Anyone using the interstate for 4 - 8 weeks at a time??

[MOS]

Have a TT . I sometimes think of a AS Interstate but wonder if its big enough for 2 , 4-8 weeks at a time ?
Feed back please
Thanks

[Jbray333]

My wife and I have used our T1N AI for 3 months at a time. It has been the perfect vehicle for our method of touring, staying in one location 1-3 days at a time. We did stay in Arizona for a month and felt it wasn't the best platform for long stays, feeling a bit tight. We previously had a 28' Class A diesel pusher that we full-timed in for 3 years until a truck hit us. We prefer having a base with AI van and put 10-12K miles on each of our past two 3-month trips. It may not work for everyone but we love it! Heading to Alaska next year.

[Boxster1971]

We used our Interstate as home for over two months during our trip to Alaska. Stayed in it nearly every night except for a few days while visiting relatives in Minnesota. Our winter and summer trips are always about 4-5 weeks for last three years.

It works for two people with no pets and the ability to spend some time outdoors in nice weather. Our longest stays during trips are usually 4-5 days in one spot, sometimes less.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[gmillerok1]

Originally Posted by MOS

Have a TT . I sometimes think of a AS Interstate but wonder if its big enough for 2 , 4-8 weeks at a time ?
Feed back please
Thanks

Inasmuch as my wife and I are not retired, we try to take two 3 week or so trips a year. The longest was 22 days, and over 6000 miles. We have traveled from Oklahoma (our home base) to Jasper National Park, another trip to the Washington NW coast, another to Nova Scotia, and others to points in between. Three weeks is not a problem if you are compatible. You get used to the small space. The only thing keeping us from longer trips is my work schedule.

If you think about it, in your home, you use the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom and den. The rest you walk through to get to one or the other. You have all of those rooms wrapped up in a small space. Four to eight weeks is easily doable in my opinion.

[InterBlog]

It's very much an individual question. I think my husband, dog, and myself could do extended periods without issue (we are employed people, and therefore our longest outing to date has been 3 weeks).

That is, of course, supposing neither one of us is required to work. I run a sole-owner LLC, and if I have to work on the road, I find I need a bit of separation and privacy and also the ability to have full physical command of the "office area", which is the rear end of our Interstate. That would be a bit more tricky because there really isn't any lounging area for anyone else outside of the "office area".

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by Jbray333

My wife and I have used our T1N AI for 3 months at a time. It has been the perfect vehicle for our method of touring, staying in one location 1-3 days at a time. We did stay in Arizona for a month and felt it wasn't the best platform for long stays, feeling a bit tight. We previously had a 28' Class A diesel pusher that we full-timed in for 3 years until a truck hit us. We prefer having a base with AI van and put 10-12K miles on each of our past two 3-month trips. It may not work for everyone but we love it! Heading to Alaska next year.

Check out thread from 11/21 about Alaska Highway.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159762


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[Lily&Me]

Yes!

3-4 months at a time for the past 9 years...the only way to travel, in my opinion.


Maggie

[RadioGuy]

MOS:
Anything can be big enough if you and the other person can understand what sacrifices need to be made and are willing to make them in order for you to gain whatever it is that you expect. Unrealistic expectations is what usually ruins this type of experience for most folks.

For instance, "Expect" that you will have to give up some of your time to handle laundry chores. Where you once just threw clothes into the washer and went about other tasks, including running to the store or other errands for any amount of time necessary, you will now need to sit in the laundry and "guard" your clothes while the machines do their work. Is that something you can get used to? If not, it will bug the heck out of you and start to ruin the overall experience. Also, expect that you may not be able to invite 4 other couples over for a relaxing evening of wine tasting or movie watching. First of all, you won't have the room. Next, many parks may have limitations on the number of guests any one coach can accommodate due to parking etc. If you have a pet, you may not be able to turn him loose to take care of business first thing in the morning while you go back to bed for a few more winks. You'll have to get up, get dressed, and walk the dog on a leash. While that may sound like a small trifle at first, it can get to be a big thing after a short time....sooner if it's cold and you need to really bundle up. If you are a late-night person and need to run your generator for AC or other electric needs, you might find you have to change your habits because most parks have "Quite Hours". Some habits sound like they're easy to forego at first but are actually much harder to give up than most of us realize. There are dozens, if not hundreds, more examples, but I think I've given you enough ideas that you can go through your own lifestyle and find out what it is that you will need to "give up" in order to do this. But remember, it doesn't last forever. At some point it will be over and you'll be back to your normal routine at home. Former POW's in Vietnam have told me that the guys who were better able to re-adjust afterward were those who understood that it would all be over some day. Those that never could realize that were the ones who had a lot of trouble in life even after they were back home. So, my attitude is that if they can learn to live in a 4x4 foot box, I can learn to live in a 25 or 30 foot Airstream and make it work.

So, "is it big enough"? That all depends upon the two of you and what your expectations are. Can you make the necessary adjustments in order to swap your lifestyle from a large abode to one that suits a small trailer?

Do you want to make it work? If yes, then the answer is "Yes, it is big enough".

Good Luck

[MOS]

Ok good feed back
. What about the wet bath ? Never used one . It looks like a pain.
Or does everyone use the shower in the campground ??

[Lily&Me]

We have used both...the wet bath is very convenient when weather is bad or other facilities are not available, but campground showers are preferred.


Maggie

[GETRIDAONE]

My wife checks out the campgrounds facilities and then makes a decision based on cleanliness. It is a little tight in there but you get use to it. The gray water tank will fill up quick if you linger to long. The hot water heater works great !

[Jbray333]

Ditto from previous comments by Maggie on the shower. I did put a grate on the floor. Got tired of the still wet floor wakeup call in the middle of the night. Navy showers are the order of the day.

[Lily&Me]

If you are traveling alone, it is plenty of room for several months at a time...even with a pet.

If you are a couple, you must be a couple that gets along well and is used to being together all the time...everyone can't do that, some need to be able to go in another room and close the door.

An Interstate is not for everyone, but for those it is, it is a great way to travel.


Maggie

[c21]

Wife and I have done 2 month+ trips around the USA. We spend about half the nights in our AI Twin, a few night with relatives and several nights in hotels. We never use the onboard shower instead using the facility at the rv parks. The hotels, about every third night on average give us a chance to stretch out and do laundry. We work reward cards very diligently to accumulate maximum points to cover the hotels. (on our last trip of 36 days we stayed at hotels for 14 nights and paid for 2 of them).

[mything2]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

We used our Interstate as home for over two months during our trip to Alaska. Stayed in it nearly every night except for a few days while visiting relatives in Minnesota. Our winter and summer trips are always about 4-5 weeks for last three years.

It works for two people with no pets and the ability to spend some time outdoors in nice weather. Our longest stays during trips are usually 4-5 days in one spot, sometimes less.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

Like Mike, we've taken our 2007 AI to Alaska but for us it was 2X (2011and 2013) from Houston. Each trip was 9 weeks and we spent all of it using our AI. While it does require some "give" on some things because of limited space, the advantages of this small rig are way more than the disadvantages. We love our AI and highly recommend it!

Dan

[MOS]

Good feed back all .

So how do you level the MO at the campsite ? or maybe you don't ?
PITA?
Thanks

[xrvr]

Lynx levelers or boards.

[Lily&Me]

We/I have never carried levelers, preferring to do a bit of jockeying around to get level and just living with the bit of lopsided-ness that sometimes occurs.

They have to be stored somewhere, and our preference has always been to remain as compact outside, and clutter-free inside, as possible.

Maggie

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Jbray333

Ditto from previous comments by Maggie on the shower. I did put a grate on the floor. Got tired of the still wet floor wakeup call in the middle of the night. Navy showers are the order of the day.

Which, of course, brings up the ancillary issue - it's not the size, it's what you do with it. My husband and I joke that our Interstate just keeps getting bigger because of all the modifications we have build into it:

- We, too, adapted a grate - this rubber grate - on the wet bath floor (bold text = blog links).
- We increased the towel bar capacity this way.
- We added this storage device for the frying pan when it wouldn't fit anywhere else.
- We added these shelves beneath the overhead cabinets so that we would have a place to "set things down".
- We added customized storage for clothing and food to maximize the efficiency of the overhead cabinets.
- We devised these different ways of storing shoes.
- We installed this magnetic organizer board behind the driver's seat.
- We added a custom hitch carrier that feels and acts like a back porch on the Interstate.
- I designed this table modification so that I could more easily do computer work.
- We devised an efficient bedding storage system (bulky stuff can be an aggravation in a small space if not handled efficiently).
- I also customized a storage solution for our shore lines.
- We adapted these wall pockets to store personal items beside the bed.

Plus many more mods and upgrades. And every time we improve how the space is utilized, it literally feels that much larger because of the gains in functionality.

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by MOS

Good feed back all .



So how do you level the MO at the campsite ? or maybe you don't ?

PITA?

Thanks

On ground that's not level, the easiest way is to park with the front slightly lower than the back and then use leveling blocks (I have the lego type) on just the front wheels as necessary. That way you're likely to be lying in bed with your head slightly elevated (preferable to having your head lower than your feet!) and you don't have the problem of leveling the duallies.


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