Vacation Pics

[Kfamr]

Great pictures.. love the scenery! The talk of vacation is making me even more psyched about being off work for 2 weeks for OH/MI!!!

[QUOTE=caseysmom] I am in the market for a pop up trailer, QUOTE]


We just purchase a pop-up camper for our Ohio trip. They are really nice!

[finn's mom]

Me too! I am afraid of anything that big though I plan on working my way up

I know, I have never driven anything like that! I'd have to learn, for sure!

[caseysmom]

Kay I want to hear everything about it! The only thing holding me back is our neighborhood cc&r's so I will have to store it elsewhere. I went to look at them and it seems like there is more sleeping space in those than in the big motorhomes.

Did you buy new or used? What are you hauling with.....sorry to highjack

[Laura's Babies]

Thank you for posting these pictures. I think they were awesome! LOVED them!

I would love to do as the lady behind me and live in one so when a hurricane is headed this way, just disconnect and GO! (But I like my ROOM!)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I enjoyed too!
What a big motorhome you have (and beautiful too)! Stupid question but...are they all of this size in the US??? For me, this is almost a truck!

No, Sonia, they aren't all this big in the US. We are very fortunate to be able to afford such a luxury. Motorhomes like this in the US can range from 28 feet up to 45 feet, which is what this one is.

We are also 102 inches wide and in Europe I know they are restricted to the metric equivalent of 96" wide. Only 6" difference, but it makes a world of difference in how roomy it feels inside. I also believe in Europe they are restricted to a maximum of 40', but I'm not sure about that one. Think tour bus and you'll have a good idea of how big this one is.

I think the biggness of this is very indicative of American's need for BIG. Seems we need BIG everything - big houses, big cars, big states (Texas), etc. My experience is that Europeans are not used to so much space and so much BIGness, which in my opinion is a good thing because BIG also equates to a lot of waste and I believe Americans in general are a very wasteful society. Ok, ok, enough of my political view.....but really, this motorhome is the exact opposite of everything I strive to believe in, but.....it sure is nice and it sure is fun!

Caseysmom - no problem, pop-ups definitely have more sleeping space than motorhomes, and I agree that there are some very nice ones out there, for not a lot of money. I think they have come a long way in the last few years also, adding more and more amenities like refrigerators and port-a-potties. Pop-ups are a great way to get started in camping and I would recommend one to anyone!

As for driving this big thing, I told Terry that we have to do this now while he can still drive, because once he gets too old and can't drive, we're going to have to downsize because I'm NOT driving a 45' vehicle! Of course.....I said that about driving a motorcycle and driving fast in a Corvette....and I ended up doing both so yeah, I'll probably end up driving this too....but only on roads like Hwy 70 through New Mexico - 4 lanes, NO traffic, flat and smooth.

[caseysmom]

By the way the movie RV is hysterical even for a non rv'er.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I thought I had a pic of me with a sahauro too! From my college days but I can't find it.

I must hide this thread where Don cannot see it. He is very taken with your fabulous RV and the idea of "[I]See the USA in your...."

You could have come a few 100 more miles to the land of milk and honey you know!

[Edwina's Secretary]

On the road in the Sahuaro National Forest -- 1973.



(Okay...so you can't see any cacti!)

[ramanth]

My parents have a 5th Wheel Trailer. Has a fridge, stove, and bathroom, and sleeps 6 comfortably.

So if you have a pickup truck, a 5th Wheel is something to look into. Larger than a pop up camper but smaller than a motorhome.

[Sonia59]

Debbie, I don't know about the authorized sizes of motorhome in Europe, but the smallest you indicate seems already quite big to me (although I am not sure with the feet and inches) And yours, indeed, looks like it is a bus size! I understand better that you can bring your kitties without problems to make them comfortably stay in it, it's like a house!

I think in Europe you could even not use it, it would not fit in parking places and you could not turn in little villages But I guess this is also why you pull your car.

I also undertand what you mean about wasting, you are right, the feeling most of europeans probably have when seeing such bigness is that it is completely... useless. But I also believe that such a motorhome is nice and fun! Wow!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Great pictures. Debbie, does this mean all the problems you were having with the motorhome have been solved?

Yes! Woooo hoooo!!!!

On our way to Arizona, we had no A/C out of the dash, but I told Terry it wasn't a serious problem because we have 3 air conditioners on the roof! Turns out it only needed freon, so that one's fixed. Then in Oklahoma, it was so windy that it ripped one of our awnings away from the motorhome and it was flapping in the wind as we were driving down the road at 65 mph! Pulled over and secured that (on the side of the road with trucks whizzing by at 70 mph! ) and got a new one installed when we were in Arizona, so that one is fixed. And that - knock on wood - is the last problem we've had. The rest of the trip out there and the entire trip home was problem free - knock on wood again!

So, yes, it appears all the bugs have been worked out - knock, knock, knock!

Sara, can't see any cacti, and too bad it's not a little closer up shot of you.

Sonia, when we were in Germany, France and Switzerland we were hauled around in a big tour bus. I could NOT believe the tight spaces the driver was able to maneuver us through! I told Terry to watch and take notes. We stayed in a little town in Switzerland called Oberied (sp?) and one day there was a traffic jam because there was a bit of a tight turn in town and there was a bus stuck. Evidently that driver wasn't as good as the driver we had and he wasn't able to negotiate the tight turn with his big bus. We didn't stick around to see how he got out of it, but I'm sure there were cars that had to back up to give him more room to maneuver.

[Randi]

Debbie, thanks for sharing your vacation pics, they're wonderful! Glad you had a good time!

I can't believe how huge your motorhome is - and the cactus. Wow!! I have no idea about sizes for these vehicles in Europe, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are limited.

[caseysmom]

Ramanth...I have looked at fifth wheels, they are very roomy and most have everything you could imagine, I am just afraid of the parking, my hubby doesn't go camping all the time, I would have to learn to back that thing it.

[Vermontcat]

Great photos! Aren't vacations fun!
I'm glad to hear that your motorhome is behaving for you now.
So when do you plan a trip to the northeast?
Dare I ask how the gas mileage is on your motorhome?
That is one thing that I hate about driving anywhere is how much gas costs now.

My in-laws have a 5th wheel motorhome that they pull with their big pickup truck.
My father-in-law is so nervous about driving it now that they keep it parked in Florida and only use it a few months of the year.
Casey's mom, the nice thing about RV parks is that you never have to back up, the lots are designed to pull in and pull out of without backing up.

[caseysmom]

Vermontcat...here in california...at least what I have seen the state parks are much prettier than the rv parks...but I haven't gone to lots of rv parks.