I typed out the title of this post and can hardly believe it! Since August 29, 2014 we have been full-time RVers. To any new readers, what that means is since that date, we have not had a physical home base, no “sticks and bricks”, apartment, place where we get a regular deluge of electric bills, gas bills, property tax bills, school tax bills, etc, I think you get the idea.
When we began this journey, we (at least me, Kelly) had no actual expectations of what would it be like, except that we would love it. Bill was a bit skeptical, but trusted me , and more importantly us, enough to take the plunge. When the decision was made, I was already unemployed, but Bill was very gainfully employed, making an awesome living, contributing to his 401k each pay check, in addition, he was also putting away a nice chunk after taxes. The other side of that coin was he was working all the time. An average week was about 65 hours in 5 days. Most weekends he would be in the office an additional 5 or 6. Guess how much energy that left for anything else? That’s right – none!
We’ve been asked, so many times I’ve lost count, “How did you walk away from the security of a good job?” and “Do you have any regrets?” Let me answer these questions now, for the record, with 5 years under our belts. The second one is an easier answer – in one word – NO!
The first question needs a little more than a single word answer, but isn’t complicated. We took a leap of faith. Not in God, as you may initially assume, but in ourselves. We (mostly Bill – as it’s his nature) made peace with the “worst case scenario” and just did it. What was the worst case scenario? We hated the lifestyle and/or failed to make it work. What would we have done in that situation? We would have decided where we wanted to live and settled back down. I, more than Bill, knew in my heart that wasn’t going to happen.
The way we travel has changed over the years. Year one we didn’t work at all, as we had savings to live off. Years two, three and first four months of year four, we worked at Amazon twice (peak seasons in 2015 and 2017) and two different workamping positions, summer 2016 at Renfros Lakeside Retreat, near Seward AK, and summer 2017 at Country Oaks Campground down the Jersey Shore. Beginning in February 2018, Bill became an official installer for RV Solar Solutions. (I say “official” because he helped Greg on installs, training and learning since they did our own system back in October 2014) Since then he’s averaged about two installs per month.
Something else that has changed our travel significantly was the birth of our first grandchild, a girl, earlier this year. Because of that we decided, for the first time without it being for a job, to stay in one place for an entire season. We’ve actually been here (minus a “vacation” trip to NJ) since the end of February. We moved out of our daughter’s driveway and into our seasonal site as soon as the campground, Hickory Hollow, opened mid-April. It has been wonderful to be here this summer, bonding with our newest family member.
It has also been good for Bill doing installs. Having our daughter’s house to have supplies sent to has been convenient. The campground owners have been very appreciative of the business we’ve brought in, and we appreciate them providing a place we can be proud to have clients come to.
After our year of constantly being on the move last summer, it has been nice to sit for awhile, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to heading south. Hitch itch is a real thing, my fellow full-timers can attest. I’m sure I will miss that little girl like crazy, but with modern technology, it will be easier to keep in touch!
Something else that’s been in the back of my head has been the fact that several of our “tribe” have purchased property. They are all planning their exit strategies. They have found their “it” place and are setting up their futures. Makes me wonder if that’s something Bill and I will every do. First thing that would need to be answered is where is our “it” place? We do not have an answer to that question yet. We know certain criteria that’s on our list, near big water, not too far from the kids (within a day drive), warmer weather than PA but not as hot as FL. That list actually narrows it down a good bit doesn’t it? Especially when we add the next item – affordable! That might actually be the most difficult one to accomodate!
So what does the future hold for us? Some of you may be wondering if being grandparents now will permanently effect our RVing lifestyle. Time will tell for the longer term, but for now, we will be heading south at the end of October, spending November and December in FL, and January, February and March in TX (flying into PA for Freya’s first birthday). We have no definite plans yet after that except we will be coming back to Hickory Hollow at some point.
To say we are still loving this and are still excitedly looking forward to our future would be an understatement. Are there challenges? Of course! Is it all roses and rainbows? Of course not! The beauty of it is as it has been from Day 1, we get to pick where we want to be. Will that mean more time in PA now that we have a granddaughter? Most definitely! Being a good Nani & Pop to Freya is so important to us both! Will we ever head out west again? Someday! It’s all good!
I think I’m going to wrap it up with some pics as I’m pretty sure that’s what everyone wants, right? Stop talking Kelly and get to the pictures! Right?
Thats all for today – hope you’ve enjoyed this post!
Previous post: https://bkamericanodyssey.com/2019/08/30/our-five-year-old-landmark/
Next up: FIVE YEARS of NUMBERS!
Bill and I would like to thank all our loyal readers! We appreciate each one of you! If you are a new reader, we’d like to invite you to sign up to receive an email with each new post. You can find the “follow blog via email” button to the side and below. Thanks so much!
We also invite you to use our Amazon Affiliate link (click “search here”) to help support our blog. It doesn’t cost you anything additional, you can still use your Amazon Prime. Thanks so much!
Did you know we have Facebook and Instagram pages? Its fun to follow us there!
Please let us know you are out there by commenting below! We LOVE hearing from our readers!
We are so happy to have been a part of your first five years and look forward to being a part of your years to come.
Glad you ENJOYED the real pizza!
Love you guys,
Les, Sue and PoPo!
Awe! We love you guys too!
P.S. we LOVED the real pizza!
5 years…wow! We have been following shortly after you went full time and now we are full timers of over a year! We cannot imagine settling down yet either. This life has been amazing and we have seen things and met people we otherwise wouldnt have and wouldn’t trade it! Hope to meet up with you on the road someday! Perhaps TX this winter! We are there Nov thru May at several different places.
Hi Julie! Please reach out (can email me at: bkamericanodyssey@gmail.com) and let me know when/where you will be and hopefully we can work out a meet up!
What a great post! Easy to tell you are living the dream and loving it! My wanderlust gets to me reading of your adventures. I pay real estate taxes in 3 states and 1 foreign country – Guess that’s why we will remain travelers and not living your lifestyle.
Grandkids are best – I use the old joke on Kami: ‘If I knew the grand-girls were so much fun, I’d had them first!’ You’ll be awesome Grands, but the westcoast misses you 😉
Thanks Jeff! That’s a lot of real estate! Perhaps someday we will own some type of property someday, but cannot imagine it right now. Granddaughters are awesome!
Here’s to five more and many more friends.
Thanks Deb! I agree!
Congratulations on 5 years and so many fun adventures!
When we first started working toward leaving jobs and “sticks and bricks” we had many of the same thoughts as what you have shared in this post. Like you, we finally figured out “what is the worst that could happen?” and went from there. We too have not regretted it one bit.
We have met several other fulltimers who have recently purchased land/houses. Honestly that has not crossed our minds. We are having a blast.
Enjoy!
Thanks David! While we are no where ready to settle back down, it is in the back of our minds now that we know people are doing it. Someday it may make sense to have a “base” again. Hope our paths cross again!
Congratulations on 5 years. Loved reading your post and the wonderful pictures. Tim and I are another step closer. My last day in the office was yesterday. Two weeks remote work and then officially retired. Planning to leave PA early October and slowly head south. We will get to Florida mid December but will be a bit north of you. It was terrific to meet you and Bill. Thank you again for a wonderful dinner and all the great advice. Hope to see you on the road some day.
Thanks Deb! It was great meeting you and Tim! So happy we finally got it to happen, especially since it almost didn’t! We so appreciate your understanding! So happy for you both – wishing you many years of happy safe travels! Please keep in touch!
That was a lovely post Kelly and as always I am so happy I made your highlight reel. Love you guys and really grateful we have been with you these last five years.
Trace
Thanks Trace! It’s always a highlight when we get to spend time with you and Lee!
Congratulations on full timing for five years from a faithful follower, a fellow RV-Dreamer, and also a fellow Landmark owner! Your story and pictures are beautiful. Here’s to another wonderful five!
Thanks so much Barb! Hope our paths cross someday!
Kelly what a great post. I can’t wait to start our journey as full timers in a few months. If we do it half as well as you and Bill it will be a success. I love all your pictures and especially the ones of Freya. I know I have told you many times before but I just love reading your post and seeing what you are up to. You and Bill are my role models. Congrats on the five years and we wish you the best on the road whether it is another year or another 20 years.
Thanks Chris! You guys are going to do great! You are prepared and ready! So happy and excited for you!
Congrats on five years!! We recently hit the same milestone and STILL can’t imagine settling down! We are so happy to have met you and Bill in our travels, our friendship is one of the best things to come from our travels! Even if you slow down, we MUST do one more epic trip together! 🙂 Love ya!
Thanks! Meeting you and Steven is def one of our best parts also! We need AT LEAST one more epic trips! Love you guys! ♥️
Oh, Congrats! Can’t believe it’s been 5 years since I started following all you guys and got to meet up with you on the road! This is an amazing life. <3
Thanks Mikki! I agree – it’s an amazing life! So happy we crossed paths with you and Jay! Hope to again in the future!
5 years! WOW….we are excited to have purchased a new to us RV, and for sure count us in for a visit this winter…we will be going to the Newmar Rally for 5 days at the Tampa RV show, let us know where you will be and maybe we can tag a day on at the front end or after, for a visit!
We are very excited for you and Mario to get back out, even if only part-time. I’ll send a PM about meeting up – we will be in FL November and December this year, before heading to TX. Chat soon!
Congrats on your 5 year mark, that is a huge accomplishment. It is interesting how things develop and change over the years. We had never thought we would be where we are at this point but we found the perfect place at the perfect time. Although our travel may slow down our adventures won’t and we will still plan on traveling at least 1/2 of the year.
Thanks! Just from pics you’ve posted, it looks like a great place you’ve found! We hope to see it someday! I think you did it right and when it’s our perfect time – we will do the same!
It really does fly by!! And yes, people along the way are the best, and leaving grandkids is the hardest!
I was looking at my blog roll the other day and was surprised at how many have made major changes in the past year – part-time or permanent property or moving to Europe to continue full-timing. I’m actually very surprised we found our perfect spot so soon, but can’t imagine not traveling most of the year.
Great post, so happy to be a part of your adventures, and looking forward to catching up with you again.
Thanks Jodee! While I think people that commit to the full-time lifestyle love to travel, I also think after awhile they like a place to call their own. I know someday Bill and I will want that again, just don’t know when or where. When it does happen, I expect travel will still be a major part of our lives – as I said in the post – hitch itch is a real thing!
5 years?!?! Since we are in our 5 months, that is a tough call. Right now we are enjoying life every day and can’t wait to see what is next. Right now, I can’t imagine living in a “sticks and bricks” permanently ever again. Maybe for vacation…LOL.
At 5 months I would said the same thing – NEVER another s&b – but now – not as sure. Maybe a condo or property with small house. Time will tell – not in a hurry at all!