Decisions, sale of my primary residence and preparing to relocate, have been made.
We will try to keep a few of the vehicles and trailers we have
accumulated, as well as some tools... but no location as yet to move
to. A home like this is too much to ask. I don't know where we'll land
so I commited to buy a self contained RV. That payment alone is as
much as my mortgage payment was. Now I have to prepare for fuel costs,
insurance and maintenance. I keep worrying that the 'joad' days are
fast approaching. Storage is fine, but if an estate sale is
required...Any success stories within California?

A friend of a friend got a great job offer in Woodland Hills CA (a bit
north of LA) but was appalled at the cost of housing, even renting. He
bought a used 48 foot sailboat for about $25K-- coulda spent less for
one with a bad motor; it's a SAILboat after all-- and docks it at a
marina for less than a grand a month average. Included are utilities
(including cable, excluding phone), up to two pumpouts a week, a free
laundry, access to a country club at reduced fees, a courtesy car for
grocery or other shopping, and a few other amenities. A similar
apartment would be about $2k a month easy, and wouldn't be on the
water.

(I'm gonna get flak for this statement, but...) Are you sure you want
to associate with trailer/RV people?

In response to the cool idea regards the 'longer boat' lifestyle, the
wisdom I will share is that we are human, as yet not perfect, and the
heights some aspire to are impossible dreams. We ought individually
challenge ourself to be tolerant, understanding, and forgiving of
anothers shortcomings and faults.
We were instructed to; "Not judge, lest we be judged". 

It's the Economy, Stupid (John McCutcheon, inspired by Wendell Berry's
Jayber Crow) http://www.folkmusic.com/f_music.htm

And if I had a job offer after twenty five years in the same county,
that I knew I could accept, I would reconsider my choice of land yacht
over mooring.
But that not the case.
Because I am being persecuted, sued, and investigated by bureaucracies
of the government that is by, of, and for the people; so much for
compassion and justice. So real people with real life stories is where
we're heading, out of the social climbing, eroding too fast, middle
class.