OK...Bumblebee

[hang man]

So , i'm interested in the comment you stated earlier in another post   "it's not as expensive as you think".....What does it cost to keep a behemoth like that fueled up all the time?? (i'm imagining that's got to be the biggest expense)

 Also what do you do for food , insurance and what happenes if you get sick !!?, all of these things can't be cheap ...what do you do for mail ? i mean you have to have mail ..NO?

 Another question is , do you really travel alone ? ....no pet , wife  or gun ? (you gotta have a gun)
  Ok that's a lot of questions  but life on the road can't be that easy or could it !!!

[Bumblebee]

Motorhomes are the ultimate Adventure base for motorcycles or just exporing in general. None of that nonsense about driving 8 hours to get somewhere you can ride then have to drive another 8 hours back when you're exhausted. How about that place you've wanted to go for 10+ years that's 6 days travel each way and you'll have to be there for a month? Ever wonder what it's like to have your house in a beautiful state park or change the view out the front window just because you got tired of the view? Find a job 1000 miles away and off you go in about 15 minutes. Just move your house and set camp indefinitely. Move on when you're done with that place.

In bank account draining order, camp sites and fuel are the big expenses. However:
Camp cost is dependent on where you stay. There are literally $100+/night campgrounds out there. (I have no clue why or how they stay in business however they do) Most are around $15-25/night. There are thousands in the $10-12/night range. BUT you do not need to stay at any campground that charges $$ at all if you don't want to. There are literally billions of places to stay like truck stops, BLM land, some parks or out of the way parking areas and stealth boondocking that are literally $0/night. Dumping tanks is either free or under $10 every 2 weeks. Charging batteries requires hookups or running the gasoline powered genset for 2-3 hours on occasion. It all depends on how you want to live and what your personal needs are.
Fuel is dependent on how far you drive (6-9mpg) at any given time. If you insist on driving 400 miles a day, it's spendy. If you drive 50 miles every two weeks, it's cheap. BTW, I carry 70 gallons onboard and have a 450 mile range before I start looking for a fuel stop.

What do I do for food, insurance or if I get sick? I do the same thing you do. The only difference is that my house has wheels and yours doesn't.
Well, that's not entirely true. If the power goes out, you're sitting in the dark and everything in your fridge starts going bad after a couple hours and you end up with food poisoning. I don't even notice because the lights stay on and the fridge auto-switches to propane to keep the food cool.
Mail? NO you do not need mail anymore in todays world of internet and email. Bills are paid online, you communicate with friends via email instead of letters. Internet and phone are via cellphone companies nowadays. The only real exception is the Gustappo, um, state DMV, who demands a fixed address for your driver license and license plates so just use a friends/family houses, a po box or fulltimer mail service for that and thumb your nose at the draconian fee collector as you drive out of town with no intention of ever coming back.

Yes I do travel alone. No critters, no relationships. Just me and my small handful of toys. Hand cannons are something that's not openly discussed in our world however NO you do not need a gun. (Some people carry, some don't, people who do carry just have a few extra pounds of ballast that eats into fuel consumption that the others don't. I will admit that there are enough who do carry that thinking we are easy targets is a really bad plan) This lifestyle is outside the normal society you are thinking of and is surprisingly safe. We're different in a different world and even in towns and such, people overlook our existence. We are invisible transients. We're below the radar. We're invisible. We're background noise at most. When was the last time you slept with your house/apartment door open all night? I've done it many times. Heck, last summer I inadvertently left the pilot door unlocked with the key in the ignition for a month and no one bothered anything. I wasn't worried. I stayed on friends land and didn't lock anything for 2 weeks straight. Do that where you live and everything you own will be gone in 3 minutes. You live in the dangerous place that scares me.

As for not as expensive as you think: That is totally up to your behavior while fulltiming. A general rough number for sensible estimates is about 50% of the cost of living in any given area. Add up your monthly expenses in your house/apartment and compare to us very conservative types: Winterover in a campground with hookups runs about $400/month in an area with $700-900/month apartment and $1200+ house rent. A good friend of mine was on the road 300 days last year. Her camping fees were $200 total. The 7500+ miles of travel was all business related and income more than countered the fuel costs. This summer I'm going to be on a photographic journey for 4-5 months. Camping costs will be around $100. Total expenses are estimated at $1500 for what I'm planning on doing. I'd bet there's a good chance it cost you that much just in rent for one month.


That's all numbers and concepts and ideals. Now for the reality check:
Life on the road can be extremely easy or extremely difficult. It's all up to the individual on how that works out. It's a mindset more than anything else and it's definitely not for everyone. You must do this because you want to do this and be very realistic about it. You can't do it because you're forced to live this way or because you're chasing the almighty dollar sign or because you have some kind of fantasy induced nonsense idealistic happy world image of the lifestyle. (Yes you have to pull the dump tank handles which are right next to the hose connection. Yes there is a clear section of pipe you get to visually monitor what comes out...And yes the hose is known to come loose on occasion when the black crapper tank is at maximum flow rate - and you're right there up close and personal when it happens...and you absolutely MUST shove that inconvinently located valve handle back in before jumping out of the way. -- So much for the idealistic romance of the road huh? Trust me, the novelty wears off pretty quick when that hose comes loose with a valve open) You must think and live like a Nomad. You must be personally comfortable with your own existence and look inward for peace and mental and emotional stability, not outward like so many people do nowadays. If you're needy or clingy or need posessions to prove to yourself or someone else who you are, you're so finished before you even start. You take your personal world with you. You can't have a lot of posessions which is actually a good thing. Everything is a want or a need - and you must differentiate those things and act accordingly. You must be emotionally willing to drive off and leave your friends/family and familar surroundings far behind while journeying deep into the unknown. You must be independent. You must be self sufficient and rely completely on yourself to get out of situations when things break.

For me and my friends, it's dirt simple, very satisfying, inexpensive and it's truly The Good Life. We wouldn't have it anyother way. YMMV considerably.


Bumblebee (Year Round Fulltimer for 2.5 years and counting)

[Snoopy]

may i ask how old u r? and with that get a reply of your true age and not a smart arse answer! LOL

[niteman]

Bumblebee, thank you for the excellent short write up on your chosen lifestyle. I could see how it could be romanticized in many ways. I have oft found myself daydreaming about a life very similar to the one you are leading...maybe in another life it would have worked, or maybe later in life. Roll on man! 

[Bumblebee]

may i ask how old u r? and with that get a reply of your true age and not a smart arse answer! LOL

Age is irrelevant, mindset is everything.
12  I quit counting after that because anyone who keeps counting after that turns into idiots. If you grow up, you can't do this stuff or have fun anymore. (hey, you had it coming didn't you?  )
I had to do the math however it works out to 43 actually. I've been camping extremely regularly since I was in diapers. I have countless hundreds of days solo backpacking and camping. This is just a natural transition for me and I should have done it much sooner. OTOH, my friend had very little actual camping experience, bought a motorhome and hit the road 9 years ago. She was 31 at the time. I met a couple that's 25-27 now that's been fulltiming in a slide in truck camper since something like half an hour after they graduated high school at 18.

I have oft found myself daydreaming about a life very similar to the one you are leading...maybe in another life it would have worked, or maybe later in life.

Fear is temporary. Regret is forever. Choose.

[hang man]

Wow , you really have the passion for it Bumblebee  , it sounds like a real awesome adventure one could call life as one wants it to be , i may be joining this lifestyle though it may be a few yeas on , i acctually had it planned to do this in a simple tricked out extended cargo van  (my personal dream is to fly every site in the country ).
 Things for me turned in a direction that i have no choice but to follow (it's a long story)...

 Thanks for the information  , it was just what i needed to hear that there are others out there already doing it  and successfully <<<(there's that word again   lol)

 

[frmtexas]

Hey, Bumblebee. Is there anything more we can see or read about your experiences? If not, what size is your motorhome, e.g. Class B, etc.?

Has anyone seen this site, http://www.theamazingron.com/? The guy hasn't posted in awhile and I was looking forward to following him.

[Bumblebee]

the passion

People without passion for life are already dead, they just don't quit moving for another 30-50 years. Even then they stress out and that cuts their dull life shorter. Think about it.

Is there anything more we can see or read about your experiences? If not, what size is your motorhome, e.g. Class B, etc.?

There's nothing at the moment for the general public though I'm putting something together as time permits. I may do a running picture story for this summers trip and it'll have plenty of motorcycle side adventure trips. At least some of those motorcycle adventures will likely be posted up here in ride reports as I get time to do them if they're interesting enough. Without the motorhome, those adventures would still be possible however the logistics would be a great deal of hassle and inconvinence and expense. This is the ideal way to do it.

The wagon is a 27ft 1985 Southwind. (BTW I paid for it cash and it cost less than a year of apartment rent so don't think motorhome=unaffordable because you'd be seriously wrong) It's a fully self contained 3 seasons Class A about the size of a college dorm room. I've done some creative pennytech modifications so I can winterover down to at least -35F and probably lower. I've had it to -25F several times and in sub zero temps for several weeks straight including condition 2 blizzard conditions and haven't had the slightest problem with freezeup. I pull the trailer with the motorcycle on it or I can put my cage (jeep) between them and triple tow.



Adventure is taking a chance, starting down a path that you don't have all the answers to and finding that the unknown isn't always dangerous, it's just unknown.

[frmtexas]

Thanks, Bumblebee. I'm looking forward to the reports.

For those of us who are curious about his RV, this looks pretty close: http://www.rvtraderonline.com/find/listing/1985-SOUTHWIND-28J-92574332.

[Bumblebee]

this looks pretty close:

Looks familiar. That sleeps 7 thing is a lie. Extremely unrealistic. Anyone that tells you otherwise is even more full of it than an overflowing black tank.

That is about the going mileage and price for one in good condition. Pay over $6K and it had better be in pristine condition and winter capable.

[hang man]

Thanks, Bumblebee. I'm looking forward to the reports.

For those of us who are curious about his RV, this looks pretty close: http://www.rvtraderonline.com/find/listing/1985-SOUTHWIND-28J-92574332.

I can't believe how cheap that is , i thought they ran well into 30,000 mark for even a small one (granted it's from the 80's but still )...i did some digging around and found these 2 gorgeous ones for a bit more but definitely something i can see using for full time rving

http://www.rvtraderonline.com/find/listing/1988-dolphin-3150-94543342
 and the ultimate rv living for 1 or 2 peeps
http://www.martinsburgrv.com/rv/1402

BTW ..Bumblebee why does it need to be winter capable anyway i thought that's what rvers do go south for the winter (like Florida) and explore the north in the summer time!! (that would totally be the good life ) screw the snow and ice

[Bumblebee]

I can't believe how cheap that is

RV'ing rule #1: Think outside the prepackaged world you've been programmed to believe. Most of the stuff you've been told by people who don't live this way is false or at least wildly inaccurate.

If you don't mind a bit older, no slides and no warranty, there's a lot of good reliable stuff out there for under $10K. Avoid dealers. Try craigslist or the local papers. Watch the sides of the highways while traveling.

BTW ..Bumblebee why does it need to be winter capable anyway i thought that's what rvers do go south for the winter (like Florida) and explore the north in the summer time!! (that would totally be the good life ) screw the snow and ice

Running from snow and ice is for sofities. Quite a lot of us winterover up north. It's kind of a badge of honor in some circles. You're inexperienced and don't really know what you're doing until you've been through a winter up north and made it through a major storm (including blizzards) with sustained sub zero temperatures. If you can handle that, you can handle anything.

[hang man]

I noticed you mentioned traveling through Tornado Alley , is that a worrisome thing !!! i mean if you get messed up by one all of your possessions will be gone ...Is there Insurance that can cover you in a case like this ? (or is rv insurance enough) BTW ..Have you ever seen a tornado in person?

 What about breaking down !!!..is there like a AAA thing that can tow you where you need to go?
 Are all of the appliances run on propane or is there a way to use solar panels to charge auxiliary batteries you can use when you are not hooked up to electricity?

PS..I want to be a Softie

[Bumblebee]

Tornado Alley , is that a worrisome thing

Tornado Alley? Millions of people live there without a problem, why should transiting through the area be any different? Traveling through there is safer than sitting around because you're reducing exposure time.

BTW ..Have you ever seen a tornado in person?

Several. I've actually been out chasing tornados. A couple are memorable. FWIW: A friend (who is also a fulltimer) and I are both photographers. We are currently talking about taking a month during tornado season and going hunting at some point in the next couple years. We'll take one of our motorhomes so we can stay on the road and cover more miles. When we get close to something, she drives, I navigate.

Seriously though, I've been outdoors since I was a little kid. I've seen some pretty serious weather on land, in the air and on the water. I know enough abot real world weather (I'm a pilot also) to have a really good chance of survival in severe weather. I also have enough experience to be humble about the weather too. The best place to be when a tornado arrives is elsewhere. The worst thing to do is sit around and wait for one to come kill you. I'm totally mobile and that means when tornados start threatening, I run. (Disclaimer: DO NOT go running like I do unless you know exactly what the heck you're doing. Sitting around in a building is very very dangerous however if you're running without knowing what you're doing, you can get yourself hit hard - it would start out horrifically bad and get worse from there really quick. I run because I know/accept the risks AND I know what I'm doing AND I have a good understanding of weather AND I know tornado evasion tactics AND I do not give up or panic in seriously dangerous situations. Once you start running, you have to keep running until you're safe. If you think you know what you're doing and want a reality check, just ask yourself if you have any clue how to run from one at night)

What about breaking down

I'm notorious at self rescue whether I'm on foot or on wheels or on wing. I do not depend on anyone else to help. In the motorhome I carry about 150lbs of craftsman tools. I can fix nearly anything except the core engine, transmission or certain parts of the drive train with what I'm carrying onboard. I can fix those systems too however I don't have the necessary equipment to do so on the road.
Look up the Good Sams Club Emergency Road Service or one of several other services like that. It's basically AAA for campers/motorhomes. Standard insurance also has towing on it just like a car. You want towing insurance of some kind because if you think having your car towed is bad, you don't want to know what a motorhome is like. They send the semi-tractor/trailer tow truck after you and it's spendy. There is RV insurance with lots of options ranging from liability insurance to full coverage for private use or business and even systems coverage if you have to replace a major onboard appliance.

Are all of the appliances run on propane or is there a way to use solar panels to charge auxiliary batteries you can use when you are not hooked up to electricity?

All primary onboard systems (refrigerator, stove, furnace, water heater, lights) run on propane and/or 12VDC as necessary. The refrigerator runs on 120VAC if your plugged in and switches to propane when you unplug. I can go outside right this instant and pull the plug and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference unless I tried to run the air conditioner, microwave or something off the 120VAC plugs. Everything else is business as usual. I don't have solar however that's on my list eventually which will keep the genset out of the equation a lot longer. In the winter when it's seriously cold I can run off batteries for 3-4 days with the furnace. Lose the furnace operation and I can go 3-5 weeks (probably longer) without recharging the batteries. I can charge house batteries in 3 hours by plugging into shore power or running the generator.

PS..I want to be a Softie

Sofies don't last long in the real world. If you don't want to do work on your systems yourself or maintain things yourself there are only two options: (1) fork out $150+/hr for labor and seriously jacked up parts prices or (2) you won't be RV'ing for long. Fulltiming requires you to do a lot of your own work because it's not practical to have someone else do it. It's mostly very simple systems to work on if you have a moderate amount of mechanical knowledge and a functioning brain. It's not like you're fixing things every day or anything overly complicated either...

[detdrbuzzard]

my dad had a 24ft class "c" , said it slept six but four was more realistic. he had to have it towed once with without coverage for towing and no it wasn't cheap. once we were at a camp ground and their waste tanks were full, the hose popped off and what a mess. being on the road by myself is no problem but your lifestyle is not what i choose to do right now. i feel my nephew needs my help and i can't help him if i'm on the road. i drove big rigs cross country for two years, you learn the difference between you needs and wants. -35 at night near Quebec in the winter, even with the motor on fast idle you get up every two to two and a half hours to drive around and warm the truck back up. but there are still a lot of differences between truck driving an being a full time rv-er

[hang man]

Thanks for your experience information Bumblebee , you have no idea how helpful it is (not just me but many others)...Tornado chasing sounds like fun ...Since you like photography have you ever considered taking up a job with National Geographic !!!?...You could get paid to do it including living expenses.
  Can't wait to see pics of your adventures ...there is no envy emoticon so i'll use this one 

[Bumblebee]

Tornado chasing sounds like fun

The motivation for tornado chasing is stricty mercenary with a little fun and sometimes excitement but mostly mercenary.


No sirens, no warnings, no tornado boxes on the maps. Just a bunch of level 3 thunderstorms in the area...I was looking at the mammantus clouds overhead, turned around..and this was less than 3/4 mile away and closing and dissipating. In the picture it was about 1000ft away.

[luckylindy]

  Fantastic pic! 

[hang man]

  Fantastic pic! 

More like Wicked...

[Uncle Fester]

Bumblebee...

All I can say is.... WOW! and also Thankyou!  Your description and "epistle" of the life of the full time RV'er is great! I, too, will look forward to your pics and trip reports!  Also, a blog and.or website if/when you get around to it.  I don't know why I didn't venture into the camping section here sooner!  Keep it up! Great!
 

[Bumblebee]

Kinda off motorcycle topics however yesterday (Jul 27 2009) was consecutive camp day number 1000.   

[niteman]

consecutive camp day number 1000.   

Good on you!   

[fishmeister]

Camping day numbers and forum postings seem to have similar values. Is there a connection?

[gammer]

Bee,
Is there anyplace in N.A. that you haven't been to yet, that you really want to see?
Anywhere you've been that you absolutely loved?...that you could see yourself staying long-term?

[Bumblebee]

Is there anyplace in N.A. that you haven't been to yet, that you really want to see?

Not much in the motorhome..yet..(5 so far since starting fulltiming) but that's about to change. The total count so far over the years: All the lower 48 states. Southern provinces of Canada (mostly somewhat near the US border) including Nova Scotia and PEI. Northern Mexico.

Places to see: All those bazillion interesting looking side roads that I missed and places I haven't got to yet such as Europe, New Zealand, Nepal, and podunk middle of flatsville nowhere USA.
FWIW, about 15 years ago I banned all interstates from use except for emergencies or bypassing totally unusable roads or areas without useable roads. The REAL America is on all those long forgotten and overlooked side highways and rural roads. That's where the real working people of America reside. As a very good friend of mine said about the people she found there in over 90,000 miles of traveling on those roads; "They didn't think that their jobs were significant enough for anyone to want to take their picture." I know because growing up, I was one of those many insignificant people on the tractor and hay truck in the fields that no one ever saw or took a second look at.

Anywhere you've been that you absolutely loved?

Everywhere I've been. Each place is it's own idealistic perfection...and missing elements. I prefer out of the way farm country and lost places. The absolute best locations are only accessable by air and foot.

...that you could see yourself staying long-term?

I am a Nomad.


The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate,
And though I oft have passed them by,
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run
West of the Moon, East of the Sun.