Monday

RV Show and Friends...


Yesterday Dave and I headed off to Oklahoma City to the Fairgrounds to pass our time looking at new RVs. While making a quick stop on the way at Sam’s Club for dog food, I got a call from our friends, fulltime RVers, Bobbie and Jim Chapman.  They were coming in from Clinton, OK and wanted to get together for some dinner and good ole fashion conversation. I said that would be great and Bobbie was to give me a call when they got into town.  

We finished our purchase and had to drive to the main gates of the fairgrounds instead of the 10th street exit to get in as they had all kinds of construction going on around the Fairgrounds. There was a Horse show, RV show, Motorcycle swap and a Coin show going on.  It was a zoo of people.  We paid our money, $7.00 with the help of a $2.00 off coupon, got our hand stamped and started looking.   
Keystone Alpine 3495 FL  We really like the layout of this one.

There’s nothing like climbing in and out of 5th wheels, some with 3 steps (where’s the climbing gear?), and some with the coveted 4 steps.  If I were a trailer designer I would require that all trailers have 4 steps plus deeper steps.  RV steps are too shallow and not well spaced and in my estimation dangerous, and what’s up with dinky handles to hold on to going in and coming out of trailers.  If it’s to save money, forget it.  wouldn't mind seeing a collapsible bar that you could slip into some sort of clamp gizmo that would give you a hand rail down the full set of steps. It would save a lot of falls outside of the trailer.
3495 Living Room
Master Bedroom with a King Bed

Lots of space
3495 Kitchen


If one of these contraptions is going to be my new home then I want features that I feel safe with and coming out of a 5th wheel trailer with an arm full of food or laundry or anything else, I want to know my feet are on a firm wide stable footing.  Another feature is handrails inside where you go up the three steps to the upper area of a 5th wheel.  Apparently the industry has heard people on this but not all of the industry. Thank goodness I had my knees replaced as I would not be able to get up and down in these trailers at all.  
I like the full size showers with a seat

We saw all kinds of improvements in the 2013 models and some head scratchers as well.  There was one trailer that we really liked and it was a beauty to boot, had everything we wanted except an area for a washer and dryer. If you are living full time out on the road and you want to do a quick load while you lay over for an evening in a Wal-Mart parking lot, you don’t want to have to seek out a Laundromat in an unfamiliar town. At least I don’t. I don’t mind going to a Laundromat in the daytime but in the evening, uh…no.

In one trailer I was looking at I met a young man who had not thought of the prospect of traveling the country and working out of a trailer.  He is a computer programmer who works out of his home.  I asked him if it was necessary for him to be tied to his home and he looked at me as if a light-bulb went off. “No” he replied, to which I replied “Well there you go, get out there and enjoy life” I told him about Roadschooling (which is just another word for Homeschooling) being done by Rachel Rowell you can read her blog here about heading out with her family of 4.  I've been inspired by what Rachel and her family are doing. Why wait for retirement to live your dream.  I guess I must have planted a seed because the young man quizzed me further and I passed on several RV websites for him to look at.  

After climbing in and out of about 60 trailers, Dave and I looked at each other and said it was time to hit the road, besides Bobbie should be calling at any moment.  We had just left the fairgrounds when the call came in and we headed over to the Elks Club in Mid-West City just north of Tinker Air Force Base. I almost got us in trouble as I saw the SW 15th street sign and said “turn left here” thinking it was a straight shot through to the east side of town. It could have been a big mistake as it took us through a very rough part of OCK with lots of housing projects and an industrial area with no through access.  We did find our way out of the district and back to I-40 which we took to the SE 15th exit off of I-35 and made our way to the Elks Club. Jim is an Elk and for their members they provide free hook-ups, or you can give a donation to the club for your stay.  

Our Chicken Pot Pie
Bobbie and Jim looked great and we were happy to see them.  We decided on Cheddar's for dinner. As usual Dave and I had the Old Fashion Chicken Pot Pie Dinner (our favorite). Bobbie ordered a delightful Salmon dinner and Jim followed with Chicken Pot Pie as well as an appetizer of onion rings, yummy.  After an hour or so of great conversation, we all left stuffed.  


The salad we had with dinner




Bobbie and Jim Chapman
We took them back to their trailer, said our good byes until the next time we meet. What a fun couple.  I just wish we had more time to visit. They are the ones that planted our seed of fulltime RVing to which I am grateful. 


We got back to Norman, fed the dogs and then went over to the Cleveland Count Veteran's Memorial at Reeves Park in support of the Vets who were marching at their memorial in Washington DC.  

Cleveland County Veteran's Memorial 

Freedom is never free. ~Author Unknown

406 Days till we’re out there!
Eagle of Freedom

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for a great evening. We so enjoy your company.

    ReplyDelete

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