Whiskyecho
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2007
- Posts
- 114
We purchased a '05/'06 Roadtrek (8000 miles on the odometer) from a couple in Florida mid-year '07. I spent many hours reading the different system's Operators' Manuals. Read - go to the Van, Read - go to the Van - I got to know the systems, inside and out.
We spent 1 night at a close-by KOA - did the things to learn about Cooking aboard, dumping the Waste Tanks, hooking up Cable - not however, the Showers. I've got no intentions (at the present thinking) of using the Vans showers (except for possibly using the outside to give the Dogs a bath - should then need one). And, we use bottled and take-along water for drinking and cooking - on-board water for hand washing, teeth brushing and dish washing.
Then in August '07 we left on what turned out to be a 21 day, 6200+ miles trip - from North of Houston to So Cal (to visit relatives for a few days), up the West Coast on Hwy 1 until it ran out then Hwy 101.
To the top of the Olympic Peninsula (had wanted to cross over onto Vancouver Island but too many restrictions traveling with 2 Dogs) across to the East and Port Townsend , over to Whidbey Island and back, down to the Portland/Vancouver, Wa where we visited with a childhood friend and his wife.
East along the Columbia, Past Mt Hood, Mt Shasta, Mt St Helens (which, after doing the 45 minute drive to the view points, it was clouded-in and we didn't get to see it) also went around Crater Lake (the photos of which I accidentally deleted!! - guess we'll have to go back).
Over to Susanville, around Lake Tahoe, thru Reno, thru Las Vegas, back along I40 to Amarillo, back down thru Ft Worth and home to Lake Conroe.
We had no (zero) reservations (in the middle of Summer, mind you) and got stung only once - Along Hwy 395 in Calif, in vicinity of Lee Vining - couldn't find a place to Camp so spent the night at a Best Western (Bridgeport?) - an OK motel but very expensive for a BW. (Did enjoy sleeping in a different bed and having only a couple of steps to the John and Shower, for a change).
Found out a couple of things about the Van:
1) The day before leaving on the jaunt I scraped the bottom of the Van on a high-crested commercial driveway. Found out on the 1st day of the trip that the "plastic" housing for the black tank's slider valve was cracked. An RV place, just up Hwy 287 out of Wichita Falls, Tx couldn't repair but did "tie" the plumbing securely so that I didn't lose it while driving.
From Wichita Falls we called Vantastic Vans of Albuquerque - spoke to their mechanic who said he'd get the part and do the repair the next day. ABQ was along our planned route so, except for the 4 hour driving delay, it worked out well. The folks at Vantastic Vans (both maintenance and sales) treated us very very well.
2) The brakes on the Chevy chassis don't like to be used by a driver who doesn't have a lot of mountain driving (braking) experience. When the brakes get HOT there comes a shaking that makes one think that wheels are coming off the vehicle or that the steering control has failed. Happened to me before my Wife finally discovered that it was "overheated brakes". I've now learned what the ability to downshift is all about!
3) Two 25 lb dogs who are used to sleeping on our bed at home aren't about to change their sleeping habits simply because of a change in venue. Two adults and two dogs make for a miserable night's sleep in the smallish bed of a R/T 190V.
What I've done is to build a twin bed sized framework (out of 1 1/2" PVC) that runs across the #3 & #4 seats - on top of which I put an air mattress and a sleeping bag. I sleep there and have "given" the rear bed to my Wife and our "children". (we leave the rear bed "made-up" full time when traveling, by the way). The PVC frame sets-up and takes-down in about 5 minutes and stores in the outside storage - blowing up the mattress another 2 1/2 minutes.
NOTE: It's a FACT that, with all the "plumbing" (waste and generator exhaust) under the Van, the R/T 190 doesn't have enough ground clearance - so - I've had an aftermarket 2 1/2" lift kit installed - front and back.
I liked staying at State Parks best - due to the amenities - I don't care for Natnl Parks - due to the lack of amenities.
My Wife likes Forests, Rivers and Lakes - I prefer the Pacific Ocean (so we do mostly Forests, Rivers and Lakes).
We had a great trip and have since been on a 3 day trip to Inks Lake State Park, near Austin. Planning on (about) a 5 day trip to the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park (Williams, Az) - to take the Train on the 1 day trip up to GC......bill
On Edit: I forgot to mention the fact that we use MS S&T along with a Toshiba Laptop computer for vehicular navigation.
A great aide - saved me a number of times. Did have the laptop display "go out" one morning but stopped at a Best Buy in Olympia, Wa and their "Geeks" had me up and running in about 20 minutes. (turned out to be a permanent problem after I got home but Best Buy replaced the unit - no questions.
At the time of that "outage" I told my Wife that I didn't want to continue the trip without having S&T if we couldn't get it "fixed" - and I was serious.
I've built a pedestal in both my Van and my F150, upon which the laptop sits securely - the inverters and cables are all stealthily stowed. I won't leave home with out it!!
We spent 1 night at a close-by KOA - did the things to learn about Cooking aboard, dumping the Waste Tanks, hooking up Cable - not however, the Showers. I've got no intentions (at the present thinking) of using the Vans showers (except for possibly using the outside to give the Dogs a bath - should then need one). And, we use bottled and take-along water for drinking and cooking - on-board water for hand washing, teeth brushing and dish washing.
Then in August '07 we left on what turned out to be a 21 day, 6200+ miles trip - from North of Houston to So Cal (to visit relatives for a few days), up the West Coast on Hwy 1 until it ran out then Hwy 101.
To the top of the Olympic Peninsula (had wanted to cross over onto Vancouver Island but too many restrictions traveling with 2 Dogs) across to the East and Port Townsend , over to Whidbey Island and back, down to the Portland/Vancouver, Wa where we visited with a childhood friend and his wife.
East along the Columbia, Past Mt Hood, Mt Shasta, Mt St Helens (which, after doing the 45 minute drive to the view points, it was clouded-in and we didn't get to see it) also went around Crater Lake (the photos of which I accidentally deleted!! - guess we'll have to go back).
Over to Susanville, around Lake Tahoe, thru Reno, thru Las Vegas, back along I40 to Amarillo, back down thru Ft Worth and home to Lake Conroe.
We had no (zero) reservations (in the middle of Summer, mind you) and got stung only once - Along Hwy 395 in Calif, in vicinity of Lee Vining - couldn't find a place to Camp so spent the night at a Best Western (Bridgeport?) - an OK motel but very expensive for a BW. (Did enjoy sleeping in a different bed and having only a couple of steps to the John and Shower, for a change).
Found out a couple of things about the Van:
1) The day before leaving on the jaunt I scraped the bottom of the Van on a high-crested commercial driveway. Found out on the 1st day of the trip that the "plastic" housing for the black tank's slider valve was cracked. An RV place, just up Hwy 287 out of Wichita Falls, Tx couldn't repair but did "tie" the plumbing securely so that I didn't lose it while driving.
From Wichita Falls we called Vantastic Vans of Albuquerque - spoke to their mechanic who said he'd get the part and do the repair the next day. ABQ was along our planned route so, except for the 4 hour driving delay, it worked out well. The folks at Vantastic Vans (both maintenance and sales) treated us very very well.
2) The brakes on the Chevy chassis don't like to be used by a driver who doesn't have a lot of mountain driving (braking) experience. When the brakes get HOT there comes a shaking that makes one think that wheels are coming off the vehicle or that the steering control has failed. Happened to me before my Wife finally discovered that it was "overheated brakes". I've now learned what the ability to downshift is all about!
3) Two 25 lb dogs who are used to sleeping on our bed at home aren't about to change their sleeping habits simply because of a change in venue. Two adults and two dogs make for a miserable night's sleep in the smallish bed of a R/T 190V.
What I've done is to build a twin bed sized framework (out of 1 1/2" PVC) that runs across the #3 & #4 seats - on top of which I put an air mattress and a sleeping bag. I sleep there and have "given" the rear bed to my Wife and our "children". (we leave the rear bed "made-up" full time when traveling, by the way). The PVC frame sets-up and takes-down in about 5 minutes and stores in the outside storage - blowing up the mattress another 2 1/2 minutes.
NOTE: It's a FACT that, with all the "plumbing" (waste and generator exhaust) under the Van, the R/T 190 doesn't have enough ground clearance - so - I've had an aftermarket 2 1/2" lift kit installed - front and back.
I liked staying at State Parks best - due to the amenities - I don't care for Natnl Parks - due to the lack of amenities.
My Wife likes Forests, Rivers and Lakes - I prefer the Pacific Ocean (so we do mostly Forests, Rivers and Lakes).
We had a great trip and have since been on a 3 day trip to Inks Lake State Park, near Austin. Planning on (about) a 5 day trip to the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park (Williams, Az) - to take the Train on the 1 day trip up to GC......bill
On Edit: I forgot to mention the fact that we use MS S&T along with a Toshiba Laptop computer for vehicular navigation.
A great aide - saved me a number of times. Did have the laptop display "go out" one morning but stopped at a Best Buy in Olympia, Wa and their "Geeks" had me up and running in about 20 minutes. (turned out to be a permanent problem after I got home but Best Buy replaced the unit - no questions.
At the time of that "outage" I told my Wife that I didn't want to continue the trip without having S&T if we couldn't get it "fixed" - and I was serious.
I've built a pedestal in both my Van and my F150, upon which the laptop sits securely - the inverters and cables are all stealthily stowed. I won't leave home with out it!!
