The 2003 Coachmen Freedom 258db Is The Rig I Need

This past week while thinking about future plans, there is always one plan that consistantly shows up the most.  That plan is leaving this spring 2014, with plans of traveling probably until the spring of 2015 at a minimum. In that plan I would keep my house as a base camp, I would sell my H3 Hummer and my Mini Cooper S to reduce the cost of insurance and licenses. I would keep my 1994 Chevy 2500 pickup for local travel during the short times I would be back in Indiana. A few years ago I only had the 1994 Chevy Pickup as my only vehicle and it worked out great.

I also thought of some of the emails I had received and comments posted, after I had blogged about putting the rig up for sale after a month of ownership. I also thought back to the reasons I bought the Coachmen and why it was the perfect rig for me to start traveling in.  Everything I needed was contained, without towing anything. It runs great, has all that I need and seems quite large when comparing to tent camping or towing a smaller trailer.

During that time I wondered "what would you buy if it did sell unexpectedly" ? I had been looking at rigs for almost two years at the time I bought this one. So how would I improve what I already had, and really how much improvement would there be if I were to buy a bigger rig? I had already gone through a million questions over the past two years, and had come close to buying three different trailers and a Class A just in the past eight months. So really I had to ask myself, why am I selling a rig that gives me everything I had looked for?

There is plenty of room for the hounds and I when the weather turns bad. We have spent enough time where it is parked to know there is enough room for all of us after the sun goes down. All three hounds have already picked out their sleeping spots, with plenty of room to walk around.

So, how much better could it get?

I'm trying to simplify things instead of continuing to buy and buy and buy.  It's hard but I am making progress toward that goal.

I can leave sooner than this spring if I sell my H3 Hummer and my Mini Cooper.

The confirmed model year difference, the oil line repair within two weeks after purchase, doesn't change my plans nor my opinion about the rig. There is no damage inside, every thing works and it runs great.

So, the rig that I bought is the one I am keeping.

A Completed Transaction!!! 2004 Coachman Freedom 258db

A deal has been completed!!! 

The hounds are ready and excited to travel in the new vehicle.

After returning home 11 days ago, 1,100 miles without the trailer I was planning to buy, I wondered and doubted my rv plans. My last blog post said I would not blog again until I was traveling. I didn't know when that would be because at the time I felt there was no way I could travel with my bloodhound. That assumption was based on traveling in my H3 Hummer and towing a trailer. After a couple of days of getting away from blogs, 4sale sites, pictures of traveling, etc ... I returned to read my blog roll, look at some Class C's and Class A....but no trailers. These were the types of RVs I was considering in 2011 and 2012 before I thought of going smaller. I was just looking with no intentions of buying anything until my dogs were gone or at least until next spring.

Then this past week, Al over at The Bayfield Bunch, not knowing anything about my bloodhound dilemma, wrote and posted pictures about the first time he and Kelly traveled towing a trailer with 3 dogs in the back seat of the pickup truck. They said it was not a good combination and moved into a Class A after their 6 month trip with much better results for them and their dogs. Al's pictures made me think a little more about having the right rig, maybe the bloodhound would be a better traveler in a different rig??

I went to the Bloodhound group I am a member of on Facebook and asked if there were any bloodhound owners that RV'd or camped with a bloodhound. All responses were positive. So it was possible? I continued to look and think. Long time blog readers know that is a dangerous combination for me...thinking.  LOL

That thinking process had been going on for about 8 days, looking a lot at Class C and Class A RVs. Then on Tuesday night I decided I would do a search for Class C's within 50 miles of my zip code. Three Class C's for sale showed up after that search but one of the three was very interesting ... 16 miles away ... but only 1 picture on the ad ... never a good sign. I thought about it, then forgot about it, then a couple of hours later I emailed the seller asking for more pictures of the interior.

The interior looked to be in mint condition. I never wanted to buy a RV that was from the Midwest because of all the stories you read about rust, mildew, more wear and tear from the extreme weather changes even when the RV had been stored inside. Still, I emailed the seller back, telling them I would like to see this rig as soon as possible. By the looks of the pictures, and the price ... I didn't think this rig would not last long.

The next day, this past Wednesday I got the call from the seller and drove over to look at it inside, on the roof, underneath. The test drive was smooth and quiet. Interior was spotless and in brand new condition.

I called the seller back the next morning telling him I would buy it and we could arrange payment and pickup around both of our busy work schedules. That day happened to be early Saturday morning, September 21.

Just some highlights:

- 25' of living space
- New TempurPedic Mattress
- New Blistein Shocks
- New Fantastic Fan installed center of living area
- A new tow package and brake controller that was never used
- Backup Camera
- Maintenance performed as scheduled
- Preventive roof maintenance this summer
- LED lighting installed
- Wired for multiple batteries
- Microwave/Convection Oven
- All appliances look like they have never been used, they are that clean.

This is the rig I could not pass on ... in great condition. It's a 2004 Coachmen Freedom 258DB

The seller is the 2nd owner of this rig while the original owner bought it new and drove it every winter all over the western states before they would return to their Wisconsin farm to work between April - November. The original owners were an older couple and by the time they sold it in 2012, 8 years later they were in their 80's had put on close to 75,000 miles on the rig. While in Wisconsin the rig was parked inside their barn out of the weather. It was used as designed and taken care of.

The seller owned it for a year, made a few trips and loved it. He told me he had been towing trailers all his adult life when camping but after this first Class C, he would never go back to towing a trailer. That was good to hear, kind of reaffirmed I was going the right direction compared to where I had been.

Currently my plans are for local camping trips with the hounds on weekends. I do have some great state parks in a 40 mile radius from where I live. The seller also mentioned a spot locally where they boondocked, so I will definitely find and try that area.

The only 2 mods I see doing presently are making the overhead bed area some sort of entertainment center/storage area and later installing solar panels on the roof. Everything else is great.

So, my plans for traveling are back, stronger than ever and I really believe I have the right rig to accomplish those travels while having enough room for the three hounds. I plan to retire and travel no later than next spring as I originally planned in 2011, with a desire to move that departure date up before the Midwest winter weather hits. The house stays as a base camp.

What a long, strange trip it has been, backing out of 3 different trailer purchases in the last minute with funds in hand to complete the transaction... but things look like they are finally coming together and moving in the right direction.

Fear and Decisions

Since returning to blogging and stating I was back in the RV/TT decision mode, I have received a lot of good feedback from blog followers and friends via blog comments and emails. I have asked over the months if not this past year, why I am having such a hard time deciding on whether to by a Class A, Class C or a TT and that question would bring a lot of answers through blog comments and emails.

All along I really knew that answer but didn't feel it needed to be public knowledge. Maybe afraid to say.

A friend today pointed it out to me via an email and it's a word that many have and it's only 4 letters.

FEAR

Yes I was and continue to be confused on what to buy but the difference is, not only today but the past few days, I am going to buy one of my options and hit the road. If that doesn't work out, I'll sell it and buy something else.

Yes, my house is paid for but I'd really rather live in a different part of the United States. I grew up in Indiana, graduated from Indiana U and am an avid fan but I also spent 10 years in southern California and  another 10 years NW of Seattle in the San Juan Islands. I spent only a year in Breckenridge Colorado and traveled through many of the western states. I would love to live in a different part of the United States, I just don't know where yet.

I would rather end up in the west or southwest therefore I am putting my house up for sale by Sunday afternoon and sell it as is, by owner.

My best option is to wait to sell the house and then buy the rig and then travel but that is not the only option. My other option is to buy the rig/TT now, apply for some workcamping jobs even though it's late in the game for that and then travel to the job, learn more about my rig and in May of 2014 when I can add Social Security as another source of income, I would then have the choice of workcamping or not. The last option is work until May 2014 or until the house sells and then hit the road.

I did look at and thought of keeping the house as a few suggested or even rent it out but looking at all the angles, being an out of state out of mind landlord or home owner is never a good thing in my opinion.  I need a clean break while I am out traveling. No late night calls from renters or disturbing news by email about a house problem.

If I decide RVing fulltime is not for me, then I move to a place I like in the west and go from there. As they say in basketball "no harm no foul".

Sooooo, it's back to selling as much as I can and/or donate what doesn't sell to the local goodwill or others that need it.

You didn't think I would leave you hanging by ending this post and not telling you my fear(s) did you?

1.  Financial disaster - either have something break on the RV/Tow Vehicle that would cost a lot of money to fix that would put a huge dent into my savings. Even after seeing all options spelled out for me on an Excel spreadsheet showing me that it would be ok, that I had enough income to live on ... the question was always in the back of my mind "what if...."

2.  Regret - selling a house already paid for where you have lived for 16 years. I don't 'love' where I live, but it's not that bad, where I just have to move to keep my sanity. Plus, having to buy a house later possibly where I was getting less bang for the buck .. but like a friend reminded me the other day, the difference in house cost is the cost of living in an area that you love compared to an area that you could leave at any time.

3.  Dogs - My dogs have a great set up here. The field behind the house where we walk every day is 10 acres of hay.  Would it be good enough for them to travel all the time and be outside in the dirt of the desert floor at times, etc, while their environment now is perfect for them? I know they can/will adjust but I kept wondering if it was the right decision for them.

Those were basically the 3 main fears.

They WERE a factor in not making a decision sooner because at some point in time I started focusing on the worst possible situations instead of remembering what led me to RVs enough to learn about them and the places to travel and how to boondock. I forgot about my original plans to "follow the weather", or travel to see a specific area that I had been to in the past or an area that I had always wanted to visit but never took or had the time. Or, have the ability to pack up and move when my mind wanted to change views.

You have NO reason to believe me because I have said the decision has been made before....you can scroll down on the right side of this blog to the "decision" or "decision is made" and see the number of times I posted that....but finally it has been made and I am already in action to make it happen.

1.  Final inspection level cleaning by Sunday afternoon.
2.  For Sale sign planted in the front yard by Sunday afternoon after the cleaning evolution.
3.  Look for, find and buy the vehicle, a Class C or TT
4.  Advertise my 2006 Mini Cooper and my 1994 Chevy Pickup for sale in various formats.
5.  Sell as many possessions as possible before I leave.

The excitement is back about fulltiming on the road, selling everything and not looking back.

P.S. - Yes I will post a picture on this blog Sunday night that shows the For Sale sign in the front yard with the house in the background!!!

I Went With My Gut Feeling

I ended up going with my gut feeling on making the purchase. After my 2nd trip to the RV to look at it again, in the same day....I came home and started having thoughts that lasted well past midnight. By the time I went to bed I had decided I was NOT going to buy it...but thought I'd sleep on it.

I got up on Sunday and the feeling was stronger than ever that I was about to buy an RV that I really didn't want.

What made it hard, was the Rv was very clean, great shape, low mileage .... but it didn't fall into what I had planned. The Class A was my first idea back in November 2011 but after visiting my friends in their 36' Monaco last summer, I had decided to go smaller.

My plan from the start was to "downsize" everything I owned before hitting the road.  Using the proceeds from my house sale to purchase an RV or trailer, not taking cash out of my savings. With this downsizing plan, I couldn't justify buying more RV than I needed.

I have always liked the 24' BT Cruiser's made by Gulfstream, with a couple of slides. I can still tow a 4x4 toad and it is a little bigger than a Casita trailer.

That night of many thoughts, I looked at a lot of blog posts, some forums, some pictures of smaller RV's and knew that is what I needed and had planned for.

The feeling after I called the seller telling him I would not be out for the test drive, was a much better feeling than the one I had when thinking about make the purchase. I knew then I had made the right decision.

On Schedule

It seems that I am right on schedule to plant the For Sale sign in the yard sometime Saturday afternoon. By the that time the snow will be gone, blizzard yesterday but 60's Saturday. The ground will be saturated and easy to secure the sign and my carpets will be cleaned and in the drying stage.

These past few days this week, a couple of small things knocked off my list of things to do but some really important ones. I firmed up with my old friend and college roommate in the 70's, that my custom made Romic bicycle with the "vintage" Campy parts, would go to his son who is a cycling animal. We think it will be a nice surprise for him.  During the conversation I was also able to arrange my huge music collection, would go to his daughter that loves all kinds of music and does a lot of research of band members and different types of music around her job, husband and child. He said that she will be floored with excitement when the collection arrives.

Downtown in this small town, is a music consignment shop. I will be there early Saturday morning checking out their policies, what they will sell and possibly making arrangements to have them sell my old but grand Yamaha Stereo components, with a over priced Nakimichi cassette deck/recorder along with some Polk Audio tower speakers, weighing in around 70lbs a piece. This 250w per channel still plays strong and was bought in 1984 overseas.

After those items are delivered, I will be down to clothes, dishes, furniture and books.

Since I have been downsizing, I have very little furniture left, just the basics. I don't have the urge to sell my things on Craig's List or eBay. I was a fulltime eBay seller from 2005-2010 and although that was a drop shipping business, it took a lot of work. So I'll pass stuff out to friends or it goes to the goodwill and pass on the possible earnings.

I know I may be sticking the sign out a little early but on a busy highway, you never know what may happen.

I would really like to pick up a small trailer like RVsue lives in but with 3 larger dogs and one of those being a clumsy bloodhound that can clear a coffee table off with a wag of her tail, I just don't see how that would be comfortable. So I am back to looking at Class C's and some Class A's since the prices seem to have dropped a lot, and each of those can tow my H3.

Somewhere in my travels I will find the place I want to settle down when the time comes and if that time comes. All I know I am heading west. As it stands right now I will change my residency to South Dakota from Indiana the way it sounds, so depending when I leave, I will be heading to South Dakota to get the night stay in, the picture of the drivers license.

Some may ask, although I feel and my local friends feel my house will sell fairly quickly, what happens if it doesn't sell? Well I will continue to do the little fixes and when May 2014 rolls around, I will leave it empty with a Real Estate Agency to sell for me...but I really have no doubt it will sell by the time I need to hit the road. Don't know why I feel that way, I just do. Once it sells I'll give my 30 day notice at work and if I have not bought an RV by that time, it will be done within that time frame.

There is a Class A in great shape is for sale in this town, so I will make arrangements to check it out on Saturday, although I always said I would never buy an RV in Indiana.

I can't wait to hit the road!

Time To Get My Ass In Gear

Once again, a lull in activity and then the brain cells scramble like I've been struck by lightning!

I have a "ton" of stuff to do and today I have gone from room to room, tweaked my "to do" list and updated it.  It became longer than last month, but it's very clear what needs to be done.

No more excuses.

The For Sale sign will be posted in the yard by the end of the week and I have a gut feeling it will be a quick sale. Even in today's economy, in my area, my house due to size and price will be attractive. Also within a 6 mile area, houses in this area are selling fairly fast. Still it should give me enough time to get rid of all of my stuff that is not going with me.

Last week I called about an Escape Trailer in mint condition but I was on a long list of potential buyers...it sold to someone locally in the Portland Oregon area. Last month had another potential buy, within a 4 hour drive but was on a list of potential buyers and it sold before I could make the trip on the following Saturday.

Trailers??  You are hearing the word trailers again, after last month I let people know I was back to looking at Class A's or Class C's.

I would say right now I am only considering 2 options:

1. A 17' trailer I can pull with my H3.
2. A Class C where I can tow my H3.

Basically I am tired of sitting here reading about people's travels, how great it is, seeing their great pictures on a daily basis and how they wish they would have started sooner. I know the hounds will be fine. I know where I want to be in what month and I have a spreadsheet with 4 options that is screaming at me to get going....plus a few friends.

There is nothing more I can do here and it's time to hit the road!

{edit} .... After I posted this morning, I still could not throw away a 3rd option of  a Class A. Yes fuel is going up in price but it's hard to resist having room available that it offers. Currently sales prices are dropping on a lot of them that are for sale. I would be parked most of the time but like "WheelingIt" told me a few weeks ago, they like to be run. They did have a low mileage year in 2012 with their Class A, about what I would plan on traveling. 

I know whatever I buy will be the "right" one...I just have to get working on my "to do" list and have already started today.

Class A's Back in Thoughts

A few weeks ago I started thinking of Class A's and started looking at those again. That was my original RV when I started thinking on what to do. Last summer and fall I took 2 trips to large RV lots just to look at different models to get a feel for what I liked.

I remember and noted in my iPhone notes, that the Class A felt much bigger inside and I liked that. It felt comfortable. Since I am traveling with not only 3 dogs but 1 of those being fairly large (bloodhound), I feel that would be the best option. I could still boondock where I wanted, would have more storage, larger tanks and a larger area to install solar panels. Also I would have more room for the comforts of my life and some addictions ie: large mac monitor, large tv screen for ballgame viewing and room for the hounds to lay on the floor, their normal position most of their days.

I could then possibly tow a 4x4 vehicle and then do some tent camping away from the Class A, which would be my "base camp"....a little backwards from my thinking of driving a 4x4 vehicle and towing a small trailer to get further off the grid.

It may have been watching WheelingIt for the past year and seeing the places they boondock, workcamp etc ... living in a 40'er and towing a 4x4 vehicle.

Yes, if maintenance is needed, I may not be able to stay in the rv while work is being done but many that I read about are able to stay in the lot in their rv. Gas mileage....if I am not towing anything will get about the same mpg as I would if I were driving a SUV towing a trailer and would have less power. Maintenance costs might be higher, but I have some friends that have had zero to little repair work done. Upkeep would be handled by my savings.

Thinking about the Class A option makes me feel better about making a change. It helps to know I would have enough space for me and the hounds, have the ability to stay off the grid a little longer than a small trailer due to the size of tanks and having more than enough storage even if I travel light.

The prices are low right now from what I have seen. I have never stopped looking at Class A's and C's.  I am thinking somewhere between the 32'-35' range in length.

Sitting here in my spare room that has desks, computers, bicycle on a stand, a large inside dog kennel and is not much smaller than the living space of a 17' Casita I keep feeling I need/want something bigger.

I finally feel like I am getting somewhere in the decision making process.

Oh ... the new job?  I can see myself workcamping as an option by next spring or summer....more than staying and working. My days will be nothing more than one meeting after another .... doesn't excite me.

Back to cleaning out more of my stuff, list things on eBay, Craig's List and donate a lot of it to the local goodwill in this small town.

Snow is still around outside but at least today the vision of full-timing is much much clearer.

Class A it will be.

Will 2013 Bring Changes?

Happy New Year to my followers and the other people that read this blog. I hope that 2013 will be a good year for all of you.

I looked at my post from last January and also the last two posts I had in December 2011. It was quite a surprise actually....and sad in a way.  The weather was the same and my thoughts were so similar to what I have now that I could have cut and pasted those posts for today.

To me that is a sad, depressing find.

I spend a year researching different RVs or trailer combos, read blogs from other fulltimers daily, get great advice by email .... then a year later I don't feel any different????  Really?? I guess in a way that shouldn't be surprising. I at times have felt like I have been in a major rut and I think seeing the blog posts from a year ago being so similar to what I was going to write today, confirms my feelings over this past year.

I think later today around the 2 football games I am going to watch, I will pull an old book from the shelf and re-read some different chapters explaining the "Stuck" phenomenon. The book is called Stuck -- Why We Can't (or Won't) Move On by Anneli Rufus....along with a nice fresh cup of Seattle's Best Coffee. Maybe there will be an answer in there somewhere.

Don't take all of this post wrong.  I haven't fallen off the deep edge. I have made attempts to look at 3 different 16'-18' Casita and Escape trailers, all with negative results. The one I liked the best, had all the mods I wanted, sold 2 days before I could make the trip to see it. The 2nd choice, I have not heard from the owner via forum reply, email reply and a phone message. The last one was just in what I considered bad shape. I got bad vibes as soon as I was walking towards it, but the price was right ... I guess for a reason.

Since they seem to hold their resale value, I may just buy a new Casita or Escape if I decide to go that direction.

"You mean the direction may be changing AGAIN??" ... you ask.

Yep, after 14 months I still can't make up my mind what I want to travel in.  I am just as confused about a RV/Trailer as I have always been.  Maybe that book today will help me sort that out.

Last week after reading Wheelingit, a blog I read daily ... I thought the room for me and the hounds, the floor plan and the ability to boondock on the desert floor is the best option. I was told early in my research, that the floorplan was the most important when buying an RV.  So I started looking at Class A's that were 32' - 35'.

Shoeless Joe is another blogger I read daily, with his 31' Jayco Class C. That set up would also give me plenty of room for my big bloodhound, ability to tow if needed and could get to a few more spots than the Class A could. He sent me a picture of his living room set up so we could match "sports addiction" ideas that would be nice in an RV.

Then there is the all-time favorite Casita boondocker - RVsue - with her two small dogs, great mods and how to do them along with all of her traveling information...so valuable to me.  We are similar because of the reasons to full-time, enjoying being off the grid and away from people. I'll remind you that even where I live now, at times I don't leave my house from the time I get home on Friday until I leave for work on Monday morning.

So those are the three lifestyles I have been looking at for the past 14 months, along with many others that I love to read about. Everyone in different situations, different phases of their RVing and different rigs. All great blogs and a great source of information.

So will 2013 be a year of making the change?

It might very well happen.  As I mentioned in December, due to a change in policy, I will be moving to a different position tomorrow January 2.  This takes me away from an accounting field that I enjoy more than anything even though the job was a PIA at times, like all jobs really. The important thing that might make me change my plan fairly quick and hit the road ... I am not excited nor motivated about this new job ... at all ... nada, no zip, a bad feeling that I am trying to be positive about.  It will be in an area of project management support instead of "crunching numbers and counting beans". There are just a few aspects of the job that I am not thrilled about.

So 2013 may be bring big changes and a lot more blog posts if things start heading in the direction of hitting the road.  When I am not thrilled about things are the times I make major changes ... I've seen it happen before.

So stay tuned.

Thanks for reading, comments are welcomed and be safe!

Is Sadie a Hold Up in the Decision?

As much as I love my hounds, I wonder sometimes if my 80lb bloodhound Sadie is subconsciously keeping me from making a decision. Two "low level" basset hounds are much different than 2 basset hounds and 1 large bloodhound. Plus a "hound" is much different than those smart never run away shepherds. I would have to have all 3 of my dogs on 3 different retractable leashes because even with the older Winston (8yrs old), when they get on a scent, they are off and all 3 can run much faster than I can.

I know this from past experience in the hayfield walks in the afternoon and an unexpected deer shows up within their scent range ... and I know how slow I am chasing them.

So when I see pictures of other travelers hiking with the dogs unleashed, and they stay around without running off, I know that is not possible with the noses of my hounds.

With a tow vehicle that I am currently driving daily to work, that puts me in the range of a small trailer. The more I think of it, the more I could see me and 2 basset hounds doing it comfortably but that 3rd 80lbs of fumbling tumbling hound INSIDE something only 16'-18' makes it seem hard to imagine.

So that is why I asked, if Sadie, my big bloodhound has been the reason I have not been able to make a decision, when I am use to making decisions pretty quickly on other topics.

All through my google searches over the past 13 months, I have not found anyone RVing full time with a bloodhound or even a large dog with 2 other dogs. Definitely not inside a smaller trailer.

Based on weekend observations, my hounds sleep A LOT during the day while I am at work and also while I am around on weekends. Those naps could be on a rug inside a portable fenced area like RVsue uses for her two smaller dogs but when the winds are howling and the rain is flying, the big girl with the 2 basset hounds and I would seem to be pretty cramped inside a smaller trailer when I think about it.

Does that move us back to a Class C or a 32' - 34' Class A?  Even in times of $4 gas?

I have done all of my gas estimates with different types of RV's at $4 per gallon fuel in the past year. I am pretty close to an estimate of 8,000-9,000 miles traveled in a year, maybe less if I stay in places I like longer. Having lived in the west in the past for 20+yrs, I have seen a lot of Calif, Washington, Idaho, and Arizona. So I see myself doing less traveling than maybe some others I read about.

Still, I keep coming back to traveling full time with 3 hounds and 1 of those hounds being 30" tall at the shoulder, packing only 80lbs and a tail that can clean off a coffee table with a couple of tail wags. I will not even get into the drool stories....lol

I could do a Class C or A and used my current tow vehicle as my toad.

More and more to think about.

The Mind is a Dangerous Thing

It all started last night when I was organizing all of my bookmarks, deleting the old/unused ones, when I ran onto some older bookmarks leading me to RVs for sale.  Some of these were on eBay, Craig's List, Mfg Websites, etc. I started searching travel trailers then moved to the Class C's. The Class C looked like a large house after spending the past months looking at different travel trailers. When I jumped to the Class A's, they looked as large as a mansion on the inside. All that additional room scrambled my brain cells.

I then remembered a comment on one of the blogs I read "A Class C can go anywhere a truck and trailer can go" when boondocking. That comment scrambled more of my brain cells (what few are left).

My mind turned to being dangerous, thinking back to my original plan of a Class A or C and towing a 4x4. I stopped looking or thinking and logged off for a few hours of sleep.  You cannot get a lot of hours of sleep if you are a night person like I am, so it's always just "a few" hours of sleep.

So this morning with a couple of cups of Seattle's Best Coffee, the thought of a Class C pulling my H3 popped back into the possible plan.

I spent the rest of the morning updating and adding new email addresses to my Facebook account, so the email would tie into this blog domain name. I guess I have a few new ideas after last night, all leading in the direction of full-time living on the road. I might try a few new ideas online for producing some monthly income. Working online fulltime from 2005-2010 makes you always remember how nice it was to work at home and not going to a job.

The rest of today and night (Saturday) will be spent satisfying my addiction to college football with almost 14 hours of viewing pleasure. At the same time I will see if my dangerous brain cells will calm down a little bit about what to buy.

Did anyone else have this much trouble trying to decide what RV, truck or trailer to buy?

I Clear Out More I Find More

Since my last post telling you about test driving different potential tow vehicles, I have moved more things to recycling.  I have pulled more clothes from the closet for my next Goodwill run to the larger town 25 miles away. During this time of doing a room at a time, I find more things I would do to the house if I were staying here. So I really need to do them and I think some things can be done while the For Sale sign is in the yard.

I am not a "pack rat", never have been nor will be ... but it is amazing how one person can collect so much stuff over the years. I do a lot of downsizing on an annual basis, so this is why it is so surprising to me as I move through each room, just how much stuff has accumulated.

The next thing to sort are books, my music collection and my IU sports collection. What do I do with them? When I say books, I am not talking a lot of books but these are the books that survived the last time I went through and cleared out books. My music collection is nothing more than obnoxious. Ranging from LP's (vinyl), to cassette tapes (over 300 ea), to CD's (close to 400), a dvd movie collection and a collection of IU football and basketball games on VCR tapes and DVD's, dating back to the first VCR player/recorder in 1985.

So I guess I am at the hard part of getting rid of some things that I really like, still listen to, still read or look through ... I am not sure what to do with them ... storage is not an option.

Throughout my busy day at work and the time home in the afternoon, one thought kept moving through my head pretty consistently. That was, a Toyota Tundra Pickup, with a cab high bed shell and a trailer. Still when I went back and looked at some Class C's along with the BT Cruiser that I had bookmarked.....I like the advantages of them and wanted them just as much as a truck and trailer. LOL

Even though I have gotten rid of a lot of stuff this weekend, I still have a lot to do and it's like a never ending battle. I did sell one of my bedroom chests within hours of texting the pics to my friends. I am having no luck selling my spare set of wheels and tires on Craig's List, except the Nigerian that wanted my name, address and phone number so his company could send me a check and his shipper could stop by this small out of the way Midwestern town to pick the wheels and tires up. In a reply to his email I just attached a link of his name that I found on google showing he was from Nigeria...never heard back from him.

Someone at work today asked me if I thought you could RV full-time on a "shoestring budget". He and his wife would love to do that but being cash strapped due to life, I'm not sure it would be a good idea. I told them I have no experience in RVing so I couldn't answer that but to me traveling in anything across the country on a full-time basis, on a "shoestring budget" is pretty dangerous. I told him to talk to another co-worker that had the huge Chevy dual axle pickup and the 38' 5th wheels for the RV experiences, not the monthly expenditures.

So, the thought of the day ... do I want to get on the road the fastest way and that is buying a truck and a trailer for less than I would spend on a Class C. Or do I need to wait? I don't want to touch my savings, like I have said before. Now I do have a savings for just RVing that has been increasing, but the best way to raise cash is selling the house.

Truck / Trailer or Class C towing a small 4x4 vehicle? Or just a Class with no toad?

I wish I would really make up my mind ... very very frustrating.

Looked At RV's Today

I took time on Saturday to hit the road, looking at RV's on 3 different lots. The closest lot was small, family owned but only had travel trailers and 5th wheels. Drove around the lot and did not see anything worth getting out of my car for. I then headed 45 miles east to Indianapolis to Colerain RV's and Camping World because I knew with their large inventory I could check on about every RV and trailer that I have considered.  That proved to be the case.

Just as I planned, I was fortunate to walk both lots without a salesman and only my iPhone to take short notes on what I saw. Sure, I looked at the 2013's but with no intentions of buying them and not even buying anything. With cars I am too impulsive but not with RVs.

I was able to see 2 Class B's, both 2005's. The Coachman Concord and the Gulfstream BT Cruiser both had slides, 27' - 29' and believe it or not had enough space for me and my hounds or more space than some C's. I liked the BT Cruiser better, it was 29' and I had it rated higher for having enough room for me and my hounds. For a smaller rig I have always liked them.

I looked at 3 different Class A's. 2 of them were 30' long and the old old Fleetwood Southwind was 34'. I looked at that not only because I wanted to see an older model with no slides but also it was the same model my friend had full-timed in as recently as 2005. The other two were both Winnebago's Sightseer. Of course they felt bigger inside than a 29' Class C because they are higher and appeared to be a little wider. Yet, when I sat in the driver seat and compared the feeling of sitting in a Class C or Class B ... it just seemed too big and not something I would want to be driving in the places that I want to be going.

I looked at 6 Class C's. From a 2002 - 2012, 28'-31' and even checked out a 23' just to see if it would work with my dogs. The best and favorite of all of the C's was the 2012 Jayco Melbourne. It had 2 slides, was 30' and had every feature that I wanted but was listed at $105,000, more than I want to spend. The 2007 Forest River Sun Seeker really had a good floor plan but really nowhere to install a computer desk by replacing a couch or a kitchen table. The 2002 Jayco Designer had a great floor plan and it must have been a good RV because it had be used and used a lot. It was 31' with a slide but the overall condition was not something I would want to deal with.

The last 3 C's I looked at were all Thor's. I am not sure of the reliability of their reputation but I liked all of their floor plans and have even when seeing them online. The 2012 23' surprised me with the room it had and while I was sitting there looking around, walking around I really felt that it might be a possibility with 3 dogs on the days that we were stuck inside due to weather. I might be wrong after I get out on the road, but if the weather is good, I plan on being outside most of the time. It proved to be an option to look at later. The 2005 Thor 4Winds was in really great shape, the entertainment center was in the overhead compartment, was 30' long with a couple of slides. The 2013 Thor Freedom Elite was 28', had the best "trunk" storage I had ever seen and of course being a new model, had everything you would need. Looked great.

Then as a lowest start up cost option, I looked at a 2012 Jayco Feather Travel Trailer and believe it or not I could see that working with dogs and me. Had a queen size bed in the front, kitchen in the rear. At the same time it may not be made for 365 day rving. The other Jayco trailers I looked at were great but to go that route I would need to buy a 4x4 truck to tow it with.

On the way back I had about 90 miles of country highway to cruise and think, unlike my trip to Indy on I-70 was more like a high speed race and no time was allowed to day dream. It is beautiful scenery in southern Indiana and the highway I travled felt like times I driven cross country. I wanted to see what kind of reaction I had when I got back to my small town and the house I have lived in since 1997. I wanted to see if these past few weeks of saying I am packing up and leaving or in my recent posts, talking of selling everything but the hounds and hitting the road, would make that feeling different as I drove up the drive way to the top of the 80' hill.

In the past, after day trips like these, I was always happy to get back home and it felt good, even if the snow flew or the sun was out and it was hot. I noticed today it was different. I have really had no attachment to this town living a few miles outside of it and knowing no one ... and I didn't feel any different driving through town today either. The town is so cliquish, that it has created it's own privacy with me and that has been that I liked while living here. I am more of a loner than people I know, think ... so it may be a huge reason I have stayed in this location for 15 years. As far as the house, it felt like it was time to go. All I could think about was what I needed to do to put it on the market and things I needed to do to sell everything that I am not going to take.

Didn't surprise me with that reaction but it was different than in the past.

So today was a good day, a recycling run, more clothes ready to be dropped off at Goodwill tomorrow in a town 25 miles away, sun was out all day and I was able to check on floor plans of every kind of RV I had been looking at online. So I am now in the stage of clearing out the house by selling, donating or throwing away and preparing to sell the house by owner.

I am thinking of putting the sign out tomorrow afternoon in case I find that buyer that would rather do their own improvements (ie: painting interior in their favorite colors) rather than not putting the sign out until I have everything cleaned out, painted and pretty well empty before showing it. It only takes 1 to buy and the highway I live on gets a ton of traffic.

As always your thoughts and comments are appreciated and very helpful.

A Week of Thinking

It's hard to believe that cooler temps have hit the Midwest here in southern Indiana. It's 68 as I sit here writing this. Just last week it would have been in the mid to high 80s now at this same time. So, the windows are open, with no fans running.

Like this post title says, it's been a week of thinking, also getting more information about different types of boondocking and camping from people that have a lot more experience than I.

A few things are pretty consistent over these past 10 months since this "rv urge" hit me. Of course everyone has a different type of rig, different maintenance, different lifestyles and experiences. Each has a different rig set up, some have animals, toads they tow, or toys they ride ... all different circumstances.

I have come to the conclusion being on the road will cost me no more than I want it to. As living in a house, with a job and unexpected expenses, or spending money on entertainment .. my costs per month are pretty set.  I don't think it will change much living on the road. Sure, I will be able to save monthly but then that savings will be used later for routine maintenance or unexpected repairs on the rig I choose. Just like living in a house.

One thing I did decide this week, it's not the ability to afford major repairs that pop up on occasion but what I am willing to spend. After a lot or re-reading information I have saved, the Class DP is the most expensive. There are a couple of friends of mine that have these and have never had any kind of problem with them. Yet, some of the blogs I follow have them and describe some expenses they have had to pay, in amounts that I don't want to deal with.

So I think of me and wonder, which side of those stories would I be on. If I am on the expensive side is it worth it to me to have a Class A DP.

More than a few people with large Class A's have told me privately they wish they either had bought a smaller rig or will when they will buy their next one. Hearing something like that, makes me think.

The Class C from what I understand in most cases can be worked on at a service center of the type of engine. A Ford or Chevy dealership, local garge. A place easier to find than a speciality diesel shop and a little less cost. The number of slides you need are nice, sides work for some all of the time with no problems and others have had problems. So is the extra room for comfort worth it?

Do you look at the comfort level more than what it would take to be on the road with minimum cost? Could I spend less on a rig, find it dependable and get on the road without the initial expense I was planning on in making the purchase and be just as happy? I will only find this out when I do it.

Smaller rigs can get into more places boondocking.  Boondocking is what I plan on doing the most of. Free stays as much as possible, that has always been the plan. Seasonal movement more than a tourist on vacation movement.

The hounds, they can adapt to anything I will buy. Right now they are all sleeping together on their favorite Mexican blankets within an area of 5'. They do that a lot throughout the day. So does it really matter if I am sitting in a 36'-40' rig at night while on a computer, watching a movie or reading a book after thinking I needed a bigger rig for the comfort of my hounds and I?

I envy Glen over on To Simpify because he can live in such a small space (A great Chinook) has stayed full-time longer than he had originally thought he could. He travels to some great country and does so with only minor repairs over the course of a year. Yet even in that rig there are places I want to go and stay, where the Chinook could not get me there. Yet, he has some wonderful "front yards" in his travels and easy to find a place to park his home.

Then I analyze what year of rig to buy. Everyone has different experiences with the years they have now or have had in the past. Would I have good repair luck spending less to buy an older model? Or would I be the one that has a 1-3 yr old rig that has repair problems one after another. Some in this range of age have no problems at all. Just like buying a car or truck, new or used. I have/had both with different results .... so that is a moot point I guess.

The problem I have and have mentioned before .... I like them all!!  No matter what class of rig I look at ... I like them and want them. Everything from a small fiberglass trailer to the Earthroamer.

That right there makes it really hard for me to decide on what to buy.

What about a 4x4 Pickup pulling a trailer. There are a lot of people doing that for a number of years successfully. Some pulling a 16' trailer and having a blast of their life while other are boondocking with a 35' 5th wheel. Some of those 5th wheel towing rigs have been towed for repairs while others are great. Wandrin' has been traveling that way for 12 years or more.

Just like owning and living in a house.  Some are "money pits" while other are just general maintenance. In my case living in the Midwest, what you put off in routine maintenance in the summer could be costly in the winter. That is the part, the time spent in that type of preventive maintenance, where I am getting tired of and would rather be sitting in my chair in front of my rig somewhere, watching the sunrise, soaking up the rays or watching the sun go down.

So, you can see where I am at in trying to decide what to buy and when to leave.

I have absorbed a lot of information and looked at a lot of pictures of different setups, heard a lot of different stories and opinions.

I know a lot of what I have written tonight has been mentioned before. I can only guess that when it's the right time to happen, everything will fall into place and I'll sit back and think "that was easy, why did I take so long?".

The range of thought this week was wide. From a Class A DP towing a 4x4 jeep all the way down to traveling in my Mini Cooper with a rack on top with my camping equipment and the hounds in the back.

You can see that my mind is very similar to scrambled eggs right now. Tons of thoughts and not even a clue on what to do.

For those that have posted comments or emailed me their thoughts on all of these lingering questions I have all the time ... Thank You!

Now,back to your blogs, RVs for sale sites, and google images, while I hear the coyotes and crickets outside my open window.

I Started Looking at Smaller Class C & B+

Yes, I moved my search away from Class A's to the Class C 27-31' and even some 27' Class B+ .... I LOVED them!!  I could see me getting away to locations that a Class A may not get. The main thing was, the repair cost. Class A diesel repair compared to a Ford engine Class C or B+ (with sides).

Sure I have the 3 hounds....but I tried a little trick in my house. I measured the living space of a Class B, put the hounds in that area and took a look at what I might be looking at. In a way, I think I could do it....reason is???

If I am parked somewhere out in the boondocks, BLM, Federal Parks or Corp of Civil Engineering land ... I am going to be OUTSIDE!!  Even if Im in a chair looking at the sights, reading or napping. ..... outside!!  I just need somewhere to fix my meals, sleep and watch games on the tv. I can do all of that inside a Class C or B+ and 3 lazy hounds.

What do they do now when I watch games ... they sleep.

I know the tanks are smaller, could decrease the number of days I am out but are larger tanks and more storage space a good reason to spend more for a larger Class A???

I am traveling light ... seriously.  When I was working at home a few years ago, I lived in a pair of jeans in the winter, shorts and tshirts in the summer.

I really like those Dynamax's.  I also like the Jayco Melbourne, like John's.  I can almost see a Lazy Daze, with half of the back room my computer desk and the other side the bed.

Blast away with comments ... I know ... always back and forth

One Less Obligation

For those of you that have been reading my blog for a few months, you may have remembered that I spoke recently of being chosen for an accounting position different than the one I presently hold.  It was a potential new project, with more responsibility, thus higher pay and a longer obligation. Even though the job has not been given to my company yet, I let my future project manager know on Thursday that I had changed my mind and would not be accepting the new position.

This does a couple of things. It does not lock me into working for another 3 years and I can actually leave within 30 days after my house sells.

I feel that is just one more thing checked off the list that gets me closer to full-timing sooner.

Of course I have spent the time since my last post here, reading new blogs, new RV information, reading some of my old boondocking information and looking a RVs for sale.

I am also pretty sure I am going to buy a Class A. With the hounds I don't have much choice in that matter .... We need the room. There will be those times where due to weather or other unexpected things, where you will be inside longer than a normal day. It's those days the extra room and storage will work better than a Class C. Plus, the more I look at the Class A, the more I like them. Now if I were traveling solo, I would probably lean more to a Class C than I do now.

I have been surprised that I have found so many Class A's in good condition and within the price range where I can pay cash. Which leads to the discussion, is it really worth buying more RV for more money when I would need to finance some of the sales price, thus adding a monthly expense of RV payment. Then leave a home that is paid for, with no mortgage payment. Sure, I can write off the interest of the RV loan but is that really a good enough reason?

All I know is, like some of my readers have commented here and through emails, when the time is right everything will come together and it will happen. In the meantime all I can do is keep preparing to leave and keep checking off things on my "to do" list.

Margarita's and Looking at RV's

After another week of wishing I was no longer working....I'm spending tonight drinking some great margarita's while looking at RVs for sale, reading blogs and will later tune into the Oregon vs UCLA football game for the Pac12 Championship.

There will be an RV show in Indianapolis in January, so that will be a planned vacation day to spend it up there looking around and maybe coming closer to a decision.

I think it is down to two options:

1.  Sell the 4Runner and buy a Class C
2.  Buy a 30-34' Class A diesel pusher and tow the 4Runner

I need more room than a trailer I think and as long as the hounds are traveling with me, I need to allow for a little extra room.

Back to looking at RV's and reading blogs....salute'

Plan Starting to Come Together

I didn't spend much time looking at RVs last night and tonight has been all basketball since my team was on the tube earlier. Yet, during commercials thoughts of what kind of RV to buy starting taking over my thoughts.  Between a Class A and a Class C...don't know yet but I have narrowed it down to what features I would like to have in either RV type.

So the picture is starting to get a little clearer on what I want.

I am looking around here and see I need to get in gear and start downsizing.  I use to be a full time eBay seller between 2005 - 2010. I had the urge the other day of just taking a few pictures of things and listing them on eBay and selling them for whatever the top bid is. maybe start with a few items, start auctions at  99 cents and let it roll. I am still thinking about that and deciding if I have time to package and ship when things sell. It would be nice to build up some cash off of things I would normally throw away. Some will be going to goodwill and some will be given away locally for those that need it.

So things are looking up.  I just have a lot to do and need to get started. Once I see stuff start disappearing then it will be a momentum shift.

I like the in class C's I like Jayco's Thor Chateau, Winnebego's and the Lazy Daze really make me think. For Class A's, I am thinking of 32-35', diesel pusher, couple of slides and using my 4Runner as my toad.

Any feedback is nice and I do consider what people comment or email me.

Fulltime RVing and Finances

I spent the past couple of days trying to get away from RV sales sites, so I could see what thoughts would come to the forefront. I read a lot yesterday about fulltiming, about different rigs and what the owners liked and disliked about them. I also thought about a smaller trailer that could be pulled with a my Toyota 4Runner. That might be a good set up short term but I can't see that being a long term fulltiming option after adding my 3 hounds to the trip.

Had another slow day at work today, so I continued my way around blog land reading more of the same type of blogs. One theme that kept coming up in the new blogs I was reading....finances or lack of.

I see sticking to your budget on the road to be very important. With no plans to workcamp, a pre-planned budget will be a key issue before hitting the road. I already know what my expenses are now living in a house, I know that my eating habits will probably not change,  of course no one knows what the cost will be for unexpected repair and maintenance will be but you can put the money aside and add to it monthly.  In my case when I compare living on the road financially to living in a house that will be paid for, those expenses are very close to being the same.

Fulltiming for me will not be a way to live cheaper. It will be a way to live at about the same monthly expense but deciding where I want to wake up each morning. I will be able to chose where I stay and when I go. When I picture living in my paid house, retired and two different pensions hitting the bank account every month, I see my life possibly becoming very stagnant. I do have workaholic tendencies although those have decreased this past year. I am basing that on what I normally do when I have time off during a long weekend or during a holiday. I would get tired of that routine day after day.

So because of that, hitting the road fulltime is a good thing for me. When I took a cross country bicycle trip many years ago, I had a general plan but every day I was pretty flexible on where I headed or when I rode. I have a strong desire to get back to that type of travel. I know weather will play a factor at times when and where I am at. I plan to boondock as much as possible. My main reason to boondock is not the cost savings compared to staying in a RV park, but the main purpose is getting to a beautiful place that is quiet, no one around and hot sunshine. I want to go places where I hear nothing but the nature around me. I can see myself doing that easier in a RV Class C rather than a Class A.

So based on those plans I think I am pretty close on what it will cost me on a monthly basis. For my fuel estimate I have been using $4.50 per gallon for fuel and 8-12 mpg in whatever vehicle I use. I think I could live at about the same monthly expense that I do now and still be able to save monthly for unexpected repairs that lie around the corner. I know there will be some months where the miles will be almost zero if I am at a place that I like enough that I don't want to leave. That will average out over the year if I am wanting to follow the weather.

So that's where I have been the past two days ... reading different blogs and thinking about cost of living fulltime. Just out of curiosity, how many of you spend more than you budgeted for? How many of you spend pretty close to your estimate?

For some reason, the Class C has moved back to the front of the pack for my type of RV.  I think a trailer that would be towed by a Toyota 4Runner with a V8 engine would be too small for fulltime long term.  Anyone have thoughts on that? I know some of my readers have smaller trailers with dogs and are fulltiming. But my dogs are larger than I have seen so far for those traveling in a towed trailer.  Of the bloggers I have seen with a couple of large dogs, they are all traveling in Class As.

I know eventually answers to all my questions will hit me up the side of the head to where it's obvious what I will do, but it is sure a pain sometimes in getting to that day.

Too Complicated??

Maybe I am making this process way too complicated. Anyone agree? I look at these smaller Class C's and know I could live in one of those. I look at my hounds when we are inside at my house, they DON'T do a lot but sleep....some play time but mostly .... sleep. On a couch, their dog chair, their dog bed or a pile of blankets. None of those take a lot of space and are already in a smaller Class C or can be put on the floor.  (pile of blankets and dog bed).

I think that is something to think about for tomorrow around my football games and preparing for snow flurries on Sunday night.

Let me know what you think, all comments are welcome....but really, this RV decision process just shouldn't be that complicated in my opinion.

A Visit to the RV Sales Lot

I decided last week that I was going to take a trip to a large RV Sales lot today, just so I could get a "feel" for a trailer, a C and an A. Somewhere between 28-32'. It also involved making this kind of a road trip with my 2003 Z4 since the roads were dry and the forecast was clear for today. They are saying possible snow flurries by Sunday night but on my return trip today after 12:30pm, I drove around 90 miles with the top down.

2003 Z4

So this trip really helped with 2 things. What the RVs were going to be like and what life would be like without the Z4 to take road trips with.

I started with a local RV seller that was unexpected, even with high reviews online, they were mostly into trailers but I at least I wouldn't be wondering what they were like. That put me further south than I was originally headed. I had a RV lot picked out that had a large selection of all types. When arriving, no one approached me, so I started with the brand new trailers, and a 29' Class A on the showroom floor. I was also pleased that I was not "attacked" by the sales force and I had to ask someone if the sales lot was open today so I could check out some used rigs.

He immediately asked what I was looking for, what type of RVing would I be doing (RV Parks or Boondocking), gas or diesel and what class. He asked what time period I would be looking to purchase and/or leave.  I was able to look at  a 2010 Jayco Greyhawk 31', a 2010 Thor Chateau 31', a 2005 32' Winnebago Class A gas and a 2004 32' Winnebago Journey diesel.

All very nice coaches and like I told him, I have been confused on which to choose between an A or a C while looking at a "million" pictures and after looking at them today.... I still am! The trailers were just too small based on pulling them with my Toyota 4Runner V8. Even the new 29' A  on the showroom felt a little cramped.

Remember, as I am working around these different floor plans I am trying to visualize 2 short legged bassets and a small Bloodhound that still weighs 78lbs and stands 28" at her shoulders would be in this RV.

I know it was only 2'-3' difference but I could tell a large difference as I walked thought the 31' er's compared to the 28' and 29'. The 4 I mentioned above all had 2 slides. Before I made this trip, I was favoring the Jayco models but after looking at the one's today, I liked the floor plans of the Class C Thor and the Class A Journey Diesel.

Some of you may be saying "why diesel", he hasn't talked about that before.

Well during recent research this past week, knowing I would be traveling the mountain ranges of the Western USA, I felt that the diesel might be the way to go. Also, I am thinking more and more of towing my Toyota 4Runner as my 'toad'. If I do tow the SUV I will definitely go diesel and due to the weight I would have to go with the Class A.

As you can tell I am looking at a few options. ALL of these were priced higher than I planned on paying when I started this research a month ago. I might have to spend more than I had planned based on deciding what I need. I will continue looking on eBay, Craig's List, and the different online RV sites but at least now I know it has to have the following:

1.  31' minimum
2.  the kitchen opposite side of the couch and diner
3.  walk around bed
4.  2 slides instead of 1 slide
5.  diesel if I decide to take my 4Runner

So today knocked out the idea of my V8 4Runner towing a trailer. I realized even with no dogs I don't think I could handle something less than 28'  I felt cramped in the new 29' A I looked at and this is from a man that spent a lot of time on Aircraft Carriers 6-10 months at a time, in my past. I just felt much more comfortable in the 31' coaches.

I also know that my idea from boondocking might change to RV parks but that is something I will not know until I try it. So I am kinda planning on a rig that will cover both options as a full-timer. Like a reader from here told me that after he started full-timing, he decided he wanted a "normal life" instead of a "camping life".

On my drive back home, state highways, hilly, curvy ... all too perfect for the Z, I had a lot of time to think about what I liked today. All 4 rigs I mentioned at the top of this blog were extremely clean, little wear. The 2004 32' Journey only had a little over 22,000 miles on it. No body damage of any kind, and with the previous owner installing his large 46" Samsong tv (same size as my home tv), there would be nothing to change EXCEPT, possibly taking out a diner or couch and installing a desk for my iMac and monster size screen.

I also really liked the Class C, 2010 Thor Chateau, actually there was nothing I found to be an issue. I felt like I could get in that and drive away. I would still change out the TV (remember I'm a sports addict) and I would take out either the couch or diner for a desk / computer table. That is where I spend most of my indoor time at home, at my computer desk.

So I will go from here, back to the sites to look around for specific models and sizes. I feel I am getting much much closer to what I want compared to yesterday...in fact a lot closer, now that I have walked around them, sat in them, looked in every exterior corner I could. I also felt good when thinking of selling my house and the Z4 and moving into an RV full-time.

To top off this day, the salesman answered every weird question I asked, added more information about each coach and NO PRESSURE....that was a big plus. All I wanted to do today was look.....plus a 250 mile road trip.