Staying Home This Year

[dramsey1]

We retired in 2010 and had the good fortune to spend most of the last six winters in Sarasota or Venice Florida. This year family issues have kept us home so for the first time we are powering through an entire Michigan winter without working. It's doable but I miss being active, meeting new people, and having fun. I've been spending my time planning RV trips which we will likely take someday. The real problem is that my wife and I can't seem to stay warm even though the thermostat is set to almost summer temps. I guess we'll enjoy next years snowbird trip all the more. I'm thinking we'll move around Florida and try out a variety of campgrounds for awhile instead of staying put in one place. Family comes first but our time will come. My parents used to snowbird for 5-6 months a year but I think 3 is all we'll ever do as we do enjoy some winter.

[golf_bears]

Our normal RV travels for the past 8 years has been to do a summer trip, about 4-5 months and return home. Stay home for a few months then do a snowbird trip for 4-5 months and return home again.

Last year in late June I needed to have a full knee replacement so no summer trip. Came November we decided to order a new RV and let the knee heal longer, so no winter trip.

We now have our 2008 Mobile Suite for sale and maybe truck also, a 2008 Ford F-450 diesel, dually 4x4. New RV available late this month or early next month. Just can’t wait to get the new RV home, packed and hit the road again.

Lots of sites to see and things to do in our bucket list. We meet so many nice folks on the road.

Not getting any younger so chopping at the bits to be “ON THE ROAD AGAIN”!!!! Oh, and that happens to be one of my favorite songs, by Willie Nelson!!!! Save travels to all of you and stay healthy!!!!

[happycamper1942]

Decision made!!!
I just made the decision that we are going to Arizona after spending 2 hours on my knees on the roof of the fiver removing 15 inches of snow before tonight's storm brings more. To hell with the dollar exchange,the distance or anything else you can think of, we are on our way.

[jplante4]

Although I've stayed busy whipping the condo into shape and the weather on Cape Cod hasn't really been wintry yet, I find myself reviewing the pictures from last winter's trip more often as spring gets closer. The Sahara should be out of the shop now (some suspension work best done inside on a lift) and I'm wondering if a quick dash south for a month might be doable.

[John_Joey]

FWIW,

Friends are coming down so DW and I went out in search of a nice hotel for them. I was amazed at how many were full. The reason being monthly snowbirds.

Don't know if this is a new trend, or just because it's been a tough winter up north, and people are taking a break from it by driving south for a month or two.

[dramsey1]

Thanks for your comments everyone. If we're fortunate to go down next year my thinkin g is that we will spend roughly the month of November in Florida then put the motorhome in storage down there for roughly two months and go back down for maybe February and March then come home. It may prove to be a lot of trouble and renting for three months here and there as suggested by John&Joey may prove to be a better option. It's good to have options....

[slickest1]

I hear ya!! I'm sitting here looking out the window at blowing snow.There is about 6 inches on the ground. Yuk!! We couldn't get away last year due to a medical issue. This year I just finished Cataract surgery and now the flu.
Next Year!!!!
We have only ever gone for 3 months at a time and it works for us. For me 6 months may be too long but maybe if I tried it I wouldn't go back.

For those that are in warm weather "Enjoy"!!

[doxiemom11]

Somehow the cold creeps in sooner when you have not spent time in the northern winters. We have been full-time for 6 yrs spending winters in the south and not heading north again until it's warming up( late April into May) We now get cold when it's 70 degrees if the sun isn't also shining.

[jplante4]

I feel your pain. We spent the entire winter on the road last year and stayed home this winter to sell the house and by a condo. The good news is I haven't touched a shovel yet, which is nearly as good as not seeing any snow at all.

I'm with John&Joey; six months was ok for the first big adventure, but I think future trips will be limited to 3 months at a time.

If you'll be moving around Florida next winter, don't miss the panhandle. We enjoyed this area of Florida. There's a reason they call it the forgotten coast.

[K_Charles]

We go 2 months in the fall and 2 in the spring. Mom likes to have everyone over for 5 generation pictures during the holidays. Anyway, we set the thermostat for 70 and complain of the cold the hole time were here. I think it's an age thing.

[John_Joey]

We are gone 5-6 months like your folks were, but starting to think 3 might be a better idea. If we do go for only 3 months then RV'ing stops making sense to me. Thinking 3 one month rentals across the south would be more enjoyable, and just slightly more costly then RV'ing 5-6 months.

Still juggling stuff around like you are. One of the luxuries I guess of being retired.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

🙂 Hi, sounds like you are ready for a cross country trip. :C

[Dick_B]

I can relate because illness kept us in northern Illinois this January instead of biking around Florida. If it gets cleared up in time we might try going down a few weeks later; maybe in April.