Author: Joe Jones

When the garage pod is deployed to the ground on the passenger side of the truck, I need some way to move it into position at the RV site or campground.

So I have ordered a Trailer Valet. it is robotic “tug” motor that grabs the garage box via a removable hitch, and maneuvers it into place by remote control.

This robot will be used to grab the garage box and pull or push it into position at an RV site or campground. I don’t want to be pushing a 4,000 lb. box around by hand, so I chose to get this robot to do the job for me.

Things are coming together nicely!

04-17-2026

The Trailer Valet arrived a while ago. It is currently sitting in my living room, because the pod has not been built yet, and the truck bed needs to be designed and constructed in order to place the pod onto the bed.

It is already April, and I am behind on my plans. however, it is what it is. I will press forward as time, and money, and energy allow.

I decided to purchase two e-bikes to add to this rig. It will give us some simple transportation for running errands, going on ice cream runs, etc.

The owner took a moment out of his day to send me some photos of the build progress. I am really anxious to move into this toy hauler soon. They will deliver it to a campground near my home, and I will move into it over time, as I acclimate to living in an RV once again. It is a BIG change from a 3BD/2BA 2,160 sq.ft. home with a 10,000 sq.ft. man cave!

I am trying to sort through the piles of STUFF that either needs to be sold, given away, or tossed. It is a bit disheartening to watch so much just walk away for pennies, or nothing. But the money that would realistically come from selling all of it over a long period of time … really isn’t worth the effort.

If I has $20.00 for every person who said they were coming and never showed, I could by a new truck! Personal accountability is RARE in America today.

It is difficult to believe that in one week, we will be Celebrating Christmas 2025. That date was a million years away when I was a child. I pictured flying cars, people healed of all sorts of illnesses and diseases, and a world of magnificent goodness. Instead we have … this.

I look at my life, and it is depressing to reflect on all of the silly mistakes I have made over the years. I have to wonder why I am still here! I have survived several motorcycle and automobile accidents, and lived with a back injury that often tries to convince me to grab a gun and find a quiet place to end the pain.

Overall, I have been truly blessed by God, and I recognize this. I see people around me who suffer greater challenges on a daily basis, and I thank my Creator for the relatively easy life he laid out for me, despite the challenges that I face. When things are going wrong, I have to remind myself of the fact that things could be much worse! I am reminded of a scene from the movie, “Young Frankenstein.” Igor notes, “It could be worse … It could be raining!” Immediately, the rain begins to pour down.

All in all, I am happy with what has transpired over these now 67 years on Earth. I can name any number of things I wish were different or better, but then … I can also name even more things that I am glad to say, were not worse!

We have no snow here in Kentucky now. I grew up in Chicago, and my winters always involved several FEET of snow. I guess ‘Global Warming’ is a real thing, although I refuse to believe that these small parasites we call “man” have anything at all to do with global weather changes.

Lets all try to get through the next week, and the following several years, making the best of every situation. No matter how bad things seem to be, always remember that “IT COULD BE WORSE!”

Joe

Trepidation comes from wanting to know ALL of the questions before you open the test!

I cannot possibly know EVERYTHING I will encounter on this adventure. I could move around and find that perfect place. I could stay somewhere that will become the future subject of my campfire horror stories.

I can decide that the romance of traveling in an RV had faded with time, or I might wonder WHY I ever locked myself into a “Same Place, Same Thing, Same neighbors, Same Routine” lifestyle so long before heading out!

Likewise, I can own a brick and mortar home, but I cannot possibly KNOW that my home will not be hit by a tornado, or fall into a sink hole, or be struck by lightning and burn to the ground. I cannot predict foundation failure, earthquake damage, or worse.

I can’t predict the day I may be told that termites have consumed half of my home and extensive repairs are needed to prevent major damage.

Heading out full time in an RV is about seizing the moment! It is about dealing with life’s challenges as they come along, and learning ways to make the best of any situation, and it is about COMPROMISE.

If money is the issue, I will grab a sheet of paper, or set up a spreadsheet, and list all of the pluses and minuses. I will give each one a score of 1 to 5 in order of importance or how deeply it will affect me. Then I can total the scores and see which direction is the better choice OVERALL.

Property taxes vs. vehicle registration fees.

Homeowners insurance and an umbrella policy vs. comprehensive RV insurance.

Mowing the lawn, trimming bushes, raking leaves, pulling weeds vs. paying a small camping fee to have someone else do ALL of that for me.

Staying put NO MATTER WHAT vs. moving out of the way of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, freezing or scorching weather patterns, etc.

Daily different views vs. “Ho Hum” monotony out of every window.

A house that lets me collect untold piles of STUFF vs. an RV which FORCES me to make smart purchase decisions. Do I really need that extra SERVING SPOON?

A large home to clean once a week vs. an RV interior and “Clean as you go” policy.

Bad neighbors who bought the home next to you and rushing to sell your home before property values plummet vs. “Well …Time to leave!”

Monthly mortgage payments vs. OWNING the RV

Luxury living in a prime RV park vs. boon docking on the south 40 of a farm or winery, or next to a river, or in a canyon, etc.

As for depreciation of the RV … Okay … So … it will lose value as I get older. So I either leave behind a home that my heirs can fight over vs. I live in an RV until I die, and the family can set it on fire at a memorial ceremony and clothing optional beach party!

When I die, the value of what I leave behind does not benefit ME one bit.In fact, I’d like to die OWING MILLIONS! If I want to leave a lot of money to family members, I can buy a life insurance policy.

When I leave my home to stay in a hotel, or a string of hotels as I travel, I don’t get homesick. I don’t MISS the monotony of a static lifestyle. I do not really enjoy endlessly eating at the same places in my town but what are my choices?

I don’t PANIC when I don’t know which aisle of the grocery store has bread or toilet paper. I don’t need the comforts of SAMENESS.

It is true that when I sell my home and move into an RV, I will have great difficulty REVERSING the process, UNLESS I manage to have substantial assets to sell the depreciated RV and buy another home at a higher price. But then, I could sell the RV, and make a nice down payment on a modest home, and simply make payments until I drop dead. So … what is the difference?

Going full time in an RV is not about “What will it be worth in ten years?” It is about, “What will my life be like for the next ten years?” and “What new adventures will I encounter this week?”

I have a beautiful home and a HUGE man cave here in Kentucky, and after 14 years of trying to live my maniacal dream of churning out truck loads of beautiful artsy metal and crafty things, I am selling nearly EVERYTHING and heading out in my new truck and RV … and I am NOT looking back!

10-06-2025

I am now 67 years old. I have tried for the past 14 years, to build a dream workshop full of machines and tools that would allow me to use the skills I have acquired over a very long lifetime, to make arts and crafts, and create things to sell, and to give away.

I was partially successful in building the workshops, which leave everyone who tours them in awe, at the size, and the potential they offer. However, I am also getting older, and arthritis is creeping up on me faster than I like to admit.

So I have decided to go with the NUCLEAR OPTION! I am in the process of selling off darned near EVERYTHING I have acquired over those 14 years, along with everything in my home. I will also sell the home and the workshops when they are both finally EMPTY.

I will use the money to pay all of my debt down to ZERO. I will purchase a truck capable of pulling my massive new toy hauler around the country without much effort, and I will probably end up with some cash in the bank as well.

A “toy hauler” is an RV that has living quarters in the front half or 2/3rds, and a “garage” space at the rear, for desert toys, etc. However, I will be installing just a very few and select number of my machines into that garage space, and use them to make artsy crafty things as my mood strikes me, to give away and sell wherever I can set up a canopy and a table!

The toy hauler is magnificent! It may be the largest one ever made, but I cannot be sure about that. It is called the AXIOM VENDETTA, Model # 4250SP. Here is a LINK to check it out…

https://axiomrv.com/vendetta

I know … HOLY COW, Joe! That things is MASSIVE! I never do anything “small.”

So follow this FACEBOOK page as I post the progress, with blogs, and photos, and videos, etc. This is definitely a new adventure for me!

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582005353023

Joe