New Full-timer -- See you in America

[jeaninejoy]

Hi,

I love color but I also know it is difficult for some folks to read so I try to post it the way I like it and a reader-friendly version for those who don't like color or have difficulty reading color ink.

My name is Jeanine. I'm in the process of selling my house and buying a 5th wheel. I'll be full-timing it for at least a year and maybe more (if I like it). I'm currently a grad-school widow (hubby is in the last year of his Ph.D.) and I decided to travel cross-country as my work can be done from anywhere. I'm really excited about this but a bit overwhelmed by all the decisions. Older and save money because I may want to remodel the interior anyway? What is it like trying to live in an RV while you're trying to remodel? Is that crazy? Or newer (but not new)? How to remodel? How to keep things organized?

I'm currently bing watching RV videos on YouTube to learn as much as I can and greatly appreciate the people who post them -- I'm learning a lot but still don't know what I don't know.

When I camped as a kid campgrounds were very safe. Now I'm seeing locks for your surge protectors, batteries, and propane tanks. Has it really changed that much? What about solar?

And how to outdoor showers work? Where does the water go when you're in a campground?

So many questions to answer. Sorry for the brain dump above -- I don't really expect answers in response to my intro. They're just questions floating around in my head today.

I'm looking forward to learning here and getting to know others who RV.

Jeanine

Edit: Removed duplicate (faint red) text.

 

[SeilerBird]

I'm currently binge watching RV videos on YouTube to learn as much as I can and greatly appreciate the people who post them -- I'm learning a lot but still don't know what I don't know.

Don't feel overwhelmed. The entire field of RVs is gigantic and there is a whole lot to learn. You are in much better shape than the occasional person who comes in here and says 'I just bought a great RV for $5000 and I have no idea how to do anything since I have never owned an RV'. You are doing the right thing by binging on information. Have you been to the library here? There are many wonderful articles there that will help you, especially the one on Fulltiming 101.

http://www.rvforum.net/joomla/index.php/29-fulltiming/435-fulltimeprep

There is a link to the library at the top of every page and it is all free. Remember there is only one reason for forums to exist and that is to answer questions. So ask any and all questions remembering there is no such thing as a dumb question except the one you didn't ask. And it helps to keep the questions one per post. It will help other people searching for answers.

 

[RVMommaTo6]

Welcome to the forum Jeanine! I too watched a ton of YouTube videos and this forum taught me tons! These are great people.

 

[muskoka guy]

Welcome. I would say by and large, if you stay clear of big cities, you will be more than safe. I have travelled all over the US and Canada, and found small towns are where regular people live. If you stick to rv parks, you will certainly have no trouble in general. As you get more comfortable, you might try some boondocking, or stay at a Walmart. That is one advantage of a C class or an A class. You don't have to leave the camper to bug out if you are uncomfortable. Just turn the key and go. As far as renovating, I would keep that to a minimum on the road. Parks don't care for you working on your rv much. You want to travel, not spend all your time fixing things. Best of luck on your new rv.