Motorhome 2017

[CardsFan]

One week trip to Brunswick, GA, back home for two weeks and then a trip to Pensacola NAS for a two week trip. Our class A Winnebago has served us well and hope the good luck continues. This time of the year is great for glamping.

We stayed at Navarre Beach (near Pensacola) last April. Watched the Blue Angels practice twice! Once from Fort Pickens across the bay and once from the bleachers right on the runway.

Recommended!

If the Blue angels are flying, this is a MUST. We saw them Homecoming weekend from Fort Pickens, and then again at a training run on the base.
There is nothing like a jet fly over head, at close to supersonic speed, so low you can read the markings.

The Naval Air Museum is also a MUST. The first time we took a guided tour. The guide, a retired aviator, was so interesting that 2 hours went by in a flash.

 

[kimcdougc]

If the Blue angels are flying, this is a MUST. We saw them Homecoming weekend from Fort Pickens, and then again at a training run on the base.
There is nothing like a jet fly over head, at close to supersonic speed, so low you can read the markings.

The Naval Air Museum is also a MUST. The first time we took a guided tour. The guide, a retired aviator, was so interesting that 2 hours went by in a flash.

I live in the Seattle area and about 15 years ago my kids, myself and a few friends went to stand on the I90 floating bridge in Seattle to watch the Blue Angels practice for Seafair weekend. I saw one of those planes fly up side down over my head and you could see the pilots face it was so close. That was very cool. He was smiling.

 

[Bamaman]

We've had a trailer in a campground since 1995 and only had it out on the road twice. The campground is in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, however.

I guess we're just spoiled to our new fifth wheel trailer and the incredible place we're a owner/member.

 

[davismills]

We are trying out RVing for the first time next month. I am semi-RE and DW is RE so we are looking to see if this could be part of our full RE lifestyle.

We're only renting for a week, mainly because rentals are so damn expensive and because it is a dry run anyway. We're renting a Winnebago View 24' and pick it up September 15. We will be going on a leaf viewing tour of central and northern Ontario. Starting in the Toronto area, then heading up to Huntsville, North Bay, Sudbury and then Manitoulin Island. Going to take the ChiCheemaun ferry over to Tobermory and then back to Toronto.

A hard part has been choosing where to stop every night. Most RV parks seem like seasonal places and we don't like the looks of the "parking lot" style places. So, we're mostly using provincial parks and a few private ones so that we can get nice, private camping spots. Will be interesting to see if we like it.





Where do you stay in the Brunswick area ? We spend a couple of weeks every winter on St. Simons and like the area very much.

On the upcoming trip we're staying at Blythe Island and it will be a first.

The last trip we stayed at Golden Isles, but would not recommend that one as it's a bit run down.

 

[Christine]

I'm driving south after visiting northern Norway this summer. Including North Cape and a peek over the border into Russia. Did not put one foot across the border like many do - had read about the $500 fine you get if you try.

My favourite surprise was the incredibly beauty of the barren coastal landscape of the northern most coast. I'm definately going back - perhaps on the Hurtigruten?

 

[Koogie]

On the upcoming trip we're staying at Blythe Island and it will be a first.

The last trip we stayed at Golden Isles, but would not recommend that one as it's a bit run down.

Thanks. Perhaps you'd be kind enough to come back later and give us your impression of Blythe Island. We pass by that way often as we take #17 down to the FL line and Fernandina Beach.

 

[UtahSkier]

Based on the thread title, I thought you bought a 2017 motor home. I was waiting to see some monster thing with slides and the works.

This is the RE forum and I am appropriately frugal. No way I could purchase a new motor home.

My coach is a 2006 vintage with a voracious repair appetite. Fortunately, I planned for this.

I have posted pictures before. I'll get some updated pictures posted soon!

 

[UtahSkier]

Where do you stay in the Brunswick area ? We spend a couple of weeks every winter on St. Simons and like the area very much.

We stayed at the coastal rv park last may. Nice park.

 

[davismills]

Thanks. Perhaps you'd be kind enough to come back later and give us your impression of Blythe Island. We pass by that way often as we take #17 down to the FL line and Fernandina Beach.

I'll do that! In the mean time, you might check here for current reviews.

Blythe Island Regional Park Campground - Brunswick, GA - RV Park Reviews

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

This is the RE forum and I am appropriately frugal. No way I could purchase a new motor home.

My coach is a 2006 vintage with a voracious repair appetite. Fortunately, I planned for this.

I have posted pictures before. I'll get some updated pictures posted soon!

Nice, Ill look for older pic posts, and enjoy the trip! Update: Wow saw a few pic, looks great, when they become self driving Ill go back to the RV lot. I know I wouldn't be able to drive it.

 

[Rambler]

We bought our diesel pusher gigantor Motorhome in 2015, largely because we enjoyed our travel trailer so much that we wanted an upgrade. In 2015 we spent somewhere around 70-75 days out and about in it. That about the same amount we used the TT in each of 2013 and 2014. 2016 rolles around and halfway thru the season DW got sick, effectively terminating our plans for the remainder of the season. We got about 35 days of usage last year. This year, it was my turn. We didn't take our usual trip to Utah in April to visit the kids, because both had moved. On June 9, as we we had come back from our pre-trip run around 8am, my doc called and said he needed to run some tests right away. So we called the campground and cancelled our trip for that day/week. A couple weeks later we did get out on a trip to a Utah for a wedding (daughter of a friend) and spent 10 days puttering about. Then we came back and took a 5 day trip up to Lassen Natl Park. So this year, we've only had 15 days in it. In between trips has been more docs and biopsies and more tests and researching treatments. We wanted to do another 2-3 week tour, but surgery is less than three weeks away, and DD is due to give birth any time between now and 9/9. So it's not happening this year.

So, if circumstances combine to disallow use again next year, I may just sell it and buy a medium class C or maybe back to a TT. I think I'll always want an RV or TT of some sort, but I don't want to see that kind of investment sitting there depreciating and us getting nearly zero enjoyment from it.

 

[38Chevy454]

Well since I retired, moved 1500 miles away, and building a new house; I am living in my motorhome now for past month. Also made about 4 round trips from old house (NM) to new location (OH) hauling stuff and vehicles here in prep for the final move. So I have driven mine around 14K miles this year, spent close to 50 days so far. Have at least 60 days more until house is done.

The good thing is most of the days in the motorhome this year we are parked in bro-in-laws driveway. So we have use of the house and not stuck in a campground.

In past years when working we would typically use MH for about 30-40 nights per year. We always take our dogs with us, they love camping and road tripping in the MH.

 

[UtahSkier]

And that's a wrap for Motorhome - 2017. For DW and I, we had 2 wonderful trips; spring and fall.

The spring trip had us visiting Kansas, New Orleans, Fort Wilderness - Disney World, Savanah, Charleston and Asheville, NC. 6000 miles travelled. Lost the differential in Asheville and caused us to extend our stay there by 2 more weeks. I have voted Asheville as the best town for a major RV breakdown!

Ok, I lied about the fall trip being wonderful. It was supposed to be a mountain biking and wine tasting trip around the Pacific Northwest (Helena, Coure d'Alene, Spokane, Kennewick, Portland, Oregon Coast, Napa, Santa Cruz).

Instead, it was a stay inside and avoid breathing all the forest fire smoke that engulfed the entire pacific northwest. We kept the trip going hoping for the fall rains that never came.

We were scheduled to stay a week in the Columbia Gorge. It burned down. Then we were supposed to stay a week in the Napa valley area. It burned down the night before we were scheduled to arrive.

We did have some enjoyable time along the Oregon coast and in Santa Cruz, Ca. But we did shorten the trip by 2 weeks and headed home after 6 weeks and 3000 miles of travelling.

So, 2017 was about 16 weeks of travelling and 9000 miles. DW did help with the driving and logged 380 miles!

 

[Christine]

UtahSkier what a strange situation to be in. You could drive away from the devastation only having minor inconviniences (I assume) while people got their way of life destroyed.

 

[Dawg52]

And that's a wrap for Motorhome - 2017. For DW and I, we had 2 wonderful trips; spring and fall.

The spring trip had us visiting Kansas, New Orleans, Fort Wilderness - Disney World, Savanah, Charleston and Asheville, NC. 6000 miles travelled. Lost the differential in Asheville and caused us to extend our stay there by 2 more weeks. I have voted Asheville as the best town for a major RV breakdown!

Ok, I lied about the fall trip being wonderful. It was supposed to be a mountain biking and wine tasting trip around the Pacific Northwest (Helena, Coure d'Alene, Spokane, Kennewick, Portland, Oregon Coast, Napa, Santa Cruz).

Instead, it was a stay inside and avoid breathing all the forest fire smoke that engulfed the entire pacific northwest. We kept the trip going hoping for the fall rains that never came.



We were scheduled to stay a week in the Columbia Gorge. It burned down. Then we were supposed to stay a week in the Napa valley area. It burned down the night before we were scheduled to arrive.

We did have some enjoyable time along the Oregon coast and in Santa Cruz, Ca. But we did shorten the trip by 2 weeks and headed home after 6 weeks and 3000 miles of travelling.

So, 2017 was about 16 weeks of travelling and 9000 miles. DW did help with the driving and logged 380 miles!

Nice RV.

 

[NW-Bound]

... Ok, I lied about the fall trip being wonderful. It was supposed to be a mountain biking and wine tasting trip around the Pacific Northwest (Helena, Coure d'Alene, Spokane, Kennewick, Portland, Oregon Coast, Napa, Santa Cruz).

Instead, it was a stay inside and avoid breathing all the forest fire smoke that engulfed the entire pacific northwest. We kept the trip going hoping for the fall rains that never came.

We were scheduled to stay a week in the Columbia Gorge. It burned down. Then we were supposed to stay a week in the Napa valley area. It burned down the night before we were scheduled to arrive...

Well, at least you did not go to Ventura, CA.

Couldn't tell that it was not a wonderful trip from the photo of you sitting relaxed and barefooted. Seasoned RV'ers would have a carpet or mat that they roll out outside their door. We don't because we do not stay at a place long enough to do that.

 

[Bamaman]

Our fifth wheel remains in storage in the North Georgia mountains.

We are raising our 6 year old granddaughter and she is in school. Our RVing is on permanent hold except in summers.

 

[UtahSkier]

UtahSkier what a strange situation to be in. You could drive away from the devastation only having minor inconviniences (I assume) while people got their way of life destroyed.

And your point is?

We were scheduled to stay at the Sonoma county fair grounds. They told us to avoid the area as they needed the campground for animal rescue operations.

 

[UtahSkier]

Well, at least you did not go to Ventura, CA.

Couldn't tell that it was not a wonderful trip from the photo of you sitting relaxed and barefooted. Seasoned RV'ers would have a carpet or mat that they roll out outside their door. We don't because we do not stay at a place long enough to do that.

We have the mat and use it in forested camps. This was a nice concrete pad.

 

[NW-Bound]

OK. No barefoot on nice concrete pad for me, due to plantar fasciitis.

 

[UtahSkier]

Our fifth wheel remains in storage in the North Georgia mountains.

I think we were near there. Very Nice area in May.
We stayed near Lake Toxaway at the Mountain Falls RV resort.

From there, I did a white water rafting trip on the Chattooga River.

 

[UtahSkier]

OK. No barefoot on nice concrete pad for me, due to plantar fasciitis.

Understand as I have been there. I still grind my heel on a hardened tennis ball.

 

[Christine]

And your point is?

We were scheduled to stay at the Sonoma county fair grounds. They told us to avoid the area as they needed the campground for animal rescue operations.

Just that it must have been a strange situation to be in?

 

[LARS]

Just that it must have been a strange situation to be in?

I got you commentary on the juxtaposition of life's little events... and agree.

 

[RVplusDog]

We finished 2017 in Texas and are on our way to Florida to establish domicile there.