Intro and Question re: Wallmarting

Wow, thanks all for the 'Wallmarting' tips.

Podsible Dream...Yes wear and tear on my new Jeep does concern me but I think the 171 vs 177 weight difference isn't enough to matter much in the long run. what I mean is if the 177 is too much then the 171 probably is too. I really have no qualms about a 1 or 2 day tow to a campground for a prolonged stay, but an extended cruise that involves 3-4 weeks of continuous driving is a bit intimidating.

The drive to the RV dealer today didn't help that feeling. A massive front moved across the northeast today so some of the drive was in 'can't see out the windshield' downpours. On top of that we ran into accidents that caused hour long stop and go delays. BOTH ways.

On the bright side, the downpours let up the whole time we were at the dealership. They had 5 rpod units to look at, two 177s in different interior colors, a 176 and two of the 180 models. No 171 however. They said everybody wants the slide and the 171s tend to sit on the lot too long.

I was impressed, the quality of the 2013 rpod is better than I expected. The 177s had the diamond plate front rockguard and axle risers. As far as I know the only thing missing from the West coast HRE version is the knobby 15 inch tires and high altitude propane mod (whatever that is). The drawer slides are all metal and the head is actually roomier than I imagined it to be.

Barbara, the sales rep we dealt with, was very nice and spent lots of time answering questions and digging up a jump battery to show us the slide in action. We were up front about only being there to 'look' today so no prices were discussed. We were also left alone to 'hang out' inside one for a while. If we buy it will almost certainly be from them. (Hemlock Hill RV, CT.) We even checked out some of the megabuck units, OMG, our home isn't that nice.

All in all it was a good day, even though it made us question whether we really want to take up interstate highway driving as a new hobby. :)

Whoa, you have more stamina than I Goose. We do a trip to the Maine/New Hampshire seacoast every year that takes 5 hours give or take and when we arrive I am 'ready' to get out of the car. I imagine I could probably go 7 hours in a day with a good break in the middle but 10-12, I don't think so.

Yeah, that's kinda where we are at now, deciding if we want to adopt the 'lifestyle' or if we're just caught up in a passing infatuation. Thankfully we have some time to let all this sink in and get a better sense of the reality vs the fantasy.

The info on this site has really been a big help and I will continue reading the adventures of all you brave souls who have taken the leap.

Thanks again, everyone.

..........Mike