New Adventurer from North Carolina

[CherylP]

Hi All, excited to be here and I hope everyone is enjoying the start to 2019.

I've been lurking in the background for a while studying all the great information that gets exchanged. I've been researching how to implement my dream to start living my life on the road in a Class B. I've spent my life hiking and camping and have a 2001 Ford Windstar that I converted to a camping van.

My goal is to work camp, traveling with the seasons. I've been studying B's so long I think my head will explode yet I never actually taken one for a test drive. Just walked around inside them at shows. I'm not able to afford a new coach but would like it to be less than 10 years old.

Important to me:
1) Sometimes, I find myself wandering off-road to boondock. Most of the B's, with the exception of the Sportsmobile, tend to be pretty low. Nothing crazy but something that can withstand some ruts and not bottom out (like the Hymer).
2) A wet bath with a flushing toilet. Have tried to get my mind around the cassette and composting toilet but just can't.
3) Something that looks subtle as I want to blend in with my environment and not stand out.
4) Solar

I truly look forward to all the years of experience out there and advice you can throw my way. I'm sure I won't launch this life perfectly but would like to be as prepared as possible.

Thanks for letting me be part of the team!

[rowiebowie]

Welcome to the forum CherylP!

From your description, you'll probably want an bv that is "lifted" a few inches to nearly 4x4 height. It will cost $1-2k, but can be done on most models. A true factory 4x4 will be very rare and come at a $5K+ premium in cost.

I agree with your preference for a wet bath. A conventional toilet is really just one more easy pull on a dump valve to empty a black tank (when you're already hooked up dumping your gray water), so I really don't get the cassette/compost toilet appeal.

We love our '2012 Airstream Avenue, but they are rare and pretty low to the road. But I think the lack of fridge vents (compressor fridge) and concealed rooftop a/c make it pretty stealthy. Especially once I de-baged it of the gaudy AIRSTREAM lettering.

Keep looking. It took us a little over a year to find the right rv for us.
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[CherylP]

Hi RowieBowie,

Thank you so much for your welcome and suggestion. Really like the quality of the Airstream brand and will search out the model you have. Thanks for the suggestion about the lift, it makes sense if I find the perfect coach, not to pass it over because it's too low.
In your picture - is that Utah or NV? It looks like the canyon just outside Valley of Fire in NV.

[webminer2]

Where are you in NC, there is an rv show in Charlotte this weekend you might like to talk to some of the salesmen there about used class B rv’s. I have a Roadtrek and line in Charlotte. Alan - webminer2@gmail.com

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by CherylP

Hi RowieBowie,

Thank you so much for your welcome and suggestion. Really like the quality of the Airstream brand and will search out the model you have. Thanks for the suggestion about the lift, it makes sense if I find the perfect coach, not to pass it over because it's too low.
In your picture - is that Utah or NV? It looks like the canyon just outside Valley of Fire in NV.

A lot of places look similar out West, but the picture was taken in Texas when we spent the night in the Chisos Basin campground in Big Bend Nat'l Park. It was on day 2 of our very first trip in the van. We only traveled for 5 weeks on two trips last year. Plan to double that this year.

Good advice from webminer2 to visit the rv show.
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[CherylP]

Thank you webminer 2! Attending the RV show sounds like a great plan, I'm in the Lake Norman area. I'm really leaning towards the Travato 59k as I love the open feel of the rig. I'm worried about build quality problems that so many seem to talk about with Winnebago. Which Roadtrek do you have?

[CherylP]

I just looked up the RV show and it shows that it was last weekend 18-20th. Shoot!