The RV Show

I know it has been 5 days since we went to the RV show in Flint, MI but it has been an incredibly busy 5 days! We are in the midst of a heat wave in the middle of March, and I work (WAH) for a pest control service. I answer the phones and schedule the technicians during their busiest season, April-October, but this year I have been called into service in March because they are so busy! Plus I have my 3YO grandson here much of the time, as my daughter works 2 jobs...plus I've been sick! So blogging has been low on my list of priorities :).

First of all I want to say that this was really an excellent RV show! I went for the RVs, not for the campground booths, although they were all very nice too. But since we don't have an RV yet, that was really secondary.

Second, I was quite surprised at some of my husband's insights, and even - dare I say it? - a little show of enthusiasm! It's not that he isn't enthusiastic, but he's such a realist (he keeps my feet on the ground) that he doesn't get excited about things until they actually start happening. So to see him show enthusiasm at what we saw, considering this won't be happening for a few years yet, really thrilled me!

I had planned to write about the models we saw and which we liked best, but instead I really want to write about features. We did see many of the models I'd already seen online, and it was great seeing them in person, gave me a much better idea of sizes and textures (some of those shiny silvery sinks are really just PLASTIC! they don't tell you THAT on the videos!) and also of how much stuff we'll have to get rid of - I figure about 98%. That won't be a hardship on me, except for the actual work, because I hate "stuff"!

I'm dying to write about the most surprising thing though: Pete really caught on to the toy haulers - and so did I! That was such a surprise to me! But we both loved the big "room", and spent more time talking about them and imagining what we'd do with them than we did any other type. We really think we'd have more options in a toy hauler. Pete suggested putting the bird cages along one side, and putting our musical stuff (keyboards, QChord, whatever) along the other. And I really love the idea of a big screen across the back during the day - I love our sunroom in our house too - and a DECK! While we didn't see any at the show, I'd seen a video with a deck like these and thought it was nice, but actually being IN the garage sections of these trailers and seeing it all in my minds' eye...well it really got me thinking that I WANT ONE! So that was a big surprise, and probably the best thing to come out of the show!

Other things we saw that we liked in various models were the outside kitchen (not with a stovetop, but the ones with the gas grills)...the bathroom with an outside entrance...the bunk rooms. There was one with a bunk room that had 3 bunks - 2 on one side, 1 on the other with storage beneath it - and a couch across the back, with another flat-screen TV facing it. I could see that being usable space, with the birds on the uppermost bunks, the dog crates below, storage for all of the pet paraphernalia, and for those occasions when our grandson might come with us, his own little spot for watching TV or videos or whatever. A model that might have all of the above may be a close 2nd favorite.

Size-wise, we felt cramped in anything less than 28 feet; 34 feet and up seemed like overkill and almost overwhelming to tow. Even when we were imagining being stuck inside during 3 days of rain - lol. So we got a good idea of the sizes that we liked best, although of course the layout did play a part in that as well. But 28-32'-ish felt good to us, imagining bird cages and dogs and whatnot taking up space too.

So I feel this was a great show, it answered just about every one of my questions, even ones I didn't know I had. I don't feel an urgent need to attend every show around, now, because I've got my answers, but it is a fun way to spend a day. AND I learned that what I thought I liked best wasn't necessarily THE best - and most of all that my Petey, when the time comes, will be every bit as into this lifestyle as me!