B+ motorhomes

[Daniel_C_]

I just bought a Trail Lite B+ 211s with 8.1 Chevy
engine. This is my fifth motorhome (others range
from an old 20' Vagabond, and three Winnegagos, from 19 to 32'. This vehicle is fantastic. I am
using it as a mobile office (and sneaking in a fun
journey from time to time). It gets about 9.5mpg
and I believe I could pull a bus behind it if I wanted! I paid low $40's which is about what I had expected to pay for a five or six year old Chinook with a nicer interior, but fewer features
(slide). I am delighted thus far.

[jeanniewes]

Thank you for replies. Mom, at present, is coming along IF we dont have another set back like last week.

We went to our favorite lake yesterday and stayed overnite. We've not gotten to do much this summer. We have 3 days off, together, next week and hope to be able to do something then in our B+ camper which we love.

WE DO have a question? Do most of you have a garage type thing you park your Motorhome under or just leave it parked somewhere close to home? We looked at a TARP TYPE THING which is made especially for Motorhomes. They run around 400.00+ sooooooo we are wondering how convenient and useful that would be? It would be much cheaper than building an awning or garage for a motorhome. It would take up less space too as it fits the motorhome completely....ANY feed-back on this? We dont really know which way to go although we like the Tarp type thing....

[CharlesOK]

Depending on how large the spider cracks are, A good coat of wax to prevent water intrusion may be enough. Use a good past wax and rub out thoroughly. If you think more is needed, boat shops sell Uncle (somebody's) Crack stopper. Clear liquid, runs into the crack and hardens. There is glass behind the gelcoat, so structure is not a problem, but you do want to stop water from getting behind the gel coat and Freezing, which could cause some ugly chips to fall out next year.

[CAMPIE]

burlmart, I just caught the last page or two of this discussion so don't know if you keep your rv where you live or not. We've found other ways to use ours whether at home or at our cottage is as a spareroom for either us or our company to enjoy their own space.

Also, when we are home in PA, we move it around to various spots on our property and use it as our getaway room - a great place to enjoy real peace and quiet, read, nap, lunch, watch the deer as they come out of the woods, or just camping in our own backyard.

Our 11 year old granddaughter thinks it's a great place to do her homework after school.

Besides traveling in it and using it for shopping trips, we've used it as a van/pickup to haul big things from Lowes/Home Depot, etc. We just feel good everytime we think of another different way to put it to good use.

[karebear]

Had a nice weekend trip, had to use 2 sewer hoses, luckily there were 2 and a connector!!! It ran alittle uphill, so a challenge to dump, will be buying a cute little railroad track device in case this happens again. While observing my husband setting all this up, looked at all the dust collected on the rear bumper (dusty and hot here), located a BOO-BOO, did not make me smile. It wasn't there after our last trip as I had personally washed the back end, looked like some kid had thrown a basketball against the back wall, could still see the mark and many hairline to slightly larger cracks thus ensued, cracked the gel coat nicely. One reason to find a storage site instead of the yard I guess. Any comments on what to do about this??? :M

[CharlesOK]

We carry;

#1 Passport America, although we rarely get to use them, they have at least paid for the membership many times over.

#2 Trailer life guide, I buy one new every year and belong to Good Sam club. I have found their ratings to be realistic and good for finding that nice clean bathroom every few nights to take a shower in a clean place.

#3 We have guide to Military campgrounds which I renew every 5 years or so as things don't change all that much over time there.

#4 last but not least we use an old book of FREE campgrounds I have owned for years. Not too useful now, but I can't seem to work up the courrage to pitch it.

There you have it, somewhere in there We always find somewhere to stay. Yes, State Parks and Corps of Engineers will help if they can, National Park service is pretty inflexible due to Federal Regulations. Most commercial campgrounds will let you dry-camp for 5 to $10. If they want to much, I just say thanks and move on, although, that has rarely happened that we even had to ask the question. As I said, I rarely make reservations in advance because we move around too much and like to experience the "Freedom of the Road" Hope that helps.

[burlmart]

CharlesOK

Thanks for the very experience-based insights; this knowledge is invaluable to newbies like me. A few questions:

* Which CG directory do you prefer (some have tiny print)?
* When squeezing in as a dry camper, how much do you offer, or do they have a sort of standard charge?
* Will many state parks also accomodate RVs-in=need like commercial CGs?

Any other B+ folk have experiences w/ unscheduled travel? Also, any unique ways that you have used your RV other than camping?
For instance, I remember Daniel C talking about using his to go to work and have a place to eat lunch and watch the noon news. Also, in recent posts I am reminded of cases of using the RV as a place to stay when taking someone else to an out-of-town hospital for a few nites.

[karebear]

Best wishes to all for health issues, parents included....we are off for a Labor Day trip to see sis-in-laws "new" 30 foot boat moored in the great Lake Roosevelt...only get 2 nights as nurses get to work holidays....well some holidays...we will have wse hookups, that will be nice!!!

[CharlesOK]

Ah, yes, the late day question, "Where shall we park". The truth is, for us, we rarely have reservations and travel great distances using only campground guides and roadmaps. We do not stay at Wally World because I don't like the lights at night. I have never really had a problem finding a place to stay the night in 16 years of doing this. Virtually any commercial campground will allow you to use their facilities and "Dry camp" for a small fee if they are "Full Up". Always wanting to make another buck, as it were, so they will let you sit the night in their "back 40" if their is nothing left in their regular spots. We are small enough to go on just about any tent site if needed, so throw caution to the winds and go where-ever the road leads you and one thing you can be relatively assured of is that with a B+ their is always room for one more. The other great tool now a days is the cell phone. While we drive along late in the day, we look in the books and spot out campgrounds and call in advance for a spot that night. Most places will take a reservation last minute and try to accomodate any way they can, I usually ask for a late site near the shower building. Lots of times folks who stay longer, don't want to be close in, or the longer pull-thrus will go first. Most campgrounds are happy to fill their smaller sites last minute and we are glad for the knowledge in advance that something is waiting for us at the end of that days journey, without having to commit in advance to how far we must travel that day or hang around someplace we don't like. I have driven into a few places ,looked around and driven right back out because I did not like the look of things. I do give courtesy call to let folks know we will not be stopping, but that has only happened on a few rare occassions.:B

[Gene_in_NE]

CharlesOK - Keep pursuing the Geo Tracker for your towed vehicle. We have owned 3 and they have been trouble free. Our current one was towed by the original owner (we have not - I like motorcycles). They are great for short day trips.

JeannieWes - When we need a place to park for the night, the likely candidates are any places that are open 24 hours a day. We pray that your Mothers' health improves.

Burlmart - You very eloquently described the very reason we chose a B+ (C-). The price is better than a B and maneuverability is greater than the C. We think it is the best of both worlds. We never worry about where we will park for the night. Any 24 hour parking lot seems to work including grocery stores. Our unit is used for going from place to place versus sitting in one place for long periods. Our longest stay has been in a relatives driveway - and the extra width and height over a true Class B makes it bearable. Hope your 2nd hip operation goes as well as the first.

[burlmart]

Hello All

My new ceramic-on-cross-linked polyethylene left hip is essentially ‘done’ and doing wonderfully after 4 weeks, and the right hip is scheduled for a similar parts swap in three weeks – hope to get in some extended (a week or so, anyway) B+ travels after early October.

The very essence of a 22-26 ft. B+ seems to me to evoke more a mode of unrestrained mobility than stay-in-place utility. It is like a car with all the home conveniences – food, bathroom, bed, sanctuary for dogs, etc. It allows great flexibility whether pulling into a planned destination of a relative’s driveway, a public campground, a festival/rally, or whether en route without a reservation and possibly looking for a motel, parking lot, or public land to stop for the nite.

While we have yet to have time to take a long run wherein we may find ourselves w/o a reservation for some nites, I really think that this would epitomize the ultimate flexible use of the small rig. On this score, however, I confess anxiety – carried over from years of auto travel – when we have no reservation and it is getting late in an unknown place. And while the ‘house’ part of the B+ brings a degree of security that we have a 'place for the nite,' there is still a consideravle insecurity in boondocking in an unknown place that I am very uneasy about. Any experienced thoughts on this?

In a similar mode of thought, we would like to think up more versatile uses for the B+ than simply going to campgrounds. We have used it to attend an RV rally, at the Disney CG where we could leave the dogs and explore Disneyworld, at a local restaurant where the dogs stayed cool using the generator/AC, and an occasional shop-and-drop where I stay w/ the dogs and Martha goes in to shop.

Any other ideas? Any relevant forum threads that you guys have seen on this subject?

As I mentionrd before, the Class B rigs were more in line w/ what I thought we would enjoy using the most, but we felt there was simply not enough room.

[jeanniewes]

Hi guys and gals.
Sorry I've not responded as of recent. My mom is very ill and I dont get online much. I find I have more time as she gets better. She keeps having set backs...

It looks like everyone has traveled a LOT. This year has been our least traveled year due to mom. I never even thought of staying in a Hospital Parking lot. Now get this...I WORK at a Hosptial and never NEVER had I thought of THAT. lol I do remember several hospitals as we would pass thru. I like the state parks best but IF one was running late and needed just a few hours to sleep that would be the perfect place. It would be much safer than a lot of places. We have stayed in a Wal-mart parking lot only once but that was due to an area where there were no parks of any kind and we were so exausted sooooooooo we stopped...lol Mostly we try to get to where ever we're going but sometimes I guess there will be moments where that just isnt possible huh?

[CharlesOK]

Getting lonely here, where did ya'll go too? I went to Bonham TX to look at a possible LIGHTER TOAD today. 2003 Tracker 4X4 convert. Pictures looked great, mileage was straight at 43K. I probably would have bought it if it was even salvageable. Poor thing had been rode hard and put up wet. I'll keep the 05 Malibu thank you very much. Drove 376 miles RT for the the privilege of deciding not to buy in the first 60 seconds. The moral of the story is, digital pictures can sure be deceiving, and never trust a used-car salesman when he says, "Yea, this one a nice one". When will he ever learn. Oh yes, I was going to pull it behind my B+. The Malibu weighs 3,400 lbs and the 2dr Trackers weigh about 2,700 lbs so it would not require a Brake Box to be legal in 36 states. That's a discussion for a different thread.

[karebear]

Charles OK....so what campground in Texas??? Have you been before?? I want to see the Alamo, and San Padre Island/Brownsville area looks interesting. But then again I want to see EVERYTHING!!!! My parents had a park model in Arizona for 6 months every winter, they stayed at Sunflower Resort in Surprise AZ, quite a nice area, loved all the pools and shuffleboard, tennis courts, etc. Sure beats a winter in Washington STATE!!!

We are debating the toad, I do have a scooter and could get a hitch carrier and bring it along, at least I'd have a quick trip to the grocery vehicle. We have flown to Ft. Lauderdale and cruised out of there a few times, I really like the area, would love to spend a month in the KEYS, but gee their campground rates are outrageous and trying to time one at a state campground would be hard too.

[CharlesOK]

gk, Thats my idea of fun. Next Summer we hope to do the Mandan villages on the Missouri and head up into Canada just like you did. That's the beauty of the Trail-lites. Enough room to be comfortable for extended periods and still fuel efficient enough to make a trip possible for a Gypsey. I'm with you all the way, my feet have never stopped itching since I was a kid, and my little Trail-lite is just about perfect IMHO.

Karebear- We have a nice little Malibu set up to tow, but I have not hitched it up since January. With cheap rental cars from Enterprise, why bother pulling all that extra weight and burn more gas the whole trip. In January, I will pull it to TX for about three weeks, but we won't go as far and will stay in a Snowbird Campground for all the fun and games.

[karebear]

WOW gkreutzer, what a nice trip and without a toad....did you ever wish you had one to sightsee or were you fine as you were??? We want to leave next September from Washington State and head to Maine, then south to Florida for a few months, across the southern states to Texas and then wiggle our way home. We've been debating the toad thing, especially if we stay in Florida for that long.

Gene, I like your idea of a few unique places to stay....I work at a small hospital and we do have motorhomes occasionally, I assumed visiting patients, never thought about that as an overnighter....Wal-marts are always good they say and I love the casinos, oh, you were talking about parking for the night!!