Jinx & Wayne

Kirk, That is interesting. We are closing on the VanLeigh Vilano 320GK tomorrow. It looks like a few more years on the road.

Does anyone have any information - good or bad - about: East to West 5ers in general and the 325RL in particular. We are looking at at a 2023 325RL. I'm not finding much in the way of reviews. VanLeigh Vilano 2022 320GK. I am amazed by the lack of basement storage in these machines. Wayne & Jinx

When we went full time and switched domicile to Sumter Oaks the VIN's on the truck and fiver were physically inspected. For the truck we drove it to the Tax Collector's office in Bushnell. We called the Sumter County SO and a deputy came out, inspected the VIN on the fiver and signed off. We took that form with us to the TC office when we registered the truck. Pretty hard to do from somewhere else. Wayne

My fiver can with Dexter 7000# Never-Lube bearings. Part of the upgrade to disc brakes included switching to Dexter #8000 axles with oil bath. I can't tell whether they are any better than other hubs, but I haven't had any problems in five years. Wayne

Going on fifty years ago I was working at our family-run commercial hunting/fishing camp in Maine. My stepfather and I came back from the long run to town after sunset to find the lodge dark. On the door was a piece of paper. We had no light, but my stepfather had a cigarette lighter that was out of fluid. We peered at the note as he sparked the lighter. Gradually we made out ... "Wa...Watch..Watch out...Watch out f...Watch out for..Watch out for the bear." The satisfaction of finally making out the note was spoiled by the chill running down my back. Wayne

My pleasure.

Tater was right. You can't fix stupid.

When we started wintering in Florida we were in Davenport, near Orlando. Very expensive but they had the amenities you want. There were lots of activities and lots of traffic. A few years ago we moved our winter base to the Sebring area. Much less expensive. Still lots of traffic if you are on US-27 in town, but things get rural pretty fast out of town. There are several parks along the US-27 corridor south of Lake Wales down through Lake Placid. You might find something there. Warmer than northern Florida, too. This is along the central ridge which seems to divert quite a few stormy days. We are 110' above sea level! That is a towering elevation for Florida. There is also the US-17 corridor south of Winter Haven. Again, it starts to get rural pretty fast. If you do choose this area beware of being in lowlands along the Peace River. Our new neighbors here, around Sebring, were in Zolfo Springs. Their site flooded by several feet during hurricane Ian. They were away, but had a trailer with a motorcycle in it when the flood hit. Totaled. Wayne

So far we've been east of the Rockies where there is far less boondocking. Wayne

I'm pretty sure that most fivers have these vibration issues. Our checklist includes taking down fixtures, securing cabinets and refrigerators (all glass jars in bottom drawers for one) and lots of stuff on the bed and furniture. It still moves. Wayne

I'm not talking about true off-road driving or even extended rough road driving. I looking for something that isn't going to bottom out or shake everything lose easing though a rough area or driving moderately on a rougher highway. I would like to be able to boondock more.

We are into year five of full timing. Our fiver is into year 18. We plan to do more western and Alaska travel in the next couple of years. We would like to go to some less traveled spots. Right now we are in a 37' Carriage. We love it but think it is time for a change. Two of the slides are quite large and have given us some trouble. They are unlikely to do well driving to Alaska. We think it is time to get a smaller RV for a few years and want something more nimble. We want to stay with a fiver and are not interested in a Class A as the units we've seen are too expensive (I am a diesel person.) We're looking at the Arctic Fox 27-5L. Does anyone have experience with or knowledge of that vehicle? Comments good or bad? Does anyone have suggestions for a different vehicle? We want to be at about 30'. Decent kitchen. Room for wife's sewing machine and cutting fabric. We can live with a dinette but would prefer not to. Solar would be nice. Full queen bed (I'm tired of camper queen). Max height 13'. Wayne

For years army firearms instructors taught us that you only load 18 rounds in a 20-round M-16 magazine or the spring would wear out. I suspect that saved the government thousands millions of dollars from that 10% that idiots couldn't fire off into the blue on rock-and-roll (full automatic fire).

In very early 1969 my army drill sergeant claimed they could use our M-14's 7.62/.308 in the 7.62 AK. Like offering couples advice in the middle of an argument, I decided perhaps I wouldn't mention that the AK ammo was a significant amount shorter. I cannot imagine how far I would have low crawled had I mentioned the problem. Wayne

I wholly agree. My thought was to ask how it towed a couple of days after they arrived. That may or may not have gone anywhere. I never saw them so I didn't ask.