Never Moving Again

[ski boy]

Having used my trailer as a primary residence for the past three years, I have noticed a change in the pattern of use of fifth wheels (and MH's.) There are 6 Cardinals and 2 Cedar Creeks in this park. Mine is the only one that is road-worthy. (Just give me two hours to drop my collapsable shed and pack my stuff - oh yeah, and put the hitch on the truck.) Anyone else noticing that many of these units have decks, stairs, rooms added, permanent skirting etc? The day I take my trailer off the road is the day I move back into the house (it's rented now) and forget rv'ing. IMHO these things are for travel. (4300 miles for me last year!) There are many more practical and cheaper choices (shingled park models, destination trailers etc.) for a permanent spot. Most of these Cardinals and CC's are less than five years old...Pardon my rant.

[Don Wilson]

ski boy

I think what you are seeing is many of the people you are referring to have because of the economy lost their homes and have found they would rather live in trailers rather than an apartment because of the atmosphere you have in apartment complexes. The trailers are about the same size as an apartment but do not have the connected walls and ceiling/floor so they are not living stacked together with all the noise and issue you have in an apartment. They also do not have to purchase the property like you do with a mobile home park or a prefab house like you are talking about. That associated cost as well as property taxes could also be the reason they have gone the way they have.

I would suggest you talk to some of them and find their reasoning and you might make a friendship just because you were concerned?

Don

[Travelers]

What he describes sounds more like seasonals. We see that stuff in a lot of the older campgrounds. IMO it makes the cg look cheap as most are not well kept. The KOA chain seems to segregate the seasonal/ workers from the general public.

[Rob & Cathy]

I think what you are seeing is many of the people you are referring to have because of the economy lost their homes and have found they would rather live in trailers rather than an apartment because of the atmosphere you have in apartment complexes.

That's been our thoughts too when we see what Ski Boy described. We're thankful that we don't have to live under those conditions and hope for the best for those that do.

Rob

[ski boy]

Don,

I never thought about having to buy a lot here in this park. If you purchase a park model or other semi-permanent unit, the management requires you to buy or long-term lease the lot - not rent month to month like I do. That being said, however, I spoke to a single woman today (new neighbor) who just had a beautiful, brand new SOB delivered to her site. She showed me her trailer complete with many options; Demco Ride-Glide pin box, hydraulic one button levelling system, G614s, Dexter disc brakes and one year road-side assistance from Good Sam. She does not own a tow vehicle (unless there is something I don't know about a Ford Taurus. I promised to go over tomorrow to help her set up her trailer and check it over...I think she was sold a bill of goods by some sales person...

[Chief409]

When I was moving every couple of years, and single, buying a 5er and renting a space would of been Heaven! Transferring to a new location, no problem - hook up and go. Only reason I didn't was when I was ready to buy a 5er and tow vehicle, I got transfered to the San Franscisco Bay (NAS Moffett Field), where there was (and is still) no available spaces within 50 miles of the base, and my duties required me to live within a 30 minute travel time of the base. Sigh.

Jeff

[campswithcritters]

When I get to the point I can't move it anymore I will live in it stationary. Being a full timer they will have to drag me out of it before I go back to sticks/bricks or assisted living. This thing was made to roll and will continue to do so as long as I can accomplish it!

[gatekper]

ski boy

I think what you are seeing is many of the people you are referring to have because of the economy lost their homes and have found they would rather live in trailers rather than an apartment because of the atmosphere you have in apartment complexes. The trailers are about the same size as an apartment but do not have the connected walls and ceiling/floor so they are not living stacked together with all the noise and issue you have in an apartment. They also do not have to purchase the property like you do with a mobile home park or a prefab house like you are talking about. That associated cost as well as property taxes could also be the reason they have gone the way they have.

I would suggest you talk to some of them and find their reasoning and you might make a friendship just because you were concerned?

Don

I agree with Don as that was why we bought our 5er. We were so upside down on Anita's house that we were going to live in the 5er and have been since July. My house in Tx goes into escrow tomorrow (small 1br w/6.4 acs w\ 20 miles of view), we will still travel with the 5er and hope to enjoy the "on the road feeling" We have seen a lot of what Chris discribes in many CC's most are the season or "cabin types" they go there to enjoy away from home but not the towing of it. They want a quick getaway with less hassels.(cheaper then buying property, the taxes ect) The CC that I was in Pa I could of had a yr around spot for $80 month (full hook ups), that is a lot less then I will be paying for my small place but I dont have to deal much w/neighbors (Ft Hood is my neighbor on one side and a nice deep ravine on the other side of my property kind of stops all building in those areas, 150-200ft drive way, all on a hilltop )

[WVcampers]

We did have a dedicated lot in a campground in the mountains of WV for 2 years. We could leave it there all of the time or we could pull it in and out as we pleased. There was no limit on how many nights we could stay. The cost was $1100 a year. It was a nice park on a popular trout stream and 5 miles out of Elkins WV, about 130 miles from home. The first year there the only time we moved the bird was to bring it home for the winter. The 2nd year we did go from the campground to Myrtle Beach one time. We decided that we would do more traveling so we gave the lot up. It is Revelles River Resort. www.revelles.com/ There have been times that I wish we would have kept the site so that we would have a place to spend time camping if we did not want to tow or if we get unable to tow. There is a long waiting list to get in. I don't know if we could get back in now if we wanted too.

[Traveler II]

For me, it thinking about a time in the future that I'm unable to drive the trailer to get places. When that day does come, we're going to hire a transport company to move us around. Hope it's a long way off.

[bilmorvn]

Only when they pry my cold, dead hands from the steering wheel

[campswithcritters]

Only when they pry my cold, dead hands from the steering wheel