Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Titus' post on the Wire started the wheels turning again; I'm just a couple of years away from retiring, and have intermittent trailer/motorhome envy. Mobility and self-containment are appealing; small size and maintenance issues make me worry. I know that many of you are part-time/full-time RVers. How about sharing some photos and tales of your successes and failures on the road? If you could do it again, would you? Would you do it differently? How have you adapted your vehicle for SASS? I'm a fan of Airstreams, and particularly encourage any examples of those; but nothing is off the table (Except $1MM luxury models) Much appreciated. LL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StirrupTrouble Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 I am interested in this too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Bart Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Interest here also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 We were interested in a small trailer and looked at Airstreams. I wanted something that was well built and would hold value (just not interested in a stick built). We searched and decided upon an Escape trailer that is manufactured and sold in British Columbia. This is a small family owned company and will do a lot of buyer customization (within reason). I bought the Escape 19. With regards to CAS, I had a custom built Truck Vault installed. The manufacturers website is: http://www.escapetrailer.com/, There is a great users forum (like the SASS wire): http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/ The drawbacks are: 1. There are no dealers. You buy factory direct. 2. To see one, you can contact the factory and they will tell you where there are owners in your vicinity that are willing to show their trailer(s). 3. As they are built on order, the wait for one is a few months. (I had to wait 7 months and I got an earlier delivery than expected). 4. You either pick up at the factory (which many do and make an adventure out of it) or have it delivered for an additional fee based upon distance. We are very pleased with ours and it suits our needs and desires very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Hair, SASS #29557 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Didn't Captain G. Baylor once post a series of pics about his motorhome? The motorhome also towed a smaller trailer that contained a small MB SUV and a complete reloading station. If I'm mistaken on the person please forgive me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 Posted June 25, 2016 Author Share Posted June 25, 2016 Didn't Captain G. Baylor once post a series of pics about his motorhome? The motorhome also towed a smaller trailer that contained a small MB SUV and a complete reloading station. If I'm mistaken on the person please forgive me. He did (does) indeed. http://www.curtrich.com/rvlogindex.html LL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Rick Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 LL, We have had a 2007 Trail Cruiser 26QBH for for about ten years now and it has always been a love/hate relationship for us. We currently keep it at our home range which is a 6-hour drive one way for us. If we didn't have the camper up there semi-permanently I don't know that we would be able to make the regular monthly shoots. Positives: - You're always sleeping in your own bed - You don't have to carry all your stuff into and back out of hotels Negatives, for me: - Set up - rolling into a dark campground in the rain and having to hook up the shore-power and water, even if you wait to set the jacks is a pain, more so if it's cold - If no generator, and your campsite doesn't have power, you'll not have the use of your microwave, A/C, or furnace. If you have a generator, how loud/heavy is it and how big is the gas tank? This becomes a part of your set up. - Use - how often are you really going to use it? Let's say you find the RV of your dreams for $20,000. You can stay at a lot of fairly nice hotels for $20k. And the less you use the RV the more maintenance you are likely to have. If I were to do it again, I would look more towards a bumper-pull toy-hauler or even a cargo trailer with a roof A/C. I think I could get more use out of that set-up than what I currently have (but what I currently have is paid for). But the simple truth for me is I don't travel enough to justify (or rationalize, even) a camper. Even with the inconvenience of having to take stuff into/out of my room I can stay in a nice motel for two or three days a month for less than the cost of fuel and a monthly payment. Now, if money were no object... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blastmaster Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Seems the first thing to do is start visiting RV dealers and see what they have to offer and take notes on features and cost for various sizes. If trailer type (bumper vs 5th wheel) RV then start visiting PU/truck dealerships to see what that will cost ya. I would think a 3/4ton would be the minimal PU and a 1ton would be safer and better. Pretty much diesel power I would imagine. Bigger the RV unit, the more comfortable you will be on the road and thus, can stay out longer. How many weeks per year on the road do you antisipate? How many shoots? Is your family fully on board with this adventure? Got a place to store said RV at your home base? Start thinking or decide what your total RV expenditure budget may be. With visits to RV lots and truck dealershiips, you will quickly get an idea on the $$ magnitude of the unit that interest you. I would find the research of selection to be very interesting. Good luck Edit: I have a relative that has a diesel pusher RV (40ft???).. They figure it cost $200+( in fuel and such) to move down the road 400 miles. They specifically purchased a $$$Jeep cherokee?? to pull behind the Rv so they have something to use when they get the land yacght parked and setup. They pretty much stay at pay RV parks so they get hookups for elec/water/sewer, which cost ~$50per day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badlands Bob #61228 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 I retired last October and the wife and I bought a Winnebago Minnie 2201DS. It's what they call a couple's camper. Mostly designed for two people. It has all the bells and whistles and is small enough that I can tow it with my F-150. We have really enjoyed it. We take it to larger matches and camp on the range between trips to the lake and mountains. Living on the road full time is out of the question according to my wife. We have a large yard so I just park it next to the house and it's ready to go whenever we are. http://winnebagoind.com/products/travel-trailer/2016/minnie/floorplans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Branch Louie Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 1. Do a lot of research. We bought a new 2014 Forest River Blue Ridge and in the 6 months we owned it, we had it 22 days. It was a piece of junk, albeit an expensive one. 2. Take the dealers with a grain of salt. They are all the best dealer in the world to hear them tell it. If I bought another camper, I would go to one of the big discount dealers close to where they are made and tow it home. Local dealer support is more a myth than reality in my experience. 3. Decide on a camper first, or at least in the ball park in terms of size and weight. Then start looking at trucks. Most 3/4 ton trucks can weigh 9900 lbs. max and many 5th wheels have a 2000 lb. + pin weight. I bought a dually for this reason. If you're planning on travelling, a diesel is the way to go, doesn't strain on the hills and will tow much more weight. Down side is they are more expensive and cost a little more to maintain. 4. 5th wheels tow better, cost more and are generally more luxurious. Bumper pulls can be very nice as well, are cheaper but tow harder. 5. For me, having slide outs is a must. They open up a trailer so much more inside and make it more comfortable. Aerostreams do not have slide outs. 6. Motorhomes are nice, cost a lot more, and you have to tow a vehicle with you. They are for folks with deeper pockets than me. 7. Jayco, Keystone Montana and Landmark are all good brands with good reputations. They all make lemons, and the fit and finish on all of them is not what it should be for what they cost. 8. Last, if I had to do it over again, I would buy clean used, you can save a ton over new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Kris Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Seems the first thing to do is start visiting RV dealers and see what they have to offer and take notes on features and cost for various sizes. If trailer type (bumper vs 5th wheel) RV then start visiting PU/truck dealerships to see what that will cost ya. I would think a 3/4ton would be the minimal PU and a 1ton would be safer and better. Pretty much diesel power I would imagine. Bigger the RV unit, the more comfortable you will be on the road and thus, can stay out longer. How many weeks per year on the road do you antisipate? How many shoots? Is your family fully on board with this adventure? Got a place to store said RV at your home base? Start thinking or decide what your total RV expenditure budget may be. With visits to RV lots and truck dealershiips, you will quickly get an idea on the $$ magnitude of the unit that interest you. I would find the research of selection to be very interesting. Good luck Edit: I have a relative that has a diesel pusher RV (40ft???).. They figure it cost $200+( in fuel and such) to move down the road 400 miles. They specifically purchased a $$$Jeep cherokee?? to pull behind the Rv so they have something to use when they get the land yacght parked and setup. They pretty much stay at pay RV parks so they get hookups for elec/water/sewer, which cost ~$50per day. 1. Do a lot of research. We bought a new 2014 Forest River Blue Ridge and in the 6 months we owned it, we had it 22 days. It was a piece of junk, albeit an expensive one. 2. Take the dealers with a grain of salt. They are all the best dealer in the world to hear them tell it. If I bought another camper, I would go to one of the big discount dealers close to where they are made and tow it home. Local dealer support is more a myth than reality in my experience. 3. Decide on a camper first, or at least in the ball park in terms of size and weight. Then start looking at trucks. Most 3/4 ton trucks can weigh 9900 lbs. max and many 5th wheels have a 2000 lb. + pin weight. I bought a dually for this reason. If you're planning on travelling, a diesel is the way to go, doesn't strain on the hills and will tow much more weight. Down side is they are more expensive and cost a little more to maintain. 4. 5th wheels tow better, cost more and are generally more luxurious. Bumper pulls can be very nice as well, are cheaper but tow harder. 5. For me, having slide outs is a must. They open up a trailer so much more inside and make it more comfortable. Aerostreams do not have slide outs. 6. Motorhomes are nice, cost a lot more, and you have to tow a vehicle with you. They are for folks with deeper pockets than me. 7. Jayco, Keystone Montana and Landmark are all good brands with good reputations. They all make lemons, and the fit and finish on all of them is not what it should be for what they cost. 8. Last, if I had to do it over again, I would buy clean used, you can save a ton over new. Lots of really good points here. We had a 37' Sunnybrook fifth wheel we purchased used. It had only been on one trip..... The original owner's family didn't buy into the RVing life so he sold it. We used it well for 15 years. We towed it with a 3/4 ton diesel and that worked well for us most of the time. We weren't able to bring it with us on our latest move so we sold it. Before purchasing, I suggest renting a couple of different models from a reputable dealer. That will give you an idea of what you may like for layouts and amenities and what you can do without. Also, that will give you an idea of how much it will cost to operate your own trailer/motorhome. When you are at different campsites, chat with other RVers and see what kind of rigs they have and what accessories they have added or what customizations they have made. Most of them will be more than happy to show their rigs to you. These "trial" trips will also help you determine if the RV life is really for you. It's one thing to sit by your campfire smelling the clean air and watching the critters run by. It's another thing entirely to have to drain your black water tank in the rain or set up camp while it's snowing. We're not even going to talk about what is involved in manually leveling your rig in the campsite......... Best of luck to you and let us know what you decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Loophole, What are you thinking about. Long trips or full time living for a while? How many people? Pets? Guests? Will you be grilling, cooking in the kitchen, or eating out? When Hubby was still shooting, we had an RV. Now that it is just me, I have a 14' trailer. I thought it was perfect for my needs. Yet there are several things I hate about it, also, things I like. I found the RV easier to drive than towing. I'm terrible at backing up. I know one person who is on his 14th trailer. That just shows it's hard to find the perfect trailer. Good luck, Allie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Hand Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 This was mine, took some getting used to. One step above tent camping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rancho Roy Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Oh oh! Hope you have a few hours...... Start here: http://rvbprecision.com/rv-projects/forest-river-cherokee-grey-wolf-19rr-toy-hauler.html Then go here: http://rvbprecision.com/rv-projects Then if you get real board...Finish here: http://rvbprecision.com/ I love to "Farkle".......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 This one is more suited for Rolan! http://www.doityourselfrv.com/rocket-inspired-atomic-camper/ And it's for sale! https://www.facebook.com/Atomic-Camper-384524938363803/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 I was between jobs in 2005, so I bought a new F350 PSD and a new trailer and hit the road for a couple months. They still do the job just fine. Trailer is Paradise Pointe 31' with a 12' slide. I don't do much kayaking anymore, so I'd probably go with a 5th wheel setup today. I think this is on top of Lizard Head Pass in Colorado toward the end of July '05. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tascosa, SASS# 24838 Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 This was mine, took some getting used to. One step above tent camping. Sure looks good to me. Really would like to see the inside. Ya done good hombre! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Hand Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 Here's where I had mine made. I designed the running gear tot tow behind my truck. Overbuilt it I guess, I think he just uses one axle now. http://idahosheepcamp.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Rio Pete Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 I always thought I'd like the Born Free Motorcoaches. Not too big & not too small. Some models even have slideouts. They even make one for people in wheelchairs. http://www.bornfreerv.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blastmaster Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Here's where I had mine made. I designed the running gear tot tow behind my truck. Overbuilt it I guess, I think he just uses one axle now. http://idahosheepcamp.com Air conditioning? for those 100degree days and 90degree nights? Shower or just a spit bath? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StirrupTrouble Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I was looking at a used KZ Sportsmen 14'. If I get ready to pull the trigger that might fit the bill nicely since it is just me on the road. Has a lot of amenities for the money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskey Rick, SASS#84292 Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 What type of RV you want or need is a very personal decision. You will get many opinions here that may or may not help you. Having said that here is my opinion, based on traveling from match to match all over the counrty plus using it to just travel to see this wonderful land. I have been lucky enough to see every state by motorcycle at least once, then again to all states by Motor Home. The OP mentioned retirement. Will I use the RV to travel alot? Or just to matches in a couple state radius of my own? Do I want to travel to see the counrty besides shooting? What is my buget? As we all know there is a huge difference between a newer used Travel Trailer, fifthwheel Trailer and Motor Home. Let alone NEW! Personally I think if you use the old arguement of: for the cost of an RV I can stay in motels cheaper, then stop thinking about an RV now! In my opinion that arguement holds no water period. You simply can not compare RV travel to car travel and motel stays. There are just way to many variables to consider between the two forms of travel. Agiain this is my opinion but if you are going to travel more than just around your state I believe a MH or FW will begin to make more sense than a Travel Trailer. For many reasons. Lets talk money for a couple minutes. A TT or FW with a diesel truck can cost well upwards into the $100,000.00 range with no trouble. With used around half to 2/3rds of that depending of course on size and type. A gas Motor Home will set you back $100,000.00 plus, and a diesel twice or three times that much. But you can also pick up very nice used diesel Motor Homes in the $80-90K range. How can we compare the difference between a FW and MH? Here are a few of my thoughts on that. Traveling in cold weather the MH has it hands down, you drive in a warm coach stop and sleep in a warm coach and don't have to stop warm the FW up and wait in the truck until it is warm enough to go to sleep in the FW. MHs are much easier to set up at a camp ground. Pull in put the leveling jacks down, plug in shore power, water and maybe sewer and you are done. Ten minutes tops in the dark. Try that with a FW! Driving down the road, the passenger can fix meals, get drinks, use the potty and many other things while under way. Getting drinks from a cooler is about all your passenger can do for the driver while running. A MH has much more storage. Those big basement compartments can hold enough stuff to keep you on the road for months at least. Onboard generators are standard on all but the smallest and cheapest models. Onboard water, LP and holding tanks are usually much larger in a MH. The house batteries with inverters can run all but the most energy sucking appliances. Without any shore power. ( with my solar panel charging the batteries I can run all of my TVs and electronics for days with no 110volt power of any kind). These are just a few of the many thing a MH can do a FW can't. Something to think about with FW compared to MH. They usually have much larger living spaces than HM even if the MH has four slides. All but for the largest units are easier to store in the off season. (My MH has no off season). You already have your vehicle to run around in, I have to tow a vehicle. ( I tow a GMC Envoy four down). Do you have a car that can be towed or have to buy one just to tow behind the MH. I haven't even started to consider Toy Haulers type RVs. These are just some of the things you will need to think about before the final decision is made. Good luck with the process and don't let it get you down. Whiskey Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolan Kraps, SASS # 24084 Life Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 This one is more suited for Rolan! http://www.doityourselfrv.com/rocket-inspired-atomic-camper/ And it's for sale! https://www.facebook.com/Atomic-Camper-384524938363803/ Funny! That is a LOT of work there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rancho Roy Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 When I first started shooting weekend matches I stayed in hotels...Hated it! I really felt I was missing out on thing going on at the range after the guns were put away. And I hated carrying all my gear back and forth into the hotel. Not to mention, some states (NJ) you can't stay in a hotel with firearms so you need to leave them at the range with a friend. I love my Toy Hauler trailer. I take my motorcycle to some matches and do some riding in the area before or after the match. Lots of room in the "garage" area for working on guns, reloading, etc. As far as cost.....I paid $9000 for a three year old, never used, trailer and $20K for a 2006 Dodge diesel with 40K miles. Like new condition. I now have just under 200K on the truck and still running like when I bought it. At every weekend shoot I'm saving upwards of $300.......Easily pays for the gas, ammo and shooting fees..... I've recently set my trailer up as a portable office and I use it just about every week in some state park or other campground. Much better than working out of my home office or my work office! And yes, the best part is the camaraderie at the shoots after the guns are put away......the cooking, the jokes, the campfires........priceless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Mrs. Lose and I have owned travel trailers, smaller motor homes etc.. through the years but in 2001 we sprang for a new 30' Monaco Knight motor home with two slides. It was about the shortest MH you could get with a diesel pusher back then and it is just right for two people. I have 52,000 miles on it now and it runs like new. That Cummins diesel and Allison transmission do a great job. 95 gallon fresh water tank, 50 gallon grey water and 45 gallon black water tanks let me boon dock for over a week without having to worry about dumping or filling. Quite a bit of storage underneath and inside. One thing you should do with any MH is keep an eye on the tires, especially after five years. I had a blowout on the inner drivers side rear tire on my way back from EOT four years ago and blown tires on an RV do quite a bit of damage and it's expensive to repair. I jury rigged mine to get it home and then did the repairs myself that enable me to still use the RV the $7,000.00 estimate seemed a bit much. When I'm camping at a match or at EOT I really feel fortunate to have a rig as nice as this one and when you're going down the road you float you don't ride. Those anti lock brakes and engine brake have come in handy more than I'd like to admit. I often think about downsizing to a small travel trailer but after spending 9 days on the road and at EOT I sure like my MH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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