Yes, we're stupid - but now what? Any RVers here?

[DianaCox]

I'm actually thinking the spices I need the most of and use and buy in bulk (from Costco) only - oregano, onion bits, garlic powder, cinnamon, dill, Italian herbs - I'll have to figure out another use for the other six jars. Maybe bouillon.

I'm also thinking that due to being sorta "outside" (more than we are at home), I need to use plastic boxes and ziplock bags to keep critters from smelling what we've got on board, as well as to keep dampness out, including things we don't usually wrap up at home. Costco, we're coming back for more boxes!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I'm actually thinking the spices I need the most of and use and buy in bulk (from Costco) only - oregano, onion bits, garlic powder, cinnamon, dill, Italian herbs - I'll have to figure out another use for the other six jars. Maybe bouillon.

I'm also thinking that due to being sorta "outside" (more than we are at home), I need to use plastic boxes and ziplock bags to keep critters from smelling what we've got on board, as well as to keep dampness out, including things we don't usually wrap up at home. Costco, we're coming back for more boxes!

Chili powder, salt-free lemon pepper, Grill Mates steak seasoning (from the big container from Costco.)

 

[DianaCox]

OK, we've decided on the "shake-down" cruise - we are going to a fancy-schmancy RV park nearby (@southernlady, I would have suggested it if you weren't going to stay here, but they are so snooty they don't allow popups!). [Edited at the advice of my guardian angel to remove particulars about dates and where we are going, in case my stalker is still obsessing.]

I'm looking forward to checking out how the shower and toilet work in particular, as well as the kitchen appliances. Plus, figuring out how I will entertain myself (or gasp - WORK!) while Charles is driving. Running the generator seems stupid, but using a long extension cord from the cigarette lighter on the dash (run through a converter) seems klutzy. I'm not sure whether newer RVs have solved this issue with in-wall plugs that have the converters already in-line.

 

[DianaCox]

We have a queen-sized Aerobed. My daughter used it when she first moved across the street, and failed to return it, and I've been bugging her for several days to bring it back. She finally did yesterday (after we got into a big fight about it - I think we're not speaking at the moment), or she wouldn't have been allowed to watch TV with her friends here.

My idea - the small couch-that-turns-into-a-small-bed MIGHT be made more comfortable if we put the Aerobed on top. So, despite Charles' protests that it wouldn't work, I got him to get an extension cord and help me blow it up in the rig with the couch down.

Now let me point out the configuration of this RV - when you climb into the rig from the passenger side, you are facing the couch, and there is an upholstered swivel chair to your right, just behind the passenger seat. So, I positioned the bed on the couch and started blowing it up - and up - and up. It swallowed the entire width of the rig, and the side on the swivel chair was pushed up almost to the ceiling. Needless to say, it is a no-go.

But the fun didn't end there. I wanted to see how it would fit on the OTHER side, behind the steps, where there is a dinette set that folds down into an even smaller bed. So I started to turn the blown up bed inside the rig - and busted out a screen on one of the windows. Needless to say, it was an even worse fit. So, OK fine, let's deflate this thing - Charles opened the valve and I flopped on top of it to help squeeze the air out - and then, as it deflated, it collapsed in the middle where I was laying and I fell into a V formed between the sofa-bed and the chair and got trapped. Charles laughed and laughed and took a picture of me with his phone, flopped on the floor, swaddled in partially inflated vinyl, before he helped me up.

This overnight trip may be the first AND the last.

 

[JackieOnLine]

I'll be interested to see how it goes, my wild ass guess is that you will end up loving it.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

One night isn't really long enough to figure out how to work your camping equipment. I'd say it takes about a week in one spot to really figure it out and decide how you like it.

 

[DianaCox]

Good thing we only planned for an overnight - apparently, there is a critical piece missing from the sewer hose connector. :-( So we're "boondocking" the poop part. One of the reasons we are doing this, where we are doing it, is that it is only a few miles from CampersWorld, where we will go tomorrow and buy the missing pieces (or a whole new sewer hose setup). When we picked up the RV at the dealer, a whole bunch of stuff that had been in the RV when we looked at it was missing - I found some of it stashed on the side of the warehouse, but it looks like someone made off with other pieces (including a mess of the right size replacement bulbs for all the lights, which really pissed me off).

But we have water, including hot water; electricity; cable TV; internet; and even ice in the freezer (that we made!). Our new fancy stove parts came just before we left, but Charles didn't feel like taking that - we can test that at home. He got the awning up, and we brought fixings for Bloody Marys for later, sitting in the new camp chairs with a little table and a cup holder.

We're camping! (sorta)

 

[southernlady]

Oh yeah, one night is not nearly enough!!!

Okay, our experience is, at times, resembling National Lampoons Vacation!

So far, we've made the discovery that we do enjoy camping, I just want to be in something where I don't have to go outside to change my mind!

But the KOA campgrounds are great and people are so helpful.

 

[JackieOnLine]

I'm glad both of y'all (I mean all four) are enjoying your RVing!

 

[DianaCox]

So it turns out the sewer system was just weirdly customized - when we went to CampingWorld, one of the techs there was able to show Charles how to put it together - so we'll have another one night trial next week, only this time up in the redwoods above Santa Cruz. That will involve some tricky driving for Charles up in the Santa Cruz mountains.

But now the electrical outlet/cigarette lighter thingie died - which means I don't have power while we are driving. We'll get that fixed in three weeks when we take the rig in to CampingWorld to get a second exhaust fan and the GPS installed.

Is this RV going to be a box into which we throw lots of money??

 

[newanatomy]

So it turns out the sewer system was just weirdly customized - when we went to CampingWorld, one of the techs there was able to show Charles how to put it together - so we'll have another one night trial next week, only this time up in the redwoods above Santa Cruz. That will involve some tricky driving for Charles up in the Santa Cruz mountains.

But now the electrical outlet/cigarette lighter thingie died - which means I don't have power while we are driving. We'll get that fixed in three weeks when we take the rig in to CampingWorld to get a second exhaust fan and the GPS installed.

Is this RV going to be a box into which we throw lots of money??

Yep! Camping is expensive especially, if you are used to luxury!

 

[DianaCox]

That's the funny thing - I'm NOT used to luxury - I used to tent camp, and the only luxury I needed was flush toilets and clean water from a pump.

But now we have this beast - and I need to be able to work in it if my plan is to be followed (which is that we can take off and go camping any time, so long as I have internet and can work). We CAN run the LP generator to power the plugs while driving, but I really don't like that idea - I'd rather be working off the battery that is constantly recharged while driving. Which means, using an inverter plug:

Until the ciggie jack craps out.

But I must admit, having a toilet that didn't require that I get dressed to go pee; a cushy bed; and a TV to go to sleep to, is also nice.

Waking up to airplanes being bombed out of the sky and invasions into Gaza, notsomuch.

 

[JackieOnLine]

yes, the news sure is bad.

and I would guess the RV will always be a money sink if only because of gas prices. but: cushy bed! don't have to dress to pee! REDWOODS!!