A reflection back over the last 6 years

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our E-mail Digest. 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 Admin

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 full-timing what do I think? My fears of losing my firefighting family, friends and family have dwindled. I still and probably always will have that ache in my heart of ending my wonderful career. You might think that’s weird because most say “thank God I don’t have to work” or “go back to that job anymore”! I have found out I have a new family and friends as well! All the wonderful people we’ve met since we began our full-timing journey some of which I met on the forum here and have became good close friends. The adventures, less stress, it’s all good. I could have NOT followed my dream, but couldn’t see myself sitting around watching TV, mowing lawns, emptying trash and doing nothing day after day. I didn’t want an over stuffed recliner with a permanent imprint of my butt in it. I chose to be a camp host. It was a transition for me. I went from 100 mph to 50mph and now finally around 25 mph. I still get to help people. One reason for establishing my website to help those in pursuit of the lifestyle. Going from 100 mph to 0 mph would have been disastrous. There of course has been much travel mingled in as well.

In reality I still see my firefighting family. Some have even came over and camp with me. They call me to check up on me and give the latest scoop on things. My other friends call or visit often as well. One son is a firefighter and with the same department so he keeps me informed. We see our friends often and now have the ability now to go see distant friends and family that we couldn’t before. Between all this and our new RV friend’s life is settling down some and my dream is finally settling in place and becoming reality. Would I do it again? Yes indeed. Am I having fun? YES! I won’t get into the cost thing as there are so many variables and every one’s situation is different, but for me it is definitely less expensive and the benefits are wonderful. I even get asked quite frequently in the campgrounds about full timing and my choice. I tell people to follow their dreams whatever they may be, we only get one shot at it. Full timing has been a wonderful transition for us. We have gained so many wonderful new friends. The choices and opportunities and adventures are virtually unlimited. I’m sure some of you have read my humorous posts in the full timing forum on my adventures as a Host. It’s been a kick to say the least. I have finally written a book on my adventures as a full-timer, host and as a retired firefighter. It is filled with outrageous humor, the serious side of full-timing and many of my adventures. It tells all sides of the lifestyle. The good, bad, and ugly. All those of course come along with conventional living too! The point was in the serious side was to show how full-timers coped with the serious health issues and things like that.

One thing I’ve learned is to follow my dreams. I will always have that empty feeling of not being an active firefighter anymore. I miss the lights coming on and the alarm going off at 2 am and charging down the road red lights and sirens going to a fire or medical aid to help someone. That ache will never go away I’m afraid. I can say though that full timing has been wonderful and second best! Besides my firefighting family the best people in the world are RV’ers! So many new friends, it’s great! Follow your dreams. In reality? I have not lost any family and friends at all, but have gained a new family and more friends! Life is good! Rv’ing and full timing is good! I just wanted to personally thank all you wonderful RV’ers I’ve met helping make my dream come true. the great folks of RV.net and my time as a moderator have made it most memorable. did I make the right decision? you betcha ya I did. This winter I’ve chosen to anchor near my old stomping grounds, spend time and the holidays with the family and even a trip to Tuscon. Life is grand. In my opinion with todays economy I am doing pretty good in this lifestyle!

http://firedude.thefiredude.com

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 life and had my health. Not rich money wise by anyone’s standards. I was looking out my backyard window one day and it hit me. I just worked most of my life and now it was time to retire from a career I loved more than anything in the world. Now it’s time to sit here and keep looking out my window and maintain this house because I might need it someday. I’ll just keep sitting here looking out my window and having my dream.

Nope I sold the house, bought my RV and began living my dream. I wasn’t about to sit there the rest of my life worrying about what might happen down the road or even when for that matter. I have met so many people who sat and looked out that window at their dreams and never did anything about it because what ifs. Those folks passed on and never lived their dream. Not for me.

When I get too old or due to health reasons I can’t travel anymore I’ll simply put the RV I have at that time in a park somewhere or sell it and rent or if the opportunity and means arise buy a small place. Pretty simply. I don’t want a house to maintain or even worry about having to sell to pay for medical expenses or a retirement facility. I don’t want the maintenance of such either.. If I can’t live in my RV any longer due to age or health I figure I’ll have to go into a care home anyway! Surely if I couldn’t live in my RV what would make me think I could handle a large home and everything to go with it??

My dad always told me, son when your dead you are gone a long time so do what you want and live your dreams the best you can. He’s right. I am living my dream and enjoying every minute of it and refuse to sit around worrying about tomorrow. It may never come. I hope the guy who bought my house looks out that rear window and sees his dream. I’m glad I’m not still there looking out that window dreaming. I’m living it now.

I know my outlook is not for everyone, it’s just the view of a old retired fire captain who had a dream and decided to live it. Everyone has their own needs and opinions on such. I just couldn’t sit there and look out that window at my dreams anymore and do nothing but leave a butt imprint in a recliner because I couldn’t afford to go anywhere or do anything. That’s not me..

If you have the means to keep your home or bank the money to buy one later and it works for you then great! My RV is my home. I love my home and enjoy my home. In my eyes it hasn’t depreciated. It’s MY home. In the meantime home is where I park it. Pretty simple stuff.

Money and material things used to come into play. Not anymore. A simple life and happiness are my priorities. Not worrying about tomorrow. If I spent all my time worrying about depreciation and appreciation I wouldn’t have time to live my dream!

I’m not sitting there looking out my backyard window dreaming. I’m on the outside looking back in and glad I decided to do what I did.

Whatever you do just don’t fail to live your dreams!! There isn’t a next time. There’s a million reasons and excuses not too. I almost got hung up in that scenario. If I did I’d still be sitting there looking out that window as time passed me by. I’ve never regretted it and haven’t looked back.

Living my dream I found a pot of gold.and an Adventure to boot. Incidentally my RV is not a toy as some may say, It’s my home and a comfortable one at that.

© 2008 Tony Cornett originally written 2-11-05

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 him and then when Mr. Ranger arrived he became Fred Rodgers pleading…”won’t ya be my neighbor”! It was funny because when he told Mr. Ranger what I had said to him the ranger asked did you back off? The guy said yes and the ranger told him he had made a very wise choice! Man, love the smell of napalm in the evening!

Now as I always say just when you think you’ve seen it all you find out you haven’t. Never ever say that or you’ll jinx yourself big time! The city here operates a Trolley system that runs on the weekends until the first weekend in Oct then shuts down. It comes into the campground and stops near me and goes downtown and makes its run about every half hour. Well last night the trolley driver comes to me a bit mad. It seems some teenager wearing a beanie in one of the first campsites as you drive into the campground turned out to be a direct descendant of one of my genetically declined camping buddies. As the trolley drives in this genetically declined teenager begins chasing the trolley barking like a dog!! When he catches up to it he starts banging on the side and the driver immediately stopped thinking he ran over the guy hearing the thumps. Realizing he hadn’t, he came to my place to report it. The campers down there all sat with mouths wide open. When Mr. Ranger arrived the humor for this idiot and his family suddenly disappeared. I told the trolley driver the minute the guy got near me I would have slammed on the breaks letting the guy run smack dab into me.

By dark there wasn’t a campsite left here or within 60 miles and you would have sworn it was Memorial Day weekend! I kept getting people coming in and I’d have to tell them we have no room left. I think some people’s comprehension skills are often left at home when they leave to go camping. They would plead with me and of course my reply was I’m sorry, but as I said we’re FULL! They would plead more until I started foaming at the mouth and they would only then begin to comprehend what I was saying.

I then have this camper come up to me “concerned” over this lady camping here and thinking she maybe in need of help and homeless. OK, so after a long, weird, tough weekend I decide to go over there just to see. Well after talking to the woman for a few it is established that she is an off duty deputy sheriff and I sat down at her table and began laughing along with her. Too funny. Well we decided paybacks were often fun so we went over to this (yes genetically declined camper) and the deputy ID’d herself to this woman and asked if SHE needed help. By then I was rolling on the ground hysterical! This woman hid the rest of the day and evening! The deputy and I walked off in total hysteria.  There was nothing that would have indicated this deputy was in need of anything. I think the gal was just a busy body and “pet the wrong dog” so to speak!

Speaking of dogs, I was behind my rig doing something (really hiding from all the weirdo’s) when I turn around and see this huge dog staring me in the face!  My heart skipped about 47 beats until I realized it was friendly. I got one of the leashes out of my rig and took her into “custody” until the ranger arrived. We called a number on her tag and the owner who lives nearby who was out looking for her came by and got her and thanked us. He had left the gate open by accident. Turned out to be a really sweet dog and he was very thankful. At first though I had trouble distinguishing this dog initially between some of my campers!

This has just been a short excerpt of my weekend. One guy who saw a lot of this told me “man you’ve had a rough weekend”!  I said, ya think? I said look at me. Look what this place has done to me. I’m only 29 years old! He rolled with laughter.

Today is HOOVER DAY!!!! The day the huge giant Hoover vacuum comes along at around noon and sucks everybody out of the campground! I’m like a kid waiting for Santa!! I hope and trust your weekend went better than mine! I hope this coming week all I have to report to you all is an empty campground and pure heavenly boredom!

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 even better! Little did my genetically declined camping buddy realize he had just robbed an off duty cop! Well our buddy wound up being “transferred” to a different indoor campground and may be there for some time since the theft was a felony. You have to be stupid to rob someone to begin with, but real stupid to pick an off duty police officer! I was able to snap this shot of him just as he was told he was going to “Happy Land” (jail) to play volleyball!

We weren’t quite sure if he was happy or upset?? I guess the moral of the story is if you’re going to rob a fellow camper you should first ask if he’s a off duty police officer or not?. I love the smell of napalm in the morning! Camp hosting for me would be too boring and mundane if it weren’t for my genetically declined camping buddies. Wait there’s more, I promise. Stay tuned for part #3!

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

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

Late Snow in Heise Hot Springs

Is It Summer, Yet?

This has been a strange year, for sure.

Terry and I have been coming to SE Idaho for the past four summers to workcamp. Heise Hot Springs is 20 miles NE of Idaho Falls in the eastern part of the South Fork of the Snake River. We are on a channel of the river right against the mountain. In fact, the mountain goes straight up 50′ outside our door. We are protected on three sides by the mountain and trees on the other side. We don’t usually get much wind and the fiver gets some shade.

Past years we have gotten here in late April and we have been greeted by fairly pleasant weather. I have been able to plant flowers and get to gardening within a week or so of arrival. By the first of June plants have been blooming profusely and I will have been spending hours every day watering.

Read more

Workamper Life: A Typical Day

Terry and I have been fulltiming for almost nine years and volunteering /workcamping for nearly 8 of those. Most of our jobs/positions have been fairly predictable. Several of those have been places that we have returned to for many years because we love the job, area, etc. Most times the jobs are predictable…set hours, duties and very routine. There is some degree of comfort in predictability, but to us, that is not why we became fulltimers! We like to experience new things and adventure is high on our list.

One of our favorite places to work is at Heise Hot Springs in SE Idaho. This is our 4th season here and we plan on more. Terry and I are not the typical workcamper here. Those have set hours to work in the office, park campers, clean buildings and those type jobs. We, on the other hand, have no set hours and wear many hats.

Read more

RV Trouble

Just Another Trip….

We spent the past 4 months in So Cal caring for Terry’s 80 yo Mom who broke her back falling off a ladder while checking the roof. Don’t ask why….

We were finally able to leave on April 24 and head for our summer position in Idaho. This will be our fourth season working at Heise Hot Springs Resort and we are really looking forward to it. We made arrangements to spend some time in Salt Lake City to have our Motosat system refurbished. We were just outside of Cedar city, UT in the Virgin River Gorge and I was at the wheel. Suddenly I heard honking beside me and a lady was gesturing frantically. What was wrong? I pulled the rig off the road at the first spot I could find, and Terry got out to check things out. Sure enough, the right rear tire on the fiver was flat. This was the second tire to fail in 600 miles.

He got the tire changed to the new spare and meanwhile I had phoned ahead to Cedar City to find tires. We have a Garmin GPS that we rely on heavily. Miss Elsie Mae (she may get us there, or may not! ) gave me three shops to call. The second had the tires we needed…how many?….6 Yes!!!!! We will take all of them…come in tomorrow morning first thing and we will take care of you! We were planning on spending the nite in CC anyway, so the timing was perfect.

Read more

Getting Ready To Hit The Road

Wow…I can’t believe that we have been here in Apple Valley for nearly 3 months! We were supposed to spend the winter working at a KOA in Texas. We were so looking forward to it and loved the area and the folks. 10 days into our position we received a phone call…Terry’s 80 yo mother had fractured her back, falling off the roof. (Don’t even ask … we won’t go there!!!!) We explained the situation to our employers and hit the road for So Cal. Four days and one blow-out later, we arrived.

We own an RV lot in a resort in Apple Valley, CA that we bought 8 years ago. Both Moms live here as well as our son and family and we knew that at some point we would have to spend time here. We have used the lot very seldom, maybe 8 months total in 8 years, but we are glad we have it. We have been sitting here, trying to stay busy and not fret, but it is hard. His Mom was released for the Dr a week ago, so now we can start making tracks for ID.

Read more

Next Page »