It is time .... and we have made the decision and are not looking back. We have decided that it is time to empty our girl and get it ready for the next owner. Physical challenges have made it clear during our last trip ( a mere 750 miles) that we just cannot continue to enjoy this lifestyle on the road, and it is time to pursue other interests.
So ... after 5 years in this great coach ( and MANY coach bucks !!!) we will be listing our 2002 U320, single slide, tag, 40' beauty.
Sheesh ..... I was ALMOST done renovating! All I had left was to re-do the dinette!
We will be posting the official list of particulars and (hopefully) photos as soon as we get done with the immediate need to pack up all the "stuff". (sniff, gulp, choke)
How sad for all of us! We hope that you will continue to share on the forum because your wry sense of humor and engaging style of writing would be sorely missed otherwise.
Don & Tys
Carol,
I know just the feeling. We had Forrest for almost 14 years. The prospect of new adventures will make the transition a bit better. I know for Beth and I it will.
Good luck to you and Jeff in these new pursuits.
Carol & Jeff
We've not met but I have enjoyed the many posts you've offered throughout the forum. With some 18 months before retirement we've grown more excited to explore the forum, learn the history of the brand and drool over the wonderful job you and others have done restoring/renovating these special coaches.
It seems that just about the time we discovered FT, and the forum, that there have been a number of experienced FT owners who've decided to let their coaches move on to the next owner to enjoy. Its been encouraging to see that these well cared for coaches do turn over....and frustrating that we've seen a couple of real beauties go quickly to new owners and we're so close....but not quite ready to buy.
Its also taken posts like yours to realize that time is precious...and waiting to retire to have more money....may leave less time to enjoy being retired. I'd originally planned to work to 70 but have now decided to pull the plug at 66 in 2018. Your Steve Jobs post says it well.
Good luck to you both. I now your rig will have a new proud owner soon.
Randy in Sarasota
Wishing you and Jeff the very best. I appreciate all the special help you have given me and hope you will continue to write as everyone gains. My Dad's favorite saying,"getting old is Hell"is a truism. Wouldn't it be nice to retire at 20years old with the money one has when old; and work from 50 to death. I personally know I cannot do what I did at 55 years old so I am in a race to the end everyday.
Carol & Jeff,
Sorry to hear about your decision, but you two certainly know what you are doing, so it must be the right time.
You wrote us our very first PM, right after we introduced ourselves on the Forum, back in February of 2013. I know the exact date, because I saved it for a souvenir. Your kind message was a warm welcome to the Forum and to the lifestyle. and a offer to help us in any way you could. Well, you have helped us many times with your knowledgeable posts, humorous insights, and pithy remarks. Your wit and wisdom will be missed by all, I am sure.
No reason why you can't check in once in a while, and let us know what's happening. Hope the next adventure is even better than this one!
Chuck and Jeannie Avery
Now, don't go away, Carol, stay with us! You have been a bright light on this forum. We, who are "moving up the scale" have thought , many times, "when do we quit, or do we"? Making your own mind up, out front, is the adult decision. I wished I'd saved it: an article I read years ago (Trailer Life?) concerned a fellow who "was not done yet" and resisted suggestions that he'd had his fun.
It was a tear-jerking, poignant story where the son had to take the keys away from Dad. We love this lifestyle, but my niece has orders to "grab the keys". ^.^d
Carol, you and mister wonderful will be dearly missed on this forum. Betty and I wish you the best in your future adventures.
Interesting post to us.
We consciously partially retired at 23/33 to enjoy our youth, 500 days dirt biking, 300 days jet skiing, another 300 days snow skiing.
Worked enough to support our fun. Not the correct plan for most.
Worked out sort of. I have a side biz and my DW has had her own biz for 19 years.
While not rich we would not trade the memories for the money ever.
Still ended up with a cute small house near the beach in so cal and a Foretravel u320.
But still need to work some which was the trade off for the freedom long ago. Choices
We did something similar, leaving the work world in our early 30's to take off in our sail boat for a couple of years.
Then retired in our late 40's to address our "bucket list".
Yes, the budget is much more limited, but we are working our way through the list!
Carol and Jeff-- stay in touch.
A very sad time, hope you hang around on the forums. your posts have always been of interest. We made the same decision last fall and just recently my I lost my DW, navigator and traveling companion so hanging up the keys was timely.
Best wishes for the next adventure in your travels.
Gee .... Thanks, guys! I certainly intend to hang around here. Firstly, because I am nosy ... and, secondly, because I always seem to have a lot to say. We need to maintain our friendships with all here, as well! This Forum has been an ongoing tutorial in many, many things ... not all of them Foretravel! We gathered many friends here, by first meeting them and getting to know them electronically. It was sometimes months or years before we ever met in person!
But ... we have learned that you should do things before you HAVE to , so you are not at the mercy of urgent circumstances.
Jeff is having a hard time with the debilitating effects of A-fib, and trying to manage chronic back pain that has no surgical remedy. I CAN manage all the work of setting up, breaking down, hitching and un-hitching ... but I am never gonna love to drive the coach and I do not think I will ever change my mind. Therefore ... we are looking forward to alternate venues to explore and enjoy the planet.
On to the next...!!!
Carol and Jeff, sorry as others to see you go, we met o e time at the Q and had some. Good laughs around the fire ring. Good luck in your next adventure
Regards Andy & Eileen Wright 8)
You can enjoy a coach before you retire. I will be 72 soon and even though I am still running the crane have enjoyed over 30 years of RVing and when I quit working can travel to places I couldn't
would miss Carol's posts if she stops. So don't
Carol -
I can remember when we first picked up our coach at FOT and you and Jeff were there, surely spending more coach bucks. You came over, chatted and checked things out. Having been on the forum for awhile I was privately wondering if that friendliness was representative of other Foretravelers and forum members. I now know that you and Jeff are a genuine cut above.
Like I've mentioned via email and wish to share with the forum - thanks for all your words of traveling wisdom and humor. Believe it or not your posts and Jeff's (reserved ;D input) of life on the road encourage us to keep exploring this country's wonderful byways.
Please stick around and keep sharing.
we are all time and health limited. Unfortunately.
Had alot of conversations long ago with prospective rv'ers and I always tried to hurry them up as the time is now.
Carol,
Back when full-timing, we camp-hosted at various places. After watching a fellow back his rig (expertly) between a couple of trees, I asked him the next day when would he know that it was time to quit. He had just told me he was over 80-years old. "When it is no longer fun." I have often thought that that is the correct answer.
You may not recall, for it has been several years, that I and Carolyn met you and Jeff in a Taos RV park. We finished the evening drinking wine in your RV along with another couple traveling in a FT parked next to yours. Have always enjoyed your wit and whimsy offered on this forum.
Andy1
I feel the pain, and know, at 73, I'll not be far behind. Life, as good as it has been, this getting old ain't for the weak.
Arrrgh! Carol and Jeff, we are sorry this has come to pass but other good things await. You will be dearly missed, the Turbo Turd saga is a classic. We will be in Tucson this winter and hope to see you, maybe at the Club House, maybe somewhere else.
Roger and Susan.
Sad to see y'all go good luck on your future endeavor's sad to see you go.
Carol, we wish you the best. I make it a point to read whatever you post. I have learned a bunch that way.
We always hoped we'd get to meet you and Jeff on the road.
Carol,
Like everyone else, I've always enjoyed your posts and always hoped to meet up with you and Jeff.
After just missing you at Q a couple of times, it was so enjoyable to sit around the campfire with you and Jeff and all the other folks in Tucson 2 Februarys ago. You sure had us all laughing. Great memories!
Carol & Jeff, a little birdie told me a week or so that you had made this decision so it was not a shock. There are lots of issues that affect every one of us and we will all hit that mark one day and have to hang up the keys. Physical limitations are what will get me to do it due to all my operations but hope I have a couple of years left yet. At close to 73 I still feel active but by the end of day a nice lay down feels good. Keep in touch and we send our hugs to you both.
JohnH and Ruth x
Have any of your doctors talked about a spinal cord stimulator or a pain pump for Jeff?
I have really enjoyed your input and humor, and know it is hard to let go, you will be missed, but hope you keep in touch with the forum
Sorry to read the thread headline. But we all are better for having had you and Jeff, in our lives and on the forum.
I remember the first meeting. I had posted I had left my awning pull rod in Port Aransas. In you guys rolled, and do a full stop in the middle of Camp Foretravel. Out came Jeff running, with a replacement rod in hand as a gift. All before parking and attending to your arrival needs.
I will think of you two, every time I mess with my awning. And each and every time I see a Buc-ee's on my travels.
All the best in your futures.
I know you were talking about this when we where in Buena Vista so not that surprised. We will miss you on the road but will make a point to stop by when we are in the area!
Somebody's going to get a great coach.
see ya
ken
So sorry to hear this. And I hope to see you around some campfires again, maybe even Q next year.
Nice comments for nice folks.
You guys encouraged me into contacting the VA about my hearing, which resulted in Hearing Aids and a small monthly pittance which will always put some fuel in our Ol Girl.
You guys have touched many lives. See you in Tucson. ;D
We are definitely sorry to hear that you have come to this point in life, but we do hope you can find some other way to keep the adventures of life going. We do wish you and Jeff the best!
Carol, I am sorry to hear that Jeff's health is a factor in you two hanging up the keys. I've enjoyed your posts and a couple of helpful PMs over the years and hoped to someday meet you. I too have decided to sell my Foretravel very soon so I understand some of the thought process you've been through. I wish you the very best of luck in whatever path you choose to travel.
Glen
Carol and Jeff,
We are so sad to read this, but understand completely.
You guys (and Kent and Peggy) were some of the first Fofums we met in person, and you were the instigator for the Camp FT happy hours. Foretravel and Nacogdoches would never be the same ;)
You taught us to laugh at ourselves, take one day at a time, and I think about you every time I'm in an overly-mirrored coach bathroom or see the light turn from red to green after the TurboTurd in our coach finishes its ka-chunking (thank you for the spare parts scavenged from yours!)
I hope you gave the Nac Economic Board adequate notice of the budget cut....
Michelle
I've enjoyed your wit, and knowledge - and wish we could have the chance to meet in person. As Foretravel newbie, now going on 4 years, it is good to have folks like you and Jeff out there helping us. I hope you two will stay connected, and wish you all the best in whatever follows!
Chris
We are sorry that it's time for you to sell the coach and slow down a little. We wish you all the best in the new adventures that you will have and all the fun you will have (cause) whatever you decide to do. When we first met at the airport in Houston and I saw Jeff's Afro I knew we were going to hit it off. You could not have been more gracious and generous hosts as I looked at your previous coach.
On the bright side, as the owner of your previous coach, I can say that someone is going to be able to buy the best maintained Foretravel around!
Best to you both.
Keith and Joyce
Wish you guys the best as has been said. Life does throw you curveballs and chronic pain is terrible. Look at the small sprinters as an option for traveling. It will be easier on Jeff that way and easy to drive too.
Sorry to see you do it but not surprised- hope Jeff finds a way to deal with the pain to be more comfortable.
We really enjoyed visiting with you and George & Pat in your "playhouse" this past year and when we are back in the area, we will certainly give a blast on the Hadley's and a ring on the phone. Who knows when someone from this forum might show up in your neck of the woods?
Someone is going to get a really nice coach- hopefully someone from this forum.
^.^d ^.^d
Well,
I had the opportunity to meet you in Nac, and you guys were great. Sorry to see you move on to another stage. I must say you will be missed. Your knowledge and input were always appreciated by me. Hope to see you/your posts again. Thanks for you help!
Best of Travels!
Carol & Jeff, we will never forget your kind and wise help during our first FT purchase.
We wish you the best with your next adventures.
Carol, your kindness, your suggestion about changing our oval table to a harvest table, and your assistance in procuring our windshield cover left footprints on our hearts. We will never forget you and hope for you and Jeff only the best.
Norm & Mary Breitrick
I sent Carol a PM concerning any of us old toads with back problems. In Mesa, AZ, there is one who practices NUCCA, National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (http://www.nucca.org)
Squared me away, when modern medical said a intense operation was needed! ^.^d ^.^d
Ditto Richards remarks. Audrey and I really enjoyed our visit with y'all a few years back. Have fun.