How insane is this?

[LO_Sherwood_OR]

My DH of 31 years & I have spent the last 13 years in our 5,000sf "dream home" on a 1.5 acre mountain property in Sherwood,Oregon and are finding ourselves weary of too much house,lawn, weeds & rain. Love to camp, but it's always been "tenting"; and finding ourselves quite drawn to the possibility of fulltiming in a 5TH wheel! So far the Trilogy line is the favorite we've seen; but concern for lack of reviews on this line and need for dually's to tow this big boy is daunting! $ and sheer size!
Questions: Anyone else ever go from this much house to FT without killing each other?
2. Learning to maneuver on that much 5er as first timers, but also not wanting to waste money on something we won't be happy with for 2 shakes like s TT to pull behind the 2000 Expedition?

I'm still new to these boards and finding myself thankful and haunting them for all the wonderful info so many take time to share; so forgive me if these are oft repeated questions. I haven't seen it, if so. Scared and excited all at the same time.
The house went on the market April 15, but the big houses not exactly flying off the shelves, so this will take awhile!
Thoughts or ideas, anyone?
LeO in Sherwood,OR

[gotsmart]

LO Sherwood,OR wrote:
...We spent 3 nights over my May 8TH birthday at Neskowin RV park, but sun didn't come out fully until going home day so didn't get to talk to everyone there I'd have liked to, so for sure some future in person interviews will be great!
...

Neskowin Creek RV Resort is my home park. I full time in OR and WA. If you PM me I can give you insight of how my AZ snowbird friends (and some WA friends) and I use our park memberships (and ROD Plus) to RV in the PNW from May to October for about $500/year, plus gas, tires, oil, groceries. We don't pay any daily rates or electricity. Some don't even pay for WiFi and/or cable TV at some of the parks.

[LO_Sherwood_OR]

Bless you Dave (DJB66), I so appreciate your words of wisdom on the pathway you've traveled! Thank you so very much. Wishing you joyous fun times for years to come!
Rgs, LO

[DJB66]

We have been full timing for almost 2 years know and looking back we miss a couple of things from the house we owned. The large shower and the hot tub come up the most,other then that we dont miss a thing. We have no exit plan because living in our RV is the only way we can spend time with each other. My job has me all over the country and the wife was in a house all alone working her job and thats no way to live. So she quit and know she is with me.
We looked three years for the right 5th wheel and we got a 2011 Mobile Suite. The size thing was a factor going with the 38' rig and a Ford F350 8 foot bed 4 door truck. Some parks we know we cant fit in most older RV parks and State and Federal owned parks. Since I RV where I work running from the weather is not always possible. We went from a winter in Chicago to the summer in Blythe CA in the desert.Insulation in the construction was a big factor for us and we fell in love with our RV from first sight, you will know when you see the right one.
I have drove and backed up everything on wheels but a tractor trailer and although a big fifth wheel looks overwelming its easier to back up the a tow behind.
Selling everything was hard, you see the true value of items that we purchase when WE resale them. Pennies on the dollar and we gave our big ticket items to freinds to save us from the heartache.We didnt have kids to hand anything thing down to and in the end of life with no kids to through away all your memories from our past that are collecting dust in the basement and attic we saved someone the job. Like it or not thats the hard truth on the stuff that owns us, in the end it goes to the dump in the trucks of people that love and miss us with tears in the eyes. Been there and done that no thank you.
In the end of it all YOU will have to pull YOUR truck and YOUR RV in to a spot and set it up, close the door and be happy with everything. Thats the trick, get what you want first so your not on the computer looking around for new units a month after you start hating the one you just purchased. Good luck and enjoy the journey Dave

[LO_Sherwood_OR]

Hi Emily, (TLT)
We've ditched the idea of pulling a tt with the Expedition as DH reasons that at 13 years old (it's a 2000)and 95,000 miles we'd never be happy with anything we could safely pull with it! Makes sense too, so I can't argue it! So think it will be go big or stay home. For sure renting something for a trial run; makes sense.
Realize too, that for DH to be fully engaged in this dream some big beefy Vroom vroom is in our future. Whenever all the snazzy brochures start coming home, I know O (our last name "O car lust" is in full bloom! Plus having a Fiver (Trilogy)that we both love and agree on. However we're far from our final selection, but fits so much of our needs and wants, I can't imagine better unless they had a longer production history!
We spent 3 nights over my May 8TH birthday at Neskowin RV park, but sun didn't come out fully until going home day so didn't get to talk to everyone there I'd have liked to, so for sure some future in person interviews will be great!

Thank you too to thecampingman!

All your kind responses more appreciated then you'll ever know!
Best regards, LO

[LO_Sherwood_OR]

Thank you aerbus32; this website is such a wonderful fountain of good advice and wisdom. It's rather addicting soaking in all the knowledge and fun! It helps my anxious heart; to read all the good info so selflessly shared here. I so want to be "doing" and not just reading, but all this knowledge will help our decision tree no doubt! Thank you again one and all. LO

[aerbus32]

We went from 5 acres & a big house to our 37' Class A towing a CR-V. I like to say, that when driving, they're all too big. When parked, they're all too small. It's only been 6 months, but we love it! We didn't just sit inside our home, and we don't just sit inside our home on wheels. Get out and explore this beautiful country! I do agree with the suggestion of renting just to see. Start with top rated parks with large pull thru sites.

[thecampingman]

After years of touring luxury homes at "Home-O-Rama" I noticed what they all have in common. They all have a "Master Suite". With a bedroom, closets, bathroom maybe a kitchenette and office space. Kind of a retreat for the homeowners.

That's how I look at my 5th wheel camper. My master suite. Only mobile, so I can change whatever I see when I leave my retreat whenever I choose. (I think Mobile Suites picked the perfect name.) Now I even have control over the climate. My living space hasn't gotten smaller, it's gotten larger. Because now I live outdoors too!

[Roads_Less_Trav]

We had a 4500 sf house but went to an 1100 sf townhouse in between before going FT.

There is a lot to be said for starting with a smaller simpler rig for 6 months to a year and then getting your "real" FT rig. The depreciation won't be that bad and it is a fabulous investment in your education about RVing.

Why not get a TT and pull it with your Expedition to start with. Then you can travel the country checking out all the dealerships and all the models of fifth wheels and visit all the factories and take their tours and meet the folks that build these things.

You can also do a hunt for a truck and interview all the other FT RVers you meet about their trucks and figure out which truck you think is best.

That's what we did, and it worked out great. By the time we bought our trailer we had a stack of fifth wheel brochures that was 3 inches thick.

We got our truck and trailer for a STEAL after a year of really good solid and FUN research while we were on the road testing out the FT lifestyle...

[LO_Sherwood_OR]

Yes, Steve Ruff, I can sure confirm the same for us (congregating in the same few rooms)! Thank you for encouragement and wisdom! LO

[LO_Sherwood_OR]

Bless you runaways, that would be amazing! Best regards LO in Sherwood

[The_Mad_Norsky]

As far as orphans go, from my understanding your main warranty worry may be the separate components of the fifth wheel.

And those (stove, fridge, furnace, etc.) may in fact retain some warranty by the various manufacturers of those components. So that is one area one can check on.

[runaways]

Hi LO, we are neighbors (live in Tualatin). While we aren't full timing DH and I are on the road with our 5th wheel about 9 months a year. We would be more than happy to have you pick our brains or what's left of them. Just send me a pm if you would like to get together.
Dee

[SteveRuff]

I can't tell you how many times, while at home in our 3500 sq. ft. home I noticed and commented on the fact that all of us, me, DW, son, and dog, were all in the same small place at the same time. The bathroom, the kitchen, the breakfast nook ...didn't matter, we were all crammed into a space much smaller than any motor home even when we had an entire huge house to spread out in. Besides, once you learn where to go and when to be there you will be in mostly good weather and will have the entire outdoors if you wish to get away for a while.

[Bumpyroad]

WoodGlue wrote:

Rocky2 wrote:
Floor plan is the most important consideration

Where do you place actual trailer construction and materials?

WoodGlue

I place it at Number 1. a perfect floor plan in a shabby RV sucks. I suppose the perfect floor plan might only be available in a junky RV but I doubt it.
bumpy