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Meagan Butler

Drive or Haul: Choices in RVs

Alaska, we’ve waited six long months to be here, and you’ve decided to rain. This is day number two for us, and we’ve not been able to see much outside because of the low clouds. So, instead of enjoying the outside, we are spending time inside of the RV discussing RVs in general. We are absolutely loving driving an RV versus our usual towing an RV. So we began tossing around the pros and cons of owning a Toy Hauler motorhome versus owning a Class C motorhome. And then, of course, we talk about the possibility of owning a Class A. The adventures are endless, and so are the possibilities! So we ask you this: what RV do you like the most and why? Give us your pros and your cons!

Here is what we like about the Class C right now:

—I can get in the back and reach the gummy bears while Pat is driving. Win.

—The walls of the bedroom and the family room have pop-outs. For two tall people, this is a necessity. We don’t feel cramped at all.

— There is a lot of storage in this place. The hide-a-way trash can and secret pantry are my favorite parts of this RV.

—Our refrigerator can stay stocked as we drive. This is bonus x3. In the Toy Hauler, we have to unpack the fridge every time we leave a camping site.

— There is a secret compartment behind the TV. More places to hide things!

—We can stop along the highway on a pull-off and have lunch. That is what we did today. The rain was coming down, and we were feeling sleepy. We needed fuel, so we pulled off the road and made sandwiches. We sat and enjoyed our lunch and didn’t have to get wet!

—The RV has USB plugs everywhere. It is a mobile device heaven.

—Because we are self-contained, we don’t have to level the RV each time we stop. We pull in and then pull out of our stops. No crazy set up and take downs.

—The blinds in this place are amazing. They block a lot of light. It doesn’t get dark in Alaska in the summer, and these help to filter out the midnight sun. (We still have to wear sleep masks, though). The blinds don’t crash and move like most mini blinds. We love this! **Side note: as I post this a few days later, I’ve determined anyone who travels in Alaska needs blackout blinds on some sort. These blinds are good, but it is still too bright camped outside of trees on a beach.

The Downfalls of this particular Class C:

—The shitter, as Pat says, is too small. WAY. TOO. SMALL. Try being 6’6’’ and cramming into a room that is smaller than an airplane lavatory. Even my knees hit the door in this bathroom.

—The shower is too small. Our Toy Hauler has a vaulted bathroom ceiling and sits at an angle. We need that type of bathroom so Pat doesn’t have to duck his head while shampooing.

—We still have an RV queen. Too tall people need a regular queen or a king. It just has to be that way.

— The noise on the road is unbelievable. It is so loud. The creaks and the crashes sometimes are louder than the two of us talking.

—We have a leak! This can happen to any RV, but our top bunk is soggy right now!

—This RV doesn’t have stabilizers. This is a pro (as mentioned above) and also a con. The first night Pat had to sleep with this head at the foot of the bed because of the slant. I had to sleep above the cab.

—We can’t use our Shock Chalks, so the movement from walking when we are parked is a little like being on a boat.

—We can’t just unhitch the RV and go for a drive in the truck. The whole thing comes with us, so parking can sometimes be a pain.

     I am certain these are the discussions we will be having on our two weeks long Alaskan RV trip. Hopefully by the time we are done, we will know which RV will be for us once we decide to upgrade the Toy Hauler. One thing is for certain, whatever the RV may be, road tripping under a house on wheels is for me!

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