If you've been reading, you know it was a mixed bag of highs and lows on our first big RV trip. Surprisingly to me, the lows were all associated with the RV chasis rather than the coach. Other than the fridge door, everything on the coach performed fine and the major chasis issues were road condition related - no vehicle of mine will ever travel another Arkansas road and by far the best roads we traveled were in Tennessee.
The basic questions then became "do we want to be RVer's and if so is this the vehicle we want to do it it" - for sure it's no unless the slight play in the steering and drivers seat can be made right. The coach suits our needs, but I will also have to know the vehicle is reliable as I'm not interested in too big of a project. Lot's of research and discussion will need to take place before spring, but the immediate tasks were to unpack and winterize the water systems.
I've given our restaurant experiences some thought and while we had a some very good meals, several of them were disappointments and I think I know why. Our last trip to Texas was before I'd learned how to BBQ and before Bev and I decided to try to make really good food at home, so our standards were lower. It's not that the food wasn't good, it's that our definition of very good has raised considerably.
After the three RV road incidents, we had a very pleasant experience and liked being able to have the dogs along and have our house with us - on the way home, we even stopped at a rest stop, reheated some soup on the range, warmed up the coach with the furnace, and didn't even turn the engine off.
On the way home, and not wanting any more shaking and driving narrow lanes between concrete walls, we took a 30 mile detour on US-11 to avoid 10 miles of construction on I-59 that friend Joe had just traveled and warned us about. It was a beautiful drive up a farming valley and I was totally comfortable driving the two lane road - nothing like a couple thousand miles behind to wheel to help with that.
A major learning for me, which will require a serious attitude adjustment, is that RVing needs to be about the journey not the destination and getting off the interstate is the way to do that.
It's been a couple of weeks since I first wrote this and Bev has since said she wanted to take at least one more big trip in this RV before she's ready to answer the two questions, so I'll be about seeing if I can get some of my issues taken care of and I've got several potential trips planned - all heading west.
Thanks for tuning in and sharing the trip with us.
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.
One year ago: Snow Dogs
Two years ago: Red Beans And Rice
Larry
The basic questions then became "do we want to be RVer's and if so is this the vehicle we want to do it it" - for sure it's no unless the slight play in the steering and drivers seat can be made right. The coach suits our needs, but I will also have to know the vehicle is reliable as I'm not interested in too big of a project. Lot's of research and discussion will need to take place before spring, but the immediate tasks were to unpack and winterize the water systems.
I've given our restaurant experiences some thought and while we had a some very good meals, several of them were disappointments and I think I know why. Our last trip to Texas was before I'd learned how to BBQ and before Bev and I decided to try to make really good food at home, so our standards were lower. It's not that the food wasn't good, it's that our definition of very good has raised considerably.
After the three RV road incidents, we had a very pleasant experience and liked being able to have the dogs along and have our house with us - on the way home, we even stopped at a rest stop, reheated some soup on the range, warmed up the coach with the furnace, and didn't even turn the engine off.
On the way home, and not wanting any more shaking and driving narrow lanes between concrete walls, we took a 30 mile detour on US-11 to avoid 10 miles of construction on I-59 that friend Joe had just traveled and warned us about. It was a beautiful drive up a farming valley and I was totally comfortable driving the two lane road - nothing like a couple thousand miles behind to wheel to help with that.
A major learning for me, which will require a serious attitude adjustment, is that RVing needs to be about the journey not the destination and getting off the interstate is the way to do that.
It's been a couple of weeks since I first wrote this and Bev has since said she wanted to take at least one more big trip in this RV before she's ready to answer the two questions, so I'll be about seeing if I can get some of my issues taken care of and I've got several potential trips planned - all heading west.
Thanks for tuning in and sharing the trip with us.
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.
One year ago: Snow Dogs
Two years ago: Red Beans And Rice
Larry
This is so interesting because it is something that Tim and I would like to do someday.
ReplyDeleteI found this to be a very interesting post. I've often thought about RV-ing, but haven't done anything about it. I can see the definite advantage of having our home with us on the road, but I do have serious questions about reliability.
ReplyDeleteEven though we don't have a RV, I completely agree about the positive benefits of leaving the interstate and driving some of the 'back roads'.
Interesting Larry---and it sounds like you all learned alot about RVing... Some people love it --and some don't... We still prefer to drive our little car (for good mileage) --and then stay in motels at night... That seems to work for us!!!! We also prefer NOT to take the interstate--unless we are in a hurry.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right in taking another big trip before making your big decisions about the future...
Thanks for sharing.
Betsy
I just went through that exact spot on i-59 (in Alabama between Ft Payne and GA) on our Florida trip two weeks ago. Felt like riding on concrete wheels ala Fred Flintstone. Dang near rattled my teeth out of my skull.
ReplyDeleteYou chose wisely.
This is interesting! We have several friends who RV but I'm not crazy about long trips on the road and maybe should stick to flying. I can understand how tricky this would be on some of the roads out there.
ReplyDeleteThis is all really interesting. We've talked off and on about an RV over the years, but so far, it isn't for us.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with the restaurant reviews. Our tastes have changed so much over the past year or so. Restaurant eating is not nearly as much fun as it used to be! ha ha
Just recently with friends we traveled to my son's soccer game (3-hrs away) in a RV. I was amazed at how comfortable they can be- I could not imagine the maintenance.
ReplyDeleteI smiled when read about your opinion about food changes...That is so true. I find that I have very different standards too, at this point in my life.
Merry Christmas to you and Bev.
Velva
Traveling by car several times a year on I-70 between Denver and our turnoff in the middle of Kansas to go visit my mom, I'm always amazed at the number of RV's on the road. And amazed by the number of BIG expensive RV's on the road. It really is a choice and a dream for lots of peoople. I'd love to see a statistic for how many years people own an RV. And leave it to Arkansas to be involved in a very big family decision - having traveled there alot for family vacations as a kid, I've never been a fan ... except for their lakes.
ReplyDelete