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03-22-2007, 11:24 AM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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Fulltimers?????
We are full timers at least by FCRV's definition Their requirement is that you must be on the road at least 7 months per year.Wintering, weekend camping, Rallies, vacations.. so we joined the fulltimers chapter of the FCRV organization. Attended the fulltimers seminar then the meeting. Out of maybe 80 or so members present at least half of them had a stick house somewhere.It appears that with the MOC full timing means you have no stick house. As one of them pointed out there are many folks that have no stick house and live in the camper full time but maybe only get "on the road" twice a year..North for the summer and south for the winter. Everyone has their definition mine was that you have no stick house and you are 'On the road" doing maybe 20/30K miles a year...and dozens of campgrounds...Well..at least we are FCRV full timers..
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03-22-2007, 12:07 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lake George
Posts: 1,078
M.O.C. #3847
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Okay...Not sure of what FCRV stands for and what is this organization is about? Sounds like a smart idea to join. When it comes right down to it, you are right when you say everyone has their own definition. Long timers do live in their RV even if only part of the year. So, how about telling us more about this organization and is there a website.
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03-22-2007, 01:24 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 710
M.O.C. #6958
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FCRV - stands for Family Campers and RVers. here is the website http://www.fcrv.org/
We belong here in Virginia and it is a good organization.
__________________
Bill and Lisa Rearick
2023 Grand Design Reflection 367BHS
2020 GMC SIERRA 2500 Denali, 8 ft bed, SRW, Duramax Diesel w/10 speed Alison Transmission.
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03-22-2007, 02:00 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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www.FCRV.org ( Family Campers and Rv'ers) Is is a international organization USA/Canada. They have rallies all over the USA and Canada. We are now in Mobile, Al at a FCRV retiree rally, that is a group within the FCRV who are retired, The FCRV Fulltimers are of course a group of folks who are, by definition, full timers. This years international campvention is in Pueblo, Co. The retirees have 1 rally a year, the full timers have 2 per year. There are also local, state and regional rallies. It is a great camping organization all ages, , any kind of camper. There are maybe 400 units here. Several MOC'ers are FCRV members.Check it out..MOC rallies, FCRV rallies..it will keep you on the road with great friends.
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03-23-2007, 03:50 AM
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#5
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nashville
Posts: 290
M.O.C. #2535
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My personal definition, before I bought my 5er, was to live in the unit 12 months a year, AND travel frequently (monthly or more)equalled being a full timer.
I travel 6 months and work in one location 6 months. I found under my personal definition I was feeling a little as if I was "cheating" to call myself a full timer.
Gee, since I truly live in it full time, what else am I? As to snowbirds and others who don't travel often, how can they be any less a full timer than I?
Long timer? 7 month full timer? What's the diference if you kept your stick house? We are all "trailerites" as defined in Lucille Ball's movie THE LONG, LONG TRAILER.
I suppose we on this forum are Montanans also, at least in one sense.
Labels divide. Groups unite. I think I am just ...not an RVer, no motor in the trailer. Not a camper at least to my backpacking buddies. I guess I will stick with fulltimer a my self-imposed label.
At least in the campground I am not defined by my occupation.
BTW I don't know what boondocking is either, but I know I don't do it. I prefer hook ups. Just personal choice
Happy trailering,
gene
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03-23-2007, 05:01 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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What's in a name or any kind of title? You are what you are!
Orv
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03-23-2007, 05:13 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Casa Grande
Posts: 5,369
M.O.C. #6333
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Isn't that Popeyes line, Orv? I am what I am and that's all that I am, I'm Popeye the sailor man!!!!!!!
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03-23-2007, 12:31 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by pparamore
Isn't that Popeyes line, Orv? I am what I am and that's all that I am, I'm Popeye the sailor man!!!!!!!
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No, just my way of saying "What's the difference what you call yourself?" We full time, don't have a stick house, everything we own we have with us. But I don't care whether or not I'm referred to a full timer, long timer, good timer, or what have you. I use the term full time when replying to someone's post when they ask if something that has happened to their rig is normal. Then I usually tell what our experiences have been during the number of years we have lived in our rig--full time.
Orv
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03-23-2007, 12:51 PM
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#9
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Sioux Falls (full-time)
Posts: 343
M.O.C. #5293
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I think Full-timing in a RV is a type of "lifestyle", and there are so many different catagories. There are people who live in their RV with a family including kids, or those that are single or those that are married, or those that boondock or snowbird etc...all certainly have a different type of lifestyle. Not all full-timers, long-timers or whatever they may be called live the same lifestyle as some are constantly on the move and others are more stationary. Some work some don't, some are retired and some aren't. No different than Retirement Living in a retirement community, apartment living, condo living, etc....we all chose to live our lives the way we want so that we will be happy and content, and the choices are all so different, which I see very interesting, and I'm happy that we all are not the same and have the same interest, which makes RVing so wonderful. Rving has many choices and is wherever your imagination can take you. my 1 cents
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03-23-2007, 04:56 PM
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#10
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Loganville
Posts: 476
M.O.C. #5314
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Well said SKOOBDO, I do what I do because I want to, not for a title. What does it matter if you travel 6 months or fulltime. I live in an RV to travel with the least amount of baggage to clutter my life and accomplish with less confusion of maintaining a house.
If you need a title, so be it.
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03-24-2007, 07:17 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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Well I am glad that we hashed the "full timnr" thing out.It seemed to me that on this forum the general feeling was that a Full timer was a person that had no stick house.I do not hear that general feeling here.We have been in this 3400 since Dec 12th.. By the end of 07 we will be in it 7 months maybe more..When we are in this 3400 we are in it full time, everyday. We happen to like to have a stick home to camp out at times.
On this trip we have learned that the majority of folks who call themselves full timers have a stick house somewhere. That a large number of folks who do full time and have no stick house do so to follow the work (tradesmen) or vendors such as the many who are here at the FCRV campvention.We met a group of full timers who followed renascence festivals around the country.Full timers who worked for Rv resorts companies.
The number of no stick house folks who just travel around the country for the fun or adventure of it, no jobs, etc..have been in the minority.
Oh well..so what.Definition will not change what we do and being a FCRV full timer will give us another campout we can attend like this retiree rally.
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03-24-2007, 08:02 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by richfaa
The number of no stick house folks who just travel around the country for the fun or adventure of it, no jobs, etc..have been in the minority.
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Count us in as part of the minority then. However, we moved into our Montana, not merely to travel and see places we've never been, but also because our living costs are about 3/5 of what they were when we had a stick house and didn't have many friends. Now we have friends wherever we go.
Orv
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03-24-2007, 08:13 AM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Casa Grande
Posts: 5,369
M.O.C. #6333
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Rich, One of the reasons I like the differentiation between "Long Timers and Full Timers" is that, I believe that fulltimers can relate easier to each other from the standpoint as having no "stick House". There seems to be alot of "Transitional emotions" that fulltimers have when just starting out. It is not easy parting with "things" that one has accrued over the past 30-40 years. As the saying goes "Parting is such sweet sorrow". I'm not talking about big toys or expensive collections, as I have none of these, just 38 years of marital "stuff". I think it helps to have others that can identify with this situation, you know people that have been there, done that. As another saying goes, "there is strength in numbers" I think applies here somewhat in that the more people in your group the easier it is to deal with these issues.
The bottom line though, IMHO is that campers are campers, and in the end, that is all that matters. OH and the fact that we all enjoy the great outdoors!!!!!
SO: Long timers, Full timers, Short timers, Ween enders, whatever your situation: CAMP ON DUDES!!!!!!!!!(That's the camper version of Bill & Teds Excellent Adventure)!!!!!!!!!!!That's my story and I'm sticking to it............
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03-24-2007, 08:46 AM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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We also prefer the long timer full timer differentation..Think Skoobodo described it well. We have called ourselves long timers from day one . We have read many reports from full timers on the difference in full timing and stick house expenses, real estate values, cost of living areas ,taxes, personal financial condition are soooo different that the reports were of little value. It indicated how someone else did it but your circumstances are different.Where Orvs full timing expenses are 3/5 of what they were is a perfect justification to be full timing. However our difference would be negligible.Might even cost us more.(we have never crunched the numbers to the dollar). we are not looking forward to going home..we could do this full timing thing..who knows..
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03-24-2007, 05:34 PM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Morgan City
Posts: 642
M.O.C. #2773
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Orv, I think you hit it on the head. Full time, longtime, part time, we are all good timers. I personally use mine for work but you know, when I was in Iraq for 21 months the wife used it every week. we still have our stick house and probably always will but the Monty has been in full service for four years. We look forward to many more. It's a great life
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03-25-2007, 12:09 PM
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#16
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Loganville
Posts: 476
M.O.C. #5314
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What are we really trying to establish with this topic?
I feel if you are not living fulltime in an RV and don't have the choice of establishing your state of residence in the state of your choice, how can you call yourself a fulltimer.
It really does not matter about the title, I don't even have a T-shirt.
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03-25-2007, 02:41 PM
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#17
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: morgans point
Posts: 403
M.O.C. #6292
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We sort of feel like good timers. Just wrapping up 3 and 1/2 months of visiting
Gulf Shores, off to the stick house on the lake for one month, take the boat out for some fine bass fishing, and then off to Arizona and Montana for 4 months, then home to stick house for 2 months then back to Gulf Shores from Dec 07 - Apr 08. DW wants to sell the stick house (and can you believe my boat) and live in the Tana. We have enjoyed our winter in Gulf Shores and have made so many great rv friends during the visit, we hate to go home. I have a feeling the stick house will be no more come May or June of 08. Just can't beat being GOOD TIMERS regardless if you are fulltimers or longtimers...
bob
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03-26-2007, 04:44 AM
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#18
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Sunnyskies
Posts: 145
M.O.C. #5656
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Using a time limit for fulltiming, such as seven months, is akin to using a weekend. If you consider a fulltimer one who lives in a rec veh fulltime, then that would apply to anyone living in an rv for any length of time it would appear to me. A weekender lives in his fulltime, abeit only for 2 days.
Fulltimer is one who accepts the fulltime lifestyle. Dwellings are houses, mobile homes, rec veh, , apartments, condos, caves, ie; any structure that is permament and used as a home.
If you take that to the fulltimer example, then a person who lives exclusively in an rv is not necessarily a fulltimer, but a person who lives in a sub standard dwelling.
I take the view that if you live in a rec veh and use it fulltime for the intended use of it manufacture (recreation) , then you have become a fulltimer. If you take an rv and use it for a dwelling, then you are in my view, a person who dwells in an rv as a dwelling. People who live in rvs and never move or perhaps once a year, are dwellers simply living in an rv. People who dwell fulltime in an rv and use it for its INTENDED use, are in my view fulltimers.
Then you could get in a time span disuussion about how long one must do so to be called a fulltimer.
Simply stated, to me, fulltimers are people who live in a rv fulltime and use it fulltime for its intended use with the intent to accept the fulltime lifestyle with no intention of the rv ever becoming a dwelling rather than a rec veh. When we get off the road , we may indeed live or dwell in our rv in a fixed location and then I would not classify ourselves as fulltimers, but as dwelling in a sub standard dwelling.
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03-26-2007, 05:13 AM
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#19
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by FulltimeFollies
If you take that to the fulltimer example, then a person who lives exclusively in an rv is not necessarily a fulltimer, but a person who lives in a sub standard dwelling.
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I can see where this thread is going to have to be closed because it is going to get argumentative. I don't look at my lifestyle as one who lives in a substandard dwelling, and none of my friends do either. The Montana is not "substandard" in any stretch of the imagination. Like Glenn always says, "I'm telling it like it is."
Orv
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03-26-2007, 05:38 AM
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#20
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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Our Montana is certainly not "substandard housing." I had to shake my head about that one.
To me, a fulltimer is anyone who lives year round in their RV, regardless whether they are moving around or sitting in one place. We are traveling fulltimers. To me, there are fulltimers, long timers, part timers, and weekenders/vacationers. Each chose that route for reasons legitimate to them. The key point is they are rv'ing and enjoying it.
As for being a minority, I guess we are if you compare our numbers to the numbers who live in stick homes. But, then, the ultra wealthy are also a minority. I feel very fortunate to be in the rv'ing minority.
A couple of years ago one of the rv magazines (trailer life or highways???) said there are over 2 million fulltimers. I have no clue who they include as a fulltimer nor whether that's 2 million people or 2 million rv's. It probably includes snowbirds, which I read somewhere are those who rv for the winter and then return to a stick home. I don't even know if that's an accurate description.
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