Goin' Mobile!

We brought Theo (aka Theodora, Dora the Explora or "THE ONE") home on Saturday. I've been attempting to create a blog post, since then but blogger continues to refuse to cooperate.



Theo is a 1988 Jayco, on an E350 chassis with a 460 engine. She shows normal wear, but has been very well maintained. I don't love the floor plan. But, I like it better than the other option (staying in dirtville)

Included in the sale were 6 new tires, 2 new batteries, a new awning and a new flat screen tv with a new DVD player

Since blogger is such a PITA, I am copying most of this post from Stumpy's blog and she'll lead the tour. I'll also add a few pictures that weren't shared on Stumpy's blog.

"Come on in! Wipe your paws and take off your shoes, please."


"Here's my couch!"


"It looks much better with me, on it! Don't you think? It's great that we're both blue!"


"We've got a couple of chairs. They're grey, but we still match pretty good."


"Here's what it looks like from the back looking to the front."


"Here's where we will eat (if it's raining)"


"Where's dinner! I'm hungry!"


"Here's where my slave/chauffeur makes my food and does the dishes."


"I don't know what all goes on in here, the door is usually closed"


"Oh! And here's where I, the Navigator-In-Chief sits!"


Miscellaneous pictures

I have no idea when we'll hit the road, permanently. I am hoping for January but I need to replenish my savings so we have an emergency funds and a cushion. We will be attending RTR2012, for sure!

As I said, blogger has been horrible, for months now. We still read your posts and comment when we can, when blogger lets us. At some point I'll probably open a wordpress blog :( and combine two of my blogs. I'll keep you posted. Comments are still closed, because I can't respond to your comments (ON MY OWN FREAKING BLOG; NOT EVEN ANONOMOUSLY!!!!) Spellcheck is not working either, so forgive any mistakes, please. Maybe I should say anymore than usual.


I'm going home
And when I want to go home, I'm going mobile
Well I'm gonna find a home on wheels, see how it feels,
Goin' mobile
Keep me moving

I can pull up by the curb,
I can make it on the road,
Goin' mobile
I can stop in any street
And talk with people that we meet
Goin' mobile

Keep me moving
Out in the woods
Or in the city
It's all the same to me
When I'm driving free
The world's my home
When I'm mobile

Play the tape machine
Make the toast and tea
When I'm mobile

Well, I can lay in bed with only highway ahead
When I'm mobile
Keep me moving

Keep me moving
Over fifty
Keep me groovin'
Just a hippie gypsy
Come on move now

Movin'
Keep me movin' yeah
Keep me movin', movin', movin', yeah
Movin' yeah
Mobile, mobile, mobile, mobile....

I don't care about pollution
I'm an air-conditioned gypsy
That's my solution
Watch the police and the taxman miss me!
I'm mobile!
Mobile, mobile, mobile, yeah

"Goin' Mobile" Pete Townshend/The Who from "Who's Next," released in 1971

My dream is for sale

You may remember, in an earlier post, I referred to my love of Gypsy wagons. My dream has been offered for sale on a local craigslist. It doesn't include the mules, which is fine.

Gypsy wagon custom built with stained glass - $7800

"Wooden 6x10 pull behind gypsy wagon. Beautiful stained glass windows, one of a kind, custom built. Tows wonderful lots of fun. Insulated and very well constructed. Will sell for $7800.00, i have close to that in just materials. Very unique."





I've emailed the seller for more information. I doubt that it is self contained. But if it is...

Soooooooooooo sweeeeeeeeet!

It was only a few years ago that I desperately wanted a vintage trailer. Like now, I searched high and low, never finding the one I wanted at the price I could afford. I ended up buying a tent and camped as I had prior to our pop-up days.

Yesterday, my fantasy trailer appeared on craigslist, at a more than affordable and reasonable price price!

1966 Aristocrat Lil Loafer

The picture above was lifted from the Aristocrat Travel Trailer website

"Fun Vintage Travel Trailer - $1000 (East Side)


Super cute vintage travel trailer for sale. Sleeps four. Mini kitchen. Tags good through November 2011. I have pulled this with my Ford Explorer."


I emailed the advertiser, immediately, with a few questions. I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, the little trailer was self contained and had a bathroom.


Alas, it was not to be.


"1964 Aristocrat Lil Loafer. Approx. 12' - NOT self-contained. Runs on electric or propane. There is a little fridge. Replaced all upholstered items in approx. '04."

My head and heart seem to always be at odds with each other. My heart says, "We can make this work!" My head says, "We NEED a bathroom and to be able to carry/hold water!"

I've sent the ad to a few friends and hopefully one of them will buy it so I can stop arguing with myself. I've looked at enough of these little vintage trailers to know that this particular little trailer is a bargain. Someone is going to scoop this sweet, little tin can up, in a hurry.

And yes, I often talk about/to myself in the third person. Sometimes I'm referencing me, myself and I. Other times I'm including Stumpy.


UPDATE: I received a note from the owner this morning and this trailer was sold, yesterday. No surprise there!

Margaret, who blogs at 1963 Aristocrat Lil Loafer Restoration, has done a beautiful restoration on a '63. Her work on the trailer is detailed throughout the blog.

And I don't know anyone who hasn't admired the beautiful, vintage trailers belonging to Sisters On The Fly.

Plan K. Wait! No! Maybe it's Plan Q

I don't know, I've lost track.
So, I am pretty sure I am going to pass on the Shasta. It had a few problems that showed themselves in the inspection. Expensive problems.

I really thought this was it. Theo. The One. I really needed this one to be The One. My heart says go, my brain says no.


I'm going to be smart and listen to my head, for a change.

The thing is, I am REALLY sick of shopping for a rig. I've been doing it for a loooooooong time!

Maybe I should just build one. Like this:

Some plywood, a little duct tape, a few tarps and we're ready to go.


Really, I want an RV for comfort and convenience. I want running water, the refrigeration, the bed, and the bathroom facilities. I want to be able to leave a campsite and know everything is, basically, secured.

Is this what I need? I really think it is, if I want to full time. But, in the meantime, can I live out of my truck without spending too much money to make it possible. I don't want to spend another summer in the desert!

And, can I continue to save money and shop for the RV without a base?

Should I use the Ouija Board or the Magic 8 Ball?


Moving forward...

Fixer-upper

While I wait for word on the Shasta, I continue to search for my future abode. I ran across this gem.



Visibility could prove to be challenging and those steps will probably drag.



*picture lifted from coolfunpics.com

Theo is that you? I've been looking for so long...

I took a drive to Nevada today, to see an RV that belongs to a friend of a friends' parents.


I'm afraid I have fallen in love.

She's a 1989 Shasta Reverie E350. She's got a 460 engine with 57,000 miles.

Both the cab


and the living area look brand spanking new.


There's a bed


and bath

in the back.

My friend was laughing at the mauve interior. Sooooooo 1980's. I informed her that it was NOT mauve. It was dusty rose, and as long as it wasn't white I sure didn't care!

The owner wasn't sure if she was 22 or 23 feet. The body is faded, but without dents or rust. All manuals and maintenance records are intact.

She's got an Onan 4.0 generator and a Norcold 3-way fridge. There's a heavy duty tow package installed and she comes with a cargo carrier.

I looked underneath and there was definitely a drip, that had stained the ground below :( The owner mentioned a long time power steering fluid leak that he just always kept extra fluid available and filled it as needed.

A friend of mine is going to check out the leak. The hoses are as old as the vehicle, so I am hoping that's the problem.

I'll know more after that.

I hope the sellers don't read this! if they find out I am already hooked, they may up the price!

1984 Itasca Sundancer 24RC

$5000.00
I went to look at this Class C yesterday. Joe, the gentleman who is selling it just traded it for another vehicle. He has no knowledge with regard to it's history. It does come with all it's manuals and receipts for all kinds of maintenance and work, prior to 2000. So it looks like it's had only two owners, before Joe.

It's got a 350 Chevy engine with 77,000 miles. It's 23 feet, sleeps 5 and has a bed and bath in the rear. The vehicle also has an OnanRV 4.0 generator, installed. The engine is clean and the fluids look good. It seems like the vehicle was cared for, meticulously.



It needs 6 new tires, an AC roof cover and ceiling vent cover, and at least one battery. Although everything seemed to work on shore power the Itasca was just about out of gas and out of propane so that still needs to be checked. The water wasn't hooked up to see how the plumbing worked.

I looked online for comparable vehicles and at NADA and I think the Itasca is over-priced. Plus, I want to look at one in Nevada, that's a few years newer, has 15,000 less miles and the same or less in price.

For those of you also looking, Quartzsite and Yuma are supposed to have some serious deals. I did see some interesting vehicles on Craigslist.

1993 LAZY DAZE 26 FT Class C for $12,000.00, in Yuma.

hmmm...there was a RoadTrek, too...must have sold it.