Anyone Full Time In A TC?
Hey guys. Im debating moving into my TC. Its a 9'6". Im wondering if anyone lives/full times in their TC and has enough room for the essentials and doesn't go stir crazy lol.
Forum Discussion
I tend to avoid posts about Fulltiming, because most are not Fulltiming, or planning to Fulltime anywhere close to how I Fulltime. So most of my suggestions would not be relevant and that might be the case for you too. For full disclosure, I just began my 5th year, Fulltiming in a Lance 1191 Truck Camper. I average 10 to 12 nights a year, backpacking and staying in a tent. The remaining nights are all in my Truck Camper. I don't stay in towns, I don't stay in Wal-Mart Parking lots or campgrounds. In fact, I don't even plug into electricity and haven't for a number years. That said, I did stay in a campground dry camping in Death Valley in February of 2012 and 4 days dry camping in Lost Dutchman State Park (AZ) this April. In 2012 I was on an interstate highway, once. This was the stretch between Boise and Mountain Home, ID. Also in 2012 I traveled from Oregon, through California, to the Mexican border, back to Oregon, through Yellowstone, Colorado to central New Mexico, by New Years Eve. Again in 2013, I haven't been on an Interstate Highway, starting 2013 in New Mexico, traveling through West Texas, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and still not on an Interstate Highway. For the remainder of 2013, I don't see any Interstates Highways either. While many Truck Campers go for weeks, I go a few months without taking the truck into town, or filling up water, propane or diesel. So it is described that I am a Xtreme Boondocker/Fulltimer. I filled up my propane once this year.
So I would be interested in knowing what you really mean about Fulltiming, in that are you going to stay in a campground, in and around a central location or are you going to travel and move around? All of these have different levels of complexities. Truck Camper Magazine featured a Truck Camping couple that have a 5th Wheel, on their own land in Texas, that they stay in and leave for trips/vacations in their Truck Camper. While they are Fulltimers, they are not Full Timers in a Truck Camper. Another Fulltimer lives in a Truck Camper, stationed in a Campground, with full hook ups and ventures out on trips in his Truck Camper. He is a Fulltimer, in a Campground, with Hookups. Another Truck Camper couple, in Truck Camper Magazine, has sold all of their properties and belongings and have gone out onto the road, traveling around with different locations to camp. This is probably the best example of a Fulltiming Truck Camper. All of these people are sharing the part that they left their previous life behind, with no ties to anything. No rent, no Mortgage, no lawns to mow, no property taxes to pay. It doesn't matter how many people give you advice, on going Fulltime, whether they are going out for the summer, or 5 months in a Truck Camper, or worked on the weekends with their families at home, it is not the same. To me it is like someone telling you about Ford trucks when they have never owned one. To live it, it is the deciding factor. For me, it hit me when I drove south out of Yellowstone and for the first time in 35 years of visiting that park, I didn't turn southeast, where I use to live in Colorado, but turned west towards the Pacific Coast. It was then I knew that my life had changed and I didn't have that familiar world to return too. You need to ask yourself that question and ask your wife that same question, are you ready for your world, as you have known it, to forever change? While there is nothing wrong in trying something new and then deciding it is not for you. But the thing is, once you cut the string, sale the house, car, boat and wave goodbye to your kids and friends, it changes. This why I advised earlier, I don't advise you to go Fulltiming in a Truck Camper. For me, I like not being around people and not talking to anybody for weeks at a time and discovering new things like where is the nearest NAPA or Home Depot Store, I do miss bookstores. Three things I didn't plan for, when I started my Adventure in June of 2009; (1.) How important electricity is for ME. I foolishly thought a couple of batteries and a generator would be all I needed (I added Solar 2 years into my Adventure). (2.) How I thought traveling around and seeing things would satisfy me. The reality is that I enjoy getting into an area and exploring, for weeks on end. Maybe only moving 3 times in a month. (3.) I thought seeing new people and new places would be exciting and satisfying, when in reality I discovered one thing I never even imagined, I missed Familiarity. I miss the fact that I don't see a familiar face, for months and months. I now make more of an effort to contact people along my route or have friends meet me out on the road. Usually this is someplace equally interesting whether it is a family member or long time friend, with an occasional visit of a RV.net poster. OP, put some thought into what you want out of this change of life. Are you prepared for finding electricity (Public Libraries, behind the outside Pop Machines at Wal-Marts at 3 AM in the morning, to run your laptop)? Are you prepared to find potable water and where are you going to dump your Gray and Black tanks? How long can you go on your propane tanks and stay warm when the winter sets in and you have day after day of below freezing temperatures? Are you prepared for the condensation and mold that develops inside a Truck Camper (Even more when you have extra people and a dog) in cold weather and pulling all your clothes and perishables out of cabinets and keep them from growing mold on them? Yes, OP, you have a lot on your plate and it will take time for you to sort all of this out. This is very different than just driving home, parking the truck and camper and just dealing with it, the next weekend. What are you going to do for aux vehicle? Are you going to be using your camper to pilot you two around to see all the things to see?
If you still answer yes, that this is going to be a choice, Fulltiming, keep this forum bookmarked on your computer and come here often, to ask questions.
Good luck and happy camping. Oh, yeah. I have no plans on stopping now and will continue to Fulltime in my Truck Camper. But I do admit, the first 2 years were difficult, looking back.
Final parting comment, and it is a cliche'; "If mom's not happy, no one is happy! "
b
So I would be interested in knowing what you really mean about Fulltiming, in that are you going to stay in a campground, in and around a central location or are you going to travel and move around? All of these have different levels of complexities. Truck Camper Magazine featured a Truck Camping couple that have a 5th Wheel, on their own land in Texas, that they stay in and leave for trips/vacations in their Truck Camper. While they are Fulltimers, they are not Full Timers in a Truck Camper. Another Fulltimer lives in a Truck Camper, stationed in a Campground, with full hook ups and ventures out on trips in his Truck Camper. He is a Fulltimer, in a Campground, with Hookups. Another Truck Camper couple, in Truck Camper Magazine, has sold all of their properties and belongings and have gone out onto the road, traveling around with different locations to camp. This is probably the best example of a Fulltiming Truck Camper. All of these people are sharing the part that they left their previous life behind, with no ties to anything. No rent, no Mortgage, no lawns to mow, no property taxes to pay. It doesn't matter how many people give you advice, on going Fulltime, whether they are going out for the summer, or 5 months in a Truck Camper, or worked on the weekends with their families at home, it is not the same. To me it is like someone telling you about Ford trucks when they have never owned one. To live it, it is the deciding factor. For me, it hit me when I drove south out of Yellowstone and for the first time in 35 years of visiting that park, I didn't turn southeast, where I use to live in Colorado, but turned west towards the Pacific Coast. It was then I knew that my life had changed and I didn't have that familiar world to return too. You need to ask yourself that question and ask your wife that same question, are you ready for your world, as you have known it, to forever change? While there is nothing wrong in trying something new and then deciding it is not for you. But the thing is, once you cut the string, sale the house, car, boat and wave goodbye to your kids and friends, it changes. This why I advised earlier, I don't advise you to go Fulltiming in a Truck Camper. For me, I like not being around people and not talking to anybody for weeks at a time and discovering new things like where is the nearest NAPA or Home Depot Store, I do miss bookstores. Three things I didn't plan for, when I started my Adventure in June of 2009; (1.) How important electricity is for ME. I foolishly thought a couple of batteries and a generator would be all I needed (I added Solar 2 years into my Adventure). (2.) How I thought traveling around and seeing things would satisfy me. The reality is that I enjoy getting into an area and exploring, for weeks on end. Maybe only moving 3 times in a month. (3.) I thought seeing new people and new places would be exciting and satisfying, when in reality I discovered one thing I never even imagined, I missed Familiarity. I miss the fact that I don't see a familiar face, for months and months. I now make more of an effort to contact people along my route or have friends meet me out on the road. Usually this is someplace equally interesting whether it is a family member or long time friend, with an occasional visit of a RV.net poster. OP, put some thought into what you want out of this change of life. Are you prepared for finding electricity (Public Libraries, behind the outside Pop Machines at Wal-Marts at 3 AM in the morning, to run your laptop)? Are you prepared to find potable water and where are you going to dump your Gray and Black tanks? How long can you go on your propane tanks and stay warm when the winter sets in and you have day after day of below freezing temperatures? Are you prepared for the condensation and mold that develops inside a Truck Camper (Even more when you have extra people and a dog) in cold weather and pulling all your clothes and perishables out of cabinets and keep them from growing mold on them? Yes, OP, you have a lot on your plate and it will take time for you to sort all of this out. This is very different than just driving home, parking the truck and camper and just dealing with it, the next weekend. What are you going to do for aux vehicle? Are you going to be using your camper to pilot you two around to see all the things to see?
If you still answer yes, that this is going to be a choice, Fulltiming, keep this forum bookmarked on your computer and come here often, to ask questions.
Good luck and happy camping. Oh, yeah. I have no plans on stopping now and will continue to Fulltime in my Truck Camper. But I do admit, the first 2 years were difficult, looking back.
Final parting comment, and it is a cliche'; "If mom's not happy, no one is happy! "
b
