We both agreed it was time to get off the road in our 2010 Tiffin Phaeton in December 2019. Only one thing Bill asked was for us to agree to take a road trip a few times a year. We have only been able to make one such road trip since then. We have made several trips to see family but never seem to make the time to stop and smell the roses on the way there or back.

Our problem became “How can we do it?” We were used to having everything with us when we traveled. Now we have to make a list, check it twice and we still forget something essential! We are members of the Choice Hotels and the Hilton brands. So we do earn “points” for free rooms but we’ve just had a few hiccups in our quest to be satisfied traveling and staying in hotels. We are actually going to try out a time share the end of this month….but we doubt that will have the answer.

We have Technomadia to blame/thank for making us finally consider a Class B recreational vehicle (RV)! I used to follow and read several informative full time RV travel blogs. On a whim, I decided to see what this couple was now doing. Long story short, they added a Winnebago Travato to their “fleet.” It wetted our appetite. They recommended a Facebook group titled “Travato Owners and Wannabes.” So I joined. And there we began to see our dream trips.

I’ve been consuming the Facebook group only to learn how hard it is to buy one. But all the owners are very happy with their purchase and like all things, have helped each other over come issues that are common with ALL recreational vehicles. If you can’t handle “trouble” don’t buy one!

In the meantime, one of our nephews finally decided to buy an RV after years of asking us questions. We’ve owned two, a 2013 28′ Keystone Cougar and a 2010 40′ Tiffin Phaeton. We appreciated the fact he recognized we may be able to share some wisdom. On our last trip, we made a slight detour to look at one and we were so glad to do it. It helped him make a decision, which we thought was wise. He also said the market right now is red hot, so we had a taste of it.

Yesterday, it was overcast with possible thunderstorms brewing. It’s also a Saturday in Myrtle Beach – which means we don’t go to the beach (nor do we ever with storms brewing), nor visit any well traveled roads. We stay close to home. Interesting, there are two good sized RV dealerships near us. We decided to go see if we could get inside one to see if Bill would even fit. Other men 6’2″ and even a few taller, said they fit fine. Bill must be from Missouri as he said, “show me.” Below is a slide show of us looking at two dealerships and looking inside five or six (I didn’t take good notes):

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We started this journey thinking we would prefer a Mercedes Benz Sprinter. We had actually met a couple while traveling full time that had the Class C Tiffin Mercedes Benz Sprinter. They raved about it. But we have since been counseled against it as an option for us at this time. But it was informative to look inside.

So after comparing the Winnebago Travato and the Thor Sequence, we came home to get more educated. We were pleasantly surprised at how much more we liked the Thor. We never thought we’d see that day. Anyway, we found this video which was VERY educational. We pretty much thought we may have found the Class B we’d like to try out. Here is a video that educated us:

HOWEVER, we since learned the down side is that it uses Apple Car Play for the GPS system. Last year, we were in hurry to replace our former tow vehicle, 2013 Cadillac SRX. We had our two grandsons with us full time because the pandemic had closed their daycare and schools. We found a school near us and we were their daycare! But we needed a larger car now and before school started, we took them shopping for a vehicle. Bill had done a lot of research and narrowed it down. So after we went to just three dealerships, he settled on a Honda Pilot.

Our oldest grandson had a broken arm that had to remain DRY. So when it was pouring down rain, we opted to stay in our car while he took one for a test drive to make his final determination. Long story short, I missed what was said about the Apple Car Play option. So he decided to take the model a bit cheaper that used Apple Car Play for it’s GPS. Since I am a huge fan of all things Apple, it sounded good to me. And then we discovered it has been a nightmare for us. I’ll write more when I have more time. For now, let’s just say, Bill is not a smart phone kind of guy….he likes his flip phone. And it is usually turned off. Anyway, let’s just say, that is now a deal breaker for me….but Bill has a solution. So stay tuned as we pray and try to figure this out. We’d love to hear from others who are enjoying #VanLife!

In the same way, the Sprit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27

From my daily Bible reading in YouVersion.