We planned a trip for the presidents day weekend to run up to Durango Colorado and get some skiing in. Nice long weekend, great for a quick trip.

Dilema;
Take the coach or drive and get a hotel each way???

16 Hours drive in my truck 18 in the coach.
75-85mph in the truck, 65-70mph in the coach
12.8 MPG in the truck - 8MPG in the coach
Additional fuel over hotel costs???
Weather????

We decided to drive my truck and...

I'm looking at replacing my sofa with a Rep Pro reclining sofa. The upholstery is what I'm concerned with. does anyone have Rep-Pro products and how well is it holding up.

We are looking at a 2018 Forest River Forester 3011DS with full body paint and some other nice options but are a bit concerned that it has been hanging out at the dealership since new and is essentially 2 years old now. Hard to figure out what a reasonable price is as well.
Any thoughts on this model, pricing and buying new "last year's models" at a dealer?

Update: The (Not) Forgotten Coast -- 2/19/19

Traveling from Pensacola to Salt Springs, we decided to drive the Forgotten Coast Highway, Florida 98, to see for ourselves what that part of the world looks like.



I realized that we would also bear witness to the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. We both grew up in the heartland's Tornado Alley, but nothing could prepare us for the devastation...

Update: Fort Pickens & Food -- 2/15/19

We toured the well-preserved ruins at Fort Pickens today, just a stone's throw from our campsite.



What remains of the fort is still a very impressive edifice - the largest coastal defense fort in the US arsenal. It was built brick by brick in the 1830's using slave labor, and alternately held by both Union and Confederate forces during...

Update: We Found Florida -- 2/8/19

We made it to Fort Pickens just outside Pensacola Beach, and it's 70F. It is truly amazing what a 95 degree temperature increase will do for one's general disposition. And fresh seafood.



Speaking of amazing seafood, if you're ever in the Pensacola area, you have to try the fabulous fare at Joe Patti's. The seafood gumbo is divine, the prices...

Update: Digging Out & Loading -- 2/1/19

Our planned departure for the Florida Panhandle is tomorrow, and it hit a balmy 10F today, so I went to the storage yard and discovered they had plowed in the NewAire.



I expected a bit of shoveling, but nothing like what I encountered. So I bit the bullet, dug her out, got the generator fired up, and I'm heating the engine block as...

Well its wintertime in Texas. For those elsewhere that means we will have days like today at 70F then in a week it will be in the Teens.

About a month ago I drained everything thinking (100% incorrectly ) that this would be enough to get us through the winter if I kept the heat on. We had a pretty good freeze early.

Pretty sure this is why the HWH bypass valve failed.

Replaced the HTH Bypass valve then went online and bought some stuff on Amazon..I...

Update: Battling a Deep Freeze -- 1/27/19

Our planned departure for the Florida Panhandle is only a week away, but local overnight temps have been well below zero Fahrenheit and falling fast.



Because the NewAire has been parked since October, I decided yesterday morning to get her fired up in advance, figuring if I encountered any...

Well I got shook up by the loss of power to the a/c and heater panel so of course I checked? the fuses. all looked good I even found a fuse laying on the floor. three days of crawling around testing for power produced no results. so I went to the Intellitec site and read their trouble shoot info, One suggestion is to check the 5 amp power fuse to the control circuit board for the a/c units.... yeah that's right, the fuse on the floor was 5 amps so I stuck it in the only empty slot on the distribution...

Update: Preparing to Head South -- 1/24/19

We are bound for the Florida Panhandle in a little over a week, but right now the Chicago area is entering the deepest deep freeze yet in an otherwise mild winter.



The snow isn't going anywhere as temperatures are expected to hit -17F by the middle of next week. And if you believe local forecasters, there's even more snow on the way....

I broke down and replace almost everything in the steps and they are operating fine.


I recently installed new batteries all around.



now my a/c control panel lost power so no a/c or heat! trouble shooting is underway.


I installed a new battery control circuit board and things seem ok but little problems keep popping up.


I did a check up on the generator and it showed improvement, when i start it I get power...

While the Camper is ready to drive it is not ready in other areas. Since I am new to the systems on this and campers in general, I am preferring to have a Service Place do the checking of the propane, heat, and Water to make sure it is up to date and ready.

Meanwhile I have removed the radio, GPS and am upgrading them if possible. Everything is at least ten years old!
I am using some propane heaters in the storage unit until the freeze is off.

Our children, Emily, now 20 and Ryan, now 16, have been camping since they were just babies. I remember the first trip in our first Popup camper when Ryan was just 5 months old. It was a warm Columbus day weekend in Michigan and the excitement of that first trip is still fresh.

We mostly camp in State or National parks, and for the best spots, reservations fill very quickly. I enjoy the hunt for the best site, looking through the satellite images of each campground, trying to find...

When we got the coach a few months ago we did the usual walk through "Tour" then we were waved goodbye.

I had a pretty good idea of the depth of the pool I had just jumped in, I knew the water temp and thought I could recognize the hazards..

I remember this like it was yesterday, (For those with a Fleetwood Discovery you may want to take notice here),

During the new owner walk through, I was shown how to open the pull out for the generator....