SeaDawg

Welcome aboard! I truly hope you enjoy your shorty as much as we have!

Those look great to me, for a few applications. They also sell in smaller quantities. Sherry

Every electric awning we've had on deliveries could open partially. And was adjustable for slant. That said, I'd prefer a manual awning. No power draw. For us

April and May tornadoes in the Midwest are something to consider. February? Not so much. Ice storms, maybe. At least, where I grew up, in upper Midwest. You can check the likelihood online. As a kid, I was in a couple big tornadoes in Northern Midwest. A bunch of smaller ones. As an adult,, ran ahead of a few, listening to the radio , and knowing where you are (county) is a good thing, if traveling in the midwest spring/early summer. Also, looking ahead and behind in the mirrors. Just in case. Today, you will likely get alerts on your phone. If you're in town, you'll hear the sirens. We didn't have that as as kids. We listened to the birds, and watched the sky.

Indeed.

That's a really good question. On the deliveries we've done, if there was a manual option, I didn't see it. No wand by the door.

The older Elites, like ours, have a Fantastic fan, but in the same spot. It works well to draw out cooking odors and moisture. We also prefer to cook outside. But,, sometimes, it's unavoidable. I much prefer turning the fan to high, than having a hood restricting my space. Sherry

They're home. Safe. And, we are entering a new era.

Congratulations to SpaceX and NASA. Our astronauts,Behnken and Hurley, are safely back on earth, after 64 days and the successful space station docking, stay, and return. I watched the first splash down in 45 years with, literally, tears in my eyes. Launched from Florida, splashed in the Gulf off Pensacola, I'm kind of Florida proud tonight, too. So many people worked so hard to make this happen. Sherry

No, we have never seriously thought about changing our 2008 to the bigger Elite II. And, definitely, would not think about the Escape. It's still a molded fiberglass hull, but that's about it for similarity. Boxy, Imo. One hull, not double. Brown woody interior so like so many other rvs. Steel frame vs aluminum. It just never appealed to us . They do have a really nice group of owners, and a nice forum. It's all about choices. If one rv worked for everyone, there wouldn't be so many choices.

We've used two different manual awnings on our trailer, and several electrical awnings on delivery rvs. I'm very happy with a manual awning on a smaller trailer. I will say, pushing a button is nice.

Not really. We store extra stuff in the big truck bed. Leave the back dinette set up as a bed, and have room for three large crates of coats, bedding, etc, under the bed. We often travel with some empty cupboards. And we are two. Plus one or two small dogs . It really depends on lifestyle, and, what you feel you have to have. Not as much roof space on the Elite. But, we'll have 400 watts (non factory) on the roof soon. We've had 200 for 12 years. Battery compartment is indeed smaller. But, we have room under the bed for extra lithium. Someday. . In the meantime, we've managed primarily without hookups for 12 plus years, with two group 27 agms. Upside? Wider selection of tow vehicles. Smaller footprint. Smaller campsites. 3 tires to maintain, instead of 5. No Anderson. The places we fit are tiny. And, we're really happy with that. If I were camping solo, the Elite would definitely be my choice. As a couple, I would truly love to have a bigger bed. But, that's ok. We camp shoulder seasons, for the most part. The warmth of the slightly smaller bed is often welcome. Height could be an issue, as the Elite allows less headroom. People of average height are ok, but over 6'1" or 6' 2" might have issues . The side dinette is small as an extra bed. 24 or 25 inches wide, by 6' long. That could also be an issue, as an extra bunk. Just my thoughts. There are a number of solo campers here with Elites. I hope they will see this thread, and chime in. Sherry

That switch cuts off most power, but not all. Some things are wired direct to the battery. My trailer is over a decade old. Pm Andrewk. My advice.

I totally get that. A long way to go for a few little holes. You might want to try a small tube of marine tex (Amazon and lots of other places) on the screw holes, and see what you think. Here's a good YouTube on repairing holes in a white hull with marine tex. Good luck. Like I said, worst that happens is you hate it, and sand it and do the tedious gel coat repair over the top. You still have to fill the hole. Or, take it to a boatyard. Just guessing there aren't many in Montana. Good luck! Sherry

Again, I would encourage you to speak with your own cpa. What you are discussing is quite possibly related to vacation homes that are rented part of the year. Sherry

If you decide on the agms, a smaller portable panel (25 watts) may be sufficient. maybe nothing beyond your existing panels. We park ours, in the winter months on the south side of our home, where it is shaded by two homes, 24 plus high, 20 feet apart,, and a row of tall Washingtonia palms planted in our neighbors side yard by the previous owner. Not a carport, but very shady. I check our agms every few weeks. Unless we leave something turned on, we don't have to plug in. But, we're in Florida. Sherry

Thanks, Dave. I see that 3m makes a couple different products, for different surfaces. This one, 6396, gets great reviews for plastic to trim, exactly what we're doing here. And, probably helpful for those having difficulty with ez rv gutter trim, too. I'll use that next time. Hopefully, it's another 12 years til I need it. I'm wondering if any of the auto parts stores sell it in smaller quantities? Sherry Yes, they do. $2.84 each at my advanced auto if purchased ahead on-line for pickup.

I tried steaming zoodles, but thought they got mushy. I like the texture better (more like al dente pasta) if I do a very quick saute in a little olive oil. When I process the zucchini, I twist over a bowl lined with a paper towel, so I can remove some of the moisture before cooking.

I find the zoodle maker works best with the large cutter end, and with zucchinis or yellow squash the size of cucumbers. I never use the pronged pusher cap that comes with it. When I get to the point that I might skin my fingers or knuckles with the blade, I remove the little chunk of zucchini and just chop it up to use in the salad. The pusher cap's prongs are not very effective, imo. I like the GSI spice containers you showed. I've been thinking about getting something to corral smaller amounts if spices in the trailer kitchen. Taking normal size bottles wastes so much storage space. I'm usually refilling my small containers from Costco sized containers anyway, so the transfer process is no big deal. Sherry

Your Comandante coffee grinder is beautiful! I know you and your wife often live and work from your trailer. That makes it an investment, not a splurge. A month or two without Starbucks surely recovers the cost.

Lowe's is our fave, as they've extended the military discount, and at a choice of local Lowe's and Depot, we find more "knowledgeable " folks at Lowe's. Not saying they know what to do with anything, they just seem to know if they have it, and where it is... ours are only one intersection apart. Lowe's requires a uturn, but, that's ok. And, I have an easier time there finding lumber that's not a banana. And, finding someone to take down a new bunker if all left in the pile is banana rejects. Sherry

My local Lowe's has 3" pipe in stock. A few fittings. Most has to be ordered. But, quick ship to store. My local depot has pretty much nothing in stock. It probably is a regional thing.

I ordered a new salt and pepper shaker set by Josep Joseph last year. The tiny units stick together with magnets, seal well, and are easy to refill. Fits in my pocket, or in the condiment basket easily. Probably designed for lunch boxes, it's perfect for small spaces Holds enough s and p for at least several weeks, for us. (And, room for rice grains in the salt shaker to help with summer humidity.) It's on sale at bed bath and beyond for $5 right now. My other latest favorite is a manual zoodle maker. I don't like making pasta in the camper, and we both like zucchini noodles, anyway. I got this little gadget last year at TJ Maxx. I can cook the zoodles in foil, on the fire, or a quick saute in a pan on the stove, with olive oil and herbs. Very small, no power needed. Available from many places, about $10 on Amazon. The s and p has replaced the old Tupperware sealed minis. Less than half the space . Favorite items you keep in the kitchen?

The video is really nice, Overland. Thanks for taking the time to do that. The screen looks slightly different on an android phone, but the process is the same.

Back in 2008, we were excited to hit 100. This past weekend, we reached 4000 total members, over 4000 topics, and over 40,000 posts. Thank you to everyone who contributed to our forum. We do appreciate it! Sherry/seadawg