Solos: What's your rig?

[teedub]

Originally Posted by traveldogs

Oh....not too far! Are you planning any trips next year?

If all goes well most definitely . How about you?

[Cubey]

A 1978 Dodge B300 chassis Xplorer 228 (228 inches = 19ft) with hitch mounted bike carrier on the rear. It's rather dwarfed by other RVs but it gets about 10mpg hwy and can be driven and parked almost anywhere.

It also doesn't stick out like taller Class B's with 2-3ft tall roof add-ons, which might be why I have actually gotten away with parking in Anytime Fitness parking lots a few times without being harassed. (I have membership to them, so I do have a right to be there.. heh)

It looks so much like a normal van, people often ask if I converted it myself or if it 'came that way'.

[traveldogs]

Originally Posted by teedub

If all goes well most definitely . How about you?

Oh yes, to the Ozarks to visit my dad....go every year to see him.

[rodsterinfl]

Great thread, just found it today- almost a year later! I too was at the show in Tampa in Jan looking at all types of rigs. Thing is, I jumped and bought a used Airstream but still wanted to continue looking anyway. I want to toss some of my realizations into the mix. When I started looking about four years ago I fell for the 24' View. It seemed perfect for solo camping. I was still trying to qualify my own need with how I planned to stay in the camper. I wanted more than a vacation rig. I was looking for a 3-5 month rig. Although not full-time it was long enough to realize that some limitations could be a challenge. When I reviewed rig types, everyone kept steering me to a motorhome but the more I shopped for extended rather than full-time stays, I came to find that there were differences for solo travelers. The motorhome benefits were diminished- all except that of having to get out to get in. The going to the bathroom, do other things while traveling or not towing were all a wash as I would have to stop to do anything and most motorhome peeps tow something anyway. Add to that greater expenses and well, you can see why I leaned toward a towable. The View had storage challenges.

I wanted to mention that I spent quite a bit of time Jodi looking at a Vista 26E while at the show. I boon docked in the parking lot in the stream! I used my carefully measured AS capacities as a benchmark. Interestingly this is what I found in comparing my 25' twin AS to a Vista 26E. The Vista has less interior space, slightly more exterior space and livability is a wash. I measured the spaces and yes, I too got some odd looks. I compared some other similarly sized coaches and found varying results. While the towables seemed smaller, they tended to have more space inside. When you add the truck bed 70 cu ft. plus rear cab of truck, it overcame similar sized motorhomes. Airstreams vary too in their exterior storage quantity. Twin models have the most (3 trunks).

That said, I began considering if I wanted to go Full time in the near future. I found some class A coaches that gave trailers a run for their money - especially in livability or having open space condo-style per se. I walked away realizing that multi-purpose areas were critical with counter space and comfortable seating. The challenge? To find one that allowed for camping in most any park size-wise. I learned that by pretending to make reservations at parks you can often find size cutoffs or spaces available for particular sized rigs. I found that 30 is the largest size with the most options before the number of lot spaces begin to diminish greatly. Thirty is small for a class A motorhome though so next up is the 35 or so. Again, this depends on how often you move around which, I plan on doing.

The jury is out on my plan to use the Airstream 25 3-5 months or go full time in something else. At this point I have spent a lot on the current plan and have not gotten to the 3-5 part yet. We will see. I hope this post offers some food for thought to you.

[kwilke859]

I am going fulltime in a 34 ft Class A. I had a very difficult time deciding between getting a 5th wheel of about 32 ft or a Class A of about 32 ft. What finally leaned me toward a Class A MH is a strong preference for a Jeep Wrangler as a get around vehicle rather than a huge pickup. Also not having to deal with backing up a trailer. It was still a close call.If I had not gotten the deal I wanted on my motorhome I was going to walk out of the dealer and go truck and trailer shopping.

You're right about a trailer of the same length having more living space than a MH. I looked at a 34 ft trailer I liked a lot and it had more living space than my MH.

Another minor issue and difference I recently had to deal with for the first time is the issue of propane refills. With a trailer it is no big deal, with a motorhome you have schedule a propane truck to come refill you.

[markandkim]

I am definately going for the FW when its my time. I never have been without a truck in my life. I dont even know what a car or suv feels like. Just a truck guy, I guess. Wife will drive truck over MH anyway.

[so47]

I live in a 34' class A. It has three slides. Some people have issues with them, but most of us do not. Personally, I could not full time without them. My rig has opposing slides in the living area which create a room that is 12' W X 14'. L . That's measured from the back of the driver's seat. Since I'm by myself, I don't turn the driver or passenger chairs around, but if I did then that would add 3' more of living area. Some more to think about.

[traveldogs]

Originally Posted by so47

I live in a 34' class A. It has three slides. Some people have issues with them, but most of us do not. Personally, I could not full time without them. My rig has opposing slides in the living area which create a room that is 12' W X 14'. L . That's measured from the back of the driver's seat. Since I'm by myself, I don't turn the driver or passenger chairs around, but if I did then that would add 3' more of living area. Some more to think about.

That space is bigger than my spare bedrooms!

The problem I see right off is trying to put out the slides in a too small space, or when boondocking, and they don't want you to look like your "camping."

Do you ever run into that problem?

Just wondering....

[so47]

Helllation, it's bigger than my first living room in a s+b. Lol! Boon-docking is not something you do in a parking lot. So the slides are not a size issue anywhere I've been so far, but I am a relative noob. What I know about this new life is dwarfed by what I don't. But that kinda seems normal to me, since in my former non-mobile life I was sure I knew about 10 or 20% of what I should. But I can deal with that. It's kinda fun to figure things out ( except when figuring things out equates to reaching for my wallet). I think collectively, these forums on IRV2 will slowly but surely fill in all the gaps in not just my knowledge but in my confidence that I am doing what I need to do to roll on down the road when ever and where ever I want. The freedom is really overwhelming. It took a bit of time for me to get used to not having to do anything, go anywhere or answer the clock. But I'm starting to enjoy the blank canvas. A lot.

[kwilke859]

It does take a while to figure out all the systems and to get used to the freedom. After a month and half I still have to remind myself that I am not on a long vacation and there is no house to return to.

[traveldogs]

Originally Posted by so47

Helllation, it's bigger than my first living room in a s+b. Lol! Boon-docking is not something you do in a parking lot. So the slides are not a size issue anywhere I've been so far, but I am a relative noob. What I know about this new life is dwarfed by what I don't. But that kinda seems normal to me, since in my former non-mobile life I was sure I knew about 10 or 20% of what I should. But I can deal with that. It's kinda fun to figure things out ( except when figuring things out equates to reaching for my wallet). I think collectively, these forums on IRV2 will slowly but surely fill in all the gaps in not just my knowledge but in my confidence that I am doing what I need to do to roll on down the road when ever and where ever I want. The freedom is really overwhelming. It took a bit of time for me to get used to not having to do anything, go anywhere or answer the clock. But I'm starting to enjoy the blank canvas. A lot.

So they don't look at you funny at the WM parking lots? Lol!

I agree, if I was a fulltimer I'd be overwhelmed. I'd be worried I'd not be able to find enough to do that I be stimulated...but not too stimulated.

You're also right about these forums. They are a wealth of information. For example it helped me with my tow bar for my toad, which I had trouble with.

Do you pull a toad?

[so47]

I've been following this and other forums for a couple years now. I have read the back and forth discourse on overnighting there. I NEVER open my slides at wallyworld, but if I did I would never say so on a forum.

[so47]

Why? Because of the wal-mart police who know the rules of overnighting there. They know slides and gen-sets are not permitted. I don't know how they came across this knowledge but I do know they have great conviction in this. So I overnight at a W once in a while and sweat or freeze as I listen to a TT refer unit next to me run all night at 60+DBS. NOT. I park with one side or the other on a curb and pop one slide in the living area. If it's hot, the gen runs. And if it's not hot, I will put my jacks down if I need to. And if it's hot, I will put put pads down under my jacks. So far so good. I have never left a trace of my passage. But I don't weigh in like the the big boys. I'm only ( ha only! ) 25K. But yikes that was so nice getting off my chest how I felt about the people who want to tell the rest of us how we should overnite at Wally. A grill, a mat, chairs, awnings?You are an idiot. But a slide and gen-set use? Please. Stepping down off my soapbox now. Yes, I do drag a toad. It just isn't practical in anything other than a B not to do so. But that's my take on it. For sure with an A I would want a toad. A C? I think I would not want to unhook every time I needed to run to town. That would get old fast. I had to teach myself how to hook up a toad alone. It's more time consuming than having two people but not too bad. I have the bar on the toad set-up vs. the bar on the rig. I don't know if this is easier, but I suspect it is harder.

[kwilke859]

Yeah, an A without a toad would be very limiting. I too have to hook and unhook by myself. I have my towbar on the MH. I think the type of towbar makes more of a difference in how easy hooking up is than which vehicle it is attached to.