can't wait to join you!

[Char]

Hello,  My name is Charmaine.  I’ve been watching the Youtube videos and LOVE them!  I am living in the Upper Peninsula  of Michigan and HAVE to move. (for many reasons)
Perhaps life gave me the push that I needed.  I am 69 year old woman.  I can’t deal with 8 feet of snow!  I had to find an answer.  Van Life is it!  I am a Happy Camper from way back and have lived in a 27’ sailboat for 10 years.  I can do this!
I’ve been attempting to be gone before the snow arrives but I’ve had too many glitches.  I will just have to take it one foot in front of the other until I can get on the road. 
The videos and the people in this group have given me so much confidence.  Thank You

 

[GypsyJan]

Welcome to the forum, Char.

I am your age and plan to visit the UP (summers only, of course!) when I become a snowbird in a few more years. I will winter in Florida as I had my fill of snow during college in Rochester, NY. With which vehicle will you begin your adventure?

 

[nature lover]

Hello Char Welcome to the forum. I love the UPC except the mosquitoes. I hope things go well for you. I’ve been living in my rig since June 1 and been planning to be going south long before now. But I’m now staying in Pennsylvania till Thanksgiving day and then heading for Florida.I’m with you on that snow and ice thing I don’t even want to see him in my rearview mirror I want to be long gone. We will all be interested in following your story and seeing what regular choose and all of that. God bless the nomad each and every one.

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Charmaine! We're here to help so feel free to ask about anything!

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[Char]

Welcome to the forum, Char.

I am your age and plan to visit the UP (summers only, of course!) when I become a snowbird in a few more years. I will winter in Florida as I had my fill of snow during college in Rochester, NY. With which vehicle will you begin your adventure?

Thank You Gypsylan!
The UP is beautiful with much forest land. I have loved the fact that a trip to the store offers a woodland drive to soothe the soul. We have peek colors right now! As far as my vehicle-that’s a problem. By choice I’d get a Ram Pro Master to live in or a good size cargo van might even be better because the easy of repairs. My budget is a challenge but where there is a will there a way! When searching online the best are on the west coast-wouldn’t you know! I can’t find any cargo vans or good size anything here! The used vehicles up here are rust buckets. Only time will tell.

 

[becida]

Hello,  My name is Charmaine.  I’ve been watching the Youtube videos and LOVE them!  I am living in the Upper Peninsula  of Michigan and HAVE to move. (for many reasons)
Perhaps life gave me the push that I needed.  I am 69 year old woman.  I can’t deal with 8 feet of snow!  I had to find an answer.  Van Life is it!  

Get a van, get a cot & a mattress, get a porta potty, a camp chair, a small folding table, an LED head lamp, a single burner stove and and a pot to boil water in (gotta have morning coffee!). Maybe a small propane heater too...
Put Quartzsite in your GPS and aim for being there before Thanksgiving (41 days from now)....  leave the snow in the UP and make new friends in the desert.
A 100w sandwich solar kit & a 122ah house battery (with plastic case) will wait until later.
The van part doesn't have to be complicated... then again what's holding you back might be, I just wanted to point out the actually doing it part does not have to be complex.

 

[ckelly78z]

Start small in a van (cargo, or conversion) to get out of the great white North before the mercury, and snow starts dropping. Once you are temporarily established somewhere warm, you can upgrade your ride. November in the U.P. is no fun, so ~Tempus Fugit~ !

 

[Char]

Thank you all for being so encouraging!  I have moved many times on quick decisions.  It was not always smooth but in time things worked themselves out (the hard way!).
   I always had faith in our Source.  I always believed that the Universe will take care of us.    These times are perplexing.  Perhaps I am too stressed to feel my connectivity?  Yes I really NEED to be in peace and harmony once again!
  “My links seem to be broken.”  Every little thing is giving me another month delay!  Examples preparing ahead…passport (took three trips to town to get a picture taken), new bank account (banks up here are ONLY in the UP) and ( a month glitch to get checks-I needed a voided check to get my little retirement check direct depo), preparing to sell things for a van down payment, computer problems, camera problems (need pics to sell on FB-Best Buy is closing so I can’t get what I need), the vet for my dog (they finally opened to take dogs in from the parking lot-but it takes a month to get an appointment),  I need to see the eye Dr.  (Three months for an appointment) My new van will need time to register and get plates… Perhaps someone turned the devil loose?

 

[Char]

Get a van, get a cot & a mattress, get a porta potty, a camp chair, a small folding table, an LED head lamp, a single burner stove and and a pot to boil water in (gotta have morning coffee!). Maybe a small propane heater too...
Put Quartzsite in your GPS and aim for being there before Thanksgiving (41 days from now)....  leave the snow in the UP and make new friends in the desert.
A 100w sandwich solar kit & a 122ah house battery (with plastic case) will wait until later.
The van part doesn't have to be complicated... then again what's holding you back might be, I just wanted to point out the actually doing it part does not have to be complex.

Thanks Rob I needed that! My stress level is diminishing a bit-I can scratch a few things off my TO Do list! I am “dancing as fast as I can” I am a bit slow after heart surgery and COPD. I feel sure that getting out and getting back to life will keep me out of old age care facilities. I am looking at it in the way that you described-just get there!
I am renting a mobile home (on a monthly basis) on 1 ½ acre. It really is nice wooded property and cheap! The home is at the back of the property. That is one long drive way that I can’t afford to have plowed! Last year the snow covered 3/4 of the windows and a tunnel had to be shoveled to get in the door! This year I am left to deal with this on my own! The owner wants to sell. First he said two months then he said OK for the winter-BUT!
The van is perplexing. I have a few thousand pulled together and could get a cheap rust bucket mini or get a “mortgage” cargo vans would fit me and my 127 pound support dog and give me the space I need to keep my online (small) income. The cargo vans are not too much more than the mini when you look at “getting a mortgage”. Might be easy for you to say “The van part doesn't have to be complicated” LOL For this old lady it is!
It really does help make sense out of things to put these dilemmas in writing! Thanks again!

 

[Char]

RE: Gypsylan, I wish that the timing worked out better! I am on 1 1/2 acre and would have loved to have some company! Char

 

[Char]

RE:  Nature Lover

Hello Nature Lover!   Your post is delightful!  Yep, the bugs in the UP will keep you inside looking out at the beauty most of the summer.  The road trips are beautiful.  The “old age-nursing Home” is knocking on my door!  AND so much fun…when I left CA to come to the UP (about 6 years ago) I kept watching the rearview mirror to see CA fall into the ocean LOL  Right now I am driving a ’97 Cavalier- I feel  lucky when I get to the grocery store and back.  I will find something…

 

[bullfrog]

If you search cool works.com you may find an easy seasonal job with housing to allow you a chance to build up some more savings and get you out of the bad weather. Answering a phone sitting at a front desk, driving a shuttle, running a cash register even doing laundry which will keep you moving can be a good deal.

 

[GypsyJan]

RE: Gypsylan, I wish that the timing worked out better!  I am on 1 1/2 acre and would have loved to have some company!  Char

Thanks...I wish I were on the road already, too. For now I have to make do with road trips whenever possible. I hope all the stars line up for you and your to-do list magically gets done...soon!