Told You!

In my last post I told you that Dan was bored - well, actually I told you that Dan was bored on my last TWO posts. I also told you that when Dan is bored it usually cost us money. Well, I dodged that bullet for a couple of days, but I knew it was just a matter of time. Well, Thursday Dan decided that he was tired of being bored and he decided to spend some money!

We are now, the proud owners of a "new to us" 2007 Keystone Outback  23RS camper.  We have been looking for this particular model of camper for about eight months and we just couldn't find one that we thought we could afford - or if we did, it was in Washington, Michigan, Delaware, or Virginia - or it sold before we could be get to it.  Anyway, it always seemed like it just wasn't want was in the cards for us at the time.  Then last week, after we got back from Kississimee, I went on Craigs List and looked - just for kicks - when, lo and behold, look what I found.  In all places, no not Lake Placid - but in Bartow - which is up close to Lakeland.  We contacted the guy and went up on Thursday afternoon to look at it.  Well, to make a long story somewhat shorter - it was exactly what we wanted, it is in really good shape, and the price was right.  Sooooo, next Saturday we pick up our "new to us" camper.

So, what makes this the "perfect" (at least for us) camper?  Well, let me give you a little bit of background.  Before we went on the road full time the camper that we had right before the Montana was an Outback 21RS - which means the camper was 21 foot long when it was closed up, but the bed in the back slide out (thus the RS - meaning 'rear slide') when you set up camp.  It was really a nice camper except for one thing - the rear slide bed was a queen size - and in the front were two bunk beds.  Now, those of you that know us, know that the two pups sleep with us and the queen bed just isn't big enough for me, Dan, and the two pups.  So, Dan slept on the bottom bunk.  That proved to be the problem with the 21RS - it was too hard for Dan to get in and out of the bunk bed.  Everything else about the Outback we loved - the kitchen was great, had a wonderful full size bath - just a good size overall, and it is very light weight - so we can pull with our F150.  When we started thinking about getting another camper we immediately thought of the 21RS again and Dan thought that he would "modify" the top bunk with a piano hinge or something like that where he could fold the top bunk in half so he would be able to get in and out easier. 

Well, as I was looking on-line last December, I found the first 23RS.  What is the difference between the 21RS and the 23RS beside two feet?  Well, in that two feet is an additional queen size bed - so, in other words, we have two queen beds.  One in the slide out the back and one up front with a twin bunk over the top:

Now, this is the floor plan of the unit - ALMOST.  Everything is the same except on the back bed there is overhead cabinets on one end and a shelf at the other.  Everything else is the same - including us having the outside camp kitchen which includes a two burner stove and an outside sink.  Not too shabby huh?  (There is also a microwave over the stove in the kitchen that is not shown on the floor plan.) 

We are super excited about getting the camper and getting it all packed.  We have been over to the store room and gotten all the camping gear out and will be going through everything to see what we will want to put in the new camper - my goal is NOT to spend any money that we don't need to spend.  We might have to start out with some things that we will replace down the road, but for now it will work.  I know, I know, you are saying - you were in a camper full-time a little over a year ago - you should have everything you need.  What you need to understand here is - when we were in the Montana that was our home - so when we went back to 'sticks and bricks' we took all the stuff and put it in the house.  We had our pots and pans that we had in the house -our dishes, bowls, silverware, linens, etc. were what we used everyday - we didn't have "extra" stuff laying around.  We do have things like sleeping bags, and stuff that was down in the basement - but not the things that go 'INSIDE'.  That will part of the job of getting it ready to go.

Which brings me to something else - for all of you that are still following me on this blog I do appreciate it and I will continue to write this one - talking about the everyday life in south Florida - but I am also going to start a new blog that will the "travel" blog - I would like to invite ALL of you to follow along on the new blog - TravelingInTheOutback.blogspot.com.  It will cover all the travelings in the new camper.  Tell your friends, neighbors, and relatives - would love to have you all "Travel in the Outback" with us!

Take care and I'll talk to you soon!