Full timing in a truck camper.

jefe 4x4 wrote:
A lot of cogent issues brought up here. Full timing will not be our lexicon, but long term traveling is and continues to be. I believe that anyone, no matter what age or stage, will not know if the Full Time TC game will work for them, until they try. Everyone reacts differently.
I do have these observations after the O.P. more fully explained his predicament.
1. Claustrophobia. No one knows if that will be an issue until some time has passed while living in the TC.
2. Climbing those steps, both the entry and the big ones to the cabover bed. How are your knees, back, and general strength?
3. Is there enough space to stay reasonably out of your mate's way?
4. Do you fit and can operate in doing all the the wet bath chores?
5. Do you have enough storage? With a TC, you had better not be one who must take everything with them to feel comfortable.
6. If not going on dirt roads much, do you really need a 4X4 TC?
7. The rule of thumb is: the longer your are out in a TC, time wise, the larger and more comfortable you want the camper to be.
8. And the last thing is your flexibility and adaptability to new and different situations.
Of course this does not take into account your other interests in life. If you have few things to connect you with the area you currently live in, the easier it will be to cut those ties.
There is only one way to find out if you and yours are good candidates for full timing: jump in with both feet. If it doesn't work out, you will just have another path to follow.
I do know this for Jeanie and I: namely, the less 'stuff' we take on long trips, the freer we feel. Good luck and do report back on your findings.
jefe

I agree one does not know till they try it. If we can sit for two weeks in a 3 man tent while it rains a TC won't be a problem. Most of the time we will be outside. The steps have been a concern however my fall two weeks home from my liver transplant was due to passing out as I got onto my porch. I cracked two ribs and messed up the back beyond repair. I have to be careful at the gym. But I think I will be ok. No wet bath wife demands a dry bath. Other than kids and grandkids our only reason to stay in TN is low taxes. No income or personal property tax. Plates are $100 a year. TN does have a 10% sales tax and they tax food. Since my teaching subject is mechanics Chrysler let me attend training for free and gave me "friend of Chrysler letter" cheaper than employees. I got my dually at an even better deal. The dealer knocked off the price of the Cummins and the 4x4. I got a $50K truck for $30K. I'm glad I got the 4wd because it will get stuck on wet grass. I am of the school that 4wd is for getting out of trouble not into it. We are not into sports or activities beyond a day at the range punching holes in paper. Mostly we read or surf the net on our phones. Compaired to motorcycles we will have plenty of storage space.