Sundance Lake, Hoosier National Forest

Sundance Lake in Hoosier National Forest has free 14-day dispersed camping that is what boondocking is all about. Great spot for a little bit of gravel riding, camping, and enjoying Indiana's pieces of America's National Forest. 

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SKIP AHEAD 13 YEARS AND...

It is 2025 and I am in Hoosier National Forest sitting in my screenroom pecking away on a laptop, updating this very old website from 2012 - Full Time Living. Once upon a time I owned the URL FullTimeLiving.com, but I let it go. Yo Daddy holds it ransom, up for sale to the first one to pay $5,000 to buy it. Nice. I checked my host provider, Netfirms. Same deal. Five grand to buy it and $21 a year to keep it. I went with a new URL - FullTimeLiving.Life

Full Time Living in RVs has taken off like a rocket since 2012. So has van life, car life, bike life, suv life, any kind of vehicle life, and minivan life. That's where I ended up after doing trailer home life since 2014, in Betsy, the mini van. I bought the Flamingo, a 70 foot single wide trailer home from the 1970s, selling  the 35 foot motorhome I had been living in full time. 

Why? Why what? Why was I living in a motorhome or why did I sell it and move into a trailer home? I was crazy with love for a woman who lived in the area. It seemed like a good plan. Move closer, with a bit more stability in a trailer that I had no way to move without hiring a semi-truck for thousands of dollars. Maybe she would take me a bit more serious as a proper suitor. 

Nope, that did not happen. Probably, I was more attractive as a nomad to her than a nester. So, that fizzled out over the course of a couple of years. By then, the Flamingo was looking pretty fine with all the work put in to make her attractive. A comfortable nest. Like a proper nester would do. 

Much came and went over the decade in Flamingo. There is a lot to be grateful for over the time there. To much to speak of here. After the loss of my beautiful Kitty, life in the Flamingo would never be the same. Left without a reason for being there the itch to get away, to wander, to explore, to seek adventure bubbled up. The short of the long is now I am in Betsy, the minivan, with Pete the poodle fulltime living on my way to warmer zones for the winter of 2025/26. 

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 work and live in

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♦ Workamping provides a way to escape the drudgery of your everyday lifestyle!

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Workamper News - Introduction to Workamping

FUN STUFF TO DO IN THE MUD - NOT

No.. this is not a lowrider - Sunk to the axle tubes.

Resting on the exhaust pipes.

Jacked front end up to level it.

Jacked up to get the weight off the front fiberglass nose.

ROAD TRIP! WEST BRANCH STATE PARK, OHIO JANUARY 2012

Full-timing in Ohio over the winter is rough. Things freeze, like water lines, hot water tanks, drain pipes, and waste water tanks.

I don't know how these things happen, but, winter snuck up on me again! Both the grey and black waste water tanks were full and the propane was getting dangerously low. And, the temperature was taking a nose dive into the sub-teens. So, it seemed like the calling for a road trip to the nearest dump and propane stations.

DESTINATION: 

WEST BRANCH STATE PARK - OHIO

The first thing I noted was that she handled the snow covered roads with ease. Great traction and control probably due to her massive weight and 19" 100psi tires. This was the first trip for my Honey Bee on snowy roads. Thankfully, it was a good experience.

Temperatures were already into the teens when the trip began. On the itinerary was a stop at a U-haul for propane, Giant Eagle for fuel and food, and final stop at West Branch State Park.

She seemed shocked that anybody would be pulling up in an RV for propane, let alone on their way to a campground with the temperatures dropping into the low teens. Besides, her gloves were wet, her shoes were wet, her nose was cold and she just seemed downright irritated. The U-haul employee seemed to be having a bad day, and, I just iced her cake.

Within minutes of fumbling with the propane fueling connection she burnt her hand. No, not by fire, but, by freezing. She had taken her wet gloves off. I guess they were freezing to the nozzle. When she loosened the relief valve propane shot out and froze her exposed skin. Worse even, she seemed unable to get the propane pump to work right or even the connection to my tank to seal. Propane was dripping and spraying everywhere! I was relieved when she dismissed me and told me there was an Ameri-gas just up the road at bit. Shew. Glad that stuff ain't explosive!

Found the Ameri-gas. It was open, but the techs had gone home for the day already. No problem. I had enough propane for the night. So, I headed on up the road to West Branch and would return the next day for propane, food, and fuel. My big intention was to get to the dump station and unload those waste water holding tanks.

The release valves were already frozen. The temperature was 12 degrees. With air movement from driving I would suppose the wind chill was sub zero. The drain pipes and sections of the tanks were probably frozen, too. I thought about using a hair dryer, for a minute. There was no way that was going to thaw anything out. Too cold. Too big. hmmmm... now what?? Those tanks freeze, they will burst. So would the pipes and valves.

Thankfully, I remembered I had my portable propane camping grill with me. As I texted a friend..both of the waste water tanks and valves had already froze...bad bad bad..ice will burst them open..really bad stinky messy disaster if allowed to happen..so..i thought maybe hair dryer to try n thaw..but too cold 14 and dropping n tanks too big..so i look for where gas tank is..right next to them ..lol..of course..but decide to chance it and fire up my portable propane bbq right under the frozen tanks...after half hour heating the crap tank valve thaws n tank starts draining..the sink tank took longer..i was out there close 2 hours..but got it done.

The rest of the adventure was very peaceful. Not a soul around. Had the whole campground to myself. So, just what does a person who hates the cold do in a very cold campground? Eat! What else?

Chunky tomato soup, wheat crackers, cheese, baby spinach with apple vinegar to dress it, and coffee. All organic, of course. 

The view was great and the experience of solitude was very settling. Glad I don't believe in Big Foot, Aliens, Monsters, or marauding bloodthirsty madmen waiting for their next victim in vacant public parks.

Rocket, my faithful companion, didn't seem too impressed with the whole adventure. He hates being cold more than I do. And, cold was just the constant.

The ice machine really seemed out of place. 

FREE CAMPSITE LIST - 2250 campsites currently listed

All in all, my first road trip for 2012 was a smashing success. I was able to drain the holding tanks, fill up the propane tank, fuel up the gas tank, score gallons of free water, and get a little food shopping done. Had a couple of nice meals. Enjoyed the peace and calm of the moment. And, treasured the time given me to see creation at it's unique best. It is going to be a fine year, indeed.

MY NEW HOME - NEW ADVENTURES

As it was reported in a previous post, the old girl is gone. I was sad, for a moment, until this new-to-me Honey Bee came into my life. She's a beauty! 

At 36' long, she has everything a full-timer could desire. For me, having a dedicated bedroom is the cats meow. The old girl didn't have one of those, so I was always having to pull the over cab bunk down for my bed. 

There is one thing that I do miss about the old girl - 7 mpg. The new girl only gets 5 mpg. 

THIS IS HOW IT ENDED - SHE HAD TO GO

This was a very popular listing on Craigslist.. got a lot of responses.. not offers.. just folks saying that they really enjoyed the listing? Anyways.. I hated to see her go.. but, I really would like to get a wife someday and women seem to like a home with a bedroom that ain't part of the living room. So.. you know.. it ain't good for a man to be alone and all that.. .. oh.. yea.. stay tuned readers.. I got me another one now with a real bedroom, too!

youngstown craigslist > for sale / wanted > recreational vehicles


1978 25' ITASCA CLASS A RV MOTORHOME - $700

MOTIVATED SELLER

UPDATE:

SOMEBODY COME GET THIS THING ALREADY - VERY MOTIVATED SELLER!

This camper needs a new owner. The current one is worn out and needs one less project to work on.

92,096 miles on a Chevy 454 engine and 400 turbo/hydromatic transmission. It starts, runs good, and stops.

4 excellent tires, 2 fair tires and a spare.

Everything in this motorhome needs a little fixing except for the stove/oven.

Update:
The bathroom door fell off.

From the top down.

The roof has leaked and may or may not leak depending on the day of the week - yes, I've sealed it every single year for the last century but either I ain't too good at it or the stuff they sell to seal roofs is garbage because it seems I have to seal it every year to keep it waterproofed.

The roof A/C does not work. The engine A/C never worked as long as I've owned it since '95 - actually, I don't even think the A/C stuff is even on the engine anymore.

Only 1 of the roof vents works - another is sealed shut - another is missing (where the wood burner smokestack used to exit)

Some of the exterior lights work. Some don't. Nothing wrong with the fixtures, just the bulbs burnt out.

The interior paneling is worn out and/or damaged in spots like the ceiling above front pull down bed.

Most of the screens are damaged/worn out. All of the windows work with a little effort.

The original interior has seen extraordinary wear of every imaginable type and is certainly not one of her selling points.

The refrigerator does not work.

The furnace is disconnected.

The water pump leaks.

The water tank leaks.

The hot water tank is gone.

The propane tank is there but bypassed to hook the LP feed directly to bbq sized tanks which are easier to refill.

The kitchen and bathroom sinks, the shower/tub, and toilet all work but both the gray and black water tank valves leak.

The generator needs the carburetor rebuilt and re-installed - it's got low hours cause it hasn't been fired up since 96.

The dashboard is in sad shape and the instrument cluster needs to be reattached which I may or may not have a little time to get to before you come to see it (I had to get the kittens out from behind it last year).

The driver and passenger seats are in horrible shape.

The driver's left side armrest fell to the floor last month - it's not really needed. I don't know why they put one there like that. I can reattach it if I get a minute.

The carpet is just terrible.

The passenger side windshield has a crack that has been there for longer than I have owned her. Cops never hassled me about it.

The entrance step is broke and held up with a rope on the one side.

The awning blew away four years ago in a blizzard, the retractor spring sprung out last year when I was trying to hang a tarp on it, and the whole thing is just messed up now although it is still attached to the side of the motorhome.

The aluminum siding is pitted and patched and was painted years ago, but, the paint is now peeling in spots.

The bumpers are rusting in spots.

The dual exhaust system is exhausted and the tailpipes both folded up a couple weeks ago backing it out of the mud it was stuck in.

One of the fuel tanks leaks at the line or on top someplace?

The starter motor needs shims because it makes a grinding noise when starting? I may or may not crawl up under there to shim out that starter so people don't get that funny look on their face when they turn her over.

The battery for the engine starter goes flat unless the negative cable is removed whenever it has to sit for a long time.

The hitch works fine and it has easily towed my 3500 pound house boat.

The john boat on the roof may or may not go with the motor home. Not sure, yet. Either way, it is covering the vent opening that the wood burner used to exit through. The wood burner may or may not come with the motorhome. It's not good for going down the road with, but, if you're holed up somewhere in the winter with a good supply of firewood that little steel stove sure comes in handy.

There are a few other things not right with her, but, I don't want to list every little jot and tittle and end up discouraging somebody from giving her a new home.

I've owned this rv for a long time. I've lived in it for several years. I hate to see her go. But, you know. That's life.

Somebody please make me an offer. We both might be surprised by my response!

          AND LO AND BEHOLD!

                                                      

AWAY SHE WENT