Good News Bad News

Good News - the parts all arrived, we picked them up from the local UPS office in bellingham.  The crate with the window in it weighs about 80 pounds, and we had to lift it into the back of the truck, Le and I. I almost dropped it but locally caught it on my leg at the last moment!

We got it in, we couldnt close the tailgate so had to strap it in and we came home on backroads so as not to have it jump about or worse fall out.  We got home and discovered some of the parts they said were missing.  We pulled part of the crate apart and looked but couldnt see them in there.

The only place it would fit was underneath in the big bin, so we unpacked it completely so we could put the window crate lying flat in there. It is about 4 1/2 ft sq. (and wieghs a tonne! - ok 80pounds).  Le was worried after my last attempt I would not be able to carry it from the back of the truck into the RV bin ... so went about seeing if she could remove anything else from the crate to lighten the load. That is when we found the "missing" blinds, shelf and handle were actually there packed in the middle above the window.

Then ... BAD NEWS ... the window is the wrong configuration.  Instead of our glorious half and half opening window this one has a tiny little window down the bottom and the rest is just all glass - no opening!  So ... we don't want it. We have sat here for nearly 6 weeks waiting for the frickin parts and they send the wrong window. And it weighs a tonne!!! and hangs out the back of the truck.  And it is raining. So we have put the wood back on as best we can and put the plastic that came off the mattress all around it so it doesnt get soaked.  

And we wait for Heartland to tell us tomorrow what to do with the damn thing.

Quest for the perfect family RV

I didnt realize how hard this would be - I should have known because it took us for ever to find our first RV. We really want to check out the Crossroads CRUISER CF3BL which has a little side slide out bunkhouse instead of the normal rear bunk room. We also want to check out the Heartland Big Country models 3490BHS, 3490RB and especially 3550TSL Loft model.

So we headed off today to go to RVWholesalers at Lakeview, Ohio because they seem to have stock on hand that match at least two of the ones we are looking for - and their prices have always seemed much cheaper. Plus I found online that Smiths RV in Monroe had a Cruiser CF3BL - well their website said they did. We went there and pulled into the messiest RV dealership we have seen, Le ran had to ask, then was pointed to where the office was, so went to ask about the cruiser they had advertised. She said the office was as unorganised as the RV's outside. She finally got the attention of the lady, who said they didnt actually have the model in the yard, but we could order it online from their website. Looking at their yard (full of old grungy looking RV's) I expect you order most of their new stock through their website and nobody actually ever goes to the yard. So I wish I had taken a photo, it is so dissapointing this quest for the perfect RV, the dealers just dont hold bunkhouses - or the ones we want to see.

We got to Willshire Ohio, stopped at a playground and let the kids played for a good while, then we pulled into the local gas station - the price of diesel was 20 (even 30c) cheaper a gallon now we had crossed into OHIO from Indiana. Went to get the credit card and I realised, I hadnt grabbed the purse ... I had gone back inside the Domani to get the purse and some CD's and forgotten to grab the purse. We had 108 miles till empty showing on the display - and according to the Tom Tom (GPS) 87 miles to get back home - so we turned around pronto and headed (conservatively driving with no air-con to mimimize fuel usage) home and we made it with 14 miles to go! That is nerve wracking.

So that was incredibly dissapointing. First crew didnt have the camper, then we didnt make it to RVWholesalers to check out the others. Le has just got off the phone with RVWholesalers and they do have the loft - so I guess we will have to take our trip again ... Least we know the way to the border now.

Off to keep searching the net for solutions / options. We have found a number of brands that specialize in full-time RVs - like Americana, New Horizons and Carriage. They are of course much more expensive - but we are persuing looking through their floorplans and options now too. Maybe we can find a Rear Living and put bunks into the front wardrobes ??