Why are you on the road (or wanting to be)?

[Queen]

Since this lifestyle seems to have it's die hard fans, folks who are living the dream as well as all the people waiting in the wings for their opportunity to live it; it makes me wonder, why do we want this?  What are the stories of how we got here, got to this point in life where we're willing/able/excited about living this way?


I'm one of the wannabes, my desire stems from a gypsy (military) upbringing where we moved constantly.  This constant movement thrilled me, new people, new vistas, a change in the routine.  I continued the moving into my adult years and have never lived in a place longer five years in my entire life, most places only a year of two.  This mobile lifestyle has never really afforded the opportunity to accumulate things so when I downsized recently it was very interesting, I got rid of things others would be appalled by (my parents wedding rings, family pictures...) but stuff (to me) is just things controlling me, so nope.

My desire to van dwell is so strong, but so is my desire to remain married to the love of my life and she loves the idea of part timing, but will not give up on a home base.  So, we compromise. We have a tiny place in FL and are setting ourselves up to hit the road for part of the year when her current work gig is done.


What is your story?  




(Sorry if this has been done before, I searched but got no matching results.)

 

[mockturtle]

My late husband [the love of MY life] and I full-timed for two years back in the mid-90's with the provision that it was a trial and that, if either of us decided it wasn't what we wanted, we would stop. He got tired of traveling and wanted to spend all winter at a golf resort in AZ. We ended up snowbirding with two houses and a small trailer for trips in between. I continued to work seasonally. Never having lost my desire to live and travel in an RV, I decided, after my husband passed away two years ago, to sell the house and hit the road. Hope to do it as long as I am able.

 

[Theadyn]

Grew up with camping and the adventures and all the many places I've seen through the years.

Had a lot of married years settled into one place, but something was always missing. When my late hubby passed there was a fear, as well, about how badly things can get after one major life happening, so this was my perfect solution to both things: will always have a place to live, and have the wheels under it to go with seeking some adventure.

I'm not full time right now, just part time. Should things change I know I could full time with no problem.

Also... the freedom. That, I think, most of all.

 

[cyndi]

There's a similar thread here
https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-S...to-Live-In-A-Van?highlight=why+did+you+choose

with 5 pages of interesting answers

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I was tired of paying someine else to live in a bedroom, which is all i seen of my home really. Now, i enjoy the security of a van, knowing no matter what i got a place to sleep, and if i want a change its a key turn away. i like the self reliance aspect.

for those on wifi, heres a vid vidi made talking about it some too if you prefer to see my gorgeously chubby face lol

 

[eDJ_]

What's the allure of living in a Van or RV for me ?


I'm still living in the same area that I grew up in presently.  I've covered this area thoroughly
in my travels since childhood and there isn't much to see that I haven't already seen.  
As for my living quarters, my home is like a Beach House and sits beside the Ohio River. 
I've enjoyed living here for some time now. But the place will require some major repairs
if I am to stay here. Then there is the local Government that will want me to take city
water and sewer in time.  There is good cable internet, dependable power and phone service
and I feel blessed to have a good well and septic tank.  That saves me nearly $100 a month
in utilities. I have a motorcycle, and motor boat as well as my Van, but again, I've seen the local
scenery so much that I feel it's time to plan to move on and live in a more flexible way than I
have in the past.

My Realtor whom I've known since school days tells me I would be ahead to sell now and take
the capital gains exemption as I would profit more than if I make the repairs and upgrades
and sell later.  There are a lot of people in their 30's who could enjoy this property and
make the repairs and upgrades and live here long enough for the property to appreciate for
them to sell at a profit later.  But I've had my fling with home ownership and neighbors
I have only to accept without any choice.  

In another Thread that delt with Tiny Homes I suggested building a Shell Tiny Barn type
of structure the Van could be pulled into.  The pole building could have it's sides covered
with plastic tarps to dampen the sun and give privacy.  These wouldn't be expensive to
build and would look like a building under construction. (a stealth of it's own) Explained
here:

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Tiny-House-Build-and-12v-fuse-block?page=3


If a person wanted to own a lot in more than one or two States He/She could have a
a facilities to travel in between or outside of.  Thus they could snow bird, travel,
and have a lodge to stay at to rest up before moving on. A 1/8 Acre lot would be around
75 X 75 and it could affordable to pursue this life.

The structure I envision would look something like this:

I remember how my Grand Mother used to like to watch a TV show called "Chips".  She noticed
the character "Ponch" lived in a Type A RV that he parked in a Trailer Park.   She had seen how
I used my old Van moving around in my Corporate Jobs and wondered why I shouldn't just
adopt "Ponch's" strategy and not bother with paying rent when I could make payments on a
used RV and tow an economy car behind it.  Then move if better Jobs became available.  Then
in time if I were to find something "great" sell the RV and rent an apartment or buy a home.

I never watched the "Chips" TV show like she did but she would go on and on encouraging me to
consider doing what "Ponch" was doing. 

Today I think "Ponch" was a man ahead of his time. 

But my idea of purchasing property in "good" locations that will appreciate in value in time would
provide me with my own private Trailer Park and serve as an investment as well.   The unfinished
building could be finished as a Tiny Home for someone interested in such or torn down and a
home built on the site.

 

[PeacefulSoul]

I am living this way because if I sit in a job/house/life for more than a year or so I become stagnate. I start getting itchy feet and have to move them. I am very good at blending in with "normal society" but I just cant buy into that version of life...sticks and brick mortgage, debt, purchasing to fill holes..it all feels like handcuffs to me. With van dwelling I can chose where I want to be, for how long and what I want to be doing during that time. I love to see new scenery, meet new people and be in silence with nature...these are the things that fill my soul with happiness. I am so grateful I took a leap of faith a few years ago and started living this way.

 

[ilovemyvan]

I'll try to make a long story short, quite a challenge for me. Unlike most people here we came off the road a few years ago, we are now only part time van dwellers. We left our jobs in 1989 and backpack around the world for a year. When we came back (in the cold Toronto winter) we still had traveling money . Both of us were active skydivers and so we decided to come to Florida to jump all winter. Luckily we were both offered jobs at the Parachute Center. That set the tone for the next 8 years. We bought a school bus and we follow the jumping seasons, same pattern as a snowbird. After 8 years we kind of had enough so we built our own house then got ride of the bus. Shortly after that we realized that we still had some traveling left in us so we visited some countries that we wanted to see but missed the first time around. Once we had contended our little hearts with this kind of travelling we bought and converted a van. This is our 4th van. We really enjoy the freedom that van traveling offers but I have to admit that 3 weeks is pretty much our limit now a days. We haven't made quite a 180 as far as traveling is concern but we are slowly turning into home buddies. As much as we enjoyed being on the go all the time, we now prefer short outings.

Yay I did it, I kept it short.

Cheers

Nicole

 

[Almost There]

I'm headed back out on the road this fall for a variety of reasons!

The happiest I have ever been was the 14 years I spent travelling. This despite the hard years, of which there were a few. Some months, particularly in the beginning, I HAD to spend nights in W/M parking lots because I had my choice of gas to get to the next show, food or camping fees. Some weeks it was one of the 3 only. But I was still happy!

Before going on the road full-time I spent as much time travelling as I could steal away from my work. Favorite memories are of weeks on the east coast, the mountains of Colorado and heading to the deep south.

This time I get to do differently, I get to do it as a retiree... I really like the 2:2:2: plan and plan to practice it as much as possible...

I like travelling, like seeing new parts of the country, meeting new people and tasting new foods. There's always something to see just around the next bend.

I'm also heading out for purely selfish reasons - I hate winter and if I never see another snowbank it won't be too soon! Sure, I could just go and sit in Florida for the winter like thousands of other snowbirds but what's the fun in that! That's where you go as a snowbird when you get too old to do anything else..thanks but not right now!!

It's also a way to stretch my retirement income. I can either sit in this apartment and go nowhere because of the cost of carrying it or I can go out and explore the continent.

I suspect that there must be some gypsy in my heritage somewhere - I'm most comfortable on the road.

2 1/2 months to go!!

 

[Queen]

This time I get to do differently, I get to do it as a retiree... I really like the 2:2:2: plan and plan to practice it as much as possible...

Good stuff!  What is this 2:2:2 plan?

My wife is getting very sick of her job, she telecommutes from the job she had in IL, and she's > < close to packing it in (with my enthusiastic encouragement).  Just this morning she was saying "lets talk about this traveling you want to do", so YAY!

 

[Almost There]

Good stuff!  What is this 2:2:2 plan?

My wife is getting very sick of her job, she telecommutes from the job she had in IL, and she's > < close to packing it in (with my enthusiastic encouragement).  Just this morning she was saying "lets talk about this traveling you want to do", so YAY!

The 2:2:2 plan is a concept of travelling that I learned about either here or on a blog - sorry, suffer from CRS syndrome... so I don't remember where I found it!

It goes like this:

2 hours of driving, parked by 2 PM and stay for 2 days!

Sounds like my kind of travelling...

I figure if I start now I'll need to still be doing this well in to my 90's to see maybe about half of what's out there calling my name. Course part of that is that I have to spend 6 months back here in Ontario to keep all my government goodies intact...

I sat at the > < this close to packing it in for months - didn't have any enthusiasm each morning when I hit my desk in my home office, couldn't care less if I was productive. All last winter I blamed it on a bad case of sunlight deficiency. Then when spring came I had to face the fact that I just plain didn't want to have to work anymore. Been at it since I was 15, time to quit and go play! I was helped along the way with a boss (and his in office staff) that managed to irritate me at least weekly, even though we were never face to face...

With a plan for living that will fit my much reduced income, a good stash of emergency funds, wheels and itchy feet, I'm outta here! And none too soon!

Maybe you can make a deal with her that you'll keep the s&b home as a plan B just in case. But since she's an old backpacker I figure once you get her out there, the home base will be superfluous. Just figure out what it is about life on the road that is NOT appealing to her and find a workaround! Need a comfortable bed - check, need to not be up, packed and moving every morning - got it, move every 2nd or 3rd day. Absolutely got to have her hair blower - big solar and battery system... Oh and don't forget that chocolate and wine fix a whole lot....

 

[Queen]

I like the 2:2:2 system, very workable!

Her boss is making her insane right now and there's no end in sight, we can both draw a tiny retirement from the state (about enough to cover healthcare if we keep state coverage and food) but at least it's something coming in every month!  The "lets keep the s&b so we have something to come back to" would be step one, and since we own it outright step two might be renting it out and creating a revenue stream from it... then ditching it altogether and using the proceeds to live on!

 

[Almost There]

I like the 2:2:2 system, very workable!

Her boss is making her insane right now and there's no end in sight, we can both draw a tiny retirement from the state (about enough to cover healthcare if we keep state coverage and food) but at least it's something coming in every month!  The "lets keep the s&b so we have something to come back to" would be step one, and since we own it outright step two might be renting it out and creating a revenue stream from it... then ditching it altogether and using the proceeds to live on!

There's lots of ways to make money on the road. If you've got healthcare and food covered then all you need is enough to cover gas, maintenance and other daily expenses. Easier than you probably think, particularly if you do workkamping or do something like Amazon. And if nothing else, there's always another boss that might not drive you crazy!! I know that if I ever decide to earn a living again it won't be with the same company - I'm just plain done with them. I'd rather work at W/M..

Creating a revenue stream from rental is great but only if you've someone who can be on call in case of problems with either the tenant or the s&b itself. I've watched multiple tenants in the other units here and there's no way I'd ever become a landlord.

Selling the s&b takes courage and a certain self-knowledge that it's the right decision to make - that's a tough one. BUT, having the proceeds to invest to provide an income gives you lots of freedom no matter what turns your life road makes.

The alternative is the same old, same old that she's doing now - working to pay for having a roof over ones' head and paying the bills. I don't know about you two but I just can't do it any longer!

 

[mockturtle]

I actually use the 2:2:2 system when at all possible but that's the first time I've ever heard the term. Going through BC to Alaska, I had to abandon it, however--driving further each day and staying only one night.

 

[SoulRaven]

Sure, I could just go and sit in Florida for the winter like thousands of other snowbirds but what's the fun in that! That's where you go as a snowbird when you get too old to do anything else.

What a shame, I guess you will not be attending any of the three week-long gatherings I have planned this winter in the state of Florida, we are definitely going to miss your presence.

 

[Almost There]

I spent about 12 of the 14 years of my time travelling in the US in Florida for the winter. There wasn't much of the state that I haven't been to at one point or another.

Sorry that I won't be gracing y'all with my presence but the rest of the continent is hollering at me to come explore it!

 

[Ella1]

I want to be on the road
to overcome agoraphobia
to see (some of) the country, and paint it
to regain self reliance as well as trust

 

[VanDwellerMod]

Rather than hijack this thread, I've moved the posts (and parts of posts) about earning rental revenue to its own thread here https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-R...tal-split-from-Why-are-you-on-the-road--14381.

 

[NaturePhreak]

Both of my parents were teachers. So for about 3 months every year, we would hop in the car and tour the country while camping. While we usually had a general idea of where we were going, my dad was a bit of an adventurer, so we could end up just about anywhere (one time we ended up driving all the way to Mexico City). Guess that's where I got my love for nature and need to roam. I also don't have an affinity for shopping or acquiring "stuff," so camping isn't a difficult transition for me.

Earlier this year, I had an offer from someone to buy my home and most of it's contents. I was excited; ready to dump my possessions and hit the road! Then the plan came to a sudden halt. My boyfriend of 13 years began expressing concern about quitting his job and living this lifestyle. So, much like you Queen, I decided that I wanted to keep my relationship. I will continue to travel 3 or 4 months out of the year (alone) because I enjoy wandering the country and taking photos. However, my preference would be to have some company and wander for 12 months. Oh well, maybe some day if he gets laid off, he will be easier to convince.

 

[Queen]

I hear you about wishing for more time on the road, and together! That's got to be difficult.

I appreciate everyone has their own level of risk tolerance, but I guess be on one extreme end I just don't get people on the other. Other people's fears mean little to me... except when it's my wife and the compromise keeps me more stuck than I want to be. Such is love.