Winnebago Viva? Or Airstream Flying Cloud?

One has to do serious thinking when considering the mobile lifestyle. I have been. A new neighbor has a smaller Winnebago RV in their driveway. Its a Viva model.

Neighbor has this

Other neighbor has this

These are basic Class C RVs, built on a serious van chassis with a big V8 or V10 engine, usually gasoline but sometimes Diesel power. These are the kind you get stuck behind on mountain roads and never pull over because they don't use their rearview mirrors? Yeah, those. The kind that Top Gear hates passionately.

So how would you live in one?

1. You have to detach yourself from STUFF, including furniture and bookshelves. I did that. My marriage was cluttered with her stuff, and it was a bad experience. It put me off of Materialism. Any stuff you have, that you don't use daily, needs to go into storage, which you pay for every month. And you have to come back there to trade stuff out for the season. Most RVers also own a home, which they pay taxes on. 
2. You have to admit that staying in one place is only of value if you can guarantee yourself a better life, regardless of economic drama caused by natural disasters or political enemies. 
3. You are alone, or a serious couple that can share space and don't find bumping into each other unpleasant, ever. I'm alone, so this works for me. 
4. You have to be willing to live in a small space when the weather is bad, and clean it religiously. Or be outside as much as possible so the small space is just where you sleep. If you don't like the outdoors, the tiny space of an RV or trailer will drive you crazy. 
5. You have to be willing to spend roughly 1/3 the cost of a house buying your RV, or buy one for half that and spend many thousands fixing it up again. And deal with the troubles of a used RV (engine, stuff breaking, unanticipated repairs)
6. Be willing to limit your cooking options...  or eat out at restaurants a lot. This one I can't do in an RV (not one I can afford). I have been hunting for an RV that trades spare beds for a proper kitchen so I can cook properly. Those don't seem to exist. 

But the good news is there's lots of trailers that do have better kitchens, both 5th wheels and travel trailers (standard hitch). Airsteam has a "Cloud" 20 or 23 footer that would suit me pretty well for around $70K new.

19 Foot, 4500 pounds

20 Foot, 5000 pounds

23 foot, 6000 pounds

Replace the couch with a writing desk and computer, possibly, and I'd be okay with that. Tow it with a Ford F-150 4x4 with the tow package and Class 4 hitch I'd be okay with that. And both are still less than half a house costs. Less than a third of a house around here.

You still have to pay to park it, or deal with water issues if you boondock it, but it would still work. I will want streaming internet, probably via satellite dish internet service on the roof. I expect to get good at pointing that after getting into a site. At $100/month that's a pricey service, but cellphone companies charge more. I will see what other options exist which are good enough for streaming broadband video. This also brings up the display and my computer and games console, assuming I bother with that. Also for writing.

Then there's the issues of repair tools, locked away and out of anyone's sticky fingers. And the gun locker, for a twelve gauge, one of my rifles, and a handgun. I wonder if I should think about some kind of tank swap system I can use to deal with the black water and the clean water tank? More and more, I can see the point of a light crane on the back of the truck, for lifting stuff out of the bed. One with lockable controls. No Jeremy Clarkson James May tent incidents. 

I need to see what solar panel options exist which will still look nice on the roof of an Airstream. And a hot-water sump and heating loop off the panels. Maybe. Might not be necessary. There is a lot to know, when you consider the full-time RV life. Its better than being trapped in a dying city with an underwater mortgage. I am pretty sure about that.


As you see, this is a classy looking trailer, and not too big.
Bathroom at the rear, bed at the front, kitchen in the middle. Dining table can be used for food prep. Assuming I can swap in a bigger fridge and hang the TV/Monitor on the door with my computer above it and the wireless mouse and keyboard on the table for use writing or watching movies... that would work. This one also has a 39 gallon fresh water tank. I could live in that, year round.