Tuesday, June 26, 2012 Goshen Indiana

Today is Tuesday and we have relocated to Goshen at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds.  We are here for the Fleetwood owners national rally which opens tomorrow.  We moved in here on Monday and have had yesterday and today to just sit and relax which we are getting good at.  Actually, yesterday we went trailer shopping.  No, not a camper trailer, rather an enclosed car hauler trailer.  Ever since we started RVing, we have always towed our jeep behind the RV and this has been a simple and easy method to get our car to where we are camping.  However, a couple of years ago, we spent the winter in Florida and it was, to say the least, traumatic, due primarily to the weather.  Apparently the winter of 2009 was one of the worst in Florida with temperatures in the 30s, and high winds most days.

Now, we love our motorhome and all the conveniences it provides, but for what ever reason, I really like to get out and do "something" during the day.  Some of you know that I like to make pens on my lathe and the plan that winter was to do just that.  However, it is the nature of wood turning that it produces a lot of dust, something that is not really compatible with the inside of a motorhome.  During the 4-5 months we were in Florida, I attempted to set up an outdoor work shop on our patio where I could spend time doing my pens.  To say the least, the weather did not cooperate.  Between cold, wind, and rain, it was just about impossible to do anything outside.  I tried sitting and reading a couple of times but finally gave that up too.  About the only outdoor activity we could engage in was taking the pups for walks around the lake.  By the time we left Florida, I was traumatized and hesitant to ever return for another winter.

Fast forward to today, and we are now considering an enclosed trailer which would serve two purposes.  First, we can haul the car in the trailer, but more importantly, when we arrive at our destination, and unload the car, the trailer can serve as a climate resistant workshop that doesn't mind having a bit of dust around.  At least that is the theory.  We don't know how that will work out, but we see a lot of RVers doing just that, and it seems to have some possibilities.  As a result of this line of thinking, we have been looking around for a suitable trailer.

  The first thing that we realize is that there are no used ones anywhere.  For whatever reason, people who buy these things hang onto them.  This is encouraging and gives us confidence that we are moving in the right direction.  The other thing we realize is that it is possible to order these things with just about every imaginable option including 42" plasma TV, surround sound, etc.  I mean, you could live in it if properly spec'd out.  Of interest to us, are the various options that affect the utility of the trailer such as torsion axles, lights, etc.  To this end, we visited 3 trailer dealers yesterday on our day off to help in the education process, and we did learn a lot, including that we want an extended tongue!

Today we are talking with a trailer dealer in Georgia about pricing and options as we begin to zero in on what we want.  I will also add this comment, if President Obama is looking for a bright spot in US manufacturing, he should hitch his wagon to the cargo trailer industry.  These folks, by their own admission, are booming!  Most are selling 6-8 trailers a day, and if you want to custom order one, you will wait 6-8 weeks!  Add to that the fact that nobody is selling their used ones and you have an amazing success story.

There is more to tell on this story and we will try to keep you all posted as it unfolds.  Until then, have a great day.