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