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RayOfHope · 10-18-2018, 11:59 AM

Hi, I'm Ray and my wife Hope may also use this account, our friends dubbed us Ray Of Hope for obvious reasons. We recently attended the Hershey RV show and after much consideration, we have decided to chuck it all, buy an RV, sell the house and hit the road. The work I do can easily be done over the internet, after our 'scouting trip' from Philly to Seattle last year we have decided we need a lot of time to see everything there is to see between the oceans.

We started out looking at a sprinter based unit like the Winnebago View, but the most common bit of advice we've received over the years is, buy your second rig first. That's when it hit us that we could buy a short class A (by short I mean 35 feet, we want to bring the dogs) and live in that while we explore the country looking for a good place to retire.

So the plan is to buy/order a Newmar Ventana in the spring, learn all the ins and outs over the time it takes to sell the house. (And install a bunch of Cell and Wifi stuff). The day we make settlement we set out to drive around the country. Starting and ending near 'home', going down the east coast and up with west then across the middle. Eventually we hope to see Alaska and Mexico (maybe, depends, been a while since I've been down there.)

Anyway, that's the plan today. The more we learn the more we find that planning isn't always possible, or even desirable in many cases.

Look out USA here we come.

WinnieView · 10-18-2018, 12:13 PM

Welcome to iRV2. We are glad you joined us and you won't be alone.

Happy trails!

magicbus · 10-18-2018, 12:43 PM

Congratulations on your plan! Having circled from the east to the west coast 3 times plus a trip from the east coast to Alaska and back I have to agree that there is a whole lot to see. I remember my mother asking me years ago as we left for a late season trip to Alaska what we would do if the snow decided to come early. I told her we would take a left and head south because there was always some other place to see. Planning is good, just be flexible.

Dave

RayOfHope · 10-18-2018, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magicbus

Congratulations on your plan! Having circled from the east to the west coast 3 times plus a trip from the east coast to Alaska and back I have to agree that there is a whole lot to see. I remember my mother asking me years ago as we left for a late season trip to Alaska what we would do if the snow decided to come early. I told her we would take a left and head south because there was always some other place to see. Planning is good, just be flexible.

Dave

I did the trip in 1965 in a VW microbus with my family. It was one of, if not the most formative events in my life. I have dreamed of doing it again for many years.

MSHappyCampers · 10-18-2018, 05:37 PM

Hi Ray & Hope!

Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

Hope you find the perfect rig for your needs!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

momdoc · 10-18-2018, 08:23 PM

Welcome and congrats on the upcoming purchase as well as a interesting game plan. You have joined a good group of folks here with good info to share.

Enjoy the adventure.

Arch Hoagland · 10-18-2018, 08:35 PM

Many years ago we decided to see every Presidential Museum in the country. We've now done that and in the process visited all our states.

We also met a couple who saw a baseball game in every major league stadium across the country in one summer. Their toad was totalled two days before they started the trip but they went anyways.

So, if I might suggest an idea, pick something to see while going around the country.

RayOfHope · 10-19-2018, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland

Many years ago we decided to see every Presidential Museum in the country. We've now done that and in the process visited all our states.

We also met a couple who saw a baseball game in every major league stadium across the country in one summer. Their toad was totalled two days before they started the trip but they went anyways.

So, if I might suggest an idea, pick something to see while going around the country.

That is a great suggestion. My wife is a history buff (I guess we both are) and she wants to visit presidential libraries and revolutionary and civil war battlefields.

I’d like to see a race at a number of tracks around the country, Road Atlanta, COTA, Laguna Seca, I could go on all day. I love the idea of seeing all those baseball games.

And festivals, there are so many and some are just weird enough to get my attention. Hope drew the line at the Marshmallow Fluff Festival though.

Arch Hoagland · 10-19-2018, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RayOfHope

That is a great suggestion. My wife is a history buff (I guess we both are) and she wants to visit presidential libraries and revolutionary and civil war battlefields.

I’d like to see a race at a number of tracks around the country, Road Atlanta, COTA, Laguna Seca, I could go on all day. I love the idea of seeing all those baseball games.

And festivals, there are so many and some are just weird enough to get my attention. Hope drew the line at the Marshmallow Fluff Festival though.

You best get crackin!!! You two are going to be very busy people.

Sco70ttie · 10-22-2018, 06:58 PM

Welcome to IRV2. Check out RV.org. They rate RVs and have information on the selection and dealing process. Good RV hunting.

RayOfHope · 10-23-2018, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sco70ttie

Welcome to IRV2. Check out RV.org. They rate RVs and have information on the selection and dealing process. Good RV hunting.

Three times now we have “decided” only to have more info come along. So now we have two choices (Newmar and Tiffin) and the differences are small, or at least it seems that way.

I have noticed a lot more useful info for owners on the Newmar side of this forum. As a database engineer I’m all about data, that may be the thing that settles it.

KtyTravel · 10-23-2018, 07:29 AM

Wow... two great MH's and I totally agree to buy your 2nd coach 1st.Great advice about choosing something you want to see. I plan on visiting every National park across the US and Alaska.Of course with boondocking along the way. Not as much access to some of the very back roads with a Class A. You write/sound as excited as me. Welcome... I start 2/20 if all goes right with my home sale. Hope to meet down the road