wanting advice

[lcphelpsp]

I'm a single, older, active and healthy woman living in a small casita on an elderly friend's property in northern New Mexico. My friend is very generous about sharing her amenities (including her bathroom, as I do not have my own) and I pay very little rent. Yet, I am longing to be "on my own,"  have my own "in-house bathroom" and be more self-contained.  I have lived in this village for 12 years, having spent the previous 10 years living in India, studying philosophy. 

I am a "recovering extrovert," preferring less and less social interaction and more and more introspection, meditation and writing. 

I have followed this "nomad" movement on-line for many years and am wondering if I should really take a look at it and see if this is a way that I can live out my life.  

I am hoping I can get some guidance on various threads that will help me make a decision. With the Covid vaccine coming out soon, my world will open up.

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Icphelpsp! If you want to be nomadic and have a in-house bathroom you'll have to look for an RV or build out a cargo trailer. Vans are not large enough (although it can be done) to have a bathroom so most vandwellers use a bucket as a toilet and take sponge baths between showers.

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.

 

[lcphelpsp]

Thank you. Yes, a van is too small. I look forward to what others about their favorite RVs.

 

[vanbrat]

Now a lot of folks say a van is to small. My folks and hubby among them. But I am one who is not wanting a big RV and am most happy in my little van. That said, I don't live in it. I live in my 2000+ sqft house on almost 3 acres. If it was up to me I would be 90% in the van.
Only you can find what works for you.

 

[crofter]

Welcome to the forum!   -crofter

 

[RoamerRV428]

you ever own or live in an rv and did the work on it to dump tanks and more? do you truly want a 'on the road' wandering lifestyle with no home base?

I think what you seek is 'finding you' in all this and would truly find your own little 'home' without assistance from your friends place ya know. Rent something on your own complete. Buy a very small home or townhome or ???? and be on your own first without assistance......or maybe rent a small Class C RV and hit the road for 3 months.....money well well well spent IF you are not sure and never did rv travel long term or at all?

I would say baby steps here in that it sounds like you want change but what change do you truly want and have done before? any camping experiences longer times and more? come into play here.

wishing you the best of luck on any new adventures you tackle!

 

[lcphelpsp]

Now a lot of folks say a van is to small. My folks and hubby among them. But I am one who is not wanting a big RV and am most happy in my little van. That said, I don't live in it. I live in my 2000+ sqft house on almost 3 acres. If it was up to me I would be 90% in the van.
Only you can find what works for you.

Thank you for your thoughts. Can you stand up in your van?

 

[lcphelpsp]

Welcome to the forum!   -crofter

Thank you.

 

[lcphelpsp]

you ever own or live in an rv and did the work on it to dump tanks and more?  do you truly want a 'on the road' wandering lifestyle with no home base?...
I would say baby steps here in that it sounds like you want change but what change do you truly want and have done before?  any camping experiences longer times and more? come into play here.
wishing you the best of luck on any new adventures you tackle!

No, I have never owned or traveled in an rv and your suggestion of renting one for a few months is a good idea. I have been on my own for over 30 years so that is not a problem. I lived in India for 10 years and that adventure is not for the faint-hearted. There, I lived in a converted barn for a year or two with water buffalo living next door, farting through the walls. Chickens flew in through the windows onto my kitchen counter if I forgot to lock the windows and rats descended from the attic at night. If you reached in a drawer, absentmindedly, a rat might try to climb up your arm. (That produced a scream that could wake the dead.) I've had rat poo on my pillow when I woke up and that was in Mumbai!!! I've slept by the side of the road after the bus broke down in God-knows-where, waiting for the mechanic in the middle of the night. I've had plenty of adventures in my life and now I do not want a difficult retired life.

So, I would use a composting toilet and not deal with waste. And you are right: I do not know if I would like rv life. You suggestion of baby steps is a good one. Thank you.

 

[mpruet]

I have a class-B Travato which is basically a build out Ram Promaster, so it would be considered a van.  I am 6 ft tall and can stand inside of my RV.  I have a wet bath, stove, oven, fridge/freezer, etc.  While it is small by RV standards, I am very comfortable when in it.  I’m a part timer, but I know of several folks that are full timers in the Travato.  

The biggest downside of class-B RVs in today’s market is the price.  The price of new RVs has skyrocketed this past year due to supply and demand.  My model has more than doubled over the past three years.  A similar thing has happened to class-C RVs.  Since the price for new rigs has risen so much, so has the price for used rigs.  I’d be very careful about buying an older RV - period.  You have wear and tear of the basic chassis as well as to the ‘house’ portion of the RV.  Also while class-B vans rarely cut into the basic frame/skin of the underlying van, class-C’s generally only retain the original cab.  Everything else is built by the RV company.  That can mean potentials for leaks and require a bit more maintenance to avoid leaks.  

You can get a new class-C starting in the $40K range and up into the $200K area, but I’d be very careful about aiming low dollar.  You need to have a good degree of quality to avoid your home being a money-pit.  Class-B start in the $80K - $200 range.  

Also be aware of fuel cost.  A van/class-B can get 16-22 MPG range, but a class-C will be doing good to get 10 MPG.  So if your goal is to travel a lot, then smaller might be better.  

Also - a van/class-B is usually small enough so that it can be parked in a single parking spot.  It’s hard to do the same with a class-C.  I’m able to get by without having to have a tow car for trips into town when I’m camping.  It’s harder to do that with larger rigs.

 

[RoamerRV428]

Well from that response you got the Ummffft to definitely move forward as you want

but yea, rent a Class B for a month and drive around.
rent a small C for a month and drive around.

Look, learn what fits you but if you are that seasoned in life, hell yea you can definitely do whatever ya want but 'buying that van' or 'small rv' does take research as to 'what suits you now and how ya wanna roll'......you sound like a very cool person LOL

 

[treesprite]

Welcome.

The other members gave good advice by going in steps.

Some vans have the components of bathrooms, just without it being a specific room. But there is space for a specific room if the bed isn't huge. Some vans have outdoor showers, many have at least sinks. Some put a drain hole in the floor of the van to shower inside of the van (I don't like gray water being dumped on the ground, but this is no worse than an outdoor shower). There are miniature dc powered wet vacs for cars, that can suck up the bathing water and then be easily dumped in an appropriate place later (I hadn't thought of this until today, when I realized I have one I haven't used in a few years).

 

[maki2]

I say just go for it. You will find your dream vehicle out there on the road trips. Lots of used RV bargains in southern Arizona. Cash talks when you are in a location where there is a lot more availibilty of used RVs to coose from and the c hances of finding something you like is also increased.  This is not India, you won't be sufferring extreme hardships while camping.

 

[jacqueg]

...So, I would use a composting toilet and not deal with waste. And you are right: I do not know if I would like rv life. You suggestion of baby steps is a good one. Thank you.

There is no such thing as a composting toilet for a van or RV. Composting requires a minimum heap size that would fill about a third of a typical cargo van, permanently. Whether you are talking about a bucket toilet or a Nature's Head, you will have to deal with disposing of the contents regularly. And in a real RV, those black water tanks don't empty themselves.

Whether you live in a car, a van, or a 40-foot RV, you will become your own sewer system, water supplier, and electrical utility.

 

[lcphelpsp]

Thank you to everyone who has responded with RV types, prices, and sincere encouragement, reflecting your wealth of experiences. I have understood that the "nomad/RV living" groups have expanded enormously over these last few years but the cost of vehicles now is intimidating. And the thought of buying a used leaky one is intimidating! I think what I need to do is rent one and get out there and see what happens. I trust the process. And if I get a "red light" (pardon the pun) that this is not the life for me, then I will have learned something. Again, thank you, everyone and be well.

 

[nature lover]

That seems to be sensible thinking. Good luck with it. I sincerely hope you find what you need and want.

 

[lcphelpsp]

Thank you, nature lover.

 

[Cammalu]

You are in a Casita as in a small house or in a Casita camper? A small travel trailer and something to pull it with is another option. Deals are out there.

 

[RoamerRV428]

yup, enjoy your new adventures to weed thru the experiences of what you want, rent and see and find what you really wanna do etc......all any of us can do LOL best of luck moving forward!

 

[lcphelpsp]

You are in a Casita as in a small house or in a Casita camper?  A small travel trailer and something to pull it with is another option. Deals are out there.

I'm in a casita house. Thanks for your suggestion.