2gypsies

We used Escapees mail forwarding for approx. 20 years and used for example: 777 Rainbow Dr. #7777 all on one line, as our address. Never a problem.

Haven't stayed there but here a not-so-good review: https://www.reddit.com/r/CampingandHiking/comments/70jmk4/campsite_at_sleeping_bear_campground_monument/ It would be north of Monument Valley toward Mexican Hat off 163 on 419. Googling I saw a couple YouTube videos of the place. Monument Valley itself has a dry campground right in front of the Mittens. When we stayed there it was $5/night; I believe they added a bathroom and now it's really pricey. A gorgeous location though.

TWOTOES: You mention 'Garner Outdoors'. Do you mean Gander Mountain? Here's an article from January 2019: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190129005290/en/Camping-World-Holdings-Rolls-Gander-RV-Super

It would be very rare for whole interstates to be closed.... except for hurricane waters. If there are detours just follow the signs as the semi trucks do. They're not going to put detours in place where you can't drive.

Here's a description of the Green Lakes national forest campground and if you Google it you can find a lot of photos. Since it mentions 'grassy' and lakeside I would think it's fairly flat within the campground itself. We've stayed at Fire Fighter's campground at Flaming Gorge and it was a huge flat area. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ashley/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=72179&actid=29

That was a good write-up but oh my, so many things had to be replaced/fixed in only 5 yr. In 16 yr. of full-timing we didn't have any of those issues. Good luck in the future years.

Barb answered good questions... and more. I would guess we all learned somewhat 'on the go'. Yes, mistakes will be made. Just keep pluggin'. You've had a wild start so surely it will get better. You might consider go to a manufacturer's owner's site such as for you, the Newmar site over on irv2.com forum but please don't leave us. I would also suggest you create a signature line for any forum you're on so folks can tell what you're driving and answer accordingly.

You're correct. There are much better crossings than Juarez. Nogales and Lukeville are two easy crossings.

All I know is that I wouldn't be driving around the coast. As far as making it to Orlando and the Keys.... wait to see what kind of damage they get.

This project has been in the news for years. One stumbling block after another. I really don't see it happening and hope it doesn't. Ground water is crucial in this area. The Benson Escapee park is awesome! https://tucson.com/news/local/hot-pursuit-of-permit-that-isn-t-needed-defines-vigneto/article_ca5b57b4-f541-59b9-8fb3-c89c8563f9ac.html

There are MANY RVers crossing into Mexico who spend the whole season. There are many RV parks full.

We've used them!

Will you travel with it (eek) or set it on a lot?

Our Corelle road beautifully. Line your cabinets with the shelf liner such as slip stop. It comes in a roll. I agree with Linda that the link you provided would be cumbersome for the dishes to be used. If you have extra space in your cabinet put rolls of paper towels, toilet paper or even linens in the cabinet to take up the space.

$995 for 4 months is a great deal. We're with you..... we've tried Florida,Texas, Alabama but Arizona is the best!!

Sorry for your troubles. I think you're very lucky to have a factory rep come to you. That wouldn't happen much for a 2-yr-old RV. Think positive for a good outcome!

We thought living in the motorhome for knee replacements worked well.... no steps.... lots to hold onto..... and physical therapy even came to the RV. We both were running around the pickleball court and hiking. So glad we had it done! Keep on pluggin'. You'll get there.

STACYD: Full-timers live in their RV year-round and many use under 35'. For 6 months that really shouldn't be an issue. You state it will be your first ever towed trailer. I sure wouldn't get a 42'!!! Would you be happy with the heavy duty truck you would need to tow it? You would be very limited on what RV sites you would have. You'd almost have to always get a pull-through. For you, I'd recommend a much smaller 5th wheel. With the 42' one you're looking at it probably has slides on both sides and all the way down the RV. Slides only give you floor space. They take away storage space. They also make it more difficult to park where trees are involved. You might also be looking a two bathrooms. Do you really need two? We full-timed very comfortably for 16 years with one one! Think smaller. I think you'd be happier and could use all those wonderful Oregon state parks.

We full-timed in a 33' 5th wheel and 40' motorhome - 8 years each. Here is our take (in red) on your title headings: "Liveability: 5th Wheel On the road: tie The motorhome is more comfortable and the big window up front offers the best view. However, it is also wider than the pickup making it feel like it is filling up the lane and requiring more attention on the road, especially in traffic or on narrower, rural roads. A 5th wheel and Class A can be the same width. Yes, your truck is narrower. That's more difficult to judge when the 5th is wider. You can't go by the truck. When towing the car the motorhome can’t be backed up. In 8 yr. we never had a need to back up with the car attached. . Some people said that the ride would be much smoother, but we haven’t found that to be true with this motorhome, even with new shocks. I think that's a "depends". Our Dodge diesel truck was rougher than our motorhome. Landing in a campground: tie With the motorhome, you can easily end up with the front wheels off the ground. We never had the motorhome off the ground - even on public lands boondocking. Local Transportation: Motorhome With the 5th wheel, the daily driver is a big pickup – poor mileage and challenging to park in tighter spaces. We now pull a small car with the motorhome. A much better daily driver. Agreed. Maintenance – Repairs (engine/chassis side): 5th Wheel We had very good luck with the motorhome.... just maintenance which was finished in the day since we made appointments while traveling to the place. If it was finished late afternoon many times we just spent the night on their lot; sometimes with electric. Never a refusal to do so. Maintenance – Repairs (camper side): tie We replaced a microwave by ourselves. That's it. Cost of routine operation: motorhome The motorhome gets about the same mileage as did the pickup when towing the camper. However, once in the campground, we drive a small car that gets much better mileage. Oil changes, etc. cost a lot more on the motorhome, but only have to be done yearly, making the annual cost about the same. Also, remember, the motorhome is only run when actually changing campsites, keeping mileage low compared to the pickup which is also a daily driver. Agreed. Storage accessibility: 5th wheel I’ve already touched on this, but looking at it only from ease of access, the 5th wheel bay is much easier to use. All the bays of the motorhome are under the 4 slide outs. I wear knee pads and have to get down on my knees to reach into the bays. It is harder to get things in and out of the motorhome bays. The more slides you have the harder it is to get into the bays. We specifically only wanted 2 slides - on the driver's side. Everything was accessible from the passenger side via rolling trays. Propane: tie The 5th wheel had two big removable propane tanks. A bit heavy, but taking them out and getting them filled was a reasonable amount of effort. On the motorhome the tank is built in. You either have to take the rig to a station and have it filled or you have to see if anyone is delivering (not all that uncommon in larger parks with long term residents). Really no issue finding propane while driving - truck stops or small town propane companies. Dry camping: motorhome This is only about our specific rigs but I have the idea is it more common than not. The motorhome has a big diesel generator, an inverter, and 4 6-volt house batteries. It has larger holding tanks too. There are ways to do all the above with a 5th wheel, but the motorhome is pretty much ready to go without any special add-ons (neither had solar of any kind). Boondocking was our way of RVing (with solar). Could last 2 weeks on the tanks then we wanted to move along anyway. In-motion convenience: motorhome (but not as much as you might think) Prior to getting the motorhome we were told how great it would be for the passenger to be able to get up and move around while in motion. We haven’t found that to be the case. It is downright dangerous for anyone to be up and moving around while on the road. Sometimes we take advantage of a stoplight or a nice straight stretch of open interstate to get up and do something, but most of the time the passenger needs to stay strapped in. Agreed. Only get up on a straight-away with no traffic. Getting in and out: 5th wheel (but not as much as you might think) We really like having a level floor in the motorhome because that's where you'll do the most walking. Yes, getting into a truck takes more effort when you're older than getting into a car. Cost: 5th Wheel Going used for a high quality unit really saves $$.... and yes, trucks are expensive. Prestige: Motorhome We don't care about it! So the jury is still out We were happy with the 5th wheel but absolutely hated driving the big truck for siteseeing. We found the Jeep gave us a lot of pleasure in the boonies and latched us on to more friends to play with!

Here's a good review of 'Smart Watches as a Medical Alert'. If planning to get one for your loved one you better do it early in life when they can absorb how to operate a 'smart watch'! If it's anything like a smartphone, some older folks needing medical help could shut down the thinking on how to use it. Perhaps that's why a simple medical alert button is better. https://www.techenhancedlife.com/citizen-research/smartwatch-medical-alert

You stated you don't plan on boondocking. The chances of power failure in a RV park are slim. If power did go out it's usually repaired within a day. Take your truck and go siteseeing to kill time. Your refrigerator will run on propane. Your battery will last at least a night or two if you conserve. By that time the power would surely be running. I wouldn't buy one "just in case". Go without and see how it goes.

Here's the weather history for last December 2018 at the Grand Canyon: High 59; Low 1 Average High 40; Average Low 14 That's very cold for camping although some do it. You would need full winter gear for the toddler and baby.... and probably yourselves. The RV would be susceptible to freezing water pipes ..... and you'd use a lot of propane for heating. Are you staying in Florida or will you be returning? Best to do it on your return if in a better time period. https://www.wunderground.com/history/monthly/us/az/grand-canyon/KGCN/date/2018-12

What kind of biking do you do? Sometimes it's not worth the hassle unless you're a die-hard rider. We started off carrying them and they got filthy and staying near the coasts they started rusting from the air. We decided we didn't use them enough to justify them. Do the types of places you like to stay have good, safe riding? We know a few folks who haul them around and never use them .... but they might. If you just do campground biking, walking might be more beneficial.

If your Class B doesn't already have a tire mount on the rear, you can get one that swings away in order to open the rear doors. Here is one but I'm sure there are others. Perhaps you can find a used one. Roof racks are expensive, also. https://vanupgrades.com/products/promaster-tire-rack-swing-away

I'd recommend taking the bus. You can only drive in during certain hours and parking is very limited. Here's some good information. https://www.aspensnowmass.com/inside-aspen-snowmass/stories/maroon-bells-101-all-you-need-to-know