LIving in A Fifth - Wheel: Year Five

More and more people are living in RVs -- partly because it can be cheaper, but also because it's much easier to move around. And when you've got a yen for travel, or just enjoy wandering, it's a pleasure to be able to sleep in your own bed at night, whether you're in Dubuque or Wichita.

It's hard to believe that we are starting on Year Five for living in our fifth-wheel...but there you go. For most of the year, it's parked on our friends' ranch. We pay our utilities and internet costs, house-sit on occasion, and help out with all the jobs that a ranch requires. They seem to appreciate having us around, particularly for last-minute needs. In turn, we try to be considerate neighbors in an area that's quiet and incredibly beautiful. The ranch is in a valley next to the Rockies that very few people know about -- and as far as we and they are concerned, it can stay that way. It's very peaceful here. 

We had planned to do a lot more traveling, pulling the fifth-wheel, but horrendous gas prices have shoveled that idea into the hopper. Just to haul it back to Colorado, after the Mama's death in the winter of 2022 in Michigan, cost more than $2000. Yikes. So we mostly leave it parked, and find other ways to go. 

Our 32-foot Arctic Fox trailer is well-designed. It allows plenty of room to cook -- as long as you're willing to swap out counter space and keep your pots & pans in the oven. (Which I am - and do.) If we behave ourselves and keep things put away, there's also enough room to pass each other in the 'hallway' that runs from the bedroom, down the steps, through the kitchen. 

     I love the electric fireplace. The tv/dvd player. The comfortable chairs we have for use at night. We have a surprising amount of room in the refrigerator and the "basement" storage space. There's even a 'laundry room' chute that takes dirty clothes down to the basket below. 

We replaced the old roof with a custom one guaranteed never to leak. (Our previous trailer was totalled after an insurance person noticed extensive roof leaks -- inside the walls. Never again.) Even in the extra-wet, cold spring, the fifth-wheel has endured like a champ. Wind, rain, hail -- it made no difference, even when the trailer was shaking in high wind like a wet dog. 

The shower is comfortable; so is the bed. It's a real pleasure on a cold, rainy night to take a hot shower and snuggle into bed, with a circle of lamplight above for reading. 

So what are the negatives?

The trailer is easily cleaned -- and just as easy to get messy.  Repair and other projects can really scatter stuff around. Like any house, the trailer has needed maintenance, including emptying the black and gray water tanks, filling and replacing the propane tanks, and keeping general repairs. (The kitchen sink has been a particular issue, needing leaks fixed and the faucet replaced.) The hot water tank is smaller -- which means dishwashing and long hot showers can't happen at the same time. (But the tank only takes an hour to heat up again.)

The trailer is generally quite comfortable -- but can get chilly duirng the winter months. We've been looking for land we can build a small house on, then park the trailer alongside. That way, it would be extra living space, and a comfortable spot for guests. 

Until then, we'll keep on living in our snug fifth-wheel.