We're Not in Kansas Anymore

One of the features we most admired the first time we saw Toto (besides the impeccable exterior, neutral decor, and ample space for dogs on travel days) was the amount of interior storage. Shelves lined the cabin on both sides. The kitchen pantry was roomy. The linen closet huge. And we each had a small hanging closet - one on each side of the bed. While it's just the two of us, I'm certain this 40 ft coach could easily accommodate a family of four. You have to be willing to think outside the box and get a little creative with storage options. And you must remain flexible. RV storage solutions are in a perpetual fluid state... what works today might be modified tomorrow. But for now, this is how I organize. Bedroom Both of us have a hanging closet on our side of the bed. While great storage space, it is not as convenient as we first thought. First, the closet is narrow, only about 11 inches wide and 20 inches long. In addition, the depth is a hair too small for normal hangers. ...

  I am a sucker for a good story. And I am convinced that everyone has a story worth sharing. I might also add, many things have a story worth sharing too. While it would be foolish to make a major purchase based solely on its narrative, I must admit, it made me love this rig even more. The day we went to see the coach for the first time, Geoff and I played our separate roles. Geoff walked around the exterior of the coach with the truck mechanic to learn the inner workings of a diesel pusher. And I made small talk with his wife. One question at the forefront of my mind was ... why did a 20-year-old rig have only 28,500 miles on it? Come to find out, there's a very good reason. Photo credit: Thomas Hawk @Flickr This coach was originally owned by Mickey Gilley - the country music star and proprietor of the famous Gilley's Bar from the movie, Urban Cowboy. He also remains a popular attraction in Branson, MO. He bought the coach to use as his dressing room --  and to allow ...

  We took our first RV trip in September 2021. We rented a 31-foot Coachman from Outdoorsy and traveled four hours to Pigeon Forge, TN. While the first 24-hours were a bit uncertain, we made a few adjustments and discovered we loved the lifestyle.  We returned four days later and immediately started looking for an RV of our own. Our RV Hot Buttons We knew from that first experience that Geoff wanted a diesel pusher. Not only does it provide extra horse-power for climbing hills, but it also provides a quiet ride (the engine is in the back). In addition, it gave us the option to pull a vehicle, if we wanted a car to drive into town from the campsite. We also knew we wanted to purchase a used vehicle. In part because of the price, but also, new RVs require a breaking-in period to work out all the kinks. We would much prefer to know the kinks ahead of time.  And we wanted a larger coach, between 35 and 40 feet. We have two large dogs and they take up a lot of space! We had s...