REFINING THE OPTIONS

   As we do more research, we are finding more considerations regarding how and where we will live in the period after returning to the USA in late February. There are so many family members and friends to visit that initially we don’t want to be anchored to a “stick house.” It is a comment that we have visited and experienced more of Brasil than we have ever visited in the US. This is another issue that can be solved with mobility. Since we are already well versed in motorhome traveling and usage, this holds few concerns or fears for us as a couple. Since our intent is to not drive more than a few hours between interesting places and we want to stay in a place of interest for days or weeks at a time, mileage and gas use will be much less per month than our previous life. We generally had two (or more) cars and we were putting on 15 to 20+ thousand miles per year on each vehicle.

  Here is a summary of our adjusted Options A and B.

OPTION A - Motorhome, Class C and Later a Towable Small Vehicle (TSV)

• The motorhome needs to be solid and “four season” which means well insulated to be comfortable in both cold and warm weather. 
• The choice after reading posts by people who use them has come down to the Lazy Daze 27 foot, Mid Bath unit. We like the floor plan and the powerful Ford V-10 engine. 
• It will need solar panels - eventually enough to power the unit with computers, air conditioner and microwave running for many days. It should also have a generator for those sun challenged days. 
• It should initially have fewer than 50,000 miles on it. I think we will drive fewer than 12,000 miles a year. 
• The TSV should have four-wheel drive and be somewhat comfortable to drive. Perhaps a pickup like the Ford Ranger or the Ford Escape. 

   We made this Option A as we like the feature of being able to walk around while in route to get a snack, take a nap, make lunch or use the restroom without leaving the vehicle. With the eventual TSV we will have mobility during the times the Motorhome is situated in a comfortable place. With four-wheel drive, we can explore interesting places with ease and safety.

OPTION B - Travel Trailer with a Comfortable Tow Vehicle (CTV)

• The travel trailer needs to be solid and “four season” which indicates that it will be comfortable in both cold and warm weather. 
• The choice as of this date remains the Northwood Arctic Fox 25S model. We have basically eliminated the fifth wheel models as we would prefer a CTV that is not a pick up truck but more like the Ford Expedition. Climbing into a truck is a little more difficult than we want. 
• The CTV should have less than 50,000 miles on it. We feel comfortable with this mileage on a well maintained CTV as we have driven such units to more than 150,000 miles with good results. We believe we will put less than 12,000 miles per year on the vehicles. 
• The CTV should also have four-wheel drive. 

   With Option B we would have a little more room in the kitchen and bathroom, but it would be less accessible while driving.

   Since we have a few more months yet we know that things can change very quickly. We may find other considerations move our plans significantly. We may have opportunities open that we do not expect. We don’t expect to “grow up” much in the next few months however. AND getting in good visits with our loved ones is a top priority right after our return to the USA.

  What do you think about the options here for us? Can you see how either would benefit our growing family? Do you have another option to suggest?

The Next Phase

As we consider the next year or two of our life we agree that mobility needs to be part of it. Probably late in February, next year transportation and housing will be at the top of the list. Our family is spread out now and the number one priority will be to visit with each family and get acquainted with the new members and re-acquainted with everyone else. Besides this, we want to see more of the country, especially areas that are connected to our family or historical background. It appears that the solution to this may be a properly configured, four season travel trailer pulled by an adequate tow vehicle. Life usually unfolds with accompanying challenges or surprises so now we are only on the initial stage of planning and preparation.


A Possible Comfortable Traveling Home


After reading about one successful setup on the internet, we zeroed in on a Northwood Arctic Fox Trailer. They are made for the four seasons and the floorplan below seems to meet our requirements very well. Here is the floorplan of the 25S model which would require a vehicle capable of 8,000 pounds:

The option with the swivel chairs would be our choice. Because units such as this are often little used, usually just a few times a year, it may be possible to find one a few years old for a reasonable outlay. Solar panels can be added to keep the house batteries charged for most of the year.


A Possible Tow Vehicle


Our kids will probably have some memories of the used 15 passenger Chevy Van that we bought in Show Low one day. It was very solid and served well except for the headliner which did not do well with our kids. Appropriately configured either a Ford or Chevrolet will tow up to 10,000 pounds and come with either a gas or diesel engine. We think the diesel would be the most economical, but the cost of fuel is less of a concern when we consider staying perhaps several weeks in some places before visiting another area. Of course beyond one row of seats behind the front, the extra two rows would not be necessary. With the large space we could carry extra items to make our "Wayfaring" an adventure as well. It may be difficult to find a used one, say five or six years old with low mileage but life is full of challenges.


Other Considerations for a Wayfaring Couple


Since early marriage, we have enjoyed a cab-over camper on a Ford truck, a class C motorhome and for a short time a Class A motorhome. With the proper amenities, this can be a wonderful time of our life. Perhaps in a later post we will cover some of the reasons we want to do this. We will also discuss how this can work well for us as we seek a "Home Base" for the future. But for now, we have not seen a better plan for the short run.


What are your thoughts about this plan? Do you think we are a little crazy?