RVing (or NOT) in the age of Coronavirus

I had planned on taking my RV up the Pacific coast this year, but Covid-19 has squashed all desire to get out and deal with unfamiliar places. With so much of the country shut down, including many state and national parks and campgrounds as well as private RV parks, it just seemed like too much effort to try to find a safe and enjoyable way to travel and sight see this year. 

So Minnie has been sitting in my side yard since last October, and there she will stay until this pandemic subsides. I even let the license expire and reduced the insurance coverage to bare minimum, just to cover anything that my homeowners policy would not.

Every month on the first day, I get an iPhone reminder to check my generator and battery. I go out and start up the gennie and the engine. While those run, I check the batteries and add water if necessary. Then I roll Minnie forward or backward a few feet to change the position of the tires. They only have a couple thousand miles on them and I don't want them getting flat spots. Luckily, my side yard is well shaded throughout the day, so they don't get much direct sun, which could dry them out and damage them. The last thing I do is run some water into the black tank. All my tanks are nearly empty, but adding a couple gallons of water to the black tank each month keeps it from smelling. After tending to Minnie, I take my Fit out for a 4-5 mile drive around the block and put it back in the garage. I keep battery tenders on Minnie's batteries so they don't go dead. Last year Dale installed a battery disconnect switch on my Fit, so I just turn that one off. These steps keep my whole RV rig in shape while in storage.

I'm hoping that I can get back to my plan of making a trip up the coast early next year. I've been reading some blogs of other RVers and mentally bookmarking several campgrounds and places of interest that I want to visit.

I had to put that sign on it to stop people from interrupting my nap 

by ringing my doorbell and asking about it. :)

Annual chores

After my New Mexico trip, I put my Minnie back in the side yard until my next camping trip. Or so I thought. Just a few weeks after I got home, I got the notification my license was due and I had to have an emissions test ... again! So, I had to take her out and down to the testing station. She passed, of course.

Instead of immediately putting Minnie back in storage, I decided it was a good time to get the new tires I was planning on this year. The old tires are from 2012, and that's about the limit for tires in the hot desert. They still had lots of tread, but the rubber gets old, and I didn't want to be driving down a freeway at 62MPH and have one suddenly fail. So I took it to Discount Tire and asked for the $1200 set of six. They promised to have them in the shop the next day and put on and ready for me to pick up by the end of the day.

However, after driving past the shop twice during the day, and still finding my Minnie sitting in the back lot where I had left her, I called to ask if they were going to have it ready. That's when they realized the tires never came in, and they had failed on their promise. The asked if they could put $1600 Bridgestones on instead, at no additional cost to me. Umm, YES!! So that's what she got.

I'm making my fall plans to head east about the middle of September to Alabama, where I will join Wendy and Denny's friends and family to help them celebrate their Golden Anniversary. It's hard to believe it was 50 years ago that they got married so Wendy would not have to move away from her beloved when her dad changed jobs.

After the celebration, I'm going to drive back to Mississippi and start the Natchez Trace Parkway again. But this time, I plan to drive the entire 444 miles all the way from Natchez to Nashville, while camping and sightseeing along the way.

Spring Trip

For the past few weeks, I've continued attending to the maintenance items on my Minnie list. I had the tires and brakes checked (no need to replace either this year!) and had the engine and generator serviced. I bought two new coach batteries and an inverter and the brothers graciously installed all of them for me. I'm working on a couple more repairs/updates inside and Minnie feels like she is in great shape. All in time for my next journey. 

I'm heading east in a few days, to the National Seashores NP on Padre Island, and the Gulf coast. This location was another one that Mom wrote about in her journals. She and Dad visited twice on two different trips to New York. I'm looking forward to spending a few days there while sightseeing in Corpus Christi and Galveston. I also will make sure to spend a day with my cousin Cindy who lives in Sugarland (a suburb of Houston).

My other two destinations are Meaher State Park which is just about five miles from my friends Wendy and Denny, and Paducah, Kentucky to see my oldest (or rather longest) friend Denice. I think I will drive a portion of the Natchez Trace Parkway on my way north.

Around the end of April, I'll turn back toward home. Keeping an eye on tornado season, I plan to drive through the Midwest and northern New Mexico as I make my way back to Arizona by the first week of May.

Ready to Roll!

I picked up my Minnie and tow car today from Cliff's Welding and hitch shop, where it was being fitted with a Roadmaster Sterling All Terrain towbar and built in braking system. Jake, the rep who I worked with, went over all the instructions with me and walked me through all the steps of hitching and preparing to tow. I made notes of everything and took lots of pictures of each step and the final hookup, so I feel like I am as prepared as I can be.

We went back inside where he took a LOT of my money, 😆 then he walked me back out and we shook hands. He reminded me one more time to NEVER back up, and said to call if I had any questions. I hopped into Minnie and pulled out onto the street.

When I watched that car rolling along behind me in my rear view camera, I was overwhelmed with emotion and might have cried for a minute. 😉 A block down the road, I pulled over into a big parking lot just to go back and ensure everything looked okay, and to slam my Minnie door closed (because it was rattling), and then I got on the freeway ... yes, the freeway!! ... and drove her home.

The car sailed right along behind me and I didn't really feel it there other than having to keep a little closer handle on the steering wheel. It felt like it could have a tendency to wander a bit more than it does without towing.

We have been having record heat in the Valley of the Sun (more like the Surface of the Sun) this week, and packing and loading the rig has been a miserable job. But it's nearly ready, and I hope to pull out for cooler country tomorrow.

See you down the road!

Fit to be Toad

I bought a 2009 Honda Fit last week and will get the tow bar installed Tuesday.

Orange was my last choice of color! I had hoped to find a decent white, blue or silver one. I looked at a few Fits and even made an offer on one that was accepted. Then the owner disappeared (thankfully before I gave him my money!) and I didn't hear from him again. Maybe he got a better offer and decided not to even let me know. Anyway, I had seen this orange one in the search results and decided I better take a look at it, since the other ones were selling so quickly.

In my research, I had settled on wanting an automatic Honda Fit. They are nice and small, lightweight, and are one of the few automatics that can be towed. I have owned 4 Hondas in my lifetime, and am very loyal to the quality of their vehicles. I figured if I could find a decent inexpensive one, I would be set for many years of enjoyment.

Daryl and I drove to Scottsdale and checked the orange one out. It was in good shape with just a few cosmetic dings (nothing major), a very sound engine and nice interior. The mileage was a little high (105k), but Hondas have a very good reputation for upward of (or more than) 200,000 miles, so I knew it still had a lot of life. I thought it over and made him an offer, which he accepted. I decided I better jump on it while I could, because used Fits are gone before you know it.

The towbar installation will cost me about 3/4 of what I paid for the car. It's a very expensive process, especially if you get a high end towbar. I knew I wanted a Roadmaster All Terrain system so I wouldn't have to deal with binding, since I travel alone. I also decided on a built in braking system, which is slightly more money than a portable brake, but a lot easier to handle. Although I'm paying a lot for this, all of the equipment will be mine and if I change cars, I can have it removed and re-installed on another car. I'll just have the labor costs.

My plans are falling into place for a Thursday departure, when I'll head north to Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana for the remainder of the summer. It's not a moment too soon, since the temperatures have been in the "one teens" this week, and forecasted to hit 120° tomorrow!!

Shopping for a Toad

I've been wanting a scooter for quite a long time, so when I'm parked for a few days, I can do some running around and sightseeing. After a lot of discussion with my RV advisors, they finally changed my mind on the wisdom of that.

• My Minnie has a moderately short wheel base and the rear end sticks out about 8 feet, which swings wide when I turn. I've already had one fender bender because of it. The extra length and weight of a scooter on the back will add to that stress on the rear end.
• I'd want a small scooter, but one that I could go up to 45-50 mph on a highway. Intimidating!
• I couldn't ride anyone with me; particularly my grandkids when they are camping with me.

A small car also has drawbacks.

• Can't back up while hitched. I will have to constantly be aware of where I am and where I am going, especially in parking lots and gas stations, so I don't get into a predicament and have to hop out and deal with ...
• Unhitching - hitching up
• Cost - initial and ongoing. Purchase price of car & tow hitch, plus gas, license and insurance are more than a scooter.

But a small car has a lot of advantages and I think the challenges are outweighed by them. It will give me a lot of freedom to see more places and stay in camp spots that I fall in love with for a lot longer. This summer, I plan to camp for about five weeks near Glacier National Park and northern Idaho, and having a car will really allow for settling in and exploring.

Another part of my summer plans include taking my grandsons, Nathan and Steven, to South Dakota and exploring the areas near Mt. Rushmore and Badlands National Park. I already have a reservation at an RV campground (with hookups) for several nights, and we will be able to drive to the sights from there.

I can't believe where my change of attitudes have taken me already in life, and particularly in retirement. Ten years ago, I was lamenting that being an older single woman meant I could never camp again in my life. Then my family encouraged me to read blogs of other women who RV on their own and I came to realize "if they could do it, I could do it!"

I thought I would only travel the main highways and stay in populated campgrounds and RV parks. After a few experiences boondocking with Dale, I came to realize there's a whole world out there when you get off the road, and actually, the lovely, lonely woods are a lot safer than being in a locked up house in the city. (As long as there is cell phone signal!)

I've always said I would never want to deal with the hassle of a tow car, and would just plan my routes to see what I wanted to see as I drove past on my way to those (populated) campgrounds. Now, here I am shopping for a toad!

Once again, I've sought the advice of those experts, and they are helping me find a small used car and seek out a shop for installing the tow bar equipment. We haven't found the exact car yet, but I am confident something is out there. I have lots of possibilities to consider judging from the CraigsList links filling up my texting feed. Once we've found "the one", I'll be sure to post an entry here.

Retirement

I'm on a one week countdown now for my retirement date. April 1 is just around the corner. Many people have asked me if I will head out in my RV immediately following my last day. Here are my "plans", although I use that term loosely. I want to embrace retirement flexibility and not put too much in writing so I won't be held to any promises.

I'd like to take a couple of short camping trips up to the Rim and maybe to Roosevelt Lake in April. I have promised my two grandsons that I will take them on an overnight trip after I retire.

My daughter and granddaughter will be in town in early May for a Ballet conference and performance that I want to attend, so I will stick close to home until after that.

Then I hope to head north in late May or early June, for Idaho, Washington and Oregon. That's where I'd like to spend the summer months, in search of 70° locales. I'll be trying to find lots of boondocking locations in high country, and making many stops along the way as the whim hits me.

April 1st is drawing nigh. No April Fools!

My maiden voyage

I'm going to take my Winnie Minnie out for a spin this weekend, on an overnighter up to the Mogollon Rim. I plan to leave Saturday morning and drive up past Payson and Pine and try to find a boondocking spot off one of the forest roads somewhere between Lake Mary Road and Blue Ridge Ranger Station.

My brother and sister in law are going to drive up with me (in their car) and help me find a spot and get set up.  I'm just a little unsure of how all the systems work and what is required to make it all run, so they will help me become a bit familiarized with everything (or at least the critical things) this first go-round. Then they will head back down the mountain and Hanna and I will be on our own. 

Since I don't have an inverter or solar power yet, and don't really want to run my generator too much in the woods, I'm planning to spend most of my day doing non-electric activities like reading and walking with Hanna in the forest, and then after dark I can watch DVDs on my laptop. I'm sure I'll spend some time puttering inside organizing the things I have so far and figuring out how to cook and live in it. And teaching Hanna what she is and is not allowed to jump on ... like the dinette table. :)

Speaking of Hanna, she doesn't yet know we are going, but she will be very excited when I put her inside and start driving up the road. She loves to jump into it in the back yard and doesn't want to get out when I'm ready to go back in the house. I called the vet earlier this week to see what dosage of Dramamine I could give her if she gets carsick.

I'm borrowing a satellite phone from my brother Daryl just in case I have an emergency out of cell phone range, but hopefully I won't need to use it. I'll post another entry when I get home. Wish me luck!! Here I go!

Getting the gate ready

The gate into my side/back yard was only ten feet wide, and was directly under the 20 inch overhang of the roof eave, so it was too narrow for getting my RV through. I had to have it widened to twelve feet. Here's a few before and after pictures.

Old gate

Widened the opening

New gate

These trees need to go

My landscaper is going to remove a couple small palm trees and grade and level a driveway through the yard, so I won't drag the rear end coming up the hill. That won't be until after I bring the coach home, so if I can't get it up through the yard, I will have to park it at my brother's house for a couple of days. Getting closer!

Spending money like it's going out of style!

I knew the base price of my RV was not going to be the only cost I would incur to become an RVer. But I am quickly finding out there are a lot more hidden and unexpected expenses that are taking a big bite out of my savings.

Of course, I knew there would be license and insurance, plus all the items that I want to stock the inside with. But I didn't anticipate the expense of widening the gate to my back yard, grading and leveling the entrance to that gate through my front yard, and ramps to get up over the curb to my yard. And frankly, I never even thought about a service warranty for my new (used) Winnie Minnie, but it's certainly a requirement for me since I can't handle repairs should anything go wrong. All of these things are adding up to many thousands of dollars.

I have been slowly purchasing some items that I want to have inside the rig (mainly the kitchen). I'll take a lot of the things I use on an every day basis from the house to the MH for at least the first year, but over time, I want to purchase as many duplicates as makes sense so I don't have to pack and unpack so much stuff every time I come and go.

My rig will need new curtains right away, as the ones in there now are pretty sun damaged. Other than that, there's really nothing urgent that some Mr. Clean or Comet won't fix. I may eventually recover the dinette cushions if I can find something that coordinates with the existing color scheme, but they are fine for now.

But amidst all this never ending drain on my bank account, I don't have any buyer's remorse about the coach I bought or my plans to hit the road.

I Did It!

I am the proud new owner of a Winnebago Minnie 27 ft Class C motorhome. It's the one I've had my eye on at RVTrader.com for a few weeks, and today I talked my brothers and sis in law into going with me and we drove down to Tucson to check it out. It was everything that I want and more, so I put a down payment on it and signed the contract. They are going to keep it for me while I get a wider gate installed in my side yard.

Here are a few pictures I copied from the seller's website.

This is going to make working for another 10 months that much harder. I already have short timer's disease. Now I have an RV and I'm anxious to get on the road.

A Woman's Perogative

I can change my mind, can't I?

After all the analysis and arguments for why I wanted a trailer, I've changed my mind. I've been visiting lots of RV shows, and to tell the truth, those fifth wheels kind of scare me. They are really big and intimidating, and thinking about towing one on an interstate or through a big city is kind of  overwhelming.

I read a LOT of RVer's blogs, and a few that I have been enjoying lately are written by women who travel solo in motor homes. I would really love a little Class B for road tripping, getting in and out of cities and towns, better gas mileage, and being able to stealth camp; but I just don't want to live in such limited space. Even if I am only going part time, I still want a little more room. And my original requirements still stand: separate shower in the bathroom, a bed that stays a bed, a small slide out to give a bit of extra room. That's why I have been thinking more and more about getting a Class C.

My [expert adviser] brother agrees that it would be a wiser option for me. He also says I could tow a small car and hardly even know it's back there. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I actually have driven a motor home. My folks owned a small class A back in the 60s and 70s and I drove it quite a lot.

So I've been shopping online and found one I really like. It's in Tucson, and I think I will try to drive down and see it and maybe give it a test drive this weekend. It's a 2005 27 foot Winnebago Minnie. From the pictures on the web, it looks like it's in fantastic shape. I guess I'll see, and then I'll update more.

RV Show

I went to my first RV Show last weekend with my brothers and sister in law, who are long time full-timers. It was all the way out in Glendale at Cardinals' Stadium, but a beautiful spring Sunday in Arizona made it a nice day out, and we stopped for lunch on the way home.

I went with the hopes of seeing some small (~20') travel trailers like I've eyed on the internet, but never been inside of. There were a few examples, plus a lot of larger, beautiful beasts that make one drool. Mindful of my budget and ability to tow, set up, and maintain such a monstrosity on my own, I only went inside a couple that were larger than about 25 feet. Until we came to the fifth wheels.

One of my brothers, who has lots of experience with a variety of recreational vehicles, advised me to consider a fifth wheel instead of a travel trailer. He pointed out the benefit of towing ease and  longer floor plans. He said I could tow a 26-28' fifth wheel easier than a 20' travel trailer. Wow, did that throw a whole new spin my way.

I haven't made up my mind yet, but I am looking at some different options. The smallest fifth wheel trailer with a single slide out I've been able to find online is 26.5 feet (with the exception of Escapes or Scamps which don't have a shower stall). That's a little more trailer than I need, but if it would tow easily, the extra room might be nice. And the extra storage space would definitely be nice! They are more expensive than my original budget plan, so that's also a consideration, but I might be able to find an affordable used one.

My Walter Mitty dreaming continues, as does my web surfing.

Which Trailer?

I have some specific ideas of what I'm looking for in a travel trailer, and a few requirements. When I first started thinking about buying an RV, I immediately decided I would buy a Casita Spirit 17' travel trailer. I especially liked the size and shape, but also the fact the I could leave the large dinette made into a bed and still have a little dinette during the day. But after spending hours (and hours!) looking at designs, I've found a few other floor plans that I think I like even better.

I'd like something that's around 20', with a small slideout. It's amazing how much roomier a trailer feels with just an extra foot on the side to move the couch out of the way. It opens up the living area quite a lot.

I want a bed that can stay a bed during the day. I want to make it up once, put some pretty throw pillows and blankets on it and not have to unmake it each morning before I can have my breakfast.

I'd rather have a couch with a little moveable table than a traditional dinette. I find dinettes uncomfortable, and I want something I can lounge on while reading or watching TV. I always eat my dinner in front of the TV at home, using a tray table pulled up to my easy chair, so this would suit me nicely.

A shower stall with a door or curtain in the bathroom, rather than the whole bathroom being the shower stall, is a must. I've heard some folks complain about the inconvenience of everything getting wet and having to wipe it all down after every shower. Many of them resort to taking sponge baths to avoid that hassle.

I don't want the bed right in front of the door. I'd rather have them on opposite ends of the trailer. And the TV (a NECESSITY for me) needs to be positioned where it can be seen easily from the galley, the couch and the bed.

With these features in mind, I have searched the web for travel trailer floor plans to find some that would fit the bill for me.

Choosing what's right for me

I grew up in a camping family. When I was very young, we started out tent camping, but quickly moved up to a used travel trailer. When I was a teenager, my dad bought an old motor home which we named the Tramper, and we vacationed in it for many years until it died in a meadow in Montana. So I've experienced it all, and I have some definite preferences.

It's a major decision choosing between a motor home and a travel trailer. (No, I'm not considering living 5-6 months a year in a tent, folks.) Advantages of a motor home are obvious:

1. Security. You can pull into a rest area, campground or truck stop and never have to unlock your door if you just want to make a meal and/or go to bed. 
2. Backing up. I've never towed anything, but I have driven and backed up the Tramper, so I know I can do that.
3. Stealth camping. If your rig is small enough, you can park lots of places and not be detected that you are actually camping.

But there are some major drawbacks, two in particular:

1. Investment. Motor homes are more expensive than travel trailers. 
2. Mobility. You are either stuck where you camp, or you must pack up your whole home to run into town for bread and milk. Plus if you have a breakdown that puts it in the shop, you are stuck in a hotel room without wheels and relying on public transportation.

Now, some folks drive a motor home and tow a small vehicle (nicknamed a "Toad") for their errand and sightseeing runs. But the economical advantage and convenience of not towing something and being a bit more stealth go right out the window with that approach. Plus you have two engines to maintain while on the road. That is not for me.

Travel trailers solve the motor homes' two main disadvantages:

1.  Expense. You could pick up a pretty nice used trailer for under $10,000 and find a used tow vehicle for less than that.
2. Mobility. Park and set up your trailer, then jump in your vehicle and go off to see the sights.

I'm about 90% certain a small travel trailer and used van or pickup with a shell is the best option for me. I know I will want to camp in most locations for several days or even weeks, and I don't want to be without a vehicle for touring. Lots of women who have never towed a vehicle in their lives until retirement learn to do it, and I am confident I can, too. And I WILL learn to back it up! No being restricted to pull-through spaces for me.

So the hunt is on. I'm no where near ready to buy yet. I still have 2-3 years to work! But I'm doing research to find the best size, brand, floor plan, and features to fit my travel plans. I spend hours on the internet looking at models and reading full-timers blogs. I've learned a lot so far, and think I will be well equipped to make a good decision and a great purchase when my new adventure draws close.