Many will dislike this post, but I have seen so many people think fulltiming is traveling and seeing the u.s. IMO, fulltiming is a LIFESTYLE, not a vacation from life nor a sight seeing adventure. I can guarantee that I can point out the fulltimers who will not be posting on here or fulltiming in 2 years, 3 at the most. When I see people complaining or posting about rv parks, maintenance, and the rather mundane aspects of fulltiming, it is obvious that they will not accept the changes that are needed to live this lifestyle.
Now if you think fulltiming is traveling and seeing the u.s., then we disagree on what fulltiming is. Pershaps that in itself is part of the problem involved in fulltiming. Conception is in the eye of the beholder. But dont anyone ever try and tell me that fulltiming is harder, costlier, more stressful, etc, than the accepted style of life in the u.s. as defined by society.
As far as those places shown on tv, we have been there done that and have no t-shirts left . But they are there, and you have to work to find them. There is no free lunch , there is a price to pay for everything.
When I see people complain about laundry rooms, recreation, and the other things that invcolved in rv living, it is obvious they will not fit in out here.
You must WORK at fulltiming for it to be worthwhile, not sit back and try to reap the benefits without putting something into it. And in all honesty, I get a little bugged by the people who try it and cant handle it. They should never have even considered themselves as fulltimers. When I see the reason why some have quit, it just proves that fulltiming is a lifestyle and not a hobby taken up for the fun of it.
For those of us that have "passed the test" (if that is the right words), we realize what it takes, we give the extra that it takes to exist out here in our world, accept the trade offs, duck the society rules, and live the freedom that comes ONLY from this lifestyle in todays world. Some just cannot handle freedom, some must have rules and structure to survive or be happy in life.
And if our forefathers gave up on life as some have for the mundane reasons listed and fail to fully explain why not, we would not have a country as great as we do today.
I kind of figured the above type of post would happen when we started this but the question was who tried it and didn't like it. I for one didn't....no reflection at all on anyone's choice of lifestyle at all but ALL of what I stated is factual from our experiences in our time frame. Hope we can keep this on topic as it is a viable question as Diane stated it's not for everyone.
American Tradition with Saturn SL2 toad
Husband of 29 years and our boys Poncho and Cisco
Let's create a scale to assess people's fulltimer prospects:
At the "anchored" end of the scale, we have a couple with a "home town" where they were both born and grew up, where they have raised their children, where their schools, jobs, churches, friends, etc. etc. etc. remain. And this couple derives a very strong sense of self and security from owning (or long term renting) a piece of real estate in their home town.
At the "floating" end of the scale, we have a couple who were born and grew up in different places, who relocated a number of times both before they met and married and have continued to move around since they became a couple, who have friends and relatives all over the country, and no strong ties to any particular place - but love almost every place they visit in the US and Canada. And this couple, having experience as home owners, sees real estate as a ball and chain that limits their adventures and consumes their time and efforts.
There is no right or wrong here, just different strokes for different folks. My guess is that there are more people near the anchored end of the scale than the floating end.
I suggest that people who find them selves nearer the anchored end of the scale will never be happy fulltiming, and if they try it, will find themselves yearning, then returning to the anchored lifestyle.
At the other end of the scale, are people who are more likely to be more content in a fulltime lifestyle, and less likely to leave it until forced by circumstances.
curious Bob - we fulltime with our Cairn Terrier, in 01 National Islander, and 00 Saturn LW2
Quote: At the "floating" end of the scale, we have a couple who were born and grew up in different places, who relocated a number of times both before they met and married and have continued to move around since they became a couple, who have friends and relatives all over the country, and no strong ties to any particular place - but love almost every place they visit in the US and Canada. And this couple, having experience as home owners, sees real estate as a ball and chain that limits their adventures and consumes their time and efforts.
Wow...you must have been that fly on the wall for most of my life
You said it all in a nutshell
Dianne
Donnelly, ID
DataStorm
HAM WB6N (Terry)
2005 Teton 39' Frontier Grand
2003 Freightliner FL60
Life Member Good Sam
Escapees
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Meh - can't say travelers aren't fulltimers, exactly. If you live in your RV all the time, you are a fulltimer technically.
But I had RVed and seen most of the country long before I went full time again. I did perceive it as an adventure, but not as a sightseeing mission. I long ago ran out of places to see and got interested in places to be. Vacations are neat. This isn't one. If I wanted to vacation, I'd go on a cruise or something.
I had several motivations and enough experience to know it could be done. It wasn't just a fantasy in my head or something I saw on tv that looked attractive. I was looking to never never ever have anyone call the shots for me again - not a utility company, not a mortgage banker, not an HOA, not a local government - not anyone but me. This was all about a type of independence of a type you cannot get living in a fixed place. It has it's work, it has its downsides. But I chose this knowingly, and that seems to make a huge difference in how people feel about it over time.
I could still unchoose it and then choose it again later, if I wanted. So the question hasn't (to my mind) got a realistic context the way it was framed. It's only as forever a choice as you make of it, and only as much of a disappointment as you can't adapt to its requirements. That's more of an internal thing - not a lifestyle thing. If your attachments are to people and places and things (all of which are baggage of a sort), forget it. You'll forever be leaving them or they you. You have to be very, very self-contained to do this, regardless of your style of travel. That's a place in your head - not a place on the road.
Why would you wish to discuss people who quit fulltiming on a fulltiming forum?
IMO, this forum is for those who do fulltime, need info, need direction, want help in things involved in fulltiming NOT those who , and I hate to use the word, BUT FAILED at this lifestyle.
I will not apologize for being an ardent supporter and lover of this life and advocate of it. I cringe when I see negative post reflecting views opposed to my choice of life. I dont come to your home and garden forums and berate the s&b way of life, and I fully expect the same respect in a fulltime forum.
I think this is the perfect place to discuss this! Why would you want to discuss with people that never have tried to live this lifestyle for advice? Did you just jump into it, without doing any research? Bet you listened hard to what people had challenges with and what has worked and what didn't....and why.
People post/read here not just to hear the lifestyle cheerleading. Anyone with a imagination and loves camping can do that part. It's not like the OP is going to the gardening forum and telling everyone to kill their flowers like a troll would! LOL That is not what they did, there is nothing disrespectful in this thread.
Why would one consider trying something, and then deciding that it wasn't for them "a failure" ? Nothing wrong with changing ones mind after giving it a shot. More power to them! They had the umph to try.
WTTCS wrote: Why would you wish to discuss people who quit fulltiming on a fulltiming forum?
IMO, this forum is for those who do fulltime, need info, need direction, want help in things involved in fulltiming NOT those who , and I hate to use the word, BUT FAILED at this lifestyle.
I will not apologize for being an ardent supporter and lover of this life and advocate of it. I cringe when I see negative post reflecting views opposed to my choice of life. I dont come to your home and garden forums and berate the s&b way of life, and I fully expect the same respect in a fulltime forum.
You don't hear much from people who tried the fulltimer lifestyle and didn't like it mostly because few of them stay on the forums once they stop traveling. That don't mean that there is anything wrong with them, only that they are part of the vast majority who don't care for the nomadic life.
I would agree with WTTCS's statement that most of the more experienced fulltimers can tell with pretty fair accuracy which new fulltimers will make the transition and which will not. But that is probably as much a feeling as it is a set of facts. I believe that one of the key factors in a successful transition from conventional living to that of full-time RV living is to realize that there are as many different ways to live in an RV as there are to live in any other type of home. Far too many head out believing that this will be just one long vacation with nothing but happy times. You still need some plans and goals, as how will you know if you are successful if you have no goal?
Reality is that every significant problem that people have living in a fixed home will follow them out on the road. We still have health, money and family issues, just as you would when sitting still. You will still need friends and a support system and you will still experience all of the things that everyone else does. What you need to do is to find a style of living that fits you.
We are still on the road after 8+ years because we stopped doing the things that we did not care for and we put out time and efforts into things which we do like and enjoy. One example that we found did not work for us was living every day in some cramped, commercial RV park. It is just too darned close to the neighbors for us. We also feel that constant travel leaves us without the feelings of satisfaction that come from involvements in our community that tend to go with home ownership.
We solved both of those issues by choosing to spend most of our time as "live on" volunteers for agencies and organizations that we believe in. Volunteer sites for many agencies are away from the other visitors and are nearly always much larger and well spaced. We have lived on national wildlife refuges where nature was our only close neighbor! Yet the involvement in activities there gave us contacts in the local community and instant friends from the staff. And we leave each stop with the knowledge that the place was better because we were involved there.
Fulltimers are a breed apart and are probably more like those who seek adventure and new horizons, than we are like most of conventional society.
This life will never be for everyone. But then, what lifestyle is?
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