Living in "Candominiums"

"Living the RV Dream, "Full Time RVing", "RV Boondocking", RV Solar Living" "Fifth Wheel" living, "RVers on the Road" and the list goes on.

There are many expectations for RV living and lots of social media groups which provide insights and opinions. There are also many ways to live the RV lifestyle, as many as there are RVs on the road.  This is not a "one size fits all" situation. For example, we trek in a Class B (Roadtrek 210P). Since December 2013 we've trekked nearly 22,000 miles in it with some treks of up to 110 days (90 days interrupted by an overnight hotel stay in Bisbee AZ). We think of the 210P as our mobile motel room and our gateway to the outdoors. It is very comfortable. But we have friends who simply cannot grasp why we would do this. Some are tied to their abode and the big city they live in. Others have tried country living and hated it; (think "Green Acres"). Others had a short RV experience with their children in tow and after about two weeks in a metal can had enough of the "camping" adventure.  Some need the internet and cable TV and don't want to pay the price to get these on the road. And of course, some have work, job or family commitments and simply can't get away.

Obviously, this lifestyle is not for everyone and there are different lifestyles to pursue. That is my point. For every hearty endorsement of the RV lifestyle and experience, there may be an opposing view. Which is why there is a "full time RV Hell" social group.  Which makes me wonder. RVs are mobile and so if one doesn't like their current location, then move on. If the rig is a piece of junk, then move on.

Some call their rigs "tiny homes" and some call them "candominiums."

Flexibility is Helpful
We've taken a somewhat flexible approach and while it seems there are periods of imperfection, it is also true that everything is "perfectly imperfect." Yes, it can be darn good. We do enjoy the great outdoors, truck stops, resorts, National Parks and meeting new people. We also enjoy a lot of space. That might seem oxymoronic, because our Class B is such a tiny, tiny home. However, when we open that side door we step into the great outdoors. In fact, that experience is what convinced G that she really wanted to do this. She tells me she'll never forget opening the side door on a trek through Canyonlands National Park and looking at the vista. We were in a small area legally adjacent to the road and overlooking the canyons. We were enjoying lunch. We had a vista of at least 15 miles with no one in our view; just the canyons and bluffs to the horizon.

Hiking in Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands at Sunset - don't step back!

On the edge at Canyonlands, contemplating the far horizon

Open that side door at 5:30am as we did one morning and we had a different experience, at 9F. When we encounter such experiences we are usually just "passing through" and there is better weather just over the horizon. If not, we then continue moving.

We found better weather and when the day was done we retreated indoors and had another comfy night.

We can choose where and when to stop. We're not locked into any one location. Nevertheless, we do camp in weather extremes. I do think we've pushed the limits in the Roadtrek with outdoor temps from about 5F to over 100F and some really long treks. Some might consider this "extreme RVing" as one person described our approach. Furthermore most RVs are not designed for full time living. That requires some tolerance and understanding on the part of the occupants. Not everyone is going to be satisfied with RV living.

There are Differing Experiences
Some of us aren't ready to live this way, and each vehicle may provide a different experience. We tried a 19 foot Sprinter based rig with solar and all electric (no propane). We did this because we wanted the experience before making a purchase decision for any RV. We decided it wouldn't work for the longer treks we were planning and to the locations in mind. How long? 3 months or more. On the other hand, even the 19 footer was luxury compared to the backpacking and ground camping I've done. Back then it was a sleeping bag and a plastic potty bag inside the tent when it was really cold outside. The slogan while packing and planning what to carry was "an ounce in the morning is a pound at night." Today we can bring BBQ, lawn chairs, stuff the 5 cu. ft. refrigerator, carry sufficient supplies for weeks and so on. It has been a very different experience in the RVs.

My personal history influences my perspectives. I've lived for months on end in a variety of motels. This was required by my work. For one project I lived in a motel for 11 months. For another it was 5 months. Then there have been dozens of trips of 30 days or so and even more of 5 days or so. My first such business trip was 50 years ago. My next will be in a few weeks. While motels come with clean towels and daily service, I still prefer the Roadtrek and I do much of the cooking, etc.  We use a convection/microwave, a propane range, propane BBQ and an electric induction burner with cast iron. We have multiple heat sources including a heat pump, propane furnace and electric heater. There is an air conditioner for summer, and a two fans for ventilation and cooling.

However, living in a our mobile motel room does have challenges. I've written of this before. Every time one opens the door the elements come in. Do that in a driving rain and the humidity inside will become higher than that outside. Class Bs have a lot of glass and that glass has an R-value of about 0.1, which is almost nothing. Even Reflectix has an R-Value of about 1.0 or ten times better.  If your rig has solar panels then you will be parking in the sun to get that wonderful bounty of "free" energy. That's fine at temperatures below 75F. But as the temperatures rise that rig becomes a sauna.

A Hybrid Balance
We have taken  a hybrid approach. We follow the sun, hopping from home bases, which are stationary rigs positioned in AZ and MI. One is at a small campground in a wonderful area on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. We're 2 hours from Chicago, or can easily go the the UP. The other is in a resort community in a winter area we decided we really like. These are our home bases and we can come and go as we please. There are other approaches. One can also own a condo and use it part time, or rent it to others with the anticipation of someday returning to a fully stationary lifestyle. We are currently hedging our bet with a condo.

However, if I wanted the absolute lowest cost with some amenities, I would seriously consider a Casita travel trailer or similar. The 16 foot  Deluxe has a dry weight of just over 2,000 lbs. It can be towed by just about any vehicle with a Class II hitch and is comfortable for two, but can sleep up to six. One can park it just about anywhere and that means cheap living.

We opted for a B because we wanted a self contained unit, something we could drive everyday if we wanted to. I do admit at 21 ft. our rig is pushing the limits and it does stand out. Not exactly stealth trekking. But is has a lot of space and all of the amenities we required for trekking 90 days at a time.

For full time vehicle use, a 19 ft. Class B is probably optimal, but there are serious space compromises.

"Candominium" Living
We don't want to live in the Roadtrek full time. So what choices are there? One can find a resort with used Park models. These are really "tiny homes" and we did consider that. These are permanent and require renting a site for an annual fee. Some are really lovely with expansive covered decks, air conditioned adjacent rooms (insulated prefab buildings) and so on. Some have space for a small RV too. However, resorts do have rules about one RV only on a site. They don't allow two occupied RVs in a location designed for one. A Class B which can be used for daily travel is acceptable at such resorts.

We checked out a number of used Park models for sale. We can see why this is a popular approach. These predate the 'tiny home' movement by about 40 years. They are in many ways superior to some of the tiny homes we've seen.  One drawback to the Park model is they are not really "portable". The possible issues for a Park model include:

1. Age restrictions in the community (55+, for example)
2. Age demographics (A 55+ community may have a very large percentage of those aged 80)
3. Resort finances (A resort may have financial issues)
4. Rules and Regulations (These may be restrictive and not to your liking)
5. A lack of mobility (If you decide you would prefer to move to another resort, you will have to find a buyer for your Park model).

Of course, one can always purchase a travel trailer (TT) or a 5th wheel and put it on a site. That mitigates many of the problems of a Park model; if one decided they would prefer another resort, they can have their RV hauled elsewhere even if they don't own a truck.

Continued in Part 2

Observations on reaching 22,000 miles, and a detour

22,000 miles of adventures, breakdowns and discovery
This post will be about my observations and musings after travelling nearly 22,000 miles in a Class B RV [since December 2013]. One thing I've observed is that whatever type of vehicle we choose to use for our treks, there will be compromises. Another observation is no matter our plans, and no matter our preparations, "things happen."

During that 22,000 miles I've participated in a few discussions on social media, and read even more. This has been helpful. I'm also a member of the FMCA Roadtrek International Chapter, which includes email communications via their "cyber-rally".

I prefer the cyber-rally to the social media sites because it is a requirement to be a paying member of the FMCA and the Roadtrek chapter in order to participate. That keeps chatter and onlookers to an absolute minimum. Everyone who participates has some "skin in the game." It is a hands on "I need to know how to do this" or "anyone ever been to [wherever]?" or "I learned this today" or "this is how I solved this particular problem" or "Help!" Via cyber-rally the respondents are knowledgeable and know the specific rigs.

Over at the social media sites there are many helpful people. There are also onlookers and those who mean well but aren't familiar with the specifics of the rig in question. We all have our opinions, and at Facebook they ask "What's on your mind?"

Over at social media there seems to be some recurring questions and complaints. Some will ask "Which is the best" RV. Others will complain about the POS they bought and which didn't live up to their expectations. Sometimes the complainers will hijack a thread.

Beyond the Rig - Breakdowns, Discovery and Insights
Even after getting the rig of our dreams, or the one that seems best suited to our use, there are external factors. These include health and well being, financial well being and even the weather. Situations can change. None of us are immune from reality.

It's Big Business
It's estimated that there are about 9 million RVs in the U.S. According to the PRVCA "Today's typical RV owner is 49 years old, married, with an annual household income of $68,000 - higher than the median for all households, according to the Michigan study [in 2005]."This is big business. According to the RVIA " There are more than 12,000 RV-related businesses in the U.S. with combined annual revenues of more than $37.5 billion."

Is there a "Perfect" RV?
We concluded there is no such thing as the "perfect" RV. These things are complex mechanical beasts and everything may work on day one, but then there will be "wear and tear." Some will have problems on day one; that's what some would call "Infant Mortality." Most RVs are assembled from components from a variety of manufacturer's and so the builder may be nothing more than in integrator. Very few RVs are capable of long term daily living, and that's my opinion.

Yet, we may be inclined to expect more than can be delivered. This is certainly something to expect from a Class B costing $150,000 or more. But is it reality? Apparently it isn't the reality for some RV owners and of course it will be for a few.

Learning By Experience
We also had the experience and analysis of our previous rental.  We deliberately rented in the fall when temperatures would drop below freezing. We also rented a vehicle which seemed to be on the edge of our acceptability. We weren't sure we wanted an all electric, solar coach and had concerns about it. So we rented one with about 220Ah of DC battery and 200 watts of solar. With that experience we were able to make a "pros" and "cons" list as well as a list of "wishes." With this we honed our choices and we also had a list of modifications we wanted to make based upon what had worked for us and what hadn't in our earlier experience.

After purchasing our Class B and as we trekked that list grew. We've made over 20 additions, modifications and tweaks since purchase. But these work for us. They might not work for others. There's a link to the modifications near the end of this post.

Detours and the Unknown
It is helpful to be flexible in our wants, needs and desires. RVing is an adventure and as such there are always unknowns. One of the expected outcomes of adventuring is discovery. So breakdowns may provide opportunities and insights. It is helpful to keep an open mind.

What do I mean by a "detour"? There was one trek in which we expected to get to the southwest with mild, above freezing temperatures all the way. But a fast moving storm out of the Pacific Northwest changed that. We spent a day in icy conditions as we continued on our way. But that storm accellerated in speed and intensity. By nightfall conditions well below freezing were expected. I do carry sufficient "pink" antifreeze for these things and so as darkness fell we stopped at a gas station, drained both fresh water tanks and winterized right then and there. Then we continued on our way to our overnight stay in NM. We drove through lot's of standing water but it was expected to really freeze by morning. Here is what we found when we arose in a campground at 5:30am:

There are other surprises in addition to weather and mechanical issues. For example, this winter we had plans. We put things in place and by mid-November we were ready. However, these plans were interrupted on November 22 by a fall, mild concussion and broken bone. The result has been an eight week schedule detour. We're about half way through this recovery period and on the second cast.  The pins holding bone have yet to be removed. We're about 1800 miles from summer home base and stationary. We need to keep near the doctor and there are physical restrictions.

This was certainly not the plan.

Driving anything one handed is not a good idea, and in fact, mobility is severely restricted to allow proper healing. Bummer. However, the latest cast is less restrictive than those prior. This is the third.

As a consequence our December-January plans have been severely altered. Travel has been restricted. I'm in the role of "househusband" and G has had to put aside all of the things she was planning because most require the use of her right hand and the fine motor skills she's developed over years. Bummer.

However, if one needs to convalesce there are certainly worse places. She can hike as long as the going isn't too strenuous or would require the use of that right hand. So we can hike, and visit museums and so on. And that's what we've been doing. And the weather has been glorious.

Living in a  B  with a concussion and a cast
Another issue is even attempting to live in a Class B. If one has their mobility severely restricted then a Class B might not be the best thing to recuperate in. The casts must be kept dry. Ever try taking a shower with one arm vertical and in a plastic bag? Not easy and your husband or spouse in the same shower in a campground is generally frowned upon.

So the Roadtrek is sitting nearby while we live in something larger. Fortunately, we had made plans for this in the Spring. We didn't intend to be stationary and we thought our "winter base" would only be used part time. Well, it has become full time.

So we are taking advantage of this, are working on the winter home base and a currently living in a "candominium".

Has the fundamental plan changed?
No, it hasn't. We purchased our Class B because we wanted to be able to go wherever there is a road and to park almost anywhere; there is no campsite too small for us. However, we never intended to live in a 700 cubic foot RV full time.

We have many, many places we still want to go. Yet, we've been from the Florida Keys to the Columbia river gorge to San Francisco to Connecticut and many places in between. Yes, this is a really large and grand country. There is more to see and the clock it ticking.

Since Dec. 2013 we have travelled about 22,000 miles in our 210P. It has about 180 sq. ft. of floor space which is less than a "tiny home" although it is better appointed than most such homes.

The Roadtrek has performed very well and it has lived up to our expectations. To adapt it to our specific expectations I've made about 20 modifications or additions. But not everyone treks from 6F to 103F and not everyone lives in their Class B for 90 days or more. And, we haul a lot of stuff so we are comfortable for 3-1/2 seasons. And, I also carry additional technology.

How we do it
First, we began with a great foundation. We decided on the 210P because we had decided after a lot of research and even renting a 19ft. camper van that this was going to work for us. Then we made a list of modifications and additions and I began making them. The list grew with experience. Yet, nearly all of the mods were completed within the first two years and 16,000 miles.

We also make a detailed plan prior to leaving on any trek. We do carry pink antifreeze, we do fill the propane tank, we do carry "sea foam" gasoline additive for the generator and so on.

We've read all of the manuals and we have learned all of the mechanical systems. I carry spare parts for some items with me. Most of these are typical, such as fuses. However, we also carry some that aren't, such as a spare macerator pump.

Here's a current list of the more significant modifications, additions and tweaks:

http://roadtrek210.blogspot.com/2015/09/18-months-of-tweaks.html

The foundation remains intact, but the circumstances have changed this year.