It's official, we're FULL TIME !

[Tikvah]

Early in August we got an unexpected offer on our house, actually we got three the same day. 

Amy and I, after three months of working in Muskegon and living in the unfinished bus, decided it was probably best to return to our home in Cheboygan after Labor Day and spend another summer (or more) finishing the bus and serving the people we love.  On Tuesday morning, July 30th we sat on our couch in the bus and with many tears prayed for God's direction, we were so torn.  By 10:00am I called her to say we had an offer on the house, by the time I was home that evening, I told her, "not just one offer but three".  To put this in perspective, the economy in Cheboygan is one of the worst in the country and nothing is selling.  So three offers is unheard of; and one offer was full price cash!

Labor Day has now past, the house is sold and empty.  We sold everything we owned, drove the car back to Muskegon with the few things we felt we needed and we're back in the bus.  I have a month or two still here in Muskegon to get my marketing project finished.  Also, we plan to have some mechanical service done on the bus plus some new tires before we leave.

Here's the million dollar question:  Where do we go from here?

We have no home, no plan, no direction, no ideas.  We know we would like to avoid freezing our pipes and tanks, so that usually means something south.  We know we need Internet access, even if through our Verizon account.  We know we don't want to go terribly far, we will spend a few weeks (without the bus) in Vermont in February. 

Ideally, we would like to find someone who would allow us to park, work on our bus, plug in a cord, let us pay for our electricity, and let us be a blessing in friendship.  A shed or barn with a place to keep our tools out of the weather would be almost to much to ask or imagine.  We're pretty simple people with very few needs.  But, we need a place.  A campground for "work camping" is a possibility (we are doing that now), but it might not be ideal to be with rows of campers when we are working on the bus.  I think we prefer a back yard or driveway with friends, but we really don't know what we want.

We're looking for new friends, a place to park for the winter months, and hopefully get some work accomplished on the interior of the coach.  We would appreciate and value your thoughts, opinions, and ideas for direction.

Thanks,
Dave & Amy

[lvmci]

Dave, congrats, try the southwest, las vegas, is great in the winter, los angles, is very nice in the winter, check craigs list, spaces for rent, lvmci...

[TheHollands!]

Awesome, I wish I'd known you were in Muskegon, we were there a month ago. We also head south to keep the pipes clear. Craig

[oldmansax]

Congratulations Dave & Amy!

We full timed for almost 3 years & I enjoyed it immensely. The wife never could find enough room for all the 16 grandchildren. 

Have fun!!

TOM

[Kajun_Taz]

Welcome to the FULLTIMIN' WORLD!
I've been fulltime for a bit over 2 years and the wife joined me about a year ago. Started off in my truck camper for about 14 months, then moved the RV down from Arkansas to Mississippi along with the wife, and stayed in the RV until about a month or so ago when I went ride to Biloxi, MS and an old GM 4106 followed me home... Adopted it and been feeding it ever since... LOL
Hoping to have her road-ready by this coming spring or early summer and head out for some cross country full time RV living ( even though we've been living in the 3 mentioned RV's for the past 2 years+, we haven't done much traveling... mostly staying in one place and doing some workamping type of stuff. Looking forward to just traveling around the country and seeing it go by through the windshield... 

[Dave5Cs]

Congrats Dave & Amy!... First rule of Full-Timing, "YOU HAVE A HOME" It is your Coach. 

If you are good with Farm or Ranch stuff or fixing things , think about exchange for living on the property. We live on a Ranch that I take care of the chickens, gardens, sprinkler systems, pond, road, office and house. In exchange for us living in a 63 x12 trailer that we made into nice living quarters.

We save about 230.00 a month not having to store the Bus and being able to work on it while the wife is healing from a fall knees, back and broken foot.

Can't wait to get back in the coach and full-time again we only got to for 18 months before that happened.

So maybe some ads in local papers in areas you want to be etc.
Maybe some other Busnuts. Some camp places will actually let you work on the coach if you cleanup each night.

Dave5Cs

[white-eagle]

Congrats to you both on being full time and getting your house sold.  We know what that's like.
If you have no other plans, we have a place in N. Ohio where you can crash for a few weeks.  we'll be there by 10/1 and then we will head south in Nov some time.  Your welcome to park in our "campground" which is a big weed covered, but stone parking lot with elec, water and dump.  You can continue work on your bus.  not too far to lowes and walmart.  it's out in the country, but zoning still forbids more than a month.  as i said, we'll be leaving in Nov some time and we may not be there the whole month of Oct.

i can't speak for places to go in the south other than i would make it to the Arcadia Bus Rally.  There will be a lot of very helpful Bus people there.  Maybe someone who has a place in Florida can speak to the "where you can go to work on your bus" issue.

[lvmci]

hi Dave from craigslist LA, I think it from north san diego county, pretty area tho,  lvmci

mailto:7npv3-4021287242@sale.craigslist.org?subject=%24250%20MONTH%20RV%20SITE%20DRY%20CAMPING%20%28North%20County%29&body=%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Flosangeles.craigslist.org%2Flac%2Frvs%2F4021287242.html%0A

[Tikvah]

I appreciate all the input.  I assume we will probably hang out in Muskegon till it gets cold, but that could be October or Christmas.  I think I can protect and stay warm all winter but I'm not really a true bus nut if I don't get some miles under the tires.  Besides, I think the bus could contribute to cabin fever if we're snowed in too long.  I've never been a big fan of Florida.  Somehow I imagine the Carolina's, Tennessee, maybe even North Georgia. 
Honestly, with the right opportunity we could go anywhere.

Dave

[Tikvah]

Where/when is Arcadia?
Maybe I need to know more....

Dave

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Middle of Florida,  New Years Day. We are planning on being there for the first time. 

[belfert]

Arcadia Rally is week between Christmas and New Years.  http://www.arcadiarally.com/  Rally is in Arcadia, Florida.  Website has not been updated for this year yet, but the organizers have said it will happen again.

[saddleup]

Just as well start driven come on down to Yuma az foothills,rent a rv lot COST ABOUT 350.pm, every kind of R.V part there is right there new or used, some good tile carpet cabenet guys from the southside do great work at fair prices, come right to your lot and work

[Seangie]

Dave,

Congrats!  Welcome to the free life   HA!

We are only a couple months ahead of you but loving it.

Send ScottBennett a PM.  He is right down the road from you and might be able to give you a place to park and work on the bus.  He is a solid man of God and we loved every minute we spent with them and got a ton of work done on the bus.

Hope we get to see you in Arcadia if you can make it.  We will be there for sure!

-Sean

www.herdofturtles.org
1984 Eagle Model 10S

[Tikvah]

I'm confused about Arcadia dates.  The websites says "Arcadia 2013 is history" but the schedule is the end of December.  Does that mean its already full?  No offense intended to those who plan this, but I don't get it. 

We could possibly make Arcadia at the end of December, but we're not mentally prepared to travel that many miles.  I guess if this is our home now then we just consider the fuel cost and bite the bullet.  Sounds like a great opportunity.

I would also like to visit Elkhart again this fall and consider some furniture and parts.  We some improved seating in the bus (navigator seat and couch).

Appreciate any clarification.