Lemonade

Where is it? Is it here? It was supposed to be here by now! Actually, it was supposed to be here six weeks ago. I'm talking about my Sportsmobile motorhome, of course. Well, it's not here, but it is coming. In this post, I'll discuss the latest wrinkle in the delivery of my RV, the definite (?) delivery date I've been given, and how I may be able to deal with this bag of lemons I've been handed.

Fiddletown

Just four days after returning from my trip to the northwest, I was off on a roadtrip with friends to gold country in California, east of Sacramento. Our objective was to visit with our friends there and attend a cowboy concert and barbecue. Our route took us through Fresno, so naturally we had to stop off and check the progress on my Sportsmobile.

Off The Grid

My recent trip to the Northwest was a double header. In the previous post I recounted the family wedding that I attended. This post will describe how the other half of my trip played out: staying with relatives at a lake cabin in northern Idaho.

All About The Journey

Until now, this blog has been about my RV; the selection process, the planning, the construction, the things I'll take along. It's been a fun and captivating process for me. Ultimately, though, the Sportsmobile I've designed and purchased is just a tool, a means to allow me to take the journeys I long for. When I found out the RV wouldn't be ready in time for a tour that I had planned to the Northwest, it wasn't a hard decision to take the trip anyway by more conventional means. So you could say this post is the first real travelogue of this blog, about attending a wedding and reconnecting with family.

Contender

On a recent trip to Fresno, I came across a type of motorhome for sale I hadn't previously seen. It had several appealing features, so I took a quick look around inside and liked what I saw. I didn't take it too seriously because I figured it was well out of my price range (there was no price sticker on it and no one around to answer an inquiry). When I got to an internet connection to do some research, I found out it is actually reasonably priced and offers a lot of amenities for the money. In fact, of all the alternatives to the Sportsmobile (SMB) I've chosen, I'd say this new model is, for my needs and tastes, its strongest competition. It's been a while since I've done a motorhome review, but this one deserves a closer look.

Meh

They can't all be winners. My latest trip to Sportsmobile (SMB) in Fresno to check progress on my RV conversion was a bit of a yawner. A lot has been done since my last visit, and it's good quality work, but it's mostly behind-the-scenes stuff; like pouring the foundation for a house, it's necessary and important, but not especially thrilling. But I do have some pictures, and a story or two. So, if I've riveted your attention with this scintillating introduction, read on...

Two Wheels and a Battery

I've taken the first ride on my electric bicycle! In this post, I'll report on my selection process, assembling the bike, and my first impressions. 

On The Line

I just received an email from Sportsmobile (SMB) that my van has started the conversion process. Later in this post, I'll share a couple pictures they sent of the progress. After considerable back and forth with the audio-visual guy, I think we've come to an agreement on what he'll be installing - and just in time, too, because the wiring that he designates is one of the first things to go in. I'll also bring you up to date on how I've gradually been converting my wish list for the RV contents into reality.

All Systems Go

I made my second trip to the Sportsmobile factory in Fresno and I've seen my actual van! (For pictures, "Read more".) We went over my final plans and I'm getting 98%+ of everything I wanted. Well, with one important exception...

And So, It Begins...

First Trip Plan

As I write this, the first trip in my motorhome is still three and a half months away, but it's all planned out in my head, so why not put it down on paper? That way, I can provide the answer to one of the most common questions I'm asked. The objective of the trip is the wedding of my cousin's son, Tim. The route will go from San Diego to Seattle, most of it running up Highway 395 on the eastern side of the Sierras. I'll be trying out the leisurely pace I intend to keep in my retirement travels: not much more than 4 hours on the road per day. With a couple extra days thrown in to see the sights, it will take me nine days, with six scenic stops along the way, and plenty of time to explore.

Mail Call

Among friends that begin to consider the implications of my fulltime RVing plan, the most common question is, "How will you get your mail?" I'm far from the first person to face this issue, and, thankfully, there are a number of solutions available. I'll review them in this post, and discuss how the answer is linked to a much more important question with long term consequences. Clubs for RV owners have a role to play, so I'll mention a few of them, too.

Gadgets

What can I say, I'm a gadget freak. It's mostly electronics, but anything that makes my life easier or more enjoyable qualifies. My retirement travel plans are a way to get closer to nature, but that doesn't have to mean leaving technology behind. Let's take a look at some of the gadgets I'll take along when I start on my travels, and some I'd like to have when my budget allows.

Basement and Utilities

A motorhome with a basement? Sure, a basement is where you store stuff you use infrequently, and it's a term in common use by RV'ers. Often it's applied to storage that's accessed from outside the RV, but it can be found under seats and beds, too. The basement is also where you find a home's utilities: furnace, water heater, electrical panel, etc. Let's conclude our tour of the "rooms" in my motorhome design by taking a trip to the basement and the things it holds.

Bedroom and Closet

Whether it's a house, an apartment, or a motorhome, nothing is more indispensable than a place to sleep. Somewhere to store your clothes is also pretty important. Thus, of all the "rooms" in my RV design, I had to get the bedroom and closet just right. After considering a lot of alternatives, I believe I have.

Salle de Bain

Woo hoo! I finally got some mileage out of the five years of high school and college French I took, thereby avoiding a post entitled "Bathroom". (Apologies to any readers from France, Quebec, and various African and island nations.) It's the "room" in my motorhome where I'll spend the least amount of time, but its importance merited considerable design effort. This continues my detailed review of the "rooms" in my RV design, in preparation for final submission to Sportsmobile.

Galley

Continuing the tour of the "rooms" in my motorhome, allow me to conduct you to the galley ( or kitchen, for those of you still attached to an immobile foundation). Along the way, I'll have something to say about the equipment I'll use, and cooking outside, too. Please step this way...

Living Room

Would you believe that a roughly 100 sq.ft. space can be divided into five rooms? Well, that's the way I think about my Sportsmobile (SMB) design. To me, there's a distinct living room, kitchen, bedroom with a closet, bathroom, and a basement. Would you believe that I intend to devote an entire post to each of them? If you've read my previous, occasionally obsessive, posts, that's probably not hard to believe at all. But I do have a reason - or rationalization - for this attention to detail. The time is approaching to submit my final design to SMB. Writing these posts will give me a chance to review everything one last time. It will also give anyone who cares to read, a (very) thorough tour of my motorhome, and a chance to chime in if they wish. Let's start with the living room.

Steady State

In June 2013 I paid a visit to the Sportsmobile factory and liked everything I learned about them and their products. Aspects of my design that I expected to be problematic turned out to not trouble their designer at all. But my design was overweight: it exceeded the cargo capacity of the Sprinter van. Their designer had pointed out that possibility, and by diligently working to prove him wrong, I had proven him right. The alternative was to use a Sprinter with dual rear wheels, but that hurt fuel efficiency and intruded on my interior space. So, I set to work cutting weight out of a design that I had regarded as perfect.

The Source

In late June of 2013, I took a long-planned trip to the Sportsmobile factory in Fresno, California. This would be my first chance to see for myself some conversions they'd done, and also to present my own conversion plans for their comments. My daughter, Kelcy, home from college, came along. It was only a small detour along the way to see the Lazy Daze factory, too, so we made a stop there. This post recounts that trip, and describes how my discussion with Sportsmobile forced a major revision of my plans. A long post with lots of pictures ahead!