Wandering With Us - A Journey Through Life with Shannon and Mariel - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Shannon and Mariel · RV-Dreams Community Member

Wandering With Us - A Journey Through Life with Shannon and Mariel

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome to the group!

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome aboard................I like your Mount Rushmore pic.

mds1 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Nice to see you guys on the forums. I've enjoyed following your blog. Always on the lookout for those in their planning stages like we are. I'll appreciate learning from you and comparing notes.

Melnal · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi folks! Just wanted to weigh in on the pusher v. puller :) We got a puller (2015 Class A Winnebago Sightseer 33c). I wasn't sure if it would make it over the mountains, but we sailed through Yellowstone without issue (approx 9200' crossing the Big Horn mountains - and in snow to boot!).The engine only strained slightly during the ascent. The Sightseer 33c has a V10.

We thought our next RV might be a pusher to reduce engine noise up front, but it's really not terrible.

Best of luck to you, and I'm happily following along via the link you left on RVdreams.com! I did try to post this to your site, but I don't have a FB or Twitter account so I couldn't leave a comment there. If you're using WordPress like I am, then you could set it up to allow commenters to register, and you have the control to approve a registered user before their posts will appear on the site.

Mel Fjerstad (currently full-timing as of 4/23/15 with a husband and a Dachshund: http://wheresphoebe.com)

Shannon and Mariel · RV-Dreams Community Member

Been a while since I was here... thanks for the post Mel. Your info on the puller is good news because I think we've shifted gears to go with the cheaper than diesel RV. Seems we can get a higher quality and/or newer gas motorhome for the same price as an older / lesser quality diesel. And, since we will live in the RV much more than we will drive the RV, I think it will be okay.

Our blog is a wordpress blog - not sure why you can't register since others have.

Someday · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome, you have joined a wonderful group here. Everyone is different and mileages may vary, plus in due course we might change our minds but for now ........

Hubby wanted to change out to a DP for our going to FT in about 18mths/2years, but it was the comments from some experienced folks who had been FTing for 14 years before becoming reverse snowbirds due to health that made us change our minds and decide for our 13 year old gas coach to be used for the first couple of years out there. We considered the cost of getting a DP that we liked on floorpan/age etc and the higher costs of maintenance and with all the new technology in the newer coaches the maintenance that might be involved. With the exception of a new system install we've done recently, we tend to know all the quirks and workings after all these years and extended timing on our current coach. We upgraded to a residential fridge, flat screen lower energy TV and some other bits also adding to be able to go totally off grid (not needing to be plugged in to power).

The extra bucks for a newer DP unit, whilst we could do at the front end, would invariably leave us with quite a bit less to actually spend out on the road whilst travelling, and with the high depreciation of these units should FTing not live up to our expectations or we don't enjoy being SnB less. Someone also commented that their gas engine gets them up the hills and mountains, just a little slower. Hubby for sure would love, love, love a DP, but for now we are going to spend the first couple of years at least with what we've got and who's floorpan we love.

Had a fiver back in the 90s but know for the way we tend to move quite often we prefer an A class.

Enjoy, great fun planning ahead for you both :) :) :)

SD.

Shannon and Mariel · RV-Dreams Community Member

Thanks for the info it really helps.

At one time we also had a 5th wheel; but I don't like backing up - so that's outta the question now a days.

Shannon and Mariel · RV-Dreams Community Member

Here's a major update!

We've been planning for over a year and most of our plans have come to fruition - but with major modifications.

We've been wanting to get a 2007ish diesel pusher (preferably a Tiffin); but when it came time to get the motorhome, we got a 2016 puller: Fleetwood Bounder 35K.

Nice enough with the "normal" not quite finished quality of a new RV. Thankfully the unfinished portion of our RV (we call her Wanda since we're www.wanderingwith.us) is not as bad as some stories I've heard.

We've decided to fix the problems ourselves instead of relying on the dealer's service department (like all service departments - they don't like to do warranty work). It'll be easier and quicker that way.

Anyhow, we've been living in Wanda for over a month now in our driveway. So, officially, we're kinda full-timing it. We have obligations that prevents us from selling the house until after Christmas. And we can't really hit the road until May 2017.

So there you have it...

Want to follow our story? Check out www.wanderingwith.us

Hmmm... time to change the signature I think.

-- Edited by Shannon and Mariel on Tuesday 13th of September 2016 07:42:24 AM

Someday · RV-Dreams Family Member

Wonderful to read your newsy update. Smart on living in the driveway in her for a wee while, to get some of the bugs/renovations done that will make life on the "moving road" pleasant for you in due course.

Imagine you'll be getting itchy feet soon to lift those jacks :) :) :)

Happy Travels.

SD

Shannon and Mariel · RV-Dreams Community Member

Although not planned, living in her has been great! Moving in slowly and fixing the bugs has been a wonderfully smooth transition since we have the house as the fall back.