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fansill · 05-15-2011, 10:47 AM

Good Afternoon All,

We had a lovely weekend camping but as we were exploring a neighboring campground, we noticed about 30 Airstream Campers clustered around a pavilion tent. They were having a great looking rally. As much as I love my 40 ft Revolution, sometimes thinking about traveling around in such a nostalgic looking rig makes me wonder if smaller and simpler might be better???

What do y'all think??

Faith

GaryKD · 05-15-2011, 10:55 AM

Hi fansill,
For me the answer is no. I am not a fan of small/simple or large/complex. I am a fan of having what I need, not necessarily what I want. That is where the tough decisions are made. Right now, I need what I have. If/when my needs change so will what I own.

My wife calls this a personality defect. Being trained as an engineer and now retired, I have been known to carry logic a bit too far.

rewaters49 · 05-15-2011, 11:05 AM

Hi fansill, Yeah, sometimes I get the urge to tow a small trailer behind a small truck, keepin' it small and simple. Then I fix a drink with ice from my double-door fridge with the icemaker, kick back in my comfy Lane recliner, and tune in something interesting on my 32" flatscreen. Pretty soon the urge subsides...

njs42 · 05-15-2011, 11:09 AM

Not sure we would want to be less than 36' with plenty of basement----

However in our first year in the RV we camped at Morro Bay. We were next to a dinky TT pulled by a pick up (they swore it had a shower). We had the folks over for a chat---and during that time they told us of the TT, 5er, MH, bigger MH---back down to dinky history of their RV life. Not for us---but they seemed quite resolved.

Wonder where they are now-------a tent you suppose?

In Tucson this year we were interested to see a group of four of these older GMC's (cannot remember the name)----kind of a van on steroids---I thinks 70's models. They were having a wonderful time having treked from Michigan in tandem. A team effort would mean some one could have the Bar B, another the table and chairs, another the pop up shelter etc;-----they had penty of stuff. And a really good time.

RJay · 05-15-2011, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fansill

Good Afternoon All,

We had a lovely weekend camping but as we were exploring a neighboring campground, we noticed about 30 Airstream Campers clustered around a pavilion tent. They were having a great looking rally. As much as I love my 40 ft Revolution, sometimes thinking about traveling around in such a nostalgic looking rig makes me wonder if smaller and simpler might be better???

What do y'all think??

Faith

Faith,
If this is the first time you have had this thought I think your comfortable with what you have and are experiencing the “grass is always greener” syndrome, we've all had it. I also think you may be a romantic at heart.

decodancer · 05-15-2011, 12:01 PM

You're not alone, I can't count the times that someone has mentioned envying the ease of parking the 23 foot C I just sold. I had everything I needed. I just went one step further and replaced that with a 19 foot TT. Again it has all the space and facilitys I need and now I have the benifit of being able to leave the pups in the AC and go exploring in my tow vehicle.

CD · 05-15-2011, 01:54 PM

That's why we have an 8 1/2' slidein. We have a choice. We can take PU W/slidein and an equipment trailer with a tractor or 2 and take one rig to a tractor show. One winter we took slidein to Arizona etc for 2 months and didn't miss the TT. Other times we take the TT and don't miss the slidein.
That's just us.

Tha_Rooster · 05-15-2011, 05:43 PM

Airstreams are nice TT and I have seen all airstream campgrounds, now the question is simpler better it's all personal preference. I started with a tent when I was a kid what's simpler than that. Maybe you are a little overwhelmed with your revolution. My revolution is perfect for me. There are several clubs you can join I had a HR and belong to their club and you could not ask for a nicer bunch of people.

fansill · 05-15-2011, 06:07 PM

Oh, don't get me wrong. I absolutely love my Revolution. Every second that I am in it, I keep pinching myself and wondering how I got lucky enough to own such a beautiful coach. I just saw all these small Airstreams and wondered if I could ever simplify and downsize now that I have my gorgeous rolling home.

Yes, maybe you are right...maybe I am just a romantic nomad at heart.

Faith - Tickled as a Pig in Mud with my new Revolution

baraff · 05-15-2011, 06:12 PM

We switched from a travel trailer to a smaller class c motorhome. I got tired of backing the thing up, hooking/unhooking, leveling, w/e/s hookup, it was a hassle.
Now, if we want to go somewhere, unhook the water and electric and GO! We're on our way in 10 minutes or less. Less room? Yes, but we adapted quite well. Found out when we cleaned out the TT that we never used half the stuff stored in it anyway.
Also, we used our truck exclusively for towing, seemed to be a big waste, so sold that too.

wildtoad · 05-15-2011, 06:39 PM

To me it all depends on where you want to go and what you want to have when you get there. The larger the rig the fewer choices you have as to where you can park. Smaller rigs can go most anywhere, larger rigs not so much. Larger rigs can carry more stuff, some of which you may never use but can't seem to part with. Smaller rigs can't always carry what you think you need but you make do.

For me a newer 30 (ish) footer MH with a livingroom/dining area slide is about all I want to deal with. Easy to deal with state parks, gas stations, smaller parking lots. Don't have any desire to go fulltime, my log cabin is small enough.

While I like the "Idea" of being able to say I own a super sized RV, I know it's not me.

Cat320 · 05-15-2011, 06:46 PM

BTDT...don't want smaller and simpler any more...I like what I have.

Meandering Retiree · 05-15-2011, 08:07 PM

40 years ago we started with a self contained pickup camper and traveled all over the US getting about 9.5 mpg. Now we have a 40 MH and get 8.5 mpg and still travel all over the US. I do not anticipate downsizing as we spend 4-6 months a year in the MH. I like what we have and do not see changing until we can no longer camp and then we will buy a place in AZ for the winter and either MI or ME for the summer.

ralper · 05-15-2011, 08:16 PM

As a youngster I started out with small and simple. Everything needed in a backpack. Now at 70 my small and simple has gotten somewhat more complicated. A 30' 5'er so I can do some of what I used to do in pure luxury as compared to years ago.