TXiceman

We full-timed for 10 years and had a great 40 ft trailer by HitchHiker.  Sadly, they stopped production in 2012.  Looking at the current copy of trailers, we see they are really short on interior storage in the bath, bedroom and kitchen.  Many do not have a pantry.  

Go sit in one for an hour and see how you fit.  See where you will store linens, toiletries etc. in the bath.  See where you will store clothes, (closet space and drawers), both warm and colder weather clothes.  I want drawers for my underwear, pajamas, etc.  Now to the kitchen, where are you storing pot, pans, silverware and an appliances?  Next, is the pantry large enough?  Is the fridge large enough?  

Other items to consider are:

Can you comfortably see the TV or do you sit sideways to see the TV?

Where will you be spending the cold weather and hot weather months?  Many claim to be 4-Season or Arctic Pack and really are not.  I feel true dual pane windows are a must.   You will need at least two 15 KBTUH A/C units and I like the heat pumps.  You start getting into true 4-season trailer, they are heavier.  make sure your tow vehicle has sufficient payload capacity to handle 23% of the trailer GVWR along with passenger, hitch and anything loaded in the truck.

Our HH survived 10degF and snow and did fine.  It also survived 109 degF heat in direct sun and maintained 77 degF in the trailer.  It was a true 4-season and full time rated RV

Are you adding a washer/drier?

How big are your water and waste tanks?  Are you planning to boondock?  Do you have solar panel and battery storage capacity to power some of the rig?

Make sure the tires have a DOT date code not over 6 months old and are not a cheap 10 ply tire and suited for the weight rating on the trailer.

Now enjoy shopping and do look at other brands.

Ken

We have CHIPPED our dogs since they became available.  Responsible pet owners will want their pets chipped.  I hardly consider it a bad law.

Ken

Good luck with your rentals.  We have hosted at many parks and have seen the way some of the people treated the rental units.  I would not consider renting my RV.  I buy what I can afford.

Ken

13 hours ago, Kirk W said:

And the reverse is true when lowing a flag that is being flown at half mast. At sunset you raise the flat to full staff, then lower it. 

 

I do not remember how many state parks that we hosted that I told the PROPER procedure to fly the flag at half-staff.

Seems people are not being taught proper flag etiquette and respect.

Ken

Photo no found,

If the BD5 is as good as the TS3, you will not be disappointed

Ken

Polysermites.  A termite-like microbe that attacks plastic.   Ha ha ha

Seriously no idea except was it parked in on spot for a period of time where the sun could have been reflected on the surface like a magnifying glass form something nearby/
 

Ken

My feeling on the Lippert video is it a lot of marketing hype and covering why they cut corners.

A frame should have some flexing, but to depend totally on a bolted-on side wall is just not a good design.  There are several points that need reinforcing and would be minimal cost to Lippert.  

As a retired mechanical engineer, these frames are designed to a minimum standard which is not well suited for the use of these units.  To add to the problems, Lippert welding is mostly substandard and would not work in any shop I worked with.

Ken

We have used Walk-in Clinics with good success.  I look online and pick ones that have 4- or 5-star ratings.  Twice I have had to use the local emergency room and was pleased.

Ken

When we were getting ready to go full-time, we started the Escapees Mail Service about 6 months before our transition.  By the time we were full time, everyone had us as a Livingston, TX address.

Ken

When we came off the road and cancelled the mail service, Escapees explained that they would forward every month for 6 months.  We received most things by email, so these were easy to change our domicile.

Thoroughly enjoyed the Escapees mail service for over 10 years.

Ken

The most value we ever carried was when we were transferring about $55k in Krugerrands and silver coins from one safety deposit box to another after we came off the road.   We were followed from the bank and victims on an attempted "bank Jugging".  He did not get the bag, and too off.

Afte this, I just do not carry much of value.  Too many crooks.

Ken

A propane generator will have about 80% of the capacity of a gasoline powered rating.   On a larger propene fueled generator, a 20 LB bottle will not last all that long.  The propane draw off will drop the bottle pressure to the point where the generator will starve for fuel until the bottle is warmed and the pressure in increased.   The bottle needs to have a heated blanket wrapped around it to keep the bottle warm enough to vaporize the propane.

Ken

After an attempted robbery, we seldom carry more than $20 in cash and one or two credit cards with us.

Ken

The State Park we were volunteering at in Texas had a guest leave with trash strewn about and the kids had set a larger hollow log on fire.   Another host and I were busy getting the fire under control when the park manager and LEO stopped by to see the problem.  He radioed the office to get the phone numbers of file for the campers and called them instructing them to return to the park.  By the time they drove back we had the fire under control and were told to leave the trash.  When they arrived, he was told to clean the site and dispose of the trash properly.  The LEO then fined the wife as she had made the reservation in her name for the litter, having a fire outside of the designated fire ring as well as damaging state property.

I do not know what the fines were, but it was a pretty hefty sum.

I just wish more parks would actively pursue people that damage and disrespect the park/

Ken

It is amazing at the lack of "responsibility" of some RV owners.  Very few read the owner's manuals, so they have no clue how things work.  They use little common sense in approaching daily life.  I refer to it as the dumbing down of America.

When we had a motorhome, I filled the propane tank at 1/4 full and if it was winter, I shop for 1/2 full as the minimum.  With the trailer, I watch the bottles and when one is empty, it is immediately filled.  For the propane grill at home, as soon as I change bottle, the empty gets refilled.

For me the worst thing to happen is no fuel for the furnace.   I hate being cold.

Ken

And then you have the morons that are not smart enough to slow down on wet roads.

Ken

How old and how many hours?

Ken

It is your typical entry level RV.  No better or worse than the others at that price point.   You need to be concerned with the dealer reviews to see how they rate for customer satisfaction/

You might try this forum under the Thor section.  It is a pretty active site.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/

Ken

This is the perfect folding bike RV use.  Folds easily into a compact package.  It was adult used and maintained.

This is the Forte model which has a 300 LB weight limit, luggage rack and 7 speed gearing, 2-year-old 20 IN tires with heavy duty Slime tubes.  The color is coral.

I cannot post the photos due to file size limits here, but I can send photos if you private message me your email address.

The bike is available for local pick up in Bryan, TX.  Cash sale.

A link to the manufacturers website follows:

Zizzo Forte

8 hours ago, sandsys said:

New accounts are treated differently from old accounts where you are just changing your address.

Linda

Then it looks like the trick is to get everything set up before you go full time.

Ken

We had our accounts and brokerage with Wells Fargo before we retired and went full-time with the Escapees address.  We switched over to the Livingston address and no one questioned it.  Bank, brokerage, insurance, driver license and carry license all accepted the new address without question.

Ken

Last I heard, Microsoft Outlook is a mail client and not a browser.  Microsoft's browser is Edge.

Ken  

On 10/11/2023 at 8:50 AM, ms60ocb said:

The report I received they thought they had an extra night but signage and paper work did not agree. Regarding Medical Emergency, some one the park should been aware in the time line.

As for the couple, they are going to billed for the extra night and may be put on probation.

If you have an emergency, medical or otherwise, something like your camper at the park is moved low on the priority list.  But you should remember where you are and at least notify the park of the situation and when you might be able to resolve the issue.

Show some compassion for people, mistakes are made by everyone.  But then there are others that are just plain rude and ignorant.  For these folks the is no excuse.

I know I have shown up at a campground a day early when I just plain marked my calendar wrong.

Ken

I would never leave a pet in a trailer while traveling.  Put a camera back there and record the noise and movement while on the road.  Also be better to have a remote temperature reading while on the road.  These RVs get hot in the summer while on the road.  Now I do not have a great fondness for cats, but I would not subject a pet to being confined in a trailer.

Ken

As far as I know, the AM and Fm use the same channel frequencies.  The difference is the way the signal is transmitted,  AM is amplitude modulated the FM is frequency modulated.  AM tends to be noisier, and FM tends to be less noisy.  

An AM signal will carry farther than an FM signal.

Ken