“You are the person who has to decide. Whether you’ll do it or toss it aside; you are the person who makes up your mind. Whether you’ll lead or will linger behind. Whether you’ll try for the goal that’s afar. Or just be contented to stay where you are.” — Edgar Guest
Gypsy Lee at the bottom of the gorge at Capital Reef State Park -- Photo by D.C. Bean
Travels With Maggie
Whenever I see a road with a sign marker that says no trailers or vehicles longer than 24-feet allowed, I’m thankful I travel in Gypsy Lee. She’s only 22-feet long, 8 feet wide and 11 feet high. She can go practically anywhere – and practically anywhere is always where I want to go.
While I try to take really good care of her, she wasn’t bought for show. She’s taken me to some amazing places. Her mobility serves me well, especially since my travel budget couldn’t afford a bigger rig, plus the tow vehicle they require if sight-seeing is on the menu.
I looked at motorhomes for five years before buying my VW Vista Winnebago just two weeks before I retired from my 40-hour plus a week job. While the big Class A’s wooed me, I eventually, and correctly, decided a smaller Class C suited my needs best. I only looked at a couple of Class B’s, glorified vans, to realize they weren’t for me.
I also decided travel trailers – which actually make a lot of financial and practical sense – were not for me. I didn’t want to go down the road pulling something behind me, and hooking and unhooking them wasn’t something I wanted to do single handed, not to mention backing them up into a small campground site.
Gypsy Lee hooked up at Lake Walcott State Park in Idaho, where she sat for six weeks during my stint as a volunteer campground host. -- Photo by Pat Bean
My advice to potential RV buyers is to look at a lot of RVs and consider your own very personal needs before buying. For example while I know couples who travel in rigs as small as mine, I can’t imagine sharing it full-time with anyone but Maggie. S0 take your time and choose wisely to meet your own expectations and not those of others.
Then, I hope you will enjoy the road as much as I do.
Pat Bean's blog 
Good advice since we’ll begin looking soon.
Pat- thanks for this advice- my husband and I talk of travels similar to yours at some point in the future-he’s still working so it’ll be a few years yet. But RV advice even at this stage is good to have.
I just want to say that I really enjoy your blog and admire your spirit- you and Maggie remind me of John Steinbeck and his Travels with Charley, and yes, Charles Kuralt as well.
I too am a member of SCN and came across your blog either on the yahoo group forum or maybe in an e letter-can’t recall but I do enjoy reading your notes.
Thanks.
I’m glad you found me Janet — and thanks for the kind words.