I decided to do a blog about my RV remodel project since in searching the internet I came to the conclusion that one can never have too many sources of ideas for how to do a project like this! It also will make it easier for my own family and friends to play along and offer up suggestions - I'm looking at you girls...you know who you are!
In early December 2011 we became the proud owners of a 1998 Winnebago Warrior motor home. I promptly dubbed her Winnie. OK, so Winnie is probably the most un-original name ever for a Winnebago, but I like it and it's easy to remember so Winnie it is.
We actually started out looking for a 5th wheel. Seemed like the logical choice for full-time RVing, which was the plan. But like any half-way decent plan it did not survive the execution phase. Doug decided he wanted his truck cargo area, and despite the fact our truck came with a perfectly good Hide-A-Goose hitch system already installed, which meant we were already set up for fifth wheel towing with an adapter. Apparently this did not leave enough truck bed. Just in case we saw a nice 5th wheel he went out and bought a fiberglass topper just to seal the deal and make a 5th wheel impossible.
OK, so now we are looking for a conventional pull-type trailer. I was down with that idea and promptly started scouring Craigslist for classic Airstream trailers. I love them and figured "Now's my chance!"
Except that those are pretty rare in decent shape and a price we could afford. Most of them I found here in the Pacific North-Wet also had some serious mold issues. Not cool. Neither one of us really wanted to head for the desert to look for one just yet. So we looked at a few newer trailers for sale. All had various drawbacks - like that mold - or were leaking or just a bit too well-used for our tastes.
We are not buying new, but we do not want "rode hard and put up wet" either. Just a nice, well taken care of trailer for around 6 or 7 thousand. Shouldn't be too hard to find. Turns out it is hard enough that we gave up on the finding it soon part and rented an apartment on a short lease so we could be comfy while we searched.
Then, barely a week after we moved into the apartment Doug decides we need a cargo trailer behind the truck to haul our stuff that we left in storage up to Alaska and maybe we should be looking at motor homes. Um, OK. We had ditched that idea long before we bought the truck - all the reasons: powerplant and house in one, it breaks down we have to live in motel, etc, etc. We had agreed this was not the way to go. So when he suggested it of course my response was "Yeah, that's a good idea! Lets look at a few!"
Our criteria were strict: Not too big; 21 - 25 feet is about right. Not too old; nothing over 10 years, certainly. Not in need of too much work; we have no shop or big back yard anymore to tear it down and fix it up so it needs to be pretty much turn-key. Easy enough requirements, should be able to get all that in one rig, right?
Right. Yeah right.
We set out with a long list of possibilities, intent on spending an entire weekend carefully inspecting and eliminating potential candidates until we found The One.It was a good plan. But like any half-way decent plan it did not survive.....you get the idea. Our first stop was in Everett to look at a Winnebago. It was also our last stop. We looked, we liked, we started peeling off hundred dollar bills. We actually managed to nail criteria number one: She is 23' long. She is way over 10 years old. She needs a lot of work. Hey, 1 outta 3 ain't bad!
So much for careful, considered shopping. She is now ours and we love her, or we will anyway just as soon as she comes out of that mechanics shop we had her towed to up in Everett....
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