[A/S] Full Timers #2 of 2

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Jim,

Your question prompted me to reflect on friends who consider themselves full
timers. It took me fifteen minutes to identify about a dozen of them. Here's
a thumbnail of their situations.

1 - At one of our favorite southern RV parks, we find the same couple on the
same site year after year. They firmly declare themselves full timers even
though they haven't moved their Airstream in five years.

2 - In the same RV park two rows down, another couple live there six months
each year and return (with their Airstream) to the same (but different) park
in the North for the next six months. They do this every year and consider
themselves full timers.

3 - In a Texas Park, friends own their lot and have built an RV Chalet on
it. A common roof covers the Airstream, truck and family room. They don't
travel at all. This is their home and they consider themselves full timers.

4 - In Mexico, friends of ours own a 20' x 20' concrete block house with
kitchen, bathroom and living room. They park their Airstream beside it and
live in it each winter when they return to Mexico. The rest of the year they
travel widely throughout the continent. They consider themselves full
timers.

5 - Last winter, we visited a couple who own and rent out their house, but
have all their tools and spare parts in their locked garage. They explore
the states most of the year, but return to their concrete slab in the back
yard to refresh and restore their Airstream each Summer.  They consider
themselves full timers.

6 - Other friends, who own their house, return for a few days or a few
months each year, check on it and do landscaping. One couple has an adult
child who lives in the house. Another couple leave the house vacant (the
next door neighbor is a police officer). The rest of the year, they travel
and live in their Airstream. They consider themselves full timers.

7 - One couple has a permanent Airstream in the Northeast and a second
Airstream in the Southeast. They never tow either one, but live full time in
one or the other. They consider themselves full timers.

8 - There's a couple we know who live in their big Airstream in Florida and
never tow or have it moved. They travel everywhere in their 25' Airstream
and leave the big Airstream vacant. They consider themselves full timers.

9 - We have friends who live full time in their Airstream and park it in
their son's backyard. When the Summer heat arrives, they tow it North to
their daughter's backyard and live it it full time. They consider themselves
full timers. 

10 - A couple whom we often travel with consider themselves explorers and
have all their worldly possessions in their Airstream. They stay for one
week at a time in one location except when family emergencies arise. Then,
they park their Airstream at the family's house and stay as long as they are
needed. Otherwise, they roam widely, extensively and regularly. They
consider themselves full timers.

11- We have Texas friends who"house-sit" for various relatives in other
parts of the country while they are on vacation each year. While doing that,
they live part time in the house and part time in their Airstream. They
consider themselves full timers.

12 - We received a note from friends who retired last week. They sold their
house yesterday and are now "one day old - full timers." They don't consider
themselves full timers because they don't think of themselves as full timers
yet. After they learn the "ins and outs" of full timing, they expect to
become full timers.

13 - Another couple whom we visit with 2-3 times a year has kept everything
they own in their Airstream for 32 years. Neither has any living relatives.
They don't own any land or property. They spent ALL THEIR TIME doing major
volunteer work on-site at Habitat for Humanity locations across the country.
They are one of the happiest and most joyful couples we've met. They
consider themselves full timers.

Jim, I know this doesn't answer your question directly, but it might help
you create your own definition of full timing (from your perspective).  I
suspect there are as many definitions as there are Airstreamers who try to
answer the question in a way that's meaningful to them.

Of course, there will always be those who are absolutely certain that their
definition is the only definition - and anyone who doesn't meet THEIR
criteria must be excluded. Those who take that position may be telling more
about themselves than they realize.

Have a go at it. Tell us what you come up with, okay?

Terry
mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net