The "old girl" needs a new mate......

[MrPhelps]

The “old girl” needs a new “Mate”
Mates bones are broken and posture sagging
It keeps on performing but results are lagging
They are the same age, but she can be mended
Mate has more issues than can be attended
Facelifts, parts and repairs for both have been clever
And old girl performs younger and stronger than ever
But Mate looks old and performs with concerns
So the hosts are inclined, with Mate, to take a new turn
So they examined the options and a new Mate selected
But it had to be built and then collected
So they selected a time for a new Mate to be ‘made”
And the hosts agreed it was a new HOST Cascade.
So the deed has been done and a new mate requested
Next, a quest far out west to pick up and be tested
Old girl and new mate joined for a brand new chapter
Never forgetting before but looking to after

Inanimate objects gain our affection
They help build fond memories for family reflection
They pass in the same way our family members end
Giving their all until they pass with the wind
And so, as with us, age is the test
Mate is functional and capable just not at its best
No firm plan is formed but local use seems the way
To keep this old soldier productive each day

Many years Mate has been the choice and passion
Central to mental health, rest, even shopping and fashion
The affection that exists for such an inanimate object
Surprises the hosts too, except that its clear
Their lives would be much different had it not been there

[billyray50]

Sorry you got sick. We both just got over the flu too. Despite flu shot. Ahh the wheel bearings on the 3rd generation Rams I know all to well with my previous 06 Ram CTD replaced twice on passenger side and once on driver side.Also hubs. Great looking TC and truck though. All the best.

[Faststreak]

Mr. Phelps, sorry you got sick. The flu is no fun especially traveling. When we pick up our camper, the next day I got vertigo and ended up in the ER. Camper looks great. Hopefully you can enjoy the rest of the trip. Eddie

[MrPhelps]

Update: Our camper trial period in Oregon and Washington was completed with success. There were hardly any issues with the camper discovered.

During this checkout period we took a short trip up from Portland towards Seattle to visit a family member for a couple of days and it was the old girl that needed some attention (wheel bearings).



Thank You LES SCHWAB! Wish you guys were down south. In and out in about 3 hours. Amazing.

However, the constant wet, cold, snow and sleet got me (and to a lesser extent, my wife). I got a nasty case of the flu. Thanks to some creative use of our "packed" antibiotics we avoided the emergency room and after about 5 days I am recovering pretty well, but the drugs are running out. A doc in the box may still be in the cards. At least the camper was comfortable. I saw that a new strain appeared in Oregon.. That must be what I got..

We had traveled down the Oregon Coast while this was in progress with the plan to proceed to California coast, but the flu thing takes the steam out of you and we decided after the last two particularly nasty days of illness at Humbug Mountain SP, to abort head back east to recover, get springtime warm, and to take our time to prevent any relapse.

We are currently at Bruneau Dunes SP in Idaho:



We are just about the only ones here.

So.. We are heading east and south going low ......and slow .

Cheers!

[MrPhelps]

Thanks for the info Bedlam. I will check it out.

[Bedlam]

If you unscrew the aerator in the bathroom sink, there are three total pieces and one of them has restrictor hole to limit water flow. Using a straight pin or thumb tack to ream out the hole slightly will allow the sink to flow better. The shower head looks nice but is not efficient - I replaced it with the one in this link: http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29117589/gotomsg/29445550.cfm#29445550 You may also get some other ideas for your Cascade by looking at the rest of this Mammoth thread.

[MrPhelps]

Thanks.

The weight is very similar to my last camper, especially after the mods we made. My perception of the handling is a little better probably, as you say, because of a better load distribution. It has a higher vertical CG, but most of the higher weight items previously carried in upper side compartments of the Yellowstone are in the basement, so there is no perceptible increase in sway.

Wheels/Tires were added to maximize toward GAWR load limits, so I think I'm good as long as truck handles well.

I'm not a Facebook guy but maybe I can access if needed. We've got a lot of testing to do. Really like this layout.

[Bedlam]

It does vary with the options you chose. My Mammoth is about 500 lbs heavier dry than your Cascade and has more storage space, so the potential for it to weigh more than my current 6000 lbs is definitely there. Your truck will be fairly heavy even when unloaded with the extras you have added, so just keep the rear axle weight under 10K lbs to avoid excessive wear.

On the Host Owners Facebook page and and in this section I have posted how to get better water flow in the bathroom if you find it lacking.

[MrPhelps]

I did not. Might check it later in the trip. The sticker delivered from the factory was 4,230 which was a bit higher than I expected.

The truck is handling it fine. We have over 1/3 but less than 2/3 water now, full propane with our contents.

[Bedlam]

Did you get any real world weights of your Cascade? My guess was about 4000 lbs dry and close to 5000 lbs ready to camp, so I wonder if I am in the ballpark.

[MrPhelps]

One last photo before we leave this am...

taken from sofa just now...

[MrPhelps]

Thanks for all the help from many of you on the forum with your observations and help on the new Host campers, the Cascade in particular and with photo posting! . It was all helpful.

also.. Here in the NW with all the rain and cool weather, we are captives inside today (and yesterday too), but in this camper that is NO PROBLEM . very comfortable. Off on our next trip phase from Portland tomorrow,

Cheers!

[Faststreak]

Mr. Phelps, love your New Cascade. Looks quite comfortable. Have a great trip. Eddie

[Bedlam]

Host just posted a picture of a Cascade with the 4' loveseat instead of recliners - That was also a nice configuration.

[mike_kellie]

Beautiful camper! The fireplace is very comforting when it's rough outside. We've stayed in some freezing temps with hook-ups and seeing a glow from the other room is pretty sweet.
Hopefully the trip home will give you a chance to check out all the amenities that come with your camper.