My retired Army husband and I went full-time and had a barrel of fun. We had a Southwind Motor Home with a 440 engine. We stayed at the Army recreation camps in Texas (Ft Sam Houston/Fort Hood) and the Corps of Engineers places at the various lakes. Fishing was always good and hiking was a blast. Cost was minimal. You are correct. The campers were fun and friendly. Unfortunately his career caught up with him and we came home. Too much Agent Orange. Three combat tours! Korea during the Conflict and twice in VN. Then I bought a Holiday Rambler with a 16 foot super slider tilt out and my BFF and I hit the road and waltzed across Texas. We visited the Rose Garden in Tyler and the Christmas festivals for several years in Jefferson. We also visited the Army recreation encampments. We even went to Independence, Tx and voted for General Sam Houston to be President of the Republic of Texas. Very safe for two ladies with lots of help offered in backing that baby up. I never did conquer that problem.

I did that but with a string of race horses and a pickup. No RV. I slept in tack rooms with the horses at the various tracks. They all have showers and rudimentary facilities for the horsemen. Track to track I went, lots of fairgrounds. It was 30 years ago and lasted for a period of the prior 15 years. Still dream about it... everyday. I am now pushing 80 but have not given up my dream. Still have my saddles and tack, maybe this year I can get it all together. For the most part, you will never meet a nicer group of people... May the forest be with you.

I spent more than a year RVing in Australia (10 years ago) and it was fantastic. I loved the freedom to take every day without a schedule.
As you said, the people I met were great, and several times people who weren't enjoying the life stopped and said they wished they could do the same.

Ah for life on the road. Hubby and I spent two years going back and forth across the country, staying a week or two at great out-of-the-way sites with our 37' class A. Every so often we'd swing by home base for mail pickup and house check. It was wonderful. We just got our new/used tow-ready pickup truck this week and are looking for a smaller travel trailer, maybe 24', and we'll be off again, each leg not quite as long as last time. We're a bit older now :) and want to see friends and family again while we look the land over to see where we decide to stop permanently. Not going looking east coast or Illinois or West coast for sure.

That doesn't seem at all independent to me. You depend on the roads and gas stations staying open and not Covid restricted. I'd much rather go Galt somewhere safe, especially from mobs.

50 years ago, my parents spent a year traveling all over the US and Canada in an RV. They loved it. Well, my father did; I think my mother was OK with it but would have preferred to have a home base.

I could never do it. I hate driving anything bigger than, say, a Honda Civic.

That sounds like fun.

I have a 13 foot Scamp and have plans to remodel and upgrade it and take on the road.

Any suggestions for "must have" upgrades ?

We've been full-timers for 11 years. We're pretty much stationary as we manage an RV park near Lake Travis, Texas, but decided we were going to downsize and did. From 13 acres and a 1500 sq ft house to a Park Model RV. Last year we purchased a 5th wheel. Here I'm closes to the VA so much needed treatment is close (Vietnam '65-'66)

i'd need a Semi to carry all my supplies

Lots more of them in my town since the real estate prices have doubled in the last couple of years. It used to be that a house and an RV were about the same price. Now a home is as much as it is in California and I'm seeing a lot more RV's parked in front of houses...

I wish ;-)