BrigCA61

1- You don't have to camp in a trailer/rv park, but having full hookups is very nice. We don't always stay at the RV parks to get R&R, we use our TM as a kind of "hotel" when we want to see sights around a particular area. I don't have to board my dogs, they are with me which is nicer for them and us and they are very good in the TM while we are away for a few hours. There are some very nice RV parks though with lots of nice things within the park too.. get yourself a nice RV camping book, like Woodalls or Good Sam's and start planning your vacations... they are all rated and list the accomodations. If you want camping in a nicer setting (remote), then try one of the many State Parks or Nat'l Parks... some have hookups, but the nice thing about the TM is that it's also fully self-contained. Many even camp on public lands (BLM).

2- TM maintenance is not constant or any big worry as you state. Once you become familiar with your TM it's no more work then maintaining your home or automobile... it becomes routine. The pleasure obtained from owning a TM far outweighs any maintenance issues.

3- We have not had any "issues" with our toilet and it sure beats digging a hole in the boonies (lol) or walking into a smelly outhouse in the middle of the night in freezing temperatures. The only thing that took us a bit of time to work out, was which type of deoderizer to use.... there is literally a full isle at CampingWorld full of various products. Do a little research, search the posts others have left here and soon you'll find a product you are happy with. Camping where there are full hookups is great cause you can discharge your waste before you leave, or any time the toilet gets full. If you camp where there are no hookups, we either use their toilet and only expell liquids into the TM toilet, or you can purchase a "tote" for the longer camping trips. At home we take the cap off the sewer pipe and replace with another clamp that has a screen over it to air things out. All in all, we like our little toilet.

4- Your wife will appreciate the TM because it really is very easy to clean up. To address the water issue.. if you have full hookups, use all the water you want... easy to dump the tank when the gauge shows it's getting full. If you don't have full hookups, I always keep a container of Lysol and Windex wet wipes to do my cleaning with. When doing dishes, I simply fill one of the larger bowls or a small pot with some soapy warm water and do all dishes with that (you can pour the soapy water down the toilet too if you want...helps clean it). I always pre-wipe any food particles off with a paper towel to keep the grey water tank clean. A supply of paper plates will keep the dishwashing to a minimum also.

All this may sound overwhelming if you are not familiar with it. We tend to get into all the specifics and details but what you decide to do or not do is really a matter of personal preference. Some things you really MUST do, others you can take or leave. Take the tips that you find useful and leave the rest! :-) It really amazed me because I was like you thinking "OMG, I don't know about this... it seems like soo much work!", but after you have gone out a few times you soon find out that everything becomes "natural" and is easily accomplished. We really don't even think about it much anymore... once we get out there, we can fully immerse ourselves into the recreation aspect and we, as do most all TM owners, totally love the TM's.