G6AdventuresAs a kid, we sporadically camped. And by camped, I mean, we truly camped. We pitched tents. You went to the bathroom behind a tree. Meals consisted of whatever could be cooked on either the campfire or the Coleman stove. I have so many incredible memories of those camping trips. When Eric and I had kids, we didn’t consider camping with them for several years. It just seemed overwhelming with multiple children and all their required gear on top of everything you need to camp. Plus, we owned a lake house at the time. So, we tended to go there over most other options. At that time, we didn’t even know what a travel rig was.
Then, we decided to take a couple camping trips with my sister and her family. We tent camped at the Fort Boonesborough State Park in 2015 and at the Jellystone near Mammoth Cave in 2016, both in Kentucky. We loved these trips and the memories we made with our family. But, we quickly realized that we didn’t necessarily love sleeping (at the time) five of us in a tent. Even then, we never considered the idea of getting any type of camper. However, it did ignite a yearning for more travel and adventure.
By early 2017, we decided to sell our lake house to give us the ability to travel more. That summer, we waded into the RV world. We bought a very used, but well maintained 1998 Coleman pop-up. Right away, we scheduled a weekend trip to General Butler State Park in Kentucky. We made this first trip in July..in Kentucky…on the hottest weekend of the year. The temperatures topped over 100 degrees. Severe thunderstorms popped up overnight, so bad that we had to take shelter in the bathhouse. Despite weather not being on our side, we were hooked.
Next, we pulled our pop-up behind our minivan to the Akron-Canton Jellystone resort in Uniontown, Ohio. There, we attended a Harry Potter festival at Kent State University. Plus, we enjoyed the campground amenities. We played putt-putt. The kids really loved the resort’s water park, the playground, the gaga ball pit, and especially the campground activities. The weekend we camped there, they put on water wars. They drove a repurposed fire truck around the campground letting the kids squirt all suspecting and unsuspecting campers. The girls thought it was one of the coolest things ever.
While we loved our newfound hobby, we grew a bit concerned about towing with our minivan. We actually found a used Suburban that happened to be for sale in Canton. So, we used our fun weekend to kill two birds with one stone and bought a new tow vehicle. We were ready to really put our camper to use. The pop-up didn’t have everything we wanted. It did not have a bathroom. The refrigerator barely held our lunchmeat and a quart of milk. The air conditioner could not keep up with the heat very well. But, it was better than a tent. As far as we were concerned, we were set. We even towed it all the way to Disneyworld and spent an amazing week in Fort Wilderness.
Fast forward to September, and we learned that our family of five would become a family of six the following spring! After recovering from the initial shock, we quickly realized that we would have a hard time fitting baby gear in the pop-up. We knew we were going to have to upgrade our travel rig or postpone camping for a while. Of course, we knew we wanted to continue to camp, so we started researching travel trailers.
After months of research and going to several travel shows, we settled on the Keystone Passport Ultra Lite Grand Touring 3220BH. We chose this model for several reasons. First, we based our decision on the tow capacity of our Suburban. Second, we wanted a large bunkroom that would fit all our girls plus leave room for Baby G’s gear. Third, I wanted a U-shaped dinette so that we could all sit at the table together for meals, games, or whatever other reason we might be sitting at the table. Fourth, we wanted the second door into the bathroom to avoid kids and guests having to walk through the camper just to get to the bathroom. Finally, we wanted an outdoor kitchen. This Passport checked all of these boxes for us. We picked up our new travel rig in February, 2018.
The following month, we took our initial “shakedown trip” in our new RV to a local campground for the weekend. Next, we took it a little further to Clabough’s Campground in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (over 200 miles) for Spring Break. After a couple more local trips, our youngest daughter was a born in May, 2018. It didn’t take long for us to introduce her to our newfound love of RV travel. Her first weekend camping trip happened when she was just a few weeks old. Then, on the exact day she turned 8 weeks old, we headed out on our first longer adventure. For 21 days, we traveled in our Passport to the Badlands, Custer State Park, Yellowstone, and Modoc, Indiana. Over the course of that trip, we towed the Passport over 3,500 miles.
In early 2019, we decided to upgrade our tow vehicle to a Chevrolet Silverado 2500. What we had discovered after towing the Passport across the country was that we felt we needed more tow power. While we consciously bought an RV that fell within our Suburban’s tow capacity, it fell on the high end of our capacity. And, we really felt it, especially on hills and mountains. So, we decided to purchase a truck with a tow capacity well above the weight of our Passport. Because there are six of us, we had to buy one with a bench seat for the front row. This is not a common option, but we found one locally. Again, we were set. Eric, Olivia and I rode in the front with Mayson, Ellianna, and Sophia in the back row.
Between 2018 and 2020, we traveled to 25 states using the Passport. We were especially grateful for our Passport once the COVID pandemic hit. Because we did not need to rely on hotels and could lean into nature and the outdoors, we still traveled. Obviously, we initially traveled less than we had the last couple years, but we took advantage of campgrounds more closely located to us. Due to COVID, we, as with the rest of the world, worked nearly 100% remotely. So, we started testing the possibility of working from the rig. We quickly found that, as long as we planned trips to campgrounds with reliable cell service and/or wi-fi, we could productively work from the RV. This opened up a whole new world of travel opportunities for us.
While we contemplated the idea of working remotely more often, we realized our Passport did not provide the best floorplan for us to travel comfortably and for both of us to work productively. We again started to think about what type of rig might best serve this phase in our life. After looking at what seemed like hundreds of floorplans, we decided that a fifth wheel seemed to be the way to go. Once we honed in on fifth wheels, we had to determine what features were the most important to us. What we realized about our Passport was that we rarely used the second door for the bathroom. We also didn’t use the outdoor kitchen that often either, because we usually used our Blackstone grill. Also, we determined that while a big bunkroom was nice, we preferred giving up some of that space for a bigger living space.
After taking all of those things into consideration, the Grand Design Reflection 31MB floated to the surface of our search. We absolutely fell in love with this model. The massive windows provided so much natural light. The living space easily accommodated our family comfortably while we cooked, ate, watched a movie, or even all three at once. The mid-bunk was quite a bit smaller than the bunkroom in the Passport. However, the way we looked at it, the kids really only slept in there. And, we really valued the living space over the sleep space. Plus, we knew we could buy a mattress to put on the ground in the bunkroom at night so that they had an extra bed. We couldn’t wait to get our new travel rig.
Just before Independence Day in 2020, we took possession of our Reflection. Almost immediately, we took it out for a shakedown trip in Southeast Indiana. Later in the summer, we spent two weeks in Hilton Head. In September, we even took it to Fort Wilderness in Disneyworld. We couldn’t have been happier with our purchase. But, as is the norm with new RV purchases, we had a few warranty items that needed to be fixed. So, over the winter, we took it to the dealership for service work. As is also common, the dealership had our RV for quite some time. But, luckily, we got it back in time for camping season.
In 2021, we continued our travels. For our first trip of the season, we traveled to Tennessee. As we started to pack up to leave, our living room slide would not retract. After trying everything recommended in the manual and what we found online, we had to use the manual process for bringing in the slide. And, let me tell you, because of where the button is to do this, it was a huge pain. But, because we had another trip planned in a few weeks, we didn’t have time to leave it at the dealership for another two months. Luckily, the dealership said it likely just needed to be retimed, which was an easy fix but not one that needed to be done immediately, so they told us to go ahead and go on our trip.
So, for Spring Break, we headed to Charleston, South Carolina. After a fantastic week camping on a working horse farm, we packed up to leave. And, yes, the slide wouldn’t come in, and, yes, we had to use the manual process again. As soon as we returned home, we called the dealership again. This time, when we called, they said they couldn’t get us in until the middle of May. We explained to them that we had a trip planned at the very beginning of June. They said that was not a problem. We went on a few local weekend trips and continued to have the slide issue.
Then, in mid-May, we took it to the dealership. They called back within a couple days to tell us that they had retimed it, and we could come get it. We picked it up, drove home, took out the slide and then pushed the button to bring the slide back in. Nothing. It still didn’t work. At that point, we were in a bit of a panic mode because of our upcoming trip. We called them back, and they told us to bring it back in promising they’d have it fixed before we left.
Fast forward almost two weeks, and we’re really sweating. They finally tell us that the parts they need to fix it aren’t going to be in before we leave, so we’ll have to come get it and just take it with us on our trip as-is. Not the best of situations, but we didn’t want to change our trip, so we picked it up two days before our trip with another promise that they’d fix it immediately once we returned from our travels.
As soon as the kids got out of school that week, we headed out for our longest RV trip to-date. For the next 30 days, we traveled to 11 states and visited 11 national parks, several state parks, and countless national forests. We traveled through deserts, across some of the windiest states in the country, and over the largest mountain peaks we’d encountered in our travels so far. For the most part, the Reflection held up, except for essentially everything the dealership had touched since we owned it. The drawer they supposedly fixed during the warranty service work broke again. A light fixture they worked detached completely from the ceiling. And, the slide still didn’t work.
As much as loved our Reflection, we felt completely let down by the dealership. Don’t get me wrong. Our trip was epic. The issues we had with our rig were minimal in the grand scheme of things. They were just a bit annoying. Obviously, when you buy something, you want it to work the way it’s supposed to. Plus, you have to take time away from your day to take it to and from the dealership for work, which is incredibly inconvenient. Nonetheless, we loved the design of the Reflection. So, when we got back, we took it back to the dealership…for the third time…to deal with the same issue…an issue we didn’t have until they worked on electric wiring in that particular slide the past winter.
This time, the dealership kept our rig for another several weeks. Once we got it back, the slide thankfully worked. But, something about it still felt off. It expanded and retracted more slowly and less smoothly than the other two slides. Honestly, it made me uncomfortable. But, we took it on another five or six trips that season, and it worked each time, so we let it go.
In the spring of 2022, we de-winterized the Reflection and started our season. We had no issues our first outing. Then, on Spring Break, again the slide wouldn’t come in. Frustration does not begin to describe how we felt. We retracted it manually and began the journey home from South Carolina. As we drove through the mountains, Eric struggled to see the passenger mirror past Olivia, now nearly ten years old, who had grown pretty significantly in the two years since we bought the Reflection. Add that to the discomfort myself and the girls in the back felt with large dogs at our feet, and it made for a rather long drive home.
This was the point where we started to discuss how much longer the truck would be a viable vehicle for our travels. Two adults, two teenagers, a pre-teen, a preschooler, a boxer and a Goldendoodle packed into a truck cab was getting real uncomfortable real fast. But what other options did we have at that point? We actually looked into having the truck customized to add a third row. However, doing that meant adding more length to our already 20 foot long truck and 36 foot long rig. Adding that length concerned us. That really just left us to either consider motorhome options or keep our setup as-is.
Once again, we started our research. Immediately, we found bunk options in motorhomes to be limited. Unless we wanted to consistently utilize the couch and dinette as beds, a Class A seemed to be the only category of motorhome that could comfortably sleep our family. We whittled down the already short list of models to either a Fleetwood Bounder 36F or the Holiday Rambler Vacationer 36F. Both coaches are manufactured by the same company, have the same exact layout, and cost the same. We actually cannot figure out why the parent company has not consolidated them into a single model. Either way, both were in short supply on dealership lots across the country.
None of the local dealerships carried either model. However, one did carry essentially the same model minus the bunks. So, we decided to look at it just to see if we even wanted to consider moving forward. The moment we walked in it, we loved it. We knew the plush seats would make travels unbelievably comfortable. Plus, we liked the idea of being able to make a quick lunch while pumping gas without having to leave the rig.
We recognized that we’d be giving up a few features. There is no bunk room, just essentially two bunks in the hall and a queen bed that lowers over the cab. That limits the girl’s privacy a little. But, there is a full second bathroom, so we felt comfortable in that give-and-take. We’d also lose our large pantry in the Reflection, but between cabinets and the smaller pantry in the motorhome, there is plenty of storage. Plus, there is more bedroom storage for us and the girls for our clothes. And, the storage below the home is insane. We knew we’d be covered there.
Finally, we would be losing our gigantic windows we loved so much in the Reflection. But, the model we chose had more windows than most Class A’s we looked at. Additionally, you have the huge windshield and side windows, so we felt it was a near even trade-off. At the end of the day, we felt these minor compromises made sense given the flexibility we would gain with the motorhome, especially since we only added a couple feet to the length. Obviously, the cost of the motorhome would be quite a bit more than the fifth wheel. However, we downsized the truck to a Jeep. Then, we looked at how many days per year we spend in the RV. Ultimately, we felt it was worth it to take the plunge.
We found a Vacationer 36F in Tampa, Florida. We negotiated the price and worked out all the details over the phone. Then, Eric and I flew to Tampa to inspect it, sign the papers, and bring it home. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that we weren’t terrified pulling out of the dealership in what felt like a semi-truck. The first few hours were tense and nerve-wracking, especially since we left just in time for Tampa rush hour traffic. We drove nearly to Atlanta before stopping off for the night in a campground just off I-75. We drove the rest of the way home the next day. The first time Eric backed it into our driveway, he couldn’t believe how easy it was to maneuver.
We’ve now owned our Vacationer for six months, and we’ve taken it to Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and on a 21-day trip to Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. Eric continues to rave about how much easier it is to back up and how much more at ease he is driving it. The girls and I love how much more room we have when driving. It feels so comfortable and so homey to us. Also, we’ve modified the Jeep to add a third row, so that’s what we tow when we travel, making our overall length less than we had previously. We have a few minor things we need fixed under warranty during the winter. This time, we’ve decided to take it straight to the manufacturer instead of going through the dealer.
At this phase in our RV life, this travel rig works great for us! Who knows if that’ll change in the future. But, for now, we’re set…once again. Choosing a rig is a big decision and one that is incredibly personal. Every family has their own list of priorities they want and/or need in their RV. One thing we’ve discovered through our journey is that what we initially thought we wanted or needed has changed dramatically over the last few years. What we thought we “had” to have, we never actually used. And what we ended up needing, we didn’t even consider in the beginning. Do you already have an RV or are you looking to buy one? Comment below on your priorities in your travel rig. And, if you’d like to read more about our RV adventures, click here.
