Well the RV I was looking at just ended on eBay. He said he would take 10,500 for it when I looked at it. I figured before I wrote the check I'd check with the wife to make sure I had permission. Turns out I didn't. After going home to talk to her about it, I've come to the realization that she want's nothing to do with RVs, especially old RVs. It was sitting on eBay for the longest time at $7995 and jumped up to $11,300 in the last minute. That was a good price. I think I need to accept the fact that I don't have time to restore an RV right now and just keep on dreaming and envying you guys.
Keep on truckin, everyone!
-Chris
Jeez.... Sounds like pilot talk. I do my best to avoid it. Please don't tell my mother I'm a pilot, she thinks I'm a piano player in a............ My very good friend fly's for UPS and I get so sick of hearing about how much better life is in brown, than yellow, or purple. He's the type to say, " I'm a pilot, why do you ask?" I also started life as and A n P and found myself thrust into abject poverty. I got lucky and found a respectable well paying job in the end. I just bought an 88 325, so if you want to learn from my mistakes go to my website at airlandandseaparts.com and email me or call. I'll get back to you as soon possible. I'm moving into the rig full time this weekend and will be looking for a satellite isp, so I may not get back real fast to you.
marineguy,
Getting everyone on board is key. My wife was an anti RV person as well. I talked about it for years but "no joy" every time. We're both civilian pilots (met at flight school) and at some point along the way she said "Airstreams are cool, kind of like a plane". That was all I needed.
On a really long trip home from the east coast (with three screaming kids) in a Jeep we stopped for a break at an RV dealer. We walked into a class A to kill some time and streach our legs. She took one look at the couch and bedroom and bathroom and the microwave and immediately "got it". We can travel comfortably with the kids!
I searched the web, found out that Airstream made motorhomes (fred's site and this site) and about a year later we bought ours.
Now, all of our friends want one and ask when we can go camping with them, etc. It has been a lot of work and more money than I really want to consider, but we our not just RVers now...we're Airstreamers. There's a difference.
Steven,
Believe me, I'll keep trying. I have my whole life to get her into RVing. I love my wife more than words can say, but we are so different when it comes to determining what things in life are "cool." She thinks Broadway Shows are cool; I thought my $75 seat at Miss Saigon was a good place to take a nap. I like the mountains; she likes the beach. I like spending money (what's not being invested), she likes stashing it ALL away and living on Ramen noodles when I'm deployed.
I just feel like I had a golden opportunity which I let slip away. It would have been a LOT of work to get that Airstream into a state my wife would consider appealing. Maybe it just wasn't the right one. I'll just keep my eye out over the next few years. Maybe one day the stars will be in alignment, and I'll find one which doesn't require a full restoration and my wife will actually let me buy it. We'll see...
-Chris
I would love to one day own a diesel pusher but aside from knowing the basic operation of pressure-ignited combustion, the closest I've ever came to turning a wrench on a diesel was when I changed the air filter in a HUMVEE. For now I'll stick with the Chevy big-blocks with those old familiar spark plugs.
Thanks again to all who posted. You'll be hearing more from me.
-Chris
Hi Chris,
Welcome to the forums. I have rebuilt diesel engines and, trust me, there is nothing special about working on them. You could deal with it, I'm sure. Generally everything is just big and heavy. The heavy may change soon. Audi won the Le Mans 24 hour race this year with a diesel race car.
Steven,
Believe me, I'll keep trying. I have my whole life to get her into RVing. I love my wife more than words can say, but we are so different when it comes to determining what things in life are "cool." She thinks Broadway Shows are cool; I thought my $75 seat at Miss Saigon was a good place to take a nap. I like the mountains; she likes the beach. I like spending money (what's not being invested), she likes stashing it ALL away and living on Ramen noodles when I'm deployed.
I just feel like I had a golden opportunity which I let slip away. It would have been a LOT of work to get that Airstream into a state my wife would consider appealing. Maybe it just wasn't the right one. I'll just keep my eye out over the next few years. Maybe one day the stars will be in alignment, and I'll find one which doesn't require a full restoration and my wife will actually let me buy it. We'll see...
-Chris
Chris,
One word of advice to you - rent a Class C motorhome for a long weekend. We did this shortly after my wife becoming more accepting of a motorhome. We took ours to visit the family for Thanksgiving one year. This will really help you both to understand what you like and don't like about it.
Visit a local campground, go on a hike, etc. I think a lot of people (my wife included) don't get past the "RV" stereotype. Now, we consider our Airstream basecamp for bike races and marathons, hiking and camping, a summer beach cottage (we're leaving for Rye Beach HN in a week) and a mountain cabin...on and a lake house.
While I tend to geek out about the hardware (Tim Allen "ar ar ar" insterted here) it's really not about the RV at all....its about the time you'll all get to spend together adventuring and discovering and just chilling out.
Anyway - good luck and keep up the fight. As my business partner said to me when I pulled up in our 345 - "I owe you a million dollars"....since he bet that amount against me that my wife would ever own an RV.
Steven,
I love my wife more than words can say, but we are so different when it comes to determining what things in life are "cool." She thinks Broadway Shows are cool; I thought my $75 seat at Miss Saigon was a good place to take a nap. I like the mountains; she likes the beach. I like spending money (what's not being invested), she likes stashing it ALL away and living on Ramen noodles when I'm deployed. -Chris
Chris, yourself got a winner there. You hold on to her tight and never let her get away! She's your balance. I got me one of them, too, or at least, she puts up with me for some reason or another...
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"When the only tool you own is a hammer, every problem begins to resemble a nail...." Maslow
Chris,
I have one too - a sensible wife! BUT, when I brought home the 62 Bambi she kinda took a shine to it. Now she's making the upholstery for the new cushions we just purchased for the 2 gauchos. She's trying to figure out where we'll go on our first long trip (Niagra Falls is in the first spot today). Her father can't believe she will actually sleep in it. So people can change - or get worn down ! Hang in there!
Lois here -- of the hankandlois duo. I, too was a former RV poo-pooer, but the moment I stepped into an airstream I was HOOKED. This ain't your typical country blue, goose in bonnets, spindly- wood stuff... these are style.
We are heavily considering a CCD travel trailer model. We're waiting on down payment info before buying. (We WILL buy, it's just a matter of WHEN!)
And the Matthew McConaughey angle works. He's a good looking guy...Also let her know that if Paris and Nicole can travel in one for Simple life, she can too!
Trust me on this one...LOL
Good luck, and thank you for your service to our country.
(shhhh! Don't tell hank I hijacked his forum sign-on!)
SWebster's advice to rent a class C for a long weekend was right on point.
Your wife may quickly come to appreciate certain things guys never notice - for example:
Being in desparate need of a comfort stop only to find a filthy restroom at the rest stop. (It's one thing for a guy to stand in a dirty WC, another thing entirely to try balance precariously to avoid sitting or touching anything, and an even worse thing to have to try to hold a squirming 3 year old six inches above a damp yellow seat covered in wet TP)
Getting to a destination and not having to unpack.
Finding the cloths that you ironed before leaving still look good.
Getting too tired to drive, and actually being able to lie down flat and nap in your own bed, then taking a quick SHOWER and brushing your teeth so you can arrive at your destination NOT looking like you've been stuck in a turkish bath - or feeling like your breath smells like a wet dog!
NOT having a child crying "I wanna go hooooooommmme! Because he misses his stuffed animals and has to sleep in a strange place every night.
Renting a moho is expensive - but on the off chance that YOU find out you don't like it, it's a helluva lot cheaper than buying one. BTW, most women object because they don't GET a vacation if they have to cook, clean, babysit and do everything they do at home. If you want to seduce her into the RV lifestyle, grab a broom, a duster and a frying pan!
Paula
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