Hi, New Member from Michigan

[Johnnie J]

I am a retired electrical engineer and just recently purchased a 2008 15 foot Hi Lo. I wanted something small that would be easy to tow and fit in my garage. It's not molded fiberglass but it has fiberglass on four sides and an aluminium on the roof. My wife and I plan on taking some trips out west from Michigan. In the month that I have had it, I have installed a 100 watt solar panel and a Fastway e2 WDH. I plan on getting a couple of group 27 deep cycle batteries and I will be ready to maybe make a trip south. The main reason I joined this forum is that this group is mostly small recreational vehicles. I biggest concern is how to spend long periods of time in a 15 foot trailer. This is my first post but I have enjoyed reading the forum for the last few days.

Johnnie J

[Donna D.]

Hi Johnnie. We have a LOT of helpful advice to give you regarding enjoying small spaces. One of our members recently sold their Hi-Lo and bought a Compact II (all molded), be careful or you might be trading in yours too

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Johnnie J

I am a retired electrical engineer and just recently purchased a 2008 15 foot Hi Lo. I wanted something small that would be easy to tow and fit in my garage. It's not molded fiberglass but it has fiberglass on four sides and an aluminium on the roof. My wife and I plan on taking some trips out west from Michigan. In the month that I have had it, I have installed a 100 watt solar panel and a Fastway e2 WDH. I plan on getting a couple of group 27 deep cycle batteries and I will be ready to maybe make a trip south. The main reason I joined this forum is that this group is mostly small recreational vehicles. I biggest concern is how to spend long periods of time in a 15 foot trailer. This is my first post but I have enjoyed reading the forum for the last few days.

Johnnie J

In reality your space is unlimited, just open the door!!

[rgrugg]

We have a 17 ft Egg Camper (made in Michigan) that we could winter in but comfortable seating would be a big drawback because of limited space for comfortable chairs. We took a western trip of over 5000 miles with it last summer without issue. Interior space in the non-winter parts of the year doesn't matter because we're either on the road every day or doing something that doesn't require a lot of inside space. Best advice I could give is simply try it out. That'll work a lot better for you than anything any of us could say. My rule of thumb is: if you think it's too small, it is. If you think it's too big, it is. If you think it's just right, it is.

[Mike Magee]

My little trailer is for getting me places, so I can enjoy those places. The only occasion for spending "a lot" of time inside it is when I'm sleeping or when the weather is uncooperative. For the latter, I find that the two must-have items are [a] a comfortable place to park my backside and [b] a good book. When comfortably 'parked' and amused, the size of the trailer becomes almost irrelevant.

I usually am traveling alone, though. For two people together, it may be more difficult in bad weather if the two feel the need to escape each other for a while each day... since there's no other room (beyond the bathroom), the only real alternative is for someone to go outside.

But in good weather, it's like Jim said. Open the door and step into your outdoor "GREAT Room".

[honda03842]

I'm also a retired engineer and we're into our 11th year of traveling about 7 months a year. We've never found inclement weather a problem. Of the 24 hours in a day, we're asleep about 7-8, probably eating another 3, on our computers another hour or so, watching TV a couple of hours before bed, that leaves about 8 hours.

We tend to stay somewhere about 5 days and than travel for a day. On the rainy days, we can always pick in an indoor place to explore. Every area has something indoor, generally more than you can ever see.

One of the neatest things about traveling is that it provides more time to get interested in each other. Very often when people are in the workaday world they are interested in their work and life problems, very often developing independent interests and hobbys.

We try to find things that are new shared hobbies. One we have is Presidential homes and Libraries. We also seek unusual places to eat, either neat local places or sometimes well-known but special places.

RVing provides time for each other, a short hike in a nice area, a little geocaching, .......

RVing an opportunity for a new and extended existance...

[Johnnie J]

Thanks for the warm welcome. I will be taking all of the advise. Small or large is a state of mind. I plan on enjoying the adventure of traveling. I probably will miss my easy chair for reading the most. I plan on looking for something to relax in outside and seek out good weather. I have seen some comfortable looking folding lawn chairs. I have a pick up truck with a cap. The cap has some pull down hangers. We will probably use the truck as a closet. There is no closet in the trailer. There are plenty of drawers and cabinets but no closets.

Thanks

Johnnie

[honda03842]

Definitely outside is a big part of RVing. Obviously we seek good weather increasing the chance to be outside. As well we have a Nook meaning e-books provide all kinds of reading opportunity where ever we are, for little cost and virtually infinite books.

[Mike Magee]

I take a 'zero gravity lounger' with me. Surprisingly comfortable. Great for outside. Happily, it even sets up in the aisle of my trailer if desired. YMMV.

[Roger C H]

My wife and I have traveled the last two winters in our 13' Trillium, spending Jan 28-Mar 12, 2010 and Dec 28, 2010 - Feb 18, 2011 in Homelet. We had no problems whatsoever. One thing we did was acquire a lap top computer for emailing our children and watching DVDs. We play cards, sleep and eat in Homelet. What else is there? We graduated from tenting, where we would set up a tent and stay a week or two. But with our FGRV we can stop, and enter our home on short notice. No set up nor tear down absolutely required. If we are just stopping in a Denny's or Wal Mart parking lot for the night, we won't even unhitch. (See the picture) I didn't realize how far it was from Hemet, CA to the other side of LA so we staying in this Denny's.
There is also no set-up required when loading for a trip. Just open the door and stow your stuff.