blessdx11
Explorer
Joined 16 years ago
User Profile
User Widgets
All Activity
Re: Full timing... with kids... Do I dare?
Thanks for the tag Dog Folks! We have been on the road for over 6 years, and all 12 of our children have traveled with us fulltime. We are down to 8 since they keep growing up, but even our bigs loved it! We recently overheard our son, who returned from Afghanistan earlier this year, tell someone that he hopes to do the same with his family someday. Absolutely doable! And since you are selling your house anyway, and already own a bunkhouse, this is the PERFECT time to do so! Your children are small enough that they will not fuss about leaving behind a public school regiment, and your current rig is more than big enough for traveling in! We started out with a 30' bunkhouse pulled by our 15 passenger van (with 11 kids); we are on our second 42' toy hauler, and run 2 rigs, but starting out in our tt was wise as we wouldn't have really known what was important to us in a fulltime rig until we were out here. Course, we never intended to fulltime, didn't even know people did that - we were just taking a long vacay down south between building houses. We never did build another house. ;) So, after being on the road (including having 2 children born while we are sticks-n-bricksless, my suggestion would be to go for it! There is a whole community of us fulltime families, and we are more numerous than many would guess. I would recommend keeping the bunkhouse that you have to at least begin with. It is not going to eat your equity if you decide 6 months from now that this is not for you (happens). With just 2 littles, you can easily find a truck that will fit your family well, and also handle your tt. Sell what you were already going to sell, don't store anything but things very expensive to replace and keepsakes, and bank your equity and only live on your income; that way there really is no risk to your family (which will probably give your wife peace of mind). Join the 'Fulltime Families' group on facebook, and lurk. :) 'Friend' some of the families there that seem to be likeminded, and ask away! We love to share what we have learned about traveling with our families, including the huge benefits, even for littles - and we will even share the hardships and downfalls too. We can help you figure out how to do it economically, you can arrange to meet other families on the road, and learn about roadschooling as you go! We have a website at: ourtravelingtribe.com where we share the places that we go and things that we have learned, and also a facebook page at 'The TicknorTribe'. Feel free to 'friend' us on facebook (Vaughn-Dana Ticknor) and ask away! :)405Views0likes0CommentsRe: NC to NJ, 95 or 13?
TY! We are coming up 95 (in SC tonight), so we are pretty far east to go out to 81, and wanted to stay away from the mountains. We've not been to DC, and figured that about the traffic :( We were wondering about peeling off at Emporia, NC and heading over to Chesapeake through the tunnel, and taking 13 up the coast as our GPS will not let us chose that for a route, and were wondering if there was a reason.472Views0likes0CommentsRe: Dealing with Freeloaders
If you were the one to offer, then maybe also stipulate a price per mile and that they have to pay a set amount up front (at least the minimum of what you think it will cost), even if you have to say that you just can't afford to dish out for a temp fuel loan right now... If they really do intend to contribute their share, then they won't mind - they should only be offended if they intent to stiff you... :/257Views0likes0CommentsNC to NJ, 95 or 13?
Working our way from NC to Fort Dix to see our boy before he deploys. We have not gone up this way before; should we take 95 through DC and peel off and take 301 east, or should we take 13 along the coast, through the tunnel, and go up through DE? We have a 40+ toy hauler. Advice appreciated! :)3.3KViews0likes11CommentsRe: Advice for first time rv buyers
LOL!the budman! I agree - I said I wouldn't CHOSE to do it, not that we couldn't ;) We have spent some seriously cold times in our RV - with the kids defrosting the ice on the INside of the windows with a hairdryer, strips of ICE on our carpet slides over the transition, and icicles hanging off the the to the ground ;) Sure, it can be done, but after telling people for years that they can, I've found very few that actually can (at least not without complaining about it nonstop)! LOL! :)433Views0likes0CommentsRe: Advice for first time rv buyers
PS - the salesman is just trying to sell you the rig - and that is WAY too much for that coach. You would save money ordering from Elkhart and driving out to pick it up. Keep in mind tho, that you will probably pay a premium camping fee during the summer since you are near Kalispell; I'd call around and ask winter rates AND summer rates (and keep in mind that electric will most likely be on top of them, not included) ;)433Views0likes0CommentsRe: Advice for first time rv buyers
wow. so much to work on! LOL! Fulltiming is not for everyone, including some families, but it certainly does not have to be detrimental to kids!!! Mine have been to 40 states, 90some National Parks, and met family they would have otherwise never met - not to bring up hundreds of other fabulous experiences that they would not have had if we were still in a house. We are a family of 14 who has been on the road for 4.5 years - and all of our kids have traveled fulltime with us. We are down to 9 as they keep growing up, but they still love it, and the bigs talks about roadtripping with us. My 2 cents is that I would not chose to spend a winter in Montana (we are from Helena (HI! neighbor!)), but it can be done. If you are hearty stock, you'll be just fine, tho you WILL have to deal with frozen pipes if you buy from any of the major manufacturers (I would love to have an Excel Wild Cargo 4 season ;) )...we've done it before when we have stayed through Thanksgiving, even with it wrapped and propane heaters underneath,and there were times when EVERY RV in the park was frozen. It's not going to kill you tho. If your kids are prone to squabbling, then you might go crazy, but it also might be good because they will have to learn to work through it. LOL! We wouldn't chose to spend our winters back home in an RV - we are in FL right now, but heading north in a few days to see off our oldest son who is being deployed. Without the freedom our RV gives us, we would never get to see him before he leaves! Do your research, and make an informed decision for YOUR FAMILY...it might be just right for you. :)433Views0likes0CommentsRe: Need input from families living full time in toy haulers
We have fulltimed in a 40+' toy hauler for over 4 years. with 9 to 11 of our 12 kids. We utilize the 'garage' as 'the boys' room' and hubby built custom bunks back there for them. There are def benes to toy haulers and also to bunkhouses. If I did not need a toy hauler for the space to sleep kids, I would have a bunkhouse - ths are heavy, if you don't use the ramp, it's rather a waste and drafty, the garage is not well insulated, and it isn't at all 'homey'. But, with large dogs, it may be the way to go. With a bunkhouse, they are usually thousands of pounds lighter, and are already insulated and carpeted. That being said, I do love our toy hauler (not that I would buy a Gulf Stream again tho!). We have done a lot of mods to ours to make it work: http://ticknortribe.com/our-home :)433Views0likes0CommentsRe: Seeing our boy off to Afghanistan...where to park in NJ?
Thanks for all the help everyone! We got the dates for a 4 day leave before he ships out, but he can't go more than 250 miles away from the base, so we will be finding some fun stuff to do while we have him; still deciding where to basecamp at during that time - not on the base, he has lots of down time, and he'll be sick of it by then.LOL! When he actually ships out, we might have a friend hold our firearms while we head north for a bit, and just check a handgun at the armory, if they will let us on.... You've all given us some great info/ideas! Thanks again!!! :)366Views0likes0CommentsRe: Seeing our boy off to Afghanistan...where to park in NJ?
Thanks for the information so far! The location of the rebuild is actually Toms River (oops! memory isn't what it used to be! LOL!). We were tickled to find the 2 locations so close to each other when we were first researching to see if it would be feasible to combine the trips! We will be traveling from FL. We go south every winter, and while we did the east coast last winter, and would have preferred not to do it again so soon, we really want to see him as much as we can before he leaves, so e. coast, here we come. :) I'm afraid that the military base would probably not work for us. One of the things we enjoy doing on the road is visiting shooting ranges. Not sure they would like some of our cargo on base. LOL! ;) I may try to call the base and see if we can 'check in' our firearms to stay there; I have heard of it being done, but we haven't found anywhere that would do it just so we could visit their museums... :(366Views0likes0Comments
Groups
Fifth Wheel Group
Interested in fifth wheels? You've come to the right spot.Jan 13, 202519,006 Posts Full Time RVers
Thinking about becoming a full-time RVer? Ask the experts.Dec 28, 20241,587 Posts RV Families
Activities, advice, and destinations for those traveling with kids!Oct 09, 2024501 Posts
