May 9 – 22, 2018
Camp Gulf – Miramar Beach, FL
We once again started our summer adventure at Camp Gulf in the Florida panhandle. Our intent this year was to spend more time enjoying the resort and surrounding area than we did last year when inclement weather and illness interfered. We did manage a nice long walk on the beach one afternoon before going down yet another rabbit hole.
The Rabbit Hole
Bill and I had discussed the idea of upgrading to a new RV now that we were full-timers and had identified a few models for consideration. As luck would have it, a nearby RV dealer advertised having some of these models on their lot. So what’s the harm in looking – right? Needless to say, they made us an offer on a DRV Mobile Suites that we couldn’t (or more appropriately didn’t) refuse.
To ensure that we had sufficient power to pull the new RV we also needed to upgrade the truck. After a lot of internet searching, Bill found a suitable truck. Only one problem – it was in St. Petersburg (a day’s drive from Destin). So, off he went early on Tuesday morning with our old truck and returned Wednesday afternoon with a new truck.
The Moving Experience – Day One
The plan was to take our current RV over to the dealer first thing Thursday morning, make the swap in the parking lot, and return to our campsite later in the day. Our plan started to unravel when we attempted to hook up the camper to the new truck. The new hitch was too low and had to be adjusted. Thankfully Bill had some help from a neighbor and together they we able to raise the hitch to the necessary height. This put us a bit behind schedule already. Then, just as we were ready to pull out of our campsite, the RV dealer called to say that they were just starting to do the detailing and apply the paint protection. There wasn’t much that we could do at this point except proceed to the dealer lot as planned. Once there, we decided to start packing up the contents of the current RV to make the move easier. We also disassembled our Sleep Number bed so that they could install it in the new RV. Once we had packed every box, crate, and bag that we owned (plus some that we had borrowed), we were forced to stop. After a while, we were notified that the detailing and paint protection were complete and the Sleep Number pump and tubing were installed. Sounds like we’re getting close right? Unfortunately the service techs discovered that the cover over the gas range was broken and needed to be replaced. So, we waited while they found and installed a replacement. Finally, at about 3:30 in the afternoon they pulled the new RV around beside our old one. The next step in the process was the installation of the DirecTV DVR box and verification that the satellite dish was operating properly. While Bill helped with that process, I was finally able to start the transfer. Once the satellite issues were solved, we reassembled the bed and started the inflation process. By now it was well into the evening, only a portion of the move was complete, and it was raining – hard. As we sat down to contemplate our situation, Bill noticed that the replacement gas range cover was not installed correctly. He talked with the service manager who agreed to fix it – the next morning. So, we spent our first night in our new RV in the dealer parking lot. At least we had power and water in the fresh water tank.
The Moving Experience – Day Two
We were up early on Friday making sure items were secured enough for the RV to be moved back into the service area. We made a quick breakfast run once the new RV disappeared and then waited amidst chaos in the old RV. Finally the new RV was returned with a properly installed range cover and we returned to the transfer – slowly at first as we tried to properly place items and then randomly as patience disappeared. Finally, about 4:00 in the afternoon we were done, hooked up, and ready to return to Camp Gulf.
In Retrospect
Had we only known the trouble that we were going to get into, we probably wouldn’t have looked at new RV units. On the other hand, even though we didn’t have time to fully enjoy the beach or campground amenities, we now have a much more comfortable home on the road. There’s always next year at Camp Gulf.
Barb and I were in stitches reading this!!!! It sure looks beautiful! It’s nice when a plan finally comes together
Not sure if it was a plan or brief insanity.