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Old 08-18-2019, 05:54 AM   #1
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Just drove from Iowa to New Hampshire and...

during peak vacation season, I saw exactly FIVE b-vans in 1200 miles. A Travato, a T1N Pleasure Way, a white T1N without striping that looked like a Gulf Stream Vista Cruiser, a Leisure Travel Serenity or AI Atlas, and a really tricked out new black 24' Sprinter chassis of some flavor towing a cargo trailer.

No other b-vans to be seen.

I guess we really are pretty rare.
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Old 08-18-2019, 06:12 AM   #2
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We are head out East in a couple of months. First target is the Charlottesville VA, and trying to determine what to do along the way. Thought about Indiana Dunes National Park, Cuyahoga NP, Flight 93 Nat Memorial, Johnston Flood Nat Memorial, and then drive down Skyline Drive in Shenandoah NP. Do you have other suggestions? We've done Vermont and NH in the fall, so not sure I'd go that far north this trip.

I don't keep track of the number of B-vans we see, but I have the opposite reaction - surprised at their relative frequency. We watch for and notice Interstates especially. Every time I see a B+ or C based on the Sprinter I'm reminded of how glad I am to have bought the B. Can't imagine how I'd value the extra space enough to put up with the larger size and ugliness of the swirly paint patterns. But to each his own...
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Old 08-18-2019, 06:48 AM   #3
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Yes, Rog you are pretty (?) rare. LOL

Have a safe trip and see you ?
mj
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Old 08-18-2019, 06:55 AM   #4
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We are head out East in a couple of months. First target is the Charlottesville VA, and trying to determine what to do along the way. Thought about Indiana Dunes National Park, Cuyahoga NP, Flight 93 Nat Memorial, Johnston Flood Nat Memorial, and then drive down Skyline Drive in Shenandoah NP. Do you have other suggestions? We've done Vermont and NH in the fall, so not sure I'd go that far north this trip.

I don't keep track of the number of B-vans we see, but I have the opposite reaction - surprised at their relative frequency. We watch for and notice Interstates especially. Every time I see a B+ or C based on the Sprinter I'm reminded of how glad I am to have bought the B. Can't imagine how I'd value the extra space enough to put up with the larger size and ugliness of the swirly paint patterns. But to each his own...
Indiana Dunes is a MUST visit. I don't have much input on the others.

I've gone the other way... I confess that I'm eccentric, and I revel in my eccentricity. I have BOTH a b-van AND a Super-C. But, like you I don't see much value in the C- or small Cs over the B-vans. I've had a 23' Born Free RK and although it was only foot longer than my Airstream, it was amazingly more cumbersome. I use the B-van and the Super-C for very different purposes and enjoy them both.
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Old 08-18-2019, 06:56 AM   #5
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Yes, Rog you are pretty (?) rare. LOL

Have a safe trip and see you ?
mj
Hey Mike! Thanks! Visiting my daughter for a few days! Good to hear from you!
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Old 08-18-2019, 09:40 AM   #6
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We are head out East in a couple of months. First target is the Charlottesville VA, and trying to determine what to do along the way. Thought about Indiana Dunes National Park, Cuyahoga NP, Flight 93 Nat Memorial, Johnston Flood Nat Memorial, and then drive down Skyline Drive in Shenandoah NP. Do you have other suggestions? We've done Vermont and NH in the fall, so not sure I'd go that far north this trip.
TITUS, Indiana Dunes was pretty interesting. I'm not sure it should have received National Park status before Sleeping Bear Dunes, but I'm sure some congressperson was effective at bartering an important vote for it... It's a pretty disjointed place. We were surprised by all of the lizards there. I also about jumped out of my skin when I realized I was passing about a foot away from a snake that sunning on a railing post at the beach. An hour or two north of there is Grand Rapids, where we visited the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum, which was pretty interesting.
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Old 08-18-2019, 10:00 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by 85MH325 View Post
during peak vacation season, I saw exactly FIVE b-vans in 1200 miles. A Travato, a T1N Pleasure Way, a white T1N without striping that looked like a Gulf Stream Vista Cruiser, a Leisure Travel Serenity or AI Atlas, and a really tricked out new black 24' Sprinter chassis of some flavor towing a cargo trailer.

No other b-vans to be seen.

I guess we really are pretty rare.
I fall into your camp. Rarely see class b's (and we notice them because we are one).

It also seems as though I see as many late 90's/early 2000's Dodge b's as we do newer ones. Those things run and run I guess.

This is how we usually camp (Williams AZ rv park photographed from the train on our way to the Grand Canyon) surrounded by huge class A's and 5th wheelers. Spot the tiny silver Avenue. That's us.
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Old 08-18-2019, 11:20 AM   #8
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No other b-vans to be seen.

I guess we really are pretty rare.
85MH325 - maybe in your neck of the woods. But not in my neck of the woods (NV, UT, CO, CA, and AZ). We are absolutely dime-a-dozen here. I see 5-10 in just my daily driving in town and that's not counting the Amazon, FedEx, airport shuttles, and B-van limos all over town. In UT & AZ, very popular for Overlander type B-vans, 4x4 Sprinters rule the trails. I can't even check into any campground without seeing an identical colored silver B-van to mine (sometimes AI, sometimes other brand).

These 3 parked next to me last week and the silver AI identical to mine (almost mistook it as mine, sans USA flag)
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Old 08-19-2019, 05:32 AM   #9
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85MH325 - maybe in your neck of the woods. But not in my neck of the woods (NV, UT, CO, CA, and AZ). We are absolutely dime-a-dozen here. I see 5-10 in just my daily driving in town and that's not counting the Amazon, FedEx, airport shuttles, and B-van limos all over town. In UT & AZ, very popular for Overlander type B-vans, 4x4 Sprinters rule the trails. I can't even check into any campground without seeing an identical colored silver B-van to mine (sometimes AI, sometimes other brand).

These 3 parked next to me last week and the silver AI identical to mine (almost mistook it as mine, sans USA flag)
I suppose that had I stayed on the "main" routes I'd have potentially seen more on this trip, but I detest toll roads, so I always direct my GPS to avoid them... and take back roads whenever I can.

I've travelled extensively in your neck of the woods too... but I typically do it in the winter months when there aren't so many on the road.
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Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
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Old 08-19-2019, 09:18 AM   #10
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Well, I just recently returned from 2,800 miles on the road through the west/northwest, and per usual, I did see B's from time to time (and always give them a hearty wave!), but travel trailers absolutely eclipse every other RV type on the road (I combine tow behind and 5th wheel). They amount to 2-3x every other class. Second is Class C, third is a close race between Class A and truck campers. B's are always the fewest. I treat this exercise like the cow counting game when I was a kid on long road trips, LOL.



While I hear that Class B's are selling better than ever, when I compare this year's trip with previous years, I'm not seeing more of them on the roads. I'm taking main roads to/from various destinations, so it's not like I'm traveling little out of the way byways and missing them.....
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Old 08-20-2019, 08:49 AM   #11
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It's actually been shocking how few other "b's" I've seen. Given that in the past, whenever I've purchased any type of vehicle, for the first year or so I seemed to notice them everywhere no matter how rare.

That didn't happen when I got my "b".
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Old 08-20-2019, 11:06 AM   #12
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It's actually been shocking how few other "b's" I've seen. Given that in the past, whenever I've purchased any type of vehicle, for the first year or so I seemed to notice them everywhere no matter how rare.

That didn't happen when I got my "b".
ROWIEBOWIE - wanna see wall to wall B vans in every parking lot - then head west young man, head west - to DILLON, CO. Was just there 10 days ago.



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Old 08-20-2019, 02:02 PM   #13
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ROWIEBOWIE - I used (1960s-1970s) to race my sailboat on Lake Dillon. No swimming, since it is a municipal water supply. I raced against Pete Coors, scion of the beer family. Pete would have a beer truck come up from Golden with beer for the racers.
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Old 08-20-2019, 03:29 PM   #14
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ROWIEBOWIE - wanna see wall to wall B vans in every parking lot - then head west young man, head west - to DILLON, CO. Was just there 10 days ago.



Attachment 350000
What's that all about? That's a LOT of vans!
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Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
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Old 08-20-2019, 04:53 PM   #15
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What's that all about? That's a LOT of vans!
85MH325 - It's the "Adventure Van Expo Series 2019" . It's a west coast van-centric thing - CA,CO, OR. Next one in Sept. is at Lake Tahoe, CA. Hope to see you there. I have been to the Big Bear Lake, CA too. But not to Mt. Hood, OR due to time constraints, too far to do a long weekend trip.

https://www.adventurevanexpo.com/abo...nture-van-expo

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Old 08-20-2019, 07:13 PM   #16
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85MH325 - It's the "Adventure Van Expo Series 2019" . It's a west coast van-centric thing - CA,CO, OR. Next one in Sept. is at Lake Tahoe, CA. Hope to see you there. I have been to the Big Bear Lake, CA too. But not to Mt. Hood, OR due to time constraints, too far to do a long weekend trip.
Oh wow... very cool. As much as I'd like to make it to Tahoe, it likely won't happen, at least not this year. I'm going to try to get a trip to LA in to see my son in January... but that's probably the only West Coast trip I'll get to make this year.
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Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
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Old 08-20-2019, 07:47 PM   #17
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Oh wow... very cool.
85MH325 - before I bought the AI, I went to rv shows. But now that I own my 1st Class B, I like going to these van expos - coz they are geared to vanners and you interact with the van crowd all day, builders/upfitters and more importantly a lot of accessory makers like OWL, Aluminess, Zamp solar, even VB Air is there . . . the best part is it FREE
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Old 08-20-2019, 08:13 PM   #18
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We are head out East in a couple of months. First target is the Charlottesville VA, and trying to determine what to do along the way. Thought about Indiana Dunes National Park, Cuyahoga NP, Flight 93 Nat Memorial, Johnston Flood Nat Memorial, and then drive down Skyline Drive in Shenandoah NP. Do you have other suggestions? We've done Vermont and NH in the fall, so not sure I'd go that far north this trip.

I don't keep track of the number of B-vans we see, but I have the opposite reaction - surprised at their relative frequency. We watch for and notice Interstates especially. Every time I see a B+ or C based on the Sprinter I'm reminded of how glad I am to have bought the B. Can't imagine how I'd value the extra space enough to put up with the larger size and ugliness of the swirly paint patterns. But to each his own...
The Flight 93 Memorial is a must see if you are anywhere near it. It will be an experience you will never forget (I guess that's the point of a memorial).

And Falling Water in Ohiopyle is a must see also. Not too far from Flight 93.
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Old 08-21-2019, 06:55 AM   #19
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85MH325 - before I bought the AI, I went to rv shows. But now that I own my 1st Class B, I like going to these van expos - coz they are geared to vanners and you interact with the van crowd all day, builders/upfitters and more importantly a lot of accessory makers like OWL, Aluminess, Zamp solar, even VB Air is there . . . the best part is it FREE
I've had nine Airstream trailers over the years, a small Class C, a Super-C, and an Airstream 325 moho, a '94 Airstream B-190 B-Van, a '95 Coachmen B-Van, and now the '04 AI. And I've had a parade of smaller fiberglass travel trailers as well. I find I've lost my interest in working on/"improving"/or "upgrading" RVs. I enjoy traveling, and I want to do it comfortably. I don't want to have to learn new systems or worry about mechanicals or digital stuff breaking... and when it DOES break, I want to be able to pull into a RV place, buy the parts off the shelf, and make the repairs in the parking lot.

The new stuff is a lot like owning a helicopter; HOURS of ground maintenance for every hour of air time. I prefer just to do the air time and not worry about the maintenance any more. My governing concepts now are KISS, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I have no interest at all in AI's newer than the T1N. They're too complex, break to frequently, and are too expensive to repair to suit my tastes. I'm reminded of the scene in "Romancing the Stone" when Kathleen Turner loses her high heel shoe, and Michael Douglas takes a machete to the high heel. Kathleen Turner exclaims "Those are Italian!" And Michael Douglas says, "Now, they're PRACTICAL." I'm all about practical.

If I want to go off-road, I'll tow my Jeep JKU. It'll go places a B-Van can't even imagine. Most of the time anymore, the B-Van takes me anywhere I want to go anyway.

So all that stuff is cool and interesting, but I really have no need for any of it. Ok, so I confess I'm getting cranky in my dotage.
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Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
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Old 08-21-2019, 09:11 AM   #20
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I've had nine Airstream trailers over the years, a small Class C, a Super-C, and an Airstream 325 moho, a '94 Airstream B-190 B-Van, a '95 Coachmen B-Van, and now the '04 AI. And I've had a parade of smaller fiberglass travel trailers as well. I find I've lost my interest in working on/"improving"/or "upgrading" RVs. I enjoy traveling, and I want to do it comfortably. I don't want to have to learn new systems or worry about mechanicals or digital stuff breaking... and when it DOES break, I want to be able to pull into a RV place, buy the parts off the shelf, and make the repairs in the parking lot.

The new stuff is a lot like owning a helicopter; HOURS of ground maintenance for every hour of air time. I prefer just to do the air time and not worry about the maintenance any more. My governing concepts now are KISS, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I have no interest at all in AI's newer than the T1N. They're too complex, break to frequently, and are too expensive to repair to suit my tastes. I'm reminded of the scene in "Romancing the Stone" when Kathleen Turner loses her high heel shoe, and Michael Douglas takes a machete to the high heel. Kathleen Turner exclaims "Those are Italian!" And Michael Douglas says, "Now, they're PRACTICAL." I'm all about practical.

If I want to go off-road, I'll tow my Jeep JKU. It'll go places a B-Van can't even imagine. Most of the time anymore, the B-Van takes me anywhere I want to go anyway.

So all that stuff is cool and interesting, but I really have no need for any of it. Ok, so I confess I'm getting cranky in my dotage.

You've had some great experience! Would love to hear why you settled on the B-van (assuming you have and aren't going back to a C, etc.). I've camped in A's, B's, C's, trailers, etc., but the AI is the only RV that I've owned for any length of time (3 yrs now). Every time I have to use the shower, I say bad words as I bang my knees and elbows on stuff and get a renewed interest in getting something else. At 6', 190lbs, I'm just a bit too big to fit in there....



On the helicopter analogy, if that were true of my van, I would have sold it already. I have very limited time off (typical salary slave with 2-3 weeks off per year), so when I get to go on trips, especially our annual dad/daughter trip, that time is very precious to me. Anything breaking down and preventing that would quickly find its way to the next owner.
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