I've been following Bob Wells & CRVL for the last 4 yrs or so when I started living in an RV full time. I'm planning to retire from my job at minimum age and take a slow stab at the Nomad life. Hoping to visit RTR or Camping with Bob next year depending on what COVID restrictions bring. It would be nice to join a caravan or meet up with a group down the road, either before the next RTR or at the RTR. I have a buddy who's already retired and did a minimal build on his van and hope he'll be able to go as well. However, I'm torn on what vehicle/living arrangements I'd prefer...a van, cargo trailer, pickup bed or slide-in camper, tent, etc.. I can't tell you how many YouTube videos I've seen to help me narrow it down. I currently have a pickup truck and will most likely just start with it and a bed topper or pull a cargo trailer. But trying to keep as simple, mobile, and minimalistic as possible. So, if you're a newbie too, or just looking to add another traveler to your caravan I'd be interested in hearing from you. Thanks for letting me bend your ear with this into. Hope to see you on the road.
Ready to retire and try Nomading
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Prox said:
Yup. Start with what you have, don't buy a lot of new stuff, and learn by doing. Instead of worrying about what your final vehicle choice should be, just go camping on the weekends, right now. Figure out how to make a comfortable sleeping spot with what you have, and buy some plastic totes to organize your stuff. After each trip, ask yourself "what is the ONE thing I most wished I had had on this trip?" and take care of that ONE thing before your next trip. Rinse and repeat. Half-a-dozen trips later, you'll be able to make a vehicle choice based on your OWN experiences and preferences.
If you really like the life, you will enjoy your trips even if the vehicle you already have turns out to be not your ideal. If you don't really like the life, the vehicle won't matter much.
A cautionary tale about the fantasy vs the reality of van life -
https://www.yahoo.com/news/tried-living-luxury-camper-van-142336463.html
Remember, most folks who are in this for the long haul change their rigs as their life changes.
Welcome to the CRVL forumsProx! Good advice - start with what you have! Keep us updated!
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.
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.
JDub
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A cautionary tale about the fantasy vs the reality of van life -
https://www.yahoo.com/news/tried-living-...36463.html
Gawd what a ****p... Gawd am I ALLOWED to POST that???
https://www.yahoo.com/news/tried-living-...36463.html
Gawd what a ****p... Gawd am I ALLOWED to POST that???
user 37446
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Try finding Rusty 78609 on YT if you haven't already. He does the pickup small trailer thing. There's lots of others who do it as well: "travels and travails", RVLove, Taras Alexandrovich, Niles Ackerman, Vagabonding Ventures, Rosebud's Travels, SLO Adventures, Brooke Nelson and about 20 more. Just on YT...
user 37446
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As soon as I read this: "I decided to rent the van for a weekend in January, for $1,770..." and then later on that she and friend had no clue as to how to actually use the systems I thought that this negative review is not really what vanlife is about.jacqueg said:
Her lack of understanding about the vehicle/systems as well as the cost for a weekend (that's 1/2 the price of many peoples entire vans), I'd just say that something is way off - either the expectations based on the rental cost or something else.
I went for 10 weeks and 6k miles in a 20 year old, $3K, 22' travel trailer with a family (4). We did fine and have good memories. Most was our "expectations" (the understanding that you don't have all the goodies of your previous home when you are on the road).
Compare BW's numerous video interviews with people in all kinds of very basic setups with this article. Two very different "realities" it seems.
Actually, it was a guy, and yes, he was clueless. He did find out that he wasn't cut out for van life though, which is useful information.
While I would never pay a rental price like that, the fact is that I would have found a way to enjoy the trip anyway, even if I couldn't figure out all the systems. After all, he had a dry and comfortable bed, and probably plenty of storage - probably more than I have in my van. A person who can't "rough it" in some measure is probably not a natural camper and should definitely stick to hotels.
Steve Wallis he's not.
While I would never pay a rental price like that, the fact is that I would have found a way to enjoy the trip anyway, even if I couldn't figure out all the systems. After all, he had a dry and comfortable bed, and probably plenty of storage - probably more than I have in my van. A person who can't "rough it" in some measure is probably not a natural camper and should definitely stick to hotels.
Steve Wallis he's not.
user 37446
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Well so he did, on 12/8/2020. I hadn't been following him and obviously his plans changed.Camper said:
I've had a new 8' truck camper, a fifteen year old leaking 21' class C and a twenty year old 22' travel trailer. Cheapest was the TT by a long shot but I already had the truck.
Probably liked the Class C experience (with family) the best though it was by far the worst for maintenance. For a single guy the TC would have been tops. Guess that's why BW wants to go to one.
For now it will be a minivan as city "living" precludes trying to keep an rv.
Doesn't take away from Rusty's experiences though, they are worth watching as are many others with small trailers.
Thanks everyone for the advice, info, links/, and sites. I do think I'll do my first trip with whatever I have once I retire. I really want to see the country, national parks, and historical sites and think this will be a great lead into retirement. Fingers crossed the next RTR will not be impacted by COVID restrictions. Look forward to meeting and talking to Nomads in person vs. just the hours of one-way YouTube conversations I've been having. ;-)
Prox
Prox
A number of us were here anyway. And are planning to be here next year.
That van article was something else. Pre-Covid I took my metalsmithing classes at community college and I have remind myself how impressed I was with those young people I met. They were almost all total sweethearts nothing like the obnoxious entitled brat that couldn’t do anything but eat a “delicious comfort breakfast” from a fast food restaurant. If nothing else it was comic relief.
