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05-28-2010, 04:34 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Heartland
Posts: 3,563
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The Full Time Dream!
I'm sitting here pondering and dreaming of full timing in a Newell? Some have done it, some are doing it and others are dreamin' about it.
Either way, it's all good.........
Myself, I'm working on a happy medium. Hum..???
Now, to finish getting rid of a life accumulation of possessions (JUNK) for a simpler life of enjoying a condo on wheels...no more mowing the lawn (acreage) ugh! Actually really burned out on property ownership. I will miss the greenhouse, though. There has to be an alternative for that one?
What-cha thoughts....????
Ken W.
__________________
__________________
Ken
Previous Owner of 3 Newell's
Wanted: Newell Coach Needing Engine Replacement!
If you want to sell, PM or Private Message me. Thanks!
"I know I’m not perfect, and I don't live to be. But before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean."
-Bob Marley
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05-28-2010, 06:55 PM
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Stanley,KS
Posts: 45
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Put the greenhouse on wheels. Just like a see thru trailer.
Problem solved!
Larry P.
'
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05-29-2010, 06:06 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Heartland
Posts: 3,563
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Larry P., great idea! I'm going to play around with some designs to incorporate a greenhouse with an enclosed car hauler. And, of course stay legal on the length.
Ken W.
__________________
Ken
Previous Owner of 3 Newell's
Wanted: Newell Coach Needing Engine Replacement!
If you want to sell, PM or Private Message me. Thanks!
"I know I’m not perfect, and I don't live to be. But before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean."
-Bob Marley
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05-30-2010, 04:20 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,558
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The legal limit on length with a trailer is tough on most Newells over about 40 feet, at least in some states. Georgia and I have been living and traveling full-time in an RV for over 10 years.
If anyone has any questions regarding benefits and downsides of this life style we will be happy to respond. You will get different answers from the two of us but that is what it's all about.
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05-30-2010, 06:15 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Heartland
Posts: 3,563
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Michael and Georgia, it seems there are two main types of full timing. One where the landscape changes often and the other when your in one place for a long time. The latter is what I've become more accustomed to, and would like to change it; to the change in scenery more frequently.
Ken W.
__________________
Ken
Previous Owner of 3 Newell's
Wanted: Newell Coach Needing Engine Replacement!
If you want to sell, PM or Private Message me. Thanks!
"I know I’m not perfect, and I don't live to be. But before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean."
-Bob Marley
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05-30-2010, 07:27 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,558
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I hear that. We spent the first several years traveling most of the year. As our situation changed, we started being more limited in our travels and started being in a home base more.
Now that I am back to working full time, it has really torn up our ability to be mobile as much as I would like. But that too will change with time.
Many fulltimers do get to the point after many years of having a few favorite spots eventually and spending more time in those locations. I know several that have purchased RV lots, one in the northern part of the US and one in the southern part and their travels have become almost like driving from your summer home to your winter home.
I certainly understand where you are coming from. I also would like to change the scenery more often.
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05-30-2010, 10:19 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Houma, LA
Posts: 886
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We are planning a trip to Alaska this summer, we leave June 5th next Saturday. We will be gone for 2 and 1/2 months. This is probably the closest that we will ever come to full timing. It will be a good test.
__________________
Tuga & Karen Gaidry
1999 Newell 45 w/2 slides
Coach #512
2005 Pilot
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05-30-2010, 11:48 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,558
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Tuga, after 2-1/2 months you will either be very glad to be back home or will become almost melancholy as you near the end of the trip wishing you could just keep going.
Enjoy your trip, it should be great.
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05-31-2010, 03:43 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Riverside, California
Posts: 1,543
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Tuga, we look forward to following your trip to Alaska....hope you will post pictures and update us as often as you can. Only 15 months until we release the mooring lines and shove off for a couple of years exploring this great country.
Michael, we'll be arriving in Austin tomorrow evening late (around midnight), but want to get together with you and Georgia while we are there. What day/evening works best for you? We'll be in town from Wednesday thru the next Monday afternoon.....let me know!
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05-31-2010, 09:22 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,558
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Clarke, you have email!!
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06-01-2010, 12:45 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Heartland
Posts: 3,563
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Tugu, hope your trip goes well and I too look forward to pictures of it. Share share alike.
__________________
Ken
Previous Owner of 3 Newell's
Wanted: Newell Coach Needing Engine Replacement!
If you want to sell, PM or Private Message me. Thanks!
"I know I’m not perfect, and I don't live to be. But before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean."
-Bob Marley
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06-01-2010, 02:36 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Riverside, California
Posts: 1,543
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Hi Forest.....just going to be in Austin for a few days for my niece's H.S. graduation, but wish we had more time to hope over and see ya'll.
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06-03-2010, 12:36 AM
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#14
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New Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Dunwoody, GA
Posts: 5
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I'm dreaming of owning a Newell someday. Not going to happen just yet but maybe in the next few years. This is a great site to learn more about Newells. Hope to be a real part of the group some day.
__________________
John Heslup
Atlanta
Newell Wantabe
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06-03-2010, 02:48 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Heartland
Posts: 3,563
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John, glad you are dreaming of a Newell. Keep hanging around and you will be an owner someday. A lot of owners were in the same position at one time and now live the dream.
Ken
__________________
Ken
Previous Owner of 3 Newell's
Wanted: Newell Coach Needing Engine Replacement!
If you want to sell, PM or Private Message me. Thanks!
"I know I’m not perfect, and I don't live to be. But before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean."
-Bob Marley
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06-07-2010, 01:13 PM
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#16
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New Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Dunwoody, GA
Posts: 5
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The Full Time Dream!
Thanks Ken for the positive reinforcement! I'm not getting much positives these days especially being out of work for 21 months.
I really enjoy this site.
Thanks!
__________________
John Heslup
Atlanta
Newell Wantabe
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02-08-2011, 04:27 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Riverside, California
Posts: 1,543
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On February 1st we officially woke up as fulltimers. We've now been living fulltime in our Newell for one week today. We have been blessed to be accepted as "camp hosts" at Rancho Jurupa Regional Park ( https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=h...Park.pdf&pli=1) where we will be able to live rent free in the Cottonwood section until we hit the road.
We began sifting through our stuff about one month before we moved in, and it was somewhat painful. I know....I only wore that shirt once in the past year, but I've had it for years, and I like it. We have managed to winnow down our clothing to actually fit the space we have available. Right now our enclosed trailer is acting as a storage shed for the rest of our stuff (3 bikes, one tandem, and two tadpole trikes, etc.) until we make final decisions.
We have had to reorganize our storage areas to reflect "fulltime" status from "travelling status" since we will now be parked most of the time now, and living in the coach as opposed to taking monthly 3-4 day trips.
While we looked forward with great anticipation to becoming fulltimers, and love our simplified life, the pull of our former status is still strong. A side benefit of moving our of our home was I found a lot of stuff I had been looking for on and off for a couple of years....very cool. Disabled Vets will be the beneficiaries of the "stuff" that didn't make the cut.
We are settling into our new lifestyle and with each passing day missing our sticks and bricks home less and less.
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02-08-2011, 08:35 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 279
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Clarke and Elaine:
Yes, your adjustment from a 26 year comfortable home to full timing is a major life event. Thank you for sharing how you arrived at that decision and the process of going through with this decision. You are the envy of many on this site. The sharing of your thought process will, no doubt, assist others as they move to this wonderful lifestyle. Your five kids are probably extremely proud of your decades long marriage and lifetime commitment to each other. Soon you will be on the road with the adventure of your lives. Forest said about his retirement, "This didn't happen by accident, this was planned for the past 35 years". The same holds true for you two. We will, along with many others, follow your great adventure in the years to come. Safe travels and God speed, other than that you are on your own. lol.
David and Denise
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02-09-2011, 03:14 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Riverside, California
Posts: 1,543
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David, thank you for the kind, encouraging words. The biggest challenge for me, individually, is to develop new routines, and new organization....that is my nature, and having set routines and things organized creates a sense of peace and calm. I am getting there, and am enjoying the process. I've already had time to complete some minor repairs that have come up over the past few months, but since I didn't have daily access to the coach, were hard to complete. NOW I have daily access and things are getting done!
Three examples: 1) My coach has two slide out drawers in the storage just to the right of my mid entry door. The top drawer had a lot of odds and ends in it (automotive bulbs of all sizes and applications, extra windshield wipers, marker lights, headlights, misc. screws, bolts, fuses, etc.) The bottom drawer, the bigger one, had/has most of my tools, plus a spare house water pump. I went through all the bulbs, etc. in the top drawer and disposed of the uneeded and/or duplicate items. NOW I can find things! 2) Door latch - the original door latch (for the entry door) just wouldn't hold the door open anymore, even with me continually replacing the rubber gasket, so I bought a new latching type one 2 years ago, but had never installed it. We were holding the door open with a bungy cord. Now it is installed. 3) The lid that covers the stove top has stainless steel glued to the bottom side so when open it provides an attractive, cleanable surface. It had begun to come lose.....no doubt the 29 year old glue was giving out. That got fixed yesterday!
As I move through these projects my sense of well being increases. Like Wally says, often, "I like things to work" and look good on my coach. Soon, God willing, Steve Ward and I will get together and tackle the 3, or 4 electrical issues I have been stalled on.
So, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. Just got a reminder on my Droid smart phone that I have jury duty today......uggh! I'll be off the office to set up my new laptop that arrived via UPS yesterday.....my old laptop is giving up the ghost, and I'm trying to be proactive in replacing it before it crashes for good. I've been able to resurrect it twice so far, but I'm sure it does not have 9 lives like our cats...haha!
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02-24-2011, 03:41 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Riverside, California
Posts: 1,543
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This coming Monday will mark 1 month living fulltime in our Newell. Every day we wake up and pinch ourselves to be sure we aren't dreaming. It's no dream, and we aren't in Kansas anymore....we are in Rancho Jurupa, and we are loving it!
Elaine and I have been going through orientation for our office duties....learning the ropes of opening and closing, using the computerized cash register, selling fishing tickets, checking people with reservations into the park, etc. Our duties relating to the cabins will begin in April when they officially start to rent them out (***just got an update....they begin March 1st***).
Our site (#215 - Cottonwood section) is nestled in between to enormous cottonwood trees....each is probably 80-100 feet high. When these babies are leafed out in the spring and summer we will be provided with a lot of shade in the afternoons, and some in the morning. There are probably a dozen of these stately old cottonwood trees in this part of the park, and hence the name given (Cottonwood) to this section. The RV park next to the fishing lakes is aptly called "Lakeview".
Elaine has done a wonderful job of rearranging the salon part of our coach to accomodate our need to use our computers, and to make it "feel" like a bigger area. I installed two new electrical outlets in the front of the coach....one on the console just behind the driver's seat that houses the Permapub, so now we can put the coffee maker there and take it off the sink/counter area, and one on the side of the center console between the driver's and passenger's seats so Elaine can plug in her computer there, instead of running an extension cord. It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. I was able to run romex, cut out holes for the receptacle boxes, and install the receptacles in about 3 hours.
By going through all of the interior cabinets over the past few weeks I have found things I forgot I had (lol), and have been able to move many of them to our trailer for storage as they are only used when traveling, and now we will have the trailer with us most of the time when traveling.
Any way, LIFE IS GOOD, and we have no complaints.
__________________
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