# New to the forum.



## simsy56 (Feb 22, 2012)

Hi all!,
l would just like to introduce myself, new to the forum.
l am Craig, a retired prison guard, and l own a 2003 Itasca Sunrise Chevy 6.5 diesel. l love it, and so do all the family. We get out as often as possible, but little over the last 3 months, due to family circumstances.
We live on a small Island called the Isle of Man, between Ireland and England, and live a peaceful existance. 
We are a 4 hour ferry journey to Liverpool, England and from there we can travel to Europe no problem. 
We have been to the States a few times, mainly to New England where we have friends, and it looks like we are coming over to Long Island this July for a wedding.

That's me in a nutshell.

Craig


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## Grandview Trailer Sa (Feb 22, 2012)

Craig, welcome to our humble forum.  If you ever get over here, and head south, I am in Virginia.  I have heard of the Isle of Man...I believe a motorcycle race is held there.  Hang around and join right in.


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## simsy56 (Feb 23, 2012)

Thanks, and yes there is, or should l say are, motorcycle races here every june. The TT races, racing around a course of some 37 plus miles on closed public roads. And if you can imagine sitting outside a pub, beer in hand, and the road is a normal country road of around 20 feet wide and motorcycles pass at almost 200 mph, thats the sort of racing we have here. One week practicing every evening, and one weeks racing (8 races). The place is alive. There has been racing here for over one hundred years! Can you believe that?

Take care,

Craig


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## try2findus (Feb 24, 2012)

Welcome Craig!


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## simsy56 (Feb 24, 2012)

Well Thank You!

Craig


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## Grandview Trailer Sa (Feb 24, 2012)

Craig,
I would love to be sipping beer on that country road.....

I was in Detroit one summer and went to Belle Isle where they had an Indy Car Race and all the big boys were there.  This was back in the early 90's.  I watched them take a curve marked 25 mph at 125!!


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## simsy56 (Feb 24, 2012)

l would love to see some Indy car races. One day, maybe. 
Tell me guys, what are you paying for fuel over there. Here it's is frightening, roughly 8 dollars per US gallon, thats for gas, around $9 for diesel. We are being screwed for sure.

Craig


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## H2H1 (Feb 24, 2012)

well at those prices, you would think you have died and and went to oil field in heaven with our price. Here in GA it is running 3.59 to $3.69 pg for gas and pushing $4.00 and more for diesel. And yes we are bitching to, gas should no more than $2.00 PG

It only make RV'ing harder ON a already tight buget.


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## C Nash (Feb 24, 2012)

Went up 12 cents per gallon here overnight.  I may be stranded and a resident now.


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## simsy56 (Feb 25, 2012)

That is some rise. Just the same here, without warning, fuel goes up. Still, as we live near the sea, we don't have far to travel to enjoy the RV in super surroundings, it's just that when we wander off to England, it gets expensive. My brother has just spent winter in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco in his Winnebago Journey and says the fuel in Spain is around $5-$6 pg, and in Gibraltar is was $5 pg, so a little better down there.
Sure is costly running our bit of enjoyment, but wouldn't change it for the world.
Do many of you guys live full time in your RVs? l know a lot do over in the UK, in fact my brother lives full time in his, with his girlfriend. Wish l could, but at the moment it just isn't possible.

Catch you later,

Craig


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## Steve H (Feb 25, 2012)

Paid $4.50 for diesel here in WA state yesterday. It's on the rise again! Sure beats $9.00 though!


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## simsy56 (Feb 25, 2012)

That is one big rise since l was over there in 2009. Wow! What's happening to the world?
May l ask, would a 5er, with a 250 tow truck, be a lot more economical than my 30ft Sunrise? Just a thought keeps going through my head that a fiver may be more more suitable over here due to the awesome cost of fuel, at present l get around 12 mpg (that would be 10 miles per US gallon) with my RV. Do any of you guys have any thoughts?

Regards,

Craig


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## Grandview Trailer Sa (Feb 25, 2012)

I dont think you would get much better...  I get 11.5 to 12 towing my 5th.  I use a 2006 GMC Duramax.  Newer trucks dont seem to get as good as mine.


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## C Nash (Feb 25, 2012)

Simsy56  i would not say we are fulltimers as we did no sell everthing.  As of now we do go back for Christmas.  We will also be returning in April for a grandsons wedding and May for family reunion.  With the way gas prices are going it dont look good.


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## akjimny (Feb 25, 2012)

I would kill for 10 mpg.  I get 7.5 to 8 solo and figure I'll gert around 5 mpg towing the trailer up to Alaska.:8ball:


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## simsy56 (Feb 26, 2012)

So, it doesn't seem any advantage changing to a 5th wheel economy wise. It was just a thought. 

What a lot of RVers do over here is convert the gas engines to run on lpg. Lpg is half the price of gas, and less than half the price of diesel, do you folks ever come across that one? 
Lpg is widely available throughout Europe and the UK, and is sold as 'Autogas'. Even a lot of large A class gas RVs run on lpg, the downside is losing a locker to accommodate the extra tanks to be fitted, this is not a problem with a pick up as the tank fits in the truck bed easily. The advantages are zero emissions from the exhaust, and much cleaner engine internals.

Our idea about almost fulltiming was to sell our large home, and buy a smaller apartment (we call them flats), which we did, closing up home, and wander way down south for the winter, flying home for christmas to see the family and grand kids, and returning in january to continue our travels. However family circumstances delayed that plan, but we may be able to do it this coming winter. We will see.

Take care,

Craig


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## simsy56 (Feb 26, 2012)

akjimny;76487 said:
			
		

> I would kill for 10 mpg.  I get 7.5 to 8 solo and figure I'll gert around 5 mpg towing the trailer up to Alaska.:8ball:



That is awful, l am afraid that wouldn't do over here. Imagine a 50 mile trip costing $90!!!

Craig


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## simsy56 (Feb 26, 2012)

C Nash;76482 said:
			
		

> Simsy56  i would not say we are fulltimers as we did no sell everthing.  As of now we do go back for Christmas.  We will also be returning in April for a grandsons wedding and May for family reunion.  With the way gas prices are going it dont look good.



May l ask where you travel to? Is it for the warmth? That's our intention, because the winters here are long and cold and damp and outright miserable. l don't suppose it mattered so much when l was at work, but being retired now the winters seem a whole lot longer.

Craig


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## H2H1 (Feb 26, 2012)

well I just checked the MPG computer on the MH, and it surprise me 6.8 .  I think I need to change my driving habit to improve it some.


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## Shadow (Feb 26, 2012)

Hollis, your getting about the same us us. Can sometimes sneek an 8mpg but 6.5 to 7.5 is about right. Don't use the cruise enough. Stay in the 60, 62 range seems to be a good spot. My foot seems to like somewhere between 65 and 70. Keep forgetting I'm retired!


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## C Nash (Feb 26, 2012)

Simsy56 We are from central Alabama and the winters are not normally to bad there.  The gas prices have us staying along southern Alabama, Northern Flordia and southern Mississippi where we are now.  The Mh will average 8MPG and the toad will average about 25 MPG (chev 4 door 4x4 tracker)  I had a 5th wheel before and a diesel 96 model truck  Got 10 MPG towing and 15 not towing.  Overall about the same fuel use.  We park and do a lot of sightseeing in the tracker.  Unlike Hollis and Shadow we are never in a hurry.  LOL  Did my fast driving on a drag strip. I very seldom go over 55 mph in the MH.  Yes I will pull over when possible and let Hollis and shadow go on but I pass them again at the gas station  LOL  JK  Talking about speed  go stand at the finish line of drag strip and watch a jet powered go by at 300mph and you are fairly close with only a knee high rail.  Did that once  NEVER AGAIN


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## simsy56 (Feb 26, 2012)

That's a good speed, 55mph, my speed too with cruise set. l had a toad on a trailer, but have sold it. l must have been mad! It was a Mercedes Smart car, l don't know if you have them there or not, but a great toad. 2 door, 2 seat, very light weight, 3 cylinder engine and doing around 65 mpg(UK gallon), there is a diesel model too that does around 90 mpg (UK gallon). Wonderful little car, metal frame and plastic inter changeable panels.
As for standing at the end of a drag strip to see a 300 mph car go past, l don't think so. Not without spare underwear.
l would love to tour your country extensively by RV, so vast, so diverse. Then again, l suppose you folk would like to tour Europe and the UK? Thing here is we drive on the left, and when we get the ferry to Europe we have to remember to drive on the right, very interesting.

Catch you later,

Craig.


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## H2H1 (Feb 26, 2012)

Now I could handle a Smart car with 90mpg. That would mean I fillit up 2 times a year.


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## C Nash (Feb 26, 2012)

Sismys56
I would fit right in drivimg on the left side.  Pull out from a resturant here the other day and just started down the left side of the road  4 lane.   Wondered why the cars were blinking their lights and no I had only had a diet coke  LOL


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## H2H1 (Feb 26, 2012)

hey Nash didn't you say you had an appointment to see the eye doctor again, for him to correct your vision AGAIN!


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## simsy56 (Feb 27, 2012)

C Nash;76499 said:
			
		

> Sismys56
> I would fit right in drivimg on the left side.  Pull out from a resturant here the other day and just started down the left side of the road  4 lane.   Wondered why the cars were blinking their lights and no I had only had a diet coke  LOL



How did you manage that? 

Craig


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## C Nash (Feb 27, 2012)

Hollis I think they got my right eye on the left side.   
Sismy easy for me just go and pay no attention what you are doing.  At my age I expect all the other drivers to just get out of the way LOL


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## simsy56 (Feb 27, 2012)

Next time l am over there l will drive on the left just in case you are around. LOL.

Craig


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## H2H1 (Feb 27, 2012)

SIMSY, best not to be on the same road Nash is on.


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## simsy56 (Feb 28, 2012)

H2H1;76518 said:
			
		

> SIMSY, best not to be on the same road Nash is on.



l will bear that in mind.

Craig


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## C Nash (Feb 28, 2012)

Well with the gas prices what they are getting to be you want have to watch to much.  Will be park more and driving short distance.  Last trip 8 miles and will be here for a week.  Maybe longer since it's only 8 bucks a night for nice site close to walmart and resturants with 50 amp and water hookup.  Lifes good as long as we are away from the gas pump. LOL


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## simsy56 (Feb 29, 2012)

l agree, we are only half a mile from the sea (not ocean) and there is a lovely park about one and a half miles from here and many times we have spent the week end there, wonderful in the warm weather. Also we have spent a week in Peel, a small town around thirteen miles away. Just love being out camping.

Craig


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## Grandview Trailer Sa (Feb 29, 2012)

Maybe you will enjoy this.....

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e89/GVTS/GasStickItNote.jpg

This was on a gas pump in Douglasville GA last Sunday....I think it a great idea.


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## akjimny (Feb 29, 2012)

We need to have stickers made up saying this and slap them on gas pumps every time we buy gas.  Maybe enough people will get the message.


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## H2H1 (Feb 29, 2012)

Ken I loved that, going to make me some with my post it sticker


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## H2H1 (Feb 29, 2012)

But it was done here in Ga, so now I guess we all be called a racist


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## Grandview Trailer Sa (Mar 1, 2012)

Not by me!


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## Alexander_john (Mar 17, 2012)

Hello, 
  I also new for this forum,
Welcome to all old and new members of this community.


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## wineman (Mar 18, 2012)

There is nothing like the open road and myself and my family find any reason we can to travel.  Just got back from a trip threw the south and loved it.  Got to see three states on our journey we visited Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama.  Hope you have a fun trip this summer happy travailing.


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## Mysticcherokee (Apr 2, 2012)

hi I go by Mystic online. While I too am a new member here, and we have just got our first RV (vintage 95 Vectra,33), we are NOT new to camping and such. Popup all the way! Wore it out! Ive always wanted to see Europe after the States, and have already thought of renting an rv over there. Take a good month and such. It'll be awesome. FIRST AND FOREMOST I want to se what God laid down this side of the big pond, tho. THEN, go see all the truly old stuff. We have no idea over here what old is. Now OVER there, where it all began, well im not goin that far they dont play nice in Iran LOL!!, but Europe is callin and thers an RV over there with my name on it. It will be beee you tee full! Woo Hoo!  Hugs , Mystic


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## Mysticcherokee (Apr 7, 2012)

Does anybody know where we can get the book for our RV. Alas, bought it, and the book is nowhere to be found! AHHHHH! Its a 95 winnebago vectra. Anybody know where to start. Can we get one to download online. Ill pay. Thanks, Mystic


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## adinamark728 (Apr 28, 2012)

Interesting...


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