The plan is laid...

[NotSoInnocent]

When we get our income tax return (and Hubby's re-enlistment bonus) we will be buying a smallish RV/motorhome. At which point the kiddos and I will begin an epic journey.

I will be enrolling the two oldest in an at-home online-based school for this coming school year in preparation for our adventure. I've got all the paperwork ready and we have everything else set up. (We'll be getting 4g coverage through our mobile phone provider at the same time as the RV/motorhome.)

Once we get the RV/motorhome, we will begin a trek to as many historical/special sites as we can make and then head to TX for a month or two for Scarborough Faire, possibly heading to OK for the faire up there, since that's probably where my folks will be.

Coco, our huge dog/horse, will be traveling with us on our adventure. So, if we wind up near you, be prepared to be greeted in exuberant friendly fashion by the "lap" dog. (He's big enough to turn you into a lap... therefore he is a lap dog.)

The kids will be 11, 8, 5 and 3 when we leave.

Here's to an AWESOME 2011!

[Sandman]

What are your plans for 2011 regarding locations?

[NotSoInnocent]

Not sure yet. It really depends on when we get the RV. I have a few places that I'd like to see, but if we don't get the RV until March, then we'll just be driving through to TX. If we get it in February, then we'll probably travel through Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.

We'll be in Texas and Oklahoma to visit family for 2 months and then head back.

On the way back to Washington in June we'll head through Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

[tropicsgoddess]

I LOVE road trips and I'm sure the kids will have a fun time getting some edu-tainment in the RV! South Carolina has a lot of historical sites, especially what's called the four corners of law in the Charleston Area. St.Augustine is another great historical site in my state (Florida!!!). Hope to see ya!!

[AdminAssistant]

Yay Kansas! Keep us posted on where you're gonna be.

[AccountingDrone]

That sounds seriously fun!

Try to hit some food festivals also -
February 12-21, 2010 64th Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival
Indio, California
Families and people of all ages that enjoy the camel & ostrich races, the Nightly Musical Pageant and the history of dates as well as the many attractions and interesting exhibits unique to the Fair.

April 23-25, 2010 Stockton Asparagus Festival
Stockton, California
California's largest charitable festival. Deep Fried Asparagus Eating Competition, Celebrity Kitchen, Recipe Contest, etc.

April 24, 2010 29th Annual Petaluma Butter & Egg Day
Petaluma, California
Celebrating the region's rich agricultural history as one of the premier dairy regions in the country. Together with The Petaluma River, eggs and dairy products turned Petaluma into one of the most prosperous communities in the state in the early 1900's. The event typically draws over 25,000 attendees.

May 15-16, 2010 51st Artichoke Festival
Castroville, California
Thistle Be Fun! Agro Art Competition, Parade, Live Music, Children's Activities. Artichokes fried, sauteed, grilled, marinated, pickled, fresh and creamed in soup. Cooking Demos, Wine Tasting, Farmer's Market, Arts & Crafts, Field Tours to the artichoke patch.

May 15-16, 2010 California Strawberry Festival
Oxnard, California
Ranked among the top Festivals in the nation, the weekend celebration annually the 3rd weekend in May offers a spectacle of strawberry fun for each and every one. Since 1984, Festival guests have enjoyed award-winning attractions, interactive exhibits, gooey contests, the hottest names in entertainment, the largest collection of Fine Arts & Crafts with 200+ booths, and an unbelievable assortment of delicious strawberry foods and beverages. The Strawberry Promenade offers cooking demonstrations and presentations, Strawberryland For Kids boasts free rides, puppet shows, and more.

http://www.foodreference.com/index.html has oodles of schedules for food and drink festivals ... and I am sure that googling for festivals of different types would turn up a lot more interesting festivals to tie into history studies =)

[NotSoInnocent]

That sounds seriously fun!

Try to hit some food festivals also -
February 12-21, 2010 64th Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival
Indio, California
Families and people of all ages that enjoy the camel & ostrich races, the Nightly Musical Pageant and the history of dates as well as the many attractions and interesting exhibits unique to the Fair.

http://www.foodreference.com/index.html has oodles of schedules for food and drink festivals ... and I am sure that googling for festivals of different types would turn up a lot more interesting festivals to tie into history studies =)

This one we might be able to make it to (depends on when we get the RV), but we have to be in TX by April 1st so we wouldn't make it to any others.

[RetailWorkhorse]

*GASP!*

I'm not going to be the only RVer on the board anymore! AWESOME! DRINKS ARE ON ME!

Have you decided what kind of RV you wanna get? Class A, B, C, Pop-Up, TT (Travel Trailer), 5ver ("Fiver" also known as a 5th-Wheel), converted bus?

I'm flipping out I'm so excited!

[NotSoInnocent]

*GASP!*

I'm not going to be the only RVer on the board anymore! AWESOME! DRINKS ARE ON ME!

Have you decided what kind of RV you wanna get? Class A, B, C, Pop-Up, TT (Travel Trailer), 5ver ("Fiver" also known as a 5th-Wheel), converted bus?

I'm flipping out I'm so excited!

I'm thinking a small 21'-27' Class C. I like the overhead area (and the kids have been calling "dibs" on that area if there's a bed). Class A's may get better mileage because of the shape, but they tend to be more expensive (and I just don't like the look). Haven't seen a Class B yet, so no ideas. And heck NO to the Pop-up, TT, or 5ver.

I -have- to have the room for the heathens to move around a bit while I'm driving. (Or I'll make it to TX with less than the number of kids I started with! j/k) I'm the only adult that will be on this road trip. We'll also have at least our massive dog and possibly a ferret as well. Those have to have the room in the traveling area as well.

I'm already doing research on average prices of used RV's in the area!

[RetailWorkhorse]

LONG POST WARNING!

*Cracks knuckles for a long-ass posting*

Okay. You and 4 kiddies.

Point the First: Size and Sleeping

I'm currently in a 22' Class C (the white RV seen Here). I currently sleep in the cab-over (Above the driver's seat). There is a cut-down mattress there since the space is 8x4. It will sleep 2 people if they don't mind spooning. Mom and Dad sleep in the full-sized mattress in the back.

Floor plans vary GREATLY and my own RV has already been converted twice.

One kid can sleep on the dinette but that is never comfy. Trust me, I know.

I'd go for a larger RV than the smaller, but then I live in this thing fulltime with my Handlers (Mom and Dad). We're moving into The Bluebird when we're done converting it this Summer (40').

Point the Second: Gas is a GAS

Your average Class A gets 6 miles to the gallon. And that's the SMALL ones. It's why they tend to have really big gas tanks or even dual-tanks. The Rolling Fork (the RV) gets 7.28 miles to the gallon. Don't currently know what the Bus gets but it has a 100 gallon tank (and at the time diesel was EXPENSIVE).

You want nothing newer than a '89. The workmanship went downhill FAST and the rigs from the '90s won't last like a 30-year old model will. We aren't going to even discuss the 2000-something rigs. Yeesh.

Point the Ah Who Gives A Darn: Random Tidbits
These are good notes to keep

You cannot, I repeat, CANNOT allow your munchkins to wander the RV while you're traveling. You will be ticketed if pulled.

You WILL be pulled for being a single driver if you happen to be in the South East (don't think you're going to be visiting my area of the Country so you should be fine).

GET A FILTER. Filter your water BEFORE it goes into your holding tank. Hot weather and tank water is not a happy mix and once something nasty gets into your tank it's a pain in the neck to get it out. Keep your holding tanks happy and you won't get sick from any nasties that happen to be in the local water supply you're not used to.

You can clean your Black Tank (Septic) by filling it with some water and dumping ice down the toilet and driving down the road. Add some vinegar. Works wonders.

Dump both your Gray Water (kitchen sink, dishwasher, laundry, what you expected a fulltimer not to live without this stuff?) and your Black Tank (described above) before you travel. Flying J is currently charging 10$ to dump your tanks and refill your Holding Tanks BUT you can do it for free if you happen to buy gas.

Purchase a NEXT EXIT book. It comes out every three or four years and has everything listed about exits on the interstates. Newest one is a 2010.

Cracker Barrel will let you over-night in their parking lot if you agree to have dinner and breakfast there. Most Wal-Marts are over-night friendly BUT they are starting to crack down on it so you MUST ask ahead of time. If they say No then head someplace else to park.

Keep several decks of cards handy. No, seriously. Even with a Redbox at just about every gas station and Wally World, you will get real sick of movies. And there's only so many times you can sing 99-bottles-of-beer-on-the-wall before you start finding the song dreadfully funny (at which point it's time to pull the RV over and take a nap because you've been on the road too long).

Corelle plateware is your friend. So is wax paper and paper towels. Multi-use items are a MUST. If it can only do one thing, you don't need it in your RV.

Your Gen Set (Generator) that comes with your RV can take anywhere from 1/2 gallon to 2 gallons an hour to operate, depending on the Gen Set (if you can manage to get an Onan in your rig, for the love of all that is holy, KEEP IT). You will run the Gen Set while you are traveling long distances if you want your fridge and freezer to keep your food cold. If you're only going a few hours (4 maximum) then you don't have to run the Gen Set.

Do not, I repeat several times, DO NOT EVER tell people you are a member of The Travelers. They are the kind of people that scam others. You are A Traveler. Always stress that.

-----
I've lived in a hard-sided Apache pop-up from age 10 to 13 before I was forced into a stix-n-brix (RVer slang for house) and got back to my Nomad roots a little over a year ago. I wouldn't trade my lifestyle for the world.

Yes, I've been ridiculed for it. I've been called Gypsy (and not in the nice way) and homeless. I have a home. It's on wheels. And if I don't like my neighbours or the weather goes south, I can just roll up the Canopy and go to another spot.

I am missing a butt load of stuff but there's just so much. Ask me anything. I'll help the best I can and if I can't then rvnetwork.com (Escapees) is your very best bet (Sub Forum Beginning RVing). You will run headlong into my mother and she'll guide you places I cannot (she's smarter than me ).

[Sliceanddice]

A i love RWK right now i love moving about, i think its because im 23 and before i was 8 i lived in 13 different houses, and since then at least 6 others.

where are you Innocent? because if its where i think you are i think your states iso one of the best to find RV is, and i like the class A too, Class B and C look more bus/truck like which is cool but might not be your thing.

[RetailWorkhorse]

A Class B will always be too small for 5 people. I've met one family (of three) that managed to do it but they spent most of their time outside and didn't have much in the way of possessions in the first place. Class Bs tend to be just for couples or soloists (Singles).

[Sliceanddice]

i like class bs for soloist my great aunt has one

my Grandpa K (greay grandpa) had an aerostream trailor for a guest house that i loved.... it was built to house 4 to sleep with a little bunks a bathroom and a little kitchenette... it was sooo cute....

[RetailWorkhorse]

Aerostreams are the coolest damned things on the ROAD. When I was 12 Mom planned out what mine would look like (at the time the whole family was going to buy Aerostreams and travel doing our remodeling. It didn't turn out that way). My Aerostream would have a purple tint to it, with a big mural painted on it. Can't recall what my mural was going to be, but I recall that EQ's was going to be a solar system. She even had names picked out.

Now I'm in the market for a bus instead of an Aerostream (Claudia-Jeep won't pull an Aerostream loaded with all my art supplies).

[NotSoInnocent]

Hmmm... If that's the case, then it sounds like a TT or popup will be the best bet. (We have an awesome van, but no truck, so 5vers are a no go.) Gas is an issue and there's really not going to be anyone to help corral the itty bitties in an RV. *sighs* We're not planning on going full time, but a three month "trip" is the plan. We have a regular house, but this is a trip that we've been hoping to make for a long time.

The folks have been wanting to see us for three years, but I've never been able to bring the kids on the few times I've been back to TX and the grandparents in OK haven't seen the heathens since the 4 y/o was a baby. (Yes, this means that they've never met the Bubbie.)

We're hoping that DH will be able to get his leave from Korea when we're in TX/OK so he can see his folks too.