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Life in a B Movie


Jeff & Suzanne

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Anyone who knows us knows Two Hams in a Can are stage and small screen actors...but no fame and no fortune (and no autographs please) who were fulltimers until health issues turned us into sometimers. We were very active in The Class of 2006 thread, but dropped out until "hitch itch" got us back into the rv life.

 

Since we have a B+ RV now, and since this Class B forum seems to be pitifully underused, Suzanne and I will be sharing our new found discoveries here ("newfound" even though we have been rving full and part time for seventeen years). After downsizing from a 40 ft Foretravel DP to a 24 ft Phoenix Cruiser Sprinter, we are finding any number of new ways of visiting old challenges.

 

To paraphrase a song from the 1990s, "I like Class B's and I cannot lie...". I'm inviting all you B's and B+'s to add your insights, experiences and anything else that comes to mind to this stepchild part of The Escapees Discussion Forum. I'll post again later after our first real trip and it's challenges...not counting the journey from Sarasota FL to our home in Chicagoland after buying our rig in the dead of winter.

Jeff and Suzanne with Scout and Sydney, the Cocker Spaniel Sisters touring in Fawkes the 2012 Phoenix Cruiser 2400 Sprinter

 

"What happens in Vagueness, stays in Vagueness"

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The DW and I are looking into adding a Nexus Viper 25V to use on short trips of a week or so, longer ones will still be in a little larger rig but we are mainly looing at something smaller she can park easily and get into smaller spaces than our other RV. How soon that happens will depend on how much the tax man taketh away this year. We have been looking at them for about 6 months and went to the Tampa RV show to see the units that were available and met all of our criteria. Nexus was the only one that was close.

 

We were looking for no more than 26 feet long, Ford E450 chassis, no twin beds and some customization (no dinette we want two recliners in that space) as well as a good quality, well constructed mini motor home. Hopefully that decision will prove to be correct.

2017 Kenworth T680
2015 DRV 38RSSA Elite Suites
2016 Smart Prime

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Welcome to the "B Hive". Hope the tax man goes very easy on you so you can get that Nexus Viper. We looked at virtually every Class B that was anyway near our budget and specs, but with two Cocker Spaniels traveling with us, we needed more space. We stumbled on the Class B+ route, and after a factory tour of Phoenix USA (we live just 90 miles from Elkhart, IN) and saw the way they craft their motorhomes, we went with them.

 

I see by your signature you guys are HDT Fivers. . .we fulltimed in a Foretravel U320 DP before downsizing; so most RV stuff is old hat. As I posted in the OP above, when we get back home after our two week "shakedown trip", I'll share some things that, at least to us are unique to Class B/Class B+ rving.

Jeff and Suzanne with Scout and Sydney, the Cocker Spaniel Sisters touring in Fawkes the 2012 Phoenix Cruiser 2400 Sprinter

 

"What happens in Vagueness, stays in Vagueness"

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Yes, we pull with a Kenworth and the truck alone is 6 ft. longer than the Viper will be. :D

 

We also have two dogs (Cattle dog and a Border Collie/Jack Russell mix) so the full side slide on the 25V opened things up a lot to give everyone enough "space". I liked the corner construction on that unit (seams are away from the corners, the molded 5 side rear cap and the front cap design as well as the fact that a Nexus was very open to customizing the unit to what we wanted to have. We looked at Phoenix Cruisers, Coach House, Born Free and others in Tampa but the DW kept going back to the 25V for the features and the size. I was wanting a Ford E450 chassis over a Sprinter or a Transit so that unit became a good fit for us.

 

Hopefully, everything will work out and we will be joining the crowd with our own B+ soon.

2017 Kenworth T680
2015 DRV 38RSSA Elite Suites
2016 Smart Prime

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Sounds great! Maybe our trails will cross one of these days and we can swap look sees. After a month in the Houston, TX area in May (g'daughter's high school graduation) we'll stay home enjoying Chicagoland's temperate summer; then heading west in October to see old time fulltimer friends.

Jeff and Suzanne with Scout and Sydney, the Cocker Spaniel Sisters touring in Fawkes the 2012 Phoenix Cruiser 2400 Sprinter

 

"What happens in Vagueness, stays in Vagueness"

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 3/4/2017 at 5:31 PM, Jeff & Suzanne said:

To paraphrase a song from the 1990s, "I like Class B's and I cannot lie...". I'm inviting all you B's and B+'s to add your insights, experiences and anything else that comes to mind to this stepchild part of The Escapees Discussion Forum. I'll post again later after our first real trip and it's challenges...not counting the journey from Sarasota FL to our home in Chicagoland after buying our rig in the dead of winter.

After returning from our shakedown trip to N. Carolina and Tennessee, which had a rough beginning with mineral scale clogging our plumbing, and a toilet that wouldn't flush until it got a firm nudge from an RV tech, and a dose of silicone spray from me, we former diesel pusher fulltimers learned a lot about living small.   exactly!  Not only do we want the requisite recliners, Baby Q, dog crates, etc., etc., I also need my portable Pride Mobility "cripple cart" (thanks Larry The Cable Guy).  As enamored as we are with "Fawkes", we know there is a limit to what even a Phoenix can carry, we don't care what J.K. Rowling says.  So we got a cargo carrier https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G4Z5J0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1  to help with the load, and it has worked out nicely.  We had to permanently raise and clamp the lower section of the ladder to clear the carrier, but we don't use it anyhow.  We also attached the StowAway Hitch Tightener, Anti-Rattle Stabilizer to firm things up https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001CMUV4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1 We threw a cripple cart cover over the whole thing and anchored it with a spider net and we were on our way.

IMG_0962.JPG

Jeff and Suzanne with Scout and Sydney, the Cocker Spaniel Sisters touring in Fawkes the 2012 Phoenix Cruiser 2400 Sprinter

 

"What happens in Vagueness, stays in Vagueness"

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  • 1 month later...

Interesting topic since we sold our 45' Newell, bought a house, and are now looking for a 24-27' class B+/C.  Want something small enough that we don't need a tow car when we travel.  We've narrowed it down to wanting a dedicated bed or twin beds that are comfortable and twin recliners.  NO jackknifes, air beds, or dinettes.  So far looking at pictures only we plan to look at used Phoenix Cruisers 2350, 2551, LazyDaze 26.5MB, Coach House 23, 26,  27'.  Also looking for a nicely redone GMC motorhome from the 70's.

 

Back on the road again in a 2011 Roadtrek 210P

2011 Tahoe 4x4, 2006 Lexus GX470, 2018 Ranger XP1000, 2013 RZR 570LE
http://finallynewellin.blogspot.com/

 

458863254_cabinavatarcopy.jpg.7751792e372f5959d079d77730f9290d.jpg

 

 

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21 hours ago, folivier said:

"So far looking at pictures only we plan to look at used Phoenix Cruisers 2350, 2551, LazyDaze 26.5MB, Coach House 23, 26,  27'.  Also looking for a nicely redone GMC motorhome from the 70's."

 

Good choices all. . .we chose Phoenix Cruiser because of their method of construction (no assembly line) and quality of materials-all seen during a factory tour in Elkhart, IN.  Plus the fact they haven't been taken over by a third party investor. . .they survived the RV slump by being smart.  Watch their website for used inventory http://www.phoenixusarv.com/index.html  . . .you can feel confident buying a pre-owned PC from them and know it has been thoroughly vetted and Kermit, the service manager will always be available to answer questions even with a used Phoenix Cruiser.

Jeff and Suzanne with Scout and Sydney, the Cocker Spaniel Sisters touring in Fawkes the 2012 Phoenix Cruiser 2400 Sprinter

 

"What happens in Vagueness, stays in Vagueness"

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