Going it alone

tawoo · 08-07-2015, 05:25 AM

I hate winters! No, seriously after the last one I don't think I can handle the next one. I'm retired and have a beautiful camper and truck. I'd love to hook it up and head to Florida in January and stay for a couple of months but here's the problem..
My wife still works. She can't leave for that long so I'm thinking of going solo. I don't know if it will be a great time or a boring experience. Also, pulling a camper 1500 miles from upstate NY on icy winter roads terrifies me.
Should I or should I not go for it?

TWP723 · 08-07-2015, 05:29 AM

If you're retired and hate winters in the Northeast, you need to consider a life change my brotha! Sounds to me that you and momma need to pack up and move to Florida. She can get a job there.

tawoo · 08-07-2015, 05:32 AM

Are you kidding me?? Seperate her from her sisters? Ya, right. I'd REALLY be going it alone...

TWP723 · 08-07-2015, 05:46 AM

Ahhh..one of those situations. Hmmm.

TWP723 · 08-07-2015, 05:48 AM

My wife's family live here as well. She wouldn't even consider moving anywhere. So I'm gonna be a retired, cold, broke SOB.

Tunce the traveler · 08-07-2015, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tawoo

I hate winters! Also, pulling a camper 1500 miles from upstate NY on icy winter roads terrifies me.
Should I or should I not go for it?

Take it down early with the DW about Oct-Nov. and leave it there and that could be from N.Carolina to Florida. Pick it up later, on your winter trip to your final destination. Fly her down to spend a weekend every now and then during your winter stay.

bedrck46 · 08-07-2015, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tawoo

I hate winters! Should I or should I not go for it?

Just my opinion But I think you are asking the wrong people that question.

That should be a question you should ask your wife and that all depends on what condition your relationship is in.

Lifespalette · 08-07-2015, 07:43 AM

I look at it this way.....one can buy a whole lot of winter clothing, even the high tech stuff with built-in heaters, far cheaper than replacing a wife......just sayin.

Camper_bob · 08-07-2015, 07:52 AM

I told my wife the other day that I was going to go thru-hike the Appalachian Trail; I need to discover my self. I'd be back in about 7 months.

She said when my newly discovered "self" got back, she and my son wouldn't be here, and if they were, the locks would be changed and my stuff would be gone.

Just for reference, we have, without a doubt, the absolute strongest marriage out of ALL the people we know.

Just sayin', tread lightly.

Tunce the traveler · 08-07-2015, 07:55 AM

My wife and I have done many solos over the last 40+ years and it's no big deal.

Ottawasteve · 08-07-2015, 08:01 AM

Love camping at Fishcreek and Rollins during the summer but tough to find a camping spot November through March.

I say go for it. Your first day getting out of the Adirondacks is going to be the difficult part if you get bad weather. As long as you are flexible on departure date, you should be able to find a clear sunny day with no snow in the forecast, you should be able to get clear of snow covered roads in 12 to 15 hours of towing, probably less. Pick some place near a major airport in Fla. as Odgensburg, Plattsburg or even Syracuse will have some great deal on flights at the off peak times and if your wife can link some days off with a long weekend, she might appreciate stepping onto a plane in dead of winter and stepping off a plane with a short trip to the wheeled palace that is already set up. Just make sure you set up somebody to clean the driveway before you leave

bedrck46 · 08-07-2015, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tunce the traveler

My wife and I have done many solos over the last 40+ years and it's no big deal.

To you and your wife it may be no big deal But I would also bet that you didn't ask others for their opinion.
and that sounds like something you both agreed to and for you it works.

But in the OP's case he states that no way will she leave her sisters. In My Opinion it sounds like he is asking the forum so he has something to tell the wife that so many agree but in reality although he may wear the pants in the family is appears that she carries the belt that holds them up.

33 RLDS · 08-07-2015, 08:07 AM

That's why they sell snowmobiles. Makes you wish for winter !!! Let it Snow!!

Lifespalette · 08-07-2015, 08:15 AM

Camper_Bob....are our wives related? I asked mine if I could go to Alaska on a solo trip....she said sure......and that she hoped I really liked Alaska cause I might as well make it my "new" home. We've been married for 17 years and have yet to have the first disagreement..........but then it's a second marriage for both us and I think we've learned a thing or two in our golden years......btw, haven't made it to Alaska yet. She's perfectly happy for me to take off for a week or so on my solo fly fishing campouts here in TN or Arkansas........the grass doesn't grow that fast that missing a week mowing isn't doable......

mike837go · 08-07-2015, 08:18 AM

Voice of Experience, "Divorce is VERY expensive! and costs much more than just money."

My opinion: Buy more winter clothing and tough it out until she retires. Then discuss the possibilities of wintering in Virginia or North Carolina. Less than a day's drive from NY and much less snow.

Marriage is about compromise. A lesson I learned too late!

clubhouse · 08-07-2015, 08:47 AM

I travel for work extensively, doing so has showed me that I really miss my wife and kids while I am gone.

There is no way I would chose to leave my wife behind for several weeks or months to escape the snow and cold.

I might try to schedule a vacation with her mid-winter to a warm location in order to break up the season, but certainly wouldn't "go it alone". Just my .02

tawoo · 08-07-2015, 08:51 AM

Hey, maybe I should have asked Dear Abby this question. Anyway here's the situation. We’ve been married for 25 years and literally stuck at the hip. Very good marriage so no complaints there. It's just the darn winters and her nursing job. She has a couple more years to go and I can't wait. I hear people go on vacations separately but that's something we've never done.
No, it won’t cause a divorce I just don’t know if I’d be bored. Warm but bored.
.

clubhouse · 08-07-2015, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tawoo

Hey, maybe I should have asked Dear Abby this question. Anyway here's the situation. We’ve been married for 25 years and literally stuck at the hip. Very good marriage so no complaints there. It's just the darn winters and her nursing job. She has a couple more years to go and I can't wait. I hear people go on vacations separately but that's something we've never done.
No, it won’t cause a divorce I just don’t know if I’d be bored. Warm but bored.
.

Is she a RN? If so can she take a leave of absence and pick up per diem work in Florida, or whereever you head south. Per diem pays very well, easily cover the cost of COBRA if you are using her insurance. If she only has a couple years to go, then maybe she would only need to so this 1 or 2 winters.

Not sure what type of nurse she is, but if she is ED or Critical Care she should have no issues picking up shifts whereever you chose to winter.

bedrck46 · 08-07-2015, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tawoo

Hey, maybe I should have asked Dear Abby this question. Anyway here's the situation. We’ve been married for 25 years and literally stuck at the hip. Very good marriage so no complaints there. It's just the darn winters and her nursing job. She has a couple more years to go and I can't wait. I hear people go on vacations separately but that's something we've never done.
No, it won’t cause a divorce I just don’t know if I’d be bored. Warm but bored.
.

Only you can answer if you will bored or not. But as I posted earlier this is a question you should be asking your wife. And I think that even Dear Abby would give you the same advice.

Camper_bob · 08-07-2015, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tawoo

Hey, maybe I should have asked Dear Abby this question. Anyway here's the situation. We’ve been married for 25 years and literally stuck at the hip. Very good marriage so no complaints there. It's just the darn winters and her nursing job. She has a couple more years to go and I can't wait. I hear people go on vacations separately but that's something we've never done.
No, it won’t cause a divorce I just don’t know if I’d be bored. Warm but bored.
.

I dunno, I see what you're saying. But at the same time, I would miss my wife terribly. And in my example above about the AT Thru-Hike, I would miss my wife and son SO much. Aside from not having a home when I got back, that alone would keep me from going.

For me personally, I wouldn't worry about being bored, but DW and I do EVERYTHING together. I would hate to go off for long periods of time and see and do stuff that I would only get to tell her about, that we didn't get to see and do together. There's just so much to experience together ...

A week or two here and there is one thing, but months apart is different. My dad traveled A LOT when I was growing up, and it was HARD on my mom not to have her partner around.

You may also like: