Sleeping Around...

No (sadly?), not THAT way - and "hook-ups" might not mean what you think, either!

Judy's, Eugene, OR - price, 'handy woman' work: H2O, good company, guided tours - culinary and otherwise - of Eugene, cat and dog friendly

Richardson Park Campground, OR - price, $25/night: H2O and electric (which i do not need/use), treed sites, showers, quiet, big level parking area, cat-friendly at night

Santiam River Rest Area (RA), OR - $0: nice spot by the river with nice dog walking options

Gail's, Woodenville, WA - $20/night: outstanding in my field!

Franney's, Olympia, WA - $0

French Prairie RA, OR - $0: has a GREAT second/back area more removed from I-5

Oakgrove RA, OR - $0: 

Lightening Tree Campground (CG), CA - $50!!!/night: no hook-ups, grill/fire pit (which, of course, leads to roasted marshmellows!), nice hiking trails and lake shore

Chronological Section:
Monticello Fairgrounds, UT - price, $0/night: no hook-ups, quiet, private, organic smells

63 Coalmine Road, WY - price, $0/night: water, shower available, quiet, scenic

(roadside) Moab, UT - price $0/night: no hook-ups, all night street lights, traffic noise

Kane Springs Rest Stop, UT - price $0/night: no hook-ups, noise, scenic, all night lights

Flat Canyon Campground, UT - price $5/night: no hook-ups, quiet, scenic, flat parking

Echo State Park, UT - price $20/night: water, quiet, scenic (lake-side), helpful staff

Big Sandy Ranch, WY - price $0/night: water, quiet, scenic, horses available upon hire

Grassy Mountain Rest Area, UT - price $0/night: no hook-ups, littered

Wadsworth Rest Stop, NV - price $0/night: no hook-ups, noise, cat-friendly

and don't be thinkin' i'm getting rich with all these economic accommodations!  i spend about $150/day in fuel while on the road. 🤑🤑

DISCRIMINATION - REDMOND, WA RV PARK BANS THOW!

Offering no explanation for refusing admittance to this NOAH certified Tiny House On Wheels, Redmond Lake 'Pleasant' RV Park has drawn a line in the sand saying some, traditional RVs, may pass - and others, who look different (too blue?) - may not!  Discrimination IS alive and well in the (liberal?) Greater Seattle Area.

the back story...

so, there i was...

having decided to make this change, i started my process:

• chapter one: research
• chapter two: funding
• chapter three: design
• chapter four: logistics
• chapter five: the fun stuff

CHAPTER ONE:

as you may have noted, i didn't even know there was a TV show about tiny houses....  once i learned that, i stayed many an evening after work (much faster internet than at my land house) and browsed shows and episodes.  of course, having been an innocent to the world of THOWs, this muddied my waters significantly!

about the same time, i began researching - and visiting, when possible - tiny house companies in my area (rocky mountain region/west coast).  this helped me make some essential decisions....

1. https://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

tumbleweed houses was not the company for me because, as i learned:

a. they do NOT make goose-neck houses and, having spent the past 10 years in the wilds of wyoming, i knew this was essential for my intended lifestyle/flexibility

b. after three contacts (online, by phone, in person), the two sales people were unable to answer ANY of my questions about structure, insulation, plumbing - or anything else other than aesthetics!

2. http://www.alpinetinyhomes.com/

there was nothing wrong with alpine tiny homes, they just didn't stand out when compared with their competition.  (and, now, they seem to be "permanently closed" though i've heard the collapse of a bad lending source hit several companies hard).

3. http://mitchcrafttinyhomes.com/

mitchcraft and my eventual builder both looked/sounded GREAT!  i liked their craftsmanship, philosophy and styles; i could afford their work and both had experience building on goose-necks.  mitchcraft was significantly closer to my land house - which would have allowed for visits during the build - but had not been in business quite as long.  fortunately for me, mitch did not get back with me when i called and emailed to start a contract (there is a very early design stage for which most builders seem to ask $100 - 2,000... at that point, i was planning to start with these two companies and see which designs really resonated with me).  thus, i was not required to choose between mitchcraft and...

4. https://rockymountaintinyhouses.com

this design and build team is amazing!

everything worked.  greg (owner/designer/forward-thinker) freely shared his vast experience and innovative ideas!  jeramy (lead carpenter/magician/saint) "got me" and was essential to building this home that i love!!  the whole team did wonderful work and were great to spend a week with while completing as many finishing touches as possible!!!

more details about what's great about my THOW - built by the awesome gang at ROCKY MOUNTAIN TINY HOUSES to follow.

$2,200 in licensing fees (fremont county, wyoming)!!

$$$ 😆
i budgeted for the house itself...
i budgeted for upgrading my truck...
i budgeted for moving expenses...
i budgeted for staying in durango while working on it...
i budgeted for insuring my THOW...
i budgeted for provisioning my new home...
i did not even think of enormous licensing costs!!!
fortunately, the costs will go down, gradually, over the next five years until they flat-line at $600/year (only $100/year less than my land house's annual taxes)....