| Author | Message | ||
| Bill Holstein (Billmoocow)
Registered Member Username: Billmoocow Post Number: 32 Registered: 5-2009 Posted From: 207.55.0.5 Rating: N/A |
Are we ready to go camping? My wife says no. I have put a bathroom in with a working shower, sink, toilet and locking door. Bedroom with mattress and door. Kitchen with stove, fridge, sink and counter. All the lights work. I have some framed up walls that arent complete. I told my wife its ready but not done as it will never be done. Needs a lot of finishing. Wall trim, boards here, fine trim there. How could it ever be done? Still want to use it, but my wife said it isnt ready. | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 858 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 76.216.70.120  Rating: N/A |
She is right , you need a comfortable place to sit , should it rain out. The camping chairs can be brought in , but they get pretty hard in a day or two. You also need a library , even if its only a box of reading. FF | ||
| Glenn Williams (Glenn)
Registered Member Username: Glenn Post Number: 220 Registered: 6-2006 Posted From: 216.163.56.194  Rating: N/A |
You ARE ready for a camping trip! This is the best time to start using the bus to figure out how well it will work for you and your family and still have time to make adjustments. You are slightly further along than we were (no doors, just curtains) when we first did a near-to-home shakedown run. We found that we wanted heavy window curtains to block out the sun, so towels with push pins went up right away. By the next trip, I'd figured out how I wanted to frame the windows and made some removable frames and my wife made the curtains. Worked great! We also learned that our toddler in his bunk, but with only a stud wall, would keep us up at night. Moved him to a pack and play up front until the wall was finished AND insulated for sound. Now it works great. I could go on and on, but share our experiences with her and show her how important HER opinions for the details are. I assume you have an outlet or 2 available for fans/TV? Those will make a rained out day or two more passable. We don't have a TV in our bus and I don't plan to put one in. I have a laptop that will take a digital tuner card and I'll just hook up an antenna. We go CAMPING, not full timing!  Good luck! Glenn | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 520 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 64.40.215.136  Rating: N/A |
Heck, we went to our first rally and didn't even have a kitchen, had a working bathroom, bed to sleep in, living room had couch and two flexsteel chairs, living room, kitchen, bath just had plywood on the floor. You are ready to go camping! A good friend of mine is taking his MCI 102A3 to Yellowstone from Vancouver WA with 11 people, the only thing they have is the OEM toilet and six home made bunks. That means some will sleep on air mattresses. No kitchen, so you know what that means. They are goiing to have fun anyway. Even if it's a steel tent it's ready. That way you get to find out what you want and when you want to do it. Ours has had some minor changes due to our needs changing, but you don't find out until you use it. We now live in it full time, not finished on the inside yet, but it's a "Work In Progress". Go for it! It will be an experience to remember! Paul | ||
| Wayne Ellenburg (Wlnburg)
Registered Member Username: Wlnburg Post Number: 56 Registered: 6-2008 Posted From: 128.158.1.163  Rating: N/A |
I must suggest caution at this point. I agree with everything that has been said but the first trip for your wife could be her last. I would suggest taking it out with just the guys or your kids for an overnight stay just to shake it down or perhaps stay in your yard. I tried to get my wife to play golf with me and she went only once and played. I was only trying to help her swing correctly. I built her a 3-wheel GoldWing painted it purple and put Indian artwork on the fender protectors and conchos on the mud flaps. She took one driving lesson and would not drive again. I didn't yell or get excited, I promise. She would ride anywhere but would not drive. I prefered the 2 wheel bike so I sold the trike. My wife will go but if the hot water doesn't work or 2 roof airs is not enough and everyone has to ride for 6 hours with it 90 degrees in the bus they my mention it everytime you want to go somewhere. I would just suggest caution or you may be camping alone. | ||
| Pete/RTS Daytona (Pete_rtsdaytona)
Registered Member Username: Pete_rtsdaytona Post Number: 563 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 97.104.15.224  Rating: N/A |
For the first 3 years - I went to the Jack's Arcadia Fl. Rally by myself - In my RTS - otherwise referred to as my --> Stainless Steel Tent The wife said --> "If it ain't got plumbing - I ain't coming" It's finished now and she been to Jack Arcadia Rally Pete | ||
| Kyle Brandt (Kyle4501)
Registered Member Username: Kyle4501 Post Number: 487 Registered: 9-2004 Posted From: 65.23.106.193  Rating: N/A |
I talked my wife into a tent camping trip a month after our wedding. Didn't have our own plumbing so it took 15 years before I could talk her into trying it again. Listen to her needs, unless you like the solitude . . . . | ||
| larry currier (Larryc)
Registered Member Username: Larryc Post Number: 236 Registered: 2-2007 Posted From: 64.12.116.203 Rating: N/A |
One of my friends has issues like yours. He held her back as he worked on the bus for a long time so it didn't go badly. Finally just recently he got the kids togather with some of their friends and the wife for her first trip. It was just a day trip up the mountain so no big issues. She had a great time, took some pictures and took them to work to share with her bosses and co workers. Come to find out the big boss looked at her bus pictures and told her that he had many family bus memories. His father even named him "Newell" after the family coach. He can't get her out of the bus now. Shes making all kinds of plans and the bus is the big hit that he hoped it would be. | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 1535 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.110.9  Rating: N/A |
You could take a young pretty neighbor along instead. (female preferably). That would solve your problems one way or another. How about a short day trip to some sightseeing. Then figure a longer one or two for overnight and stay at a nice KOA and more sightseeing of your wife's choosing. Remember, the riding in the coach thing is not going to enthuse her unless her comforts are taken care of.You don't need as much since you have a seat and steering wheel. Things like nice seating and sleeping, and removing those baggage racks. She probably wants to be sure you actually FINISH the thing and not feel like a gypsy. I remember when my father brought his 4104 home years ago. It was still a bus, and my mother was totally against it. It still had Trailways paint scheme, but without seats. After he had the conversion done, with her input on fabrics and interior appointments, everyone raved about it, and she was a new proud conversion member. They traveled several hundred thousand miles in it over the years, all over the country. Just give her time, and hopefully, she'll become fully supportive. Remember, she may never become enthusiastic about it, and may just be putting off the day of reckoning, but since I don't know her, this is just conjecture. You might consider joining FMCA, join a local chapter in your area and attend some of their weekend rallies. You and your wife might meet some other men and women rv'ers, make new friends and get into it sooner. BTW, they are having the annual FMCA convention in OHIO next month. This moves all over the country. There may be a closer one this winter. They like to have the other one in opposite part of the country. | ||
| David B. Sweet (Sweets4104)
Registered Member Username: Sweets4104 Post Number: 33 Registered: 2-2007 Posted From: 67.182.114.217  Rating: N/A |
It was two years and a lot of begging and pleading, one short trip with MSW following in the car before she would ride with me. Now we live in our 4104 and travel quite a bit. To quote Fats Waller: "One never know, do one?" | ||
| Arthur J Griffith (Arthurseagle)
Registered Member Username: Arthurseagle Post Number: 63 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 72.236.102.227 Rating: N/A |
WOW- do I ever LOOOOVE My Wife. | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 521 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 64.40.216.5 Rating: N/A |
If Momma ain't Happy, no one is" Sound familiar! When we met, traveling and the step the bus conversion was in had already been discussed, so no suprises. She thought I was a rock star when she first saw a picture of my Eagle, but then after further examination, she knew better! ;) It took her sometime to decided on full timing, I let her make up her mind at her pace. I didn't push her into making any decision one way or the other. The same goes for trips, all she asked for was a working shower, toilet and kitchen. I said all I need is a bed to sleep in. We have all of them and more now. All of this without me saying a word, amazing huh. Ain't Life Grand! Paul (Message edited by dreamscape on June 24, 2009) | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 1129 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 68.26.46.43  Rating: N/A |
Paula & I have always shared our hobbies. Whether is was water skiing, scuba diving, clogging, or camping. It is difficult to say what should be done in your situation, as every person is an individual and everyone has diffent likes & dislikes and priorities. Communication is of utmost importantance. I would discuss with her what is most important to her and make sure that is in the bus. Jack | ||
| Wec4104 (Wec4104)
Registered Member Username: Wec4104 Post Number: 54 Registered: 7-2008 Posted From: 68.80.242.72 Rating: N/A |
In the first couple weeks that I owned our bus, I had serious doubts about whether my wife was going to take a liking to it. Then one day, she came home from a shopping trip and exclaimed "You should see all the cool stuff I bought for the bus!" She proceeded to show me a collection of bath towels, kitchen gadgets, a few pieces of cookware, bed sheets, etc. I'm sure she thought my big grin was because she thought I liked the purchases. Actually the grin was because THAT was the day I knew I was on solid ground. | ||
| FloridaCliff (Floridacracker)
Registered Member Username: Floridacracker Post Number: 408 Registered: 7-2004 Posted From: 97.101.146.143 Rating: N/A |
Wec, I did it a little different as it was still a tin tent. We took the older stuff out of the house and put it in the coach and bought new for the house. She is in the house more than the coach and see's the positive reminders of the bus. Darn, another trick hits the internet.... LOL | ||
| Bill Holstein (Billmoocow)
Registered Member Username: Billmoocow Post Number: 33 Registered: 5-2009 Posted From: 207.55.0.5 Rating: N/A |
Pray for me as we are going up the mountain to our favorite camping spot. Hope that all goes smoothly and without problems. About 50mi away.. not too bad. |