After that crazy day in October when we almost bought the new Komfort, things have quieted down. We did, in fact, put a deposit down on a seasonal site at the Saddleback Campground and we took the option to buy the Open Range 399BHS. So our plans for Summer 2012 are pretty well set. We will move the coach to the campground in early May and will use it as often as we can until Friday, September 14. Then, according to our plan, we will hitch our pickup (which we don’t own yet) to the 399 and will be off to see the USA.
Getting the coach to the site will take some effort. We won’t be buying our pickup until mid-summer at the earliest, so we need to hire someone to bring the coach to Saddleback. It could be the seller, but he had only a 3/4 ton pickup, which is definitely small for the job, and the site itself is a bit challenging. It is a level spot, but is elevated maybe 10 feet, so the narrow access road has a pretty significant slope. Even the hosts at Saddleback say that getting a large rig onto the site is “difficult.”
Saddleback Site 7
If you look closely at the foreground you will see that the access to the site is sloped and bends quite sharply. Backing a big fifth wheel up a slope and around this corner is no job for a 3/4-ton truck. I am thinking it might be better to hire the campground host to bring the coach to the site.
You can also see that the site is very shady. I think this is a good thing, mostly. However, we just received a newsletter from Saddleback in which it was mentioned that some tree trimming was planned “to reduce the pitch problem” that was experienced last season. Pitch problem? You mean those trees don’t just drop shade on the site? That they also drop PITCH? That my new (to me anyway) coach is going to leave in September covered in pine pitch? I have this image of a 399 tar baby traveling along, accumulating insects on its sticky skin. By the time we get to Oregon will we be completely covered in dead moths?
Jett has already suggested that we bring a tarp to cover the roof.
Once it is safely on the site we plan to spend as much time living in it as we can. We need to get acclimated to RV living and really need to figure out what we need to bring with us when we hit the road. We are hoping we have all summer to work on this, but there is a real possibility that we could rent the house as early as July 1, which means that the coach would be our home for real all summer. That is certainly not my preference, but we will do it if we have to. Renting the house is the single greatest risk to our plan, so if we have to rent it early we will.
If the house doesn’t rent until September, then Jett will spend most of her time at Saddleback while I remain at home, working and caring for the dogs. She is hopeful that her grandkids will be able to visit for much of the month of July. They love Lucas Pond as much as we do and it would be really nice for Jett to have some extended time with them before we hit the road.
Lucas Pond. It is one of my favorite places on earth. Some the the photos that appear in the blog header were taken there. It is always beautiful, but is more than that. It is an idyllic place for a child to spend a summer day. The beach is small but sandy. The diving platform is an easy swim from shore. There are two paddleboats available for use. A large grassy area for games. Shaded tables for picnics. A horseshoe pit. I never had a place like that when I was a kid, but if I had been able to spend my summers at Lucas Pond it would have been my fondest childhood memory.
It is also very private. It isn’t exactly a gated community, but everyone there knows who belongs and who doesn’t, so don’t think you can just show up and use the facilities. You will be challenged. The community is very vigilant.
Lucas Pond - Beach, Dive Platform and Paddleboats
Lucas Pond - Picnic and Play Area
These pictures were taken in July 2010 when Jett and I rented a 32-foot Class A for a week – our only RV experience. We obviously enjoyed it.
The Rented Class A
I expect to spend every weekend there. It will be the first time that I have ever had a place to go on weekends in the summer. I am looking forward to it.