Becoming real Texans, Part I

The last time I took a driving test, I was 16. To say I had a case of performance anxiety would be putting it mildly. I drove the family car, a 1961 Plymouth Valiant station wagon, to the Department of Motor Vehicles office in Topeka, Kansas, parked and waiting for the examiner to join me. I started the engine and proceeded to pull out of the lot, at which time the examiner pointed out that the parking brake was still set. I was mortified, so much so that I released the brake but forgot to stop the car first! We lurched forward. I regained enough composure to proceed through the rest of the test. When it was over, the examiner said, “I've seen better, but I've seen worse.” (He passed me, but I gather it was a close call.)

It seems life has handed me yet another opportunity to humiliate myself. That's because I have to do it all again, this time driving KongZilla. This has to do with our decision to switch domicile from South Dakota to Texas. (If you want to know why we initially selected South Dakota, see “Domiciling in the State of Emergency.”) Why? Health insurance, that's why.

When Leonard, Sprocket and I returned to the U.S. after three years in Costa Rica, my only affordable health insurance option was a high-deductible plan that covers catastrophic illness. It might have kept us from filing bankruptcy should I become really sick, but that's about all. Once the Affordable Care Act insurance marketplaces opened, I went shopping and discovered that none of the South Dakota providers in the network reaches beyond the state's borders. Worse yet, none of the companies writing plans for South Dakotans cover full-timers. In the words of that great philosopher Scooby Doo, ruh roh!

I searched the Information Highway and ended up in Texas where a major insurer in Texas' ACA marketplace was offering just what I was looking for: coverage for anyone (including full-time RVers) at lower costs than my existing plan and access to a provider network that reaches 30 states (and counting). Save money by paying lower premiums and in-network rates nearly anywhere we might travel? Count me in! Now, all we had to do was become real, legal Texans. Sure, except that this sh*t gets complicated! Here's why.

 

Before we could get Texas drivers' licenses, we would have to register the truck and 5^th wheel in Texas. Before we could register the truck and 5^th wheel in Texas, we would have to get them inspected in Texas and get Texas liability insurance. Before we could get Texas liability insurance, we would have to get a Texas address without buying or renting property. Like I said. Complicated.

The entrance to Escapees Rainbow's End RV Park. So many RVers

use the club's mail service that the mailroom it has its own zip code.)

The address part was the easiest. We simply joined Escapees RV Club and signed up for the club's mail service (similar to a service we used in South Dakota). This got us a street address with personal mail box number. Voila! A Texas residential address.

During our San Antonio stay, Leonard took Truckzilla to a local inspection station. Driving a truck onto a lot where a certified inspector can take care of business is one thing. Getting Kong inspected was a whole other deal. Our choices – assuming we could find a station in San Antonio authorized to inspect trailers - would be to a) pack up all our stuff, disconnect utilities, hitch, tow the 5^th wheel in for inspection, drive back to our parking spot, unpack our stuff and reconnect utilities; or b) pack up, hitch, tow Kong in for inspection then drive on to Rockport (our next destination). We chose “b.” Thankfully, there was a station right along our route. An hour stop there, and it was mission accomplished!

In 2013, the Texas legislature changed the state's RV inspection

requirements. Unless lobbying efforts succeed, every RVer

registered in Texas but not visiting there will have to return

for annual inspection.

Next, Leonard (Chief Operations Officer of our little enterprise) checked out insurance options and found we could use Escapees' endorsed insurance broker to get the policies we needed. The broker's office is located at Escapees' headquarters, just a short walk from where we'd be parked at their Rainbow's End park in Livingston. Here again, we ended up with better coverage for less money. So far, so good.

With proof of insurance in hand, we gathered up the rest of the necessary paperwork (titles, SD registrations, inspection certificates and proof of residency) and walked into the Polk County Assessor's Office and walked out with brand spanking new Texas license plates.

If all of this sounds like fun, just wait to you ready my next post where I will attempt to explain the ABCs of Texas RV drivers' licensure, a subject so complicated it warrants its own section.

 

To be continued....

 

Escapees RV Club National Headquarters. The club trolley gives guest tours of the property twice a week.



Rainbow's End is enormous! It includes this community center - watch for announcements about free movie nights, dancing and other fun activities - a swimming pool and activity room where residents gather for daily socials.

Sweet tooth? Satisfy your cravings here with the week's selection of soft serve ice cream flavors.

RV safety includes knowing how much your rigs weighs as well as how that weight is distributed. Escapees offers several weighing locations, including this site at Rainbow's End.

 

The Escapees CARE (Continuing Assistance for Retired Escapees) Center helps full-time RVers who need help when they cannot take care of themselves. Residents continue to live in their RVs while accessing the center's services during the day.

 

Escapees shares the Rainbow's End property with other business that cater to the RV market. Want to RV in England? Adventure Caravans can arrange that. They'll even help arrange for your trip insurance.