Send a photo of your RV and a 150- to 200-word description of it, how and where you use it, and what you like or don’t like about it, to Diane (at) RVtravel.com . Be sure to include your name(s) and hometown, or if you’re a full-timer. (These are posted in the order received.)
The RVs of RVtravel.com readers and how they use them
Issue 65; Posted Nov. 5, 2016
Al (“Big Al”) and Jan Malone, Vancouver, Washington
Attached is a photo of our truck/5th wheel combo. We pull a 2015 Heartland Big Country 3150RL with a 2010 Ford F-250 Diesel Crew Cab that has a modest 43,400 miles on it. Up until last August, when I retired, we used our truck only on our weekend or week-long camping trips with earlier towable rigs we owned. The picture was taken at Seven Feathers RV Resort in southern Oregon, earlier this year (a great RV resort, BTW).
Our current truck/5th wheel combo works great for us. Our 3150RL has all the comforts of a small home when traveling: fireplace, 4-door fridge/freezer, 50″ flat-screen TV, along with the 6-point leveling system I wanted for easy setup. Our 2010 Ford F-250 diesel works very well towing our rig, and while it doesn’t have all of the newest bells and whistles of the latest generation of trucks, it is paid for — and that goes a long way now that I am retired.
We took a successful 8-week trip last fall/winter down to Vegas and San Diego as a test long-trip run. This coming January, we leave for a 5-month trip down through California, across to the panhandle of Florida for a 5-week stay, and up the Eastern Seaboard.
“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.” —Winnie the Pooh
Shane and Emily Anderson, Full-timers
Hello!! We are a married, full-timing, cat-owning couple who travel North America in our RV, playing music at colleges and music venues year-round.
Our RV is a 2011, 29-foot Sun Seeker by Forest River. We’ve had it for one year and what we love about it would fill a long list! We love that our home is with us everywhere we go. We can shower/change whenever we want. We have a hangout spot everywhere we’re parked, and when we travel — no hotels! With this specific RV, we love how much space there is underneath for all of our band equipment. The only thing we don’t like is that the generator stopped working, but that’s under warranty and it’s getting fixed — so we feel like it doesn’t count.
Everywhere we play or go, we’re just known as “Shane & Emily”— because that’s our band name, too. We plug into our friend’s house in Florida when we don’t have any colleges scheduled, and play our music at Disney, Busch Gardens and beach restaurants.
We absolutely love the freedom of this lifestyle. This is our life and we wouldn’t have it any other way! BTW — We love your newsletter! As a young newlywed couple who travels the country playing music, it has come in handy a lot!!!
Editor: Check ’em out, and maybe go watch “Shane & Emily” at one of their many gigs listed on their website.
Dwight and Anne “Homer” Nestrick, Evansville, Indiana
In August, 2014, we bought our 2015 Tiffin Allegro Open Road. It is powered by Ford’s strong V-10. We love it. It has two slides, three TVs inside, electric fireplace, and queen bed.
When I retired 14 years ago we traveled with a 5th wheel at different times of the year, coast to coast. It was nice, but when truck replacement time arrived we chose to move on to a Class A diesel pusher. The Open Road is our third Class A motorhome. We spent winters for nearly 12 years in Florida. We now spend more time with our 9 grandkids and their active lives in Evansville — traveling more often but not as long at a time.
Our last trip took us to Gulf Shores and Mobile, Ala., for a week. Then we moved on to the Big Easy (New Orleans). We finished this trip with a stop to see our oldest grandchild, who is a first-year student at Ole Miss. We have a little over 18,000 miles thus far, including traveling in the recent past to Michigan; Door County, Wisc.; San Antonio, Texas; Phoenix, Ariz.; Outer Banks, N.C.; and Vicksburg, Miss.
Since retiring we have traveled to all 48 continental states and Alaska (2.5 months, 13,000+ miles). Then to celebrate our 50th State, 40th Wedding Anniversary, and 60th Birthdays, we flew most of our family to a wonderful 2-week cruise and stay on the beach of Honolulu.
We have enjoyed camping since the early ’70s, in a travel trailer, Class C Jayco, Montana 5th wheel, Newmar Dutch Star, Tiffin Phaeton, Minnie Winnie and now our Open Road. Each had their own advantages for life and travel style. I think I can safely say we are hooked on RV travel!
The picture from our trip to Alabama/New Orleans/Ole Miss shows my wife and me on the left, with my brother, Kevin, and his wife, Cheri, from Bullhead City, Ariz.
MORE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS
