RE: New Jayco Legacy is here
I thought the Legacy was the new high-end model that Jayco came up with after buying Travel Supreme's plant. If so, $85-95K msrp sounds pretty cheap compared to the TS line. Just looking at the msrp at RV Direct, it looks like it lists about $30 higher than the Designer -- probably less than $20K higher when the discounts are figured in. I'll reserve judgement. I'm just glad to see another line added instead of another manufacturer going paws up.
RE: First 5th Wheel !
I agree with most everything that's been said. I don't think your F150 would even be adequate on the flat. With a tail wind it would pull easy, but if you had to make a quick stop or swerve... **crunch time**. I've pulled three different 5th wheels with my 2000 F25 PSD -- a 24', 27' and 30'. It handled all of them fine, but I wouldn't want to pull anything much larger than the 30'. (Living in the Mountain West makes a little difference.)
My point is, while an F250 diesel (or even V-10) should get you around just fine with that camper, if you decide you want a larger 3 or 4-season 5er soon, you'll have to trade up again. I'd get an F350 dually if I were in your shoes. They're not much more expensive than F250s, and maintenance and mileage are close. It would be more than you'd NEED, but when pulling campers around, that's usually a good thing. (Lots of big 5ers are pulled by Class 8 trucks -- overkill perhaps, but a safe, comfortable ride.)
It shouldn't cost you that much to trade, especially considering the money you'd invest in that F150 trying to get it beefed up enough. I'm kind of in the same situation. I want something bigger than my F250 because we want a bigger 5er. I wish I'd have just bought a dually in the beginning.
If money is a major concern right now, look for a good used V10 4x2 instead of a 4x4 PSD. The main thing you need is a bigger truck.
RE: Summer 2009 - Bad Lands / Black Hills / Rocky Mtn NP
"In addition, your 11 yr old will love feeding the prairie dogs at the various prairie dog towns nearby."
That's not a very good idea and is discouraged by all parks. There are a couple good-sized prairie dog towns in Custer State Park and a very large one at Devils Tower. Watch and photograph, but please don't feed the animals.
RE: Traveling from Yellowstone to Black Hills - Best Route?
I'd normally suggest going out the east gate through Cody, Greybull, Worland and Buffalo, but if you do that, keep a very close eye on the weather. I'm in Gillette. The high today is supposed to reach 73, but then it's to cool off rapidly the rest of the week, with a low of 20 Saturday evening and a high of 33 on Sunday -- rain on Thursday with a high of 52. It'll be colder in the mountains, and I'd expect snow instead of rain.
In re-reading your post, it appears you haven't left Minneapolis yet, so my forecast probably has little merit, but it is that time of the year; watching the weather closely would be a good idea when the time comes.
I've travelled Hwy. 16 over the Bighorns dozens of times in the winter. As long as you travel it during the day, the chances of it being open are almost as good as if you stick to I-90, but it's more apt to be snow-covered, hills are steeper, curves are sharper, and sliding off the road could be worse. It's much more scenic, but I wouldn't care to tow my 5er over the Bighorns in winter conditions. A car? Yes. A motorhome? I don't know.
RE: Anyone have experience with being on probation?
I don't know much about probation, but as an employee I'd never encourage a probationer to miss a meeting with his probation officer. That would be much like encouraging him to drink or do any of the other things he's not allowed to do. The law (court) says "be there at such and such a time." If he's not, he's breaking the law (probation guidelines).
Talk to his P.O., but please don't encourage him to miss any more meetings. It's not fair to him.
RE: Purchased a fifth wheel. Need help selecting tow vehicle.
Just something to keep in the back of your mind:
I purchased an F250 4x4 psd in 2000 for our small 5er. I figured it would be enough truck for anything we'd want. Now we want a big 5er, but the F250 doesn't have the payload so I've gotta find a bigger truck. I wish I'd have gotten an F350 dually back then. It would have been more truck than I needed, but more is usually okay. Not enough is never enough. Think ahead when you buy a truck -- way ahead.
If you're like me you won't put a lot of miles on the truck, and they last a long time. At 8 years old, mine is good as new to me, but trading for one in the same condition is time consuming and/or expensive.
RE: Summer 2009 - Bad Lands / Black Hills / Rocky Mtn NP
I think you could knock out one of the nights at the Badlands without missing much. Add it the the Black Hills or RMNP. Devils Tower is nice, especially if you dry camp inside the monument. If you wanted to add a day there, you could take a short drive to Cook Lake, but I really think you'd be happier spending the extra day in the Black Hills. There's plenty there to keep you busy for a week.
RE: Jobs/ work???
If you need good paying jobs and aren't too particular where you live next, check the unemployment rates in various states and counties. Look for areas that have current unemployment rates below 3% and you should find work easily. You can't just pick the state with a fairly low unemployment rate and then pick the area you'd like to live in; you've got to be more specific and get to the county level.
I live in NE Wyoming, where almost anyone who can pass a drug test can find work of some kind within a couple days. SW Wyoming would be similar, but there are other parts of Wyoming, even in adjoining counties, where unemployment is high.
Many of the mountain states are similar to Wyoming -- a booming economy brought on by oil, gas and coal extraction. This creates a need for people in support industries, from retail clerks to food workers to bankers and everything else.
Your biggest problem in these areas won't be in finding work, but in finding a place to park your camper -- and keeping it warm in the winter!
RE: We can't believe we just did it!
My wife was dragging her heals this summer when it came to camping. Finally, in late July, I told her it was time to sell the camper if we weren't going to use it. We went camping about every weekend for the next couple months. I can understand your position. If you're not using it, sell it to someone who will. Otherwise it's just not worth the upkeep, insurance, taxes and storage costs. Jobs change, and you'll probably be in a position again when you can return to RVing. Meanwhile, get a tent.
RE: yellowstone or grand canyon for first out west trip
They both will be great trips. Personally I'd do the Black Hills, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons first. One place to stop for sure is in Cody, Wyoming at the Wild Bill Hickock Museum. Plan to spend at least 5 hours there at a minimum. Have fun deciding and have a great time.
Wild Bill CODY museum! No way you can see it all in 5 hrs. Last time I was there the tickets were good for 2 full days so people could see everything.
:B
Well, you're getting closer. It's the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, but of course it's Bill Cody we're talking about. Wild Bill Hickok was the famous lawman who was shot in the back while playing poker in Deadwood, SD during the gold rush of '76. (Remember "aces and eights" being the "dead man's hand," as that's what Hickok was holding when killed?)
Confession time: I almost "corrected" you that it was the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum, so even though I've lived near Cody and had business ownership there for several years and have been to the museum several times, I wasn't sure either. I had to chuckle to myself when I caught my own mistake, as otherwise I'm sure someone would have come along and corrected all three of us. :S
RE: Being a considerate RV owner
Welcome to the board, Margo, and thanks for the reminder.
I'm sorry you were blasted for your first post. I agree with it 100%.
It appears some on here thought you were pointing your finger directly at them. Hmmmmmmmmmm.....
RE: yellowstone or grand canyon for first out west trip
If it's a "summer" vacation, I think the Black Hills, Yellowstone, etc. would be the best choice. The Grand Canyon and the southern Utah parks will be hot by May 1, and they'll become really hot by mid summer. You're talking southwest desert -- beautiful but best seen in early spring or late fall.
Even if weather wasn't a consideration, I still think most people would prefer the Black Hills - Yellowstone area. You can still see some arid/semi arid country (Badlands), but you'll also see lush valleys and tall mountains, beautiful lakes and rivers, geysers, mud pots, mineral hot springs, waterfalls and national grasslands. And then there's the abundance of large wildlife, including buffalo, elk, moose, deer and antelope, and probably mountain goats, bighorn sheep, bear and many others.
If you have children, the Black Hills is a great place to spend some time, and everyone should see Yellowstone.
RE: How slow is unsafe?
The biggest problem when passing slower moving vehicles is when they bunch up -- two or three in tight succession. If you're not going to pass that slow moving vehicle ahead of you, please leave ample room for someone passing you to pull in front of you, so he doesn't have to pass a caravan of vehicles all at once.
IMO, If everyone would just drive the posted speed limit it would eliminate a lot of accidents and certainly a lot of stress.
RE: Oops! Bad for Leather!
A *GOOD* upholstery shop might be able to find matching leather and just replace the torn sections. If cost is a major concern you could probably remove the seats and the damaged leather material yourself, let them sew in the new section, then put it all back together yourself.
Matching the leather will be the hardest part. If your MH isn't too old, I'd first try contacting the manufacturer to see if they can be of any assistance in getting the material -- or even the complete seat cover.
RE: Probably a dumb question....
Someone posted some pictures (or a link to some) recently that showed a 5er being towed by a VW bug. It was designed just for the bug, and the bug was modified with the hitch on the roof. It was probably from the late 50s or 60s.
Most 5ers have a pretty high pin weight that wouldn't work with most SUVs, even if the SUV was modified with a pin on top, and there wouldn't be enough clearance for mounting on top anyway. If you want to pull with an SUV, get a travel trailer. Fifth wheels are designed to be pulled by trucks.
RE: Live each day as if it were your last
CR, my deepest sympathy to you at this difficult time. I understand what you're going through. Twelve years ago I lost my wife, also 51, also suddenly without warning, also named Sandi. We'd used our new truck camper once, the weekend before her untimely death. We were planning to start fulltiming in about 5 years. While her death came without warning (an artery burst in her brain), I found this poem a couple days later on her computer. She always wrote from the heart -- what she felt or sensed that other felt.
To Comfort You
By Sandi Schmidt (D)
Love, linger not at this, the home
In which you've laid me down to rest.
Don't weep or scuff the fresh new soil
That presses lightly on my breast.
The heart that danced in time with yours
No longer strains or clings to life.
The pain that tore us both apart
No more can harm your faithful wife.
Come, touch the stone that speaks my name;
Don't curse the fates that put me here.
The day has passed for fault and blame;
It was my time to leave you, dear.
But, though this grave, now hoe-blade new,
Will, in good time, be overgrown,
My spirit's warmth will follow you,
And see that you are not alone.
One day, I know you'll join me here,
And take my hand in yours once more.
Together, we'll go toward the Light
And knock, as one, on Heaven's door.
Now, tuck your sorrow far from sight
And kiss the children tenderly.
I'll slumber, dreamless, in the night,
Until, at last, you come for me.
RE: Badlands Trip
Unless you plan to be in Sturgis for Bike Week there's not much there to see. Wall Drug can be a quick stop off when visiting the Badlands, and you can do the Badlands tour pretty quickly too. I think you can have a nice time in four days and see "enough."
RE: Probably a stupid quesiton, But how to level??
Of course the other way to level (other than blocks) is to dig out a shallow hole for the tires on the high side. The last time we went camping I used the wooden blocks on the low side but discovered it wasn't quite enough, so I pulled forward and dug out a little depression for the tires on the high side, backed in again and called it good. Oops! Then it was an inch low on the "high" side. We lived with it. (It was getting dark and our neighbor was already complaining about our lights and noisy engine.)
The main advantage of digging a depression for the high side tires is that, when the low side is also your door side, that first entry step can get pretty high if you've got to raise it more than a couple inches. Obviously, always fill in the hole before you leave.
