tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48011275400154542262024-02-19T09:11:40.071-08:00Full Time RVing - The journey to our dreamOur 8 year journey to fulltiming in our RV. Follow our progress as we get ready to leave it all behind.Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-20312158219261277172018-08-29T21:02:00.002-07:002018-08-29T21:02:59.122-07:00Commitment issues!So after 100+ days of workamping near Yellowstone National Park I figured something out, I have commitment issues. After about 3o days I wanted to leave and get back to traveling. The job I ended up getting was exactly like working fulltime.. I dont want to work fulltime. My advice is when first starting out find out if the job is like a regular job or an actual workamping job. If you need the income then the point is moot. Do what you need to do. I wanted to enjoy my time in Yellowstone but it ended up I almost never get to the park. Only 4 times in 3 months.<br />
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I cant wait to leave and get to Canada then to Spokane Washington. I don't think I will be working for a long time. Boondocking is what I like and it is basically free.<br />
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2 more weeks here and then off we go!!Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-71869757702410894532018-06-17T20:26:00.000-07:002018-06-17T20:26:59.336-07:00day 48....Well here we are 48 days into the full time life and loving it. We got to the greater Yellowstone area around May 13 or so and moved into a work camper location. Not really what I was expecting but good enough. We have full hooks up and wifi. We are located about 2.5 miles from work. <br />
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I hurt my back on the way up here so I could not do the maintenance job I was slated for, so they put me at the front desk of the west Yellowstone Super8 hotel. Not a bad gig, just a little boring. I do get to tell people all about the area and see them return after a fun filled day in the park. I do love walking Stella in the forest across the street. 2 miles a day.<br />
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For future job I would only want to work 3 days a week. Up here I started at 5 days a week and that kind of sucks. I do like making extra spending money but with 5 days a week I don't get to do much. I am looking for a spring time 2019 job in Arizona. let me know if you know of any.<br />
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I have noticed I spend way less money out there due to the fact that we are so far out of a city to do anything at. We are 7 miles from town and that keeps us home more. <br />
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So all in all looks like this new life is working out. More to come...Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-39717197938713838212018-05-19T22:03:00.000-07:002018-05-19T22:03:02.191-07:0019 days out....So we left Los Angeles 19 days ago heading to Montana, along the way we boondocked along the most beautiful rivers, lakes and reservoirs . Boondocking is the best. To my surprise we were able to get enough solar to live comfortably. We only used the 360 watts that we have on the roof of the 5er. We have another 100w for the ground but never needed it.<br />
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The one thing that was very clear was how often I felt we needed to move. I have heard for years about new full timers moving at the speed of light trying to see everything and now I understand why. Though I did need to be in Montana by May 20th I still felt the urge to hurry. <br />
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We arrived in Montana early for me to start work at the campground but I hurt my back on the first day we left the house so I was not able to do maintenance work and was transferred to the onsite hotel at the campground. I will be checking in guests at the hotel for the rest of the summer. I don't think I will really want to work full time after this job. 6 months is along time to work when you really don't want to.<br />
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I will continue to check in, talk soon.Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-23592420334814674652018-03-30T18:35:00.002-07:002018-03-30T18:35:42.832-07:00From Stationary to Mobile...Cait and I have been Stationary at 2 locations for about a years and a half and have enjoyed it but the "camping" ended. We will be leaving for my workamping gig in West Yellowstone soon and that means lots of changes.<br />
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When stationary everything is unpacked and where ever we want it and when traveling we will have to find a place for everything. Whew, packing up every few days will be a major change. We also installed 460 watts of solar and are in the processing of testing to see how we will get along while boondocking. Water will also be something we need to test soon.<br />
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Making sure you have all the tools to fix things on your own is also something you have to address. I got most of my tools from harbor freight but cause I am not a mechanic and only expect to use them infrequently. I use the same tools for my RV inspection business.<br />
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Travel weight in the RV is also an issue. We will need to go to a weight station when we hit the road to make sure we are not over weight. We can get the coach weighed at a CAT scale.<br />
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We plan to boondock to save money the entire way to Montana. So the water, Solar and the coach need to be up to par. So far we are testing well and expect no issues and will have a great time.<br />
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Both of us are so excited to leave California and start our next adventure.<br />
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Stay tuned!Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-50641253519977996502018-03-26T23:34:00.003-07:002018-03-29T17:18:21.737-07:00A Word From the Wife - March 24, 2018Hello! It's been a long time since my last post. We've been living in our RV for over a year now, but we are still staying here in Southern California and I'm still working at my office job full time. <br />
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I had thought it would be hard to give up enough possessions to fit into the RV. And it was a lot of work, going through everything, but it hasn't been hard. I don't miss any of the things we got rid of, and we still have more than enough of everything. I don't even really feel like a minimalist yet.<br />
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But going forward, I think my next big challenge will be finding a new way to think about money. Living on less, my habits are going to have to change and that's a little scary. I'm afraid of the thought of not having enough. But the truth is, I'm just going to be making different choices. For example, if I see a dress in a store window, it won't be a question of "<i>Do I want it?</i>" but rather "<i>Am I willing to work the number of hours it takes to buy it?</i>" And the truth is, I would rather spend those hours enjoying nature, walking the dog, and baking fresh bread than working to buy that dress. I would rather have more freedom than stuff. No matter how fabulous it would look on me. <br />
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I'm so used to having to work full time. It's just been a given. And as long as I had to work all the time, I felt like I deserved to spend some of my money in ways that seemed like they would ease the stress and escape the misery of that work, that life that felt beyond my control.<br />
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Changing that pattern is going to take some effort. I'll really be changing the way I think. I won't need to think of things as being solace or stress relief. They're just things. I'm betting that consciously making decisions about how I want to spend my time, and being willing to do without some things to make that happen, will be worth it.<br /><br />
I have a feeling that the fear of change will likely be much worse than the change itself. I'll keep you apprised.<br />
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CaitAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18388266670795684038noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-91482142195340700092018-03-16T22:59:00.001-07:002018-03-16T22:59:24.601-07:00Something to think about...I have been thinking a lot recently about happiness. I used to think I was happy, but after I started full time RVing and stopped working for the man, all that changed. What I thought was happiness was only a mirage, just a veiled thin layer. Don't get me wrong - I did have days and even weeks of happiness but mostly just dreary days and dreary days. I worked hard and received for my efforts just two weeks a year for myself and family. During those few weeks I went on vacations and truly enjoyed myself, free from distractions or my real life.<br />
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After about the first year off work and after starting my RV Inspection business I started to relax some and the worries started to fade. Now approaching a year and a half of my post work life, I started to realize what I thought was happiness was a myth. I looked back at my life and noticed I had 3 phases in my life. First was my life before marriage, second was my married life and now my post work life.<br />
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Phase 1 - life before marriage was difficult for me. I graduated high school and joined the marine corps. High school was a drag and I was glad to be finished with that part of my life. My time in the corps was also not all that pleasant either as you can imagine. After I was discharged I went about my life and no real happiness was found.<br />
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On to phase 2 - Married life is great when you are married to someone as perfect as my wife Caitlin. She has made me happy for over 22 years now. But that is not the happiness I am referring to in this post. The happiness I am referring to is the complete happiness with all aspects of life.<br />
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We have been force fed the idea of working hard, getting married, buying a home, having kids and retiring. Though I have done all of those things (except retirement) and have found happiness doing them, I still wonder if all the long hours at the office away from all of that was worth it. Could I not have actually lived a great life and found happiness without all the time away from the things that made me happy. Could I not have focused on family, friends, fun, travel without the need to work all the time to afford only a few weeks a year of this. We are all taught that if we go to school and get a great job and make a lot of money and buy things we will be happy. I found that it was not true. Having less things, spending time with family and traveling and focusing on happiness is way more satisfying. I have learned how not to buy everything I think I want, thinking it will make me happy. Well it doesn't and didn't for me. I learned that having less meant more to me then I ever thought it would.<br />
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Phase 3 - I am about to embark on an adventure of fulltiming and workamping. I am more excited to make $11 an hour than I ever was making 5 times that in the corporate world. Money doesn't equal happiness. Taking time to enjoy the world around me make more sense than ever. Have you ever thought "What would it be like if I had no money worries?". Well I have, and I'm doing it. I feel alive and free like I did as a child when my parents paid all the bills.<br />
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I started planning my fulltime adventure years ago and mostly revolved around having enough money to live the life style I thought I wanted to live. But after the last year and a half I figured out that money doesn't make you happier, it only makes life more complicated. Not to say someone should not look at finances when planning a major life change, but you can live on much less than you think. With the option of boondocking and cooking in the RV and entertaining yourself with nature instead of movie nights and dinners out, or even fancy parties.<br />
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I suggest you really look and what you want and not just what society says we should be doing. I have found that freedom means more than anything to me and having the opportunity to work at a KOA in Yellowstone means I will have the freedom to feel alive for the first time in decades. Remember when you were in college and you had almost no worries? You can have that again!!<br />
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I will be leaving Southern California May 1st and taking a 20 days journey to West Yellowstone boondocking and living my life my way. So if you are thinking about your life in the same way, I suggest you get past all the fear and do what will make you happy. You can always go back working for the man anytime you wish. Your misery will be waiting...<br />
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I suggest you take a plunge and join me. <br />
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<br />Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-69873355957234923902018-03-08T14:28:00.001-08:002018-03-08T14:28:13.975-08:00Life - Phase 3OK folks, good news to share. I have my first workamping job starting in less than 2 months. I will be at the West Yellowstone KOA. I will be an ambassador and maintenance person. I am sure excited to be able to talk to people everyday about the place I love so much. Caitlin and I have been visiting Yellowstone for the last 15 years or so and have fallen in love. It will be awesome to be in the area for the entire summer.<br />
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Caitlin has already found a few lakes in which to kayak while I'm at work. Stella will also love being up there chasing squirrels and birds.<br />
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I will continue to post more often to help others who want to workamp. <br />
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Bye!<br />
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<img alt="KOA Campgrounds" src="https://koa.com/Content/Images/Header-Collapsed-KOA-Logo.png" title="KOA Campgrounds" /><br />
https://koa.com/campgrounds/yellowstone-park/Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-86070595350884798242017-07-25T16:48:00.003-07:002017-07-25T16:48:42.001-07:006 month fulltime update!!!So after 6 months a lot has happened to us. During the first few
weeks our black tank started leaking and I tore the roof off and the
awning. After 10 days in the shop and staying in a hotel we got our rig
back and its been great ever since.<br />
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I also took an RV tech course and found it to be awesome. I also became a certified RV inspector and was hoping to start a business and a RV inspector and RV maintenance tech, as my last post stated. Everything is going well so far.<br />
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The freedom of being a fulltime is great. We are still in our home town until we save enough to go on the road. "Going on the road" is the next milestone we are looking forward to. Work camping seems to be where we will start. I am really looking forward to getting out of town. Weekend trips just don't do it anymore, but they do help.<br />
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One this i do recommend is everyone that will be going fulltime and inst rich is take the RV Maintenance tech course from <a href="http://nrvia.org/" target="_blank">NRVIA</a>. Tell them I sent you! This will teach you how to fix most things on your RV in just a short week course.<br />
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<br />Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-3546882271326022402017-05-17T14:29:00.004-07:002017-05-17T14:29:47.954-07:00More news!!So after getting laid off last August I have decided to start my own business, a RV friendly business. I am now a NRVIA Certified RV Inspector and maintenance tech. I have started <a href="http://honestrvhelper.com/" target="_blank">Honest RV Helper.</a><br />
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I have just started and have already had one client. If you need or know someone that needs an RV inspection have them check out <a href="http://nrvia.org/" target="_blank">NRVIA</a>. I would recommend all RV's either new or used be inspected before purchase. See you out there!<br />
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Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-14105940099675984992016-11-21T13:53:00.002-08:002016-11-21T13:53:39.898-08:00After a few months of fulltiming....So it's been a few months since my last post. Let me bring you up to date:<br /><br />While moving our trailer from the front of the house after packing up I snagged a tree and ripped the roof. Then a few days later we noticed the black tank was leaking and our batteries were bubbling. We took the rig to the repair shop and after 10 days we were back up and running. Insurance paid for the roof and awning, and our new warranty from Wholesale Warranties has been great, paying for the black tank along with some other stuff we found.<br /><br />Another fun thing that happened is that I was laid off from my job of nine years the week after we moved to the RV park. Oh well, life happens. I still need to work for a while to save enough money to really get on the road.<br /><br />Then to top it off, we had our house up for sale for over two months and couldn't get it sold. We pulled it off the market, painted the inside and completely rebuilt the kitchen. Now it's back on the market. Wish us luck on that one.<br /><br />[From Cait: So far living in the RV has been great. It's cozy and comfortable, with more than enough room for us, the dog and the cat. It's not the same as fulltiming on the road, since I'm still going to my same job every day, and we're living very near our old home base, but the space is working out fine. Even having purged most of our stuff, it turns out we really still have more than we need. I'm sure that will get whittled down over time. But this is actually a pretty good way to adjust to fulltiming one piece at a time.]<br /><br />This Thanksgiving weekend we will be going to Joshua Tree dry lake bed for our first trip since we went full time.<br /><br />Talk soon.Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-6258315821966528862016-08-09T10:51:00.003-07:002016-08-09T10:51:59.118-07:00294 weeks remaining.... Or wait a minute, we are full time now!!We did it, we are now officially <b>fulltimers</b>. We moved out of our house last week and moved into the Montana on the street for a few days while loading all our stuff. We then moved into a local RV park about 4 miles from town. It was a tight fit for our 37 footer but I squeezed it in there.<br />
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I did make one mistake while moving this giant rig to our spot. I hit a TREE! Yikes. I tore off part of the roof and the awning. The entire roof needs to be replaced and will cost about $10k, all covered by insurance.<br />
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The house is up for sale and we hope to start getting offers this week. <br />
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Stella has already taken a liking to our new home.</div>
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<b>FROM CAIT:</b> We did it!! I'm so excited to be in our new love nest. We're still getting organized and finding a place for everything, but we're almost there. We've got plenty of room for the two of us, plus the cat and the dog. Everybody's settling in nicely.<br /><br />I thought getting rid of so much of our stuff would be much harder than it actually was. I am very fortunate in that we do have a few places to display my favorite keepsakes, so I didn't have to get rid of absolutely everything. My mom and sister were able to take my grandmother's furniture and family heirlooms. And they'll store a bin or two of my things in their garages if needed (I've still got a few boxes left in the garage at the old house).<br /><br />The mental preparation was probably the most important part for me. Luckily I discovered the writings of Josh and Ryan from <a href="http://theminimalists.com/">theminimalists.com</a>. That helped me view this process as gaining something rather than giving something up. And I watched a lot of YouTube videos on organizing small spaces, and that got me inspired and excited. All of that lit the fuse, then when I was ready to start it felt relatively fast and easy.<br /><br />I like being in the RV so much, even just parked locally and still going to work every day, that it will be fantastic once we're on the road and living in beautiful, interesting, different places. Fulltiming: DAY 5!Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-23974413829405908612016-07-26T10:54:00.000-07:002016-07-26T10:54:49.807-07:00296 weeks remaining....We are really getting down the the last of our things, everything has either been sent to donation locations or given away. As of the end of this week we will have nothing left but what will go in the trailer.<br />
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The final touches were put on the trailer yesterday, a 50 amp surgeguard surge protector to keep our electric system safe. We pick up the trailer in storage Saturday morning and head out to the desert to make sure everything works as it should then return home and load up all the remaining items we own.<br />
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The house will be put up for sale later next week and we expect it to sell the first day. During the transition we might look for temporary location to setup camp or just move to the place we plan on living for the next few years.<br />
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We still have 296 weeks before we retire, I hope we can make it that long. Though I don't think we will. I'm sure our next post will be when we are "fulltiming".<br />
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<br />Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-50649444857279989802016-07-12T14:42:00.001-07:002016-07-12T14:42:36.969-07:00298 weeks remaining....So for the last few weeks the wife and I have purged most of our "things" and have been fixing up the house for sale. I think we should be able to list it by the end of the month.<br /><br />[CAIT: We're not completely done yet, but it has been relatively painless! Fortunately, my mom and sister have been able to take the larger family heirlooms and furniture. And the fifth wheel is big enough so that we do have some leeway for smaller items we want to keep. We're very fortunate in that respect. But I got rid of most of our stuff. I cleared out my bedroom closet on Sunday and I feel a tremendous weight off my shoulders. It's really remarkable.]<br /><br />We have also been looking for a place to live in the trailer for the next few years while we save some money before our early retirement. I found a mobile home park near my office and hope it will work out for us there.<br /><br />We are so excited to be free of the bondage of debt from the house. It's time for the next phase of our life. Living the life of freedom and joy.Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-86401895614708988742016-06-27T13:51:00.000-07:002016-06-27T13:51:25.658-07:00300 weeks remaining....<i>NEW RIG!!!</i><br />
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So over the last few weeks there have been some changes (as always). We bought a 5th wheel. A 2008 Keystone Montana 3295RK in near perfect condition. This will be the rig we start off using to go full time.<br />
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<i>The purge in full effect</i><br />
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We also have been getting rid of a lot of the stuff that won't be going with us fulltiming. Many boxes of stuff taken to the thrift store in town. We are hopeful that it will find a good home with people who can use it. (CAIT: I've gone so far as to create a fictional young couple I imagine making their first home together, to feel better about getting rid of all our things. It's working so far.)<br />
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<i>Also a timeline update</i><br />
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We realized that keeping the house for four more years would be more expensive than not continuing to pay that mortgage. So we have decided to sell the house now and keep working for a few more years, saving as much money as we can. This will allow us to live a very good life after retirement. Our friends have room for us on their property to park on and live for the next few years. So we are all set.<br />
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The house should be ready to be put up for sale within the next month or two. I will post some pics of the new rig soon.<br />
<br />Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-53936708071444689362016-05-27T11:04:00.000-07:002016-06-27T13:35:15.866-07:00304 weeks remaining....Starting the purge!<br />
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Well I have started to scan all my photos to online storage. I bought a small (Doxie) scanner and it works great. Not the highest quality but does the job well. The wife has started to sell some things on eBay and has completely cleaned out the kitchen of unnecessary junk.<br />
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I borrowed a turntable that converts albums to MP3s, but it looks like it is too much effort. I will keep you up to date on that. We also spoke to a real estate agent about selling the house and are looking at selling next spring and moving to a small apartment for a while unless housing prices go through the roof.<br />
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FROM CAIT:<br />
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Yes! We have started downsizing our stuff. To help get myself revved up and in the right frame of mind, I watched a bunch of YouTube videos on minimalism, decluttering, and organizing a small space. I love people's RV tours and all the great decorating and storage tips. We've gotten some terrific ideas and inspiration. It's funny how the minimalist and tiny house movements make it seem like suddenly we are on the cutting edge of the culture.... We're trailblazers. Not hapless oldsters at all! Yay!<br />
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I started with the least painful things first. Cleared out the bathroom cabinets and cupboards. Beautiful. Easy. Then the kitchen. A lot of work - everything had to be washed, even just to donate it. The far back of those cabinets gets mighty dusty. But now it's streamlined, organized and gorgeous. Whenever I ran across something that gave me a little pang of regret to donate, it helped me to imagine its new life with a new owner. Old champagne bucket I never used? I picture a lovely couple who will use and enjoy it, the good life they'll have. Even the champagne bucket will be happy. And that makes it much easier to let it go.<br />
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Also, I'm finding that giving things away makes me a lot happier than selling them for a pittance. If I can't get much for it online, I give it away, and that has worked out well.<br />
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Next: the dining room. China, vases, knick knacks. Anybody want any Holt Howard Pixieware? Drop me a line at caitlin@doughertyins.com and it's yours. I don't have a lot of it, but it's going to sting a little to get rid of it. The two pieces I will keep with me are a salt and pepper set my honey got me. Those are my favorites. The rest will go up on eBay. <a href="http://m.ebay.com/sch/i.html?sid=pinky-m&_pgn=1&isRefine=true" target="_blank">http://ebay.com/sch/i.html?sid=pinky</a> This stuff is harder, but I'm getting excited and feeling happy about the process so far. <br />
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UPDATE: Most of the stuff has been sold now. Thanks! <br />
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Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-26989624727079734322016-04-20T13:53:00.002-07:002016-04-20T13:53:41.106-07:00310 weeks remaining....Who would have thought the hardest part of going fulltime in an RV would be the purging of all the "stuff" we have. We are just a week into the "purge" and it's rough. Trying to decide what we need for the next year and who to give our most prized items to. I have take about 25 coffee mugs to the office with a sign "Free Mugs" and they have been snatched up. Other things of more value are going up on ebay, some will go to friends and family, and the rest is being donated. We are just starting, so stay tuned for the drama to come.<br />
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We also started to think about moving into a small apartment as a transition to an RV. This will allow us more time to adjust to small spaces. We were thinking if we moved into an RV now but stayed in an RV park for 5 year it might ruin it for us, since it would be the worst of both worlds. Cramped quarters, a rather grim trailer park, but still having to go to work every day - no thrill of freedom on the open road to mitigate giving up a nice comfy house. So we are mulling over our options.<br />
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More soon as the dream get closer....Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-14799677247349599672016-04-11T09:46:00.000-07:002016-04-11T09:46:15.139-07:00311 weeks remaining.... Maybe?So I have some news.<br />
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Since housing prices are starting to lag and I don't think we can make nearly the same on the house as if we sold now and just moved in to an RV park for the next 4 or 5 years, we decided to look at selling the house now and fulltiming for the next 5 years until we have enough money saved to retire.<br />
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I think we can buy a used 5th wheel now and then buy the one we want to travel in before we leave. And since it will just sit in the one place for 5 years, it doesn't have to be all that great -- just good enough to live in.<br />
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This also provides us one more benefit: testing out the fulltime lifestyle without quitting our jobs. If in 4 years we decide living in a trailer is not doable we can just buy another house and continue on our merry life....<br />
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So now we just need to purge our stuff and prep the house for selling.<br />
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:-)Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-16967742700943520582016-03-03T15:02:00.001-08:002016-03-03T15:13:31.274-08:00317 week remaining....DEBT FREE!!!!<br />
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Finally made our first milestone of getting debt free, well except for the house. Now we can start to save. Only six more years to wait. We are well on track and so happy. Not much else to report, but being debt free is a biggie. [Note from Cait: Working like crazy to get there - no time to blog!]Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-87764619445013587432015-12-23T15:45:00.001-08:002015-12-23T15:45:19.921-08:00327 Weeks remaining....Wow, it has been a long time since I have had a chance to blog. Remember I got that promotion at work, well that has been keeping me busy until all hours of the night.<br />
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Not much to say but we are paying off that last credit card, finished paying off a car and now to start socking the loot into the bank.<br />
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Next trip is to Desert hot Springs in the Palm Springs area for a week of vacation without a lot of driving. That last trip to Canada about killed me.<br />
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Well I have to get back to work now.. Blog soon..<br />
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Bill<br />
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<br />Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-24040592211863937762015-09-14T09:52:00.002-07:002015-09-14T09:52:22.608-07:00341 weeks remaining....Back to the grind. We're back at work for the next 341 weeks. Sounds like a long time but I started this blog at 432 weeks, so it does go by fast. We visited with a nice couple in Yellowstone a few weeks ago with a fabulous 5th wheel. Their set-up made it really look like we could pull off fulltiming in one. A big shout out to the Pratts.<br />
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Since we are back at work, time really slows down. Still saving and on track. Housing prices are starting to go up again. A 900 sq ft house on my block is going for $500k. So in a few years I should be ready to sell.<br />
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I need to take the trailer in for some repairs after our 4500 mile trip. The shackles are about shot and the door to the bedroom has fallen off. (All those rough gravel and dirt roads really take their toll on the rig!) I also want to get our 30amp cord changed due to fraying at the edges. I'm hoping this rig will last us for another couple of years.<br />
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Well, back to the grind!<br />
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<br />Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-56328761811805485182015-08-31T21:26:00.002-07:002015-09-01T14:25:28.919-07:00Old habits die hard....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Woke up this morning and headed over to the cafeteria for some biscuits and gravy, once that was taken care of the dude needed a photo with me by the lake.<br />
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After breakfast we drove out the Hayden Valley then to Lamar Valley. Not much to see except about a thousand BISON! Then to Cooke City, MT for laundry day. Yes even on vacation there are chores. Then, as usual we ate lunch the Beartooth Cafe. Always great food and better cookies. On our way back to camp (3 hour drive) I took a few pictures along the way.</div>
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Me and the Dude at Soda Butte</div>
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Back in Hayden Valley getting sleepy from the drive we ran into a bear jam. A Grizzly Bear JAM! This is one of the best jams to be in.. If you have to get in one.</div>
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With a 300mm Lens he was still a ways off. Check it out. It's about as close as you wanna get. A Grizzly killed a guy 3 weeks ago near where we are camped. I always have bear spray on me while in the park even if I think I don't need it.</div>
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This exact adventure plays out every time we are in Yellowstone. It's an old habit now. Tomorrow is a relax day, I am tired of driving and just need to chill. I hope I can resist the call of the wild.</div>
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Good night!</div>
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<br />Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-65573234987639557042015-08-30T20:15:00.000-07:002015-08-30T20:41:26.016-07:00and south to jellystone....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So after waking up extra early, we headed to Wyoming saw this sign and the dude had to have his picture taken with it. Can you see him? I think Wyoming is one of the most beautiful states in the Union.<br />
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When we arrived at the gate of the park the dude jumped out and greeted the ranger at the gate. The dude was so happy to be in the jellystone for the first time.<br />
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Our first stop was to get water in our holding tanks, enough to last 3 days at Bridge Bay campground. Well, as it turns out we had a busted valve and all the water I put in promptly drained. So we switch plans again and stay at Fishing Bridge RV park. As you all know I don't like this park very much due to everyone being crammed in like sardines. But at least we have water and power. After being hooked up the dude wanted to see the famous Hayden Valley. So off we went. <br />
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Here is the dude taking a selfie with some bison. He was so excited.<br />
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After all that excitement we went back to the trailer and blogged some and got some needed rest. Good night all.Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-66165640548475631082015-08-29T19:30:00.004-07:002015-09-01T14:38:11.025-07:00Off to Saskatchewan... But "Why?" everyone asks.So every time we say to someone we are headed to Saskatchewan they ask why? What for? Because it's beautiful, and Washington is on fire and all the smoke is killing us. So off we go!<br />
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Driving to SK we encountered the largest Tee Pee in the world. Really! See?<br />
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The Dude is really a HAM! Damn this is huge.<br />
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The dude saw the the sign to SK so we stopped so he could get his picture taken. Can you find him?<br />
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He is just chillin' while I drive and drive and drive....<br />
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We land in Maple Creek, SK. After finding the best beef jerky in the world in Seven Persons, Alberta. Check it out <a href="http://premiumsausage.ca/" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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Then we hand dinner. Taber corn and steak. Two for me and one for Cait. Stella might have had some too.<br />
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In the morning we head back to the States. Don't go screwing around at the border like I did. I was so flustered I forgot to stop at the stop sign. They got pissy. Made me dump my firewood back in Canada. So that makes two trips into Canada.<br />
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The Dude still had a good time. He likes to ride on my shoulder.<br />
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<br />Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-6681833345487692422015-08-29T19:25:00.000-07:002015-09-01T15:05:58.648-07:00Canada 33% off, limited time only!We arrive in Waterton Lakes Townsite campground early and as good citizens of Canada they welcome us with open arms. Canadians are great that way. The national parks in Canada are different than the ones in the States. There is a little town called "The Townsite" which is just a small village of 40-50 full time residents, which swells to hundreds during the season. They have shops, restaurants, and residences that are all within the national park.<br />
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Our first experience with my newfound buying power was at a pie joint in town where pie and coffee for 2 was almost twenty bucks! NO DISCOUNT!!! This was because I used US currency. I soon figured out that if I used a credit card, I would get $1.33 Canadian dollars worth of buying power for only one dollar US. So dinner at the Trappers Grill in the Townsite (yes that's how you say it every time) was $75, but with my credit card I only paid $54 US. Now that's a deal and the food was awesome.<br />
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We also took a boat ride to Goat Haunt, an outpost US entry station. The customs officials there were a little jerky compared to the delightful Canadians everywhere else, eh. Here are some pics.<br />
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They cut the trees down along the entire border to make a visible line between the countries.<br />
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This is the Prince Of Wales Hotel. You can see the smoke behind it. Reminds me of Arendelle Castle from the movie <i>Frozen</i>. <br />
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All the smoke means we need to take this trip again! Yea!!!<br />
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Earlier in the day we went kayaking on Upper Waterton Lake in our inflatable kayak. Damn thing is so hard to use. We decided to head over to Lake Cameron and rent a hard-sided kayak on a smaller lake. Caitlin fell in love with kayaking and spent the next days searching for a used one to buy. No luck.<br />
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Here is Caitlin out on the lake by herself.</div>
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Later near dusk we drove down Red Rock Canyon looking for bears, and bears is what we found. Two of them to be exact. One so close it almost touched my truck on the passenger side. Caitlin was so excited. Though not our first bears sighting, every bear encounter is awesome.<br />
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Crummy pics, but this is what I got.<br />
<br />Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801127540015454226.post-75523274661625744542015-08-29T19:18:00.001-07:002015-09-01T15:16:46.965-07:00Let's back up a little...So I left off a few days ago with our journey to Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada. I finally found a place to purchase a memory card reader (my new laptop doesn't have one). So I wanted to import some pictures of Glacier National Park. Very hard to capture with all the smoke.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiA-CYCTGuJqR6B1JUr_mnZtF3X8JUdgbGupX1r_fRDmOptV18G5YiSWtx1BddR4xlT-Kc31gF0RMcPuhh7qptHraqZfNB3x6o6fK08Uo-AxPt2Bgs8obWQ3fi9WMlVzOvnl8E5J-qcgg/s1600/IMG_1472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiA-CYCTGuJqR6B1JUr_mnZtF3X8JUdgbGupX1r_fRDmOptV18G5YiSWtx1BddR4xlT-Kc31gF0RMcPuhh7qptHraqZfNB3x6o6fK08Uo-AxPt2Bgs8obWQ3fi9WMlVzOvnl8E5J-qcgg/s320/IMG_1472.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Managed to find some Mountain Goats..<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDIal35yANrZOxSRYYRnXsdey59yHdv7Cdc_BGaZ6LXY-ggTlQnYebQXhaqUKK8yN8u4-4eDLMzGGY0b2HWVxcZ4FinnS_aK9yXLyoDDa67IvoTK7jEyj69VTFU2qpziZUyVsN3rVnIU/s1600/IMG_6609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDIal35yANrZOxSRYYRnXsdey59yHdv7Cdc_BGaZ6LXY-ggTlQnYebQXhaqUKK8yN8u4-4eDLMzGGY0b2HWVxcZ4FinnS_aK9yXLyoDDa67IvoTK7jEyj69VTFU2qpziZUyVsN3rVnIU/s320/IMG_6609.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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That is good as it gets for this day. :-(<br />
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<br />Spantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00986397139546282533noreply@blogger.com1