And So We Hit The Road

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our E-mail Digest or RSS Feed. We will then send you the stories that are posted each day in an e-mail digest. We use a service called Feedburner for delivery of these emails. You will receive an e-mail from Feedburner after you subscribe and you must click on that email to activate your subscription. Thanks for visiting and enjoy all the information! RV.Net Blog AdminI am honored to be asked to become a member of the RV.net blogging family, and I thank my good buddy Chris Guld from Geeks on Tour for recommending me to the folks who run this website. Over time I hope to bring you some interesting stories from our ten years on the road as fulltime RVers, telling you about the places we have gone and the adventures we have had along the way. My father always said that the best place to begin something was at the beginning, so for my first post here, I’ll share a little bit about how my wife and I made the transition from stressed out workaholic baby boomers to working fulltime RVers, in an article I originally published in our first edition of our Gypsy Journal RV Travel Newspaper, and resurrected for our 10 year Anniversary Edition, which was printed this week. Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

So, you want to be a Camp Host?

From the desk of Firedude Well it can sure be an interesting position. I was a volunteer camp host on the central coast of California for California State Parks for nearly 6 years. During which time I hosted about 9-10 months of the year and traveled the rest. I thought I had seen it all in my 33 year career as a firefighter, but couldn’t have been more wrong! The position was great and I was allowed to set the schedules. We worked a 3 day on 3 day off (firefighter style) shift. That meant you worked 3 straight days and off 3 straight days leaving you time to go places, see things and even take short trips if you desired. This didn’t mean you had to be in the campground 24/7 by any means. My position consisted of a morning and noon camp check and be available to sell firewood at hours you designate (within reason) and available to answer questions etc. In reality it could have been done in a matter of 2-3 hours per day. You can put forth more effort if you wish and of course I did because I enjoyed it. I decided even though I was retired I wanted to stay active and not sit on my duff. In exchange you received your full hookup campsite and other perks such a free tours of Hearst Castle for you and friends, an annual swim party at the pool at Hearst Castle, a free day use pass for all Ca. state parks, free firewood and some others. Staff also put on a few BBQ’s per year as well and very enjoyable. In our sector there was NO maintenance or cleaning of restrooms... Read more

The cost of full-timing. Can you afford it?

From the desk of Firedude The age old question comes up all the time in the forums and I get emails all the time asking “how much does it cost to full-time”? This question has so many variables it is hard to answer since we all have varying needs, desires and differing financial status. To come up with an answer that fits all is impossible. Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

Changes

The life of a fulltimer is full of changes, just like the weather…..you think you know what is in the forecast, then…bam, it all goes in another direction! After 9 years on the road, you would think we would know what to expect. Since I posted last, very remiss of me…….many things in our lives have changed, dramatically. We spent the summer at Heise, then were planning on going to our fall/winter position in Lousiana. During the summer, we had schedualed a trip to the western mountains of Idaho to check on some RV lots that were for sale. We own one already in So Cal, but wanted another. The second week of Sept, we took a few days and drove over to Cascade, ID to look. On that drive up the mountain from Boise, we had an epiphany, of sorts. When we began our fulltime adventure over 11 years ago, it was with the intention of finding that “perfect place”.  We found it. Lake Cascade is in a valley in the west central mountains of Idaho. While there we spent a lot of time exploring the valley looking for property. We found some really interesting prospects. While at the hotel one night, I called my Mom to tell her what we were up to. She is 87 and lost my Dad 4 years ago. My 3 siblings and I have tried to get her to sell her huge home and live with one of us but she adamantly refused. The last time I had mentioned it to her she went ballistic on me and I had decided to not mention it again. Sooooo, when I asked her if she would consider moving if... Read more

A reflection back over the last 6 years

From the desk of the Firedude Nearly after 6 years into full timing and now retirement again (as a host) I have sat back and reflected on my full-timing experience. I’ve asked myself, was it the right decision? I spent 33 years as a firefighter retiring as a Captain. I started right out of high school and was able to retire at the young age of 50. I spent my entire life going a 100 mph fighting fires and helping people. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. We were always RV’ers and camped on days off and vacations. It was my dream to someday buy me a NEW 5th wheel and travel and full-time for as long as I wanted and enjoy myself. Then if and when we wanted to get another home and call it an anchor point and come and go as we wanted at some point we would. I see no end. Right after we began full-timing all these feelings started to hit me all at once. I missed my firefighting family, my kids, friends, all the calls and helping people. After going 100 mph for 33 years, it was hard to adjust and slow down. I would see a fire truck go by going to a call and would get a sick feeling, one of emptiness. At times I would get teary eyed. Even though we all work for retirement someday so we can relax and enjoy ourselves, I found it hard to give up. Still I was going to follow my dream of full timing because in reality I won?’t be able to do what I was doing anymore and this was my retirement dream. So reflecting back over the past 6 years of... Read more

Will you live your Dream looking out the backyard window?

From the desk of the Firedude A reprint from 2005 I recently have gotten many private messages from those who are wanting to or considering full-timing. Some say it’s their dream. I thought I’d offer my take on it for those interested. Keep in mind it’s just my humble opinion and I honor everyone’s needs and opinion on the matter. This is just mine…………………………. The ‘ol Firedude is a simpleton I reckon. I worked my whole 33 year career as a firefighter, paying the mortgage, taxes, fighting with my mower and weed-eater and looking out my backyard window. I always had this dream over the years of selling out and full-timing in my RV. Of course these were just dreams of a man who ran 100 mph every day chasing sirens and red lights and beat himself up over his career narrowly escaping death on a few occasions and in the end winding up with a disabling injury. One that’s not obvious to an onlooker but nevertheless there and painful at times to say the least. Towards the end of my career I began to have those “dreams” more often of full-timing. For several reasons I couldn’t keep the house AND live my dream. That wasn’t what really bothered me though. What really bothered me is I realized I would probably never live my dream at all. It was just a “picture” out my backyard window. I retired at 50 with all my health benefits paid for for... Read more

Firedude’s humorous side of full-time camp hosting part #3

From the desk of Firedude… This has to be one of the craziest weekends I’ve ever seen. We were packed last night to the gills with not one single site available. You would have thought it was a holiday weekend. Friday night was a disaster with park staff in the office and everything that could be wrong administrative wise was. I dealt with those issues nearly 8 hours, not counting the multiple ranger contacts throughout the campground Friday night for noise issues. Then a young boy (about 12 or 13) was walking around in the middle of the road in front of Dennis’ site with his pants at half mast and no boxers on either and yep, the bare butt showing. He was walking around letting everyone (including children) see him and laughing. The whole time his parents watching and laughing about it. Yep, called Mr. Ranger, but before Mr. Ranger had arrived, his dad got in my face which he found was not a wise choice by anyone’s standards, especially this weekend. I told him, sir you do not know me personally very well because if you did you wouldn’t be getting in my face. He asked in a smart tone why’s that?  I simply responded with a straight face and my deep voice that I was one of the meanest, toughest fella’s to ever walk the face of this earth and if he pursued his current direction he was about to find out first hand. He then backed off until the ranger arrived. This was NOT the weekend to mess with ‘ol firedude! He was such a tough guy until I lit into... Read more

Firedude’s humorous side of full-time camp hosting part #2

From the desk of the Firedude You have to remember in reading my stories of my genetically declined camping buddies are quite frequent and entertaining, at least for me. Yesterday morning a guy who had bought 4 bundles of wood the night before was at my door at 8 a.m. and told me “I have a stupid question for you”. From the look on his face I felt well assured he was telling the truth! He asks if I bought back unused firewood? I couldn’t resist and asked him how long it had burnt!? He looked at me weird and said no unused bundles. I said well I’ll give you 10 cents on the dollar meaning your $7 dollar bundle was worth 70 cents. He walked away shaking his head mumbling “I knew that was a dumb question to ask”. Last night one of my genetically declined camping buddies decided he would enter a campers car (Honda Element) while the husband and wife were sleeping in the back with the hatch open. Now this was a guy here on a bicycle camping. I had noticed he had been roaming the campground earlier in the day which was odd. We only had maybe 8 of 81 sites occupied if that. Now this is a true example of my meaning genetically declined as this guy opens the drivers door, slides the drivers seat back so he could lean through, grab her purse, cell phone and small suitcase. In the process of course the seat hit the woman’s foot waking her and she screamed at her husband and the suspect leg bailed (ran off). A pretty brazen thing eh? Well pretty stupid at best. Wait! It gets... Read more

A Young Full-timer Perspective - Working on the Road

“How do you make money on the road?” is a frequent question many young full-time RVers are asked. Believe it or not, there’s a wide variety of work options to support our roaming lifestyles. Take a look at the video below for my humble point of view on making money on the road and check out these helpful links: Workamper News and CoolWorks.com. Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

First Flight

As fulltimers for nearly nine years, we have found that getting sufficient exercise can be challenging. I try to walk 8-10 miles a day at least 5 times a week. Not only does it keep me active and in somewhat good shape, it gives me time to solve the world’s problems, if only in my mind. I enjoy the quiet time with myself. Here, at Heise, I have a routine. I leave the cg at about 5am and walk the river road. At that time of the morning, there is nothing moving but me and some of nature’s critters. About two miles into my walk is an Osprey nest I have been watching for months. I saw the parents repairing the nest after the winter and watched them nesting. After the chick hatched I watched it grow. Mom and Dad were diligent, feeding and caring for it. For days the chick teetered at the edge of the nest, getting up enough courage to fly. Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

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