Everything I’ve Got is Old

[LostArrow3]

I’m a couple months shy of 70, my house is 65, my wife is ( I’m not that stupid)
My Tahoe is 19 & my class B motor home is 8 heck I even have an 18 y/o dog.
We do a lot of camping in the summer to get away from the heat.
Camp a lot in the smokies at campgrounds without power. Favorites are Cades cove, Mt. Pisgah & Peaks of Otter. With the class b I can recharge house batteries with the alternator simply by driving it to site see or letting it idle while at campsite .
Since I can’t afford a new class B or C & replace my Tahoe my plan is to get a Chevy Silverado & a Geo Pro/ E. Pro 20 BHS with possibly the power package.
Never had a travel trailer but towed a bass boat for years.
Anyone here gone from a small motor home to a small travel trailer.
Thanks for letting me join to get information before I pull the switch.

[MRTull]

Welcome to the forum! I've only been here a few years; my wife surprised me by asking if I wanted an RV back in 2020... and now I'm so far down the rabbit hole I don't even know where the exit is. Before I had an RV, the only thing "big" I had ever driven was a u-haul a few times over the years. I was worried when I got my first, a Keystone 1790FQ, but it felt so comfortable from the day I drove it off the lot. I don't have much tow experience so I can safely say that it was not difficult. I would recommend you spring for the rear observation cam (on all the time vs. just on in reverse) which helps tremendously when changing lanes or watching for upcoming traffic. I now haul a 24' Flagstaff which is akin to the GeoPro (Flagstaff and Rockwood are literally the same coach until stickers get put on) and I think you'll take to it like fish to water.

[Reverse_snowbird]

We did the opposite. We went from a truck & trailer to a B+.

Our reasons were 'age and illness'. It got difficult to hook and unhook the trailer, and level it. Backing it wasn't a problem.
It is also much easier to have your bathroom, kitchen and airconditioning available at all times. We didn't need electricity at all time, but with an onboard generator, we had everything available when necessary. If you're camping without electricity, you're probably going to need a generator. It's hard to charge batteries when you're camping in a forest.

For us, it was cheaper than a new truck and trailer. Before you change, check out prices on a new B+/C. Prices have come down dramatically in the past month.

[aceinspp]

Welcome to the forum. Its what you will think you would need verses what you have now. Later RJD

[Mach1tosh]

About 12 years ago we started out with a 21' C class, corner bed in the back that proved to be a tight fit for 2 adults.
We changed to a 21' trailer with a front queen and generally better amenities 9 years ago and camped it many times each summer.
The last year with, like you, getting older and although still able the set up/tear down of the trailer and such was just getting old.
So we bit the bullet a month ago and got a not quite 26' B+ with a slide that provides us with a U-dinette and walk around queen, a good layout and spacious bathroom. The interior space is pretty close to the trailer, and the gas bill is about the same as hauling the trailer around with a half ton P/U.
We haven't had it out camping yet, a little cold and damp in the Pacific NW for that, but the ease of moving it around compared to the truck and trailer is well worth the changeover.
We are looking forward to getting back to spots we just couln't fold the truck and trailer into that the B+ can negotiate.
Each to their own, but having tried both and not wanting a bigger trailer, the B+ appears to be the best compromise solution for us.

[NJKris]

LostArrow, I can't compare the difference, but my GeoPro is our first and only RV, 5 years into it and we still really like it. Not sure how I'll feel in 12 years when I'm 70, but for now I'm able to maintain and make her go.



Peaks of Otter! We stayed at the motel there cruising around in our Corvette, very much looking forward to hauling the GeoPro down there one day when wife retires.


I think a Silverado would be good. Just make sure the tongue weight limit on Silverado is good, the tongue weight fully loaded with a pair of good golf cart batts and our bike rack with 2 bikes puts the tongue at least at 700 lbs.

[BehindBars]

Originally Posted by LostArrow3

I’m a couple months shy of 70, my house is 65, my wife is ( I’m not that stupid)
My Tahoe is 19 & my class B motor home is 8 heck I even have an 18 y/o dog.
We do a lot of camping in the summer to get away from the heat.
Camp a lot in the smokies at campgrounds without power. Favorites are Cades cove, Mt. Pisgah & Peaks of Otter. With the class b I can recharge house batteries with the alternator simply by driving it to site see or letting it idle while at campsite .
Since I can’t afford a new class B or C & replace my Tahoe my plan is to get a Chevy Silverado & a Geo Pro/ E. Pro 20 BHS with possibly the power package.
Never had a travel trailer but towed a bass boat for years.
Anyone here gone from a small motor home to a small travel trailer.
Thanks for letting me join to get information before I pull the switch.

If you have an 8 year old class B and it’s working well, I’d suggest you keep it. I guess your story is missing a little as I can’t quite see the reason for wanting to replace it with a trailer. Is the reason you need a replacement truck solely for towing the boat? Will the class B tow the boat?

To set up camp in your class B, I assume you pull in the site put it in park and turn it off. Maybe hook up a power cord. Done. With the trailer you will probably have a lot more work to do setting up, unless you leave the trailer attached to the truck and leveling/stabilizing is not needed.

If you camp in the shade in the Smokies in a trailer, without electric hookup, how do you plan to charge the batteries, if necessary? (Sorry, I’m not familiar with the trailer’s “power package” you mentioned).

With our class C, we pull in, park, level with hydraulics if needed, then usually plug in the cord. Then we can sit and watch trailer owners put down leveling blocks, chock the wheels, run the tongue jack/unhitch, lower the corner stabilizers, unpack the truck bed, hear the cordless drills, etc.

In addition to our motorhome, I do have a small camping trailer that I use when camping alone. I leave it attached to the tow vehicle to simplify the setup hassle. From camp I do day travel by way of a motorcycle which was hauled in the trailer.

[ppine]

My prized possessions are all old. Cedar and canvas canoe from 1951, Duluth packs, old saddles, 1948 Winchester Model 70, etc. My wall tent is from 1980. Just bought a 1959 Coleman stove.

I have newer vehicles because they are like a rocketship compared to old trucks. I drove jinker cars for decades. couldn't go anywhere without tools.

[RedLdr1]

Originally Posted by LostArrow3

Anyone here gone from a small motor home to a small travel trailer. Thanks for letting me join to get information before I pull the switch

Welcome to the forum. We went from a small Sunseekers Class C to a R-Pod RP-192. The RP-192 was a little too small so we recently upgraded to our Coachmen Northern Spirit 1943RB. The 1943RB was designed as a couples trailer and it fits us very well.

When you're trailer shopping just be careful not to go too small as you will lose the storage space that Class C's have in the "basement" under the floor.

I also recommend that when you're truck shopping make sure the truck you're considering has a factory tow package. There are somethings that are not easily added to a truck that doesn't have a factory tow package.

[Nick Danger]

Originally Posted by RedLdr1

I also recommend that when you're truck shopping make sure the truck you're considering has a factory tow package. There are somethings that are not easily added to a truck that doesn't have a factory tow package.

X2. And be prepared for "sticker shock"!

[Oaklevel]

Welcome from Virginia !!!!

We are about 10 miles from the Peaks of Otter........... Just a ways up Rt. 43.

[Boomerweps]

Setting up, tearing down, and hooking up to tow wears me flat out. I’ll be 69 in a couple months.
My truck & TT are paid for, only five years old, & I don’t want to spend all my disposable income on newer stuff. Having to park my TT on a hill, I have to move it to a level area to hook up the WDH, the biggest PITA of my RVing.
If I felt I could afford it, I’d go with a small motorhome.

[RangeMaggotBob]

We're just like the OP and a couple others. We're old- wife just turned 70 and I'm right behind her in just a couple days. And everything we own is old. Couldn't even begin to replace our truck and RV even if we wanted. The truck is a beast with less than 50K miles, and our fifth wheeler is still awesome, in perfect condition. And now with some medical issues, we can't even go any further than a few miles down the road. But we're lucky- we are in between two huge lakes with the world famous White River feeding them. So we still get to go, albeit we have to make reservations a year ahead of time. And I really don't know where I'm going with this reply.............

[ppine]

The secret to a great life is:
Not to get what you want, but to want what you have.

[RangeMaggotBob]

Hmmm. Don't quite understand, but ok.

[00buck]

We had a small (about 23ft as I recall) class C. Went from that to a 27ft B+ and from there to a Flagstaff 21FBRS. We liked the trailer a lot and pulled it easily with a Silverado, but we only kept it for a year because we missed the convenience of a motorhome: less set up, access to fridge and bathroom while on the road, easier access to campsites, less worry about entrance and exit at gas stations, and I don't have to lift that massive equalizer hitch.

My two cents is hang on to what you have unless you're just itching for something new. 8 years is not that old for a class B.

I'm 74 and in relatively good physical condition, but I still don't want to mess with getting that massive ball mount into a receiver.

[kenandterry]

We’re in our 70’s with relatively good health.
We had a 35’ Class A motorhome for 10 years when we could Snowbird for a number of those years, and towed a daily driver while doing any camping. Finances and health and COVID changed all that.

We changed to a 25’ Class B+ in 2020 and changed to more Provincial Campgrounds and less long term camping. We love it. I’m used to driving long fixed wheelbase units. This new one handles like a sports car. We use it as our daily driver when travelling. It fits almost everywhere we need to go…..or gets parked very close by.

Like has been said…..even when the slide is in, we have access to almost everything including all cupboards, closets, fridge, stove and bathroom. We can set up in one shot. Push a few buttons and we’re camping. Whatever is outside in inclement weather, can be done in the morning.

It’s our last RV, for as long as we can, and want to travel/camp.

[DogMan635]

Welcome to the forum and looking forward to more posts.