Wanting to take the Plunge with a child.

[eoewan]

I've been an avid watcher of Enigmatic Nomadics on YouTube. My husband, myself, 24 yr old daughter (special needs), and 4 yr old son are wanting to become Nomads. We would like to begin our adventure in the Spring 2017.

My husband's work is 6 to 8 months a year and the rest of the time is down time. We figure this is ideal to sell our home, pack up, and live a traveler's life. We would have to be in our home Province while my husband works, however, we aren't necessarily tied down to a specific location.

I have many questions so please bear with me. Firstly, when downsizing, what would anyone say is an absolute requirement for toys for a 4 yr old? As space is going to be at a premium, I'm a bit confounded with what would be ideal to bring along. My son loves his Lego, his trains, and his Tonka trucks. I will also be homeschooling my son so will require some internet and printer needs. I'm assuming I can always find a business that would print up what is required.

My daughter is an avid reader and writer on her laptop. She loves researching on the interweb. What do most people do for internet when they travel?

My needs would be to bring my sewing machine and painting supplies. Can you power a sewing machine with solar and how much solar would be required? Or, is a sewing machine just a want and not a necessity? Opinions wanted. I know Bob has said to get as much solar as you can afford which we will do.

Has anyone gotten a toy hauler 5th wheel and remodeled the toy section into a living space? We would like to do this for our daughter so she has some independence and her own living space that is separate from the rest of us. Is this even doable?

My daughter has a therapy cat that calms her. Has anyone traveled with a cat?

I have many more questions but will leave this here for now.

Cheers!

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums eoewan! Your plans sound wonderful and definitely doable. I'm sure you'll get many good suggestions so keep asking questions about anything and everything!

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.

 

[DannyB1954]

Welcome to the tribe. On cats, some travel well, others hate it. I used to rent shop space in a semi industrial area. A number of the people from all the shops would go 4 wheel camping, and the yard cat was happy to go as well. He always stayed close. When leaving the yard you had to check your vehicle as he would sometimes lay on the top and not jump off when the vehicle started. One would drive around town until people started blowing their horns and pointing to your roof. Red, (the cat), was just happy to watch the world go by. My two cats were not good travelers. So it is an individual thing. It is probably a good idea to have them in a harness and leash when not in the RV. If something scares them, or they start to chase something and they run off, they can get lost. Here in the West, coyotes also consider them to be a delicacy.

The motors on sewing machines are not very large, and most of the time is spent on preparing to sew, so I don't think it will be a problem. It may even be an income source for you, (making and selling crafts). If you were here right now I would pay you to make some new window coverings for me.

On converting spaces, you are limited by your imagination. There is a way to build almost anything if you can figure out what you want for an end result. RV's are boxes on wheels. Just figure out what you want to put in the box.

Wishing you the very best future.
Dan

 

[Almost There]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

I'll try to answer some of the questions and am absolutely no help with some of the others.

My kids are now all over 40 so toys - ha, no help there. Big people toys, now that's different....

Internet for your daughter - I run all my internet off of a WiFi hotspot on each of my two smart phones. I spend 6 months in Canada and the other six months in the US - I use Verizon in the US because they have the best coverage even out in out of the way places. In Canada I use Virgin Mobile for their fantastic customer care, great pricing and because they're on Bell towers I get the best coverage. How much data you need to buy will depend on you and the daughter. I get by with 3 Gig a month but I don't watch videos, movies or download music. Most months I'm squeaking by on the last day of the cycle.

As an avid reader, I use my local library from wherever I am and download books through my laptop to my E Reader. That way I'm not tying up the laptop and data while I'm reading.

Printers come so small these days that it's entirely feasible to have your own on board. Mine is on my shopping list for November since the Canadian prices are just plain ridiculous. If you're not planning on spending the winter in the US to get away from Canadian winters, a cross border shopping trip will cover it!! I can point the way to some good pick up spots at US border towns!

The sewing machine - yes you can definitely power it while on the road but one doesn't power it directly from the solar. You use solar to charge house battery systems and then use the power from the battery bank to power your sewing machine. I can run my Singer 401k through a 75 watt inverter so it doesn't need much power at all. My Juki serger takes a little bit more power so I ended up having to plug it directly in to my Honda 1000 watt inverter to run it . I brought both with me last winter because I had some projects that weren't going to wait until spring. This year I'm getting my sewing done BEFORE I leave Ontario for the winter and will leave them both behind. I have better plans for the space they and all my sewing equipment took up..  

If you're sewing for 4 it might be a whole lot different scenario. You'll also have a lot more space for them than I did in a cargo van.

Toy hauler - yes, it's definitely an idea to do up the back space as a separate area for the daughter. OR you might want to think of it for classroom/sewing/hobby/man cave for all of you to use. There are screen accessories available that will convert the rear drop door into a screen room to further extend the living area.

Instead of a 5th wheel toy hauler, IMO it might be better to look at a travel trailer toy hauler. You lose the entire storage capacity of the pickup truck for the 5th wheel hook up. A cap on the truck bed could give you a whole lot more storage room than anything else. The other choice of tow vehicle would be a full size cargo van that could be made into separate sleeping quarters for the 24 y/o. It would be just like her own bedroom but she'd have to share it with y'all when you're driving...

The cat, I'm absolutely no help on but a lot of others here are traveling with theirs and will help on that one.

Once again, welcome to the tribe, we like helping out any way we can!

 

[highdesertranger]

welcome eoewn. boy have you come to the right spot. yes you can run your sewing machine off of solar indirectly. some toy haulers have a wall with a door to seal off the garage area. you could then convert this into another room. cats are doable lots of people have them. highdesertranger

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the forums!  Check out this website if you haven't already - http://www.familiesontheroad.com/      They should be able to supply many answers to your questions about fulltiming with kids.

  Years ago we fulltimed with our 4 year old daughter. We were in a VW vanagon and it was just for a year but we all loved it. We had a wooden storage box that fit between the front seats where all of her toys were stored. You really don't need to take a lot because there are always things to play with or play on outside. Definitely take the Legos, some of his trucks, some beach toys and any favorite stuffed animals and books. 

 We have a small printer and I'm always surprised at how often we use it. You'll find a place to tuck it where it will be out of the way but there when you need it.

 Good luck! Let us know how everything is going as you plan and prepare!

 

[Cammalu]

There are travel trailers that come with two bedrooms. That would make it pretty convenient to start with. You can pick them up used at good prices. Check the Internet for a wildwood qbs32 (something like that) for an example. I don't know where you are located but I have one I'd be willing to sell. You can also check for them near your area. I'm sure there are quite a few brands that have the two bedroom campers. They have a ton of storage and also you'll have your pickup bed free as well


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[eoewan]

I wanted to add that in 29 yrs together my husband and I have averaged a move every two years. I would get the urge to move. My husband has been very accommodating with my need so we would put the house up for sale and purchase another home. He figures by being able to move a 'house' then my urge to move would be satisfied while not having to pack up and unpack all of our belongings. A win win.

Thank you for all of the responses. My daughter has already started her purge of items. I'll start on my belongings next week. The excitement is building.

 

[SoulRaven]

Welcome!

I can only answer a couple of these; I'll leave the rest to those more knowledgeable than I.

Regarding toys....kids have a funny way of adapting, and once everything is downsized you will get a feel for what they actually need/want. Much of the entertainment and education your 4-year-old currently gets from toys will be replaced with nomadic adventures. Not all of it, though. Whatever is truly needed will become evident and pretty easy to buy. I recommend bringing only one or two sentimental toys per child...the rest, if dearly missed, can be purchased along the way.

How do I know this? I spend ages 5-9 moving around with my family, and due to international travel I was very limited in the toys I could bring. I had one I took with me everywhere, the rest I wanted also but soon forgot in light of new things.

At age 9 my parents piled all three of us (My baby sister less than 1 year old, me, and my older sister of 11) and we spent three months living in a tiny Dolphin motorhome shorter than our minivan while traveling coast-to-coast! We just....entertained ourselves, and if there was a need, it was purchased along the way. One day my baby sister was inconsolable so we stopped by a thrift store and my mom found here a soft rabbit skin for like 25 cents. She was happy the rest of the trip, and well over a decade later it was still her favorite thing to sleep with.

Regarding internet, check out this thread. Unlimited 3G internet for $5/month. I'm like your daughter, I NEED internet. I actually also have a smartphone plan with StraightTalk, and pay 45/month for that for 2GB of data and unlimited minutes. Since getting cut off from the internet gives me panic attacks, having two options in place has helped a lot. Verizon is what you want for rural areas. I got one that you can plug an antenna into, that helps a lot for going further than I could otherwise.

Good luck, I'm excited for you all!

 

[gcal]

Dumb question, but have you tried shorter trips with your family? Long weekends or extended vacations? That can go a long way towards getting to know what you need. 

Re cats, they seem to be popular with rv'ers. See if you can leash train it. Much easier to live with an animal that moves under its own power. My current neighbor has a Siamese that instantly freezes and refuses to move as soon as the harness is on. You literally have to drag it. It yowls like only a Siamese can yowl in a carrier box.  A real pain whenever the motorhome needs to be left anywhere for servicing and the cat needs to leave. 

Re sewing machines, they make light weight 3/4 sized machines that are great space savers and are much easier to pull in and out of cabinets than full sized machines. Of course, they are also more limited in what jobs they can handle. If you are not attached to your old one and will be satisfied doing lighter projects, look into a smaller machine.

Re internet, we generally stay about 4/5's of the time in parks. Free park wifi is often terrible - slow, weak and inadequate. Often it is only available at the lodge. Would your daughter do well alone at the lodge? We are finding, more and more, that the parks are turning to pay-for-use wifi. So, you will have to have your own good plan, pay for a connection of unknown qualty, or have your daughter use libraries, Barnes and Noble, or other sources. You know from your home use history about how many gigs she uses.

 

[eoewan]

My daughter has obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety disorder. She does not do well with people she doesn't know or being away from us.

What we have been thinking of is getting my daughter a small truck camper and pulling a trailer for my husband, myself, and son. This way we are thinking it gives her a living space all her own with the security of us being right there for her. We also would be able to get a much smaller trailer for us.
I love the thought of a small living space. Currently we use our kitchen, table, bathrooms, and bedrooms for sleeping. My daughter shares her time between her room and the kitchen table. My son utilizes the family/play room while the front room goes unused completely. Most of the house is wasted space that we pay a mortgage on.

We have gone tent camping for lengths of a time. We basically live outdoors for the duration. We cook outdoors even in the rain. The only one who can't handle the outdoors is my daughter. We've had to get her a screened tent room so she feels like she is enclosed with a roof over her head.

 

[TrainChaser]

Cat: get an escape-proof harness; yes, they're more expensive than the cheap leather harnesses: https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_13xc1khl51_b

My friend, Jo, trained her pet CHICKEN to ride the handlebars of her bicycle. If chickens can be trained, a rock can be trained.

Get the cat used to the harness first. Then clip on a short leash and let her drag it around (only when you're home, never outdoors). Then train to walking on a leash with small tugs and conversation. Repeat with training to a car: car closed, engine off, you're there, cat can explore (a few treats & a catnip toy could be good). When that is normal to the cat, start engine and let it idle. Read a book. Next step, short drive around block, park, relax. Repeat. Graduate to the RV.

Your daughter's screened tent room sounds like a great place to keep the cat confined when you're busy with other things in camp.

A friend once told me that you can train a cat if you're smarter than the cat and have the cat's patience. If this guy can train a cat to ride a skateboard through town, you can train a cat to ride in a car -- Didga, the Skateboarding Cat:

 

[SoulRaven]

I think a camper for your daughter while pulling a trailer is a wonderful idea!

I was pretty much completely dependent on my parents from age 16-25 due to a severe neurological condition. I can relate to the need for your daughter to have her own living space while still being able to call on you for help. It's always a tricky balance to work out independence amidst caregiving. Sounds like you're doing a great job!

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I just want to say welcome and I think what you're doing is a fantastic idea. I think it's both good for your daughter and son. Might help her grow confidence/independence and if nothing else, just a good experience and well, what four year old boy doesn't love traveling and camping. My favorite memories growing up coincide with the many road trips my dad took us on.

I don't have kids but if i ever do, I envision traveling and homeschooling will be a major part of it.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

My daughter is an avid reader and writer on her laptop. She loves researching on the interweb. What do most people do for internet when they travel?

Two good resource for mobile internet:   http://www.technomadia.com
http://www.jackdanmayer.com/communication.htm

My needs would be to bring my sewing machine and painting supplies. Can you power a sewing machine with solar and how much solar would be required? Or, is a sewing machine just a want and not a necessity? Opinions wanted. I know Bob has said to get as much solar as you can afford which we will do.

HandyBob runs a sewing machine (and other stuff) off of solar.  It's kind of long, he kind of rants, but he has made mobile solar work:   https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com

Has anyone gotten a toy hauler 5th wheel and remodeled the toy section into a living space? We would like to do this for our daughter so she has some independence and her own living space that is separate from the rest of us. Is this even doable?

I have friends that have modified a toy hauler, adding a second bedroom in the toy section.  It just depends on your ability to make the changes; working with wood and power tools.

I have many more questions but will leave this here for now.

Cheers!

What we have been thinking of is getting my daughter a small truck camper and pulling a trailer for my husband, myself, and son. This way we are thinking it gives her a living space all her own with the security of us being right there for her. 

I have two thoughts on this:

1. a second vehicle will double your costs (gas, repairs, upkeep).
2. in campgrounds can you park both in one space or do you need a second campsite? (potentially more cost)

 -- Spiff

 

[eoewan]

Spaceman Spiff, we would use the truck to haul the camper and pull the trailer. Here in Canada there is always all kinds of contraptions rolling on the road. Truck with trailer pulling a boat; truck with camper pulling a car; etc. I'm not sure if in the States there is limitations to what you can pull. That is something I will have to check into.

My husband was thinking the camper/sleeper on the truck pulling the trailer and maybe towing my mini car. My car is still up in the air whether we will sell it or keep it.

 

[Cammalu]

You are going to need a very large truck carrying and pulling all that weight


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[DannyB1954]

In the states you may need a commercial licence to pull two trailers. You could use a Class C to pull a trailer as long as it was rated for the weight.

 

[highdesertranger]

if the first trailer is a 5er, you can pull another trailer. you can do this because the tow vehicle and 5er is considered one vehicle. so you end up with one vehicle pulling a trailer. highdesertranger

 

[ArtW]

I wonder if that's true in all 50 states HDR?
I read the post different though, I may be wrong, but I think the OP is talking about a slide in camper on a pickup with a travel trailer
Be very, very careful re payload /pull weight here if so, OP, slide ins are heavy, and top heavy, you will need a 1 ton dually, I'd bet