Don't want this thread to die!  Any more people dreaming of becoming nomads?

I am planning a trifecta of mobility options.

First, done working at 60.  This plan is on schedule financially.

Second, all properties paid for.  This plan is done in 3 years.

Third, working on captains licensing for sail/power up to 40ft.

One of my fun goals is to go buy a beater 40ft or so sail boat some place in Florida (there appears to be an endless supply of these) and spend a year fixing it and outfitting it.  Yes, I find this sort of thing therapeutic and fun.  Then I plan to go hunt down Blackfox out in the wild and annoy him until he tells me to go be poor some place else.

Plan to do the same thing, probably sooner, here on the lake at primary QTH.  Hopefully an old Grady...that would be sweet.

And lastly, a pull-behind and a used 350 to drag it around all over the country.

If health issues annoy me more than planned I will rent sail boats down in paradise as needed and still do the houseboat here and camper.

But cashing it all in to do it?  Nah.

You're not worried about your stuff while you're gone?  That's a big concern for me.  It's hard to really enjoy yourself when you are worrying about someone breaking into your house and stealing your stuff.

Did he get that gig from the 100,000 dollar box?

Watch the police and the tax man miss me I'm mobile

How will they feel about killdozers?

Had that car, 2-door in white with white landeau top. 8-track huge motor excellent car. 

Not in the least.

I have a comprehensive alarm system including video and still options, as well as some very non-standard mods I worked with the alarm vendor on..
I am in good standing with my local LEOs.
I have multiple good friends I can email to check out any suspicious activities I get alerted to.

Last time I was out of country I got an email from one of my monitoring friends of some storm damage to an out-building and my response was "Don't send me that crap while I am having fun!"

I lived in a 33 ft RV after my divorce for 18 months.  First 6 months were hard but I miss it.  Less than 100$ per month where I parked.  I now live in an estate home I bought on the cheap.  I will own it in this year.  By living in the rv I saved a shit ton to buy my home.

I suppose the neighbors make a big difference.  I don't know the first name of any of my neighbors.  Never said so much as 5 words to any of them.  And it's about time to move again.

I do have cameras with motion detection in the house and I do use automatic light timers.  Also, we leave a notice for the local police to check on our place when we're gone.  But I still don't feel comfortable leaving even for a month.

I'm seriously considering selling my house, downsizing, and moving into my 28' RV. I'm trying to decide where I want to buy a couple acres, put up a carport shed to park my RV under, and get a shipping container for a workshop/storage unit. 

Not looking to go totally off the grid, but some solar panels to supplement my electricity might be nice. 

Did it.  Bought a 19' Class B RV, w/ stove, microwave, generator, A/C, propane heat, hot water, toilet, shower, double bed.  Lived in it off & on for 11 years.

It's nice to drink your fill and then stumble across the parking lot and go to bed.  If you have more than 1 person living in a 19' RV, you'd better be very much in love.

I have 2 years of child support payments to make and during this time I am working towards being able to take off for awhile. Really liking the 4x4 sprinter van with home made rv conversion option.

Nothing says downsizing like buying acreage and throwing up a few outbuildings. 

The Girlfriend and I spend quite a bit of time in our old classic Toyota RV Traveling WY & SD.



I enjoy fishing the mountain lakes for Trout and exploring the National forests and BLM land.



If you are an Old Fart there are plenty of discounts to look into as far as lowering the cost camping. For instance OF's can camp for $5 a night full hookup in state campgrounds with annual permit. There is a Fed deal for retirees that discounts most Fed sites that cost $10 for lifetime, as a matter of fact I was at Devils Tower recently and it was no charge with the OF card.

Important thing is get out and do it while you still can.



I will be up on the WY MT border in a few weeks at a 3 gun 3 day tactical shoot and will post some more from there.

I wish! With real estate as high as it is right now we could sell our house, pay off literally every single debt (including our very nice travel trailer) and still walk away with 10s of thousands of dollars left over. I am willing to entertain the idea, but the wife isn't.

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...What kind of Accountant? Are you good at puzzles?

Nah, not really for me. If you can fit all your worldly possessions into 1 room you could get away with it. Big gun collection? Probably wont happen. Reloading? Sorry, no room. Lots of knick knacks and shit in a nice cabinet? All gone. Working on cars? You get to sell the tools. 

If you are very minimalist it would work. If you like to tinker and hobby craft though I dont see it working for very long. 

My parents are retired and camp half the year now, but have been RV'ing for over 20 years.

I've seen a number of people sell their houses to RV full time.  It's amazing that some of them go into the deal so blindly.  OP, at very least, before you do it, spend a good year or two really getting to understand which RV companies make quality RV's, and which ones just make flashy pieces of shit that sell to unsuspecting buyers.  I've seen the poor bastards who plan on 100% RV'ing buy the new pieces of shit too many times, and their hopes and dreams get dashed with myriads of problems at the campsites and at the RV garages.

And... if your new camper isn't 100% correct and right when you're there to pick it up for the first time, don't drive it off of the lot.   In fact, back out of the deal if you can.  If it's built with a fucked-up slider, it is most likely a design flaw that won't be fixed well later.

Fella on another site I read rented a travel trailer and is pulling it with his ford f150 I think.

He is doing a lot of miles to see relatives and has his whole family with him.

While not fulltiming, renting the thing and actually getting out there and driving and doing it is how you get past what you read on the net and figure out if you will love it or not.

For a while it seemed like youtube kept having new van dwellers making videos, now some have sold the van or bought a house or done this or done that. Many are putting up a video explaining why.

I kinda do this, but not full time. I have a house, but I can go on a camping/road trip for an indefinite amount of time since all I need for work is a space to put my laptop and an internet connection.

With 4G and increased speed on mobile networks I can go almost anywhere and have gone on a few extended multi month road trips while not taking any time off work. I don't think I ever want to make the commute to an office or conventional work place ever again.

I did it in a Chevy Beretta with a storage compartment on top (the old Sears X-Car-Go) and a cooler that plugged into a cigarette lighter. We called the X-Car-Go "the hump".

We spent two summers camping our way around the country. We had a friend with us for the first 3,000 miles but dropped him off in San Luis Obispo and the rest was just me and the wife. We also jumped on a plane and spent 4 months trying to survive in Hawaii.

Fun fact - if you show up at KOA in the middle of the night when the office is closed you can just go pick a spot, and they have tent sites with electricity (for our cooler and radio).

We plan on doing it in a real camper after retirement. We did the "Beretta tour" in '96 and '97 when we were in our mid-20's.

Been there done that.

How old do you have to be to get the "Old Fart" card?  Is this in a particular state or what?  Do you have a link with more information?

The Inter-agency Senior Pass for those 62 and older, gets you and your guests into most National Parks etc. for free:

here

Maybe part-time.  I think I'd want an apartment/condo for some stability.

The last kiddo moves out the end of this summer.  The other two are married.
Not sure what's left of my own marriage will survive long after that.  I've been hanging on grimly, because, dammit, I want to see my last daughter off right and for that girl to leave a home and not be escaping hell.  She's heard plenty, though, so I'm not sure what that has accomplished.
Gotta retire someday.  It's become a grind anyway, most days.  Fucking office politics and wearisome stupidity.
I'm kind of a loner.

Why not?  I'd see some stuff, camp plenty, have a place to come back to and visit.  It's better than drifting and living under bridges.

Yeah, I'm tired today.  One day at a time, vim, one day at a time ...

So at first I'm like because it's 62 and I'm not THAT old.  And then I saw it's free for military and I'm like .  We went to several of those places in the past year and paid.  Didn't know we could have gotten a free pass!  Thanks for the info!

Only if I could do it in an Earthroamer.

"Starting at $438,000"
Ouch.....

https://earthroamer.com/xv-lt/

I need to figure out how to build a shell like that for cheap.  I could construct everything myself.

Man, I would love to do that but where the hell would I put all my firearms and tens of thousands of rounds of ammo I bought on the eve of FHRC's victory???

Yes, I have.

Man, we all need to do a group buy on one of these vehicles then all travel in a pack...
https://www.roverpass.com/blog/off-road-rvs-and-camper-trailers-for-outdoor-adventure/

I like this one:


Kinda reminds me of the awesome LVS!

Price: if you have to ask you can't afford it

I like the jeep one though

That is why you pull a toad with an RV

Yep, there's always a catch!

that.

Or get all 3!

Nothing like adding another 20 foot to a 40 foot long vehicle to make refueling and negotiating anything not an interstate highway a massive pain in the ass.

Everyday I think about it.

What is stopping you?

While not quite on topic (RV'ing) we did do the sell almost all and took to the water for 5+ years.
Kept 1 home, 1 suv and moved all the good stuff inland, rented the cottage out and took off on a custom 50' x 23' power cat.

Bahamas (Exumas) in the winter's , home port in the Carolina's June-Nov, then back south. We figured we'd do the blue water thing while we were in our 50's
and when we got tired of that do the overland thing.

My wife kept a blog for several years and requested I write a summary of what it takes to cruise for others who are entertaining this life style.

Here it is.

 
We often are asked, what is it like and can we do it?? I can't answer that question but I can ask a few questions....
Are you mechanically handy?
Do you enjoy new and unusual experiences?
Does living in confined spaces that could sink concern you?
Would you call yourself adventurous?
How about meeting like minded people form all walks of life?

I know, dumb questions, but should make you think because that's what the cruising life style is all about, to copy a quote from (ESCAPE) "Cruisers are people taking a very expensive trip and not getting anywhere". Think about it as I
give you my take on the technical aspects of our life on board, as Linda has given you hers...
Let me start by saying that we were fortunate to have SeaVeyor dropped in our laps after a 7 year search for the right vessel. I have been running around the country searching on our own dime and as a Marine Surveyor getting paid to inspect vessels for others. This was my plan: To get on as many vessels as possible for two reasons. One: acknowledge the good bad and ugly and Two: to be able to qualify the right vessel if and when it came along. Brief note on intended purpose. Once you establish "your" intended purpose.. such as Great Loop, Bahamas, or the Med etc.. only then can you determine the right vessel for you. Ours came in the form of a custom built Catamaran. It was built and cruised by a very knowledgeable couple  who knew what was needed for long range/time cruising (safely with comfort). So here we are going on 3 years of living aboard and passed the 7,000 mile mark last month, on a now 12 year old vessel that has seen the west side of South America and back ( not by us) As with any vessel, what you have is a network of systems. You have electrical, AC and DC , mechanical mains and generator, sanitation heads and pumps and holding, fuel tankage, water tankage, solar charging systems with battery banks, hydraulic steering system, electric windlass with ground tackle, LP systems for both indoor and outdoor cooking, 12 volt DC system for refrigerator and freezer, TOO many pumps to count ( OK, 9 bilge/sump pumps, 5 fresh and salt water systems with strainers, 3 raw water cooling systems with strainers, 2 hot water heaters, 5 charging alternators, 3 heat and air systems, 1 water maker with 3 filters and pumps, one dinghy with a 15horse outboard, AND the brains behind the whole thing.. THE TRACE INVERTER.....almost forgot 3 VHFs, 1 SSB , 3 chart plotters with radar,depth, temp and auto pilot, and not to mention all the toys needed to fish dive and hunt,etc. . I am sure I left a few things out from the above list, but ya get the drift! All the above systems require maintenance and repairs or replacement somewhere during your travels. So here is my take on all of this. Depending on how all of this equipment was installed and the quality of the equipment and it's installation can make or break your cruising experience. If you get nothing out of what I post today, when you are hunting your next vessel, keep this in mind. You MUST be able to access all systems. The easier the access, the better your life will be. OK, all that said the next is spare parts and tools, more spares and the knowledge of how to put these together. When we took possession of SeaVeyor, Don had left a huge amount of spares and we added more and just replenish as we go. Linda has always commented on " where did that part come from"??? Many cruisers build a spread sheet on the PC to inventory spares and their location on their vessel. I will not list our spares here, but the list is LONG.
So, you have bought your dream vessel.. had a prepurchase survery done by a reputable surveyor, addressed all the findings. You have a fresh bottom job with zincs and tuned your wheels ( and spare wheels) and call Adam Meyer at Charter Lakes Insurance to confirm your coverage area... Add fuel, food and you are off!!.....
And the fun begins!!! We often here cruisers complain about not getting enough exercise.. WRONG... We will be the first to tell you that we are in better shape than when back on land. The running joke on SeaVeyor is "If it was easy, anyone could do it"... That might sound harsh, but cruising is a lot of work. However, the lifestyle and the friends you make are well worth it. This blog site will remind us when we are old and feeble that we did what most only dream of. And, I'm with the crowd that says "Go Now" with whatever you have. Life is too short! Too many folks are tied to the docks (family, money, jobs, etc ) Work it out and DO IT!

So now you are out there somewhere warm and sunny ( mid 80's today here for us!) Most of the time you will be on the hook or on a ball, unless your pockets are deep, as dockage costs are rarely in a cruisers budget. Food and water will need replacing along with the occasional fuel fills, add some parts you may have forgotten . So, here comes your daily exercise with a dinghy trip to shore and a hike or bike to town. This trip we have really enjoyed our bikes and has allowed increased range and speed ...I have to dinghy into to a local marina for generator fuel and dinghy fuel, and the local town docks for our water source. We normally carry in 4 jerry cans to fill with water . ( our daily consumption of water is between 10-15 gallons of water.) The water maker is not an option at this particular location, due to water quality/clarity. So, we just dinghy in for 20-40 gallons of water every few days. We do have a water collection system and during heavy rains we can fill our tanks. ( Linda put 80 gallons in the other night , compliments of Mother Nature)
This method is obviously dependent on rain, but we have found that the trace minerals that are found in rain water are beneficial ( highly recommend a Seagull filtration system for pottable water )
We have been known to take advantage of rain showers by scrubbing the boat during the storms,,letting Mother Nature do the rinse , and heck we killed two birds with one stone by washing the boat and us too! While we are speaking of water, your holding tanks need to give you as much range as you feel comfortable with. (hint...don't head to the Jumentos or the Dry Tortugas with water for only a week.)

Linda does metal and glass weekly, and I do the bottom monthly ( just did this last week, with Shay's help (ESCAPE) it took two hours using two hooka rigs)
Speaking of maintenance, the more systems you have, obviously it's more work and costs. While some would say that SeaVeyor is complex, and I agree, she is full of equipment, but she is easy to service , due to the fact of her builder ( Don P. ) he made all systems easily accessible ( what I was getting at earlier) Still, it is time consuming and you can't get behind.

One of the most talked about subjects for cruisers is heads ( toilets for you land lubbers) This subject has been known to end marriages. All joking aside, the head system on SeaVeyor has cost me more loss of sleep and hair , then any other system. While the system was and still is state of art, she has been a nightmare for me. I will say the folks at Headhunter have supported me after a rocky start. They have bent over backwards to keep us working. As we speak, we have 3 spare Excaliber pumps (at a cost of $1200.00 per unit) with two more waiting for us back at Morehead and two Shur-flow pumps provided by Headhunter while they waited for a shipment from Italy. ( Sorry, but Italians should stick to making Pasta!) It would never fail that we would lose a pump during a visit from our friends. 9 failed pumps in 2 and a half years is unacceptable. As is turns out, Headhunter had a massive amount of failed pumps that has taken them 2 years to resolve. With that said, knock on wood, we are good to go!

Next is the ability to make power and your consumption of it. With today's advancement in solar and wind technology, you can't leave the dock without some form of solar system. Redundancy in all systems is crucial, with your energy system at the top of the list. I was amazed to find many vessels relying on only one or two sources for power. Often, it was there main alternator and a generator set. No longer can one use the excuse that you lack real estate to mount sufficient panels. As today's panels are far more advanced than what was available 3 years ago. We currently have 6 panels putting out 450 watts and a house bank of 1,000 ah. , two 160 amp charging alternators, and two 110 amp mains used while running with a 5.5kw gen set as back up. I plan on replacing the old Siemens 75watt with newer and larger panels, if SeaVeyor has not been sold. With new LED lights available, you need to replace those old halogen power and heat monsters. We have replaced over 30 and it makes a huge difference ( including spreader and cockpit lights )

All of the above systems (and the ones not mentioned) will require servicing at some point and time, that's a known. It's the surprises that can get expensive. Speaking of surprises, there is a creature(s) that are often found on boats who are related to his land based cousin "Murphy". When GREMLINS are discovered on your vessel you MUST destroy them quickly before they have a chance to reproduce. Gremlins favorite hideing areas are often found in your electric panel or inverter once there they will loosen or break connections..............90% of failed systems can be traced to Gremlins.............:)

Ok, I'm done, off to change oil in the mains and gen-set (100hr intervals).

Linda is going to fuss at me for sounding too negative, but I'm not really. All of the above is part of cruising. The more that you can do with parts and tools on board , the better and often longer your cruising experience will be. The great part is that your next door neighbor might be a retired electrical engineer or a helicopter mechanic or a heart surgeon and willing to jump on board and assist you with your projects. In all anchorages, there is a wealth of information just waiting for you to ask.

This has been our experience and has led to what we know will be lifelong friendships. The quality of people that you meet along the journey, the quality of lifelong memories you experience, is why we are cruising. "It's all good".

I lived in a 35 foot trailer when I was 20 for 4 months before I joined the Navy.
That was good enough for me.
I laugh at these assclowns buying / building these tiny homes or living in trailers or RV's.

My number 1 complaint:
When friends come over and dump a smelly turd or when you do the same you have to live with the fucking smell for hours.

Fuck that.

Interesting.  Was it because of poor air ventilation or because of the toilet system?  Most of the trailers we have looked at have a pretty powerful looking fan in the bathroom ceiling.

I'm just quoting this so I find it later. I WANT to read it....maybe I will?

Have been living in my old military duffel bag for several weeks.

I carry everything I own in it, then empty it at night, crawl inside, and sleep.

Does this count?
Or, do I need an engine?

No.  I want my library.  I'm always reading and writing and unless I was next door to the Library of Congress, it ain't gonna happen.

You're in the duffle bag, where is the bag?  And how tall?

I talked to a guy out in western Nebraska several years ago who had such a vehicle. It was a high roof Ford van (before Sprinters,) He had LP heat, air, a chemical toilet, a small sink and hot plate, as well as a microwave. Also  a very comfortable easy chair and even a small book case. He told me everything was readily available through aftermarket RV companies. Now we're talking about just one man but they way he had that van set up was really cool. Told me the year before he got caught in a bad snowstorm out in Wyoming rode it out nice and cozy sitting in a rest area.