We're home!
We had a pretty good time and as this was our first time in a motorhome, it was certainly a learning experience for us. Overall impression is that it can be a fun way to vacay, if..........
If you like staying in one place, fishing or just camping or hanging out with the neighbors......
If you tow a car along so you're not tied to the campsite.......
If you want to take the kids and/or dogs along and not leave them in a kennel or day care somewhere........
If one of you doesn't mind cooking while on vacation and the other does all the driving........
If the roads aren't too bad, so everything in the home doesn't shake, rattle, and roll......
If the weather's nice, or even if it's bad. The sound of rain on the roof when you're warm and dry in your little mobile can be quite cozy....
However.........
It can be a bitch to park, especially if your spotter and you aren't using the same signals, or to mean the same thing....
It won't get good mileage, but then you knew that.........we got about 11, which was surprisingly good, IMHO considering we were mostly going uphill, or so it seemed............
It won't be fast, but then you knew that too, and you'd miss the scenery if it was.......
People trying to pull onto the hiway will pretend you're not there; much to their surprise you will be and it will be them taking evasive action for a change!
It will rattle, squeak, shake and make all kinds of unexpected noises - the racks in the oven should be moved to between the cushions if they're clean enough......
Eventually the dogs will become accustomed to the noise and ignore it - you won't..........
The bed will be miserably uncomfortable, but a 3" memory foam mattress top from Wal-mart will make it infinitely better..... take your own pillow tho........
We drove a little over 800 miles and never left Colorado. We went to Colorado Springs for a couple of days first, both for the wedding and also to kind of learn how everything worked while we were still within a couple hour's drive of where we rented it, just in case. Then we drove down to the Great Sand Dunes Nat'l park, which was fantastic! But, just as we got there the heavens opened and it poured, so taking the dogs out onto the dunes for a romp evaporated - we'd never get them clean of all the sand if we had done.
We then went to South Fork (so named as it's the south fork of the Rio Grande) and spent the night in a beautiful setting right above the river, nestled in the mountains at about 7k feet. The altitude did take it's effect as I haven't lived in Co for about 30 years, but we still did OK if we didn't try to go too far or too fast. Then on to Pagosa Springs, then back thru Del Norte and towards Gunnison, where we spent another night. That was the only place we had to run the heater at night as it got down to 40*, but again, we were completely cozy with it on, and in the morning the sun was bright and warm. Our last night was also in Colorado Springs so we'd be within an hour's drive of the rental place, we had to be back there by noon the next day. We had dinner with friends and started packing things up to load in the car the next morning. People were roasting marshmallows and of course everywhere we went the dogs got more attention than us! It's a long drive back to KC but the mutt's slept well and didn't complain and we arrived home tired, but already thinking about renting again and where we might go. Maybe to visit our kids and grandkids in North Carolina?
The dogs travel in their crate in the back of the Audi, it's easier to get them out for a quick stretch and some water.............
It was almost 100* in Colorado Springs and it took me a while to get backed in, connected to the fresh water, electricity and so on, but the A/C cooled things down OK. Here me and the mutts are taking a break...........
The top of Wilkerson Pass west of Colorado Springs. The first major pass we took, and I was suprised how well the MH went up the hill, I did the speed limit at all times and never found myself with a line of cars behind me.....and the weather was beautiful! traffic was surprisingly light, but the campgrounds were mostly full...........
Daddy, can we drive now?
At the Sand Dunes, they look grey because this is just after it rained......
More on the way.........
And then it cleared up again............
Hoping she remembers the Snausages!
Ready for a game of cards?
At the top of Monarch Pass
Vam-poodles!
naw, they both just yawned at the same time..................
Our last night............then headed home..........
