|
New Roo Wannabee
Hi All,
Looks like we'll be joining the ranks of Roo owners soon.
My wife recently retired and I'm all but retired so we've decided to give RV'ing a go.
Some of my fondest memories are of a month long cross country National Park trip my parents took my brother and myself on in 1969. I was in in Yellowstone dodging moose and looking up at the moon for the Apollo landing and Neil Armstrong's moonwalk. We made the trip in a Skamper Pop-up. I loved it.
The pop-up eventually became a semi-permanently installed on a site at Ocean View Campground in Ocean View, NJ. It was eventually replaced by a hard sided Terry that was replaced by a shingle roofed park model with central air and a huge enclosed sun room. My parents both passed away over the last five years and I inherited the trailer.
The time has come to sell the park model and cut the cord from the seasonal relationship with OVR, (Ocean View Resort).
We want to do the National Parks and Canada and who knows, maybe Mexico and Alaska too.
Started out with Airstream in our eyes, but too pricey, so thought maybe we could buy used, but too many headaches. I want to travel and camp, not restore endlessly....
On our return from a recent trip to OVR we were going to stop at Colonial Airstream in Lakewood, NJ just to tease and annoy ourselves. I inadvertently got off the Parkway an exit too early and was wending my way toward Colonial when we passed an outdoor RV show. What the heck, let's check it out.
I at first wasn't going to go in because of the $12.00 parking fee and u-turned out, but my wife's cooler head prevailed and I re-u-turned back, paid my $12.00 and entered. All serendipitous.
It was almost too much to take in. I didn't want to even LOOK at rigs that I knew I could never afford, so I just walked by a lot.
Then the Roos with the pop-out sides appeared. I got a nostalgic tug and decided to take a look. I was more impressed than I thought I would be. And my wife LOVED them. Especially the pop-out soft sides of the hybrids. We actually went back to take a second look.
Didn't but one, but the hook was set. Wife is officially chomping at the bit. Airstream and Arctic Fox are out. A Roo is in.
Now, all the questions...new or used? What to be wary of in the used market? What improvements have been made over the years that could tip the scales towards purchasing a certain model year or newer unit? Leaks? Known issues?
For a TV I have an 04 Sierra 1500 V8 5.3 4WD Short Bed Crew Cab with 3.42 ratio rear and towing package. Using the online calculator I can do up to a 6000# loaded trailer. So we're staying with a Roo 17, 183 or 19. We'll have a cap on the truck, Hobie Tandem Mirage tri-kayak on the roof, and two bikes in the bed of the truck. I know, it all adds up fast...
We'd like to be up and running so we can take the trailer down to Fort Lauderdale to visit my daughter and son-in law and granddaughter for Thanksgiving.
Whew. Glad I got all that off my chest.
Anyhow, Hi to everyone!
Jeff and Carole and Ace the mini-poodle from Sparta, NJ.
|
Linear Mode
