Bueller?... Bueller?... Bueller?...
Most of you are not interested in this level of detail, but I need to keep this stuff straight to stay organized. (If you do read this, please let me know if you notice any errors in my work and/or thinking!)
Goal Date for RV:
My goal is to be in the RV by May 1st. That gives me about one month to test out living in it full time before I leave for the Arctic Ocean.
Selling House:
I think I’ve gotten just about everything done with regard to my house, besides scheduling the roof. The roofing company (which is also a remodeling company) is going to do the last few things that my brother was going to do. (Mostly the fascia/trim across the front.)
I’ll call my real estate agent after the holidays to get her opinion on the upgrades and list price. Fingers crossed that the upgrades are adequate for a high list price! I hope to have the house on the market in January.
House numbers:
Including all upgrades (past and recent; approximately $22K total), here are the numbers with regard to the sale of my house. With about $284K in, I break even* around $305K:
Descriptions of the headers on the chart below:
- Selling Price: self explanatory
- Net: Estimating 7% in costs, so netting 93%. (This might be optimistic; taxes are pre-paid.)
- Cash net: Estimated cash I will get at closing (orig. mortgage calculated at $239K, but actually about $238K now)
- CC Debt: Estimated credit card debt (orig. calculated at $50K, but actually about $45K now)
- RV payment: 20% down payment for RV (at $50,000)
- CC Paid Off: How much credit card debt will be paid off at closing
- CC Debt: How much credit card debt remains after closing
- Gain/Loss: Overall gain/loss on house including all upgrade expenses
| Selling Price | Net (93%) | Cash Net | CC Debt | RV Pymt | CC Paid Off | CC Debt | Gain/Loss |
| $319,000 | $296,670 | $57,670 | $50,000 | 10,000 | $47,670 | $2,330 | $12,670 |
| $309,000 | $287,370 | $48,370 | $50,000 | 10,000 | $38,370 | $11,630 | $3,370 |
| $305,000 | $283,650 | $44,650 | $50,000 | 10,000 | $34,650 | $15,350 | $350 |
| $299,000 | $278,070 | $39,070 | $50,000 | 10,000 | $29,070 | $20,930 | $5,930 |
| $289,000 | $268,770 | $29,770 | $50,000 | 10,000 | $19,770 | $30,230 | $15,230 |
| $279,000 | $259,470 | $20,470 | $50,000 | 10,000 | $10,470 | $39,530 | $24,530 |
| $269,000 | $250,170 | $11,170 | $50,000 | 10,000 | $1,170 | $48,830 | $33,830 |
*not calculating the bloated mortgage payment of two years
Renting my House:
I can rent my house for about $1,500 a month, so (with a payment of $2,300) would need $9,600 a year to subsidize a rental. If a sale price loss gets much higher than this number, I will consider the rental option for a year. (Hoping the market improves.)
If I have to rent my house, I will try to borrow $10,000 from my company for the RV down payment.
Credit Card Debt:
- American Express: $31,534 at 9.23% (increased from fixed to variable prime + 6%)
- Bank of America: $13,120 (1.9% until March; then 16%)
- Total: $44,654
Current Monthly Income: $5,206 (net after taxes; profits distribution from my company, an S-Corp)
Expenses Removed after home sale and departure from Austin:
- Mortgage plus: $3,000 (includes utilities, yard, cleaning, alarm service, etc.)
- Credit card servicing: $600-$1,000
- Psychoanalysis: $500-$1,000
- Total expenses removed: $4,100-$5,000 (Wow, I haven’t even bought food yet. No wonder I’m broke.)
Expenses Added after moving into RV:
- Payment/Insurance: $680 (estimating financing $50,000 at 10% over 12 years, plus insurance)
- RV Parks: $350 (staying put) to $1,000 a month (traveling; that’s $35 a night for 30 nights. With Walmarts, etc., I seriously doubt I will ever spend that much.)
- Fuel: estimated at 8mpg or .40 per mile; it will be close to $4,000 for my Arctic trip of 10,000 miles (yikes!), but that should be an annual number going forward.
- Total expenses added: $1,430 (staying put; still includes driving 500 miles) to $2,880 (traveling; RV parks every night; driving 3,000 miles)
A Thousand Miles in the Arctic:
I have to figure out what I am driving up the Dempster Highway. It is about 460 miles (each way) of what many describe as a very slippery and dangerous road. (I’ve heard it is like driving on grease mixed into several feet of sharp gravel).
You are supposed to take two spare tires, and plan to use them. (Just not when the grizzly bears are walking by.)
Most who are familiar with it have said I should not take an RV unless I want to slide off the road.
So, should I trade in my economy car (a 2005 Scion tC) for a Jeep Wrangler? I love my reliable (and paid off) car, so am not sure that I want to trade in for just that trip. I’m also looking at a used 4WD Honda Element like this one. (It would be an even financial trade.) Any thoughts?
Should I rent a car in Whitehorse? It seems many may prohibit taking the rental on the Dempster, and, even then, the rental pricing for a four wheel drive looks like it could be close to a thousand dollars.
Other stuff:
I’ve made my reservations for Yellowstone National Park! (They recommend you book early, so I booked a ten day reservation. I will narrow it down to three days when I am more certain about exactly when I will be there.)
If you have read this far, I apologize.
ha ha.
You’re the best!
Jennifer
***
Countup: 13 days of no drinking!
Countdown: 143 days until I move into my RV!
33 Comments
Hey Jen,
I recommend renting a car once you are there. That way you don’t incur the extra costs for towing a vehicle (insurance/maintenance), and you still get wheels while you are there.
If you drive slow and are careful, each road is passable. Don’t worry about “the other guy” on the road being faster, or stupid, just make sure you are safe.
Good luck with the house, Im in a similar position with debts, but Im planning on a smaller RV and selling my house on COMFREE (no realtor).
I also don’t anticipate a stable income once Im on the road (I am on contract now).
Cheers!
I am interested in all details of your journey!
Thanks for sharing.
I wish I could give you advice on the Dempster Highway and what to drive. I have no experience with the Arctic Ocean or any of its surroundings. I try to stay where is nice and cozy warm! lol
How exciting to have booked reservations at Yellowstone National Park! That’s one place I haven’t made it to yet but it is at the top of my list of places I *must* see! Hot springs, thermal pools, Geysers, waterfalls, Bison, and *SO* much more nature and wildlife! **Heartthrob** I am really looking forward to hearing more about it from your perspective!
Have an excellent week!
P.S. Your blog posts are never “boring”!
I own that exact model, year even color Honda Element. I bought it a couple years back when I wanted something for commuting, carrying the dog in, camping, etc. Since then, it’s about the only thing I ever drive, I love it that much. It gets ok gas mileage (23mpg highway), it has ridiculous cargo capacity (I fit something like 27 bankers boxes in there with room to spare when I was moving my office), and the seats fold down into a bed which is great for the beach or for car camping.
But…it’s not really true four wheel drive so much as it’s “All Wheel Drive.” In theory, there’s not much difference, but if you anticipate serious mud I’d say this isn’t the vehicle for you. It’s great for nasty weather and keeping good traction, but I’ve taken it off-road a couple times and it just doesn’t have the clearance you need for anything serious.
Of course, it may be just what you need if the road is just a slippy mess and it’s not real off-road stuff.
Not boring at all. Maybe I need to put down my information on paper/blog, it seems to be so much easier to look at and make better sense.
Congrats on day 13
This is so much more interesting than reading the morning newspaper! Good luck with the sale of your house. We pull a travel trailer, so we don’t enter into the world of tow behind vehicles (toads?) But, what we have learned about 4 wheel drive is: you don’t need it often, but when you do it is important to have good clearance. (Our experience in the north country is mostly with snow and not mud). I think I would always want another vehicle available if feasible. I am probably not much help, but think a jeep is a consideration.
Even ten days at Yellowstone is barely scratching the surface. Narrowing it down to three? You’ll basically be driving through seeing a few bison out the window (and getting annoyed at them for messing up your schedule).
WOW!!! Liking seeing the figures in black and white…equals REALITY> !
IF I were doing the Artic as a one time journey, not a long term thing, I’d RENT an all-terrain tuff vehicle….I am sure someone might rent one to you…there are lots of construction firms, etc up there…they must have those kind of trucks or vehicles to rent??? (You’d think anyway?) Maybe check around online?
If you are going to tow a vehicle for the rest of your journey, seems the (paid off) reliable, and economical, one is worth keeping>?
Hey! Maybe someone up there has one of those majorly crazy looking, “German-Firetruck” rough terrain vehicles for rent! The one someone posted earier on here?(…now THAT truck has some serious clearance!!!!)
Exciting stuff! XOXO LD
I love reading your blog. I find it interesting. I admire what you are doing. I wish you luck and I will keep reading anything you share!
Here’s hoping for more than 305,000!
Hey Jen, Happy Monday! NOT boring! I’m a spreadsheet girl, so I like your style. Maybe I’m too conservative
and am definitely NOT raining on your parade. But I will put forth an alternate timetable option to consider, which would give you: 1) more shakedown time (the Artic seems a daunting place to experience shakedown issues), 2) more time to make a favorable sale on your house (Spring/Summer are usually the best time to sell, not sure what avg time on market is in your area, ask your realtor for facts on recent comparable ’solds’, list vs actual price and time on market) and 3) more time to reduce debt. Basically all finances hinge on your home sale and here’s a link to some data on that: http://www.escapesomewhere.com/austinblog/2009/03/austin_real_estate_stats_feb09.html (I have some experience with real estate, but not your market). The net of my suggestion is to push your timetable for your trip to the artic forward by 1 year (I know, I know, but hear me out). If you get a faster home sale (and we’re pulling for you!) you can move into your family’s ’spare house’ while you acquire your RV and/or if you get a contract in June/July with a 45-60 day closing (typical and puts you at Aug/Sept) you can spend your first fall/winter RVing wondrously (and inexpensively) in New Mexico/AZ (see Andy Baird’s blog) while gaining experience with your home/toad. That also gives you time to get solar panels etc installed (you need them to blog, ha!) so that by next Spring you’re really comfortable with your new home as you set then set out for the far north in the favorable spring/summer weather. By then you will also have met many other RVers who will be a support system. Also, by then, your debt and analysis costs will be significantly reduced. If you get a favorable home sale (more likely, given more time) you can probably negotiate with your credit card debtholders to pay off your balances entirely (cash is king) for up to 50% less than your actual balances. So basically you’d be setting out with little/no debt and with the advantage of 6-9mos shakedown experience (while you have fun exploring Yellowstone etc). Just one alternate option …
I paused significantly at the turnoff to the Dempster Highway when I was passing through Dawson back in 2005. But the south coast of Alaska was calling me, and that trumped the Arctic.
Call me Ishmael. I wanted to see whales.
Besides, I had just come up the Cassiar, which is a sort of introductory 500 miles of gravel road, with a top speed of about 45, and lots of braking for potholes. If you like the Cassiar, you’ll love the Dempster. My ownself had enough by the time I got to the turnoff. They don’t call it that for nothing.
You don’t need a jeep. People do it in small cars. Go slow. But I seriously wish you would reconsider the motorhome idea. It would be fine in the lower 48, or even up to Dawson, but on the Dempster?
Sounds like Dumpster, doesn’t it? Coincidence? Or Omen?
What if you had a blowout on your motorhome? Where are you going to buy giant tires? You may need both AA and AAA up there. The first can probably be found, but I dunno about the other.
Forget the extra tires. What you need are more vowels.
And yet… here’s a guy who did the trip just a couple of months ago on a bicycle. There’s a nice picture one click down of the “long and lonesome road”:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/5881
So quit worrying. You aren’t even close to crazy. On a Bell curve, you are pushed well up the hump by this guy.
Bob
……………………
And here’s another couple of interesting articles:
http://www.moreintelligentlife.com/story/road-again
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/travel/thisweek/stories/DN-dempster_0409tra.State.Edition1.1049708e.html
Thanks Bob! A GREAT read (…crazyguyonabike)!!!! Very sad about Pat Rodden…sheesh! (A LADDER! Argh!)Hope he fully recovers.
David Cambon’s humor and pics are well worth the read…(ummm, he certainly has no love for the RVs…LOL!) What a Fantastic journey!
And the amazing folks biking from the Artic to Argentina!!!Whew!!!! Love to hear THEIR stories!
Hey hey hey Jen –
Wow! I finally see someone’s logical, financial thinking the way I do!!! How weird for me to see! I love the fact you analyzed 7 potential selling prices and saw what it looks like across the board.
OK…Something to think about – actually a bunch of things…I wish I could type as fast as my brain is going right now so just bear with me on this. ok…regardless of your selling price – you are going to have credit card debt. No way around that one. I seriously suggest focusing on that credit card debt. I am debt free with credit cards and it feels wonderful. The problem was getting there. Have you thought about making a budget – nothing fancy..just a simple excel spreadsheet budget of all the money you spend right now? Type a few categories – mortgage, gas/electric, car ins, gas for car, groceries, med payments (copays/ins), cable bill, phone bill, haircuts, clothes, coffee (I’m a coffee freak so I have a row for coffee alone), and anything else. You can add on when you realize you have another category. Seriously, I did that Jan 1st of this year and I have almost 12 full months of a budget and wow! I dare you to try it for one month. At the very top, put in your income and then at the bottom put down total expenses. See if you are coming out ahead every month. If not, adjust something. I can see where all my money goes. I can see the ‘excess’ stuff and pointless month expenses that I have since cancelled. I see patterns with some of my spending since I put in the dates of when I buy something. I’m more mindful when I buy stuff – do I need it versus want it? Some of you might be rolling your eyes out there but I could see how much money I was spending going out to eat every month! I drastically reduced how much I was going out to eat and ate at home more. Funny thing was, I was expecting my grocery budget to go up. It went down because I was more mindful and went to the market and saved more money. On top of it all, I’m eating healthier!
As for a ‘toad’ car…you have a paid off car – no sense in turning that in to pick up another monthly payment on something. You’ve already got a lot on your plate with the RV payment, RV ins, credit cards…you will be fine in your car, plus you are comfortable in your car. I had a ratty old car that I keep for years, to avoid picking up a monthly payment and I drove through all kinds of things…blizzards! I live in the northeast with that white stuff – something I can’t wait to get away from! Most of the driving is about how you handle the car…not what kind of car you have. Heck, you can sell/trade it later if you decide it’s not working out. Try it first, what do you have to lose?
Well..I hope I haven’t rambled too much…
Kari
Jen, Sorry but I real busy right now so don’t have a bunch of time. Looking at your numbers you certainly have done a great job of taking everything into consideration.
If you look at RV-Dreams, you can see in great detail what cost to expect. One thing I have noticed from looking at several folks that post their cost is that cost go down each year as you get more familar with RV’ing and learn how to control them better.
Check your owners manual to see if your car can be towed 4 wheels down, if so use it.
Have you found “Tessa in Texas” blog? She drove herself and her three children in an RV to Canada and Alaska, and yes, the Dempster highway. Her blog details a lot of her prep work prior to the trip and their adventures during the trip. (She even home-schooled her kids while traveling).
I hope it all works out for you.It will be a great experience.A lifetime of memories await you.Go to http://wanderingwillystravels.blogspot.com/
check out his archives last summer where he travelled the Dempster.
Im looking forward to following your adventures.
Jennifer…..wow….13 comments….I had to make it 14….here’s my take….it’s great to have a plan, and there is no doubt about it, you HAVE a plan. What do “they” say? Life is what happens while we make plans? I would really like to see you take a couple of 1,000 mile trips around the civilized southwest before you head into the permafrost. I have driven my Newell about 16,000 miles since I bought it a year and a half ago and I am still learning about all the systems, how to fix them myself, and how to “manage” the coach. I would say that finally, on this trip, I have become comfortable, and confident that I know what I am doing. I could not have done the trip I am finishing up a year a half ago…..I have been through extreme weather, and low temps for the first time. There has even been a learning curve on this trip. If you always have 50amp service (in essence 100 amps, as you have 50 amps per leg) you can just run things without a thought. But if you are limited to 30amp, or even 15 amp, how do you manage your power consumption without popping a circuit breaker, or keep your water bay from freezing? There is just a lot to learn that is best learned when you have easy access to help, or emergency services. Sometimes ignorance is bliss, but when you are pushing 30,000 lbs down the road with complex systems, you had better know what you are doing, and how everything works. I don’t know if that is possible in the time frame you have embraced…..let me reprhase that…anything is possible, but I’m not sure the timeline is prudent.
All that being said, we are behind you 100%…..you are certainly resiliant, and a quick learner, and the only one who can really judge your preparedness is you.
When it comes time to buy your home on wheels, be sure to buy one that has been driven, and used on a regular basis. Low mileage on a 10-15 year old coach is not a virtue…mechanical things like to be used…..lack of use results in mechanical failures. Be sure the tires are less than 4 years old…..RV tires need to be replaced at least every 7 years, regardless of how “good” they look, and how much tread is left. Have the date codes on the tires verified independent of who you are buying the coach from. Look for a coach with well documented service records.
All my best….Clarke
Thanks to all of you for the comments. I know many of you have sent me notes saying I shouldn’t reply to everyone, but when I try not to it drives me crazy. I barely talk to anyone outside my family and I like talking to you guys. ha ha. ; )
Dear Karyn, Thanks for the feedback. I just don’t know if someone will rent a car to me that they will *allow* on the Dempster. If I can find one that will, I will probably do that. I need to do more research!
Dear Angie, I am very excited about Yellowstone. I am also going to Glacier National Park (another place where I’ll need a small car, just not a 4wd.) I hope I am not trying to squeeze too much in…
Dear Japhy, Great information! Thanks so much. I love that car and I figured a Honda is okay at 80K miles. I think the issue is that it is slippery. I don’t know if you really sink into the gravel or not. Bob’s post makes me think maybe not.
Dear Tango, Thanks for the post! I’ve enjoyed your blog. I kept wanting to post, “Hey, I have a Scion!”, but figured I didn’t have the cool kind. ; )
Dear Barb, You’re wise on cooking, roofing, and 4WDs, so I guess it is okay you don’t know anything about tow vehicles. Ha ha. I just cannot call them toads. I don’t know why. (You sound similarly suspicious of the term…)
Dear Jeremy, I will have three nights and four days. With 10,000 miles, I have to make the call to drive past some pretty stuff. I’ll admit, it is not easy to do. I am seriously sick that I am driving *past* Rocky Mountain National Park.
Dear Lady Di, (wait, is it Diga?), You know, I was thinking of you when I wrote this post! Since my car rental research hasn’t worked out, I think I will take your advice on looking for something all terrain. I will have to pay for hotels if I don’t have a car that I can sleep in, so the extra cost might not be too bad.
Dear Jennifer, Thanks! Are you in an RV? Or planning to travel in one? Thanks for the comment and well wishes!
Dear GypsySoul, Oh no! Don’t get practical on me! Ha ha. I know you are right, but I feel desperate to get out of this house and on the road. I don’t know why I am fixated on getting to the Arctic ocean, but it has taken on as a sort of obsession. Once I am out of the house, my monthly cash flow should allow me to knock out much of the remaining debt pretty quickly… I do know you’re right, but this is me finally doing something risky, I guess. ; )
Dear Bob, I hope it takes you a long time to write your comments, because they are too brilliant to be off the cuff! I have a feeling you were laughing out loud to yourself on the AA AAA comment, because that really cracked me up. I actually was trying to find an old Saturday Night Live skit (20 years or more) that was about that. (No luck.) Oh, and thanks for the links!
Dear Kari, I started that budget project a few times this year and it was an eye opener. (Like you, mostly on how much I spend dining out – still working on that one!) I use my debit card for everything, so can pretty easy download the data from my bank. Right now I feel most egregious with vanity stuff – like hair color, skin care, etc. It is terrible. My *hope* is that once my cash flow is better,I’ll be able to pay off the remaining CC debt pretty quickly. Maybe with my analysis, I will stop being so vain. Ha ha.
Dear James, It is nice to hear from you! Thanks for the comment. I think I got started with RV-Dreams. They are saints for posting all of that data online. It is so helpful to see the actual budget numbers from people who are out there doing it full time. I did find out that I can tow my car four down.
Dear Cindy, Tessa is a great inspiration to me! I almost don’t believe she is real. Ha ha. She is in the superhero status. I seriously do not understand how she did all that travel. I was actually thinking about her today. I think she wrote that she literally cried after she finished the Dempster in her RV. And she is one tough lady…
Dear Rich, Thanks for the well wishes and the link. It just came across my phone, so I was showing my husband and said, “See, this is one of the great benefits of blogging. All these people help you!”
Dear Clarke, Okay, you (and GypsySoul) have got me a little nervous. Maybe I should try to get the RV sooner. I mean, May 1st is the goal because I think my house may sell later. (If it sells earlier, then I will be in the RV much sooner.) I have noted where there are RV service sites are along the Alaska highway (with the Milepost), but when I get into really remote places (the Dempster) I ‘ll be in a car and staying at hotels. I guess another thing was my test run in the tent in September made me think, well, as long as I have an engine to move (and with a tow I’ll have two), then I should be okay. (It actually shouldn’t get below 50s or so.) Hopefully I won’t be crying and yelling, “Why didn’t I listen to GypsySoul and Clarke!” Thanks for all of the other info. I did not know that about the tires and age.
Jennifer
I think what you are doing is awesome! I too am in the process of simplifying my life, although my goal is 2-5 years away still:(. I’m working on it though! I saw your entry on 29gifts.org, which I am also a part of (I’m on Day 23). I look forward to reading your blogs!
Well… I just (last night) finished the crazyguyonabike David Cambon’s journal on his BICYCLE trip to the Artic..and then Willie’s (Truck-Toyota pulling a trailer)trip….http://wanderingwillystravels.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html
I saw that CARS are everywhere up there as well as Motorhomes and various degrees of RVs…so looks as tho it’s not that big of a deal after all as far as vehicles go? (I mean, all those folks on BIKES!!?)So….bettin your motorhome would do it fine, might just get a little “beaten up” along the way…
Guess you don’t have to get the Mugalog, or whatever the monster truck is called, after all! Hehheh! LD
Well that looks… very organized.
Don’t worry, we’ll be here when you get on the road. I’ll help as much as I can from here in my little cubicle. Well, it’s not as much of a cubicle as it is a small office with two people crammed in it.
Not boring at all! You are so well-prepared, I know you’ll do great. Can’t offer any advice on the Dempster because we haven’t done it, but obviously there’s a ton who have and can share their experiences.
Your budget looks realistic. I used to post ours on our Resources page, but got lazy these last few months because I thought it was boring people. I still keep a monthly expense report, maybe I’ll update it. Meanwhile you can check out the template and year end expenses I have posted. Hope the help.
Dear Carla, Thanks! And thanks for saying hello. I am on day 7 and am loving the exercise. What, more specifically, is your 2-5 year goal? I’m interested in how others think about simplicity.
Dear LadyDiga, Okay, I’ve looked at the links now, so am very tempted to take an RV. I mean, I guess it is only deadly when it rains, and, like him, I can just stop and hang out for days at a time if it does… I may take my RV. I WANT to take it!
Dear Wade, That sounds more suspicious than complimentary! ; ) One thing I worry about when I am on the road is being away from the Internet and being away from you guys. You are all so much a part of this for me. I think it will be pretty reliable, but as I go up the Dempster, I guess I’ll be off line for a bit…
Dear Rene, Your site is such a great resource of entertainment and information. I grabbed a bunch of new links from you today to check out. Thanks!
I, too, am a spreadsheet kind of gal – so I completely enjoyed this post
Thanks.
We haven’t started our RV travels yet [still have the last 2 of our 6 to get off to college!] but I read and [try to absorb] all the info I can from various blogs and a few things I have learned [or come to understand]:
I think it is going to cost more than you think. Sorry – but I don’t see maintenance or upkeep and I find that on all RV blogs. And it seems to be a chunk of change.
Also, mail forwarding service. Will you need this, or will everything go to your husband? [that would be cool and $$ saving
]
Being debt free going into this is a good thing [except, of course, for the RV since it is your home] will you be cutting up your credit cards before you go or taking them along? I, too, live credit card debt free because the idea of paying interest on purchases makes me sick – and that amount of debt that you accumulated for one person, with no children, amazes me [then again I don't know the whole story
]. I am not saying it is bad for you to do – your life – but I would hate to see you pay it all off and then run it back up while on the road. It is such an albatross.
Maybe one card, for emergencies, with a low rate would be good to have along?
Just trying to help a bit as I am very excited for you and your trip – and what a trip to pick FIRST! Very exciting and I am anxious to read more.
I would read everyone’s RVing blog [the fulltimers] that post their budgets for the year – you will see the extras not mentioned here.
If I find the ones with good budgets on them I will come back to give you the links.
Keep blogging – it is great!
Lol. Ever get the feeling you are getting a little too much help?
http://slopeofhope.typepad.com/.a/6a00e00989822288330120a735ee8d970b-500wi
Gypsysoul is giving you good advice. Take a season to get used to your rig, and see a little beauty in the country down here. You’ll get used to the way your used things run, and a chance to see what breaks in places where you can easily get them repaired.
And Clarke is dead on about the tires. If they are over 5 years old, replace them all. Doesn’t matter what they look like. Here’s a url on telling the date of tires:
http://www.intellichoice.com/carBuying101/GripOnTires
http://www.teammiata.com/libs/tire_dot.htm
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4813029&page=1
And by the way, check the ones you are buying, too:
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4822250&page=1
Read these carefully. There will be a pop quiz, later.
Bob
Jennifer, I think your website is picking on me. Just now, for the second time, I’ve made a comment that just disappeared into the ether. Never showed up at all.
I mean, this is serious! How are you ever going to do without my golden advice?
If it doesn’t show up later, I may try to remember what I wrote well enough to repost. Or maybe I’ll have to just surrender to the unserendipity of it all.
“I’m melting! I’m melting!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfV_ENR5IZE
Bob
Don’t believe the horror stories about the Dempster! It has much improved over the years and they no longer use the shale that caused so many flat tires. Drive it when the road is dry at a reasonable speed limit.
I’m doing the Dempster in 2010, too. I work in Dawson City during the summer and I’m going to take ten days to do it. I’m not bringing my RV, but that’s only because I need a few days a year out of it, not because I’m worried about damaging it.
I hope you have a great trip; you’ll love the north. Stop in at Bonanza Gold RV park just outside of Dawson if you get a chance.
Dear SkippyMom, Thanks for the encouragement. I know I have not pulled together a comprehensive budget yet, but was trying to capture big numbers that will be added/removed. Maintenance is a big one that should be included in that category, esp since I plan to get a diesel pusher!
Dear Bob, Thanks for the links! But, actually, that is why the site is truly picking on you. There is some auto-spam filter and it doesn’t like links, but I can push them through. And, no, I never feel like I am getting too much help. I love it!
Dear Rae, Hey, I just added your blog to my reader yesterday, so am catching up on your posts! ; ) Thanks, so much, for the encouragement. Is that an RV park where you will be working? staying? Both? When (more specifically?) are you driving the Dempster? The hotels looked so expensive (close to $200 a night in Ft.McPherson, per CrazyGuyonaBike), so that was another thing that pushed me toward the RV. What are you driving?
Thanks!
Jennifer
Jennifer, I work and live at Bonanza during the summer. I think it’s the best place to stay in the Dawson area, but I might be biased.
I’m hoping to do the Dempster mid-August, once the seasonal rush is over. It’ll be really weather dependent.
Yes, hotels and food are super expensive along the Dempster. Factor that against how much you’d be spending in fuel. Round trip, I’d be looking at about 1,600km, which translates to three fills at 200$ each. So, I’m already at 600$ for the trip just for gas. If I do get to go for 10 days, I will reconsider taking the motorhome so that I can do my groceries in Dawson and eat better, but if I have time constraints and can only go for a few days, I’ll be better off driving my car.
That’s another tip for the north; be flexible. So many plans are weather-dependent.
I’ve done the Dempster as far north as Tombstone Territorial Park. Just search for Dempster on my blog in the box in the upper right hand corner.
My motorhome is a 31′ gas puller class C Glendale Royal Classic while my tow vehicle is a 3 door hatchback Hyundai Accent. The car would cost me about a hundred fifty bucks in gas to get to Inuvik and back.
Most people who do the Dempster do it in two days, stopping over at Eagle Plains, which is the halfway point. I wanted to take longer do do some hiking, but I managed to do a lot of that hiking last summer as its in the southern part of the highway, which I’ve done. There’s not much in Fort McPherson, but it’s worth stopping to see the tenting industry (of all things).
Make sure to stop in at the Dempster Information Centre in Dawson City. It’s on Front (main) street across from the Dawson info centre.
BTW, I found your blog while checking out where people were visiting me from.
Dear Rae, Oh I love your posts. They feel like ‘notes from the front’ as I sit down here in Texas! I think I am just recognizing that flexibility is the key to making this work for me. I really do need to rest a lot, so will probably take that drive VERY slowly as well as stop every time it rains. Where are the best places to hike?
I am on a two year plan to get my RV and start living full-time in RV. One of the many things I am having to get a grip on is my finances (I HATE managing money). Please check the financial pages of RV-Dreams.com to see a very detailed explanation of what it really costs to live in an RV once you get rid of the house and stuff. It has helped with my planning HUGE.
Dear Kierse,
Yeah! Another one! Are you going to blog? Are you RVing alone? With family? RV-Dreams was definitely one of my first stops, but I need to get back there and review my numbers against all of their information. I’d love to hear more and more about your plans, so tell me anything and everything. ; )
Oh, and thanks for saying hello.
Jennifer
Not planning to blog at this time. I will be solo with my two dogs. Nice note from you. EM to me if you would like to correspond as we get going on this. I won’t be leaving as soon as you but we are on a similar path.
According to my Aunt who drives a 25ft fifth wheel – “DO NOT TAKE YOUR RV ON THAT ROAD”
So there’s another vote for that.
Don’t get rid of your car, especially because it’s paid off, ask the locals about it when you get there and if necessary rent a 4wheel drive while you’re up there.
As for yellowstone – study the roads in Yellowstone – we would have been absolutely FUCKED if we took our 35ft fiver up those “hills”. It was ridiculous even in our 4×4 suburban with just a popup behind us. I felt so bad for the cats with the MHs – they were probably getting less than 3mpg! The inclines are LOOOOOOOOONG. Also make note of all the run off ramps just in case you can’t down shift enough (we shifted to 1st and our poor brakes were used for 15 minutes straight, it’s like they wanted you to have a REALLY exciting time while in Yellowstone!)
If I were to do it again I would have took a tour via google earth first – you can get in some very sticky spots, so don’t speed. Oh yeah, just remembered one more thing that REALLY pissed me off we went off-road for a while! There were NO signs or warnings from the booths until we were already there and NO WAY to get around it! They were doing construction and I guess they had no other option but to divert people off road. You would not have made it with your MH. Check EVERY SINGLE ROAD before you go and ASK the booths! Our Suburban & the popup were COVERED with MUD and ROCKS and people were slamming on their brakes every five seconds because of the huge holes in the mud. Bleh. Also be prepared for dumbasses to stop in the middle of the road for no reason. Don’t speed or you’ll end up in a geyser.
Three days is not enough! We stayed for a week and we didn’t see jack! Yellowstone is a place that you need to…sit back and absorb. Yeah the buffalo are awesome, but there are so many other things – soo many trails too
If you’re going through the north entrance, stop and have a swim at the hot spring! We stopped but we thought people were nuts cause it was too cold – little did we know what we were missing!
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=44.991852,-110.69127&num=1&t=h&sll=44.99155,-110.691547&sspn=0.003414,0.006899&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=44.99155,-110.691547&spn=0.003414,0.006899&z=17
I’m so excited for you! I love it when a plan comes together!
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