Dang RV

I got to stay quite awhile at the SKP park in Wauchula, FL but the time came when they suddenly started to fill up for their January Capers and I got pushed out of my spot and into the overnight area. First in, first out is the rule which is fair. I couldn’t leave their lovely wifi though until a new aircard for Verizon wireless was sent from an Ebay auction I had won.  So, I went into the overnight area which is actually still pretty decent with 20 amp electric and water, no sewer. It is also up near the clubhouse rather than shoved in the back. I was actually sorry to leave Wauchula SKP park but it really was time to move on anyway.

I stayed another week then moved on to Southern Charm RV Resort in Zephyrhills, FL which also has wonderful wifi throughout the park and is part of Enjoy America, a discount camping club associated with RPI. Going to Zephyrhills and Southern Charm was rather a shock for me. Zephyrhills is a mecca for RVers it seems, particularly snowbirds. Never in my life have I seen so many RV parks together one right after the other. Chancey Road seems to be at the heart of it. Southern Charm was not only very nice about giving me the 50% Enjoy America Discount, they were also very flexible and they have the most active senior residents I have ever seen. Every morning no matter how cold, they fill 2 of the 4 volleyball courts with some real skilled players of all ages and both sexes. It makes one giddy to see all the bicycles parked by the courts and watch the “older children” play. Everyone rides a bike at the park. Many have golf carts but still keep a bike around as well. It made me feel so much better to see most of the bikes have either the extra large seat for those of us who have lived long enough to have earned it and need it, or they have bucket seats for those that need the support. Whatever it takes, only the ride matters. I also saw the residents playing some pretty active shuffleboard and horseshoes.

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Personally, I think this part is both exhilarating and mind-numbing. Buying the RV is not the end of the buying process. If this is your first unit, you will have to completely outfit it just like a new house. The good news is, your purse will be less heavy and it will be easier to sit on your wallet. Unfortunately, that is also the bad news. I’m sure it is much easier if you are trading up from another RV though there will still be some expense involved.

You can easily tell at places like Camping World who has purchased a new RV. Watch for the person who actually needs a cart to shop and has that cart filled. I was one of those people. It’s an awful lot of fun until you get to the cash register. Don’t forget about looking for some of the household goods at department stores and thrift shops. I found a pants hanger at a regular store that cost half as much as the same hanger at the RV store.

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If you have never believed in Murphy’s Law before, you will after picking up your first RV from the dealer! No matter how well you try to plan, ol’ Murphy and his band of gremlins will sneak in there. Before I go on, let me state that I did have my truck transmission serviced as a preventative measure and the water pump was replaced before picking up my trailer. I tried to keep Murphy at bay. The truck had also been used to tow a boat numerous times without issues.

The easiest part of picking up my new used trailer was signing away my life on the financing papers. I don’t like financing things and signing anything legal has never thrilled me. They made it as painless as possible.

On to the appliance inspections. They all worked as they should. I did notice the second battery I had negotiated for had not been added so I had to stick to my guns on that point which meant waiting for it to be installed.

Then came the equalizer hitch installation which meant more waiting. It really does make a huge difference in towing so it was worth waiting for.

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Yes, it is official. I have purchased my own RV, a 26 foot Kit Companion dual-axle trailer with a slideout in the living room for the over-stuffed couch-bed, queen bed in the back with an outside door back there and a wood pocket door, large bathroom to one side in the middle with a large vanity and a shower with a glass folding door, forced air and heat with thermostat, small medium oak kitchen but with house sized sinks, microwave oven, etc., two over-stuffed chairs with a fold up table with extra table leaves, pre-wired for cable TV and phone throughout, an outside door up front. Behind one of the chairs is a bookcase for my library. There are lots of windows with aluminum blinds and skylights in both the living room and shower. Yes, I said the shower. :giggle:

I chose a 26 foot trailer for several reasons. As a full-timer, I don’t want my entire home in the repair shop for the inevitable engine trouble, etc. that comes with motor vehicles such as trucks or motorhomes. A fifth wheeler would provide the maximum space and is certainly the next step but they all require a bigger truck than I currently have. I went for 26 feet because it gives me plenty of room for one person or two significant others (there goes that spooning thing again!) and this size will help me ease into towing and turning long vehicles.

I would love to say I bartered as well as my Grandma does every time she goes to Mexico and leaves them in tears while she comes home with bags and bags of great goodies. I would love to say I bought one of the models I had actually researched thoroughly. Ding ding. Nope. In the end, it came down to timing and stumbling on a trailer that just seemed to fit me like a glove.

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I stumbled on an article in either Trailer Life Magazine or the Good Sam Club’s Highways magazine that said I might be able to get a tour of an RV factory. What great magazines! I have toured the Hughes bread bakery, Kellogg’s cereal factory, and even the Hershey’s chocolate factory before, but the idea of being able to tour an RV factory had never occured to me. I ran to the phone book and tentatively called a nearby factory fully expecting to be laughed at. On the contrary, they hold regular tours one day a week and were happy to put me down for one.

On tour day, I arrived well ahead of time which gave me time to read all their brochures. It turned out I was the only one there that day but they were still more than happy to take me on my own private tour. Ear plugs, eye protection, and a hard hat were required which they provided. The tour was excellent and I must say it really does help to have some clue as to what is inside the walls, under the floors, and above the ceiling in an RV. Plumbing is a bit different in an RV than in a house, lots of access panels are certainly important, the air and heating hoses are much smaller than a house, etc. I got to see how the cabinets and full room boxes are mounted. I saw a water heater installed which is something I could likely do myself. I got to see models I had not seen elsewhere with different layouts or woods or colors. You also get to see the quality of their work and how they store components which may go into your future RV. I highly recommend a factory tour even if you purchase an RV from another manufacturer.

I didn’t just jump into the RV life, though many do. Before I purchase my own trailer, I am doing my homework.

First, I joined the Good Sam Club. There are many benefits to being in a club such as discounts, information, meeting people, etc. Their Highways magazine is tops in my book and each issue is read cover to cover including the ads. Another good club is the Escapees out of Texas and for motor coach owners there is the Family Motor Coach Association. Join one or more.

Books. There are plenty of great books out there to explain all the ins and outs of full-timing, RV systems and repairs, how to buy an RV, easy recipes for the road, the Trailer Life campground directories, etc. Full-timing is a big step and and it pays to be in-the-know. Not everything in modern life has quite caught up to speed with full-timers and you should be aware of compromises that may have to be made. For me, the biggie is reliable broadband internet access because I work full-time over the Internet. And of course I’m a modern TV junkie who wouldn’t be caught dead without cable or satellite TV for more than 3 days.

People. Talk to other RVers, full-timers, RV park owners, the guys and gals at RV repair and parts places, RV dealers, etc. They can tell you what the books don’t. If nothing else, their own stories of newbie screwups will make you feel better when it happens to you.

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Learn this word! It is a most beautiful word. It makes the difference between living in an RV and living in a Home! No kidding. I went to the big RV show recently. On the outside of all the trailers and coaches we looked at, they didn’t look like they add much room. But on the inside, they are amazing. They create full sized living rooms, bedrooms, breakfast nooks, and spacious kitchens. It smacks you right in the face as you enter an RV equipped with at least one of these. I saw some with 3-4 slideouts! WOW! I highly recommend keeping this feature in mind when looking to purchase a new RV for full-time RVing or even for part-timing with kids.

I also liked the new bunk bed styles. If I were still a kid, I would love them and as a parent I am pleased to see the emergency escape doors built into them. For those that don’t need 2 bunks, the bottom one could easily be converted to storage with a handy external access door already there. Perhaps a closet, a place to put the folding bikes, an out of the way play/TV/gaming area? My imagination is running wild!