Why full time soloing?

[Lou Schneider]

Hey Lou, was your family a member of the Aristocrat Caravaner's club back then? My dad and I lived in Los Gatos in the early 60's and camped every month with the San Jose chapter. Here's a pic of us and our Land Commander.

No, we weren't. We lived in San Rafael at the north end of the Bay Area.

Our Land Liner was a little newer than your trailer, I think it was a 1967 model with a different belt line on the front and rear walls. A few months after we bought it we were driving through Morgan Hill on our way to Disneyland when we were pulled over by a gentleman in the other lane. He introduced himself as Irv Perch, the owner of Aristocrat and said he wasn't happy with the way the metal siding was assembled on our trailer. There was one spot on the sidewall where two pieces didn't overlap evenly, a slight cosmetic flaw my Dad wasn't worried about. Irv asked us to follow him to the factory so they could fix it and he'd pay for our lunch at a local restaurant while we were waiting.

We followed him to the factory and instead of taking us to Customer Service he had us leave the trailer outside another building. He went inside, pulled a couple of guys off the production line and told them to make our trailer right. Then he gave us directions to a nice restaurant and told us to mention his name. When we got there he had called in advance and covered our meal, the restaurant said he did this all the time.

 

[Old_Crow]

We had a Lo Liner before we got the Land Commander, and I remember visiting the Morgan Hill factory with my dad while the LC was being built. I believe we also met Mr. Perch during one of these visits, but I was just a kid and the manufacturing process was of more interest to me than a couple of old guys chatting.
The LC was the trailer that my Dad tried to pull over Sonora Pass with a '63 Ford F100 pickup. That old 6 cylinder ran out of power about 1/4 mile short of the summit and we had to be pulled over the top by a tow truck. My Dad's response was to ditch the Ford and buy the Land Cruiser. First place we took that rig was back over Sonora Pass. Didn't even have to use low range to get over the pass that time.

 

[gfmucci]

Let me tell you about the Villages. It is a a really neat place to retire to if you are rich and horny. It costs about $1000 a month to live there in HOA fees not including your mortgage payment. And they have one of the most militant of all HOAs in existence since many old folks have nothing better to do than complain. However it is a swingers paradise. Think Peyton Place on Geritol and steroids.

The Villages is as you portray if you seek that life. Is that where you got your info, from friends who are rich and horny or just from those with an axe to grind? Having lived there for 8 years and being neither rich nor horny I can say that you have grossly misrepresented the place. It depends on who your friends are.

Monthly HOA fees are less than $200. There are infrastructure bonds to pay in lieu of city taxes, of which there are none. New homes are priced from upper $200K to over $500K.

We left because it was getting crowded with waiting lists and lines for most activities. And we wanted a change of scenery so we spent the next three years in North Carolina mountains.

The reality is that any urbanized area has it's share of those who frequent bars, brothels and swinger groups. Where there are concentrations of those who grew up in the sixties and seventies, there will always be a segment who, when they were teenagers, smoked behind the gym, skipped school, did some shoplifting, pot, and had excess recreational sex. Those teenagers grew into 60 and 70 year olds, many concentrated in 55 and over age restricted communities. And also scattered across every city in the United States. But in my view, they are the minority.

 

[Oldgator73]

The Villages is as you portray if you seek that life. Is that where you got your info, from friends who are rich and horny or just from those with an axe to grind? Having lived there for 8 years and being neither rich nor horny I can say that you have grossly misrepresented the place. It depends on who your friends are.

Monthly HOA fees are less than $200. There are infrastructure bonds to pay in lieu of city taxes, of which there are none. New homes are priced from upper $200K to over $500K.

We left because it was getting crowded with waiting lists and lines for most activities. And we wanted a change of scenery so we spent the next three years in North Carolina mountains.

The reality is that any urbanized area has it's share of those who frequent bars, brothels and swinger groups. Where there are concentrations of those who grew up in the sixties and seventies, there will always be a segment who, when they were teenagers, smoked behind the gym, skipped school, did some shoplifting, pot, and had excess recreational sex. Those teenagers grew into 60 and 70 year olds, many concentrated in 55 and over age restricted communities. And also scattered across every city in the United States. But in my view, they are the minority.

Well, you just ruined it for me. I was getting ready to head south in search of those rich, horny swingers. Now I gotta unpack and start the search anew. Gonna be a cold winter.

 

[DonTom]

Look at neighborhoods with and neighborhoods without HOA’s. Those without don’t look so inviting. Not in every case but i would posit statistically it’s true.

That is what Tom used to tell me. He said drive around and he can tell me which areas have no HOAs.

But the exceptions are big, when you get just a little ways out away from the crowded areas.

Some of the very best areas are non-HOA. My Auburn house is my best house and no HOA there. But Tom never saw that house. He died before I purchased it the same year. But Auburn, CA has a lot more trees than people or houses. They are well spread out.

Also, there are some very nice areas in Reno that are not in HOAs.

As a general rule, there are NO HOAS in nicer areas where houses are well spread out.

Nice areas where the houses are close together almost always are in HOA areas. And if the houses are close together and dumpy, there is no HOA for sure. But those are usually older areas.

Is there any place at all, where we can buy a new house that is right next to other houses that are not in an HOA these days? I don't think I have seen such for years.

HOAs, IMO, are out of control of the home owners. New areas have HOAs before the first house is sold. How is that controlled by the homeowners who don't even live there yet? HOAs control us. Not so much the homeowners controlling the HOAs these days.

-Don- ABQ, NM

 

[DonTom]

The other problem with going solo is falling and breaking something or getting sick

And I ride a motorcycle on all my RV trips. So I think about that often. But I refuse to live in too much fear. But a little fear is a good thing, IMO.

But . . .

"Some people are so afraid to die that they never begin to live."
-Henry Van Dyke

"Live to ride. Ride to live" (Harley saying which can have several different meanings).

"Love is that feeling you get when you like something as much as your motorcycle."
- Hunter S. Thompson

-Don- ABQ, NM

 

[Alontheway]

The locust ruin neighborhoods, not lack of HOAs

 

[Oldgator73]

The locust ruin neighborhoods, not lack of HOAs

We’ve never had locusts.

 

[Nainsi]

Just curious: For those either considering full time soloing, or in the midst of it, especially for 6 months, a year or longer, I'd like to hear your reasons and thought processes involved in your decision, and the type of rig you have chosen for your adventure.

I very recently purchased a camper and SUV because I want to see America. I'm going solo because my husband is not fun to travel with, often has excuses for not wanting to do things that I want to do. I enjoy my own company, so I'm taking me, myself, and I on a camping adventure. I plan to find camps close to home until I am comfortable with my camper, you know, setting up, closing down, figuring out things I need to take with me that aren't on my list, stuff like that. I live in New York and have always wanted to see Texas, so that is where I'm planning my first long-distance camping adventure. Very excited!

 

[DonTom]

and have always wanted to see Texas

Here's the Big Bend of Texas. Mexico across the river:

-Don- North Charleston, SC

 

[Old_Crow]

My wife and I lived full time for 6 years before she passed away. Why wouldn't I continue on my way alone? The only decision I changed is we were going to quit work camping this year because my wife wanted to travel more. I figure the working keeps me busy and my mind occupied, so I'm going to continue for at least the next season or two.

 

[Ex-Calif]

I am reminded of the ladies in a campground laundromat a few years ago who were all amazed that I could do this all by myself. That is, except for one woman who said, "You are SO lucky." Turns out her husband had bought the 5th wheeler, planned the trip, and decided what they would do. She said that the last 90 days had been the worse in 45 years of marriage! An often-discussed problem with traveling as a couple is that often both do not always want the same things and one will want to quit before the other.

First of all you are one of my rvforum heroes in terms of self sufficiency and doing your thing. This bit reminded me of a trip my wife and I were doing. I have a couple of classic MG cars. My wife loves the adventure and loves the cars.

We pulled into a gas station real quick as a thunderstorm was brewing. My wife went in to use the head and by the time she was back I had finished putting the top up and gassing up. I had noticed a gaggle of about 10 Harley bikes weathering the rain.

After we pulled out my wife said, "Did you see those ladies eyeballing us?" I had not paid attention but she went on to posit that they were jealous. She thought a lot of "back seat" wives were doing bikes for the husband. My wife went on to say, "I've told you before I really like the MG over a bike. We can sit side by side, I can drink coffee, eat a snack and we can talk. And if it rains we can put the top up."

I have a cruising bike. My wife does not enjoy riding on the back and I don't encourage her to do so.

How many of you solo and leave your spouse at home and just visit time to time?

Due to a lot of reasons my wife and I a have been apart a lot. She has an elderly mum in Colombia she has to take care of so she spends a lot of time there. Now that I am retired we want to spend more time together. Her kids have just gone as well so she has gotten the first taste of empty nesting.

We both think this is the year we get things settled down, covid won't cause as many country to country lock downs and when we get the Florida property squared away (Like March) this will be the year we can do some real cross country RVing.

I very recently purchased a camper and SUV because I want to see America. I'm going solo because my husband is not fun to travel with, often has excuses for not wanting to do things that I want to do. I enjoy my own company, so I'm taking me, myself, and I on a camping adventure. I plan to find camps close to home until I am comfortable with my camper, you know, setting up, closing down, figuring out things I need to take with me that aren't on my list, stuff like that. I live in New York and have always wanted to see Texas, so that is where I'm planning my first long-distance camping adventure. Very excited!

Welcome aboard and good luck with your adventures. I definitely recommend reading a bunch of Judy's posts. As a solo female she is definitely a role model.

 

[DonTom]

The locust ruin neighborhoods, not lack of HOAs

Just about everybody I know will not buy in an HOA. "No HOA" is on the very top of their list. IMO, because of this, it makes houses in HOAs go down in value compared to many other areas because of the countless people who want to really own their house and not be told what they can and cannot do with it.

If I ever buy another house, no way will I consider an HOA area. I sold my last house because of HOA issues and now I am having HOA issues with my other Reno house.

Many would rather live with the "locusts" than in an HOA. But there are many very nice areas without an HOA. My best house is my house in Auburn, CA and there is no HOA there. And I doubt if anybody in that area would want such. And I park BOTH of my RVs there, including my old junky one. I doubt anybody cares. Where houses are well spread out, there are usually no HOAs. My Reno home is in an HOA and I am having a hassle with them now because of a shed (A $10,000 TuffShed) I had built in my own backyard. My old house I sold was in an HOA and had three sheds in the back yard, but nobody there seemed to care about the sheds. Different HOA rules in different areas and they are difficult to keep up with.

HOAs are out of control of the homeowners. They have become too powerful and almost impossible to get rid of. It usually takes a vote from at least 80% of the homeowners and a team of lawyers to get rid of an HOA.

HOAs are NOT in control of the homeowners. HOAs are in full control of the homeowners.

-Don- North Charleston, SC

 

[Larry N.]

When I first moved in to our neighborhood, there really wasn't an HOA (new neighborhood) but after a couple of years the city forced one on us. Thankfully it is fairly relaxed, but it still isn't my favorite idea, although it did grandfather my ham antennas.

 

[DonTom]

but after a couple of years the city forced one on us.

That really shows how the HOAs are out of control. And why.

-Don- North Charleston, SC

 

[JudyJB]

Thanks for the compliments, Ex-Calif! My role model is a lady I know who bought a brand-new trailer and truck to replace her truck camper in her mid-80s. She lived part of the time with her daughter in an apartment, but mostly she loved to take long camping trips of 2-3 months. One of her last trips was cross country to attend her 70th high school reunion!!! She is still upset that she had to quit at age 89 because of health concerns. I also met another lady in her mid-80s a few years ago who said she could not afford both her house and her Class A motorhome, so was thinking of selling her house!!

 

[Ex-Calif]

Thanks for the compliments, Ex-Calif! My role model is a lady I know who bought a brand-new trailer and truck to replace her truck camper in her mid-80s. She lived part of the time with her daughter in an apartment, but mostly she loved to take long camping trips of 2-3 months. One of her last trips was cross country to attend her 70th high school reunion!!! She is still upset that she had to quit at age 89 because of health concerns. I also met another lady in her mid-80s a few years ago who said she could not afford both her house and her Class A motorhome, so was thinking of selling her house!!

My grandmother probably went 92 pounds wet. She was widowed and her main joy was visits form her grandkids and knitting them sweaters.

However Paris was her passion and she would go alone to Paris every year including her last when she was like 89. She tripped coming out of her bank in Pasadena, fell down the stairs and died. Of course that is sad but I am glad she didn't go through the rest home/dementia phase.

My aunt (last of the siblings) is in that phase and is in her 90s now. She is on a very fixed income and it's easy to forget about her there. She had no kids and was a bit of a loner all her life. Her older brother (my uncle) would look in on her and supply her with some extra money until he passed - Thankfully one of his daughters, by marriage no less, has kept an interest in her, adds some money to her coffers for necessities and keeps track of how she is doing. To me it's not a great way to end it all but each of us is gonna have an ending story I guess...

 

[SeilerBird]

I full timed it for ten years, one of those years I had a girlfriend with me. I am really lucky I did not end up killing her. Solo is way better.

 

[solarman]

The Villages is as you portray if you seek that life. Is that where you got your info, from friends who are rich and horny or just from those with an axe to grind? Having lived there for 8 years and being neither rich nor horny I can say that you have grossly misrepresented the place. It depends on who your friends are.

Monthly HOA fees are less than $200. There are infrastructure bonds to pay in lieu of city taxes, of which there are none. New homes are priced from upper $200K to over $500K.

We left because it was getting crowded with waiting lists and lines for most activities. And we wanted a change of scenery so we spent the next three years in North Carolina mountains.

The reality is that any urbanized area has it's share of those who frequent bars, brothels and swinger groups. Where there are concentrations of those who grew up in the sixties and seventies, there will always be a segment who, when they were teenagers, smoked behind the gym, skipped school, did some shoplifting, pot, and had excess recreational sex. Those teenagers grew into 60 and 70 year olds, many concentrated in 55 and over age restricted communities. And also scattered across every city in the United States. But in my view, they are the minority.

sounds like a bunch of godless hippies..
best way to ruin a relationship in my opinion is to embark on this lifestyle.

I avoid HOA like the plague, they act like some kind of demi-god or dictatorship, almost oppressive in nature, enforcing arbitrary rules on people. It's really quite sad that such people exist.

 

[JudyJB]

You really have to be best friends as well as spouses and partners to be happy in this life. Some couples get a bigger rig so they can spread out, and I have seen several who get big screen houses so one, usually the husband, can have private time and watch outdoor TV.

I really congratulate those couples who can do this full-time and stay married and happy throughout!