Monday, July 3, 2017

AT LAST - THE MOTORHOME

After literally months, months of waiting, we have our MOTORHOME.

2013 Thor Challenger, 37.8 ft. 3 slides.  Gas engine Ford V10

This last week has gone by so quickly.  With just a few days notice, we got all the paperwork done and moved from our 5th wheel to our coach.  Of course, it had to be the hottest day of the year.

Friday morning started very early with Doug taking our car trailer with the truck to the RV dealership first.  He came back, hooked up the 5th wheel, we were off.  We parked the 5th wheel so the motorhome would be door to door with the trailer.

The fifth wheel, next to our car trailer.  That's just a random trailer next to us.
After more than two hours of insurance, warranties and orientation, we began the tedious task of moving everything over.  Wow, did we ever acquire a lot of stuff in the past eight years.  We had even left 9 bins of stuff in our car back at Monck Park.



Doug would take it out of the fifth wheel and I would put it away in the motorhome.  It became apparent early on that we had quite a bit more storage in the 5th wheel than in the motorhome.  All the storage places Doug added to the Flagstaff showed.  But my job was to put it away.  It could be changed once we got it all in.

In the motorhome, where to put it
Funny, I guess funny, thing happened.  When Doug said he had cleared every cabinet, cupboard and bay, he asked me to check. And I did!  Well, I thought I did.  We both missed one cupboard.  Unfortunately it was the cupboard with our alcohol.  We had just stocked up anticipating the many visitors we were going to have.  We called and they are keeping it safe for us to pick up.

See the cupboard in the very center.  That's where the alcohol is.


We had some difficulty putting the car trailer on the motorhome but we got on the road at 7:00 pm.  We had started at 7:00 am.  With the heat and the exertion and the heat, we were exhausted.  But it was done.

Driving the motorhome wasn't that much of a challenge for Doug.  After about an hour, he relaxed.  The back and side cameras are amazing.  Put the blinker on before changing lanes and you can see there is no one in the lane.  Today we will be pulling the car on its trailer and we know that it will be slow going but that's fine.

We got to Monck about 9:30 pm and had the new park managers for a visit until just before midnight.  What a long day!

So, the coach.  It is everything we hoped for.  I love the fridge, I love the huge bathroom.  The storage is an issue but Doug will fix that no doubt about that.  The bed is super comfortable, although we haven't had much sleep, head is busy rearranging.  

5 am and Doug is assembling our new lift top coffee table
Doug worked very hard preparing the flat bed trailer for the securing the car.  Again it was very hot (35*C or 90*F).  It was kind of thrilling to load the car.

The trailer before

Up she goes

Finished.  You can't really see the wraps around the wheels and the tie downs.  She's really safe and comfortable up there.  The trailer will be very convenient when we are boondocking.  The car can tow the trailer with our blue boy and the water bladder to fill and empty as required.

We are going to be at the coast for 8 days.  We will be busy emptying my father's house (most of it is being picked up by Habitat for Humanity), going to the doctor, arranging some things for our son and more visiting.  We will have the visitors come to us, that's a little less exhausting.  

Oh, and learning.  We will be busy learning:  how to use the convection oven; how to use the satellite dishes (there are two); how to use the DVD player (there are two and they are independent);
even the lights (there are so many and I don't like so many).

But you know, learning new things keeps you young.  

Some pictures of the motorhome in its now completed state. It will change I am sure.

The bar, the mirror duplicates everything.  No, the glasses will not travel there.

The leather sofa, the end is a recliner.  And the lovely huge window in front of the bar. There will be two bar stools.

The kitchen counter has a very simple, very useful feature.  The garbage can is under the counter with a hole to put the garbage in.

The finished lift top coffee table 

The dining table has another leaf and two more chairs.  The television descends into the sideboard.  We love this as the television is not the focal point in the room.


7 comments:

Wanderin' said...

Looks amazing! I have a wine glass carrier also but use the plastic ones in it. Then, I put a bungie to keep the glasses from falling out when on the road. Now it's time to settle in and enjoy your new home. Congratulations again to you!

Jim and Sandie said...

I am so excited for you guys. It is just beautiful. And you will love that convection oven when you figure it out. At least I love ours. You don't heat up the house cooking something. Relax and enjoy.

Rick and Kathy Rousseau said...

Very nice and there will be travel benefits but like you said there is more storage in a Fifth Wheel. Waiting to hear about your new adventures.
Be Safe and Enjoy!

It's about time.

Linda Sand said...

Oh! It's so you! I love it! Best kitchen ever! Wish I was there so you could feed me again. :)

Paul and Marsha Weaver OCT. 17, 2009 said...

Beautiful. What a change from the 5th wheel. Yes...you will probably change things more than once. But that is the fun of having something new. Good luck.

Unknown said...

Very nice! A whole new adventure in living and traveling. Enjoy!!

Angela said...

Enjoy your new home! I really like your new coffee table, we have been looking for one to use in our motorhome and the one you have looks perfect, can you tell me where you got it?