SOCIAL NEEDS. Some RV sites empty out during the day while others have a friendly sense of community that we prefer. We like resorts with at least some activities like potlaches and a social room wher folks play cards, exchange books. My wife loves to sing, so a gospel group on the grounds or nearby will satisfy her needs. (I'm no churchgoer, though I've cooked for her old church in Philly and help out when they need a hand).
PHYSICAL NEEDS: We must have some on site facilities to in shape. We don't want to pay for expensive facilitiies we don't use, like a golf course but a nice pool is on the must list. An exercise room is also a big plus. An abundance of nearby hiking & biking trails is also a must.
One thing we decided only recently as a result of RVing awhile is that if we do choose a base, it must have a lake where we can row a boat (great exercise) and fish (we've never done the latter but wouldn't mind getting into it.
NATURAL ATTRACTIONS: The are must be both scenic but varied. That means we like having access to mountains, deserts, plains, forests, hills and rivers within a day's ride or so. Having a few state or natural parks, wildlife areas or forests nearby is a big plus.
MAN-MADE ATTRACTIONS: In our earlier description of the Texas Hill country, I covered many of the things we like--and often miss since leaving there. Nature alone won't satisfy us. It's nice to have a small city with movies, good restaurants, food food shopping and alternate entertainment when we are in the mood. Unfortunately much of America--falls dismally short in the latter and in food shopping (Anyone here been to Carlsbad, New Mexico?).
Many scenic states in the West fall short here. However, sometimes you get surprised, like the cooked-to-order homemade Mexican food in a gas station restaurant in Bernalillo, N.M. That cook worked his tail off. The place even had photos of optional choices, like a fast-food restaurant or Chinese take-out pace.
Sometimes you just want to go out and hear a good band. In many places you can't. When its otherwise, tickets are sometimes twice the price for the same outstanding act we saw in Texas. The Texas Hill country spoiled us rotten when it comes to creative roots music.
Re: IMO your post is also ONLY aimed at those who find it unbearable to spend the summer where it gets hot.
By your reasoning, the existence of a sunbird forum is outrageous because it implies what is FACT--simply that many folks in the north choose to escape extreme winter weather if they can. I'd say that's especially typical of older, retired folks who own RVs and are physical capable of leaving--especially in the Midwest.
Why get upset when RVers exercise what is sold as one of the prime attractions of RVs? Would you insist they stay in place as the seasons change merely because you do. If not, what is your point?
My post does not--as you imply--condemn those who choose not to escape. Read it again, please.
Like it or not, I certainly plead guilty to believing that my preferences for choosing mild winter and summer weather are not untypical of many RVers with lack any work, family or medical conditions to hold them back. I won't apologize to you for prefering mild weather, whatever the season.
I'd think you'd be happy--not angry--for all the nice words I had for the Hill Country.
Now I will confess that--even in winter when the weather is terrific--my personal tastes don't find much to please in San Antonio--other than the wonderful Riverwalk/Alamo area. I'd prefer to limit my visits to once or twice per season, preferably on Sunday.
Take away the Riverwalk/Alamo area and San Antonio is becoming just another big, too modern place (nation's 7th largest city) place with little appeal otherwise. To get there you have to negotiate heavy traffic and miles long suburban sprawl, then pay for expensive parking. It's getting like LA and Houston--simply not my thing.
When I feel the need for a Hill Country City, give me Austin for it's great music and for what locals rightly praise as its "funky atmosphere."
I have to go with Cloud Dancer on that. I purposely choose the hottest climate, year round. To those of us from the south, there's nothing to escape. It's normal, and to some of us, the best part of the year. In FL particularly, it also means lower rates and more discounts honored.
As to stick houses, there is also a middle-ground - RV chalets. I don't have one, but would possibly consider it some day. Full-timing is great, but it can sometimes make doing work on your rig a bit more of a hassle. (The low-end parks can be good places to dock in while you work, as they tend to be less fussy about this kind of thing.) And for those who can't bear to part with all the bulky material possessions and don't want to pay for storage, or for those who like to do art or other mechanical work that requires a shop environment, this can be a happy medium.
Social isolation is not only desirable, but a real motivating factor for many of us. Where some find only boredom and loneliness, others find real peace and quiet. Some enjoy a bit of both (I do), and the point to owning an RV includes getting whichever you want, when you want it, just by driving to it.
I thank you for your post and taking the time to type your thoughts.
My wife and I still are working. We like Rving and take some time off here and there.
We have been traveling to FL in the winter for 2 weeks for the past 5 years. The temp is great. Last year we made it to Naples and so far that is on the top of our list in FL. We do not want to be in FL in the Summer (too hot for us). We live in NC.
The point of my orignal post was exactly what you are saying--the best choice for you fits your own wants and needs. You seem to have thought it out well. If you like hot weather or social isolation, WHY NOT? Cloud Dancer argues--falsely--that I took a "one size fits all" approach. It's the exact opposite of my central point.
I stand by what I wrote: For retired folks new to RVing, it's important to determine what you want or need and that's easier to do if you try a long RV trip to varied places you've never seen. Again, I cite my wife's example to show what a difference it can make in one's perceptions.
Cloud Dancer uses straw man argument--assigning me a silly position I never took, then criticizing me for "holding" it. If everyone did that, many folks would not post on forums like this.
Cloud Dancer wrote: IMO your post is also ONLY aimed at those who find it unbearable to spend the summer where it gets hot. Believe it or not, there's many of us who have decided that the summers are quite tolerable in some parts of the sunbelt. We certainly don't mind the summer here in San Antonio. Therefore, having our permanent base here is no problema.
Aramingo, et al,
Please explain what I said in the above reply that sounds like I'm angry. FYI I NEVER get angry at anything that's posted on this forum.
The point that I tried to make is that there's some of us who can WELL tolerate the likes of San Antonio summer weather, but who find the northern winters unbearable. Therefore, we don't feel that it's necessary to spend money to travel north just to escape this warm weather. To me, it does NOT get hot here, but IMO it gets hot in Phoenix. And, it's too hot and humid, for me, in places like Corpus Christi and Houston.
I don't see anything to get angry about. I certainly do not get angry just 'cause you express YOUR opinion.
Yes, the AUSTIN area is very desirable, but we prefer San Antonio, as our base. Actually, our first choice is a waterfront lot/house in Horseshoe Bay, but we can not afford it.
However, we've found out that the weather is better in San Antonio.
Our goal was to have everything we want as close by as possible. The big city has lots of things we want, and the traffic is not a problem when you do not have to be in it during rush hours. And, there are countless lake campgrounds around here. But, why should I post the long list of advantages (to base here)? Everybody can simply make up their own mind, based on THEIR own wants/needs.
Wasn't my intent to criticize your post. I thought it was very well-written, actually. My compliments. I was just agreeing that there might be some more pov's and personal considerations not mentioned.
One other consideration occurs - continuing to own a stick house tends to tie your legal residency and tax burden to a state or county that may not be to your best economic advantage as an RV'er. The opposite can also be true, given the uproar over voting rights we've seen mentioned here.
Aramingo wrote: Hi Serena:
The point of my orignal post was exactly what you are saying--the best choice for you fits your own wants and needs. You seem to have thought it out well. If you like hot weather or social isolation, WHY NOT? Cloud Dancer argues--falsely--that I took a "one size fits all" approach. It's the exact opposite of my central point.
I stand by what I wrote: For retired folks new to RVing, it's important to determine what you want or need and that's easier to do if you try a long RV trip to varied places you've never seen. Again, I cite my wife's example to show what a difference it can make in one's perceptions.
Cloud Dancer uses straw man argument--assigning me a silly position I never took, then criticizing me for "holding" it. If everyone did that, many folks would not post on forums like this.
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