They prefer fifth-wheel life

Bill and Barbara Parsons live out of their suitcase. “Whenever we get the itch to go,” says Bill Parsons, “we hook up our truck to the suitcase and hit the road.”

The Parsons’ suitcase is a 2007 34-foot Montana fifth-wheel trailer built by Keystone RV Co. in Goshen, Ind.

For six years the Diamond Lake, Wash., couple have lived full time on wheels.

In 1999, after Bill Parsons developed severe back problems, they sold their stick-built house in Spokane, eventually saying goodbye to all the upkeep on owning a home.

“Bill couldn’t handle the yard work anymore, and I got tired of doing it,” says Barbara Parsons. “So we decided it was time to downsize and move into a fifth wheel full time.”

The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association estimates approximately 1 million people in the United States choose live in their RVs full time.

The rig

The Parsons, who have been RVing since the mid-‘70s, selected the Montana fifth wheel because of its floor plan and top-notch insulation.

“Right now we are spending our winters in the Northwest, and the Montana is designed for four-seasons living,” says Bill Parsons.

A fifth wheel, unlike a conventional travel trailer, has a raised forward section that allows for a bi-level floor plan. It is designed to be towed by a pickup equipped with a hitch mounted on the bed of the truck.

The Parsons’ floor plan, with its four slide outs, is right at 400 square feet, the maximum legal size for a recreational vehicle.

“The slides give us plenty of room in the living and dinning areas,” says Barbara Parsons. “I have an L-shaped kitchen bar, and there is storage everywhere.”

The Parsons selected the tan and dark green color scheme, computer workstation and electric fireplace under the entertainment system.

“I wouldn’t change a thing about the way we live now,” says Barbara Parsons. “You go through phases in your life, and this is a phase that Bill and I love. I would never go back to owning a house.”