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Old 10-29-2012, 04:30 PM   #1
gkidsdlite
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New member needs info and lots of it!!!

Just getting into it and need to know good places to stay where its warm. Any and all info you can send me will help! Thank You!
 
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Old 10-29-2012, 04:34 PM   #2
snfexpress
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Welcome, and what information would you like first?
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Old 10-29-2012, 07:30 PM   #3
DQDick
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Welcome to the forum. I'd love to give you some answers, but here's the thing, we have members who stay regularly in Florida, others along the Gulf Coast, others in the Rio Grande Valley and still more in Arizona and Southern California. Do you want full hookups or are you going to boondock? Then we need to know are you looking for dynamic views, work camping opportunities, 55 and over parks, or some wonderful resorts. Depending on what you are looking for and what part of the country you want to find it in we should have someone with the knowledge to fix you up. After that folks here can help you with what you need or may want to set up your rig for the experience. Just need to know where to start and folks will be along to help.
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Old 10-30-2012, 04:07 AM   #4
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Agree, ask specific questions and you will get great knowledgable responses. Just one of the great benefits of this forum.
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Old 10-30-2012, 11:10 AM   #5
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As a Wise Man once said...."Ask and Ye Shall Recieve!"
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Old 10-30-2012, 04:59 PM   #6
gkidsdlite
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"Boondocking" I assume that means not staying where there are hookups, as in staying out in the desert? Scenery is the number 1 objective along with great places to ride our Harley on day trips so that we can send pics to kids and family to make them jealous LOL!!! Probably going to want to get that out of our system first, then graduate to a steady place to park for the winter, since we plan on coming back to northern IL in the spring! Can't stand to be away from grandkids for too long!!! We have not purchased our fiver yet but have pretty much settled on the Montana, after all they are the ones that we see more people with on the road! What is a good starter model or should we go "Whole hog" to start with? Thanks for the info and I will have more questions as we go along.
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Old 10-30-2012, 05:51 PM   #7
DQDick
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Your still going to live in your rig for the winter so you want a floor plan that you can live in long term. That's different for all of us. There are many different floor plans just in the Montana family and most if not all are used by someone for full timing. It's like stick houses, everyone's tastes are different. We're probably what you would call "whole hog", but we bought ours with the basics and then added the rest to our liking. You will want double pane windows, the best insulation and most likely since you are from the mid-west two air conditioners beyond that opinions will vary. Many of us would warn you to get your rig with other than Marathon tires just from our past experience. If you plan on boondocking you'll want to figure out some way to generate electricity. We have two honda generators in the back of our truck, Montana's can come with a built in generator and many MOC members rely on solar to generate electricity when they are off the grid.
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2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
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Old 10-31-2012, 05:26 AM   #8
deadeye
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Ok, we still need more info. We will start with the basics. (1) Have you ever camped before? (2) Do you have a camper now? (3) If so what is it and have you ever boondocked on any occasions? (4) You said you like the appearance of the Montana's from meeting on the road. They are a nice rig, but you best try it before you go "whole hog" would be my advise. (5) Have you traveled to any of the snow bird states during the months that you would want to be there? Seasons change and they sure make a difference of whether you may like the envirement at the time you want to be there. (6) Do you have a tow vehicle? Makes a difference on what you have, if any and how big it might be to handle the weight of the unit. I am sure you will or have learned this already. Enquisitive minds are curious n these items. Then we will go on from there and try and help...JB
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Old 10-31-2012, 11:38 AM   #9
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FYI .... it is not going to be easy to take the Harley and the Montana unless you have a plan aready in place. That is something you need to think about before you purchase. A toy hauler may be your answer but you will not have the living space once you get where you are going. We have a Harley also and have not figured a way to transport it that we are comfortable with. Just wanted to address that issue before you buy. Good luck and enjoy.
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Old 11-01-2012, 03:36 AM   #10
Ren
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by gkidsdlite

"Boondocking" I assume that means not staying where there are hookups, as in staying out in the desert? Scenery is the number 1 objective along with great places to ride our Harley on day trips so that we can send pics to kids and family to make them jealous LOL!!! Probably going to want to get that out of our system first, then graduate to a steady place to park for the winter, since we plan on coming back to northern IL in the spring! Can't stand to be away from grandkids for too long!!! We have not purchased our fiver yet but have pretty much settled on the Montana, after all they are the ones that we see more people with on the road! What is a good starter model or should we go "Whole hog" to start with? Thanks for the info and I will have more questions as we go along.

One of the mistakes I made for me personally is not getting the full body paint. Kinda kicking myself for not getting both the body paint and a level-up system. If you dont have a tow vehicle yet, I would HIGHLY recommend an F-450. After driving one this week its turning radius will not only put my F-350's to shame, but it would make even a toyota prius green with envy... pun intended..

Your second question on where to stay where its warm is an easy one. Where does every other snow bird go???.... Florida.. LOL. Lots of RV parks down here that will rent or sell sites. Im a personal fan of the Keys, a great place to take the Harley and lots to do.

You came to the right place. Ask lots of questions... we have answers!
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Old 11-01-2012, 06:14 AM   #11
Art-n-Marge
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Being in Illinois, (kinda central), you can pick your location. Florida is popular, Texas is just due south, Arizona is very scenic and California is expensive. These are all "Snow Bird" RVers popular places to go.

Get all the options you ever think you'll need. Installing them in the aftermarket will be more expensive. Don't be intimidated by the size because of it. In time you'll get used to it and I've met more people who have kicked themselves with the "I shoulda got the bigger one" because they did get used to it but the intimidation got the better of them. If you are capable of learning, then you'll do fine with the bigger, badder model especially if it meets your needs - 2nd A/C, generator OR solar recharge system OR both, W/D hooked up properly (not to the black tank), Leveling system, larger fridge, upgraded suspension and upgraded hitch box. If you have any questions on what and why, please ask. Sure, we're spending your money, but it might be money well spent for you based on MOC members' experiences.

Boondocking is exactly what you think it is. It's also know as "RVing off-the-grid". Without hookups you'll also need other equipment to carry (Tote, Water Bladder, Pump, etc.) Above I mentioned a suitable generator AND solar recharging system. I have a friend who swore by Solar systems and he has a nice one but only enough power for one A/C, then took a long RV vacation (several months) in summer, camping under trees all the time to help cool the rig and found the solar panels could not keep up since he was under the shade most of the time (no A/C, ugh). Now he knows why I went the generator route, even though I would love an adequate solar system.

Make sure you get more truck than you need. Today's need will change tomorrow so look to the future (the MOC should be able to help you with this). I tried to be exact and fell short due to unforeseen surprises (another long story). No doubt, the F-450 dually will meet your needs and the new model is rated FANTASTIC by anyone that has one, but the other automakers might also have something suitable.

Lastly, know your weights ahead of time. Shipping weight is completely useless for this and is why RV dealers will sell using this number. Go by the GVWR, GTWR, AWRs and CGVWR (please ask, if not familiar). Then you must check with your state and find out if there are driver's license requirements for the weight when an RV is concerned. For example, in California I tow a trailer between 10,000 and 15,000 and was required to get an RV endorsement for my Class C license. Many states require some kind of fee or license if you are over 20,000 or more CGVWR and so on. This is why some owners have created a "new" residence in a state that is cheaper to own their rig combination. Or like many who aren't familiar with these guidelines you can "take your chances".

I hope these suggestions help, but there are so many things to know and they are not as bad as anyone should think.
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Old 11-03-2012, 07:42 PM   #12
Stichwerks
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Welcome.....What a great site to lurk and get all sorts of great advise and direction. You will not be disappointed.
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Old 11-04-2012, 04:06 AM   #13
Rondo
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Hey Art-- Get your US map out and check where Texas is! It is not due south of Illinois. Texas may be a big state but not that big! Sorry!
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Old 11-08-2012, 04:03 PM   #14
gkidsdlite
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Thank all of you for your replies to my questions. As far as the tow veh. I have an 01 f250 that has 1ton suspension and of course the old reliable 7.3 diesel w/auto o/d trans. I have thought about the new f450 and test drove one but was told by a ford mech to stick with the 7.3! Oh what to do? 200,000 mi and still goin strong and paid for! Generator for sure, prob not goin the solar route because not reliable yet. I am a truck driver so the license is not a prob ( class A). The Harley is a must and I am still trying to work that out. Again thanks and I will talk to you all again soon.
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Old 11-10-2012, 10:35 AM   #15
otnoel521
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We have a 2010 Montana Mountaineer Toy-Hauler 347THT, and we carry our Heritage Springer (FLSTS) everywhere we go. We have been full-timing since retirement in March of 2010. I do not understand the comments regarding not having the living space with a Toy-hauler when bringing the bike once you arrive where you are going. My husband & I, our dog and our ball python live in ours quite comfortably. Once we arrive at our destination we unload the bike and have plenty of living space. We have boondocked in the desert, at some RV parks etc. In fact when we are at our "stick house" in Georgia we hook up to the water and electric and continue to live in our fifth-wheel in between our trips. We have spent months at our property in PA (June through October). In December we head West to Texas for a month or so then head to the Circle of Montana's in Quartzsite, AZ. The only thing we found to be a little sketchy is unloading the bike (the ramp is fairly steep) but my husband designed use of bar stock with a wench to lower the bike. I work the wench while he straddles the bike to keep her upright while he backs out of the rig. He has posted a series of pictures and directions on what was used for the setup. Check it out. Dave & Olga Noel (Dave's MOC id is flsts). BTW, we tow with a 2007 GMC one ton Dually. Life is good.
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Old 11-10-2012, 11:25 AM   #16
DQDick
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Sounds like a great set up!
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2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
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