Two young folks FTing it

[D_E_Bishop]

A young couple came over last night and bought my towed. As we were talking we learned they are full timing it, almost. A couple of years ago they decided that they wanted to be full timers and travel around the country at their leisure, they made some excellent plans and are now doing it.

Their first step was RV Bootcamp, learned about driving, caring for and maintaining a DP. Researched what they needed for a home and how to make his work fit the lifestyle. Turns out their is a group within the Escapees for folks their age. They ended up with a 38' Trek but as they have learned since they are now on the road, that they really needed a Towed.

When they bought the Trek, they were living and working from it in a friends backyard in Capital Hill area of DC. It allowed them to modify and decorate the RV to fit them and their needs both for travel and work. Their domicile is in Texas through the Escapees and they are really happy with what belonging to the Escapees gives them.

They are here until the end of summer as she is from here and he has family in Seattle and the families all want to see how the kids do it. They are doing some trips and right now he has to fly to DC every other weekend to meet with his "TEAM" and then back to the Trek. So here is where the towed comes in. It will give them greater flexibility in traveling and choosing places to stay for awhile. They can be parked somewhere and drive to a city with an airport that can link him to a flight to DC.

They have been on the road for about six months IIRC and absolutely love the life. The gal didn't say if she worked but it didn't seem so and we didn't pry into that. It was kind of funny talking to them, at first they were not real open about their lifestyle , but, when the DW pried it out of them they got so enthusiastic about telling us what they were doing, we couldn't get over to the table to fill out the bill of sale and release of liability. I also think that the DW shrieking about how great she thought what they were doing made them feel at ease about talking to us.

They couldn't say enough good about the Escapees and all the help the bootcamp was. The only thing I suggested is that they adopt a much slower driving style. I know each of us are different and most states aren't like CA regarding the 55MPH speed limit. Due to my age I drive a lot slower even where the speeds are up to 80 MPH, I keep it up to about 60 and suggested they try that a for awhile. Give it a chance and then set their own driving speed. They kinda like that idea, seems you can see more at 60 than 80.

We're going to be in touch at least for awhile as they are bloging their travels and experiences. Wish we had thought about that when we were younger.

[avan]

happycamper002 wrote:



You think that small children could easily adopt to this nomadic lifestyle? They may feel excited about new places to see, roasting marshmallows by the campfire but these are all fleeting moments that are not meant to last indefinitely.

Small children need to develop social skills for a more accomplished and functional in the real world. These are not easily found in RV Parks.

They can be home schooled or should I say trailer schooled but still interaction with other kids their age is important. Young parents (Xcapees) are more focused whether by choice or circumstances (beyond their control)that dictate their chosen nomadic lifestyle are depriving their kids their normal development.

Social skill is important just as important as nourishment for these kids to grow up like normal kids.

I couldn't agree more. Raising kids to appreciate the Grand Canyon and other such sights, to appreciate presidential museums and the other treasures out there, to actually get an education from parents who care is certainly less desirable than raising them in So. Chicago, Philly, LA etc. Go gangs to optimize social skills!!! That's how how you give your kids "normal development"???

[sele]

I hope they have a great time.

[happycamper002]

D.E.Bishop wrote:



. . .They are here until the end of summer as she is from here and he has family in Seattle and the families all want to see how the kids do. Wish we we had thought about that when we were younger.

Wish you elaborated more on how the kids do. These Xcapees you alluded to seem really are having a ball as you described but what about the prospect of raising a family (AKA raising kids).

You think that small children could easily adopt to this nomadic lifestyle? They may feel excited about new places to see, roasting marshmallows by the campfire but these are all fleeting moments that are not meant to last indefinitely.

Small children need to develop social skills for a more accomplished and functional in the real world. These are not easily found in RV Parks.

They can be home schooled or should I say trailer schooled but still interaction with other kids
their age is important. Young parents (Xcapees) are more focused whether by choice or circumstances (beyond their control)that dictate their chosen nomadic lifestyle are depriving their kids their normal development.

Social skill is important just as important as nourishment for these kids to grow up like normal kids.

All_the best.

[whatimmadoboutm]

DutchmenSport wrote:
It's good to hear a new generation is engaging the lifestle!

About "Speed"? If you (those of us in the USA), want a real shocking experience driving and dealing with speed, try this? If your vehicle has capability to switch the speedometer from MPH to KPH, I have a feeling you'll be slowing down a bit.

I discovered in my car I can flip between the two. It only displays one or the other, so the speedometer needle flips from say, 35 mph to 65 kph, and the digital read out flips from 35 to 65 (for example). Well, in metric mode, it's another dimension!

Anyway, try it if yours can do it? I found myself suddenly wanting to drive slower. I flipped it back and forth when on cruise control, and the visual effect of 60 mph vs 100 kph is mind boggling!

I once stopped by a repair shop to have the battery replaced in my car at the time, which was a Grand Prix GTP, with the heads-up digital speed displayed on the windscreen. Being in Canada, I was used to KPH, of course. It seems that when the battery is disconnected from that car, it reverts to its default setting of MPH. When I merged back onto the highway, it felt faster than usual, getting up to the posted speed limit. You can fill in the rest...

[avan]

My daughter, following in her parent's tire treads, now full times and is a member of Xscapers. Their version of a group get together is called a convergence. I know that just this fall she attended one in Colorado and another in Albuquerque for the hot air balloon festival. She is visiting me right now but will be leaving next week to begin her westward trek across So. US and then NW to Alaska for the summer. There is also a convergence this summer on the Kenai Peninsula. They are always communicating on social media. It seems like a very active group.

[2gypsies1]

There are many young full-timers out there and it's growing. With technology they are able to work from their RVs in many jobs. Some are traveling nurses. Some work in other traveling ways. The Escapees RV Club has a new subgroup called the Xscapers. They get together as a group in various areas to do social things but more importantly, they hash out their problems along the way and discover ways to help others. I think it's great! That's how the founders of the Escapees RV Club began many, many years ago - with a young working couple wanting to help others dealing with full-time issues. We had the honor or sharing a meal with them and they are fantastic people. He has since passed but she is still going strong.

[GordonThree]

Best of luck to them!

I hope they don't turn up on Youtube; begging and/or shilling products to support the lifestyle. Seems to be more and more young people and couples on youtube trying to get others to support the full timer lifestyle.

I was just reading about a young photogenic family that raised $85,000 from an ebegging website to buy an old bus, convert it to an rv to live in and travel the country making a "documentary."

[DutchmenSport]

It's good to hear a new generation is engaging the lifestle!

About "Speed"? If you (those of us in the USA), want a real shocking experience driving and dealing with speed, try this? If your vehicle has capability to switch the speedometer from MPH to KPH, I have a feeling you'll be slowing down a bit.

I discovered in my car I can flip between the two. It only displays one or the other, so the speedometer needle flips from say, 35 mph to 65 kph, and the digital read out flips from 35 to 65 (for example). Well, in metric mode, it's another dimension!

Anyway, try it if yours can do it? I found myself suddenly wanting to drive slower. I flipped it back and forth when on cruise control, and the visual effect of 60 mph vs 100 kph is mind boggling!