Macodiva

Hello

I'm about to start a month (or so) long roadtrip from Los Angeles to Maryland in my Class B with dog. I've mostly sussed out my route along the mid /lower states due to temps around now. 

Does anyone have any route suggestions or must see stops along the way they'd recommend?

Or any advice in general.

Are any clubs/memberships a good idea to have. I have Harvest Hosts & an America the beautiful pass.

I'm hoping this trip will help me decide whether to make the leap to full-time or not. I've enough savings not to have to panic but not enough to last forever! At 51yrs old it's a big step.

I think I might enjoy the workamping life. I've worked everyday since leaving school at 16. Mostly 7 days a week as I work with animals (which unfortunately hasn't made me rich). It will be quite an adjustment not having to get up to do something, not quite sure how to get my head around that! 

Any advice gratefully received. 😁

So yes I may be an idiot

I've recently bought (at an almost bargain price) a 2003 Lance 820 Truck camper, I was assured "everything was working fine a few weeks ago, then there was just no power. There's a 3 month wait to get it in the shop, i'm moving & just want rid of it".

To me this says something failed & if i can find it & replace it all will be well in the world. Power of positive thinking

I have a call in to a mobile electrical guy with good reviews but i'm waiting to hear back.

Does anyone have any ideas where to start looking?

I really need to be able to power the AC for the dog, we're in SoCal near Temecula.

On a brighter note the purchase was a calculated risk & i should be able to get what i paid for combo even if i end up having to just sell the truck it's sitting on. 🤞

Thanks

Hi
Anyone have any advice on what could be wrong & more importantly how to fix the interior strip lights in a Carado Banff?
Blue light comes on on the control panel but no light from the strip itself.
One day they were working, next morning they're not.
Dimmer is not on low.
Fuse is good.
Push on under cabinet lights work fine.
Any help appreciated, thanks

On 8/22/2019 at 5:42 AM, Kirk W said:

We have owned RVs for many years and I only remember having used the spare tire 2 times and those were both on trailers that we took far off the beaten path. Each class A that we owned(9 years & 14 years) had a spare and neither one was ever out of the tire rack while we owned them. We now have downsized to a travel trailer that we have now owned for 7 years and taken many miles, with spare tire still unused. A spare tire will age out and become unsafe to use after 10 years or so, even if it is never on the ground and replacing them is expensive. When you have road service you are very unlikely to change the tire yourself so they are mostly an unnecessary expense. 

My wife (Pam) grew up in Redlands and her family had a cabin in Big Bear back in the 60's & 70's. In fact, we spent our wedding night in that cabin! 😊 She still has family in that part of CA but only goes back to visit. Her sister used to life in Running Springs. 

Thanks. As you say it's not like i'm really expecting to have use it. I think you're right though & unless i plan to go to some desolate place i'll not worry about it for now. Especially as you say it will age out,  probably extra fast in the SoCal sunshine.  Looking forward to some nice shady forest hiking.

On 8/22/2019 at 6:16 AM, Captain Happy said:

When was the last time you tired to put a tire of that size up on roof of a Class B? Good Luck.

I'm aware it would be quite heavy. It would be an emergency only measure for if & when i end up in the middle of no where with no roadside assistance available, within a reasonable time frame. I wouldn't be expecting to be weight lifting with it every other day! 

I've been driving for 30 + years & so far only had to change my own tire twice.

My thinking is that a roof rack will give a better option for carrying more than just a tire if necessary,.Where as a dedicated back door/hitch tire carrier is just that. One tire, something that has to be moved every time i open the door & extra length to consider when parking.

20 hours ago, sandsys said:

Toward the front where you might need more weight? Towards the rear where you might not need more weight? What's already up there that might change your placement? Are you thinking solar panels someday? It's not just a case of on the roof.

Linda

Ah i see thank you. Yes i was thinking front 1/2 as the AC is in the back. The tire would compensate a little for me as the driver. I have time to figure stuff out,  i'm in no great hurry to add stuff. I will have to prioritize the extras that i want so as not to bankrupt myself all in one go! 

I'll admit i'm just getting excited about playing with my new toy! Lol.

I was thinking about solar in future & like the idea of the portable suitcase type so that i could still park in shade. I know that it doesn't give off much charge but I've the under hood generator to. 

I've roadside assistance & towing so a spare is not vital yet as i'm not planning on being anywhere way out there just yet.

Just absorbing as much info/experience/advice & opinions as possible at the moment. Hoping it will help me make informed decisions going forward  

On 8/17/2019 at 7:32 PM, sandsys said:

Have you had your van weighed yet? Fully loaded? Each of the four wheels? When I had no passenger I had to store heavy things (tools and canned goods and beverages) in the passenger seat area to balance my load. Where would you put a roof rack and what do you plan to put in it?

Linda

Errm don't mean to sound funny but the roof rack would go on the roof lol.  I'd put a spare tire up there rather than fitting a carrier to the back. That way i'd have the option of a little extra storage should i want it further down the line. I haven't weighed it as i'll only be doing short trips for the foreseeable future so won't be carrying much but will be sure to disperse it evenly. Eventually when i take off for extended trips i'll get round to worrying about weight.

FL-JOE - A lot of kids in SoCal are heading back to school this week to so i'm hoping to find a spot. If not i'll have everything i need in the van right  At least enough for 1 night lol. 

Thank you all for the advice, i'm sure it's going to be a steep learning curve. But that's half the fun right!  

On 8/15/2019 at 9:43 PM, 2gypsies said:

You'll have fun with it !  Try this site for finding a place.  Pick a state then a town and options will appear along with suggestions for places nearby.

http://www.campgroundreviews.com/

Thanks, i'll check that out

Thanks, I'm thinking of trying Big Bear. It's only a couple of hours away from me. Hopefully i'll miss worst of the holiday crowds as first night i'll be needing will be the 1st. With any luck most will have set off for home by then!

While i have you here.... Have any of you fitted a roof rack/basket? My van is a 159"WB Promaster. After looking online i'll be postponing that for a while as they're $3000+, unless you know a cheaper option? I'd like to carry a spare tire but don't want to block up back doors.

Bought my Class B, happy days, hopefully  

Now to find somewhere not fully booked for a couple of days at the end of this month. I think it may be wise to use a hook up site until 'Mo' & i are better acquainted.

I think outdoorsy has breakdown coverage ect included, but as you say it would be time consuming.  A cheaper option to consider would be to rent a mini van & buy a v large cheapish tent or two lol! And basic camping supplies, sleeping bags, propane stove. If you are planning on camping in parks you will have access to toilets, showers, bbq's, fire rings (depending on fire status). Also a car will get you places an RV can't..... You can always throw in a couple of nights in a hotel if camping gets too irritating. When you're finished put an ad selling it on Craigslist if you've time or put it up there for free it'll be gone in no time! Or drop it off at goodwill store. Maybe check out REI i think they may rent gear but i suspect it'll be almost same price as buying. Whatever you decide have a fantastic time!

21 hours ago, Kirk W said:

It failed the inspection by an RV tech?

It had, check engine light on, brake stability light on, spongy patch approx 8" wide on the floor, water leak inside the RV, guy had ripped the generator out himself & patched where it had been. Tried very hard to convince inspector not to look underneath. Had no recent service or repair records because apparently "oh that's ok, it was all done recently, i don't have the receipts because i did it myself". Talking about all maintenance, brakes, tires ect. 

Seriously why would he not mention all these things when we talked on the phone. I understand he wants to make a sale but did he seriously think someone would just ignore all the issues & say oh well i'm here now, may as well take it!

Also blatantly lied when i told him i was backing out. Saying he didn't know what the guy inspecting it was talking about, it has no check engine light on. I was sent photos showing it on! 

Waste of a few hundred dollars but grateful to have saved thousands. 

Live & learn.

So this turned out to be a total bust. Major disappointment. Seller totally neglected to mention many many issues with the RV, not least of all the check engine light!

Guess i'll keep looking.

On 5/12/2019 at 5:02 AM, Al F said:

I would use great caution in buying this rig.  Since he pulled the generator and says he didn't need or use it, you really need to have a good understanding of the 12V electrical system in this rig. That is the number of batteries and the size, i.e. AH (Amp Hours), size and type of inverter, if any. Also to understand what style of camping he did.  It may be he never stayed anywhere that didn't have electric hookups.   

You have written you don't know much about RV amps and stuff.  That makes even more difficult for you to judge just how much work and money you are going to have to put into the rig for you to dry camp or boondock. 

Well Al F. Turns out you were right on with the caution advice. On inspection this rig was nothing like he described. Engine lights on, spongy patch on the floor, water leak & quite a few other things . Waste of a few hundred $ but better than a many thousands! 

Seriously why aren't people honest in their descriptions?

I mean did he really think that after checking it out i'd just say oh well never mind all the obvious issues i'm here now so may as well take it.

I work way to hard for it to be throwing my money away!

Major disappointment, guess i'll keep looking.

3 hours ago, hemsteadc said:

This tutorial helped me a great deal when first starting out.   12v side of life.

Thank you, a helpful read.

4 hours ago, Kirk W said:

I strongly suggest that you plan to stay in campgrounds where there are utility connections for your first trips to learn how to use things before you attempt to spend a night without them. 

Thanks this is a good layman term explanation.  I figure half the fun is figuring it all out. I'll be experimenting a lot with it before i try any proper trips. I currently live in a static 5th wheel that is permanently hooked up so i've learned the lesson & got in the habit of one thing at a time on things like kettle, microwave, hairdryer, toaster, AC. So i'm not going into it totally blind. I tend to learn better by doing than reading about it. I'm hoping all the helpful advice given here will make my learning curve a little less steep 😁

I've done a bit of camping, so until i've got it all figured out i may end up camping in a tin rather than a tent!

Be assured my first trips won't be into the middle of the desert with no cell service 😄

4 hours ago, Al F said:

I would use great caution in buying this rig.  Since he pulled the generator and says he didn't need or use it, you really need to have a good understanding of the 12V electrical system in this rig. That is the number of batteries and the size, i.e. AH (Amp Hours), size and type of inverter, if any. Also to understand what style of camping he did.  It may be he never stayed anywhere that didn't have electric hookups.   

You have written you don't know much about RV amps and stuff.  That makes even more difficult for you to judge just how much work and money you are going to have to put into the rig for you to dry camp or boondock. 

Don't worry i'm going to have a 'Pro' check it out before handing over the money

Thanks

Thanks, i figured the AC & microwave but the TV surprises me. The seller says it used to have a generator on the undercarriage but that he never really used it so he removed it many years ago rather than carry the extra weight. 

I'd like the option to boondock for sure. I suppose a generator could come in handy for many things really.

I think i need to do more reading to understand amps, volts, watts ect. 😄

So i've just bought a Gulf Stream Vista Cruiser G26!

Well i've committed to buy, papers not exchanged yet but i fully intend to have it as long as it checks out ok.

It doesn't have a generator. Guy said he never needed it & didn't like that it was directly under the bed.

At the moment it will just be used for a few trips, probably a week at a time at most.

Would you recommend buying a portable one, if so which one? 

Or

Should i splash out & get the type it originally had?

I'm thinking the AC will probably be the only thing that really needs a generator right? Or does the microwave need it to?

Will everything else run ok off the batteries? 

Do you think solar is a worth while investment? 

Thanks in advance for your advice & opinions.

Thank you sandsys. I'm sure i'll have many more questions once it arrives

Ok so i've taken half the leap. I've bought myself a 2006 Gulf Stream vista cruiser G26. I'm so excited! Here's hoping it turns out to be as good a deal as it seems, guess i'll know when i see it. 

I bought it on eBay & it's on the other side of the country!  

Yes i know that seems totally insane but these Gulf Streams don't come around too often, especially ones not ludicrously priced. Seller is happy for me to see it & decide if i like it, then pay. So we have a non binding contract at the moment. 

However for me to get time off work, pay a dog sitter (unfortunately he's to big to fly in the cabin), fly over & drive back i will lose almost as much money as it costs to get it shipped here. I'd love to pick it up myself if i could take the dog & my time getting back but that's not an option at this point.

My thinking is to get it inspected & if the inspector(who will have a much better idea than me anyway) thinks it's good to go then i'll get it transported.

Does anyone have a transporter service they'd recommend?

I've had Uship quotes, they're all in the $3000 range or higher, which seems a lot to me.

Any other ideas?

Big thank you to all you posters Kirk W, Al F, fly2low, Jim K & others whose advice persuaded me not to settle for the over priced 1997 Pleasure way a few week ago.

This is the one i've been holding out for for so long