lombardi
Footballguy
Someone in another thread asked me to maybe start a thread about my experiences. A few other people over the months have shown some interest so I thought I would start a thread in case anyone else out there was considering something similar.
Basically in 2011, after some big life changes, my family and I made a decision to head out on the road. After a series of yard sales, gifts, and craigslist deals, we had sold everything we owned that didn't fit either inside of a 10'x10' plastic shed I put in my father's back yard or our RV. All of our worldly possession are in one of those two places still. We packed up our suppliers, said our goodbyes, hitched up and hit the road. No plan, no schedule, and no idea exactly how long we were going to travel for. We took a few month break last winter and spring and stayed a few months with my dad but early this summer we headed back out again and we're travelling still. Right now I'm in Newport Dunes RV park right off the PCH and Jamoboree in Newport Beach, CA where I'm spending the month. Not sure where we're going next month but definitely into the desert somewhere, probably either Quartz or Yuma.
Some basic facts:
Anyway, this is a pretty big look at me thread but I thought it may be interesting and maybe I could answer some questions. I've actually considered writing a book. Most living on the road information is aimed at the retiree and there isn't a ton of great info for the family on the road, although there are more and more people doing it.
Anyone else considering heading out on the road? Just dreaming for one day (I did this for years and years)? Any questions about living this way?
Basically in 2011, after some big life changes, my family and I made a decision to head out on the road. After a series of yard sales, gifts, and craigslist deals, we had sold everything we owned that didn't fit either inside of a 10'x10' plastic shed I put in my father's back yard or our RV. All of our worldly possession are in one of those two places still. We packed up our suppliers, said our goodbyes, hitched up and hit the road. No plan, no schedule, and no idea exactly how long we were going to travel for. We took a few month break last winter and spring and stayed a few months with my dad but early this summer we headed back out again and we're travelling still. Right now I'm in Newport Dunes RV park right off the PCH and Jamoboree in Newport Beach, CA where I'm spending the month. Not sure where we're going next month but definitely into the desert somewhere, probably either Quartz or Yuma.
Some basic facts:
- I have 3 kids. 14 and 12 yo boys and a 7 yo girl. We started home schooling for the trip and it's going great so far. They all share the bunkhouse in the front of the RV. My wife and I have a bedroom in the back.
- I work from home, this is the main reason we're able to do this. As long as I have an internet connection and a cell signal I can work. My office has been on the banks of the bayou, on the rim of canyons, in forests, and more often than I would like on my couch in the RV.
- We have a 32' fifth wheel trailer that we pull with a 2003 GMC Sierra HD Diesel pickup truck. We unhitch and drive the truck everywhere when we get to our destinations.
- We actually save money on the road. We have a monthly RV fee we stick to that keeps us under the price of our old mortgage payment and our expenses are lower travelling than they were living at home in a house. We still own our home and rent it out to cover our mortgage.
- We've visited 24 of the 49 National Parks in the continental in the last 2 years and my kids have completed junior ranger programs in most of them.
- In the last two years and our previous summer RV trips the last couple of years my boys have visited 46 of the 50 states, my daughter has been to 44. I've only got 3 to go.
- We went to Mardis Gras last year, remarkably and surprisingly family friendly. Also had amazing food, including gator sausage po' boys.
- Everybody in my family gets to pick 1 thing to do, anywhere in the continental U.S. each year. Last year's picks were snorkeling with manatee, going to a SF Giants game, Disneyworld, Hiking the Zion Narrows, and horseback riding in the desert outside Zion Narrows national park. This year so far we've gone to an Avett brother's concert (my son's favorite) and we went whale watching to see Orcas in the Puget Sound.
- We often park our RV outside of large national parks and then pack up our tent camping or backpacking gear and head into the parks for weekends. We've done this in Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, and many others.
- In our first year we drove 27,863 total miles
- The kids have gotten to ride an airboat, go snorkeling, surf, visited literally dozens of science museums and aquariums, gone to a rodeo in Houston and looked for Pee Wee's bike in the Alamo, gone to Alcatraz, river rafted, soaked in natural thermal springs.
- They've hiked above the clouds, into the grand canyon (although not the bottom), through rain forests and slot canyons. They've visited San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Boston, Houston, New Orleans, Chicago, Denver, and many other large cities.
- We've seen grizzlies, black bears, elk, tarantulas, owls, bald eagles, manatee, orcas, and tons of other wildlife. Although no moose yet.
Anyway, this is a pretty big look at me thread but I thought it may be interesting and maybe I could answer some questions. I've actually considered writing a book. Most living on the road information is aimed at the retiree and there isn't a ton of great info for the family on the road, although there are more and more people doing it.
Anyone else considering heading out on the road? Just dreaming for one day (I did this for years and years)? Any questions about living this way?