the start of a new life

riverss · 07-02-2016, 05:09 PM

I am 79 years young and every day is an adventure as only those that have traveled through those years will know what i mean. My bride of 50+ years and bought a new Rockwood RLF8299BS back in February with the vision of the open road staring us in the face. I prepped our Ram 2500 6.4L CC SB (GAS) & B&W Patriot hitch for our first of (hopefully) many road trips.we hooked up and pulled out for a 14 state , 33 night , 4,339. 01 mile maiden voyage. how about that for you faint at heart adventurers? Our FR Rockwood gave us 100% and we could not be more satisfied with our choice. our GPS (which i will not name because that kind of language is NOT aloud) put us in some bad situations and i was forced to do maneuvers that were NOT happy times but the Reese Revolution served me well and i was so happy that i did not have to get out in the pouring rain to manipulate a slide hitch. in my state of mind i would have certainly put the corner into my cab. we had no issues our Rockwood 8299 BS or the Ram after i had the factory trailer brakes problem resolved. we towed over many 7% grades and as high as 10% with out an issue with an over all trip mileage of 9.7 MPG IMHO fantastic. we are getting our Ducks in a row for our next adventure next month in Co +++

DreiHunde · 07-02-2016, 05:28 PM

Woo Hoo! Cant wait to hear about future adventures!!

jgourlie · 07-02-2016, 05:42 PM

Thanks for sharing and congrats on your rig. Cheers to more adventures!

nc-canuck · 07-02-2016, 08:14 PM

Sounds like a great trip. Got any great pictures to post? Any advice or things you would have done different (other than a truck GPS)?

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CaptnJohn · 07-02-2016, 08:34 PM

Sounds like a great trip. As a youngster of 68 your travels are especially good to hear.

All GPS systems can give bad info at times. Garmin makes a 9" system especially for RVs. Put in the length, weight, height, etc and it should route around places you should not be like low overpasses or weighted bridges. theGPSstore.com generally has the best prices and fast shipping.

**Terier** · 07-02-2016, 09:19 PM

Thanks for sharing. Hope to read more about your adventures.

SeaDog · 07-02-2016, 10:19 PM

good for you what a great adventure I hope to get there

Joe-Barb · 07-03-2016, 01:08 PM

We bought our Rockwood 2608 3years ago and have gone on three trips covering 15 states pulling with our Ram 2500 5.7 hemi(gas) and had no real problems with either our Rockwood or the ram 2500 mega cab. Great for our rv travels. Getting ready for our trip from California to Goeshn (Rally)starting in 2 weeks. Hope to have another trouble free long trip.

oldsmasma · 07-03-2016, 02:29 PM

Now that is such a great thing to hear. We are mere kids of 66 and 67 (newlyweds at only 37 years) and aspire to be just like you when we grow up. Farthest we've been is Northern Ontario to South Florida. Keep those wheels rolling. Our son supports our frittering of his inheritance.

brewjaz · 07-03-2016, 03:35 PM

So happy for you and your wife.....looking forward to hearing about more of your adventures (pictures would be nice too

).

Stetay · 07-03-2016, 04:22 PM

We just got back from our 8 state 3,800 mile 3 1/2 week trip. Minor problem when the roof vent cover over the refrigerator blew off. Up and down some 8% grades with a Silverado high country 1500 5.7 liter pulling a FR evo 200rd. Another year before retirement then want to do some longer trips. Love this lifestyle!!!!

DavidBo · 07-03-2016, 05:57 PM

My grandparents did the same thing many years ago with a big, shiny Airstream and loved every minute of it. I remember camping out in that trailer as a little kid when it was parked in the driveway. Wow, that was way before GPS, cellphones and even CB radios. How did they manage?!?!
Godspeed on your travels and by all means keep us updated.

TreeLady · 07-03-2016, 06:06 PM

Wonderful! Keep going as long as you can!

We are hoping to make some long trips also as soon as our grandsons are out of high school. We like to attend their sporting events. But, once they are gone, they will be busy with their own lives and we can move on with traveling as long as our health doesn't interfere. There is a lot of good country to see!!!
Take the back roads as much as possible. I love small town America!!!

Charles Firth · 07-03-2016, 06:33 PM

Great post, I am 68yrs young and just getting started. I have thoughts that maybe I am to old for this, but you made me feel better. I do wish I would have started earlier, but hopefully I have plenty of time for trips.

**Flybob** · 07-03-2016, 06:39 PM

You obviously read the most important page in the manual.
Use it and have fun.

Looking forward to you next great adventure.

TreeLady · 07-03-2016, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles Firth

Great post, I am 68yrs young and just getting started. I have thoughts that maybe I am to old for this, but you made me feel better. I do wish I would have started earlier, but hopefully I have plenty of time for trips.

Go as long as you feel good! It is a little trying at times to get into the "camping mode" but once there, it is a wonderful feeling and becomes routine. I love being able to travel, stay in different campgrounds, go to out of the way places.

Go for as long as you feel you can. You will have all those good memories to think about when you have to sit on the porch later on!!!

Rango · 07-03-2016, 06:41 PM

Good for you guys ... My wife and I will be leaving in the morning on our first big trip from Florida to Colorado and some points north and east
. Although we are only a few years your junior we can only hope to experience the joy you guys have and want to be able to be on the road when we are that young at heart. Have fun and maybe we'll cross paths somewhere out there.

tjmezzan · 07-03-2016, 08:32 PM

Good Sam sells a good GPS for RV's. You enter all the specifics of your rig, which kinds of roads you want to avoid, etc. The GPS is a Rand Mcnally and comes with life time maps. Also, if you want to know where certain gas stationss, stores, or even Red Boxes are located, you can upload the file or files you want and it will alert you when you are approaching any POI's you want.

Paul GA · 07-03-2016, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjmezzan

Good Sam sells a good GPS for RV's. You enter all the specifics of your rig, which kinds of roads you want to avoid, etc. The GPS is a Rand Mcnally and comes with life time maps. Also, if you want to know where certain gas stationss, stores, or even Red Boxes are located, you can upload the file or files you want and it will alert you when you are approaching any POI's you want.

I've had one about two months. Was coming back last week from Charlotte on business and needed something for this weekends trip. You can pick "Closest Camping World".
Did that just outside of Spartanburg, ended up at somebodies house out in the boonies.

Cadiz Couple · 07-03-2016, 10:34 PM

Actually though, you are still a young whipper snapper. I'll be 82 next month. Married my sweetheart last year. She and our border collie buddy went on our honeymoon from our home in KY to Newfoundland and also another trip to California in a great but tiny "Casita", behind our Tundra with tow package. Having retired as a Navy pilot some 35 years ago I, and my honey, can hitch-hike free with the Air Force anywhere they fly so in this past year we have toured in D.C., Hawaii, Japan, and Alaska among other places. We just bought a Rockwood 8310 and are currently in it on an extended trip in Michigan to escape the KY heat. My Tundra pulled it great across the gentle terrain between KY and MI but I realize that I may need to up grade to a diesel and/or 3/4 ton before we tackle the western mountains. Every day on this earth is a gift, especially at our age, and my gal and I don't plan to waste a single one of them. No one should. You are only old if you stay home and sit on your butt in a rocking chair.

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