Dang!!!!    ANOTHER Texan!!!!!

I'm getting outnumbered on here.

Welcome, Pamela.  Let an Okie be the first to say that.  If you've been lurking long, you know that there are a lot of friendly, helpful folks here.

Feel free to ask questions regarding your possible choices.  We like to think that new members bring new perspectives and sometimes, new questions.  We will hopefully make you feel right at home.

Terry

Well, to be honest, I'm pretending as well.

As for your question, there are a lot of ladies out there that are solo'ing.  I think there is even a thread category for those soloing.  With the driving part, let me link you to a thread that I started that regarded Jo's first drive with our new Mobile Suites:

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=91511&p=3&topicID=37474607

First of all, fifth wheels are easier to drive and park than travel trailers.  As I referred to in the above linked posting, once you get your unit, take it to a big empty parking lot and practice backing in between traffic cones.  Then, put out 4 cones and practice backing into the rectangle created by the 4 cones.  (Some large church parking lots would be a good practice area.  But, you might clear it with the church people first.)

If you know someone that already has a pickup and trailer about the same size as your interested in, see if you can get with them and drive a little before doing your own.

Whatever you do, don't worry about it too much.  Just be careful ALWAYS!!!!

Terry

Pamela,

The rally is only a bit over 6 months away.  I guess I should caution you to not get in too big of a hurry to make a choice of RV.  Now, it may be that you have been looking for quite some time, and if so, that is good.

In addition to participating with this forum and website, look for an owner's group for the brand of RV you are looking for and read through their forums.  That is, if they have a forum.  By doing that, you will get an idea of any problems that people are having with their RV's.  And believe me, if there are problems with RV's, people tend to talk about that on forums than they do the good things.

Here is a link to a forum that appears to be sponsored by Heartland for the Bighorn.  I don't know if Heartland is controlling any of the content.  I would prefer a forum which an owner's group themselves started:

http://www.heartlandrvs.com/index.php?p=35&c=fifthwheels&sc=BH

Anyway, hang on and enjoy the ride.

Terry

Welcome.  We are signed up for the Rally in April.  Reading your post made me laugh.  I work out of my home.  I don't have to even pretend I'm working.    We have 2+ years before we can change our lifestyle.  We will still have to work but won't have to make the money we are now.  We are so looking forward to it.

Welcome Pamela,
Great bunch of people here. I'll add to Terry's comments and say WOW another Houstonian. My wife and I grew up in Houston. Graduated from Westbury High School. We go back to to pre Astrodome.
Travel safe and enjoy the rally.

Thanks for all of the warm replies. I look forward to getting to know all of you and putting a face with a voice for those that attend the rally.

Welcome Pamela! :) My DH and I are also signed up for the 2011 rally, and we are so excited as well. That will be our first official RV event. We won't have our fiver yet at that point unfortunately, so we are staying in a cabin. I can empathize with the "dreaming about rving at work" situation - been there, done that!!

Welcome to the forum. This is a wonderful group of people, that can help with just about any questions you might have about the RV lifestyle. If nobody here can come up with the answer, they will know where you can get the question answered.

We are planning to eventually full-time, but enjoy weekend camping in the mean time. Georgia is still working, and dreaming about RVing at work, while I am on disability and dreaming even more about it at home.

We presently have a very small, very old MH, but plan on eventually getting a FW down the road. One advantage to a MH that I would consider since you mentioned travelling solo, will depend on if you plan on doing any sleeping in parking lots, rest areas, or truckstops, along your way. Some people do that, some people don't. If you were ever to have someone do trying to break in, anything else that scared you there, you would be able to go from bed to driver's seat without going outside. I don't say that to stir up fear. I just try to be prepared for everything. I guess it's just the Boy Scout in me :)

Anyway, welcome again, and I hope you enjoy the rally.