Lifestyle Weekenders, Boondockers, Full-Timers: Looking at RVs

[so long]

Been looking...finally found one and put down a deposit.
Transferring title tomorrow

2007 Tioga 26'. The search was made difficult because I specifically didn't want one with slides.
I'll probably replace the flooring first, doesn't look like they did a great job...but it looks good enough. I can put down some laminate or nice lino for cheap.
The tires are 4-5 yrs old, but the RV was stored in a garage for it's entire life, so I'll probably replace the fronts and roll the rears for the first year. After looking for the last couple weeks, I can tell you that garage/covered storage is a big deal. So now I have to find a place nearby with available covered RV storage.

Aside from the floor, the only upgrades will probably be solar power and couple of interior mods - simple things like making a place to put shoes at the entrance. I might upgrade the sway bars, probably the shocks when I have it aligned. Dad is a wealth of knowledge for best-known-methods of RVing and trip planning. He already asked if he could borrow it. I told him he could rent it.

And my middle kid is turning 5 on Wednesday, so I think I'll take her to the RV tomorrow after we transfer ownership and let her 'pick' the RV, and surprise her sisters with it on Wednesday.

Jesus Christ, that thing is huuuge. at least for my european standards. they say cars and roads are bigger in the US, those RVs for sure are you can play a golf tournament in that thing.

I hope you're having a great time in that ride, I will live vicariously through this thread!

 

[Filthy]

Jesus Christ, that thing is huuuge. at least for my european standards. they say cars and roads are bigger in the US, those RVs for sure are you can play a golf tournament in that thing.

I hope you're having a great time in that ride, I will live vicariously through this thread!

it's about the size of a medium size moving van, and it was the smallest I could get and have a full queen bed in the back, without slide-outs. I grew up on a farm, and drove lots of big stuff at a pretty early age...my grandpa had a Caterpillar D6 bulldozer and tractor-trailer to haul it. Check out "Super C" class RVs, or some of the big Class As...mine is only 26', but some of them are over 45'.

 

[so long]

it's about the size of a medium size moving van, and it was the smallest I could get and have a full queen bed in the back, without slide-outs. I grew up on a farm, and drove lots of big stuff at a pretty early age...my grandpa had a Caterpillar D6 bulldozer and tractor-trailer to haul it. Check out "Super C" class RVs, or some of the big Class As...mine is only 26', but some of them are over 45'.

As a teenager I used to watch Scrubs on TV. Dr. Bob Kelso has a pretty big unit. And a big RV also : D

 

[Filthy]

Ankle is turning a pretty shade of purple. Plan was to leave yesterday at 8AM and get in about 430PM. But wide didn't even step out of the shower until 8. And then 45m in to the trip she falls asleep and I miss a turn...45m out of the way. Didn't get in until 830PM. Positive battery term keeps popping off the post because prior owner was too stupid to correctly size and install a battery. No fun when the van just dies at idle. It's a duralast, and there's an autozone just down the road, so I'll stop there and see what they'll swap me.

Oh - and I got up this morning to discover that wife forgot my coffee. Just like on the last trip...FUCK.

Good thing my kids are so cute.

 

[Filthy]

Almost forgot - we're in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I think we're aiming for Kansas tonight.

 

[Filthy]

Made it to Dodge City, KS.
Only lost one wheel cover, but the trucker behind me called the one in front, and he told me. It was in town in TX, we were stopping for lunch anyway...but I had to hobble my crippled ass a hundred yards back down the road. Center cap was gone forever, but no other damage.

Oklahoma: fix your fucking roads.

 

[Filthy]

Spring Lake, KS for the night, just short 3 hours of driving today. Hit the local Wal-mart for an order pickup of Stuff We Forgot or Consumed...They have a beautiful park here and good WiFi. Took the kids over to a little playground, they wore masks and washed their hands when they were done. There's a nice little footpath around the 'lake' (in Iowa, this is a pond), and some comfortable spots to sit down and take in a sunset. There was this odd little troll shrine/community under a little redwood, and a funny little sign about Crocs in the water. Also, a completely unintentionally funny sign from the Kansas Department of Unnecessary Signage regarding swimming in the algae-covered septic pond.





My brother has taken to calling me 'Cousin Eddy'. Gonna try and find the hat and bathrobe, send him a picture from in front of Mom's house.

 

[Filthy]

I'm getting really used to just pulling in and having a hot meal within 30m. Nothing special, just some Helper, taters, and veggies...but it's one of the nicest aspects of RVing so far.



Also, apparently they know how to party at Spring Lake campground. Found this vial next to my hook-ups, and I of course I thought it was meth...maybe I was a little optimistic that it was coke. But it was actually a bunch of little balls of powder (not like rocks, little spheres) and a couple of tiny pills. Apparently the pills are 'clonazepam'...super-Xanax? Now the question is am I the kind of guy to do drugs I found on the ground at an RV park? 10 years ago, the only question would be 'a little at a time' or 'all at once'. Now I feel like I should at least call the office and ask if anyone's overdosed around my spot recently...


TMMAC - do rando drugs or nah?

 

[Qat]

I'm getting really used to just pulling in and having a hot meal within 30m. Nothing special, just some Helper, taters, and veggies...but it's one of the nicest aspects of RVing so far.

View attachment 8120

Also, apparently they know how to party at Spring Lake campground. Found this vial next to my hook-ups, and I of course I thought it was meth...maybe I was a little optimistic that it was coke. But it was actually a bunch of little balls of powder (not like rocks, little spheres) and a couple of tiny pills. Apparently the pills are 'clonazepam'...super-Xanax? Now the question is am I the kind of guy to do drugs I found on the ground at an RV park? 10 years ago, the only question would be 'a little at a time' or 'all at once'. Now I feel like I should at least call the office and ask if anyone's overdosed around my spot recently...
View attachment 8122

TMMAC - do rando drugs or nah?

Looks like Bin Laden lost his anthrax there.

 

[Shinkicker]

I'm getting really used to just pulling in and having a hot meal within 30m. Nothing special, just some Helper, taters, and veggies...but it's one of the nicest aspects of RVing so far.

View attachment 8120

Also, apparently they know how to party at Spring Lake campground. Found this vial next to my hook-ups, and I of course I thought it was meth...maybe I was a little optimistic that it was coke. But it was actually a bunch of little balls of powder (not like rocks, little spheres) and a couple of tiny pills. Apparently the pills are 'clonazepam'...super-Xanax? Now the question is am I the kind of guy to do drugs I found on the ground at an RV park? 10 years ago, the only question would be 'a little at a time' or 'all at once'. Now I feel like I should at least call the office and ask if anyone's overdosed around my spot recently...
View attachment 8122

TMMAC - do rando drugs or nah?

That looks like a bottle that nitroglycerin tablets come in.

 

[Filthy]

That looks like a bottle that nitroglycerin tablets come in.

Amyl nitrate?

 

[Shinkicker]

Amyl nitrate?

Nitroglycerin. The little tablets people put under their tongue when they think they are having a heart attack.

 

[Filthy]

Nitroglycerin. The little tablets people put under their tongue when they think they are having a heart attack.

people take pills as medicine? I just take pills to party.

 

[Shinkicker]

people take pills as medicine? I just take pills to party.

Alright then. Don't swallow it, just put it under your tongue. One at a time and wait 5 mins in between each one.

Turn the bed down. You may need a nap.



Jk. Please don't do this. It will drop your blood pressure.

 

[Filthy]

Made it back to the farm. Once the shitter's full, I'll achieve Peak Cousin Eddy. Actually, I'll probably be spending my weekends working on the basement...setting up an office for work and hanging sheet rock from the ceiling. Oh Joy.



I did notice that there was NO ONE in Kansas wearing a mask. Which is weird, because there's a big Smithfield pork operation around Unionville, and they've been getting hit hard. The more Trump/Pence 2020 flags I see, the fewer masks I see. Kinda makes me sad for people who have such a low understanding of science that they default to Political Identity.

Also bought a bunch of fireworks in MO, the kind you can't get in Iowa. Hope none of the cows have PTSD from their time in combat.

 

[ThatOneDude]

Made it back to the farm. Once the shitter's full, I'll achieve Peak Cousin Eddy. Actually, I'll probably be spending my weekends working on the basement...setting up an office for work and hanging sheet rock from the ceiling. Oh Joy.

View attachment 8294View attachment 8295View attachment 8296

I did notice that there was NO ONE in Kansas wearing a mask. Which is weird, because there's a big Smithfield pork operation around Unionville, and they've been getting hit hard. The more Trump/Pence 2020 flags I see, the fewer masks I see. Kinda makes me sad for people who have such a low understanding of science that they default to Political Identity.

Also bought a bunch of fireworks in MO, the kind you can't get in Iowa. Hope none of the cows have PTSD from their time in combat.

Fuck your combat cows

 

[Filthy]

Busy couple of days working on the RV and doing farm shit. Cleaned the roof and caulked a bunch of spots, ordered more caulk to lay a bunch more down just in case. And I pulled the radio out and put in a new Jensen. Had a really great experience with the local radio installer, he built me an extension for the antenna cable for $6, and absolutely REFUSED to upsell me on speakers or other gear. Good dude, but that's how you stay in business for 35 years.

 

[Filthy]

got the new floor in...kinda. HUGE reduction in noise in the house, just a little wrinkly from incorrectly applying the glue. Apparently, I'm a trailblazer for laying sheet vinyl on Dynaliner.

looks OK, but looks/feels/sounds a million times better than the old floor, so I'm not beating myself up over it too much.
We rolled across IA and in to SD yesterday, took in Mt Rushmore. I cruised the parking lot at Crazy Horse, but I told the wife that once she looks in to it she'll feel OK about paying the $24 to park at Crazy Horse and will probably never go back to Rushmore again.

RV took a full dousing in a storm last night, she's watertight. I found a little seepage around the window by the house door, but I know I need to go and redo the sealing of the windows. I'm also converting to bib overalls full-time when I'm driving. Just too comfortable and functional to go with anything else. Footwear is TBD. Combat boots for my sprained ankle for now, but I need some driving/camping boots.

 

[Filthy]

not much to say about Yellowstone except it's one of the most beautiful places on Earth...been light on the WiFi and internet, just spending a lot of time walking around exploring with the kids. Wife wants me to buy fishing gear.



She's really in to the experience at this point. We're looking at planning homeschool trips since AZ schools are being stupid.

 

[ThatOneDude]

You HAVE to buy fishing gear, your wife requested it.

 

[Rambo John J]

I'm getting really used to just pulling in and having a hot meal within 30m. Nothing special, just some Helper, taters, and veggies...but it's one of the nicest aspects of RVing so far.

View attachment 8120

Also, apparently they know how to party at Spring Lake campground. Found this vial next to my hook-ups, and I of course I thought it was meth...maybe I was a little optimistic that it was coke. But it was actually a bunch of little balls of powder (not like rocks, little spheres) and a couple of tiny pills. Apparently the pills are 'clonazepam'...super-Xanax? Now the question is am I the kind of guy to do drugs I found on the ground at an RV park? 10 years ago, the only question would be 'a little at a time' or 'all at once'. Now I feel like I should at least call the office and ask if anyone's overdosed around my spot recently...
View attachment 8122

TMMAC - do rando drugs or nah?

don't do those drugs
bad shit

 

[Filthy]

Ongoing project is to replace the shitty "bar chair" captain's chair with a real one. After much scrounging, I learned that very few factory seats have integrated seat belts. But the 2nd row out of a Limited Sienna, after 2004, or any Honda Odyssey after 2018 would work. Tried to get some Odyssey seats, but they didn't look good in person. Found a 2010 Sienna seat that was perfect, so I got some front grey leather to match...but the grey changed shades in 2011 and the fronts were out of a 2014 - so I took them back. Different fronts out of a 2010 in Burleson,TX should be here by Tuesday.

Meantime, I tried to dissemble the seat track in such a way as to keep the linear motion, since the existing seat mechanism only had swivel. Right about the time I gave up, I figured out that the old RV seat had linear motion and was just gunked up. So I Kroiled the shit out of it and let it sit the AZ sun for a day. It's free and loose like a hippy chick.

Today I mocked up and welded the new frame that the old RV seat mechanism will mount to...I also discovered a tool called a Transfer Punch Set. No idea how I lived this long without one.

Oh - the fabric on the seat is the outdoor fabric I ordered for the dinette. That's the next project.



@ConorMcGregorsBeard - this is what I meant "seat track assembly"

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

Ongoing project is to replace the shitty "bar chair" captain's chair with a real one. After much scrounging, I learned that very few factory seats have integrated seat belts. But the 2nd row out of a Limited Sienna, after 2004, or any Honda Odyssey after 2018 would work. Tried to get some Odyssey seats, but they didn't look good in person. Found a 2010 Sienna seat that was perfect, so I got some front grey leather to match...but the grey changed shades in 2011 and the fronts were out of a 2014 - so I took them back. Different fronts out of a 2010 in Burleson,TX should be here by Tuesday.

Meantime, I tried to dissemble the seat track in such a way as to keep the linear motion, since the existing seat mechanism only had swivel. Right about the time I gave up, I figured out that the old RV seat had linear motion and was just gunked up. So I Kroiled the shit out of it and let it sit the AZ sun for a day. It's free and loose like a hippy chick.

Today I mocked up and welded the new frame that the old RV seat mechanism will mount to...I also discovered a tool called a Transfer Punch Set. No idea how I lived this long without one.

Oh - the fabric on the seat is the outdoor fabric I ordered for the dinette. That's the next project.

View attachment 12042View attachment 12043View attachment 12044View attachment 12045

@ConorMcGregorsBeard - this is what I meant "seat track assembly"View attachment 12046

Yeah, that's definitely meant to be a non serviceable part.

 

[Freeloading Rusty]

Just got back from 3 days of camping up island... Now I need a day to recover.

Between the work of camping with a toddler and drinking beer with the boys, I am beat.

No fancy rig, just a tiny Northern Lite camper we all cram in to sleep.

 

[Filthy]

work progresses on the Cpt Chair. Base adapter is fit, did a test fit in the RV. Tried to shorten the base, but my band saw is juuuuuuuust a little small and 'rounded over' when it cut. But my local machine shop frens are squaring it up for me.


The trim piece on the side is where I'm going to try mounting the pull cable that release the locks on slide/swivel mechanisms. Worst case, I'll just put a lever on it...but the pull cables would be slick.



finally found a matching front seat set from the same year as the Captain Chair, same color.
Bad News - the passenger seat got bent. Fuck. they cored it and said 'gotta find a new one'.
Badder News - the driver seat is just covered in crap. disgusting.
Good News - the driver seat smells AMAZING.

Spoiler: Driver Seat

I kid - it's cornstarch...the almost-last step of leather seat restoration. It was greasy and grimy, maybe the worst seat I've actually tried to bring back. Nice thing about new leathers is that they're coated in synthetic, so you can bust out almost any cleaner. Cornstarch is old school for real leather, but it still works on getting the oil/grime out of the seams and cracks The armrest was actually the cleanest spot on the seat, no idea what happened to it...snapped this pic when I realized I was almost through the worst of it without a 'Before' pic.