I'll provide my sometimes-chilling, sometimes-heart-warming, but always boring, lookin'-for-an-RV history, and then grovel for sympathy, compassion, and expensive gifts to make me feel better.

I started looking for an RV in 2002, but not seriously. The very first I contemplated seriously was a Firan 28', in relatively nice shape. But I wasn't convinced.

In 2003, I started looking more seriously (eBay, RVTrader, RVTrader Online, etc.; why, I don't know, as I had no big travel plans).

In January '04, I embarked on an expedition to North Georgia, to find an area in N GA, SW NC, or SE TN to move to for retirement. It took me 8 hours to find lodging that would accept dogs (my two Golden Retrievers, who are not spoiled). That did it - if no motel will take my dogs, I'll get my own motel...

So for about two hours a day (night) I haunted the RVs-for-Sale websites. Nothing appeared I would buy. It became a habit. Flash up the PC, start looking, every day, 2 or more hours. I managed to learn enough to narrow choices down to Barth (even before I found this forum), Hawkins, MCC, HMC, Gulfstream, Bluebird...those makers that didn't seem to build crap.

In the meanwhile, I bought from a friend a 24' SOB Class C, that turned out to be a good choice, as it has all the features I needed, just not all I wanted; having the home-on-wheels, I started going to Star Parties, and was then able to visit my relatives in the Midwest, none of whom had berthing facilities for me (although I shower every Saturday - well, almost every Saturday) or my two Golden Retrievers (who are not spoiled).

Even with the 24' SOB in the yard, I continued to search for an RV that had what I wanted - a little more room, basement storage for my astro-gear (getting tired of lugging the big scope's case at 100# into the cabin) and a table for me, since the dinetee on the unspeakable 24' was made into a bed for Maggie and Casey (My two Golden Retrievers who are not spoiled).

I called on around 100 motorhomes, and looked at at least 50. Nothing.

Last month and early this, I saw a 28' Barth in Atlanta, and it looked great, but lacked the storage I needed. Still, every night I haunted the websites...

Then last week, two extraordinary coaches appeared - an SOB and cinconben's 28' Breakaway. So I looked at both, and discovered the Barth had the room for my astro-gear, and I bought it.

Here's where you come in, Dear Reader: I no longer have to look for a motorhome, but for 4 years, that was a part of my daily routine.

So the question is: "What the heck do I do with the time I used to spend shopping for another RV?"

Thank you for your understanding, and for (I'm sure) the expensive gifts that'll be forthcoming as gestures of your true compassion for this unforeseen void in my life...

"Help Me - will belch for money!"

Well,, For one thing to do is look for a permanent place to drop your anchor(home base)Save yourself the anguish and time and move to Tennessee. There is Jay Teasly, Pittiful,myself and probably other Barth owners who enjoy living in "Paradise" Get out of Florida and start enjoying your new motel on wheels,where the skies are dark and clear and mountains and hills and all the good stuff God created for Barthers.. Heck, I'd even back up"THE TOY"and let you hook up to my 50 amp service and water (no dumping station yet).AND Good luck and happiness with your BARTH......enjoy

"THE TOY" 88 33' Regal SE Coach #3448

Hey Carl, you're dead on about Tennessee. Our daughter lives in Madisonville and we love it there. They're trying to get us to move there and we're trying to figure out how we can take care of things here in Charlotte and still be residents of Tennessee. Any experts out there on residency?.
Jim

Jim: E-Mail me your home address and I'll have some GooD information sent to you. You'll be amased at how much house you can get for the buck. My taxes are half of those in Florida....I can go on and on,anyway send me the address then you decide........carl

"THE TOY" 88 33' Regal SE Coach #3448

I'm a long time Massachussets resident, but getting the itch to move farther south. NC, SC and TN are all on my list. I'm really interested in your reflections on this area. My email is noted in the email link above.

Bill G

After several trips up to N GA (My ex's brother has a cabin outside Blue Ridge and the Peach State Star Gaze is outside Ducktown), I'm favoring the Blue Ridge-Blairsville-Mineral Bluff area, or SE TN from Gruetli Laager-Altamont through Spring City-Decatur. The Sequatchie Valley looks less likely to be victimized by light pollution.

The other area I'm exploring is E NM, but I haven't been there in years and years.

Housing prices in SE TN are very appealing.

Carl told me about Cookeville a couple years ago I think. I keep going to Realtor.com and see the almost new 3 bdr houses on 1/2 acre for $106,000.00. We have lived in this house for almost 24 years but it ain't California and we want to not have a mortgage.

We(I)were looking at Yuma and those Foothills lots but they went from $46K to $120K in one year and Deb veto'd the desert we started asking others about Cookeville. Jerry Aull from Atlanta told me it was heaven on earth around them parts.

My main concern is, no snow pack, no mosquitos, and you have to be able to take a walk every day of the year.

Carl seems like he would be a decent neighbor.

------------------

Dave: That's the nicest the that has been said to me since Olroy told me I'm older than he is.............carl

"THE TOY" 88 33'Regal SE Coach #3448

Dave, it's not all that bad, living in the South. One must get accustomed to:

- Shopping in December for only a week's worth of supplies

- Planning that trip in October to go north to see the autumn leaves in full color

- Making sure that any major shopping expeditions are before the first big freeze in the Great White North, so that the roads aren't clogged with Snowbirds

- Checking the air conditioner in September so's you can make it through another winter

- Finding a place to store the mittens and galoshes after you've had them bronzed

- Having to wash the Barth in February, because you've been on the road for 3 weeks

- Wondering what to do with five gallons of propylene glycol you bought at sale, since "winterizing" consists of a new coat of Rain-X on the windshield

- Spending four hours on line and on the telephoe to find the nearest Salvation Army store that really is interested in a donation of fourteen pairs of wool socks and six sets of long johns

- Spending $6,000 to have the 454 removed from your Barth and replaced with a Renault 1.5L, so's you can drive around Michigan, and let those drivers stack up behind you for a change

- Trying to convert your snowblower into a mulcher

- Finding out that the eighteen snow tires you put on eBay haven't gotten a single bid, until you repost them under "mudders", where they sell for twice what you paid

- Discovering that you had 742 relatives and 1,457 friends in Minnesota that up 'til then, you were completely unaware of until you got an address in the South

- Finding out that the dash air-conditioning in your car, your truck, and your Barth, never did actually work (in fact, you are shocked to learn that none actually has a compressor) when you are baking in February

- Determining that your propane bill is still high, but not for heating the house but for running your mosquito traps, and that the cost is surpassed only by your bill for Off!

- Learning that "formal attire" means "wear socks and clean shorts"

Only the Strong live here in the South...

Thanks Rusty, that's what I am worried about. I think in the 30 years since I moved here from Simi Valley, CA I softened up a bit. I can hardly walk in the summer from only taking baby steps in the winter to keep from slipping on the ice.

But, I want to be away from the mosquitos. The mosquito is the Minnesota State Bird. I recall those wonderful days when you cold sit out in the evenings with friends till midnight. Here by 6:00 you are inside and scratching your bites.

Carl, Cookeville and Mosquitos, fill us in will ya..

------------------

Dave, I run a Blue Rhino Skeeter Trap. Being a.) in Florida, and b.) on a river, with a few acres of Cypress Bog, I get skeeters. The trap has made my yard liveable once again. I messed with the pressure regulator, and dropped consumption fom a 20 lb. cylinder every 25 days to one every 45. It's still every bit as effective.

What's really neat is to watch the dragonflies clustering around the trap - they think I'm chumming the air, just for them.

I guess I'm getting too old to get stuck in Florida's Seniorville.So when I go to that big RV campground in the sky(I hope) I'll have a smile on my face partly due to living here in Tennessee. Four moderate seasons,great scenery,plenty of BIG lakes, if you like golf you can play in Nov....Mar. You never run out of places to go, State Parks abound.no pesky mosquitoes, yet.If I sound like I work for the Chamber Of Commerce, I don't This area, especially Cookeville has all the amenities I'll ever need. Here's the kicker.So far two of my former neighbors from Cape Coral,Fl came up for a visit,liked what they saw and moved about five miles from my home. They in turn have three of their friends up here now. It's like a little Florida, the Post Office said if we get three more families we can get our own zip code #.Soooo come on to Cookeville and enjoy life. Spending your kid's inheritance money helps a little(a lot)

"THE TOY" 88 33' Regal SE Coach #3448

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
"What the heck do I do with the time I used to spend shopping for another RV?"

You could...

A) Go outside and poke some hornets nests

B) Sign onto a Trek website and tell them you bought a Barth

C) Both A & B



------------------


1991 Barth Regal
460 EFI C6 Transmission
33' Oshkosh/John Deere Chassis

http://www.TruckRoadService.com/

"Without Trucks,

America Stops"

Carl, be careful about how you tout Cookeville. People started doing that here about ten years ago. Now we have a Wal-Mart and a Home Depot a half-mile from us, the first of the big chain restaurants has moved in, the real estate agents are all driving Mercedes, the streets are jammed with traffic, the local businesses that haven't been driven out by the big box stores have help wanted signs out, but nobody can afford to rent or buy here for the wages they can pay.

Five years ago we sold 3 acres with a house on 2 of them, and a finished 1 acre lot next door, for $175K. The vacant lot's worth $125K by itself now, and the house around $300K. I built that place after I retired, but I couldn't afford to do it now.

That's what happens when too many people find out you live in a really desirable area. Of course, if you get in before the boom you have a great investment, but where would you go if you sold? There aren't many great places left that haven't been discovered.



[This message has been edited by olroy (edited January 22, 2006).]

Fulltiming...no property taxes/insurance/mortage payments to worry about. If the weather changes or a place gets too crowded you move. Yuma lots are going up fast.....but rents aren't bad, we are paying 235 a month for a nice lot with a casita that has a washing machine plus it includes our water, sewer, and garbage. Electric is extra....runs about 1.50 a day. Costs 1500 to 1800 to stay for 5-6 months. Figure that we can do this for about 250 years for about the same money that it would cost us to buy. >) Other big plus is no bugs and we haven't seen rain since Oct. 18th. Summer time and you can head for some place cooler. Nice not to be tied down or worrying that your property is ok. Life is good.