| Choosing Your RV. | | | | Scout and as large as a full size Hummer. I have seen |
| The best advice I can give to someone who wants to | | | | his and hers motorcycles. I have seen trailers with |
| do full-time Rving is to attend a large RV show. | | | | Corvettes inside or other sports car. Each person |
| These are usually held in the winter season in many | | | | has his and her own lifestyle. You do not have to |
| cities. Rosemont, Illinois and Tampa, Florida are just | | | | give it up to be a full-time Rver. Remember that for |
| two that come to mind. Get a RV magazine, like | | | | each vehicle you need a license and insurance, and |
| "Camping Life" or "Trailer Life" and find one close to | | | | mechanical upkeep. |
| your home. You will also see advertisements about | | | | Second, the Travel Trailer (TT). I have seen travel |
| close out sales at different dealerships in your area. | | | | trailers the size of an egg, less than ten feet to ones |
| Remember that there are hundreds of different types | | | | over forty feet with numerous slide outs. I have seen |
| of RVs out there. A dealership can have only so | | | | some that the roof collapses and travels behind the |
| many. That is why a show is so good. There are | | | | car or truck. They are becoming more popular. |
| many different dealerships and manufacturers. When | | | | Airstream is a well-known manufacturer. These are |
| we bought our 2002 Avion Platinum 33' fifth wheel we | | | | the silver bullet ones. Many people swear by them |
| had gone to the show in Rosemont, Illinois (near O'Hare | | | | and have Airstream Travel Clubs. Travel trailers |
| Field). We knew what we wanted in a RV: two | | | | come in many sizes with a variety of slide outs and |
| recliners and a bedroom, which was higher than 6'2", | | | | other amenities. One advantage is that you can use |
| because that is my height. Those were our | | | | a car to pull some of them, i.e., the lighter ones. The |
| demands. We also wanted large storage space, | | | | cons are swaying in the wind while driving down the |
| because both of us are pack rats. One of the first | | | | road. Sway bars are available to diminish some of |
| RVs we walked into was this Avion by Fleetwood. I | | | | this. They are not as steady as Motor Homes or fifth |
| never heard of it, but knew of Fleetwood's reputation | | | | wheels. |
| for trailer construction. I had been in the trucking | | | | Third: Fifth –wheels. These look like travel trailers, |
| business for twenty years and Fleetwood made our | | | | but have a gooseneck extending in front over the bed |
| fleet. Since then we have gone through a learning | | | | of the pick-up truck. They come in sizes from <26 |
| curve. We are still in love with the Avion. Others | | | | feet to >45 feet. The longer the trailer, the less |
| hate them, because of the many problems they have | | | | option you will have of finding a suitable parking |
| occurred with them. | | | | place. Our overall length is fifty feet: thirty-three for |
| We spent the rest of the day looking at and sitting in | | | | the trailer and seventeen for the dually pick up truck. |
| RVs. Some had slanted roofs and wasted a lot of | | | | We have white knuckled into a parking space many a |
| interior space. Some had short bedroom ceilings, | | | | time. Turning corners is another challenge. You |
| where I had to stoop over to get into bed: | | | | need extra room to do so. Look at Semi drivers who |
| unacceptable. Some had space between the | | | | have to make a sharp turn. These are professional |
| cabinets and the ceiling: a waste in my opinion. We | | | | drivers. Fifth-wheels are wonderful to travel down the |
| must have looked at over fifty fifth-wheel trailers. | | | | road. I forget that it is behind me. I remember when |
| We settled on the Avion and got a good price | | | | I have to brake, change lands, or come to a viaduct |
| because of the RV show. We would have even | | | | with a low clearance. Remember the height of your |
| gotten a better one, if we had driven it off the lot. | | | | trailer. The cons are dropping and hooking. At our |
| We were not ready to start traveling for another four | | | | website I have a couple of checklists for exterior and |
| months. Today many manufacturers have adopted | | | | interior dropping and hooking. These need to be |
| a flat roof and a high ceiling in the bedroom. There | | | | adhered to or else you might be going down the road |
| are more options out there. One other thing is price | | | | with the television antenna raised. It will not be like |
| and budget. What can you afford? Even some | | | | that for long. I know from experience. |
| fifth-wheels can cost as much as six figures: not in our | | | | Fourth: Class C Motor Homes. These are on a truck |
| range. | | | | chassis and can range from <twenty feet to |
| That is our story. How about you? Each person | | | | >thirty feet. Like Motor Homes, you need a tow |
| has different tastes and needs. In choosing a RV for | | | | vehicle so you can travel while in a campground. I |
| yourself, you have to address these issues. Do I | | | | have seen some very nice Class C Motor Homes. |
| want to fix a meal while driving down the highway? | | | | They are very suitable for the single traveler, male or |
| Where do I want to explore? Do I want a resort with | | | | female. |
| all of the amenities: pool, club house, activities, etc.? | | | | Fifth: truck bed drop ins. These are units that fit on |
| Do I want to find a secluded beach or mountain lake? | | | | the rear of a pick up truck. Lancer manufactures a |
| O how about all of the above? | | | | very nice model, which hangs over the rear of the |
| Let us look at the different options in buying a RV. | | | | truck. One advantage is that you can drop the unit |
| There are pros and cons for each one you consider. | | | | and drive away in the truck. One con is the about of |
| First, the Motor Home: Class A. The motor home is a | | | | weight you put on the rear of the truck. Be careful |
| self-contained unit, looking like a bus. They come in all | | | | about destabilizing the load. |
| sizes and with every comfort of home. Their cost | | | | Sixth: Class B Motor Homes. I have not seen too |
| will be less than $100,000 to $1,000,000+. There are | | | | many of these lived in by full-time Rvers. They look |
| some resorts that will accept only the high-end motor | | | | like custom vans and come in various sizes. I would |
| homes as residents. Motor Homes have all of the | | | | feel claustrophobic in one of them. |
| creature comforts: captain chairs, lot of interior and | | | | Finally: pop up trailers. Yes there are some full-time |
| exterior storage space, and the comfort that you can | | | | Rvers who live in a pop up trailer. These are hearty |
| fix a meal while driving down the highway (not the | | | | souls who do not mind being in the elements. I have |
| driver, but the passenger). There is a story about | | | | seen one that is no more than six feet long. The |
| someone driving down one of the lonely straight roads | | | | occupants put up a kitchen tent, where they did their |
| out West and wanted to fix lunch. He put the Motor | | | | cooking and relaxing. The trailer was for sleeping. |
| Home on Cruise control and went back to fix lunch. | | | | As you can see, there are many options from which |
| Miles ahead was a turn in the road. He was still fixing | | | | you can choose to live the lifestyle of adventure as a |
| lunch and ran off the road. Another plus for a Motor | | | | full time Rver. I recommend googling on RV trailers |
| Home is security. I a worse case scenario where | | | | on the Internet to see what is available. Se what |
| there are pirates who want to attack you, all you have | | | | the price ranges are for each one. But before you |
| to do is get into the driver’s seat and pull away, | | | | buy. Make sure you sit in one and check out all of |
| leaving them empty handed. This does not happen | | | | the amenities. You have to answer one question; |
| too often. | | | | “Can I live in this?” If you have any qualms |
| The cons about a Motor home are that you have to | | | | about your answer, go somewhere else. This will be |
| have a tow vehicle. I have seen them as small as a | | | | your home. |