Here WE are!!!

[Firstime RVer]

With retirement on the horizon, my wife and I decided to take the plunge.
We Went out and purchased a 2015 Aspen Trail 1900RB and a Chevy 4.3L Silverado 1500.

I've traveled the northeast on business for the last 10 years wishing I could have brought my wife with me to see the sites between Maine and Virginia and as far west as Buffalo, NY and Columbus, Oh.
Well we decided to do just that with a bit of part time business to help cover costs.

Having pored over the forums, I'm as intimidated as I am excited by the info I found there.. and encouraged by the creative solutions many of the posters came up with.
So we cant wait till our spring time shakedown trip/first RV adventure.

Thanks to everyone who posted their experiences which were so helpful in our getting started "on the right foot"
Pat & Barb

 

[MTK1946]

;-helo-: Welcome Pat & Barb

If you have any questions feel free to ask. We all at one time were newbie RVers.
Even us that have had RVs for some time still learn from others. We will make that ME still make newbie mistakes at times.
I looked like Robin Williams in RV last week dumping my black tank on my Teton. My son said Dad is that fitting tight at the dump I said yes. Well

 

[jeffwelsh]

Welcome Pat and Barb!

 

[ATCguy]

...My son said Dad is that fitting tight at the dump I said yes. Well

DOH! :-sad-

 

[Occupant5143]

With retirement on the horizon, my wife and I decided to take the plunge.
We Went out and purchased a 2015 Aspen Trail 1900RB and a Chevy 4.3L Silverado 1500.

Pat & Barb

Nice setup you have. We did the same thing in 2014 when we bought ours just before I retired. Last year we were on the road about 12 weeks and we haven't regretted any of it. A word of warning though. It's easy to spend quite a bit of money on upgrading the trailer but usually it's worth it.
Dave & Mary

 

[Handyman-DUTCH]

Welcome to the forum. Lot's of wisdom here... Just ask....

 

[hddecker]

Welcome to the club. Retirement is the best job I've ever had.

The words I live by are "it's not funny, unless it happens to someone else.

That way when I screw up, I think "now that would be funny, if it happened to someone else." I just know it's happened to someone else and I laugh. My wallet, not so much, but I have been lucky, it was all the soft parts that took the hit. New awning fabric, scare light, city water hook-up and a cable hookup. Hahaha!!!

 

[lcv800]

Firsttime RVer, We were all nervous the first time. This forum was a huge help for us. There are some really smart guys here who have answered all my questions on all sorts of things, so relax and enjoy.
Rusty

 

[mjcarte]

Welcome Pat & Barb! Congratulations on retirement. We've been up to several campgrounds in your area... love doing the Lighthouse Challenges in NJ. Best of luck!

 

[Firstime RVer]

What a welcome!!

All we can say is WOW!! What a welcome!!!

Thanks for all your kind words and encouragement..
Don't know if we'll ever make it up to the "Left Coast" or
B.C., but I would love to "bump into" any of you all
in our future travels....

May the road rise to meet your wheels and the wind be at your back in your travels..

Pat and Barb

And remember; You don't quit playing because you get old....
You get old because you quit playing..

 

[chily3]

Welcome to the forum,
We have the same unit ours is 2016 bought new in December.
In the process of the putting in two batteries as we do some boon-docking,
also put cabinet door shocks on the two cabinet above the dinette.
Put broom type spring hooks in the front storage area for the fishing poles, stabilizer crank, broom etc.
Bath room towel racks an TP holder
Paper towel over the sink.

Or next thing is have vynl wrap put on both of the front access hatch door, and also the bottom part of entry door to match the grey color.

Rest will wait until after first trip to see where we need stuff.

mike

 

[hddecker]

And remember; You don't quit playing because you get old....
You get old because you quit playing..

Hey, Pat and Barb,

Or as I like to say, "I might have to get old, but I don't have to grow up." :-hp;

We made to your side in 2013, so you can come on over to our side old anytime.

Jim

 

[Firstime RVer]

Hi Mike & Emily
Our TT is a 2016 as well, and we got in in December. .. Looks like we're on a parallel path!! LOL
This is our first RV and I think I'm going to get crazy with anticipation by the time spring arrives.. Cant wait to take it on a shake down cruise..


You've been busy!! Its pretty cold here so the work is limited to warmer days..
Got the Paper towel holder installed over the sink, TP holder and towel rack in the loo.
Been laying out a couple of drawers that will be installed in the trunk under the foot of the bed.. Installed an articulated wall mount and a flat screen tv. Just ordered a couple of Powerhorse generators, 2000 W each that can run in parallel to deliver 3600 Watts continuous and 4000 watts peak.
NJ doesn't like us to drive the freeways without closing the propane tank valves so I picked up a 400 watt inverter to keep the refrig cold while we travel down the road (need to get that installed). Got a curtain track to mount on the ceiling between the bed and rest of the camper (I'm an earlybird and wife likes to sleep late. Also been busy getting pots, pans, silverware, plates cups and cooking utensils along with sheets and pillows. Went to the dollar store and picked up a bunch of plastic baskets and tubs to keep thing organized in the pantries. Plan to buy a second battery in the spring and Bought a selector switch so that I can run on one battery or the other or both.. Plan to use the New deep cycle battery as a main and the one that came with the TT as a reserve.. I plan on doing a bit of boondocking myself. I like to surf fish and freshwater fish so my fishing gear goes in the pickup, so boondocking is definitely gonna happen. I figure that there is enough coastline and places to fish and places to visit between Maine and Virginia to keep Barb and I busy for a long time. LOL.
The list goes on and on with things like surge protector, water pressure regulator and filter......But the plan is to set it up so we just load it up with food, clothes and go..
Best of luck with yours.. I imagine we'll be comparing notes down the line..
and look forward to hearing about your adventures..


all the best
Pat & Barb

 

[Firstime RVer]

Hi Jim,
Thanks for the kind welcome.. Been to Calgary a couple of times on business along with a couple of vacations with my wife to Vancouver and Vancouver island (caught the tail end of the commonwealth games there a few years ago). I do love your neck of the woods. Its not in the plan right now but I learned never to say never LOL..
Who knows? Once the wife retires we might decide to do just that...


I figure that you don't stop playing because you get old, you get old because you stop playing..


All the best in you travels
Pat & Barb

 

[Handyman-DUTCH]

I picked up a 400 watt inverter to keep the refrig cold while we travel down the road (need to get that installed)Hi Firsttime,

If you don't open your fridge, you can go a long ways with it off. We have driven 8 hours in 80+ degree weather with no problem.

 

[Firstime RVer]

Hi again Mike,
what is vinyl wrap?? I like the idea, just never heard about it before..
Pat

 

[chily3]

the wrap is vinyl sticky that goes over the paint. If you see company cars around with lots of graphics that is usually the wrap.

 

[chily3]

I picked up a 400 watt inverter to keep the refrig cold while we travel down the road (need to get that installed)Hi Firsttime,

If you don't open your fridge, you can go a long ways with it off. We have driven 8 hours in 80+ degree weather with no problem.

Since we have not had ours out yet and not looked at all the manuals, doesn't the fridge also run on 12 volt.

 

[Firstime RVer]

the wrap is vinyl sticky that goes over the paint. If you see company cars around with lots of graphics that is usually the wrap.

Hey thanks Mike,
Didn't even know it existed.... Would love to turn those doors grey.. or is it gray?? Would love to make the doors match the paint job... LOL
Pat

 

[Firstime RVer]

Since we have not had ours out yet and not looked at all the manuals, doesn't the fridge also run on 12 volt.

My refrig model is a Norcold N611v. Mine only works on LP and 110 V.. Manual doesn't say anything about 12V.. The manual states that when ac power is available it will run on elec. If no ac available then it will run on gas. I opened the outside cover and found where it plugs into a duplex receptacle.
Must have cost Dutchman too much to include one that runs on 12V.
Really not a big deal for me.. First I'll see how well the refrig keeps things cool on a long trip without LP or Elec. and then decide whether to set up the inverter... It only cost $39.99.. Well ok $42.78 with tax....
When boondocking, I could decide whether to use LP or Battery power.. Hooking up to my truck could recharge the battery, but I would have to go out and find a place to get LP tank filled..
It'll be interesting to see how things work out..
Pat