We Love Full Timing - Montana Owners Club

Montana_3658 · 04-27-2005, 02:01 PM

We have a 2003 3655FL and we have been full timing since April 2004. We are very comfortable in our Montana, and we do not miss having a stick home at all. When we are on the move we limit our daily driving to about 250 miles, staying at least two nights before moving on. Once we get to our destination, if we like the park we stay for a couple of weeks or a month. This gives us a good savings over the daily rates. Since we used to live in Southern California, you can believe me when I say our cost of living has gone down considerably since we went on the road.

fulltimedreamer · 04-27-2005, 04:37 PM

klschaffer,
I noted that this is your first post. Welcome to the MOC. There are lots of nice folks who will be along to welcome you as well. We'd love to hear about your fulltime experiences. We hope to join you in the fulltime lifestyle one day. Please feel free to join in any of the discussions.

sreigle · 04-27-2005, 04:38 PM

Congratulations, klschaffer, on reaching the one year milestone for your fulltiming. Like you, we are really enjoying our fulltiming. Our daily limit on mileage is normally very similar to yours with only an occasional exception if there's a really good reason. We also agree on the monthly and weekly rate savings. We also use Passport America, Escapees, and Good Sam for further savings, especially on those overnight daily rates. Hope things continue to go well for you and maybe we'll see you on the road one of these days.

Where are you now? And where did you live in Southern California. Vicki grew up in Chula Vista, our kids were all born there, and we lived in CV, San Diego, Spring Valley, and Poway, before leaving the state.

jrgwdenner · 04-27-2005, 05:26 PM

What a lovely, positive first post, kl. Welcome to the forum. I noticed from your profile that you are in Pensacola. We just returned from Oak Grove campground on the Naval Air Station. The water is so beautiful there. Glad to hear that you're enjoying your fulltime lifestyle. Judy

RC and Samantha · 04-27-2005, 08:49 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by klschaffer

We have a 2003 3655FL and we have been full timing since April 2004. We are very comfortable in our Montana, and we do not miss having a stick home at all. When we are on the move we limit our daily driving to about 250 miles, staying at least two nights before moving on. Once we get to our destination, if we like the park we stay for a couple of weeks or a month. This gives us a good savings over the daily rates. Since we used to live in Southern California, you can believe me when I say our cost of living has gone down considerably since we went on the road.

Congratulations...you're living my dream. Can you see the green on my face?

LOL

Seriously, everyone I have met that is full timing loves it.

Your cost of living going down is fabulous and you get to explore new avenues and experience new adventures.

We'll be looking forward to reading your updates.

Patty

padredw · 04-28-2005, 02:43 AM

We note, also, that you show Pensacola as your location. We are usually there at this time of year at Ft. Pickens (In the National Seashore, across from the Naval Air Station on Santa Rosa Island), but our favorite campground was devastated by hurricane Ivan. Where are you staying in the Pensacola area? Have you been out to Santa Rosa Island? We may still wish to take a trip over there.

Sunshine · 04-28-2005, 05:09 AM

Welcome to the forum. While I don't think we will ever give up our stick home, I enjoy reading about the fulltimer lifestyle. Hope you continue to enjoy the experience - keep us updated.

RADHAZJOE · 04-28-2005, 07:26 AM

We Are about to become fulltimers. Congrats on a very enjoyable first year.

All the positive posts on this site have really inspired our confidence. Our stick home is on the market and, with its sale, we will be debt free, have income of over $55K per year, and a nice nest egg for rough spots that continues to grow. We will be using military, park systems, etc. a lot. Hope to meet many of you out there some where.

One of our biggest headaches has been getting company's to NOT SEND US STUFF. I have finally resorted to telling them we are joining the wirness protection program and changing identities so sending us anything will not get a response anyway. Some even think I am serious.

We tell all our friens we are Nomads. 20 years in Navy and 22 years working for Navy have aclimatized us to mobility. But we have been in the same house for last 18 years and it has been a hassle diveting of all out "possessions" You know, eventually if you let them your possession own you and not vice versa.

On to new adventures.

jrgwdenner · 04-28-2005, 07:52 AM

I've wondered if the military lifestyle helped prepare us for this RV lifestyle. I don't believe we are as tied down as some folks and I don't know if that is good or not. But it does seem to make it easier to uproot and move on. Certainly does open entire new opportunities and experiences. We've found that people in military campgrounds might be more ready to visit with one another, maybe because they feel they're in more secure surroundings. Any thoughts on this idea?

sreigle · 04-28-2005, 11:29 AM

Congratulations, Radhazjoe! We know what you are going through! After giving the kids whatever they wanted, selling to the neighbors what they wanted, having an auction company sell the rest, the remainder that we could not bear to part with went in the kids' basements. Turnabout is fun!

We started out on a vacation-style whirlwind sightseeing tour of things in this country we've always wanted to see. Then we slowed down and started really getting to know an area and found so many enjoyablt things to see and do that are not in any guidebooks. Things the locals tell you about. But I think the thing that keeps it from being difficult for us to move on is we select our next destination before we leave the old one. Usually that's an area we want to explore. Sometimes that's spending some time near our kids and grandkids, which we do in June and Nov/Dec each year. You'll find many different ideas of fulltiming in this forum and each works for its owner. You just have to find what works for you, then do it!

Have fun, it's a great lifestyle in our opinion. And we know that someday we'll decide we're done and we'll buy another stick home near the kids and transition perhaps to doing shorter trips, say a month or two at a time. That's our long range goal, anyhow. We've been fulltiming now for 25 months and we're thinking in five or six more years we'll be ready to start that transition. Maybe.

patodonn · 04-28-2005, 06:00 PM

Karen, et.al.:

We are following your exact same basic profile...S. Calif "refugees", '03 3655FL, 250 miles per day max (almost always), min stay of 2 nights at every enroute stop. We began a bit earlier, July of '03.

Right now we are likewise in Pensacola, at the Navy's Blue Angle Rec area. Went over to Oak Grove this AM to check it out, and it is also fine.

As both Joe and Judy mentioned, the military FAMCAMPS are a big help in expenses. If you can work it to miss the peak periods, it is even better and easier, since many FAMCAMPS don't take reservations.

We are enroute to Patrick AFB for the Shuttle Launch in May (hopefully). Tomorrow is a first...we are headed to Sopchoppy, FL to see the Sopchoppy Opry this Saturday. The "first" part is that we are staying at a city park there. $8.50/night, 30 amp hookups with water...dump site at the park entrance. Not listed anywhere I could find, but we have a friend in the area who found it for us. Will be very interesting, but that is the charm of the fulltime mode.

Hope to run into you all somewhere down the road, best to each of you,

Glenn and Lorraine · 04-29-2005, 01:50 AM

Welcome klschaffer to the MOC.

On April 18th we celebrated our 18th month as fulltimers in our 2955RL and for the most part have not looked back. It is a most enjoyable and interesting lifestyle. We try not to operate on a schedule and make as few reservations as possible. As working stiffs, we spent our days tied to the clock NO MORE. As fulltimers we come and go as we please. Maybe heading north today and east tomorrow and west the next day.

Lstierw · 05-01-2005, 03:00 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Glenn and Lorraine

Welcome klschaffer to the MOC.

On April 18th we celebrated our 18th month as fulltimers in our 2955RL and for the most part have not looked back. It is a most enjoyable and interesting lifestyle. We try not to operate on a schedule and make as few reservations as possible. As working stiffs, we spent our days tied to the clock NO MORE. As fulltimers we come and go as we please. Maybe heading north today and east tomorrow and west the next day.

Welcome Glenn and Lorraine. It is nice not to be tied to a clock anymore. We are still waiting to full time. Can't want to sell the house and get rid of the stuff..........Les and Sue

http://spaces.msn.com/members/fulltimes/

stiles watson · 05-05-2005, 09:32 AM

It is great to here such a positive report about fulltimming. When I told my brother about our decision about fulltiming, he said, "Be sure to try it out for a few months before selling your house in case you don't like it." That may have been good advice, but I have found that much success, going foward, comes when the back door doesn't exist. I call it the "Wagons West" mentality, a mentality we all admired in our adventurous ancestors. Continue the great adventure....

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