Mike and Carol

Ha! The fatigues are easy, combat boots and helmet are another story. 🤣

More details would be helpful. I had a rear jack stuck in the up position, like Steve did. I removed the mattress to access the top of the jack and used the supplied jack handle to lower the jack until the gears caught and then it worked fine. I try not to raise the jacks to the click-click-click position for that reason. Mike

That’s interesting. So BMW uses Google Maps as their factory nav. My Audi S3 has factory nav too, but it is not Google or Apple. I like Google Maps, it finds locations that Apple can’t find. Waze is also a Google product, so it also is able to find remote camping locations that Apple Maps can’t. Good for BMW to realize it’s best to go with an up-to-date all-the-time app like Google Maps.

As an older person on social security I agree with Sherry, the tech is good (mostly). I get a little aggravated with the rain sensing wipers and the adaptive cruise control sometimes, but generally the tech is a plus. The sensors, cameras, displays and ability to control it all is good. My 1971 International Harvester Pickup did have a killer AM radio back in the day, but that was about it. The 12” touchscreen display in my new Ram is excellent along with the ability to control a bunch of vehicle functions. I like it too. Mike

I picked up my new 2020 Rebel just before Christmas. Used the factory Nav on the way home. It was out of date and had to switch to my iPhone. I asked the dealer about it and he said there would be an update sometime this year. ??? My view is that factory nav is not worth what they charge for it. On my IPhone I use Apple Maps, Google Maps and Waze. They are always up to date. With CarPlay I can put them on my 12” display. I also carry a Garmin that I keep up to date. Even the Garmin stuck to my windshield is better than the factory Nav. Mike

Our packing philosophy is “less is more”. We have a minimum amount of kitchen things, it all fits in the two overheads above the kitchen and in the drawers. I have a Tupperware box that lives under the bath side dinette seat that has some hardware, repair parts and odds and ends, we also keep extra paper products there too. My clothes fit above my bed and in the attic, Carols are above her bed in on the two closet shelves. Some cleaning supplies are in the closet. Food in the fridge and pantry. We had a trip a couple of years ago that started Labor Day weekend and went through the end of October from Texas to New York and back for a college reunion at West Point. High 90s when we left. Below freezing before we made it out of New England. We also had to carry attire for the reunion, not normal camping clothes. Beside what was in the trailer, we had a hang up bag in the truck and a large plastic crate in the truck. Early October we switched out the Texas summer clothes in the crate with the cold weather New England clothes. We did this with a trip in January/February from Quartzsite up to Napa with stops at Yosemite and Pinnacles. Nice weather in Quartzsite up to Napa, then cold (teens) on the way home through Pinnacles NP. There are a number of threads here that talk about specific storage ideas, some very good ideas. What you carry is different for everyone. We each have our own styles! Mike

We joined Harvest Hosts last month. I’m hoping to use it this month and next as we travel to CO and AZ. I’ve already checked out some spots in September to get us to the rally in Alabama. We’ll see! Mike

I don’t know why there is so much cable in this picture. The answer is “yes” you can either reduce the amount of cable hanging down by pulling it up into the overhead or securing it. After I moved our TV from the corner to the middle I cabled it so there was enough but not too much. Nothing hangs down below the TV.

When the TV is folded up it really isn’t very noticeable. I think some kind of curtain there would be more obvious, prompting the question “why is there an odd shaped curtain down there over the nightstand”. I’d wait until you get your trailer and see if you think it really needs to be hidden.

This is what we do. I’ve had both cables out to clean and lube. The gate usually closes but we’ve found it a good practice to manually seat it after dumping.

There are those that won’t believe you until you add a picture! We’re headed to AZ and CO the end of July, save us a spot. Mike

I called Xantrex (it’s been a couple of years or so) and they spent an hour or so on the phone troubleshooting various things that I can’t recall. What finally did the trick was to simply power it down totally by disconnecting it from everything and letting it sit for a day. When I hooked it back up all was well. If you call their support number they are very willing to walk you through troubleshooting. Hope this helps! Mike

Our fridge is fine. It has run continuously for 4 and half years. No fails. Worked on propane boondocking at 9,000+ feet. If we’re not boondocking it is on shore power. Haven’t used 12V. I know there are better options out there, but our fridge has been a reliable appliance. Mike

A couple of years ago we bought fitted sheets from ABLifestyles and so we don’t use the elastic bands under the mattress anymore. When we used them, we did not feel the buckles nor did they mar the fiberglass. The ABLifestyles bottom fitted sheet is very tight.

I know that Honda is the gold standard for inverter generators, and about the same price as gold. I had a Champion 3400 duel fuel that I ran on propane. Very quiet. It was an excellent generator for less price than the smaller Honda. Alas, it was a bit heavy (98 lbs). I sold it and bought a Champion 2000 at Tractor Supply. Normally $399 on sale for $349. 37 lbs, same noise figures as the Honda. It’s gasoline only. It will start and run the A/C. We haven’t used it a lot. But last fall at Grand Teton the sunny weather turned cloudy and dark. Our solar couldn’t keep up and we had to run the furnace at night (and during the day), so I was glad I had the little Champion. Mike

Ours is a 2016. At some point they switched to white. We didn’t even think about it when we ordered. As Bill advised, I’d check with the sales office.

In 4+ years we’ve never whacked an ankle. Not even close. We have forgotten to open it (pullout) and had some sink water come up through the floor drain. But ankle whacking has not occurred.

Congratulations! Weather that time of year can vary from nice to real bad. In January we’re usually headed west on I-10 to Arizona. We’ve done I-40 that time of year when it was nice but have also seen snow, especially around Flagstaff. If you go home on 40 there is a nice Texas State Park just south of Amarillo - Palo Duro Canyon State Park. It’s a great place to stay. Mike

We don’t have the Lagun table. It wasn’t available in 2015 and we’ve grown accustomed to our current set up. Since we have mattresses we don’t sit on the beds to eat or do computer work. Eating and computer work is done at the dinette, or more usually, outside. When we read we often use pillows on the bed to form rather comfortable “recliners”. I installed a Sirius/XM receiver that runs through our Furrion so we can get all of our news/weather/music through the speakers. We rarely turn on the TV except for an occasional DVD. I’ve thought about removing it all together. Mike

I’ve thought about removing my swooshes several times over the last couple of years. I’m afraid once I have them off there might be some discoloration left after 4+ years. I removed the front Oliver logo right away to put my big star on and it was very easy and left no tell-tale marks.

We have the twin bed and we use the side dinette a lot. The twin beds serve as “recliners”, especially for reading and on the rare occasion we watch TV.

There are a number of threads on the forum that talk about desired modifications. Recently, there was one about designing a larger trailer, sort of an Elite III. But, since we’re talking about the current model here are my thoughts- 1. The current windows are fine. If available I would probably go with windows with awnings. 2. The A/C is something I would definitely change. The current Dometic is much too loud. We use it only as a last resort and then shut if off as soon as the outside temperature allows. A ducted system would probably result in quieter operation. If ducting could be routed in the middle of the ceiling then you wouldn’t have to sacrifice space in the side overhead storage. 3. Our fridge is fine. It is pretty efficient on propane. We never run it on 12V. 4. I don’t t think we’d use an oven. The trailer isn’t too big and it seems that it would heat up the interior quite a bit. We mostly grill outside and sometimes use the gas cooktop. 5. I have no Truma experience. The Truma Combi sounds nice. The current propane furnace works well. I wouldn’t say it is loud but it does wake me up sometimes when it cycles on. We only use it if we don’t have 30a, otherwise we just use a small Vornado heater that is very quiet. We have the standard hot water tank and it works well for us. Mike

I agree with Sherry, this is an interesting topic for most of us but could get political real fast. Since one of our goals is to visit as many national parks as we can I’ve been keeping up on NP funding. National Parks generate income through entrance fees, camping fees and other fees. They also get a part of concessions that operate on the park. Foundations provide dollars for projects. Donations are also part of park funds. I think this latest funding initiative, through the Great American Outdoors Act, will be getting funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The LWCF is funded mainly through taxes on off shore drilling. From what I’ve read, Congressmen Gardener (CO) and Daines (MT) visited the president in February to lobby for better funding for our national parks. The president then asked congress (actually through a tweet in early March) for a bill to do that and in a bi-partisan (92-8) effort they delivered the GAOA which the president then signed. So, while the additional funding doesn’t look like money from individual taxpayers it is from taxes and fees on offshore drilling. At least that is my understanding. Either way, more funding for our parks is a good thing and will help preserve what we enjoy today for our kids and grandkids. Mike

Agree. They are a pain, but needed. Just like the smoke detectors in our house that seem to start the “low battery chirp” at 3am, a pain but a needed pain.

The TV and the Furrion/Jensen radio/DVD are 12V, so they don’t run through the inverter.