After having this thing sitting next to the house for the last few months (busy with kids stuff and work, etc), we're finally getting into the RV and getting the interior fixed up and outfitted for the family! Figured I'd share progress here.

The bunk over the cab was originally an entertainment center, but we need it for sleeping with 3 kids, so that had to go. Next up is getting a platform set up so we can put a mattress up there.





The rig didn't have a head unit so we go a nice and big one since the original opening had space for I think a 7" screen. This one is 10" and works flawlessly thus far!

Anyone else curious as to why this thread is stickied to the top?

We going to take our kids to Disney/Universal this summer and going to stay in our pop up to save some money on hotels. We are going to stop off for few days in Destin on way back but debating on doing 30a on way there or just one night in a hotel. Any recommendations for a hotel between Biloxi and Mobile that will allow you park a trailer and is relatively safe?

Snipes said:

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We going to take our kids to Disney/Universal this summer and going to stay in our pop up to save some money on hotels. We are going to stop off for few days in Destin on way back but debating on doing 30a on way there or just one night in a hotel. Any recommendations for a hotel between Biloxi and Mobile that will allow you park a trailer and is relatively safe?

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Ft. Wilderness?

Yeah we're doing ft wilderness. We will probably spend more time in universal but they don't have a setup like ft wilderness unfortunately.

Snipes said:

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Yeah we're doing ft wilderness. We will probably spend more time in universal but they don't have a setup like ft wilderness unfortunately.

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not sure you're really going to save money on hotels at ft. Wilderness.

When we looked at it, rv spots were like $220/night.

There are a million AirBnbs for that price in the area. We stayed in a 4br house with a pool right outside the gates of Disney for like $275/night

Either way, not what you're asking but that was why we've nixed ever taking the rig, plus it's 4 LONG days of driving there and back.

I'm only paying $90 a night for my site and ft wilderness plus I get all the benefits of Disney resort.

Orlando is only one of the stops and I will save thousands over a hotel during the 2 weeks we will be in Florida.

We've been to Colorado several times and we stay at hotel in Amarillo to avoid having to setup camp for a night.

I'm looking to do the same at hotel on way to Orlando but not be too worried everything gets stolen while we sleep.

$90? Dang. Maybe we were looking at a super expensive time.

I got the cheapest site that fits pop up campers. The price jumps for the upgraded sites for 5th wheels the size of double wide trailers.

BSD said:

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Anyone else curious as to why this thread is stickied to the top?

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I mentioned to the mods that we needed a dedicated RV thread, and they agreed and made it sticky,. If it doesn't get any use, they will probably let it drop.

Doesn't matter much to me, I'm just glad we got the RV folks onto one thread

Went to a high school graduation for my goddaughter in Waco this past weekend and took our camper. We stayed at the Reynold's Creek CoE park on Lake Waco.
It was a great location. It was us and two other campers in the whole campground and we had an entire peninsula of the campground to ourselves.
Late Saturday night, I noticed that some of the 12V lights were flickering. Went to bed and woke up and none of the 12V stuff was working. 120VAC was still working.
Our awning was out, so I then got to spend 30 minutes manually winding it back in with a ratchet. The one time I left my drill at home...
After getting home, went to troubleshooting and the converter has gone out. Now I get to spend the next couple of evenings labeling wiring and swapping out the power center.
We've had the camper for 5 years now, and aside from a tire blowout, this is the first component failure we've had so far, so not too bad.

Who's going where this summer?

We're doing our annual 17 day trip to Colorado.

1 week in Granby for RMNP and surrounding area. Then our 8 days at Fun Valley in South Fork, CO.

Heading back to Glacier NP from Houston in late June. Total 24 day trip. 8 days at St Mary KOA on east side then 5 days at west entrance. Then a few nights here and there in Idaho and Wyoming before heading home. Super pumped.

bayouaggie said:

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Heading back to Glacier NP from Houston in late June. Total 24 day trip. 8 days at St Mary KOA on east side then 5 days at west entrance. Then a few nights here and there in Idaho and Wyoming before heading home. Super pumped.

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what's your travel itinerary along the way? that's a solid 3-4 days driving from Houston.

We are looking to downsize to a smaller less complicated RV to better suit the kind of travel we expect to do going forward. If anyone owns (or has) either of the models below, i would like to have a chat.

InTech Aucta Willow

Bigfoot 25' (any bed configuration)

Thanks

ChoppinDs40 said:

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Who's going where this summer?

We're doing our annual 17 day trip to Colorado.

1 week in Granby for RMNP and surrounding area. Then our 8 days at Fun Valley in South Fork, CO.

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We have a Tab 400 trailer set up for boondocking. Left Brenham on May 21. Spent a few days near Creede CO. We travel about 4 hours/day. Visited relatives north of Santa Barbara we stayed at a county beach for our first actual campground. We will load our truck/trailer on an AMHS ferry in Bellingham on June 5 and arrive in Haines AK on June 8. Take another ferry from Valdez to Whittier on June 16. Leave Kenai around the end of June. Go north towards Fairbanks then drive back to Creede arriving mid August. We have reservations for the ferries and a campground on Kenai June 16-23. Otherwise picking spots using iOverlander.

Nice! What a journey. Trip of a lifetime right there.

We've been planing an Alaska trip for several years. I really like your plan! What route are you taking back to the US from Kenai?

TRD-Ferguson said:

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We've been planing an Alaska trip for several years. I really like your plan! What route are you taking back to the US from Kenai?

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We got off the ferry in Haines on Monday. Spent the night in a pullout at a lake about 10 miles from the ferry landing. Last night in Haines. Tonite towards the end of the peninsula in a state park.
After we're done on the Kenai we will go as far north as Fairbanks then Tok, Chicken, Dawson City, Whitehorse then the Cassiar highway and through Jasper. I think we will cross into US at Sweetgrass. There aren't that many options!
We've only been here since Monday but no problems yet. It is not crowded and locals are extremely friendly and helpful. Scenery is beyond expectations.

ChoppinDs40 said:

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Who's going where this summer?

We're doing our annual 17 day trip to Colorado.

1 week in Granby for RMNP and surrounding area. Then our 8 days at Fun Valley in South Fork, CO.

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We just solidified our plans.

PDX > Boise > Craters of the Moon > Salt Lake > Moab/Arches > Winter Park Condo with some friends for 5 days (Rocky Mountain Nat) > Dinosaur Nat Monument for the dinosaur obsessed daughter > Shoshone Falls > Joseph, OR/Wallowas > PDX. 3 week trip.

Wife told me no more storing bikes inside/on the bed in the van. Everything has to go on the back rack. Just upgraded from 2 hang on Flatline rack + 2 One-Up hitch for an Alta 8 pack hitch... We'll see how that goes over. But XC, trail, road, gravel #1, gravel #2 + wife MTB and daughter MTB can all come now!

8 bike rack? lol. Big ol fat ass hanging off that van.

"Swingers" and "large racks".

Alta owner knows how to sell product:

864 miles in the last 2 days. No idea how much we weigh but we're loaded to the gills. Lol.

Drove in driving rain for 3 hours in the dark yesterday morning (that storm that stretched from Denton to Childress).

Guys at discount that filled and checked my trailer tires screwed up my valve stems and we were leaking straight from the stem.

Had to pull over in Childress and we were at 35lbs on 3 tires. Refilled them as much as I could. Put on the spare and limped to Amarillo.

Opted for 4 new tires with metal valve stems vs replacing the valves (tread was getting worn). They were able to pull the stems out with 2 fingers, easily. We avoided catastrophic blowouts.

4 hours later after waiting at discount in Amarillo, 4 new tires, we were back on the road… with 270 miles left to go.

All in, a 17 hour day. Kids (2 and 6) were the MVPs. My 6 year old is a champ. Didn't phase her one bit.

Easy 4:15 today up to Granby, CO where we're headed into RMNP tomorrow. Happy Father's Day me!

Super duty with the 7.3 Godzilla was a beast. 65mph up the hills. Minimal braking down. Barely used the brakes at all coming down Berthoud Pass. Could set it to cruise at 70mph, lane keep assist, and just sit back on most of 287/87/25.

8mpg averaged for the entire drive the last 2 days. New 58gallon fuel tank is a huge plus. We made it from DFW to Amarillo on a single tank of gas, 10 gallons to spare. From Raton to Granby today with heavy elevation climb and still fuel to spare.

We're here for 1 week before heading to South Fork, CO for 9 nights then back to the hellscape of Texas summer.

Drove through Winter Park today and man it's amazing how much activity there is in the summer time now. Last time we were there in the summer was maybe 15 years ago. It was EMPTY. Bustling today.