WOMEN ONLY: Calling full-time FEMALE nomads

[mothercoder]

If you could please, share with me the things you DISLIKE most about your lifestyle. Thanks.

 

[Almost There]

Hate to disappoint you but there isn't a single damn thing I really dislike about my lifestyle.

My living quarters have everything I need and nothing I don't. My housework is minimal. I get to move with the weather (well mostly, the damned Cdn government rules keep getting in my way...sigh). My finances have me living on less than what I take in, every month. I get to see different natural views every time I turn around. My time is my own to do with as I please....what's not to like!...seriously!!

Oh wait, I just thought of one thing that I don't like much...it's being separated from all my wonderful friends who are scattered all over the continent and that I don't get to see as often as I would like....but maybe that's why we're still wonderful friends....

Sooo, we get together in wonderful places all over the continent and pick up where we left off!. Being able to do that is one of the things that I DO like about being a nomad.

 

[DuneElliot]

Arduous set-up and take-down of camp, especially leveling the camper. Of course this is an RV and not a van so there is a difference.

Would I change it? No.

Oh and finding work...that's been a pain in a new town when you really need to recoup savings.

 

[Blanch]

What I dislike? My TT is 30 feet ( I sort of over bought) so being able to turn around has been rough in a few spots. I am getting better at navigating.

The cost of gas for my many adventures is a pain. I get 10 miles to the gallon on a flat road, going over Donner Pass I got 4mpg.

Mosquitos. In one spot this summer they were so bad I had to move. I don't mind a bite here and there, but when I become an all you can eat buffet I need to move on.

I can't think of anything else. If I had a Do over I would buy a smaller trailer and a smaller truck with better mpg.


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[rvwandering]

It's pretty hard to come up with things that we dislike but we thought of two. Our daughter lives on a narrow street in Seattle. Our RV is our only vehicle and parking is restricted so relaxed visits are out. The other is minor. We buy organic food most of the time and in some rural areas of the country, it's in short supply so we either have to stock up or do without.

 

[DuneElliot]

What I dislike? My TT is 30 feet ( I sort of over bought) so being able to turn around has been rough in a few spots. I am getting better at navigating.

The cost of gas for my many adventures is a pain. I get 10 miles to the gallon on a flat road, going over Donner Pass I got 4mpg.

Mosquitos. In one spot this summer they were so bad I had to move. I don't mind a bite here and there, but when I become an all you can eat buffet I need to move on.

I can't think of anything else. If I had a Do over I would buy a smaller trailer and a smaller truck with better mpg.


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Geez, is that a gas truck? I get 9mpg over passes and about 12mpg on flat roads with a 27ft Springdale 5W with my much older diesel...I'd love to get better gas mileage too with one of the newer (aka more expensive) but I love my truck and she's reliable.

 

[Blanch]

Geez, is that a gas truck? I get 9mpg over passes and about 12mpg on flat roads with a 27ft Springdale 5W with my much older diesel...I'd love to get better gas mileage too with one of the newer (aka more expensive) but I love my truck and she's reliable.

Yes, gas. I bought what I could afford and I am happy with her, but she drinks gas like an alcoholic at an open bar.


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[Suanne]

Like others have said, it's hard for me to find anything I truly dislike about this lifestyle.  I'm full-time in a Prius; so, even the cost of fuel is a non-issue for me.

The challenges are different than living in a conventional dwelling, however.  Routine activities just take longer -- cooking, bathroom/hygiene, dressing.  And there's a lot of "finding" -- a place to do laundry, to shower, shop, get cash, to park/sleep, to disperse camp on public land, the good weather, and the best backroads route to get there -- all while making sure I feel safe.

I would say that I disliked some of the preparation to enter this lifestyle -- the downsizing, determining/buying a vehicle to live out of, more downsizing, researching/determining my state of domicile, still more downsizing, getting a mail forwarder, and the final push to downsize to fit all of my earthly possessions in the Prius.  But some of that dislike, I suspect, is due to getting divorced at the same time I became a full-timer; it all kind of got done at the same time.

Yet the challenges and preparations are more than worth the benefits -- to travel, be in nature, experience other locations/cultures, and meet up with many like-minded people (and their dogs) in our community.  I have to pinch myself sometimes; it's like living a really good dream.

I'm sure this lifestyle is not a good fit for many people.  Yet, for me, I wouldn't use the word "dislike" for any of my experiences since living out of a Prius off and on since 2009.

Suanne ... now heading south for the winter

 

[ValerieP]

I dislike some of the challenges I'm facing converting my van- other than that, I think I have more moments of contentment living in my travel trailer. I dislike the fact that I need to work 2 more years before I will have a retirement that will allow me to wander around more. For now, I'm in a RV park while I work and then in May I'll get to wander until August.
I like the simplicity of this lifestyle.

 

[Kia girl]

For me when I was on the road full time I hated my van always breaking down. Now I have a smaller car and livable once I get back in the road that shouldn’t be a problem. I didn’t dislike anything else about it.


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[mothercoder]

Before you began the lifestyle, did you worry about whether or not it would be right for you? I love nature, peace quiet. I'm tired of being closed in with people all the time and I'm very VERY tired of losing 8 hours a day sitting at a desk and doing nothing meaningful. However, there are some things that concern me. Primarily, I'm worried that with my shoulder injury, living as a nomad will be more painful than it is now. Sleeping isn't always comfortable and so it's absolutely critical for me that I have the best possible sleep situation to mitigate pain as much as possible. There aren't a lot of physical activities that I have to do on a daily basis now other than typical daily living: laundry, dishes, cooking, basic house cleaning. Will I find setting up and tearing down camp to be too uncomfortable? I plan on having a set up so that I can remain in place for at least a week at a time but sometimes that doesn't work out. Sometimes where you camp isn't comfortable or the weather changes or you just can't find anything so you're moving around more than you planned. I worry that might be too much for me.

Bottom line, I don't want to make a wrong choice. Even though I know it's not a permanent choice, I have limited funds and if spent on this, it makes it that much harder to change to something different.

 

[DuneElliot]

I didn't worry if it was right for me.I always loved to travel and often did seasonal work so I could see the end of the work assignment...even with my full-time job we were laid off in the summer which was vital to my mental health.

Of course, now I'm having a harder time finding work than I thought I would and THAT is stressful. Of course I've only been here a week so I need to be more patient.

Setting up camp, for me, is just more time consuming...in a van it would be easier (just like it is for me in my truck).

Make sure you get a good mattress or memory foam topper to help with sleeping and add in those things that help sleep...dark curtains, white noise like a fan, ear plugs etc

 

[tav-2020]

I'm very VERY tired of losing 8 hours a day sitting at a desk and doing nothing meaningful.  However, there are some things that concern me.  Primarily, I'm worried that with my shoulder injury, living as a nomad will be more painful than it is now.  Sleeping isn't always comfortable and so it's absolutely critical for me that I have the best possible sleep situation to mitigate pain as much as possible.  There aren't a lot of physical activities that I have to do on a daily basis now other than typical daily living:  laundry, dishes, cooking, basic house cleaning.  Will I find setting up and tearing down camp to be too uncomfortable? 

Still in planning stage myself, but same thoughts. My eight hours a day sitting at desk also bothers me more & more, both physically and emotionally.
Def going to prioritize sleeping: best mattress & environment for that. Have minor back issues -- when it goes out, I am in trouble...so have learned to move/carry/lift smart. Inactivity leads to atrophy which can be worse! (IMHO only!)

So here is some of my thinking:
I look forward to the setting up/tearing down of my camp, as part of an expanding fitness plan...the more I attempt to do (not foolishly, but well thought out) the more capable I will become...stretching and working muscles (upperbody) will be good for me after all these years in a desk chair! The great advantage is that it won't matter if it takes me 15 minutes to set up or 3 hours...it will be my time/my pace. And I am doing the most I can now, still work and house bound, to prepare. Getting as much health/dental stuff done, eating simpler/healthier meals, be as physically active as I can when not working.  This is working for me, and is mentally empowering as well.  Purposely got two high energy dogs about two years ago (aussies!) -- they demand I walk/run/play a lot.

I should note that I have camped quite a bit, both tent and rv...so am well aware of what I will physically need to be capable of.  The big difference will be that instead of only getting a week or more of camping vacation, it will be my everyday life...can't wait!
Attitude is everything.

 

[mothercoder]

Make sure you get a good mattress or memory foam topper to help with sleeping and add in those things that help sleep...dark curtains, white noise like a fan, ear plugs etc

Definitely need a good sleep set up and unfortunately I can't sleep on memory foam whether it's a mattress or topper.  I've tried and tried and I get a terrible night's sleep with memory foam.  :-(

 

[mothercoder]

Attitude is everything.

I love your attitude and I should adopt more of that.  I did some camping as a child but don't remember much.  Some camping as an adult but I was never rabid about it.  What I WAS rabid about was being outdoors: hiking, skiing, fishing, just hanging out.  Of course, that was a number of years ago.  But I was my happiest in nature.  So if I can combine the joy of nature with the basic comforts of home (walls, good bed), then I will have the best of both worlds.  Oh and I love to drive and explore on wheels.  So there's that. 

As for physical activity helping me, yes in many ways it would.  Although I'm not sure using my arm frequently and often will improve things much.  I've been told I'll never get full range of motion back again and that it will always hurt.  So if I'm physically active with the arm setting up and tearing down camp, it just means that there will be a period of pain I will have to deal with.

 

[tav-2020]

 Although I'm not sure using my arm frequently and often will improve things much.  I've been told I'll never get full range of motion back again and that it will always hurt.  So if I'm physically active with the arm setting up and tearing down camp, it just means that there will be a period of pain I will have to deal with.

So sorry there is no relief for your arm pain. Chronic pain is hard.

So maybe your camp is simpler - if its too much to set up an outdoor shade canopy(assuming you want one!) then get a large golf umbrella and attach to chair. Or choose/build your rig with an attached awning that is easy up/down.
At one point I camped with pop-up trailer, an outdoor screen room, additional canopy, multiple 4 ft folding tables (for outside cook station w/campstove, wire grid for hanging pots & pans)..basically a mini-compound!...part of the fun WAS setting up, especially when my kids were young and went with.

Now that stuff is long gone and I tent it, only on nice weather days (well, as predicted!),  one camp chair and lots of dog toys.  Simple.

My current goal towards full time is a small TT and def going to test it out a lot.  Work weeks will be easier if that is waiting for me each weekend. And it will help me make my mistakes safely, I think.

 

[Suanne]

... Sleeping isn't always comfortable and so it's absolutely critical for me that I have the best possible sleep situation to mitigate pain as much as possible...

Bottom line, I don't want to make a wrong choice. Even though I know it's not a permanent choice, I have limited funds and if spent on this, it makes it that much harder to change to something different.

For me, having a comfortable bed for a good night's sleep is priority, on par with having a dependable vehicle.

Have you considered testing out the lifestyle before you jump in with both feet. For me, I was very clear that I loved it after my first 6 months on the road. I was part-time from 09-16, going full-time this year. Without having had direct experience, I'm not sure I would ever feel comfortable making such a drastic change in my life.

For you, testing out your bed seems critical.

Can you take some test runs before you are committed to such a huge lifestyle change?

Suanne

 

[mothercoder]

Can you take some test runs before you are committed to such a huge lifestyle change?

I'm not really sure what I would take a test run with that would be comparable. Time is also an issue. I have no vacation time right now so it would have to wait until spring and by then I should be wrapping things up for retirement. I personally don't feel that 1-2 weeks (of one has the time and resources, which I don't) is really an accurate example of full time living. 

Anyway...although there's still a ? over my head about some things, I'm okay with taking the plunge. I have a Plan B and it's doable if this doesn't work out.

 

[mert6706]

Before you began the lifestyle, did you worry about whether or not it would be right for you?  I love nature, peace quiet.  I'm tired of being closed in with people all the time and I'm very VERY tired of losing 8 hours a day sitting at a desk and doing nothing meaningful.  However, there are some things that concern me.  Primarily, I'm worried that with my shoulder injury, living as a nomad will be more painful than it is now.  Sleeping isn't always comfortable and so it's absolutely critical for me that I have the best possible sleep situation to mitigate pain as much as possible.  There aren't a lot of physical activities that I have to do on a daily basis now other than typical daily living:  laundry, dishes, cooking, basic house cleaning.  Will I find setting up and tearing down camp to be too uncomfortable?  I plan on having a set up so that I can remain in place for at least a week at a time but sometimes that doesn't work out.  Sometimes where you camp isn't comfortable or the weather changes or you just can't find anything so you're moving around more than you planned.  I worry that might be too much for me.  

Bottom line, I don't want to make a wrong choice.  Even though I know it's not a permanent choice, I have limited funds and if spent on this, it makes it that much harder to change to something different.

it sounds like you are not yet a full timer and still have a home base. I, too, have concerns about my physical ability to maintain a lifestyle on the road. My plan is to take a couple of short trips and see how it goes, one of them hopefully to RTR in January. Is that an option for you? Another thought, is there someone who can go with you just to be on standby in case you have difficulty? I did the 8 hours a day 5 days a week cublicle thing and had to until I could collect social security. What a waste! I thought I was doing what I was supposed to do. It never occurred to me it might be possible to do what I wanted to do instead.  I wish I had thought out of the box a little more! I can only hope I have enough time left to find a way to get out there and enjoy the natural world, the moon and stars, all the critters, insects, flowers, trees, lakes etc.

 

[Cammalu]

Can you get a rig that you can use where you're not setting up and breaking down camp? I would think in a Class B or C or van you wouldn't have to do that.

I'm in a C and the only thing I do is to take the coffee pot out of the sink where it rides. Sometimes there are a few other things in the sink that I put on the counter but that's all the setting up I do.

If you end up with some sort of camper you won't really have much to do to set up. When do you plan to launch?


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