While I'm confident there are many more styles and sizes and colors and lengths and every other configuration of wedding dresses (have you ever been to a designers' outlet?), there are still a LOT of different motorhomes to choose from as well.
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Yet it is also not the sheer variety that is the similarity I'm thinking of here. It is the finding of perfection, and knowing when you do.
(sorry guys, we might be entering foreign territory for some of you)
If you've been wedding dress shopping, you undoubtedly heard "You'll know it when you find it." It seems very daunting and overwhelming at first. It's the most important "component" of the event, and you just have to get it right! Bridal magazines, bridal fairs, multiple websites in your Favorites, a huge Pinterest board - it's always on your mind.
Even though you know the exact amount you have budgeted, you still look at amazing options that are completely out of your price range. The shopping and research and trying-on is a lot of fun, but there is always that nagging at the back of your mind - "....gotta find the best one for me....!"
So you find the dress and the pressure is off. You know it's absolutely right. It fits you perfectly. It's the style you like, and works with everything else you have planned. You look at yourself in it and you just know. It is the one for you!
And then you keep looking and shopping and even trying-on! Because it's fun! You might find a feature or accessory that will make "the one" even more perfect!
Sound familiar?
On Sunday we went to our local Camping World to look at a 27' Thor Axis. Why? It has a walk-around king bed. Although about 5' shorter than what we've been looking at, I wanted to see how they managed the bed when the 35' Itasca we looked at earlier had a very tight queen bed. We were both very impressed with the layout! We started seeing ourselves making it work. Being in a smaller rig would give us more site options, it was much cheaper, and it had a lot of features we want. But we came to our senses - limited storage, small propane refrigerator, tiny living space up front, gas engine, smaller towing capacity. Not the right one for us. We know it.
We looked at a few others (a delightful salesperson makes all the difference, especially on a hot day), and had a great time doing it. We even checked out a large Class C with a sweet layout. Nope.
See, we've already found the right rig for us. We found it nearly a year ago. Knew it as soon as we stepped inside. It isn't parked out front because we won't have the funds until the house is sold. But the Tiffin Allegro 33aa is the right rig for us.
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Just like the dress - fit, style, features - perfect for us.
And we keep looking and "trying-on" - for all the same reasons.
Finally, "putting on" that motorhome on launch day will be very much like putting on that wedding dress on the big day. All the research, budgeting, shopping, planning comes down to that moment.
Maybe we'll have the family toss rose petals at us as we drive away.......
Don't forget to carry that bouquet too! It's always nice to have a back-up plan when you're out looking. Sounds like you found yours first.
ReplyDeleteBouquet indeed! Maybe an herb garden for the window :-))
DeleteGreat analogy! Once you have the RV it's still fun to look at other RV's...especially when you walk away saying "I still like our floorplan best"!
ReplyDeleteBTW, that's a nice floorplan you've picked out!
So far nothing else can beat it - we already refer to the model as "our" motorhome :-). I suspect we'll be lookie-loos for years!
DeleteWith all your research you will be in the best shape to start your travels. Enjoy the looking until the big day!
ReplyDeleteMaura
We sure hope so! Still figure we'll pull out of the driveway and think OMG! what about.......??
DeleteGlad you know what you want. Everyone has different criteria. We actually didn't want a diesel because of all the costs for fuel and the enviro additive and any maintenance. We only looked at used class A's since we didn't want to take the big hit money wise and figured we could customize it to suit us for less than the money saved. You are SO right when you walk inside, you know it's yours. We had looked at so many RVs my eyes were crossing and we were getting short on time but I was unwilling to settle. And then a total fluke took us to Winnona and we have never seen another RV that we would want even at the big Tampa RV show each year in January. Hope you get your Tiffin and enjoy Red Bay. :-) Your analogy of the wedding dress is a GREAT one!
ReplyDeleteBut you still look in Tampa each year :-))). I figure we will too. The 33aa first came out in '13 so used options are nearly non-existent so far. We would be very open to a used coach if one turns up next year (fingers and toes crossed). Otherwise we'll bite the depreciation and shake-down bullet :-(.
DeleteYou will be so happy with your Tiffin! If you purchase brand new, you are going to have little "fixes" that are covered under warranty, as you would under any new motorhome. You might as well accept that fact. That is the reason we decided on a new to us, a bit older Tiffin. Our's was barely broken in at 27,6?? miles, but has given us very little expenses in fixes.
ReplyDeleteI guess that would not apply to a wedding dress through, would it.
The difference in quality and customer service really moves them to the top! BFF bought a new Phaeton that leaked at every window on their first trip. Rep came from Red Bay, talked with them, checked the rig - they had a new coach in six weeks. We're prepared to work out the new bugs if we can't find a used 2013. Would be fun to read the "service log" on a used dress :-)))))) !
DeleteScoopy has a pretty tight queen bed, and we were used to a king. It's pretty amazing how quickly you can adapt. At first we'd elbow each other, but we seemed to have figured it out somehow. Love the floorplan, can't wait for you to get your rig and get on the road!
ReplyDeleteWhenever we think a queen bed will be fine at a hotel it confirms our need for a king - old and spoiled is a bad combination :-). Us too! Knowing it's finally ours will be a huge relief.
DeleteYou are exactly right. You know it when you find it. We looked for eight years and then there it was! We occasionally look at other coaches and no matter what price, we still like our layout the best. Very clever analogy!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam :-). Wow eight years - I need to stop whining about our two year search!! Glad you still love yours.
DeleteYour wedding dress analogy is spot on: When visiting our newly engaged daughter two years ago, she surprised us by taking us to David's Bridal. The third dress she tried on was THE ONE, but she tried on a total of 6 or 7. In the end, she picked dress #3 and was a gorgeous bride this past January!
ReplyDeleteRon and I are still looking for our perfect RV. But we think we've found the one: A Voltage 3600 5th wheel toy hauler. We went to a dealer in Fresno a few months back that had one on their lot. Even though it was already sold they let us look at it in detail. The slides were in so we got to see it closed up. The dealer opened them to give us an idea of the room. Yep, that's the one for us. Like you, we need to sell the house before getting it and hopefully a gently used one will be available when we're ready.
I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of options in October in Pomona.
It was last year's Pomona show where we were able to walk through our rig and knew it was the one. Still - we are also looking forward to this year's show and doing more "shopping". And meeting you guys too :-)!
DeleteBefore last years show, I researched a lot of RV brands. We were convinced that we wanted a DRV Elite Suite. We don't have a dealer up here so we were very excited to see them. In March we went to a show in town and saw the Voltage toy haulers. At nearly half the price of a DRV with the added garage to run our business, it's pretty much a no brainer.
DeleteRV's are in our blood now and we can't seem to get enough...
It took us three years to find our Betsy. And to think she was displayed on a Dealers parking lot and just drove by for a year. We did not look for a 40 ft but it feels right when we got in, just like your wedding dress analogy. We have her now for over six years and we love Betsy. We still do look at others and do factory tours but we won't exchange Betsy, our "abode on the road" as you say. Love your tag line.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mona Lisa :-). When we first started talking about this lifestyle I didn't want anything bigger than 30 ft, but like your Betsy - stepping in the 35 ft Allegro we knew it was a good size for us. Six years sounds amazing - and inspiring!!
DeleteThank you so much for having left that very nice comment on my blog! I love your analogy to a wedding dress, having been married in the past. (It totally brought back memories!) I remember trying on the ones that there was absolutely NO way I could afford, "just to see what it looked like, and to get ideas...." LOL, yeah right. I just wanted to feel like a princess for a short time. Same thing - I've gone to the RV show and walked through the MHs with the 1.5 bathrooms, just to "dream." But I know it's not what I will ultimately end up with - it'll be a Class C because of all of my pets, but as to what size, it's still up in the air!
ReplyDeleteWelcome Terri! So glad you stopped by. Those fabulous, expensive dresses were so fun, but not worth giving up the honeymoon - just like those fancier MHs - not worth parking in a different Walmart parking lot every night :-). But we can still have the fun of "trying on"!!
DeleteCan't wait to see your just-right-rig - once all the furkids have given their blessing :-))))