#102 Sep 2015 We Love our 38' Class A Motorhome

Three years ago we made a life changing decision. Let’s retire and RV full time!

Next came the questions: when and how.

When became November 2013 at which time we became Snowbirds and escaped to a warm, sunny winter location.

How was a much bigger question. We had not camped/RVed since we moved to Surrey 14 years before. Would a fifth wheel trailer or motorhome suit us best? Neither our Nissan van nor Toyota Yaris would be suitable to tow a trailer or be flat towed by a motorhome. Our vehicle options were open.

A fifth wheel trailer would require a big truck. My vision would not allow me to drive such a truck even without the trailer. One possibility eliminated.

A motorhome towing a small car would allow me to drive the car comfortably. How big a motorhome? The September Snowbird RV Show and Sale in Abbotsford was the perfect opportunity to explore every kind of camper and RV imaginable. We started with camper vans and kept increasing the size.

Living in an RV full time would be very different from vacations in an RV. In our years of camping we progressed from a tent trailer to a 17’ travel trailer then a van conversion. A Class A motorhome was for old people who often didn’t know how to handle such a big unit!

Well, maybe we are a bit older and want the comforts of home on the road.

Ralph has had a Class 1 driver’s license for over 40 years so he knows how to drive the big ones. Maybe we could look at a few Class A motorhomes but we really had no idea what features would suit our proposed lifestyle.

We talked to friends and salespeople to gather information. We have now learned the following from conversations and almost 2 years of living in our motorhome.

1.    Many campgrounds cannot accommodate units over 40 feet. That would eliminate some points of  interest.

2.    Some units, diesel in particular, have the entrance door in front of the passenger seat. That means every time the driver exits the unit the passenger must move. The access is often awkward when bringing in loads of groceries, etc. Mid entry door is much easier when going in and out several times a day.

3.   In a Class A the driver’s compartment is part of the living area. The seats turn around and the front windows allow lots of natural light.

4.    Most newer units have windows on all 4 sides which allows a view of the weather in all directions.

5.    Our unit has slide-outs on both sides of the living room. This makes the room feel spacious and welcoming.

6.   The couch in most motorhomes is a hide-a-bed with seat belts, which allows overnight company to travel with us.

7.    Our toilet is in a separate room, which allows us to comfortably use the shower at the same time.

8.    The 4 door fridge gives us lots of room for groceries and leftovers.

9.    The double sink allows us to wash dishes easily.

1.  We have not seen another motorhome with as much counter space as we have. Preparing meals 365 days a year is much easier with space to spread out.

Now for the more technical perspective.

1.    Gas or diesel? That decision required a great deal of discussion. Ralph has been in the bus industry for decades and is very familiar with diesel equipment. However, the purchase price and the maintenance costs are higher with the diesel. But the ride is smoother and the power is greater with the diesel. In the end cost won since it would take several years for the overall costs to balance out. Who knows what we might be doing in 10 years. We hope to continue this lifestyle for many years but we don’t have a crystal ball.

2.    Our search ended when we received a phone call from O’Connor RV in Chilliwack. They had just taken on consignment a 2008 38’ Georgetown XL by Forest River with only 4,400 km. Wow, it still smelled new and was in great condition.

3.    The Georgetown has good construction and minimal road squeaks.

4.    It has a short wheelbase with a wide turning radius but Ralph quickly learned the parameters.

5.    During our first trip south we stopped at Henderson Line Up in Grants Pass, Oregon. They have a very good reputation across the country.  No sales tax in Oregon is an extra bonus. Henderson provided a comprehensive estimate of upgrades that would improve the performance and comfort of our new home.

6.    Before leaving Surrey we had a 2-axle wheel alignment but Ralph was still not satisfied with the handling, particularly when being passed by large vehicles. Henderson’s installed sway bars and track bars that improved the road handling of the unit.

7.    Our next expenditure was the installation of the Banks intake/exhaust upgrade and adjusting the transmission shift points. That provided enough additional power that Ralph is content on the hills.

8.    Our next step was to upgrade the shock absorbers at Hendersons. Now the ride is noticeably smoother.

These upgrades have made our travel more comfortable. We have a gas motorhome that handles well but has not cost as much as a diesel.

Retired life in a motorhome suits us perfectly.

#101 Sep 2015 Reflections after 7 Months of Travel

                                  Wow! We really are “Living the Dream”

When we started this extended trip we were excited about what we would see and do. Now we have experienced so much that it is difficult to believe. There is so much to learn about the world around us and we have just scratched the surface.

We returned home to Surrey in August. These thoughts reflect our seven months of continuous travel. We are behind in the posts because our heads are so full of memories that we need time to catch up to ourselves. There are many more posts to come but this seemed a good time to let family and friends know what we learned about extended travel.

Why we took this trip

1) Time and health. Don’t wait for the perfect time. It may never arrive.

2) Desire to see North America at our leisure

3) We planned this trip when the exchange rate was favourable but decided to proceed regardless of the rate. Who knows what tomorrow’s rate will be.

4) We enjoy nature and history and understanding the land and how people have affected it.

What we learned AGAIN

1) There is always more to see and do, than time to do it.

2) Enjoy the journey. Don’t worry about the destination.

An extended trip (with 24/7 togetherness)

1) We have been married 43 years and most of those years we worked, raised a family, maintained a home (inside and outside) and had a social life (together and separately). We are each other’s best friend but even best friends have differences. We learned more patience and better listening skills and still there were times when one of us went for a long walk.

2) Most of our stops were 2 to 4 nights giving us 1 to 3 days to explore. We had no timetable but needed to watch our days in the US and time outside of our home province.

3) We took R&R days as we felt we needed them but still never stayed in one place more than a

week. We had expected to plan several consecutive days for R&R but there was not enough time to do so.

Our vehicles

1) Without a touring vehicle, many attractions and points of interest are not accessible.

2) Our Class A motorhome is 38 feet. A vehicle towed on a dolly takes more space in park sites. Many of the sites we occupied would not have accommodated the car and a dolly.

3) We did not anticipate how many miles we would drive the car and therefore didn’t budget for that cost.

23,000 km (14,000 miles) 2008 Georgetown XL Class A motorhome

15,000 km   (9,000 miles) 2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara SUV

Value of the blog

1) Update for family and friends in more detail than a conversation.

2) Review of our experiences for us.

3) Ralph kept a daily journal of our location and notes of interest about our day.

4) I photographed info signs rather than keep many brochures. I also photographed everyday views to help us recall details of the locations. Editing 200 to 300 photos a day sometimes became a chore but also helped recall the events.

5) THANK YOU to all our viewers who have commented on our posts. We enjoy sharing our experiences and photos and appreciate knowing they have been viewed. The range of the Internet is amazing, as we have had over 9,000 page views from around the world.

           

Finding RV parks
Our criteria for choosing RV parks during this trip were very basic. We wanted full hookups in a safe location. We did not have time to access other amenities available in many parks. In 7 months we stayed in 66 different parks.

1) Magellan RoadMate RV 9365T-LMB GPS

                 Designed exclusively for RVers

                 We are very pleased with this GPS as it allows us to easily search for RV parks, points of

                 interest and is easy to navigate. 

2) Good Sam parks

a)  Are abundant

b)  Have been reviewed

c)  Always give a 10% discount

3) Passport America

a)    Fewer locations

b)   Parks are not reviewed

c)    Discount frequently not available weekends, holidays and peak season

d)   When available the 50% discount is only for a very limited number of days

4) Coast to Coast

                   a)  Membership - check for re-sellers

                   b) Usually $10 or $15 per night

                   c) Limited stay – usually 2 weeks

                   d) Some seasonal limitations

Time of the year to travel

1) We left British Columbia mid January and were in SE Texas within 3 weeks. We can             explore western states another trip.

2) We spent March in Florida. When we arrived we booked our parks for the month since it was peak season.

3) North of Florida was not peak season so we planned only a few days in advance. If we had traveled up the East Coast earlier, some attractions would not have been open.

4) We arrived in the Canadian Maritimes June 1^st. Some attractions don’t open until school is out, particularly in Newfoundland.

5) I have spring allergies that started early March in Florida. We followed spring up the East Coast and into the Maritimes. I experienced allergies and Ralph (suffered) with me for 4 months.

6) As we started our in depth sightseeing in late February the days were longer and we were able to explore later into the day. Most venues close about 5 PM but we were able to travel and enjoy the sights later in daylight.
We had originally planned to travel through the Maritimes and the East Coast in the fall to see the autumn colours. If we had traveled north to south in the fall our days would have gotten shorter. We would have had much less daylight for traveling and sightseeing as we headed south.

Expenses to anticipate

1) Fuel and liquour prices are lower in the US

2) Dollar for dollar, food, RV parks, and entrance fees are about the same in the US as Canada.

We were never in one location long enough to shop around for the best prices, especially for food.

REMEMBER the exchange rate. After a few months and many stores it was easy to think in Canadian dollars when looking at prices.

3) National Park passes are great value in both countries. They often cover historical points of interest as well.

Since returning home we frequently see places we have visited in movies, shows and news. What a marvelous way to refresh our memories!

28 American States    5 Great Lakes    10 Canadian Provinces

#100 May 2015 Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park

Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park bring to mind images of rugged mountains and tempestuous ocean,

Even a sandy beach,

Fabulous “cottages” of the wealthy,

Meandering drives and pathways,

Peaceful local inhabitants,

Glorious sunsets from the top of Cadillac Mountain,

And of course Maine lobster.

Mount Desert Island encompasses all of the above and more. For thousands of years Native Americans flourished and harvested the bounty of land and sea.

From the 1500s explorers mapped the coastline and the French and English struggled to possess this land with its rich resources.  

In the 1800s artists and outdoor enthusiasts discovered the remote beauty of the island.

In 1947 the Great Fire incinerated 67 summer cottages, 5 grand hotels and 170 year-round homes. Few of the grand homes were rebuilt and many of the summer people did not return.

Today millions of visitors experience the beauty of nature and small, local businesses thrive.

Cruise ships, boats and schooners sail the ocean blue.

All the passengers have a great view.

Bar Harbor was a dramatic finale to the US portion of our coastal trip.