That Is One Nice Rig - A Deposit Was Left

When I said I was going to look at this rig between forecasted severe thunderstorms, that proved to be more than I bargained for. When I left my house it was blue skies and sunny after raining for 3 straight hours. By the time I arrived 50 miles away the skies were black, not gray, and was raining so hard that cars were pulling off the road because we could not see. I thought to myself, what a great day to look at a RV.....at least if it leaks I will no. When not used though it is kept under a portable garage so that made a difference.

Well I had brought my bright small LED flashlight that can penetrate walls if it needs to, it's that bright. I brought my small camera thinking it would take better photos than my iPhone (wrong) and my checkbook which I never use just in case I needed to leave a deposit. I also brought all the knowledge I had read on everybody's blog the past few years, plus the new information on 'vintage' RVs from the forums last night, that I had added to the "notes" of my iPhone so I would not forget anything.

By the time I pulled into the drive, the rain had decrease to a nice solid downpour but I could see. I did a walk around, opened the engine bay outside, looked and felt the tires, moved my fingers over the aluminum siding ... it was as nice as the photos. Maybe even nicer. The rig barely fit in the garage so there was no chance of lowering the patio awning but the rails looked new. I put my finger up on the tire thread ... they felt new. I asked, he told me he just put on a set of tires. He then said I like to keep all of my vehicles up to date with maintenance and I did that with his RV. I glanced around and saw his pick up truck, 3 cars for kids and wife, then in "his" garage a mint 67 Camero along with his new weekend toy, the Harley. Everything around his house was immaculate.

So we have new tires, he said he had replaced all the belts but if it were him he would have everything checked out before a trip west. I agreed. By this time it was back to raining to hard for me to climb the back ladder to look at the roof. We moved inside to get out of the pouring rain. As soon as I stepped inside, I felt this was the one. I was immediately thrilled that the seats, furniture was a tan based color and not the 80's pink, purple or raspberry colors that seemed to be popular back then. All the oak cabinets were flush when closed, solid oak and looked brand new. ALL the furniture was nice, stain free, comfortable including the drivers seat.

Already I noticed it had a lot more interior room than my Coachmen Class C I had sitting here over the winter. This has no slides but it still looked roomy. The dining table had TWO legs holding it up, with 2 brackets in the floor. The dining table, kitchen counter and bedroom night stand look purple in the photos but they were more of a brown color with maybe a tint towards that color. All the carpets were between a tan/white but on the photo it shows the carpet over the engine bay being a little orange??? Not so...it was all tan color and in great shape for carpet. He had laid a darker runner over the isle that looked very clean when I looked closer. He had just de-winterized it so the ice machine was punching out pink ice cubes. Tons of drawers and closet space, more than I need or will use.

I was very impressed. I took my LED flashlight and looked inside every overhead storage, along the ceiling ... it did not sag and everything inside the cabinets and headliner looked brand spanking new. I'm serious ... I was shocked to say the least. This model has two single beds in back. That could work both ways...one for me and one for the hounds, although the bloodhound prefers the floor and no blankets of any kind. Or I might take out one bed and install a desk from Ikea to put my iMac and 2nd 27" monitor along with the printer/scanner.

The blinds were in good shape, the curtains will come out because they are not my style. The carpets are nice enough to keep or I can rip them out and install some kind of wood flooring or vinyl.

I turned the key and the engine fired right up and purred like a kitten. The seller lifted off the section between the seats to expose the engine and it sounded great. He said I would love the way it drove. He also said he would not take a final payment until I test drove it and we both knew the weather this week will play a factor on when I can pick it up. It has to be backed out into his yard you saw on the photos yesterday for him to turn onto the long driveway to a country road.

Some history of the rig. As he grew up his family always traveled by motorhome all over the country. His dad bought this 1987 Holiday Rambler brand new. Then 8 years ago the seller bought it from his dad and used it during the summers taking his young daughters and her friends camping. They would tow their pontoon boat and usually camp in state parks, even at 33' long. With his daughters now in college, the seller and his wife turned from RVing on weekends to riding their new motorcycle...thus the reason for selling. It was no longer being used.

I thought he told me the tags were current and it was used but I may have confused him with a different rig because tonight he told me it had been sitting for 3 years with very little use. It has 67,616 miles and no history of any repair work done. The only work performed was routine maintenance inside and out. It is wired for satellite tv, he had a tripod and dish that would come with it if I wanted it.

Some of the features - double sink, full size fridge, ice maker, great water pressure, great condition inside and enough storage outside even with smaller storage bays. More than I had on the Class C. I did not see any signs of leaks anywhere, under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, under the beds, the ceiling and inside the cabinets. Both A/Cs worked, heater etc.

I knew the answer before I asked but I assumed he had a lot of calls on it. He said he was getting calls 15 minutes after he listed it on Craig's List but with his work schedule and their work schedule, most people could not stop by to see it until the weekend. I told him I had no doubt that I wanted this rig and I would leave him a deposit. We both agreed that the weather would dictate when I could pick up the rig, I didn't want to tear his yard up and with the amount of rain we have been getting plus a forecast of 3 more days of rain, I didn't want this rig stuck in his backyard.

We both agreed that a final payment would not be made until I took it for a test drive. He lives 4 miles out in the country on the edge of a State Park and a US highway...so once I get it down the narrow country roads to the highway, it should be a good test drive. He did offer to deliver it to me and do the test drive at my house but the problem is ... I have to find somewhere besides my house to park it. The Class C barely made it up here around my house while keeping it on the top of the bank. It is not possible this rig will make it anywhere near my house.

So remember when viewing this bad photos ... the purple tables and counter tops are more of a brown color. ALL of the carpet around the engine bay is tan, not orange. The furniture color in the photos are accurate.

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Something Local Has Hit Me Up the Side of My Head

I was looking through the local Craig's Lists Monday afternoon, for any trailers by the name of Jayco, Arctic Fox, Bigfoot, or anything else that interested me. Something unexpected showed up not 40 miles away from me ... one of those moments where you feel a bolt of excitement ... I guess possibly that feeling that people talk about when they say you will know when it's the right one. The problem was, this "thing" was way off course, nothing that I was focusing on or planning to buy. No, I haven't bought anything!! I know that Tom over at Tom and Kathy Retired will enjoy this story today. He is a real professional roller coaster rider and my blog is similar to those rides he does!

Anyway I kept looking at the only photos available on Craig's List. I emailed the seller asking for interior photos because the exterior photos showed it looking pristine, but it's old, now what would I do? The more I looked the more interested I got and it wasn't just about it being near me. I was feeling an excitement I had not felt in a long time no matter what trailer or rig I had looked at or bought. That led me to the forums to read about older Class A's, to read more about the reputable name of Holiday Rambler.....yet I also felt those past fears about buying not only a Class A but an older motorhome. What's it going to cost me to fix this thing when something breaks and something will break eventually.

From those forums I read into the wee hours of the morning last night, I was led to a few new blogs where people had bought these older motorhomes and traveled with much success. Owning that 2003 Coachmen Class C over the winter taught me a lot. It was in great shape, still it had some repairs just sitting here winterized. I did my own repair replacing the two oil lines from the filter to the radiator for cooling the oil. I was able to learn how to winterize it, how all the systems worked, and what was wrong when they didn't work. I also discovered that rig did not have a enough storage even for a solo traveler that plans on traveling light. It also kept look smaller and smaller inside the longer the hounds and I would stay in it.

Even though there have been plenty of times where I said I needed to get way off the grid and I wanted to boondock as much as possible, I would be just as happy staying in places like Paul and Nina stay at times in their big 40' RV or where Al and Kelly have stayed in their previous Class A Damon. I would end up towing a trailer, possibly a small cargo trailer with my Mini Cooper inside or trade that out for a manual Jeep that I could tow wheels down...no matter what I would be towing a toad with this rig.

This rig is 33' and would be 13' shorter than my Chevy truck / trailer combination plus would give me 11' more living space than what I had in the Coachmen Class C. More storage is a plus, room for solar panels on top. It would be within the 32'-34' range I was looking at in March of 2013. It has the Chevy 454 engine, so should be able to get a mechanic when repairs are needed plus being on a Chevy frame. Parts should not be a problem. I have googled images for this rig to get some idea what the floor plan looks like. It is possible, that I might be able to take out one of the beds in the bedroom and installing a nice long desk that would include my iMac and 2nd 27" monitor, plus the printer/scanner. A lot of possibilities with this rig, including getting on the road possibly sooner than planned.

So I will know more about all of this tomorrow. We just had our first of many forecasted severe thunderstorms for today and my visit to look and take pictures inside of this rig will be when the seller gets home later tonight before sunset  and will be in between those storms.

For those that believe in and follow astrology, all of this is not a surprise. There is a full moon tomorrow on May 14, which also happens to be my birthday. Full moons are a dangerous time for me. So those that have read any astrology about this period of time will understand clearly what all of this means. Plans, fears, simplicity, life changes, etc ... it's all there. Should be exciting to see how all of this plays out.

Here is a teaser photo of the potential rig. That includes a new 15' canopy, solid oak cabinets, everything works. From the two decals on the back, this was probably used to travel to and stay in on weekends at NASCAR races and the Indy 500. I know that is 10 tires to change sometime ... but like I said, this monster has slapped me up the side my head!  LOL

Trailers Still Being Researched

After more analysis, good blog comments and some emails, I've eliminated the Starcraft Launch Extreme for a couple of reasons. Tanks are too small to boondock and I'd prefer the double axle trailer instead of a single. So I move to other options, but some trailers that were considered in the past. The Arctic Fox is used by many full-timers and is also made by the same manufacturer as the Nash trailer. I like the Arctic Fox 22H model, even though it doesn't have a back window. I have walked through similar floor plans in other trailers here locally so I have an idea what that the Arctic Fox 22H will look like on the inside.

As suggested by a reader, I checked out the Creek Side trailers, made by the same people that started Northwood Manufacturing. I did not see a lot of those trailers for sale online, therefore that is probably a purchase from a dealer in the Oregon area. Traveling to Oregon to pick up a trailer is not a problem for me but it would be nice to find something within 200 miles so I can check them out in person, bring them home to load and learn plus let the hounds become familiar with their new trailer.

The Nash 18L is still under heavy consideration but the only ones I have found available are in Oregon. I would say it's really between the Arctic Fox and the Nash trailers. That they are 4-season trailers are just a coincidence.

After talking to local RV dealers last week there was one common answer among all of them. The reason it is so hard to find the Arctic Fox, Nash, Escape (Canada), Bigfoot  trailers in the Midwest, the camping is not geared for BLM boondocking due to BLM availability. Most camping here is done on weekends in campgrounds, therefore the trailers I am asking them about are not traded in very often and the dealers for those trailers are usually west of the Mississippi River.

Thanks to those people that suggested or sent me links to different brand owner forums. I was able to get and continue to read good information from the people that own and camp in the brands of trailers that I am considering. I do find at times older trailers in great shape that are Nash or Arctic Fox, then I start wondering if that is a better deal then buying something newer.

I look at many sites daily searching for one of those brands nearby but hard to find something close, in satisfactory condition or the right length. One thing I have noticed though, is trailers are not selling as fast as they have in the past. I have a folder for favorite trailer links and its very rare to click on that link to see that it is sold or deleted.

So that is the latest update on my trailer search.

Now as far as retirement and spending all this time at the house after a month ... I still love the schedule, I still have a growing "to do" list and even though I have curbed my spending this past year I keep seeing a lot of things I need to sell to downsize. I downsized a lot last summer and fall, still see more stuff to get rid of. So while I am trailer shopping I am going to increase my efforts to sell sell sell here at home. I want to get down to just one vehicle, my 4x4 pickup truck. I also see the list of things to do continue to grow, that come with normal house ownership, seems that list never stops. From that list alone I can see how people can sell everything and walk away without blinking an eye. Seriously I can find something every day to spend time on and to me, that is just something I no longer want to do most of the time.

The hounds do nothing but sleep. Since I am home most of the day now, I have found they sleep more than I ever imagined. They go on one walk per day and have moved their meal request up from a 4pm feeding time to 3pm feeding time. If the food is not out by 3pm, the bloodhound will come and find me or all 3 of them will stand howling until the food is laid out. Ticks continue to be the worst I have ever seen in the 17 years I have lived here, they are relentless no matter what you spray or use on yourself for repellent.

Thanks for all the comments and emails, your suggestions and comments really do help me.

Deciding Between Two Trailers

I've spent a lot of time since my last post going through the different choices of trailers. Last time I said I had it down between two manufacturers, and I did. That didn't prevent me of going back and looking what was for sale in truck campers, Class A's and trailers. It was still hard to back away from the truck camper. I would have had to tow a small cargo trailer with a camper. I looked at older Class A's but the thought of of what it would cost to do any unexpected maintenance, which would have happened at some point in time, kept me away from older Class A's. So that meant I was back to trailers being towed my the Chevy truck I bought about a month ago.

It was still two different manufactures. One was a 4-season trailer the other was not. Two people that I follow on my blog roll use both of these trailers to full-time in as solo travelers. One has two cats and the other travels without any animals. Both have great things to say about their trailers and have traveled with them for almost a year.

I am looking at two Nash trailers, one a 2014 18L and a used 2012 18L. Both of them are 23' long. Both trailers is over 2,000 miles from my house. Both are in great shape with a great dealership to work with. One is one of the trailers I had thought of last year but I didn't know if I wanted to spend that much for a trailer since I am a "rookie". In both of those I lose the big back window I wanted, but they both have queen size bed plus a couch. Both of them will have a WD Anti Sway hitch included. The 2012 has a generator plus a 20 watt solar panel. The 2014 does not have a generator installed but does have the small 20 watt solar panel to keep the house battery charged. I plan on installed 240 watt solar panels on any trailer I buy.

So, Option 1 is 2,000 miles away, cost $4-5K more than my other brand name and a little better material used on the interior. They have much larger tanks. Both the 2012 and the 2014 are in stock.

2014 18L

The 2nd trailer I found just the other night. I almost bought a Starcraft AR-ONE 17RD last year from a dealer about 50 miles away from me. That is the trailer that Gary Ramsey uses over at Gary Ramsey Travels. This year Starcraft made a trailer called the AR-ONE Extreme and the Launch Extreme. The Launch extreme looks like the Nash, has a 15" clearance and 15" off-road tires. I was somewhat interested in the AR-ONE Extreme, liked the color combination and the off-road features. Yet, these Starcraft trailers have extremely small tanks, with the Gray 15gal and a Black 9gal.

The Launch Extreme has dealers 50-120 miles from me but nothing in stock. All 4 dealers I called gave me the last week of June to first week of July delivery date. One surprising difference from the more expensive Nash trailer was the Starcraft Launch Express is made with aluminum frames instead of wood framing. The Starcraft Launch Extreme does not have a couch but does have a back window.

2014 Starcraft Launch Extreme 17FB

Without continued rambling I'll cut this short and say those are the two trailers that I am considering. Yes, I do plan to head west as soon as I buy a trailer, therefor having the Nash 2,000 miles away from me may not be that big of deal. Of course with the Starcraft I'm saving a few thousand dollars, I can bring it home, load it and get to know the trailer before I take off on the long trip. Whereas the Nash I can spend about a week in the area of the dealer, checking all the systems out and having them fix anything that might need repair or adjustment.

Of course I have found out in this RV world that if a rig doesn't work, you can trade or sell it.