One of the things I’ve been contemplating lately is going RV. I say lately but it’s been in the back of my mind off and on for the last 2-3 years. There seems to have been a surge in interest in RV purchases and extended vacations as well. Because of Hurricane Michael which ravaged our area last month and some other timely possibilities, I’ve been getting more serious about making the move. I had relatively minor damage to my house because of Michael so I should be able to get the house all fixed up relatively quickly (assuming I can find someone to do the work). The value of my plane has never been higher because of the need for new pilots and the equipment to perform that training. The stars might align in a couple of years where I can sell everything and move full time into an RV. Right now I’m looking at getting a 5th-wheel and a diesel pickup truck. There is a large RV show held annually at the Florida State Fair Grounds in January. I’m thinking about going there to get a chance to walk through all the different models of the brand(s) I’m considering.
Why do I mention this? Because I have an idea where I would visit all the nature and wildlife photography hot spots as I travel around the country and into Alaska. And I’ll be sharing those photos here. Not that I’m getting tired of photographing huge birds, nearly tame deer and bear, and alligators but I’d like to see more of the wildlife variety in our great country.
Economically, without a house payment, property taxes, insurance, hurricane insurance, flood insurance, homeowner association dues and special assessments, I could save $7-8k each year by selling the house and moving into an RV. That would go a long way toward deferring the costs of RV parks and other overnight areas. With my retirement income and investments, I may not even have to dip into my 401k and IRA funds to pay expenses. There area lot of good reasons to migrate to the “gypsy” lifestyle; one of the biggest questions we might have is: can we tolerate living in such close quarters over time? There are a lot of people who are doing that already, including families with children who are living in an RV that’s no longer than 35 ft or so and travel the country homeschooling their kids! So it can be done.