The DisFort's Chit Chat Cafe

I swear I was not planning on this.. went to Hartford, CT RV show past weekend JUST to look and get out for Saturday with the kids. But then it happened... it was funny actually... I am not lying when I said I had ZERO intention of even allowing myself to consider. However, after seeing the first trailer that my wife kind of liked the layout, she had a pen out and was writing down the model! Are you kidding?! REALLY?! Well, jump forward 2 days and I am heading back to dealership again tomorrow (visited today to see the unit say from the show where we could really get around it all) to finish paper work. Getting 2020 Jayco SLX 8 284bhs 😁. When my Tahoe transmission pooped out 3 weeks ago and I ended up in Silverado, I really did not expect to be upgrading the trailer, but there it is! From this:


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To this:4D7F5542-E907-4266-8F77-418A13BBD0F6.jpeg3CCD3CF5-6D97-492C-B030-6D9DDD5A512D.jpeg
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After our first 5 years, here we go on camping, take #2!
 
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When we were shopping, Jayco had the TT layout that we liked the most for ourselves and 2 kids. The bunks were up front and the slide made a master bedroom that has actual room in it. I think it was about 24’. I can’t find anything close to it on the Jayco site right now.
Unfortunately, the bottom bunk folded up and there was a door there to store bikes. We didn’t trust older DD to not escape quietly out that door in the middle of the night. Tried to figure out if there was a way to disable that door (aside from a 2x4 across the outside of it), but they didn’t have a way.

So, we ended up at camping world with a 30’ that almost exactly matched the layout of the camper we were theoretically downsizing from. And our ‘pick up day’ was 3 days over 2 weekends with a 90 minute drive both ways because they prepped the wrong camper the first 2 days.

I’m happy we didn’t actually downsize. But I won’t go the camping world route again. They’ve also had my camper for about a month and a half now fixing minor inconveniences.

Oh, and as an added bonus the paid off truck died 4 days before our first trip in the new camper.
 


Wait, wait, 4077, I'm all confused .....

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You have to go slow. Remember I'm from Alabama (but at least not Mississippi).

So you are saying (blaming) DW is the one who initiated the whole NEW TRAILER thing (at least that's the way I read it)

However, after seeing the first trailer that my wife kind of liked the layout, she had a pen out and was writing down the model! Are you kidding?! REALLY?!

And then I begin to see your strategy. And it's GENIUS!

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To review, you got the new truck .... because you HAD TO .... (transmission and all)

When my Tahoe transmission pooped out 3 weeks ago and I ended up in Tahoe, I really did not expect to be upgrading the trailer, but there it is!

But DW is the one who pulled the trigger on the new trailer.

Oh you didn't WANT to go along but you will to keep mamma happy.

You did what you did because you had to.

She did what she did because she wanted to.

Amiright or amiright?

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Okay. I thing I got it.

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Cool. Smart man.

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Bama Ed
 
OH MAN! I'm definitely puttin' that idea in the back pocket for later :worship: :thumbsup2

I'm tellin' ya, Joe, I've met 4077/Jimmy and he plays the nice guy card but behind that mask is an evil GENIUS.

I bet in another 5 years he'll have DW wanting to move up to a Class A. :drive:

Ed

PS - and she won't even know it's her idea .... :rolleyes1
 


I'm tellin' ya, Joe, I've met 4077/Jimmy and he plays the nice guy card but behind that mask is an evil GENIUS.

I bet in another 5 years he'll have DW wanting to move up to a Class A. :drive:

Ed

PS - and she won't even know it's her idea .... :rolleyes1

You guys sure know how to make my fun story sound REALLY cool! I’ll take it... maybe I really am smarter than I look 🤔

Funny you should mention the Class A, Ed...they were the first stop (and I remember very clearly in the very first one when she said, “..and it’s only $120,000...” with not a hint of sarcasm or joking)... but maybe I shouldn’t go there for now and just enjoy the moment..:cool1:
 
I remember very clearly in the very first one when she said, “..and it’s only $120,000...” with not a hint of sarcasm or joking).
Last weekend, we were out killing time with friends and stopped into one of the local RV dealers where our friends bought their Class A. I fell in love with an Allegro Red diesel pusher at last year's RV show and the dealer we stopped at sells them. They had a new 2020 just like I wanted. With all the add ons, including an $8,800 heated floor (because real marble can be cold- :cool:), the sticker was a respectable $286,000. Way beyond my comfort zone.

Interestingly, they had a used one (2018) that looked new. We had a salesman open it up to take a look. DW asked how much and the salesman said $210,000. DW said "really." But then said that was more than we should consider.

That night, I was looking for used 'Reds online and found a 2017, exactly like we would order, low miles and not far (Arkansas). I showed it to DW and said it is only $169,000... DW said REALLY!.

Unfortunately, the REALLY moment passed and DW decided we didn't need a MH.

So close...

j
 
@mickeyfan0805 Thanks. With the girls at 13 and 10 plus enjoy camping, I think this will do well for those weekends. And then the weekends they are with their dad its still a great adult space for those trips. We have a couple kid trips planned, now we need a couple adult trips just to relax for a weekend.

@friendofeeyore Not sure we will make October, its a tough time for a teacher since she gets no time off. Have to wait and see what we can afford and if we can get a reservation once I can get her agree!

I hope we can get some decent weather this weekend so we can make some progress moving stuff back in. Only time will tell.

he grounds finally dried out enough to park the truck. I partially park on the grass but its clear we will need some gravel down in that area to help plus down the sides of the driveway. I would love a full repave at 10' wide, but budget says just compact some gravel on the sides for now and do that at a later date.

I think once we move all the stuff back in and I get our garage back, its time to move on to the library project for Melissa so she can put all the books away and declutter some.
 
@Teamubr Just give her time. Melissa went from never been in an RV, to having an opinion on one. And this year saying we should buy this model if you can find a deal you like for our finances. She leaves me to handle the numbers, but we do discuss them and the final budget.

@4077 I know what you mean. We liked the last RV, we could have kept it. But we REALLY like the new one and it works for our change in dynamic. I hope you enjoy many more years of building memories in the new camper.
 
You have to go slow. Remember I'm from Alabama (but at least not Mississippi).


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Hang on there neighbor!
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Jimmy, my man that was genius on your part. I've tried stunts like that in the past but they always backfired on me as best as I can remember. If we meet up I'll have to be sure to take notes.

The rig and truck look like a good pairing. You should enjoy them both. However, I do have one question: Which is more fun to drive, the truck or the plane?
 
Jimmy,

Completely on a different topic. What type of plane(s) do you fly? I think you may have mentioned it in the past, but I'm too lazy to search.

DS is very interested in aviation. We just toured our Jr College today to look at their aviation maintenance program. It is supposed to be one of the top FAA certified programs in the country. DS also bought a flight sim for his PC (X-Plane) that comes with a number of planes. From a friends comment that flys a 172, the graphics are pretty realistic. Another friend owns a Cirrus SR-22 and the pics he sent, the game is frighteningly realistic.

Here's a pic of the Cessna Skyhawk (172) in the game.

He can't wait (me too) for the new Microsoft Flight Sim 2020 to come out. The sneak previews on Youtube look 4K amazing. It uses Bing street level mapping and live weather to replicate current conditions and is supposed to contain the entire globe.

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Wow! That simulator does look real! I haven’t had PC simulators in a long time, but I also hear from others how incredible they are. It looks awesome!

We have two Falcon 7X’s that we keep at BDL (Hartford/Springfield airport in CT).
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It sounds like your son might be interested in working on the maintenance side but maybe wants to learn to fly too... both of those are in demand areas going forward from what I hear. Lots of shortage in both pilots and maintenance with aviation continuing to grow and a lot of retirements with not enough replacements in the pipe! I took a path of getting licensed, going to an aviation college (although that is not a necessity by any means), becoming a flight instructor for 2 years, then flying Cessna 210’s and twin engine Beechcraft Barons at a small cargo operation for 2 years, 6 years at a regional airline called Skyway Airlines in Milwaukee flying Dornier 328Jet and Beechcraft 1900D aircraft, 6 years at a Charter/Management company in Oxford, CT (flew Hawker 700/800/800XP aircraft first 2 years and then Bombardier Challenger 300 for last 4 years there), and finally I am currently at Stanley Black & Decker where I have been for 8 years (we had Challenger 300 and Dassault Falcon 2000 when I started, but we now have the two Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft pictured above). It is certainly a career that can take you in MANY different directions.. airline, corporate aviation, large companies, small companies...(in fact, my original idea had been to fly for the airlines, and I was actually one phone call away from going to JetBlue during a brief layoff— I had passed the JetBlue interview process and was waiting to hear what date I would be going to school— but ended up remaining at Stanley Black & Decker in the end).

Also, EACH job I have had was because I knew someone there who could vouch for me... also not a necessity as positions are in demand.... but, as you move forward in your career, knowing people/friends who can say that you are a person they would be very happy to have on the team will help with getting a chance to fill the best opportunities.

An exciting time to be headed down the path! Best of luck with whatever he chooses to do! (Even if it’s not aviation... but, c’mon... it’s airplanes!)
 
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Wow! That simulator does look real! I haven’t had PC simulators in a long time, but I also hear from others how incredible they are. It looks awesome!
Thanks for the info, Jimmy. Ian is hearing the same thing about a need for pilots, mechanics and almost everyone around aviation. He would love to be a pilot, but I think is realistic about where his best skills are. He is very good with his hands and loves building/working on things.

His flight sim is XPlane 11. It has been around a while and shows its age a bit. For beginning is is really good. I'll see if it has a Falcon 7X and send some screen shots for comparison.

If you want to be blown away, Microsoft is in the final stages of releasing Flight Simulator 2020. The alpha testers (and Microsoft) have been releasing some videos on youtube. The software uses Bing street level mapping for the ground and the engineers have been rendering clouds and other weather effects. It is also connected to real time weather and will replicate live conditions into any airport in the world. You can't tell that it isn't an actual video from a real plane.

Check out this video.


j
 
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