anybody living in travel trailers with no truck to haul them?

[accrete]

20 years we've been on the North Coast of Oregon... ~80 inches or rain a year...You basically live in a poncho and rain boots! <br>We live full time in a 38ft DRV Mobile Suite. . . specifically designed for full time living. We don't mind the rain on the roof, though we are glad to have 3 3/4" walls and dual pane jalousie windows on all sides. <br><br>You will really need to keep up on maintenance. Re-caulk as needed each spring and clean off the mold/moss : )<br><br>We lived in Tualatin (south of portland proper) for 3 years. Hot and muggy in summer, wet in the winter. We actually prefer the coast as summers are milder (well, that would be our _summer_ = October <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>Oh, one more thing. We've lived in California, Nevada, and Oregon. Oregon is by far the most expensive state to live of the three. If you have a chance, live and work right across the river in Vancouver WA. You will get an instant 10 to12% cost of living increase if making the same wage because you will not be paying the HIGH and USELESS Oregon Personal Income Tax.<br><br>Cheers,<br>Thom

 

[Dazzlecat]

Hey Thom,<br>thanks for the all the info on Oregon. Living in one of those DRVs must be VERY nice. too bad I can't afford one, i'll have to make due with a used Laredo or Cougar and hope for the best. i will remember to do lots of chalking though.<br><br>I was wondering about Vancouver vs Portland, are they like Mpls/St.Paul, basically the same city cut in half by the river? is that what it's like for those two cities? i've been trying to figure out which is less expensive to live in but i get conflicting info online.&nbsp; <br><br>thanks

 

[pdxnate]

To Dazzlecat --<br><br>I've lived in Portland for 10 years (though not in a trailer) and absolutely love this city!&nbsp; And I'm really a country-boy at heart.&nbsp; It's just that this city offers so much for a city this size, and is in as pretty a setting as one could hope for.&nbsp; Our beautiful Willamette River is a kayaker's delight (a great way to find serenity and solitude right inside the city!), and surrounded by endless recreational potential, from the mountains, to the Columbia River Gorge, and to the beautiful Oregon Coast -- all within an hour or two of easy driving.&nbsp; Hiking, camping, road-tripping -- even a couple nude beaches -- all within a very easy driving radius of Portland.&nbsp; I've thought for a long time about buying a trailer to live in, as most courts charge barely more than I pay for renting one room from a friend, but don't want to buy a truck.&nbsp; So I have been enjoying people's posts here about hiring a mover from time to time.&nbsp; I think that would be cheaper than the fuel and upkeep on a big enough truck to haul the trailer throughout the year, even if you don't need to move the trailer but once every year or two.&nbsp; I have a Chrysler Town &amp; Country minivan, but would never use it for towing anything.&nbsp; I learned the hard way that Chrysler's front-drive transaxle is a bit "tender" about hauling stuff.&nbsp; I wasn't hauling anything, when it crapped out at 118,000 miles.&nbsp; Found a great transmission shop to install a rebuilt one (which he rebuilt himself, with heavier-duty parts, rather than buy a factory-rebuilt one), and I'm learning to trust it again, but wouldn't even try to pull a lawnmower, let alone a travel trailer, with it!&nbsp; So with the thought of hiring someone to tow it, I'm considering a travel trailer sometime in the near future as a home to live in.<br><br>Don't worry too much about Portland's rain.&nbsp; We really don't get ALL THAT MUCH.&nbsp; There's usually a "hot" spell in summer, but it comes during our dry season, and the humidity is low.&nbsp; Winters can be gray and damp, but not too depressing!&nbsp; I think we get around 40" of rain per year, much less than on the coast.&nbsp; And just 100 miles up the Columbia is the dry desert country of Eastern Oregon and Washington, where it's much dryer and has its own beauty.&nbsp; We rarely get snow -- happens now and then and lasts only a couple days on the ground, usually.&nbsp; But because snow is a rare visitor, the city isn't equipped for it, and streets don't get plowed and the whole city grinds to a halt.&nbsp; Our snow is wet, and therefore very slippery when compacted by traffic, freezing at night, so people just stay home as much as possible till it goes away -- which usually is within a couple days.&nbsp; If you really NEED some snow, Mount Hood is only about 75 miles away, offering endless winter recreation.&nbsp; I hope you do get to Oregon -- I'm sure you'll love it, once you settle in!<br><br>Nate<br><br><br><br>

 

[accrete]

<img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> What Nate said : )<br><br>Yes sort of on the River spliting the cities. And a short drive over a bridge and you have all the culture that Portland offers as Nate shared. Both are nice IMO.<br><br>. . .With Washington having no personal income tax as an advantage. Then when you want to take advantage of Oregon's no Sales Tax on big purchases or non-food-taxed items just take the 15 minute hop over either the i5 or i205 bridges and enjoy no-sales-tax. Washington domicile gives you best of both worlds. I have friends that work/live in both Vancouver and Portland working for costco (as i do). They are making the same wage, yet those in Vancouver have a higher take home and more expendable income.<br><br>On our DRV...we shopped used and paid only pennies on the dollar : ) and saw our floorplan/unit new at the Portland RV show this year for ~$125K !!

 

[Dazzlecat]

Nate and Thom,<br>You guys are just making me even MORE EXCITED about moving to Portland/Vancouver. I will start looking at Vancouver. <br><br>Thom, I hear Costco is an awesome place to work. Is that true? I've been a member for years and love that store. Would like to work somewhere they treat the employees well. I am interested in Trader Joe's too. <br><br>Nate, I plan on buying my RV and having them tow it to whatever RV park I settle on, and leaving it there for YEARS. I also do not think it's necessary, nor do I want, to have a towing vehicle since I don't want to travel in my RV but live in it and pay really low rent. It seems about 1/2 the amount of renting an apartment. I own a house now and I am SICK of it. I want a different kind of life. I paid over $200 last year to rent a dumpster to clean out my basement and garage, is that sickening or what. In houses we tend to just collect so much junk and then we have to PAY to throw it away. I want out of this insane lifestyle. And I need to start saving for retirement, something that this sticknbrick house will never let me do - taxes keep going up, things keep breaking down, and all that interest to the bank, what a rip off. <br><br>Sorry for the rant - a big snow storm is heading our way and I just want OUT of this hell hole of winter. Rain and 40 degree weather sounds wonderful to me!!! I think it's pretty funny that everyone I tell here that I'm moving to Portland warns me about the rain. Meanwhile outside it's ZERO degrees and 8 inches deep in dirty, icy snow. Like the rain is so much worse then this crap. I can't believe I've put up with it for as long as I have. I'm getting out, this is my last freezing winter in mn - just 2 more months to go and it will be spring. And then 7 more months and I'll be in Portland/Vancover. I can't wait!

 

[accrete]

: ) On Costco...<br>I'm a career retail guy. Been in retail since college in 1976, did a short stint outside of retail and longed for the action so went back at it. I've been with Costco for 20 years and it was the right choice for me. My wife has been with them for 13 and would say the same. With my benefit/pay i easily make what most firemen/cops/mailmen/teachers and have nowhere near the stress, yet a nice level of personal satisfaction with my particular responsibilities (Health/Wellness/Safety + Back up HR/Payroll for a crew of 160 souls).<br><br>Best wishes,<br>Thom

 

[pdxnate]

To Dazzlecat and Thom --<br><br>I've also lived and worked in Vancouver, Washington, and have always like that town.&nbsp; It has been a part of my life, from time to time, since I was in high school.&nbsp; As Thom said, it's very convenient to Portland (just avoid the rush hour on I-5!).&nbsp; However, another thing I'd avoid in Vancouver is referring to it as a suburb or "bedroom community" to Portland.&nbsp; Vancouverites tend not to like it, even if it's true!&nbsp; Much of its economy is relative to its closeness to Portland, it's just a fact of life.&nbsp; Living there, I even felt like a misplaced Portlander, because all our TV came from Portland, so we knew more about what went on in Salem and Portland than what happened in Olympia or Seattle.&nbsp; Washington sales tax is very high, so shopping in Oregon is a natural.&nbsp; However, if you cross the border to work, you do have to pay Oregon income tax, no matter which state you actually live in.&nbsp; I did that for years, living in SW Washington and crossing over to Astoria, Oregon to work.&nbsp; Some years later, I found myself working in Vancouver and living in Portland.&nbsp; Same thing on the tax situation, of course.&nbsp; But there are jobs in Washington, and Vancouver area does have a Costco.&nbsp; All I hear about working for Costco has been good.&nbsp; I worked for a big hotel chain and in some ways that sucked, with lousy pay, lousy hours.&nbsp; I do hear Costco treats its employees well, and I enjoy shopping there.&nbsp; Both towns offer most of the same advantages, and if you enjoy the outdoors, Clark County (Washington) is very beautiful once you get out of town.&nbsp; The general area is just great to live in, and people are friendly and easy to strike up conversations with, almost anywhere you are.&nbsp; Very informal in general, and people are very accepting and easy-going.&nbsp; Going out to dinner in Portland may be a problem -- every kind of ethnic food you can think of and so many places to eat that the problem is always deciding where to go.&nbsp; I've found few bad restaurants, in any price range.&nbsp; Portland has become a mecca for food carts, too, so whole lots are filled with a variety of food carts, and many are excellent.&nbsp; I'm just a retired guy living in Portland, so I'm not trying to sell you on anything, but Portland tends to sell itself, and does so very well.&nbsp; That's why I'm still here!&nbsp; Vancouver also has some excellent eateries, too, but dining out in Portland has lots of wonderful choices.<br><br>Best wishes for a happy relocation!<br><br>Nate<br><br><br>

 

[Cubey]

You can also rent Uhaul cargo vans for about $20/a day. They are V8 Ford Econolines... 1 ton maybe?<br><br>And yes, I lived in my 67 shasta in an RV park for 6 months in 2008 without a vehicle that could tow it. I had a friend with a truck move it for me.

 

[offroad]

when moving locations just be aware that trading cold for humidity is not for everyone with breathing difficulties. mold tends to grow everywhere and makes for an unhealthy lifestyle for some who can not fight it well. &nbsp;

 

[accrete]

...and Cold PLUS Humidity (typical Oregon winters) SUCKS!!!<br>That is why Oregon is a Snow Bird destination during the Summer and they beat feet out of here by the end of October. Most elderly peeps are chilled to the bone and any arthritis or burcitis can really be a bother (i know as my long time friends with such out here say the winters are quite harsh as they have aged.)

 

[ScraigS]

I had a 10,000 lb 40' park model moved ~90 miles using www.uship.com. &nbsp;The mover was insured and the total bill was $160. &nbsp;Just put in your parameters and multiple movers will bid to move your camper. &nbsp;