Thinking of downsizing, Passport?

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by SargeW

We down sized from a Tiffin 40' Allegro Bus to our Passport 2400RBWE. We did it to simplify life, have a lot less "stuff" to look after, and not have heartburn if I let it sit idle for a month or more (which I have). I took a 5000 mile trip to Georgia over 6 weeks this year, and happily, build quality and performance was great.

I do really like the cable slide as the Bus had 2 Schwintek slides in the rear that gave me fits from time to time. This is my first rig with "real solar" and the 400 watt system with 2 Lithium batteries has worked flawlessly as well. We wound up a a bit more trailer than I thought we would, but the DW really wanted the washer/dryer hook ups, and I wanted the 2nd AC. The 12 volt refer works great too, I was never happy with propane/electric refers in past rigs. The fact that the 12 volt refer has a compressor helps it to stay cold, even in summer temps in the desert southwest.

I did make some changes to the rig, some were mods, others were décor. But we now have a rig that is personalized to us, and I don't miss the big Bus at all. There are a few other things I will change as time permits, but for now I (and the DW) are happy. I wholly support the down size thing.

Wife has issues washing her clothes at a public laundry. We are used to the W&D in the 5th.
I finally saw the Passport is a 50 amp trailer. That got me to thinking about a 2nd A/C. They have some of the info well hidden on their new and not improved website.

[SargeW]

Originally Posted by gearhead

I ain't ever sat in a booth dinette that didn't kill my back. Wife said she wasn't having the booth. So with the theatre seating if you have any guests, I suppose it's some kind of folding chairs.

We have the theater seats, which has a removable swivel table that hooks to it. I took the table off and modified it to have fold away legs. That way we can still use it, or store it under the bed if we don't need it. Plus the DW uses it for her crafting that she does. She can pull it over in front of her and set up her stuff on it.

You can get a RBWE that is built in Indiana. That is where mine was shipped from. It is just that the RBWE spec has a few different options than the regular RB. I passed up a 2022 that was on the lot as it didn't have the features that we wanted. The unit we have was shipped out from Indiana.

That's true, they don't over spend on web design. We too place a high priority on being able to wash clothes without leaving the RV. Especially in a unit that doesn't have excessive clothes storage space. I also reworked some of the shelving in the bedroom to create more room for clothes and shoes. But having the ability to wash at will really simplifies things.

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by SargeW

We have the theater seats, which has a removable swivel table that hooks to it. I took the table off and modified it to have fold away legs. That way we can still use it, or store it under the bed if we don't need it. Plus the DW uses it for her crafting that she does. She can pull it over in front of her and set up her stuff on it.

You can get a RBWE that is built in Indiana. That is where mine was shipped from. It is just that the RBWE spec has a few different options than the regular RB. I passed up a 2022 that was on the lot as it didn't have the features that we wanted. The unit we have was shipped out from Indiana.

That's true, they don't over spend on web design. We too place a high priority on being able to wash clothes without leaving the RV. Especially in a unit that doesn't have excessive clothes storage space. I also reworked some of the shelving in the bedroom to create more room for clothes and shoes. But having the ability to wash at will really simplifies things.

The Western Edition has a huge tank, I think maybe the fresh water, that seems appealing.
Did you go for the higher rated 400 watt solar panel?
I found one with the theatre seating about 300 miles away. I have the same dealership 20 miles away. I texted the further one about warranty work at the closer lot if I buy from them. I got the expected answer..we service units bought at our dealership first. So I then texted the nearby lot if they will transfer units between lots. No answer yet.
Those two hanging wardrobes by the bed are begging for some mods. The DW would likely claim them. All I need is a drawer for underwear and socks and folded shirts and shorts and a zip lock bag for toiletries.
Good that it has under bed storage.
Doc appointment Friday for my eye and after that maybe go looking.

[Balvar24]

Originally Posted by gearhead

Yes, I can get along fine with the Bigfoot, actually have space to spare. Betty, no bueno.
We have kicked around Class C but I don’t want to pay for one. Been watching PPL for used class C and A.
I just think it would be less stressful with a medium size 25 ft TT. Easier to get in government campgrounds, fuel up, etc. I’m pretty much whipped after 5-6 hours on the road, but don’t know if a TT would be better. I’ve never had a TT. I have towed the 21ft bay boat which is probably 26 with the tongue and the motor tilted up with zero stress.
I’m looking at the Passport SL 229RK. I would just as soon not have a slide. This model has a cable slide. At least it’s not a Schwintek.
I’ll let the weather cool off and go looking. Holiday World seems to have a bunch.
Eye gets slightly better by the day. Doc appointment later this week.

No slide. Two people. Want to downsize. You may be flirting with Fiberglass Clamshell territory?

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by Balvar24

No slide. Two people. Want to downsize. You may be flirting with Fiberglass Clamshell territory?

Regarding a Bigfoot Trailer? It's tempting but I could buy a new Corvette for the same price.

[SargeW]

Yeah we did opt for the 400 watt solar. Glad did, it has come really handy. Those wardrobes on either side of the bed are too small to hang stuff without the clothes hanging on the bottom. So I put two deep shelves in each one, which now holds tons more clothes and shoes. I turned the cabinet in the bathroom into a hanging clothes closet, which we mainly use for coats.

We also opted for the washer/dryer combo instead of a stacked unit. It works amazingly well, and we use the top part of that cabinet for storage.

[pawpaw]

Wife and I downsized 1-1/2 yrs ago to a TT vs the 2 fifth wheels we owned prior. The last was a GD 41' Solitude 377MBS. OK if the 3 grandsons came with us but they usually ended up in their parents campers. We looked at the GD Imagines with the rear dinette and windows like our last 5th wheels had. Most we saw in the 25' range had 1-AC and 30 amp service. You had to order one with the 2nd AC and the 50 amp service. No fireplace offered in this length and we would miss that on our few days of cold mornings in SE Louisiana. We stumbled upon the 25RDS Cougar that checked all the boxes we wanted for just the 2 of us and a occasional grandson. The Cougar's build quality for the most part rivaled the GD Solitude we had and was better than the 371 Fuzion toy hauler we had for over 3 yrs. Little nit picking things that son in law and myself were able to fix. Did have to bring it in for the In Command unit and a slide problem. Everything has been working OK. Still miss the auto leveling on the fifth wheels we had plus the on road handling pulling the TT in heavy winds. Sold my dually and wish I would have kept it for towing. I'm close to 76 yrs old and getting under the camper to pull the dump valves is a PITA compared to pulling them from inside a box at almost waist height. We only take short trips now but if we have to I'll borrow son in laws F250 diesel for longer trips. Maybe worth watching a you tube video of the Cougar 25RDS. Another fan of the 12V 10.5 cubic ft fridge/freezer combo.

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by SargeW

Yeah we did opt for the 400 watt solar. Glad did, it has come really handy. Those wardrobes on either side of the bed are too small to hang stuff without the clothes hanging on the bottom. So I put two deep shelves in each one, which now holds tons more clothes and shoes. I turned the cabinet in the bathroom into a hanging clothes closet, which we mainly use for coats.

We also opted for the washer/dryer combo instead of a stacked unit. It works amazingly well, and we use the top part of that cabinet for storage.

I’ve decided to go with the 400. A side note…sales lady told me yesterday that Dragonfly was giving the lithium batteries to them, in the past. We “camp” at NASCAR races two or three time a year with no hook ups, so any help is good.
We will have to asses what to do after we buy. Wife seems to bring 27 pairs of shoes for a four day trip.
Did you buy a Splendide W/D? Condensing or vented?

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by pawpaw

Wife and I downsized 1-1/2 yrs ago to a TT vs the 2 fifth wheels we owned prior. The last was a GD 41' Solitude 377MBS. OK if the 3 grandsons came with us but they usually ended up in their parents campers. We looked at the GD Imagines with the rear dinette and windows like our last 5th wheels had. Most we saw in the 25' range had 1-AC and 30 amp service. You had to order one with the 2nd AC and the 50 amp service. No fireplace offered in this length and we would miss that on our few days of cold mornings in SE Louisiana. We stumbled upon the 25RDS Cougar that checked all the boxes we wanted for just the 2 of us and a occasional grandson. The Cougar's build quality for the most part rivaled the GD Solitude we had and was better than the 371 Fuzion toy hauler we had for over 3 yrs. Little nit picking things that son in law and myself were able to fix. Did have to bring it in for the In Command unit and a slide problem. Everything has been working OK. Still miss the auto leveling on the fifth wheels we had plus the on road handling pulling the TT in heavy winds. Sold my dually and wish I would have kept it for towing. I'm close to 76 yrs old and getting under the camper to pull the dump valves is a PITA compared to pulling them from inside a box at almost waist height. We only take short trips now but if we have to I'll borrow son in laws F250 diesel for longer trips. Maybe worth watching a you tube video of the Cougar 25RDS. Another fan of the 12V 10.5 cubic ft fridge/freezer combo.

I had thought I might end up in a GD, but dang they are expensive.
I’m 72 and keep my eyes open for possible back breakers.
We are slowly leaning towards shorter trips. Our last trip was to Abbeville to look for dead cousins and pig out on oysters.
Wife tells me it’s not costing anything to keep the Bigfoot cabover so I guess I could run up some more miles on the dually. And, it does keep my Alaska dream trip alive.
You didn’t know a Pug Morris in Houma did you?

[SargeW]

Dragonfly is the OEM version that is made by Battleborn. Good batteries. We went with the Splendide Combo unit, vented. I cut the hole for the dryer vent myself, took about a minute. It took longer to "locate" were I wanted the vent than to actually make the cut out. Purchased a louvered vent cover for the outside that opens and closes when the dryer is on. We had a combo unit before, only vented. This new model works much better than the older model we had years back. This one has bigger capacity, and is much quieter.

[pawpaw]

Originally Posted by gearhead

I had thought I might end up in a GD, but dang they are expensive.
I’m 72 and keep my eyes open for possible back breakers.
We are slowly leaning towards shorter trips. Our last trip was to Abbeville to look for dead cousins and pig out on oysters.
Wife tells me it’s not costing anything to keep the Bigfoot cabover so I guess I could run up some more miles on the dually. And, it does keep my Alaska dream trip alive.
You didn’t know a Pug Morris in Houma did you?

Nope..never heard of a Pug Morris. I have one son in law from Chauvin right South of Houma and I'll ask him. The GD Imagine we looked at was more than the Cougar we ended up with and it had fewer features. Abbeville is on the way to Lafayette from our house. We bought our camper in Carencro off I-49 North of Lafayette. Fun drive home with 35 mph sidewinds on bumpy US-90. Terrible highway from our house through Lafayette. I've been to Alaska twice but once was on a cruise from Seattle and the other to Elmendorf AFB with the Air Guard. Beautiful country but no desire to drive up there!!

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by pawpaw

Nope..never heard of a Pug Morris. I have one son in law from Chauvin right South of Houma and I'll ask him. The GD Imagine we looked at was more than the Cougar we ended up with and it had fewer features. Abbeville is on the way to Lafayette from our house. We bought our camper in Carencro off I-49 North of Lafayette. Fun drive home with 35 mph sidewinds on bumpy US-90. Terrible highway from our house through Lafayette. I've been to Alaska twice but once was on a cruise from Seattle and the other to Elmendorf AFB with the Air Guard. Beautiful country but no desire to drive up there!!

Pug was an early developer of swamp buggies and had something to do with building a golf course in Houma.
Yep 90 is bad, 190 is too, but I-49 north of Alexandria is terrible. Texas aint no better.
What weight distribution system are you using?

[pawpaw]

Originally Posted by gearhead

Pug was an early developer of swamp buggies and had something to do with building a golf course in Houma.
Yep 90 is bad, 190 is too, but I-49 north of Alexandria is terrible. Texas aint no better.
What weight distribution system are you using?

I'll have to look up Pug now that you have me curious! I'm using a 4 point Equalizer. Dealer threw it in with the deal. Was supposed to be a 10K but bars and hitch show 12K. Hwy 90 heading west with a camper is like taking a 14' flatboat in the North Sea!! Wife had major surgery a month ago and looks like it will be awhile before she can go camping. Too hot this time of the year anyway. Have my eyes peeled for any hurricanes that may be heading our way. Still finishing up the house from hurricane Ida almost 2 yrs ago!

[gearhead]

H.A. "Pug" Morris, a native of DeRidder and a longtime resident of Houma, died
at 7:15 p.m. Monday, July 25, 2005.

Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. to funeral time Thursday at First Presbyterian
Church in Houma. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the church.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Medora Burrow Morris; one daughter,
Claudia Quate and husband, Scott; two sons, John D. and wife, Barbara, and
Robert and wife, Linda; one sister, Dot Henley and husband, Ed; and five
grandsons, John F., Matthew H., Richard A. and Grant T. Morris and Max Frost.

He was preceded in death by his parents, R.I. and Jane Francis Morris; four
brothers, Euclid, Millard, Glen and Eldridge; and one sister, Mary.

Pug, as he was know to his friends and family, started Marsh Equipment Co., and
Morris Brothers Boat Co., when he moved to Houma in the early 1950s. During this
time he developed one of the first tracked marsh buggies and many innovations
that are still in use on marsh buggies today. He was also a partner in the Shop-
N-Bag Stores, Exploration Supplies and East Village Shopping Center in DeRidder.

He was on the board of directors of the First National Bank for many years.
During this period the Main Street facilities were built along with several new
branches throughout Terrebonne Parish.

As a charter member of Ellendale Country Club, he and several other members
surveyed the property from one of his swamp buggies. Later he supervised the
building of the swimming pool. He served as president of the Louisiana Senior
Golfers and brought its annual tournament to Ellendale, thereby introducing many
people from across the state to Terrebonne Parish.

He was a U.S. World War II pilot in the Army Air Corps.

A longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Houma, he was the
treasurer for many years and on the building committee for current sanctuary.
Recently he was elected Elder Emeritus for his years of service.

Chauvin Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.