July 23, 2002
A reader asked for my input as to why after spending 4 years living in the trailer, and traveling in it for two years, we wanted to give it (and the truck) up. I wrote some thoughts and sent them to him, and he responded that it might be useful if I posted them on the web. So, here it is. Thanks, Padraic.
Well, the original plan was to get as much living space as we could per
dollar spent, and the 5th wheel won hands down. After taking the trailer
home, we realized we needed to upgrade to a MDT on a "must do" basis
because of the legal implications of being overweight. The trailer grosses out at
18,000 pounds, and in 1998 there was nothing except a MDT that could handle that
safely and legally. Today, there are the Ford 450's and 550's that can legally tow that much if they have the right body, etc. They still have
the 7.3 engine, and they still have what I consider to be marginal transmissions
and brakes for that kind of weight. Anyway, we lived in the trailer for
two years saving our money to buy the MDT and we're glad we did. However,
that truck isn't really built to drive down forest service roads, and it gets
stuck in the sand, and it's difficult to go through desert washes with it.
It's great in parking lots as it has a much tighter turning radius than pickups.
It rides like the truck it is, not like the car it isn't, and that can be tiring
running without the trailer for long distances when sightseeing. So, given
that we'd had the truck towed because I'd gotten it stuck, and there were many
places to "explore" that the truck limited us for, we bought a Jeep
Grand Cherokee in February this year. It's a 1999 model and we love it.
Since February, we've put over 10,000 miles on it. That includes the mileage we
put on it while Barb is driving it following me driving the truck pulling the
trailer. We don't like traveling that way. It's much more fun when she's
there sharing the sights with me, helping with the navigation, etc.
In 1978 we started RV'ing with a Class B van conversion, (I converted a VW bus)
and in 1981 went to a Class C which we used to tow a car. I didn't much
like driving in the same space I was living in, and it was a pain not to be able
to back up. We were living in Alaska, and I was always (well, twice
anyway) going up some dinky
little road and getting stuck and having to disconnect the car and then back the
motorhome out. It was handy to have the car for running around in, but the
Class C was small and cramped to spend more than a couple of weeks in.
Next we had a 31' Airstream, and it was ideal for vacationing and long trips.
We pulled it with a full sized Chevy van with the boat on top and the bicycles
on a rack on the front bumper. We could use the van to run around in,
drive to different fishing spots, etc. We liked the idea of setting up
camp and then running around. When we decided to go full time, it was a
matter of economics. We knew we couldn't afford a really nice motorhome, so we
bought a really nice 5th wheel. Adding the MDT was an afterthought.
So, today we're looking at older used motorhomes that are nice, and even some
converted buses that have seen a few years. We'll loose storage space if
we go with a motorhome (not if we go with the bus) and we'll give up the two slides. We'll gain the ability to travel together and I'll have to
adjust to driving in the same space I live in. That desire to drive in a
separate space from living space is a hangover from our boating days, I'm sure.
And who knows, with the way life is, we may motorhome/bus for a few years and
then make another change. We're both fairly flexible about living space,
having never been hung up on any one place or any one house. For several
months we even lived in a hotel room with our two cats!
Just after I cut 'n pasted the above, I got a message from Joe in New York (who told me not everybody in New York was really that bad -- so I hereby publicly apologize) asking essentially the same question. I'm grateful to both of you for pointing out a shortcoming.
As we were leaving the Wenatchee area it was around 80 degrees at 9:30 AM or so. The temperature dropped consistently as we headed west, and here at the pass we could see why. Snow! How cool. (pun intended). And as we were looking for the TTN park on Snee-Oosh Road (we're on the Swinomish Indian Reservation, after all), we came across this road. We have yet to get the story behind it, but it was worth a stop to take the picture and preserve it for posterity.
Life is an adventure, and life for the fulltimer is even more of an adventure. I hope these two pictures portray the extent to which this wimpy guy will go to in order to have full hookups rather than just water and electricity. Look at how far the nose of the Road Abode is in the air! I could walk under the nose without ducking for crying out loud!
Ah, the complications of it all. Those are leveling blocks under the bipod because it wouldn't hit the ground! And besides that, we were too close to the berry bushes to have much access to the front door from the front of the trailer. Here at the La Conner TTN park, there are only a few sites with full hookups. Most are just electric and water. Which is OK because there are plenty of good clean restrooms with showers, and with caution, the two of us can go two weeks without any problem. It's just that it rains a lot up here, and I hate wet and cold, remember? Traipsing out to get a shower in the early AM getting rain down the back of my neck doesn't rank up there with fresh hot popcorn in the evening. (Thanks, Honey -- that was nice of you to make it for us.) Anyway, the sewer sites are on an assigned basis from the waiting list. And the marginal sites (too short, too narrow, or in this case, "sloped") are usually available so we grabbed this one.
We went "touring" today. First to the wildlife preserve at
Padilla Bay. The tide was out. Way out! On the left, there's a
little white dot in the center of the picture, at the base of the hill.
That's a ship. At the end of a pier! And on the right is a picture
of both a boat and its dock sitting in the mud. Oh, well. They must
be used to it, as it happens every 12 hours or so.
We went off on the Padilla Bay Shore Trail. And Barb found a "thistle in a basket," which falls into the category of "flower," so naturally we took a picture of it. And talk about dandelions! The trail was lined with them. Potatoes growing in the fields to our left, and to our right.....uh, mud. Just mud. Some gulls and herons way out there at the edge of the water (almost to the horizon), so we turned around after a mile or so and headed back.
Remember about life being an adventure? Well, it wasn't exactly wildlife, but you'd have to admit it was different! That's two Llamas, one Alpaca, and one confused (and a little frightened) golden retriever. Never can tell what you'll find on a walk. Like the noisy garden on the other side of that chain link fence on the road back to the parking lot. Noisy because there were motion detecting cows that "Moooo"ed at us, chickens that cackled, and other funny noises as we walked by.
Since the wildlife viewing was a bust, we decided to check out the town. The TNN park where we are staying is on Fidalgo Island, and the Swinomish Channel is what separates it from the mainland. We're on the mainland, looking at the guest moorage with the island on the other side. And then there's the bridge (dayglow orange yet!) that we use to get home. We can't remember if in our boating days we ever stayed here or not. It's the kind of hangout we liked, however. Decent protected moorage and walking distance to a small town with some local flavor.
Like the building on the left. It might have been converted or it might have been built from scratch. It looks like it may be condos, or maybe offices, or maybe a combination. And on the right is its next door neighbor--in need of ....... anything.
On the left is a creative use of an abandoned pier. Wonderful sculpture of the eagle. And on the right, a controversy between my loving wife and myself. Is that just grass that grew on the top of the piling, and then died, or is it a bird nest? The pigeon only confused things by sitting there.
Remember that waiting list I talked about? Well, we were on it and now we have a nice 60' long 23' wide level parking place with a view. Of course, the motorhomes between us and the water have a better view, but we're happy. This is a great lifestyle....you should consider it!