RE: Land of the Tolls
Thanks for all the welcomes, fellas.
Glad to have found this forum. I belong to a few clubs at Yahoo, but this seems to be much more active, not to mention FULL of information. Be glad to help when I can with info gleaned during my trucking days, I traveled all continental 48 states in my 22+ years. Still, the best thing I have to say about THAT line of work is that I'm glad to be out of it. I won't dwell on that now, but will only say that it is obviously a lot different from RVing. I drive a city bus locally these days, and we are all a lot happier with Dad's career change.
We are beginning RVer's ourselves, just about to purchase our first "real" RV. I'm getting a bit old for the tenting thing and though my better half was game enough, the last tenting experience made up my mind. It was in the Spring....ahhh, lovely Spring.....when the breeze came up and the tent started really whipping back and forth just after dawn. We both awakened and lay there watching the shadows dance on the walls. With a ripping noise the fly tore off of the top. This wasn't that big a deal but for the fact that now the screens which made up part of the roof were exposed to the very dark and forbidding sky. When we finished laughing we decided we might WANT that fly, so I scrambled out and chased it down. Together we tied the cover back into place and crawled inside the tent again.....as the sky opened. I'll cut to the chase with these two points; first, I never knew air mattresses would float INSIDE a tent...and second, the whole works didn't take long to take down as I did so with a hunting knife, depositing it in the dumpster on the way out of the campground... *groan*
Bought a 76 Apache solid state (hardside) pop up trailer to upgrade and use for awhile, and still have it, actually. We've had a lot of fun with it, but the wife doesn't like it though, so we've outgrown it. I'll be tweaking it and putting it up for sale after the season starts. At first the Apache was fine, but for some reason she doesn't like doing the "flashlight-at-2:00 AM-on-the-way-to-the-facilities" routine. My offer of a port-a-potty was not met with the same warm spirit it was offered, either. "If you think I'm just getting out in the open next to the table to......!". :blackeye: "Hokay, baby! a TT or MH with a bathroom and some more modern things it'll be".
Started looking and after much consideration and elimination it has come down to two, one of which I will own within a week or so. This is a GREAT time to shop where we are, the prices are down. Just bring your snow shovel to dig it out if you want to go for a test drive.... Anyway, the two are both Class C. I was looking at Class A's as well, but decided to stick with the C's. One is a 1973 Winnebago Minnie Winnie in pretty good shape. Working everything including furnace, stove, fridge on gas AND A/C, bathroom reportedly working as well, but unable to check due to temperature here plus it's been winterized, of course. No A/C. Interior has the expected 35 year wear. 37,000 miles. Has some rust, which may or may not be acceptable. $1,500.00 (purportedly firm). He wants to throw a small genny in with the deal. The guy has been very good about staying in touch and wants to close a deal, but I'm holding him off until I get a chance to see the other one. That Winnebago is the second choice. FIRST choice is a 1978 Chevy (body by ?) that appears to be in camping show condition. Also a Class C, this one is IMMACULATE, also has low miles, and wasn't really used to speak of. Good A/C, roof and dash. Again, working everything, except it is spotless. No genny with this one. The expected 30 years of wear is NOT there. It was Grandma and Grandpa's camper from what I understand. When they no longer needed it the kid got it, had no use for it, and sold it immediately to the current owner. THIS person used it to pull a horse trailer to his kid's horse shows, use as a changing room for the kid, day room and cooking/dining area with rest room on site, and very occasionally actually sleep in it at the shows. Got a new tow vehicle and a horse trailer with built in living quarters so has no further use for the MH. Our schedules won't mesh until after Christmas, so we decided I'd come see him/probably make the deal then. It's a little more than the first, plus 5 years younger, plus it sure seems in a lot better shape. $1,800.00 and we haven't discussed bargaining yet. My gut feeling is that if it's remotely near as nice as the pictures I was sent it'll be worth what he is asking for it, no doubt. You think? I'll let you guys know how it goes.
Thanks again for letting me be part of the forum. TTYL.
Tom