SeaDawg

And yet, El Paso can be a really nice place. I have younger friends who live there. It actually has a very low crime rate for the size of the city. Then again, you can take a long loop around on the state highway, if you're so inclined.

@LongStride that was a bunk designed to have a human beneath. Yes, I know it was close quarters. Like I said, I wouldn't do it. All up to you.

That said, if you check out multiple posts on fiberglassrv, you'll find people camping with 2 kids in a trailer smaller than my Elite. I would not put a child or a dog under the bed, imo. Btw, I ordered an xl discobed for my NC property. My brother-in-law flies in to tent camp with us, and the old coleman cot isn't cutting it anymore. I'm interested in seeing how it stacks up against reviews .

It's really beautiful, @Foy_Mirna. I'm sure your customer will be very pleased.

Not sure i would do this again. I'm thinking the waste from burning the paint may have clogged my jet. We'll see.

Many years ago, our daughter was 14 or 15. We did our first "relocation " trip for an rv company . The big class c was old(er), rattled like crazy. Generator quit in east Texas. We had an unplanned two day stop in El Paso to get it fixed, as house ac (necessary in a june in Texas) couldn't run without the generator, on the road, or camping without hookups . Minor detail. We camped out, and walked over to Mexico. (Not that I'd do that today, with someone else's child.) We had a blast. Daughter brought her BFF. We picked up one of my bffs in Houston airport.. Paul might not agree, as four girls, one guy, but, it was hilarious. And, to this day, we all share the memories and laughs . That's why I say , get out and do it. Don't wait for perfect. Nothing ever is. But, imperfect memories are indeed priceless, as well.

Definitely, don't use household toilet bowl cleaners. Dishwashing liquid is quite enough to clean the bowl, and use that sparingly. Toilet bowl cleaners like Lysol are very caustic. Dishwashing liquid is all I've ever used, in the camper, as a cleaning solution.

Then, your solution is probably better . Or, a small motorhome, class c, with bunks. Or a big, family tent. Our adult daughter has camped with us, many times over the last decade in a tent. I wouldn't be comfortable with a small child in a tent, personally, unless I were in the tent, too. The most important thing, honestly, is that you get the kids out into nature, camping. We're so happy that our daughter learned young, and enjoys it. You also have to look at enjoyment factor. Pitching tents nightly is a pita. Especially when it rains. Setting up, or packing up, in inclement weather is bad enough in a trailer, much less a tent. Our neighbors recently sold their rarely used class c. It was great when the kiddos were little. Now that three are on their own, youngest is 15, no longer using it much. Everything changes over time. Memories are priceless. Find something that works for your family, get out there, and teach the kiddos.

If you've not driven the Skyline through Shenandoah, and the Blue Ridge Parkway, you might consider that as part of your route. Though we are indeed getting some of the smoke from the western fires here in the east, it's not been bad in Asheville yet. It's a beautiful drive, though a bit slow. Plentiful camping opportunities on both parkway, and just off the parkway, too. If time is too short, or it's really hot, as it can be in early September, skip Shenandoah, and just drive the Blueridge. You could make a stop in Asheville for a day or two, enjoy a bit of Western North Carina food and brews, and move on west from there. You could even stop in Hohenwald for a checkup before going out to Sandiego via I10 through the southwest. Might be a bit warmer than going northern route, but the air should likely be more clear, and lots of beautiful places to visit in Texas. Most direct route, using interstate and internet speed is about 40 hours drive time, so 6 or seven days of driving, and a week of stops and slower pace where you want to stop.

I have a 2008 shorty, Elite. The Elite 2 is wider, so I'm sure it would fit. Just a question of where the disco feet land. And, hopefully, not block emergency egress window. At least it would be light, and portable. With the height of the 2, you "might " be able to do bunks over the little dinette.more work, though.

Across the back is an interesting solution that no one else has proposed. Maybe a youth sized bottom disco bed? 62" long, 11" of height for your feet underneath, and supports 200 lb. It could be quickly folded and stored during the day, keeping the cabin more "open " for seating. Lightweight. Useful later when the kids want their own tent. You'd probably have to add some flat d-rings (and lashing or carabiners) somewhere on the benches to keep it from moving around .

I think so. But, our 2008 has never been stored inside. Florida sun. We wax it twice a year. Plastic non-oliver components have yellowed. The jackhead. The door window frame. The rest is fine. Save the price of a carport.?

So, the two go hand in hand. If you put the e2 on a diet, get the trailer and tongue weight down by transferring storage to the tow vehicle, you still have limits, because of your vehicle' cargo capacity . Does that make sense?

The other odd things about the rpod... the wheel wells outside the trailer makes it pretty wide on mountain roads. Our Oliver tracks right within the path of the tow vehicle. We always know where the trailer is. Hers had a slide out, so shallow as to be barely useful, vs the air and possible moisture leakage. And one used one she looked at, we rejected, because the slide-out was already jerking and problematic, at 3 years, among other things. I particularly dislike slideouts. They always leak air, and bring in mosquitos, in my experience.

I think it looks really nice, and quite a rich look! So, real thin stone, and ok to use behind the stove?

With today's price of an e1, it's a tougher decision. Not a significant spread between the base prices. The bed in an e1 is a full size, not a queen, at 54 or 55 wide. I use queen sheets because it's easier than stretching full size sheets, and I already have them for one of our home guest rooms. I wish the bed were bigger, but it's not, and I have no reason to move up because of that. In the cooler weather, it's really nice to have the smaller space . Body heat keeps the trailer warm, without listening to the furnace kick in, if I keep the furnace set at minimum. A friend of mine modified her casita to create a home twin size bed, where our full size bed is, plus added storage cabinet and "nightstand" space. Depends on your height, really. Several people I know happily camp solo in an e1, for over a decade. My husband and I are very happy with the e1, in our 14th season. 15 or 16 weeks so far this year, I think. We're both average sized people, 5' 11" and 5' 4". Actually, I'm a bit on the short side... We carry everything we need, and not more. The trailer has everything we need, and not more. Life in miniature. Both live big on the outside, where we spend the majority of our time. The e1 fits in crazy tiny spaces, if you can back as well as my husband. (He's way better at that than I am.) Sometimes we get assigned tent or tent trailer spaces, with trees on each side, etc. Fun. And very quiet, and often more scenic.

There's at least one person here who has put his e2 on a diet, and kept his weight under 5000 lbs. Tows in the Appalachian mountains with a small truck. Maybe he'll chime in.

And, it doesn't even have solar. I'll be interested to see if he gets his asking price. Is the Rpod your wife's choice? They're indeed cute, and you could easily buy two for the price of an Oliver. My sister had one for a couple years. It is a continuous roof sheet of laminated fiberglass bumper to bumper, but take a look at the factory slubs of caulking at seams and openings. It did have an aluminum cage, though, vs 2 x 2 stick and staple. If that's your choice, make sure you have indoor storage for it. My sister's didn't have any leaks when she sold it, but it was always stored indoors . Hers came with c rated st tires, barely sufficient to carry the gvwr. Those had to be upgraded right away. Single small flooded battery. Upgraded. Awning difficult to deploy. No 12v outlets. Cheap but cute plastic faucet in the kitchen that broke. Decals fading some, even when stored indoors. Etc. My advice would be to go look at a five or six year old rpod, and a five or six (or 14) year old Oliver. Time tells the difference. Then again, if you don't even know if you like camping, a less expensive entry point can make sense. Rpods have a kind of cult following, and you won't get hurt "too bad" if you decide you don't like it.

I think we saw that trailer a year ago, or so . Maybe in classifieds?

I think this is a two edged sword. Writing down serial numbers for low cost, low failure items is probably a,waste of time. However, just for inventory control, I'd want to record items above $40 or so. If it were me, (and it was, in another place, another time.) Honestly, every warranty item over $50, with the exception of FanTastic vent fan (the pre-dometic acquisition), requires a model and serial number, when asking for warranty repair. A few, like my mom's deLonghi portable ac, required a photo of the plate. I'd have to weigh the time and cost, as a manufacturer. The only time you need the info is a failure. Most items don't fail during warranty, or, the label is clearly visible. Or, to troubleshoot, you have to go look at it, or pull it, anyway. Ask me that again, next time we have to go up 14' and look at a ceiling fan. 😅

And, now. I hope no one here put any money down. Owner arrested for securities fraud. https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/uslg/SecArticle?guid=15027333

And, both were too much for this teenage girl, or so thought Mom and Dad. Enter my six squirrel Maverick. A much less powerful ride, for the rest of high school and college. Lol. Good news, couldn't really go fast enough to get an expensive ticket, which I could not have afforded. I was the older sister. Taught all the young ones (but the youngest) how to drive a manual in the Maverick. Hence, clutch replacement in 4th year...😄 Dad helped me with that , though. Probably grateful that I gave the lessons, instead of him.

Yes. My mom had the galaxy 500, upgrade from her little Falcon, but still 3 on the tree. Another great Ford landyacht. 😄 Lots of power. Just not as luxe as dad's Ltd.

Lots of great memories for you, and one for me, too. I passed my first driving test in my dad's LTD landyacht. Great car.

Welcome to the forum. We (surprisingly) don't have that many full timers anymore. In the first 10, I think we had two or three. We'll look forward to all your insights.