Toy Haulers and New Friends

What a great weekend!

The CA RV Show was everything we hoped it would be.  There was plenty of toy haulers to look at and compare, we got to meet full time RVer's Jason and Nikki Wynn of Gone With The Wynns and we also met and enjoyed dinner with Bill and Jodee Gravel of On The Road Abode!

I wrote a post about our 'most wanted' toy hauler about a month ago here.  The Voltage dealership brought out quite a few models for us to look at including the big brother to the 3600 model we're interested in purchasing.  The 3800 model has the same interior as the 3600.  The difference is that the garage is 2' longer.  We are contemplating buying a small car such as a Smart Car or Mini Cooper to putter around towns in while traveling.  Having the extra 2' in the garage means that is totally possible, even with our tools and such that we'll need for work.

Here are a few photos I snapped of the rig:

Ron sits in the dinette seating area.  We plan to use this table for dining instead of the garage table.  With our work, the garage will probably be too dirty to eat in.  We also like that there is a door separating the two areas. 

 The kitchen is spacious!  There is plenty of cupboard space for storing dishes, pots and pans and of course food.  The four door refrigerator works on both electricity and propane.  There is a microwave, oven and 3 burner stove top.  The sink comes with covers including an added butcher block top.

The entertainment center is located just inside the front door.  It includes a large screen TV, stereo system and a fireplace.  It bet it will be nice to turn on the fireplace and read a book on a cool afternoon.  The couch seats include a heater system too.  No more cold bums for the Kipps!  



The master bedroom has a queen sized bed with storage underneath.  There are plenty of places to keep clothes organized including his and hers closets and 5 drawers.  We even have space for smaller items in the overhead cabinets and bed side tables.

The master bathroom is roomy, has plenty of counter space and there are four cabinets for storing small and bigger items.  The bowl sink saves room under the counter too.  The shower is corner style but still large enough to use comfortably.  There is a smaller half bath in the garage for washing up before coming in after work. 

The living area is well planned out.  The dinette and couch are on a slide.  The edge of the kitchen counter features a drop down extension.  This will certainly come in handy when prepping a meal.  The overhead loft is an added sleeping area.  We plan to use it for larger storage bins. 

A bonus is the back ramp which doubles as a patio.  The patio includes short side walls with a step ladder (not shown) and an awning.  I can see this is going to be a favorite area to relax when we're on the road! 





 

Jason & Nikki Wynn, Rene' & Ron

Each year, the RV Show invites celebrities to hold seminars and talk about all things RV.  This year Jason and Nikki were here to show off the Fleetwood Excursion which they call home.  They greeted the public near the entrance, answered questions and took many photos with their fans.  We had a chance to talk with Jason while Nikki was busy with other people.  We talked about our business plans once we get on the road.  He seemed genuinely interested in how we're hoping to earn a living.  Perhaps we'll meet up again once we're on the road.      

Bill, Ron, Rene' and Jodee

Jodee and I have been RVillage friends for a couple of months now but have never met face to face.  We follow each others blogs.  We're also friends on Facebook.  I knew she lived in the So-Cal area.  Jodee said she and her husband Bill planned to visit the RV Show to look at their dream RV, a Tiffin Allegro 33aa.  I knew it would be a great chance to meet and get to know each other a bit better.  We met for lunch at the show and then later for dinner in nearby Claremont. 

I did a search for restaurants in the area and discovered Eureka would fit the bill.  They serve a variety of food including burgers, salads, chicken and fish.  They have many different beers on tap too.  We all ordered something different and we each liked our food greatly.  I'm not a beer fan but Bill, Jodee and Ron enjoyed their choice.  We were lucky enough to sit outside on the patio dining area.  The heat of the day had worn off and the slight breeze felt good after walking around at the show.   

We talked about the RV show, our children, how we met our significant others, our plans for the future and on and on.  The time went by quickly and soon our food was gone and it was time to head our separate ways.  I know we will see each other again.  We all had a good time and shared some laughs.  I'm looking forward to keeping in touch and visiting when we can. 



Note: Click on any of the photos for a larger image plus thumbnails at the bottom.