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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Who is in AZ for the winter?
We are in Thousand Trails, Verde Valley, until at least the end of March.. .
Took a trip north on 89A this past weekend to Flagstaff two days.
Wound up with 170 photos of Cottonwood, Sedona, Oak Creek, etc..
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Happy_Trails
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11/25/08 11:01am |
Full-time RVing
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RE: Apache Trail AZ
History of the ApacheTrail is thats the route used to haul all materials and equipment to construct Roosevelt Dam by Salt River Valley Water Users Association, which acted as the managing agency for the Bureau of Reclamation (their first project). If those horse drawn wagons can make it so can you:)
Looking on a map, and reading history is not even close to driving the road. Horses pulling wagons going one way, did not have to pass opposing traffic. A few years ago, I rode it with a Motorcycle to the Dam, then went out the way I should have come in. Pulling a utility trailer with about 250lbs of gear, not half as wide as a Pop-UP. NEVER AGAIN...
Even with a M/C it was tricky going up/down steep hills. Gravel road. At 10-15mph you put the brakes on to maintain a reasonable speed, the wheels locked up and skidded. Met a grader coming uphill on the inside of the road, MY LANE. He would not go to his side of the road. Had to go around him, NO GUARD rail, a drop of about 200+ feet. No rock on the edge of the road but soft dirt, the trailer wheel was less than 8 inches from the edge. With a Pop-Up the wheel would have to be in the AIR.....
Towing a Pop-Up, would never chance it. Narrow, one lane for both directions, with NO pullouts to pass in one lane areas. No way you can back up to one, sharp turns all the way, with a drop to the river.
Look at the road on a GPS map like DeLorme and it does not look half as bad as it actually will be. It does not show the stretches where the road is only wide enough for one way traffic.
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Happy_Trails
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11/25/08 09:48am |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: What is the worst Road you drove on?
Don't know if it is the same gravel road, but years ago began taking one out of Death Valley. Saw lots of wild burro's along it, which made it interesting. But, at one point the road got so bad was scraping the underside of my 280Z steadily. Turned around first chance I got and headed back into the valley.
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Happy_Trails
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11/24/08 12:42pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: ENJOYING OUR FIRST 2 YEARS OF FULL TIMING
I'm glad you are happy.
For future reference, typing in all caps indicates shouting or yelling at you audience. It's not easy to read either.
Many do not understand this, so I explain. It comes from the way voice programs operate. The Blind use them to access the Internet and listen instead of reading. Capitols increase volume dramatically. One word is not bad for emphasis, but a whole message means they have to quickly reach to turn the volume down. Then back up to hear the next message.
Thus, it is best to use all small letters if you don't want to shift.
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Happy_Trails
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11/20/08 04:31pm |
Full-time RVing
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RE: Selling house, buying TT
One thing to remember when selling property for less today than it may have sold for a year or so ago, it's all paper profit and loss anyway. It is not a real loss, so its not worth feeling bad about. The difference is nothing you ever really had. Property is only worth what you actually sell it for. Anything else is only our imagination, the paper increase is mythical.
Moving out, and saving $2000 a month, now that is a real savings.
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Happy_Trails
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11/18/08 08:53pm |
Full-time RVing
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RE: Storing Household Goods
We stored valuable paintings and some other things in a climate controlled storage facility. Heat and cold can do damage to things that are not built to withstand such changes in temperature and humidity. Especially paints on canvas, or glues that hold furniture together. Am hoping your things are ok, Just seeing them come out of the storage shed looking OK, does not mean damage has not been done. It can take a year or two for damage to show.
We preferred to rent the indoor storage area, with temp and climate control. For two years it probably cost us no more than it cost you, for the shed and storage fees. We can sell the paintings at auction when the financial climate improves, their value will continue to increase anyway. It will pay for the storage, when they are sold.
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Happy_Trails
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11/18/08 08:35pm |
Full-time RVing
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RE: thousand trails
Are you sure about that? If so, that's insane! Why by purchasing a higher level, do you lose, but if you buy a regular Platinum it continues being Platinum.
I guess it's good I bought a regular Platinum! :)
I also understand that if you get the Alliance Platinum you only get 50 nights for free for the basic $549.00 dues. It's $5.00 per night after 50. To upgrade to unlimited free nights dues are $1200.00! However with non-alliance Platinums you get unlimited free nights for the basic $549.00!
I oould possibly get talked into the Alliance because of being able to book further out, plus if you upgrade a resale I think you can get frozen dues at 62, however to increase the dues to $1200 per year PLUS CPI increases for unlimited nights is not for me!
thanks
Brian
You are correct about Alliance Platinum, I'd never buy that one, unless you intend to upgrade. Even then, it would be cheaper to buy a Regional Contract, good only in one region and upgrade to Platinum Plus. The upgrade price is the same no matter what you upgrade from. You can buy a resale of one Preserve if you can find one. They are sold in several places, like Cherokee, TN and Lynchburg, VA are a couple. Such memberships may be very inexpensive as a resale on eBay or Craigslist. Then upgrade to Platinum Plus.
Platinum and Alliance Platinum are no longer sold by TTN, you can only get them as a resale.
Those with an Alliance Platinum rave about the ability to make reservations 150 days in advance. BUT, you can make reservations 120 days in advance with a Platinum, Platinum Plus, and Platinum VIP.
In 14 years, have never had an occasion where I could not get a reservation 30 days in advance, in high use parks. All last year traveling 12,000 miles made no reservation more than 7 days in advance, except one. Even was able to get into high use parks. Many book way in advance. Then plans change and they have to cancel or it costs them $25. In Hershey, the busiest in the system, we made a reservation more than 30 days ahead. Then, when we got there, they had 28 sites still open. People had canceled 3-7 days in advance. We could have called 1-3 days ahead and still had a site.
So..... what is the advantage of booking 150 days in advance?
It costs much too much for Alliance, if you are full timing. It might be ok for those who only plan to go for weekends and a vacation.
It also depends on the individual Platinum, Platinum Plus, and Platinum VIP what you get. Some were sold where only the Original member gets frozen dues. Others where it states Members have frozen dues at 62. In the original TTN membership resale that I bought it included frozen dues at 62. So 14 years ago when I bought it at 64, my dues were immediately frozen. No one should "assume" just because some contracts do not carry frozen dues forward, that applies to all contracts. Even the 4 Platinum VIP memberships I can leave in my will, will have frozen dues at 62 in the contract. The 4 I gave away as a Platinum VIP member also have frozen dues.
There is also NO provision in my contract that states it cant be sold to someone who attended a sales presentation. However, if a person does SIGN a statement saying they can't purchase a contract for a year after attending one. That could keep them from purchasing one. Just do not sign it.
We did attend a presentation, but told the sales person we were selling our home and wanted to wait and pay cash for the membership. So would have to wait a few months before buying. We did not find out about resales until later, then bought one.
There are about 100 different contracts, resale buyers need to get a copy of the _ORIGINAL_ contract, for that is what they are buying. If necessary, pay the seller to FAX you a copy. Resale buyers are not buying a "revised" contract, they are buying the members original contract. Make sure you get the original one.
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Happy_Trails
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11/16/08 11:59am |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: thousand trails
No big deal... for very good reasons...
They closed a couple of others for the winter. They have also opened some which were closed last winter. They HAVE been doing this for three years. While they are closed, they keep the employees busy making minor improvements, painting, plumbing, etc. and hire a construction crew to make major changes, they can't handle.
It is no different than when they closed Soledad Canyon last year, and put 1.5 million into the facility. They shut it down from Dec through Mar then opened 50 sites in Apr, 100 more in May and the rest June 1st. It is difficult to do such a major make over, when the sites are occupied. Some parks are also doing major work, closing 10 sites at a time. Installing new 50 amp sites, new water and sewer lines. So, now this year Soledad will be open all winter.
You just do not know they HAVE been doing this before, in other parks.
Now it just happens to be Lake Tawakoni's turn. When I was there last year, they had been doing some upgrading piecemeal. But, needed major work on some of the roads and areas that could not be done with RV's in them, convert more sites to 50 amps.
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Happy_Trails
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11/15/08 06:46pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: How much is too much?
Do like we do, check the calling number when the phone rings. If you do not recognize it, do not answer. If the call is important they will leave voice mail. If they do not want you to call them, not. Many such calls are computer dialed, so they leave no number. Result you save on cell phone charges.
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Happy_Trails
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11/14/08 08:46am |
Full-time RVing
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RE: full time for a couple years??
RV full time for 14 years...
Not giving up on RV'ing full time, just doing it differently.
We bought a used 35x10 ft TT in excellent condition (it's never been on the road, new fridge, water heater, microwave, furnace a year ago) for $995. Leased a lot for $2200 per year in a campground, with free storage for our Class A.
The TT will be a place to keep our stuff and use our camping VAN to travel around AZ, instead of storing it. What we save on storage pays $1200 of the years lease. We will get to use the stuff. Things we could not let go.
We lived in CA for years and loved AZ, but only visited 3-4 times a year vacations and holidays. Now will focus on AZ about six months of the year. Going on short trips for 3-7 days in our Camping VAN. Jerome, Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, Navajo & Hopi Reservations, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, White Mountains, other National Parks like Organ Pipe and Saguaro NP, etc., which will surround us.
Then, about six months of the year, will go to the east coast in the Class A. Travel to SC to ME to visit our kids and other relatives and see places we like.
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Happy_Trails
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11/10/08 01:36pm |
Full-time RVing
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RE: For my fellow full-timers and our Veterans
Personally not a day goes by, but what I think of one or more of those who served with me or relatives who served. Enlisted in 1946 as soon as I turned 16, for my family had always served since the Revolution, but never got to serve during WWII.
Four relatives came on the Mayflower. (Do many know there was a lot of intermarriage among those who did? Two cousins who came on the Mayflower married each other.) In just one ancestors family, Levi Osborne's 11 sons served in the Army and Navy during the Revolution.
During the Civil War, two members in the family were recipients of the Medal of Honor. William Osborne, and Benjamin Falls, on my Grandmothers side. Sgt. Benjamin Falls was wounded, told to go home after being treated in a hospital. He went outside, picked up a rifle and ammo from a wounded man, and went back into the battle. He was then KIA. Others served in every war between the Revolution and WWII, including all Indian Wars and P.I..
In WWII one Uncle was wounded in Pearl Harbor, due for discharge, six months later. My father was a Sgt in the National Guard when WWII began. But, because of his job in the Boston Navy Yard, was declared in an essential position, and not called to serve in the N.G.. Instead he took a second job, working another shift in the Boston Fire Dept. Between the Osborne's and Johnston's 13 uncles enlisted in WWII. One died in the Battle of the Bulge, another was wounded on Omaha Beach on D Day Medically Discharged. He finished the war, by touring the country in Uniform, selling War Bond's in Drives to support the war.
Was on Okinawa when S. Korea was invaded, immediately volunteered to go to Korea. Served from Aug 50 in the 5th Regimental Combat Team. The 5th RCT is only unit that a Marine ever wrote a book about. "Hills of Sacrifice." In the foreword a Marine General compared the 5th, to the 1st Marines, Wolfhounds, and 442nd Infantry in WWII. It was the only regiment in Korea to spend more than 94% of its time in combat.
Returned to the states in Feb 51, recovered from wounds. Volunteered to return to the 5th, served 9 months, returned to US for a 30 day furlough. Then, again volunteered to return to the 5th RCT. After 9 months, extended until the Korean Cease Fire was signed. Served a total of Nine years.
Three grandsons served in Bosnia and Iraq, one two tours in Iraq, one three tours. My Nephews served, one SFC served 15 years. Two tours in Iraq, was injured during the second one jumping from a Helicopter, medically discharged with 100% disability. Many cousins served, three of them are on their third tour in Iraq. One SFC, a Detective Sgt from Tallahassee PD, was the first EM to sign up for an "Indefinite Enlistment" while in Iraq. He says, "I feel safer in Iraq, than on the streets of Tallahassee as an officer."
A cousin Jason Duncan, a Marine, was the first Marine recipient of the Medal of Honor in Iraq, awarded posthumously. It is impossible to _not_ think about those serving, any day of the year.
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Happy_Trails
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11/10/08 11:08am |
Full-time RVing
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RE: Living in Cold Winter Months
A charcoal filter on your water intake could take care of the taste.
Water in Verde Valley tastes terrible of chlorine, and it worked for us.
They sell them at Camping World or other RV stores and you could get one shipped.
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Happy_Trails
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11/09/08 12:47pm |
Full-time RVing
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RE: Living in Cold Winter Months
As for the door locks and latches, Id check a local hardware store for a graphite lubricant. They should also have some tips for cold weather living.
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Happy_Trails
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11/09/08 10:17am |
Full-time RVing
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RE: Thousand Trails -- GRRRRRRR!!!!
If you join the National No Call list, it might take 3 months to stop the calls. But, next time they call you can tell them you are on the list and if they do not stop calling, you will report them for a violation. That you will report them for a violation _each_ time they call.
Not true. In this case, he cannot report them for any violations. Per the FCC Do Not Call website:
calls from or on behalf of political organizations, charities, and telephone surveyors would still be permitted, as would calls from companies with which you have an existing business relationship,
Since he has an existing relationship with them, they are allowed to call him and it does not fall under the Do Not Call guidelines.
As he has canceled his membership, he no longer has a relationship.
They are attempting to force a relationship he does not desire.
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Happy_Trails
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11/08/08 02:31pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Thousand Trails -- GRRRRRRR!!!!
To happy trails.. Sorry if I said Should.. I sent the letter, long time ago, they keep calling, and calling and calling, saying I owe them dues, I do not, They can not enter a bad credit report (not that that would matter just now) nor can they take any other action as the time limits on that have expired, but they call every month, regular as clockwork. And they don't leave voice mail if I don't answer. I've spoken with one court, but that court does not have jurisdiction, I have to find the right court and then I'm asking for a full refund with interest and penalty.. Won't get it.. but I'd like the last year's dues back.
If you join the National No Call list, it might take 3 months to stop the calls. But, next time they call you can tell them you are on the list and if they do not stop calling, you will report them for a violation. That you will report them for a violation _each_ time they call.
If they are calling a land line number, you can also get a device at Ratio Shack to put on the line. When you pick up the phone, you say nothing for 15 seconds, then respond. During that time a signal is sent to electronic dialer's the phone has been disconnected. Many companies use electronic dialer's to initiate the calls.
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Happy_Trails
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11/08/08 09:46am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: KOA
Like a chain anything the KOAs are consistant. As others have stated, they also tend to cost a bit more & are often very convenient, read near a major highway. You will not likely have any surprises at a KOA. There are plenty of great non KOA CGs avaialble too. Finding them may take more research but can be well worth the effort. To each his own.'
Maybe consistently Bad. We have stayed in many KOA's since 1968, and in the early years found them convenient. However in recent years have found many to be severly degraded, including ones we formerly used. After our last visit S of Golden CO, we decided never again. We'd rather stay in a Walmart with no facilities than go through that again. After charging us more than they quoted on the phone, they began tacking things on, without asking, we had said we did not want on the phone. We had to go through each item and have it removed. There were at least 7-8 permanent residents there with all kinds of trash in the sites. Big Tarps over their Rigs to keep the roofs from leaking, etc.
Then, they took us to a site where the sewer connection was broken, and said we would just have to dump at the station. When we walked to the swimming pool, it was filled with old leaves, and algae. The carpet in the Mini Golf was badly torn and unusable, the restroom and shower rooms were dirty... The next morning when we checked again, they had been cleaned, but now a drain was blocked, and they could not be used. We went back and asked for a refund due to so many amenities, for the rest of the days were going to stay. At first they refused, but when I said I would just contact the credit card company for a refund, they agreed to a refund.
Now we use only C2C or RPI and Passport America, with much better facilities and get up to 50% discounts.... Passport America membership is only about $45 you do not have to have a membership campground to join, and you can save more than that on a couple of nights camping.
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Happy_Trails
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11/07/08 03:17pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Thousand Trails -- GRRRRRRR!!!!
FIRST, it is NOT a good idea to buy a resale of TT, if you own ODW. Or to buy ODW if you have TT.
If you have an ODW membership, you have say $$550 a year dues.
If you buy a resale of an TTN, you would pay dues of about #550.
So you pay about $1100 a year in dues.
If you bought an upgrade to TTN from ODW, then your dues would be LESS. Believe it is about $100 more. Thus dues would be $650 a year.
It looks like a savings as you pay less for TT in a resale or vice verse.
BUT the upgrade is about $3995 unless ELS has increased it since Aug. It would cost you more dues on separate memberships for ten years, than if you buy the upgrade.
If you do not plan on using a membership at least ten years, Id not buy it.
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Happy_Trails
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11/07/08 10:02am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Thousand Trails -- GRRRRRRR!!!!
Yes, this is a rant. I inherited TT from late DH. He had purchased it in 1972. I have no use for it now...DH and I decided we're going to camp around the home base. I put it up for sale on Craigslist and found a buyer (or he found me!). I have the contract all ready to send to him and lo and behold a GLICH! Seems if a person owns any of the TT subsidiaries (like Outdoor World) they can't purchase TT on the second hand market. Also, if they've been to a presentation in the last 12 months they can't purchase. This really burns my butt!!!! What makes me even madder....in all the conversations I had with TT on how to sell this, they NEVER mentioned this. The paragraph mentioning this is on the last page of the contract just above the signature lines. OUTRAGEOUS!
there -- thank you for letting me rant!
IF it is not specified in Your Contract, it is NOT enforceable.
Sales staff says you can't buy a resale, BUT your contract probably states Thousand Trails has to HELP you sell the contract. Such "rules" apply to a new contract if the buyer accepts it. Such "rules" prevent your from selling it.
But, only what is in your applies, if it does not state this in your contract. You could sue them. We were told that at a presentation, three months later we bought a resale, there was no such stipulation in sellers contract. They could not block the sale. I doubt a 1972 contract has that limitation.
ELS is a the new owner of Thousand Trails since August. The staff at ELS is not familiar with all the contracts and they are saying things which are not enforceable legally. They laid off 140 TT employees in HQ in Texas, who knew what they were doing.
If it is not in your contract, Id see a lawyer. Many of them will give you a free consultation for an hour, its worth checking.
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Happy_Trails
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11/07/08 09:46am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Thousand Trails -- GRRRRRRR!!!!
The membership I like to bash is All Seasons/Travel America, They keep bugging me for a dues payment even though I sent them a letter advising they should cancel the membership due to their inability to maintain the parks for member use, as the contract says they must. They excuse but the fact is I can no longer use the parks cause the tax man cameth and tooketh away. So not only do I not own them money but they owe me a refund.
On this one we are going to end up in court.. Soon as I can afford to file
Send a certified letter, return signature requested.
Tell them to cancel the membership. If you said they "should" because they do not maintain the parks, that language really does not allow them to cancel it.
Doubt you will get any refund, unless you sell it. Though if you could talk an attorney into starting a class action lawsuit you might.
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Happy_Trails
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11/07/08 09:17am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Where you been map - ever or in RV
When I had my Moto Guzzi, then the first Gold Wing, towed a Colman PopUp Trailer with it, and had a Cage on top we had our two dogs in. During those years, we bought a State Sticker and put them along the side of the Trailer to show the states we had been in. Every time we stopped we drew a crowd as no one had ever seen a bike back then towing a trailer.
Within a year after getting the Wing, a couple of companies were making trailers for M/C, so we sold the PopUp and bought one. It really was too heavy to tow with two wheels. Had some close calls when had to put on the brakes hard. The bike would slide with the weight pushing it.
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Happy_Trails
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11/07/08 09:02am |
RV Lifestyle
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