Retiring and hitting the road in an RV is the dream for many people. But for Jim Brown of the NC Motorcyclists blog, it has been an enjoyable reality for almost eight years.
The full-timer has traveled all over the country visiting National Parks and Jeep riding in the desert. We reached out to Jim to learn more about his travels and to get his valuable advice on full-timing.
Jim at Yosemite – All photos courtesy of Jim Brown
Jim recently upgraded to a Thor Axis RUV motorhome in January 2019. He uses the Thor Axis for travel and towing his Jeep, but he also owns a Heartland Bighorn Fifth Wheel as a semi-permanent home.
In the past, he has towed a Keystone Fusion Toy Hauler as well as a small R-Pod travel trailer. “Although I like the comfort and amenities of a Class A, my experience (including conversations with other Class A owners) suggests that they require almost constant maintenance,” he says.
In the first week of owning his Thor Axis, the motorhome had several problems and mechanical failures, in particular with the OneControl System. The brand new rig spent the first few months of the year in the shop for repairs.
Thor Axis
His favorite part of the full-time lifestyle is the freedom it allows. “The ability to pick up and move anytime I choose; this allows me to meet new people, see new places and experience new things. It’s the variety of the lifestyle that appeals most to me.”
Jim’s blog documents his travels as well as gear and software he recommends. He also captures quality photography everywhere from the large iconic parks to deserted sites in the middle of nowhere.
Tonto Monument in Arizona
His travels have led him all over the country from Nevada and Arizona to Texas and Georgia. The National Parks such as Glacier, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Arches, and Sequoia have been some of his most memorable trips. But he’s also visited many other lesser-known places that were equally impressive, such as the Valley of Fire just outside of Las Vegas.
Valley of Fire
He not only explores the country by RV, but also by OHV (off-highway vehicle) riding in his Jeep. “Moab, UT has some of the best OHV riding in the country—it combines incredible scenery with trails rated from easy to ‘hold my beer while I try this’. The Paiute Trail System out of Marysvale, UT combines mountainous terrain with lots of wildlife. In the winter, almost anywhere in southern Arizona is good.”
Goin’ for a ride
Last November he visited Sand Hollow State Park in southwestern Utah, a popular spot for off-road vehicle riding. The park has a campground with full hookups in addition to a beautiful blue lake and acres of golden sand to drive on.
Sand Hollow State Park
Jim can often be found at OHV rallies and other rock crawling events like the annual Hump N Bump. “For the most part, I travel alone with no pets which makes the socialization aspect of RVing a great benefit for me,” He says. “I knew I was going to see some amazing sights, but it has been the people I have met that has been the most pleasant surprise.”
With almost a decade of full-timing experience, he has some great advice for those thinking about making the switch. “Learn as much about the lifestyle as possible,” Jim says. “The major RV forums contain a wealth of information as well as allowing you to ask any questions you might have. If you do not currently own an RV, perhaps renting one for month would be a good way to learn if you want to make the leap.”
Sequoia National Park
He plans on visiting the Pacific Northwest this summer as he travels through Oregon and Washington and then back through Montana and Wyoming. You can follow Jim’s travels and recommendations on his blog, NCMotorcyclists.blogspot.com.
We’re considering considering jumping in to the RV lifestyle in the next year or so before we retire. Keep the great pics and tips coming. Hope to see you on the road one of these days. Safe travels
An area that could be discussed is making a living on the road. With the demise of the lifetime factory job more people are going “on the road”. With the advances in technology and some imagination running a small business while traveling is becoming a better and better option. Input from everything from mobile franchise type businesses to individual stories would be great. Making a living “On the road” could be a valuable addition.
His mistake was buying a Thor product. Putting a brand new motorhome in the shop for several months is completely unacceptable, yet unfortunately it happens way more often than it should.
Totally agree. We own, and know many other owners of Class A’s. Have not heard that they require any more repairs or maintenance than other types of RVs – except for Thor owners. ANY RV requires constant cleaning and normal maintenance. There are several quality brands out there – but in my experience that does not include Thor.
Amen to that. My brand new Thor Hurricane spent more time in the shop the first year than in my possession. Quality control is sorely lacking with Thor.
Jim, I Hope you are on your trip to Washington and Oregon. Make sure you go around the Washington peninsula and the entire Oregon coast. Oregon has many amazing state parks all over but no other state has coast campgrounds like them. Stay safe. See you on the road.
Nice to see, we have a LTV sprinter and my son wanted a Jeep , ordered but waiting for factory to reopen tomorrow, hope to see you out and about.
Anyone traveling with firearms? I hunt and shoot ELR (Extended Long Range) and high angle with numerous rifles including .50BMG, AR15, AR10, etc. Traveling with firearms appears to be a disaster waiting to happen. Cross into CA, WA, NJ, NY and other Liberal meccas can instantly render one a “felon in waiting.” Has anyone successfully traveled with firearms?
I’m for sure no expert, but most states expect the ones you mentioned abide by peaceable travel.
Meaning, as long as the firearms are unloaded, cased and not readily accessible you can pass through their state.
There are several apps that give each state’s gun laws and a rating system as to which ones are 2A friendly and which ones are not 2A friendly.
Take your time and learn their laws before you travel into a state.