What's Your Previous RV Experience

We'd be interested in knowing what previous camping or RVing experience you brought to your purchase of a TM. For instance, Irene and I camped in a 9x9 umbrella tent on our honeymoon 41 years ago. Since then we've had tents, pop-up tent campers, and three big fifth wheels culminating with a 37' foot Carriage LS which we hauled with a Ford F-550 with a custom bed. We spent 8 months a year on the road for six years. We recently traded our Coleman tent camper for a new 2004 2720 SL which we plan to use for attending bluegrass festivals and for some longer trips to warmer climes in winter. What's your past experience and present or intended use?

Ted (and Irene)

[Joesjunk]

Started many years ago in the back of a small pickup. Mostly fishing trips. Really crowded with two people. Upgraded to a tent about 10 years ago. Worked good as long as the bugs and rain remained outside the tent. Official campgrounds worked well except for the gravel sites. About 3 years ago, I swapped my son-in-law my fishing boat for a small pop-up. That got us off the ground and out of the rain. But it was too small for two people. We upgraded a year and a half ago to a pop-up with two king beds, A/C, and heat. This was great, many great camping trips. Both at campgrounds and in fields at friends farms. Especially the port-a-potty we added. Last year we began to plan a cross country trip NC to UT in September. Then I stumbled across a TrailManor for sale on the web at a dealer. Wife suggested we go see it. We ended up buying it and have just about completed fixing the things that didn't work. Can't complain got a good buy on it. Spent two days at Myrtle Beach, SC during the heat wave. Toooo hot. A/C worked hard but only seemed to cool at night.
We're about ready to take the TM through its paces starting September 1 for 6 to 8 weeks. We will be touring the west and visiting many of the national parks along the way.

We started in 1972 in a borrowed tent with a fly that was two inches above the floor of the tent. We collected over 2 inches of rain one night and awoke sleeping in it. We bought a COleman pop-up in 96 and enjoyed it but got tired of all the effort and then the mice ate thru the canvas in about 2002. Decided to upgrade to a lovely Grand Surveyor Travel Trailer for a cross-country trip in 2004. Totaled it and the TV in July 2004 on the Snake River Canyon bridge in Idaho and nearly lost our lives -- wind gust. Decided not to repeat the physical and psychological pain we suffered from that and decided to buy a TM for towing low but living in the luxury to which we quickly became accustomed. No sway issues with the TM -- we like it fine. Will likely upgrade to a 5th or Class A someday, but we are presently very satisfied. We are more than satisfied with our dealer -- MCD in Hyannis, MA.
Queeniereads aka Judi

Just bought it and I'll admit to some concerns about the amount of set up and take down. I tent camped for many years and bought an A-Liner in 2000. Easy setup, but tight even for one after a few days. Would have kept it a couple more years, but I got a new kitty this year and I'm training her to be a tag-along cat. The A-Liner was simply too small for me, the kitten, AND a litter box. With the TM, she can sneak into the bathroom from the bed side, and her box is going to fit just fine in the shower! The improvement in kitchen size and quality is going to be a huge plus for me too. I got one with a microwave/toaster oven, and I'm really looking forward to that and to a refrigerator that can actually make ice!

We're off on our first weekend trip this coming Friday with plans for a full week trip the first week of November. My beastie will be coming on both! Wish us luck.
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Shirley
TM 2027SL 2006
2001 Nissan Pathfinder

We tent camped for the first 19 years of our marriage and then in 2001 purchased a 2001 starcraft 1702 - the smallest, lightest, pop-up we could find. While DW did many mods to improve the livability she couldn't change the fact that it was small or that we couln't keep from getting in each other's way (and it swayed alot at night when the wind blew (or I rolled over))! Got a vehicle that could actually tow something last year so this year we moved up to a TM.