False Starts

[Satellite5812]

Reading the recounts of the RTR is adding extra on top of my feelings of failure on first attempts to launch. I was really hoping to have been on the road for a while by now, and to have been able to join all you lovely folks in AZ.

So far, I've not even made it out of my hometown. In fact, due to a series of unfortunate events, the van I intended to move into has been sitting broken down in a friend's driveway while I've been couch surfing and working gigs to save up the money for repairs. It's made for a rather dreary winter, but I'm not here to complain so much as to seek common stories amongst the camaraderie I've found on this site. Misery loves company. So, please tell me I'm not the only one who's suffered so many false starts when setting out? I'm looking for the rainbow at the end of the tunnel, and I'd love to hear some stories from those who've gone through the long, halting launch, then maybe soared into the stars?

 

[BradKW]

When things don't go along with what I want to happen, when I want them to happen, I try to step back and rearrange it into a narrative that I can feel more positive about. Stuck couch surfing during winter while saving for repairs? Thank goodness it happened where one has couches to surf and not halfway to nowhere. Perhaps the all-knowing aliens are looking out for you

 

[highdesertranger]

so what type of van and what's the problem? highdesertranger

 

[Yogidog]

You are for sure not alone!  I and many are in same spot. I couldn't even read on here, like u said about rtr

I started writing in captains log to keep myself accountable in getting out of here. The getting out is the hardest part, all the imaginary stuff in my head to deal with! Once out there, real problems to deal with, way easier.
Lots of help here, like highdesertranger asking what problem is with van
I have made a goal to learn alot more about vehicles, repairs ect, it is way cheaper if I narrow down what could be wrong, less chance of getting ripped off. Every time something goes wrong I am trying to learn about that aspect, currently on cooling systems I joined a forum for my make and model truck. I am getting a repair manual on eBay, ect. I read the mechanics threads on here. I just read a story from highdesertranger about how all of us can learn repairs if we read, go step by step.
I could go on about this getting out thing but written goals and objectives, budgets are helping. Wishing u well

 

[SoulRaven]

You're definitely not alone, hang in there!

My first start was in a vintage 2-door car I borrowed from my mechanic uncle when he went overseas. It promptly broke down and he refused to let me take it to a mechanic because none can be good as him. The alternator was going out and it had a bad oil leak, but the final blow was a braking issue that had the entire vehicle violently wobbling. I lived in the vehicle inside my parents' garage for several months before my friends pooled together a loan and I got my last van.

That one was a lemon, I maxed out all my money on repairs until that, too, was completely broken down. And the person attempting to repair it broke a bunch of other stuff on it...

Now I finally have this minivan that seems mechanically sound. It was over a year of false starts for me.

You can do it!

 

[Satellite5812]

Thank you so much for the words of encouragement, folks!

BradKW, I have absolutely been grateful that this is, at least, happening here, where I have a sturdy support network! Imagining this happening out on the road is part of why I've been a bit picky about who I have help with the repairs (the 4-star rated mechanic I took it to pre-purchase obviously missed a lot).

And DharmaGirl1, you're wise about learning to work on these things as they come up. I learned a lot about mechanical work with two of my previous vehicles. I'm proud to say that I did all the work on my Subaru wagon myself, just going from a detailed manual

Highdesertranger, it's a 1990 Ford Econoline, and unfortunately it's a shorter list of things that aren't wrong with it than things that are at this point. The last trusted friend I had take a look at it thinks it needs a complete engine replacement. I'm going to take it to another friend's uncle's home shop soon, which is decked out with a vehicle lift and compression testing equipment. We should have a better idea of what needs done, and hopefully the ability to do it, later this month. Fingers crossed!

 

[cyndi]

I've been full time, this time since 2011. I keep getting grounded. The last two times have been health issues. Being stuck in a house, in town, only serves to remind me how much happier I am on the road, in my van. Each day,n o make that each minute only makes me more determined to GTFO of here. I am not living, at the moment. I'm just taking up space. The 6 week count down to getting back in my van can start soon enough!

Keep on truckin!!!

 

[ascii_man]

Don't beat yourself up. This is hard, especially if you don't have tons of money. I am having trouble finding a vehicle myself, and your post and the replies are encouraging to me because I'm not being paranoid; used van purchases can go really wrong really fast. I'm sorry that your pre-purchase inspection was a dud. You'll just have to keep trying.

 

[rvpopeye]

False starts....
No such thing , just speed bumps......

There are LOTS of nice CGs that the rent is less than 300 a month , lots of BLM lands where you can park and not have to get up early , I can think of an almost endless list of places to park for less than $300 a month many for free. Hope you give it a chance to smooth out , it will if you do.

Anyone having trouble finding the right rig , just hang in there , the right one is out there somewhere just waitin' on ya !

Gotta do yer homework!

SSW just found one and you can too.
Look here look there look everywhere you go.
Ask your friends , ask your neighbors , ask the people at the parts places too , they know who has been replacing all their parts and are running out of $$$ !

I'm not stuck except of my own choice , lookin' after my mom.
Just a small bump in the road, 35 years fulltiming in all kinds of rigs and situations.
Some epic fails too , just get up and start again is all it takes....

All you have to do is want to do it hard enough .

Cindy , we're all rootin' for ya. If you need any help just post up!

 

[Yogidog]

ellite,
And DharmaGirl1, you're wise about learning to work on these things as they come up. I learned a lot about mechanical work with two of my previous vehicles. I'm proud to say that I did all the work on my Subaru wagon myself, just going from a detailed manual Smile.

U should be so proud u did all your work on suburu wagon! Loved mine, just got rid of it week ago, took us all over the country,  one flat tire was it, 290,00 miles.

Cindi, laughed then cried at your saying about taking up space, exactly how I feel, so sad.

Hope we all get ungrounded soon. Wishing us all well

 

[Yogidog]

Last post was Supposed to start with satellite!

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I too am stuck for a bit, one for health reasons, although I seem to be on the tail end of that. Got an extremely rare case of Lyme disease that landed me on crutches at 32 and needed them for a few years. Got another few months of anti biotic and other treatments I need to stick around for. Then my other two problems, which actually are good problems are I have two houses that need to sell. Inherited a percentage of a house my grandparents owned with my brothers and cousins which is going on the market this spring and have a house in Maine to finish some work on and sell. Although, they are kind of a hassle, they should give me a good cushion to hit the road on once they are finally sold. I'm hoping this fall, but def plan on being at the 2017 RTR. Traveling by vehicles isn't new to me. I already know i love it. I've done trips in my van to Sturgis for the motorcycle rally, Glacier National Park, Yosemite, Boulder Co & Telluride, Key West, Pacific Coast Highway, Outer Banks NC, upper penninsula in Michigan and up down and all around New England. Longest trip to date has been about two months. But lots of these were back to back, only coming home for a week or two in between. Once I initially hit the road I couldn't stop, it's quite addicting, however the Lyme disease stopped me in my tracks! Shopping for my next vehicle as we speak.

 

[Cammalu]

You aren't the only one feeling stuck by circumstances! I started planning my great escape back in 2006. I had finally talked hubby into getting a camper and wintering in FL. He had an old work pal in a campground down there and we left Kentucky and headed down for the winter. It was a great time for me but not so much for hubby. I want to be outside all the time and also love to stay busy and he was a couch potato. We went to FL three winters and I wasn't going to be able to talk him into any longer trips.

The fourth winter was coming and my mother's hubby came down with cancer so I needed to stay back and help her. When he passed I started gearing up to at least leave for the winter as that was about all hubby could stand.

He was a musician by trade and one day on stage started coughing while singing and it was bloody. A trip to the Dr and an X-ray confirmed our worse fears. It was lung cancer from long years of smoking. He had quit several years before when we met but it was already too late. There went any hopes of traveling. Radiation, chemo, etc. sapped the life out of him and the cancer only grew. He passed within a couple of years.

I started gearing myself up to go again. I wanted to get rid of the big camper and buy one of those small fiberglass ones and did. It needed work and that was taking a bit of time.

I sold off a 100 acre parcel we had as a hunting spot for him and paid off all bills and bought a few things.

One day I went to bed and woke up in the morning and was unable to walk almost at all. My back was killing me! I found out I had a couple of blown disks and was having severe spasms. Over the space of a year in bed and going to every kind of Dr imaginable I figured that was it for me. I moved my niece and her hubby across the country and they moved in with me to care for me, the house and property (I'm on about 14 acres and there was no way I was doing anything).

I finally found, thru a friend, a Dr that could burn the nerves in your back; a simple procedure done in the office. It worked!!!!! I still wasn't up to snuff but I was able to start walking without a walker. Things were looking good for my great escape!

My niece was here so I could just leave the house and not even have to go thru the hassle of selling! Things were really looking up! I was on cloud nine!

I started planning again. I decided hitching up a camper and all that entailed might be a bit much so I wanted to sell my campers and get a class B.

I needed a hysterectomy and decided I'd go ahead and take care of that before I headed out. I chose to go to a big hospital with a good rep even though it was a couple of hours away. I went in on a Thursday AM, my sis with me. While still on the operating table, the robot arms still inside me, someone made the decision to tilt the table in an upright position. They neglected to have me tied and secured to the table and off I went. I landed on the floor but my feet were still up in the stirrups. I had a terrible twist and fall which broke my left femur in four or five places. I stayed in the hospital for a week although I remember very little.

The hospital then decided to Bill me for cobbling my leg back together. Needless to say either I fork out about $300,000 or I sue. I got a super lawyer of course.

So I had yet another setback. The hysterectomy surgery was this last July. After an extensive stay in a crappy, nasty nursing home I came home. It's been a long recovery and I'm now allowed to use a walker to get around. With physical therapy I've grown stronger but have a long way to go. I decided that as soon as my case is over and I can pump gas I'm buying a Class B and I'm outta here. I had almost made it to the point I think I could pump gas (with difficulty) when the Wednesday before last I was outside in my gravel drive when a sudden jolt of pain hit the broken leg (it happens a lot). I buckled and tried to right myself but my walker (on wheels) had other ideas and went the other way. Down I went landing on my butt hard and my back just screamed. Couldn't catch my breath for awhile. My niece and her hubby got me up and in bed.
The next day I knew I had to have an X-ray. Sure enough, a compression fracture. I'm back at the drawing board yet again but still determined.

Don't feel like you are the only one with setbacks [emoji15]

Oh yeah, with the inactivity and depression did I mention u gained about one million pounds that I will have to take off?

 

[ascii_man]

@Cammalu: yeow!  That's awful.  I hope your lawyer can not only get the bill waived but get a settlement.

I'm sure some malpractice claims are spurious (the professionals did the best they did the best they could and sometimes people die).  But what happened to you was gross incompetence, like an airline pilot taking off for an overseas destination with empty tanks.

 

[Cammalu]

@Cammalu: yeow!  That's awful.  I hope your lawyer can not only get the bill waived but get a settlement.

I'm sure some malpractice claims are spurious (the professionals did the best they did the best they could and sometimes people die).  But what happened to you was gross incompetence, like an airline pilot taking off for an overseas destination with empty tanks.

This lawyer doesn't work small cases. I don't like people who sue for any little thing either but, in this case, it's absolutely warranted. What's really scary is that he told me things like this happen all the time.....

I'm going to bounce back, I always do. What the worst thing is when I find myself wallowing in self pity. I have to slap myself out it [emoji12]