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Old 08-13-2012, 12:45 AM   #1
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Name: Gary & Sonja
Trailer: 1989 Bigfoot B17G
California
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Smile Hello from Calif, new old Bigfoot

Hello,

I've followed this forum for about a year now. Always dreaming of the day we would have our own FG trailer. Well that day has arrived in a most quick and surprising way. We purchased the 89 Bigfoot 17 that was for sale on the classifieds. Mike and Penny were great people. They did an incredible job restoring the Bigfoot. Talking to him and about how he went about the restoration and the attention to detail, well I thought this guy thinks alot like me. We first talked on Thursday and drove 400 miss to meet on Saturday. The trailer was in great shape as he had stated. We made an offer and drive it back the next day. We love it and look forward to making it our own and participating in this group.

Our first night was in a 24 hour Walmart parking lot. Dinner was a cheap bottle of red wine, cheese and crackers and it was a completely wonderful and memorable experience. As was seeing a packed Walmart at midnight on a Saturday. What an interesting slice of humanity that was. BTW, parking lot sweeping and eat blowing is scheduled for 2am Sunday in case you care to see and her this yourselves.

So here's to all you other wanderering campers who enjoy the unusual uniqueness that a fiberglass egg provides. So glad to be part of this fraternity and a big thank you to Mike and Penny for helping to make this possible and providing a beautiful trailer that has already begun to give us lasting memories.

Gary & Sonja
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Old 08-13-2012, 02:02 AM   #2
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Welcome, Glad you joined us! Congrat's on your new purchase! Do we get to see pic's? We like pic's here.


Since it's in such great shape, I suggest you guys get out and enjoy it!!!!!!
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Old 08-13-2012, 04:54 AM   #3
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to FiberglassRV Gary & Sonja, we're glad you're here!

Sounds like you already have an interesting footnote in your travel journal. I hope you have many, many wonderful things to write about camping in your Bigfoot.
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Ten Forward - 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
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Old 08-13-2012, 05:22 AM   #4
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welcome and congratulations on the newest addition to our family!!

i've experienced the walmart sweeping but am feeling like i missed something special in not seeing the "eat blowing"!!!
i'll keep my eyes peeled next time i overnight there...

happy camping.
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Old 08-13-2012, 09:06 AM   #5
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Great to hear from you but.... we were the next in line to look at it on Sunday morning and Mike let me know at 9:30 Sat night that you had bought it.
It sounds great and we are now drowning our sorrows of loss, not in the usual beverage, but in looking at a 13' Lil' BigFoot. We take it you are from the Bay Area???
Looking forward to meeting in the future.



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Old 08-13-2012, 10:40 AM   #6
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Last year we were in the Walmart parking lot overnight in Williston, ND. Not there by choice since there's a huge oil boom there and no campsites around for a hundred miles or more. We too, got to "enjoy" the sweeping and the blowing. Didn't see any eats being blown, though.
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Old 08-13-2012, 10:46 AM   #7
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Congratulations on your new trailer. You discovered one of the nice things of a small trailer is that you have way more opportunities in the future to camp in some unusual & unique camping spots that some of the big guys will never get to see! LOL
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Old 08-13-2012, 09:29 PM   #8
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Name: Gary & Sonja
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Bob,

I am truly sorry to hear this. I know you will find the egg of your wishes soon. I am a big believer in karma, this was in ours and you will get yours. (In a good way) I think this was to make up for the 95 Airstream Motorhome we flew to OK to buy in 2010 and drove back to Calif. It broke down on the way back to the tune of 4K, crunched some lower panels in Santa Fe trying to manuever into a cramped space, smashed the steps the engaged while traveling, needed another 4K a few months later. Plus the new tires, plus the new fluids, etc. etc. It wiped us out in many ways and we sold it fully disclosing all that happened and what else I saw with it. Took a huge loss. Mike the previous owner of Bigfoot said they had a similar thign happen to them with a MH they bought before. Anyways I heard the AS had an uneventful trip back to Kansas by the new owners. I'm glad for them.

Funny thing I had been scanning the classifieds for awhile, gave up and stopped for some time. Happened to check them Thursday for the first time, not rally to buy anything but just to pass some time. Saw the ad and talked to Sonja, she to my great surprise said let's see it and away we went. I guess we are a bit implusive but we rely on gut feelings a lot too. Sometimes it works out. :-)

I wish for you to find the egg you seek...

Gary
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Old 08-13-2012, 09:32 PM   #9
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Theresa and the board

Now I give you fair warning that my fingers and brain are not as synched up as I would wish. How leaf turned to eat is a mystery to me. It will not be the last....

Gary
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Old 08-13-2012, 09:36 PM   #10
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Robin,

Pics will be posted soon, I hope. I think I will need some patience and luck in doing so. I will share a secret, if you let me post directly from my 'puter that is a good thing. Making me link from a online site, (e.g. adding an Avatar). Not so much. Make me add http code?, well I have my strengths and I have my weaknesses.
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Old 08-13-2012, 09:42 PM   #11
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Bob,

Use to live in San Jose and surrounds for a long time. Like 90% of Folsom's current residents. It makes the once pleasant LA trek more of an endurance test.

Very fond memories of testing the lowered suspension on my Datsun 510 on Big Basin Way in high school and cruising, midnight movies in Gatos Anyone else relate?
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Old 08-13-2012, 09:48 PM   #12
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We pulled into a Walmart there first, seeing about 6-7 campers already there. I had read to ask the manager for permission first so we did. The reply was Huntington Beach does not allow overnight camping. Oh! I wonder if the campers there get a knock on the window or an automatic ticket. We drove a few miles down the road to Westminster WM. don't see any RV's there (at first), Manager says they don't care go ahead. They told us to park in the empty lot where the Lowe's use to be. That was news to me, a Lowe's closing in a busy city.
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Old 08-13-2012, 09:57 PM   #13
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Name: Gary & Sonja
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California
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Donna,

I've always wondered if I will recognize you at a rally!

Keep an eye out for a Asian (not oriental, those are rugs and vases) with long hair and a Tilley's hat. Hanging out with the most fun German frau you will ever meet.

and we both love to wear these: www.kiwisandals.com This is sort of a personal crusade to let people know of this awesome family run company who make the last pair of sandals you will ever need. The right business model in my mind. Teva certainly doesn't follow it.

Can't be many of us out there... at a campground... for fiberglass RV owners... in an 89 Bigfoot, can there?

Gary/Sonja
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Old 08-13-2012, 10:10 PM   #14
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Carol,

This was a major reason we went this route. We are also into simplifying our lives which maybe will lead to life on the road, (in a 17 ft trailer without hot water or a shower?!) Yup. Dr Bronner baths are awesome. Gonna try the baking soda/cider vinegar hair wash method one of these days.

Love to be quck and nimble, like Jack.

I look in wonder at the huge 5'ers and MH's going down the road. Not a wisp of envy. Such an interesting concept is it not? Bigger is better. I think it is changing.

We downsized (okay, a "strategic foreclosure") to a "carriage house" (Gary says Townhome, Sonja says Condo) as soon as the kids were out. We love our little patio aka the "Milky Way Cafe". You are all invited!

Gary/Sonja
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Old 08-13-2012, 10:11 PM   #15
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"I am truly sorry to hear this. I know you will find the egg of your wishes soon."
Not a problem.
This morning we picked up our 3rd fiberglass trailer, a 1994 Lil' BigFoot 13'. The work on our Hunter Compact-II is almost complete and we really need something to keep busy with. But I think that the search for an Amerigo FG-16 will stay active.



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Old 08-13-2012, 10:51 PM   #16
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Hahaha, THIRD trailer???!!! Looking for a FOURTH???!!!

Well there you are, this is my first.

Enjoy! I will keep an eye out for you. But you know I think I can count on one hand and have fingers left over the number of eggs I have ever seen including ours. I never even saw the inside of on until two days ago. But like my wife. it was love at first sight and we did not speak a common language. At least a spoken one.

Gary/Sonja
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Old 08-14-2012, 08:24 AM   #17
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Great story Gary! Somehow a cheap bottle of wine in a Walmart parking couldn't be any more perfect ... especially when you have just taken ownership of the egg that was meant to be yours. My trip home started similarly ... we picked up my Play Pac after driving 2500 miles at midnight of all times and as luck would have it, we needed a few things (a 1 7/8" ball as I had goofed and showed up with a 2"). So the beginning of our trip home was spent in e parking lot of a Walmart all night store to. It was kind of a lifesaver. However I was with a buddy (my wife is way too smart to drive 5000 miles for an old trailer!) so it wasn't quite as romantic and we skipped the wine and loaded up on caffeinated beverages since we were on a mission to get home. Spent about an hour there total and were on our way but I do know if my wide had been with me, we would down the exact same thing you and many others here have.

Anyway, it was a fun read and I hope to see you out and about. You guys oughtta come on down, we have some suh-weeeet campgrounds in the Big Sur area. My wife and I go often just to get out for a night or two even though it's not even an hour drive for us. A mini rally!

Before moving to Florida, I grew up in San Jose. Was too young to drive at the time but some good memories of the birth of silicon valley. Today I am most happy for the small town life here in Monterey. Chime in if you guys are ever passing through, we'd love to see your Bigfoot and always have plenty of cheap wine on hand. Welcome aboard!
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Old 08-14-2012, 08:50 AM   #18
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Paul,

Thank you for the offer! Big Sur will be on the list, Sonja does massage and wants to take some classes at Esalen.

The most amazing times can be had most anywhere you go, has a lot to do with your perspective! Seems like a lot of folks here have it, somehow I think eggs fit right in nicely.

Gary
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Old 08-14-2012, 09:12 AM   #19
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We try to limit our fleet to no more than 4 RV's at a time. (LOL) For years it was Toyota Sunraders, now, to have later chassis, we have converted over to FG towables.

I see you are in S.J. I an a genuine S.F. native, did my B.A. and M.Ed at SJSU, and lived in San Carlos for many years.

BTW: what are you pulling the 17.5 Bigfoot with???



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Old 08-14-2012, 09:30 AM   #20
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Name: Gary & Sonja
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I would also like to thank all those who post their thoughts, experiences,advice etc. After we decided to drive to see the trailer I began reading through the forum to get better educated. I ran across a thread on brake controllers and thought that would a good thing to get...later on. I casually mentioned this to Sonja and (knowing in the back of my mind this could happen) she said we need to get it right away, even if it meant staying there an extra day. Since we'd be going back down the grapevine (a steep passage north of LA). I've learned over the years to not fight her on these things, in my mind she is overly cautious but also incredibly perspective and intuitive. So once my meager protestations were aired we went turned to other matters. Later on I called the local camping world there and asked if they had the controller and harness I needed, having seen a video on it and saw it was simple to install. They did, so I placed it on hold for Sunday AM. Just in case. Also want to add that Mike provided us with an anti sway bar and ball receiver that would accept it along with some other goodies.

So we ended up picking it up when they opened and sure enough it all plugged in and was working. Did a little drive to dial it in, sorta, and off we went. It ended up Sonja was driving down the Grapevine and on the last part, the steepest downhill section we hit some rough road, semis are next to us, and the trailer starts swaying, noticeably! I'm looking in the mirror seeing what looked like a sway of about that is taking up almost the whole lane. Maybe that's not much but it was unnerving. Sonja remained calm slowed down and taped the brakes gently. After about five seconds the sway stopped. No other problems after that the rest of the trip.

Did the brake controller and sway bar help keep this situation in check? I'm glad they were there and I was very glad that I once again trusted her instincts. Guys take it for what it's worth. It took a lot of years of marriage but I've learned to trust her and now find her once of the wisest people I know.

She doesn't back down from a challenge either. With our MH she spent 10 minutes practicing in a parking lot and off we went from OK to CA sharing the driving.
It really helps.


Gary/Sonja
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