What was the deciding factor???? - Montana Owners Club

Glenn and Lorraine · 09-25-2008, 12:57 AM

Last evening at the Fall Rally Meet and Greet we found a number of Fulltimers that prior to becoming Fulltimers never owned an RV. What was the deciding factor???????
I realize that most Fulltime MOCers had RVs for many many years prior and Fulltiming was just the natural thing to do but what about those of you that never owned an RV prior or those of you that only RVed a few years before making the lifestyle change. What was that deciding factor??

This is a short story for Lorraine and I.

Back in March of 03 I was talking to my daughter about the harsh COLD winter we just went thru. For the past 10 years in a row we survived winters of -30° to -40°s and really needed a change. I explained to her just how frustrated we had become about this MISERABLY COLD, SNOWY, DREARY, BLUSTERY situation we have found ourselves in and my daughter suggested we buy an RV and head south for the winter. At first I thought she was NUTZ.
That same evening, Lorraine and I discussed this thought and started looking at RVs immediately. That was in March of 03. In July of 03 we joined the MOC and on Sept 14, 03 we purchased our 1st RV at the RV Show in Harrisburg, PA, which of course was our 2955RL Monty. We took delivery on Sept 25th and on Oct 18th we left New York for a brand new lifestyle as Fulltime RVers.
As we come up to our 5th anniversary we both agree we made all the right choices. First of all we had a Montana, a 2500HD with a DuraMax, we were members of the GREATEST RV club anyone could possibly find and we are FULLTIMERS. It just doesn't get any better. As we look back, would we change anything?? NO Not really. Would we do it again?? In a heart beat.

So how about the rest of you. What was your deciding factor.

stiles watson · 09-25-2008, 02:55 AM

I play the "what would it be like" game. One day I mused, "What would it be like to be free to travel, free from geographical anchors, free to live where we wanted - as long as we wanted, free to go north in the hotter months and south in the winter months, visit the grandchildren without becoming baby sitters, and simplify our lifestyle?" We decided that would be good. So how would we do it.

We were back packers at the time, but living in a tent was not exactly what we had in mind. That lifestyle was a bit too basic. In earlier years , we had taken a MH vacation to Big Bend National Park, but I determined the MH route was too pricey and they used too much fuel to be practical for me. I had never heard of a fifth wheel.

While shopping MH dealers, I ran across a new 2004 Montana 3670 RL. We decided that would work for us. A little later, I found an 18 month-old 2003 Big Sky 3670 RL on the internet for sale by owner. We checked it out. It was in pristine condition and the 2002 F250 with 45000 miles was available also. That was our first rig and we got into it at less than 1/2 of what it would have cost new.

The deciding factors were the desire to be nomadic and being able to break into the lifestyle relatively inexpensively. Now we have the new 2008 Big Sky and 2008 F350 King Ranch dually, our final unit and TV.

adelmoll · 09-25-2008, 03:06 AM

We both love to travel and went as often as possible during our working days. We worked our way up from a pop-up trailer to a 24' trailer, and a 30' fifth wheel. Each time we went out it was harder and harder to return home. As we neared retirement we started looking to downsize from our big house and yard. The more we looked the more hitch itch set in so we just sold the house, bought the Montana and a new 1 ton Ford to pull it with and away we went. That was 3 1/2 years and 94,000 miles ago. Best thing we could have done.

Helen

ols1932 · 09-25-2008, 04:55 AM

We had traveled a lot while in the USAF, but after settling down to a day job back in Iowa and then retiring, we decided that it would be nice to be able to go see places that we only read about. Though we had seen a lot of places in 20+ years of active duty, we never got a chance to really examine them, to see exactly what was going on in these places. So, we decided that since the boys never came home with their families that we would travel and catch them all at home, eat at their tables, and then go "home" to our home on wheels. We have been able to see a lot more places in-depth since beginning our travels. When does it stop, only the All-Knowing One (God in Heaven) will be able to tell us.

Orv & Marge

itaves · 09-25-2008, 09:16 AM

While we are not yet fulltimers, we are well into the process of the transition, as soon as our house sells. We have both been campers for many years. In fact, DH spent over 15 years as a park ranger, managing a county campground in Central Wis. As we were talking about our retirement plans and dreams, we knew we wanted to travel and see as much of this country as we could, as long as our health held out. RV'ing was the natural choice for us.

In preparing for this move, I took an online course a couple of years ago for medical transcription. Since this industry has moved toward electronic ability, working from home (or wherever one had internet access), this seemed a good option for me for our retirement plans. I knew we both would need to and want to work after retiring from our fulltime jobs, but we want to work based on our schedules and still be able to travel. We are also planning to seek jobs through Workamper as we travel.

After working in management for over 35 years, I'm ready to let go of the 24-hour/day stress that goes with a management career and start enjoying what we've probably missed through the years! It's never too late! So, hopefully, by early 2009, we'll be "on the road!" (maybe even sooner!) We just purchased our first Monty in July, and absolutely love it! I know we'll be comfortable in this 3400RL as our full time pad!

exav8tr · 09-25-2008, 11:26 AM

I was already retired and Cathy wanted to quit work AND we wanted to leave the frozen tundra of Alaska. We decided in August of '06 we would buy an RV and start travelling. We bought the Montana (our first, and only, RV) in Sept of '06 but did not sell our stick home until April of '07. We picked up our Montana from the dealer in May of '07 and started our adventure. Our goal is to see as much of America as possible while looking for a place to finally settle down. Actually, my goal is to never wear long pants again. There, I said it!!!!!

So far, we wouldn't change a thing.....We love it.....

gkbutler · 09-30-2008, 07:23 AM

For us it was a decision we made after the death of a friend. We had camped for years and had discussed the possibility of going full time after we retired. I had just come back from Iraq in 2005 when we got a call from the CG we spent the summer saying that one of our friends Chris, had died over the weekend. She was 44. During the summer months, we would all sit around the campfire drinking beer and fantasizing about our retirement years. She and her husband wanted to become full timers like us and travel the USA, staying as camphosts on the way. She never got to do that.

After the memorial service, we talked about it and decided that we only go round once and should go ahead and take th plunge while we still had our health. Being in our early 50's we still had to work, so our travels would be down to Fl for the winter, and Northern Illinois for the summer. We bought the truck in March 05; the Montana arrived on 4th of July weekend. The house went up for sale that week and sold in late September. We started this lifestyle in October. It's now been almost three years, and we still feel like we are on vacation.

We wouldn't trade this lifestyle for anything.

CanDo · 10-02-2008, 05:03 AM

I grew up camping all over the country, wherever my Navy dad was stationed, and loved it. When Dave and I got married over 30 years ago, I introduced him to tent camping and he loved it, too. We graduated to a pop-up and, when the kids were gone, we moved up to a 25-foot travel trailer. Man, thought we'd hit the big time! And THEN we saw a 2004 Monty 3670 and it was all over but signing the contract. We loved that rig and used it for a couple of years. Dave retired from teaching in Jan 07 (had retired from US Navy in 1991), and I retired from 32 years federal govt service in May 07. We had bought our 2007 Monty 3400 in March; we hit the road after I retired. The decision wasn't really difficult as we already knew we wanted/needed a smaller home. No need for a huge 4-bedroom house with the kids gone. We both agreed that there was so much to see and do in this great country of ours, and the best way to do it was in the Monty. The reason we changed from the 3670 to the 3400 was mostly kitchen storage and counter space. I love to cook. While this lifestyle certainly isn't for everyone, it's been a wonderful choice for us. We figure we'll have a SMALL stick house again someday, don't know where yet, but there's too much USA left to see. As long as our health holds out, we see this as a long-term lifestyle.

ChuckandKathy · 10-20-2008, 01:40 PM

Chuck and I just picked up our 34rlq on Sat and had our maiden voyage to the local KOA park. We love our new fifth wheel and we want to full time as soon as we can. I work as a manager for a bank and I am going to retire in Dec. Thirty three years in one profession is more than enough. Chuck is retired from Retail Clerks, but has to wait 3 more years to get retirement. We are trying to figure out if we can go fulltime and work as we travel.
Any suggestions from anyone? Can anyone shed any light on approx. how much income one needs when full timing?

wild willy · 10-20-2008, 02:35 PM

We went to our financial adviser and he had us fill out a dream book. After studying it and our finances he said he didn't see why we couldn't live out our dream of retiring and seeing all the lower 48. It didn't take long to give our employers notice, buy the 3400RL and hit the road! We love it! Are now in Texarkana headed for Fort Worth and then on to New Mexico then on down the Rio Grand then...........?

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