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48pan

Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2010
Posts
21
Location
NC
Would any consider fulltiming in a TC?  Or am I just way out in left field?  Thanks for the input..  George
 
Since this is the Truck Camper section, I would say Truck Camper :)
 
Ok, duh.

In answer to the OP, when we worked in Death Valley, the campground hosts lived in a slide-in truck camper. They had a tent that they pitched for extra room when they were in one place for a long time. We also met a couple who traveled for 6 months at a time in a small, old Class B. And I believe the Church's, who write books on camping, started out as full-timers in a truck camper. So, yes, it can be done....just be ready for a lot of "closeness" :)

Wendy
 
just food for thought.  I would think it would cut your cost of living down a bit.  ie. maint. fuel. Yes I understand the "closeness" issue and there are other things that can be done to minimize that ie. pup up canapy for sittin out side and shade.  Awnings and the like.  I just can't see sittin inside all the time.  Yes if you can swing it and money is no object then a class A is the way to go however not everyone can.  Then there is Travel trailer or fifth wheel..  any of those make a big footprint.  In my thinking truck camper takes up very little room and would cut the cost alot.  Plus you can bonedock anyplace.  Any other input from People that have Truck Campers?
 
We had a truck camper for 10 or so years.  We did weekend trips and a couple of 2 week trips.  I could not full time in one.  There is very limited storage and the holding tanks are not very big.  Plus when you want to run to the store or do a sightseeing event, you  have to take the truck and truck camper with you, so that means putting things away, unhooking and leaving your campsite etc. 

Regarding mileage, I don't think it would be much different than pulling a trailer behind the truck.  You are still dealing with weights and any weight will reduce your mileage.

Marsha~
 
We have met people in our travels, that full-time in TC's or small class B's.  Not very many, but there are those who do it.  Perhaps for cost considerations or perhaps they are on their way up to a bigger rig or down from a bigger one.  Yes, it can be done but requires even more sacrifices than bigger RV's.  Very well may work for you.  I think the theory is that two people who REALLY enjoy each other could live in almost anything and two people who barely get along would not be happy in a 45' bus.  Many adaptions in between.

 
I have ran into a few individuals that full time in a TC (that's Truck Camper, Wendy). It may be small but it certainly is cheap.
 
thanks very much for the input.  In the event we go this rout there will be an inclosed trailer along with to haul the 48 panhead and tools and what not as well to add storage.  Yes I see the advantages of both yet disadvantages.  I'm not going out there without the bike.  I've looked and looked at lots of options of toyhauling capability.  Just seems to Me and I maybe way off on this but, you can go alot more places in a p/u with a 12ft trailer then you can a 40ft with a trailer.  I've also thought about the holding tank issue as well.  That I just can't answer as for the T/C Truck Camper.  Hhmmm  The other thing is the "cost of living"  I'm on a fixed income and can't see how I can do it.  Ofcourse I'm bearly doing it now in a stick house and go no where or do anything.  I looked at the budget that a link was posted to and after deducting the things I would not have spent money on I still come up short.  Hhmm  yet when I think ok if I can stay out there at 25 dollars a night that's 750 a mo.  Cheaper then My mortgage by a far bit and I get to go where I want an see who I want.  If it's cold I can go where it's warm if it's warm I can go where its cold..  you all get the point your out there.
 
I have been full timing for 8 years and I have only paid $25 a night or more a handful of times. There are plenty of places to stay that are much cheaper. You don't really need full hookups all the time. There are some RV parks here in Florida that you can stay at for $400 per month with full hookups. I have seen places in Washington state for $300. I find it is much cheaper for me to live full time than rent an apartment.
 
seilerbird how do you find those places?  My "inlaws" Have a class A and they Pay alot to park it when they go on the road..  ofcourse they go somewhere and want to run everything an sit inside cuz it's hot outside kind of folks but, that's thier thing..  Yet they pay alot to park.  So the question is how do you find inexpensive places to stay that aren't "dumps"?
 
48pan said:
seilerbird how do you find those places?  My "inlaws" Have a class A and they Pay alot to park it when they go on the road..  ofcourse they go somewhere and want to run everything an sit inside cuz it's hot outside kind of folks but, that's thier thing..  Yet they pay alot to park.  So the question is how do you find inexpensive places to stay that aren't "dumps"?

I have been traveling the country for 8 years and I keep my eyes open. I stayed here about two weeks ago. This is not the most luxury park in existence, but it is clean, reasonable and right on the water. $400 per month off season or $500 per month in season. $1250 for three months in season. If I were going to live in an RV park I wouldn't hesitate to live here. Cedar Key is a wonderful little town, kinda like Key West was 70 years ago.

http://www.cedarkeyrv.com/rates.html

Here is the park I saw for $300 a month, however I might be wrong, it might only be $250. But it gets a lot of snow in the winter. Extremely pretty area. They don't publish rates online.

http://wildernessvillagervpark.com/

Have you been in the library and read my article on full timing?

http://www.rvforum.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=435:fulltimeprep&catid=29:fulltiming&Itemid=45
 
yes that was one of the first things I read here but, I will read it again and again probably..  Thank you for the insight and the links..
 
You can stay for a lot less than $25 a night. We average $5 per night. We do a lot of boondocking, we use national parks with our Golden Access pass (there's also a Golden Age pass if you're 62), we use Passport America to get half-off at campgrounds, we pick up coupons for free nights at RV shows. You can find campgrounds with weekly and monthly rates. And you can find workcamper jobs, some that pay money, some that give you a camp site in exchange for a certain number of hours of work. You have lots of options.

Wendy
 
In our 13+years of fulltiming, we have averaged $13.52/night for camping.  That includes daily, weekly, monthly, and even a few seasonal rents, and some, but not much, boondocking.
 
I don't know what I have averaged over the last 8 years but I would bet it is no more than $5 per night since I almost never use hookups. If you want to stay for free there is an excellent web site I have subscribed to the last few years http://overnightrvparking.com/. It costs $25 per year to access their database of 8000 potential sites. Mention my email (seilerbird at gmail  dot com) and we both get one extra month for free.
 
My wife and I find the camper rather cramped for long-term use.  There is little storage and two people bump into each other too much.  I don't know what the newer slide-out models would be like.  If I was going to full-time it, I'd probably go for a smaller bumper-pull trailer, a motorhome or a 5th wheel.  And the main thing I'd look for is ample storage space.
 
Having had every conceivable type of RV over the years. some of my best memories were in a truck & camper. I've gotten stuck on every beach in Mexico, and camped in beautiful places in the US that you could only dream of seeing in anything other than a good 4WD truck with a camper. 

I think the answer whether full-timing could work in a camper depends on what kind of RV'r you are.  To some, an RV is a place to sleep and cook, and being outside as often as possible is the goal.  To others, the "all the comforts of home" on the road is most attractive. From your comment that "I just can't see sittin inside all the time" it sounds like your part of the first group, and as such, I'll bet you could have a ball in a well-outfitted camper. 

Sue and I camped next to a professional Bass Fisherman a couple of months back who lives full time with his wife in an 11 1/2' Lance on a Chevy 1ton pulling his bass boat.  The camper had a Directv satellite, 4KW generator, solar panels everywhere, triple awnings, electric jacks, and a lot more.  He wasn't giving up much by going the truck/camper route.
 
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