Hello from a Beginner who's writing her next chapter

[SueJ]

Hi Everyone,

Popping on to say HI and introduce myself.  My name is Sue.  I am from Canada yet  currently staying in Southern California.   I am at crossroads in my life and am deciding where life will take me.  I love the idea of pimping out my van and riding around North America with the freedom it holds and the opportunity to make new Friends everywhere!!!  I have had many concerns and questions that kept coming up as i thought about going on the road as i am SO new to this lifestyle idea yet i do love adventure, !!!!    I have to say Thanks for this fantastic website and the videos on YouTube!!! It is putting my concerns to rest!!   I am crushed that I only tonight discovered RTR and therefore have missed it this year!!  It would have been an ideal opportunity to give the Nomad lifestyle a taster and see if it was for me.  Ah well, meant to be or in this case, not  :shy:

I look forward to my continued learning!!!  Safe travels everyone!!!

 

[TMG51]

Welcome. I'm sure you'll find your answers here, it's a very helpful community. Whereabouts in SoCal are you? There are some of us still nearby after the RTR... Yuma... Ehrenberg... I'm in lake Havasu currently, headed to Slab City and San Diego before long. Feel free to stay in touch if you'd like to try to meet someone living the life (have you meet full timers yet?).

 

[wagoneer]

welcome sue j

 

[cyndi]

Sue!Welcome to the CRVL forums! I'm sorry you missed the RTR, too. On the bright side it gives you a year to plan. We look forward to seeing you there, next year!

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[mockturtle]

Welcome, Sue!

 

[SueJ]

Welcome. I'm sure you'll find your answers here, it's a very helpful community. Whereabouts in SoCal are you? There are some of us still nearby after the RTR... Yuma... Ehrenberg... I'm in lake Havasu currently, headed to Slab City and San Diego before long. Feel free to stay in touch if you'd like to try to meet someone living the life (have you meet full timers yet?).

I am in Palm Desert staying a Friends place.  I am still so new to SoCal.  And haven't met any full timers in person, just what i have read and seen in videos on here and YouTube.  I would LOVE to meet and talk with some full timers. So if you know of any passing through here i would love to buy you a coffee and enjoy some conversation!!!
Thanks for reaching out to me!

 

[rvpopeye]

Welcome to the forums Sue.

 

[TMG51]

I am in Palm Desert staying a Friends place.  I am still so new to SoCal.  And haven't met any full timers in person, just what i have read and seen in videos on here and YouTube.  I would LOVE to meet and talk with some full timers. So if you know of any passing through here i would love to buy you a coffee and enjoy some conversation!!!
Thanks for reaching out to me!

So, right next to jtree. I'll be out that way in a week or two, depending. Shoot me a PM if you want to figure something out.

 

[Lj Unlimited]

Hello and welcome Sue.

 

[Gideon33w]

Welcome! I hear the premium on vans has been rising in Cali thanks to all the like minded people. On the plus side, if you end up in AZ drop me a line and I can help you find something for much cheaper than Cali prices.

 

[digitaldervish]

Welcome! I hear the premium on vans has been rising in Cali thanks to all the like minded people. On the plus side, if you end up in AZ drop me a line and I can help you find something for much cheaper than Cali prices.

Gideon's case in point... I am in SoCal and at this same juncture, doing as much research as I can before jumping into full timing it. And yes, I have noticed there is a premium on the price of vans around here, many are priced around double what KBB values are.  I am new here also, but Welcome Sue!

 

[Gideon33w]

I met a guy a month back who used a ride share to come over to AZ from Cali just to buy a van. It was easily worth the $ spent to find plenty of sub $3000 vans.

I look at regular and conversion vans for sale locally at $2000-2500 with 120,000-175,000 miles. There are tons of them.

PatsyG just got her high top Dodge conversion van for $2,100 and it has pretty low miles.

Might be worth considering the trip. Do a little preplanning and I can come check out the van mechanicals with you.

 

[SueJ]

Welcome! I hear the premium on vans has been rising in Cali thanks to all the like minded people. On the plus side, if you end up in AZ drop me a line and I can help you find something for much cheaper than Cali prices.

I am from Canada and came down in my Canadian van that i am still paying for : Yet I will definitely drop you a line when i head over to AZ.  I do know that I will be there in April for a little bit.   I would love to hear some stories from your travels!!
You are so sweet to offer your assistance!!!!! : I am loving this community of people!

 

[SueJ]

Gideon's case in point... I am in SoCal and at this same juncture, doing as much research as I can before jumping into full timing it. And yes, I have noticed there is a premium on the price of vans around here, many are priced around double what KBB values are.  I am new here also, but Welcome Sue!

And isn't it FUN doing this research!!!  What part of SoCal are you in?  anywhere near Palm Desert?
And Welcome back to you digitaldervish!!

 

[Gideon33w]

I am from Canada and came down in my Canadian van that i am still paying for : Yet I will definitely drop you a line when i head over to AZ.  I do know that I will be there in April for a little bit.   I would love to hear some stories from your travels!!
You are so sweet to offer your assistance!!!!! : I am loving this community of people!

So far the van life has only been part time but I am positively chomping at the bit to go full timing. Taking the van out for hiking, camping, biking, etc is fun but until it's a full time deal there are too many things that can't be gotten to. The eventual goal is to travel the country making documentaries.

No problem at all. You'll find the majority of people on here are nice and very helpful. I have an obsession with cars so that naturally extends to all vehicles. It also means I enjoy turning a wrench. Speaking of which, I owe PatsyG an email about hers. I keep getting caught up in misc ...

 

[eDJ_]

Hello and welcome to CRVL,    

Let me invite you to view the two websites below.  In the first you will see how I fitted out an empty Van
for short trips on the weekends and later to use in my Corporate work as I moved frequently.   The system
allowed for my interior furnishings to be removed so I could use the Van in my work and quickly and easily
put it back in for week end recreation.  It also left the option such that if the Van was wrecked or major
engine/transmission troubles made it less than viable to have repaired,  I could find another Van in better shape
to move into and go on.  This can be big stuff for a beginner who is learning on many levels.  With a few simple tools and perhaps a little help, a Woman like yourself could do this.

The second site will be of benefit once you are on the road. 

I hope you will study these both closely and visit them often.  With a used & empty Cargo Van and just a couple  hundred dollars to spend in flea markets and yard sales you could outfit yourself a Van to travel in as you have stated.  Understand that this may not be suited to the extremes of heat and cold but in tempered weather conditions this could provide you with a good first experience.

All the best !

 

[SueJ]

Hello and welcome to CRVL,    

Let me invite you to view the two websites below.  In the first you will see how I fitted out an empty Van
for short trips on the weekends and later to use in my Corporate work as I moved frequently.   The system
allowed for my interior furnishings to be removed so I could use the Van in my work and quickly and easily
put it back in for week end recreation.  It also left the option such that if the Van was wrecked or major
engine/transmission troubles made it less than viable to have repaired,  I could find another Van in better shape
to move into and go on.  This can be big stuff for a beginner who is learning on many levels.  With a few simple tools and perhaps a little help, a Woman like yourself could do this.

The second site will be of benefit once you are on the road. 

I hope you will study these both closely and visit them often.  With a used & empty Cargo Van and just a couple  hundred dollars to spend in flea markets and yard sales you could outfit yourself a Van to travel in as you have stated.  Understand that this may not be suited to the extremes of heat and cold but in tempered weather conditions this could provide you with a good first experience.

All the best !

Invitation accepted!!!  Thank you for the wonderful tips!!  I do look forward to exploring both those websites!!!  I am a sponge for knowledge lol  I am sure that i will visit both sites often!!!

 

[Theadyn]

Hi and Welcome!!

 

[PatsyG]

Welcome! I am a beginner also, but learning as fast as I can. This is the place to do it. You cant beat the people and the information.

 

[SaltySeaWitch]

Hello and welcome!