Just sticking our toes into rving

[ken kroesser]

Greetings Bob/et al,: 
My name is Ken and my wife's name is Janice.  We currently own and operate a small residential care business in Washington, Maine. As soon as we can train Janice's daughter and son-in -law to take over the business, we plan on selling our homestead , keeping our cottage/camp up north and hitting the road in Nov and returning to camp in April or May.  (part-timer snowbirds, if you will) You are a source of incredible inspiration and insight into the Van/RV lifestyle we all secretly crave! Thank you so much for taking the time to resource and share your experiences with us.  My wife and I are looking forward to the day we will be positioned to hit the road.   We are late getting into the lifestyle  (I am a young 72 (Viet Nam) veteran and my wife Janice is 68).  We are thinking that a used B+ or smaller Class C will suite us just fine.  Lot's to think about.  With you and your tribes thoughtful attention to the practical, we get closer and closer to harnessing the knowledge and courage to pardon ourselves from the confines of social norms to the freedom of the road and a life yet lived! Thank you and your fellow travelers.  By the way Bob, We are alternative thinkers and doers - the farther I can get away from the "establishment" the better !! :huh:

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Ken and Janice! Many alternative thinkers and doers here - you'll fit right in! Keep us updated on your plans.

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.

 

[nature lover]

Welcome Ken and Janice - and to you Ken -WELCOME HOME - I am in PA where I was born and raised but going full time on April 1 and will home base in the mountains of East KY. Some of us (east coast nomads are trying to communicate and work together on some things you are welcome to join us - so far we are just talking but Bob is now in Florida and will be trying to organize volunteers for HOWA in the east.

 

[JeanInaBox]

I’m seriously thinking of volunteering for HOWA. Formally from PA. Now in SC.

Welcome!!!

 

[LaMonster]

Welcome!

I may be a bit younger than you but also new to all of this and excited to find so much info and support on the web.

I've found asking questions and doing something to get started goes a long way to getting to the next step of your plan.

My first big trip is coming up on the 24th and I am excited!

 

[ken kroesser]

Good morning fellow travelers, just want to say thanks to RV wandering, Nature Lover, Jean in a box and LA monster for breaking the ice (literally) and giving Janice and I a warm welcome. Warm would be good right now up here in Maine! Looking forward to chasing the sun and exploring the natural wonders this great country has to offer. In the distant past, I have traveled thru parts of the West/South however, my wife has not and is excited to get going. As I mentioned in my first thread - I think that's the right word to use- I still use a "flip phone"!!! We have to clear away traditional thinking, transition the business and most challenging - downsize!!! That means I will have to give up some TOYS....... Ya, that's going to be tough! It feels like looking over the edge of the North Rim!!!!! I'm guessing I'm not the only one who's gone through this?? Good wishes and safe journey to all of you. Oh, how do you outrun the nasty weather as is happening in the south right now? I assume that falls under the category of having current, dependable weather tracking equipment along with solid communications skills. Lot's to learn.

 

[nature lover]

Hello again Ken and Janice - downsizing for me was tough - I called myself a collector others called me a horder. 9,000 books and antiques and tools and 200 cookie jars and 150 walking sticks and an antique textile collection including quilts, coverlets and feed bags and my bronzed baby shoes and and and. I did it in steps dragging the pain out over a few years. First we sold the old house and large shop/barn that we lived in for 30 years and moved into a medium sized cottage with a 2 1/2 car garage. Then the wife left and took a lot with her; then my health went south and I lived in an assisted care home for a year - more stuff gone. I am dealing with my health issues better (glad to be out of the "old folks home") I am down to about 100 books and not much furniture and kitchen stuff. We had all the stuff for canning and freezing and butchering - all gone. It still hurts to think about it. Antiques are not an investment unless your lucky, the auctioneer said the way to make money on them was to let our great grandchildren sell them in 100 years or so. If I were starting over I would never buy new tools - I got pennies on the dollar at the auction house. But the point is that now I have pared down to a point that it would take me less than a day to move into the van and a 5 x 5 storage unit. It is is a bitter sweet feeling to be a former hoarder - I still spend time everyday looking over craigslist but rarely respond to the adds. I even got rid of all my camping gear and stuff I was collecting for a future van build. The point is that I had too much stuff to truly get free and on the road. Now I am only about 1 and 1/2 months away from freedom. That feels good, very good. The only "thing" I want back is the wife.