24/7 Chat About Anything

[Cammalu]

Out in the wild? Where ya headed?

 

[user 30781]

Out in the wild?  Where ya headed?

Today I'm headed for the Olympic Peninsula, Ocean Shores. I'm going to go out Damon Point looking for carnelians this has been on my bucket list for a while. Tomorrow depending on how rainy it is I'm going to do some hiking further up the peninsula.

 

[user 30781]

One lesson I've learned already is you set something down in the wrong place and it's lost for hours.

 

[maki2]

When younger I had a near photographic memory of where I put things down. Developped early no doubt becase I was extremely nearsighted but no one realized that so I did not get glasses until I was in 7th grade.

But after I had Lasik on my eyes as well as getting older I no longer have that incredibly usefull talent. Now I spend hours of my time looking for things. Looking forward to finishing my build so that I have considerably far fewer things to find and look through. The only hope is to become ever more of a minimalist.

 

[maki2]

OK photo beggars here is my current camp before I became completely unhitched.....from the trailer.  Not sharing full set of interior photos until the work is done which could of course mean you will most likely have to wait for a decade or more.


The trailer is 50 years old, Trailswest "Campster". Not many of them were produced and even fewer still on the road. It was made in Albany, Oregon from 1969 to 1971. Bought it in a very poor condition, total gut job plus repairs to the shell and a new frame, axle,, electrical. Labor of love over several years with many hours and dollars to get it road worthy and liveable. Weight out of the factory was just under 900lbs. It can be towed with my 4 cylinder vehicle which is why I took the effort to do the work it needed.

 

[Cammalu]

Cutest camper ever

 

[user 30781]

It is absolutely the cutest camper and rig ever!!


I just had fantastic fish and chips at Bennett's Fish Shack in Ocean Shores and now I'm going to take a nap.

 

[Gypsy108]

Classy  :heart:

 

[maki2]

Gypsy108, older rigs can work just fine for full time living if you give them some tender loving care. Quite a few people including couples are doing full time road adventures in these little Honda Elements. A bigger sized SUV is even easier.

If you feel too crowded add a little cargo trailer to your life.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

Chat about anything - so long as the moderators/admin haven't already ruled it off topic, like politics. [Check with the forum rules when in doubt about what can be posted here.]

The intention here is to stay in touch with other vandwellers in a friendly manner. I'm not asking for debate issues.

Hi all, one thing I think about if I were to go full-timing is finding food, LOL!!  I mean, here, even in my small town, we have some pretty good markets including Farmers Markets.  I am a Type 2 Diabetic so I have to be sure I find all the foods I'm used to eating to keep my blood sugar within the good range.  I think I'd do best in campgrounds within maybe 20 miles of a town with those resources.  When I think of boondocking, I don't even know how I would get internet service, and for my cell-phone.

I just want to chitchat about how I feel I guess, I so want to live that dream I've had for years, but there are things that are scarey too.  I see these RVs that just have it all but that's not my budget.  I'll be using my little Mazda B3000 Pickup for camping this Summer, and I have a tent as well, but this year I plan on putting a bed in the back by June, and maybe some shelves.  I'd also (as a full-timer) want to be a snowbird, and since my truck is a 94 (in excellent shape, but it's old and 177,000 miles on it now) I would not want to make a lot of trips to different places.  Well, I might want to but I'd rather just be happy to be "out there".  Quartzite is a bit familiar to me because I have my brother, and 2 couples that are living down there and the 2 couples bought permanent homes.  But the one couple and my brother just stayed in their RVs for a time and just loved it.  They would come back to Oregon in the Summers.  My brother now just stays in Eugene OR.

Well, you said talk about anything, but I'll leave some things out, and you all breathed a collective sigh of relief

 

[Ravella and X]

177k miles. Hmm. My old Tahoe has 220 or 230k. And it is not in excellent shape. It was a bit neglected and abused before I got it. So I get important stuff fixed as long as it doesn't cost more than the thing is worth. And I have a roadside assistance policy. Hopefully, when it is time to give it up, I will have enough saved to pay cash for its replacement. Well, I do, but I'm saving for something a little newer. Meanwhile, it takes me everywhere I want to go.

Our brains work against us sometimes. Nothing is completely safe or sure. And life is short. I try to remember to balance those two ideas to live this lifestyle -- which is the only lifestyle I want. I have fears. Facing them is hard and conquering them is exhilarating!

 

[G0ldengirl68]

OK photo beggars here is my current camp before I became completely unhitched.....from the trailer.  Not sharing full set of interior photos until the work is done which could of course mean you will most likely have to wait for a decade or more.


The trailer is 50 years old, Trailswest "Campster". Not many of them were produced and even fewer still on the road. It was made in Albany, Oregon from 1969 to 1971. Bought it in a very poor condition, total gut job plus repairs to the shell and a new frame, axle,, electrical. Labor of love over several years with many hours and dollars to get it road worthy and liveable. Weight out of the factory was just under 900lbs. It can be towed with my 4 cylinder vehicle which is why I took the effort to do the work it needed.

It really is wonderful!  Now that is something to be proud of, I just love it!

 

[G0ldengirl68]

177k miles. Hmm. My old Tahoe has 220 or 230k. And it is not in excellent shape. It was a bit neglected and abused before I got it. So I get important stuff fixed as long as it doesn't cost more than the thing is worth. And I have a roadside assistance policy. Hopefully, when it is time to give it up, I will have enough saved to pay cash for its replacement. Well, I do, but I'm saving for something a little newer. Meanwhile, it takes me everywhere I want to go.

Our brains work against us sometimes. Nothing is completely safe or sure. And life is short. I try to remember to balance those two ideas to live this lifestyle -- which is the only lifestyle I want. I have fears. Facing them is hard and conquering them is exhilarating!

You are so right and I already feel better knowing that someone else out there has an older rig and, how you look at life   I feel like I will just fade away like some folks living here.  It's like they are giving up and I've so learned that I am not willing to end up like that.  Wonderful to meet you Ravella and X   I do the same, get things fixed as long as they don't cost more than the the truck is worth.  It's worth a lot to me and I think it will go many more miles as well.  I just saw the red rig Maki has, with the darling trailer behind it.  What a dream to have something similar.  Maybe I will save enough to get a trailer for my truck.  I already have a hitch!!

 

[maki2]

Goldengirl, it is easy in much of WA, OR, AZ, NV to find free camping spots within 2 to 10 miles of a town. Do not worry about that, it is 100% possible. It is also not that difficult to find cell phone signals that close to towns even without using a signal. There were a few places I had to head towards town to get a better signal. That just meant doing my internet activities or phone calls when I went to town to run errands. I do have a GPS devise just in case for driving directions if I cant get a cell signal but. In 9 months on the road it has never been required, my phone apps have always gotten me to where I was headed.

Dont worry so much, you will quickly adapt. Bloopers will happen but those are good teachers and part of the adventures.

 

[Ravella and X]

Maki's rig is adorable. She has made it into a great little home -- I know because I saw it at Quartzsite this winter.

Having an older, high mileage vehicle isn't so uncommon. We arent the only ones =)

Before you start looking at trailers, learn about your specific vehicle's tow rating and try to stay well within that - remembering that you will be adding weight with the stuff of daily life. Plenty of folks will tell you that it "can" tow more. Can and should are distinctly different though!

 

[Cammalu]

Maki's rig is adorable. She has made it into a great little home -- I know because I saw it at Quartzsite this winter.

Your rig is pretty cute too Rav. Why not a pic?

It isn’t RED like Maki’s though [emoji16]

 

[Ravella and X]

It may not be red, but this 22 year old egg shines like nobody's business!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WxTExUtwCjBoyViX9

 

[G0ldengirl68]

Maki's rig is adorable. She has made it into a great little home -- I know because I saw it at Quartzsite this winter.

Having an older, high mileage vehicle isn't so uncommon. We arent the only ones =)

Before you start looking at trailers, learn about your specific vehicle's tow rating and try to stay well within that - remembering that you will be adding weight with the stuff of daily life. Plenty of folks will tell you that it "can" tow more. Can and should are distinctly different though!

Thank you for the info Ravella, as I used my kitchen here, or any room in the apartment it's always at the front of my mind, what I can discard, what I can't live without   It won't be easy if it comes down to me going FT, but what a "load off", literally!

I'm so glad I never saved things year after year, and bought cheap, used items like tables, dresser, any furniture I have is second hand.  Before I moved in here almost 6 years ago, I only had what I could load in my truck because I knew I was going to be moving on.  This is the longest I've ever lived anywhere in my whole life, I mean in one house/apt.  I've almost felt stagnant living here this long, can't let go of wanting to go.  I don't have to hold a steady 9-5 any longer, but I don't want to maybe put one of, of some of my hobbies to good use and make that extra that would make me feel much more secure on the FT'ing.

I'm going to write my brother today and see where he stayed when he went to AZ.  I thought it was Quartzite but remembered he said somewhere near Phoenix, outskirts, and then spent the rest of the time near Yuma.  Then I'll see if either of those are popular with CRL.  My highschool friends definitely live in or near Quartzite.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

It may not be red, but this 22 year old egg shines like nobody's business!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WxTExUtwCjBoyViX9

Oh I LOVE your rig!!  Something like that would be wonderful for me too!  I've lived in mostly small spaces.  I was a caretaker (property) for 3 years in Oregon, and got to rent a small 5th wheel.  I loved it but I was also hooked up to sewer line, electricity. I rented another Travel Trailer on the coast in Charleston Oregon so I don't have any issues with living "small", especially with most of the time (good weather) being outdoors.  That's the biggest attraction for me.  Fresh air and sunshine.  Speak of, I'm super interested in learning more about solar energy for Full-timers

 

[maki2]

Quartzsite has some very low cost RV parks just under $200 per month. But electricity is never incliuded and sometimes there is a sewer and water fee as well. Still they are a good bargain. If you have solar for the majority of electric use it is doable on a modest income.

I spent the winter at La Posa South which is very close to town. There are also other LTVA sections even closer to town that are walking distance. The whole of the season from mid October through mid April cost $180. That includes garbage, water andd sewer dump. You can stay there in an SUV but must camp somewhat close to one of the vault toilet buildings. It is a great bargain pricewise and there is lots of community friendship available if you like that. But it is easiest to do if you setup for solar power. You can get cell signals there, stronger the closer you camp to town.