We Are Definitely Newbies

[Jackkdh]

Our wellness doctor repeatedly emphasized the need to exercise the brain as well as the body by learning new things. So at the age of nearly 82 (me) and nearly 80 (by good wife) we decided that buying a motorhome would be an interesting way to enhance our mental fitness; especially since we had zero knowledge/experience with RVing.

Long story short: flew to Indiana on 11/5/21, bought a 2022 Thor Windsport 34J, and drove it back to our North Carolina Outer Banks home. For several weeks prior to the purchase I devoured many, many YouTube videos about driving these large vehicles (time well spent), and how to operate many of the motorhome functions, etc, etc. so the drive back, while challenging, was done without incident. It had been winterized so we were unable to use many of the facilities.

Our wellness doctor will undoubtedly be pleased that we’re learning new things. In fact, we’re a little overwhelmed, but we are determined (I’m a retired USAF Chief Master Sergeant, and have faced many steep challenges in my military career and later in corporate life) so it’s full speed ahead, but I’m never to proud to ask advice, which I’ll undoubtedly do, from you good folks.

Soon we’ll be taking a “shake-down” camping cruise, but first have to de-winterize the home, learn the furnace, solar system, TVs, the stove, microwave, oven, et al. I’ve learned how to operate the generator, the leveling system (love the 1-button system), and the slide out (love it).

Our first long cruise will be to Florida for a month beginning in mid-January and then we’ll start planning a very long tour to various US locations (so many things to see and experience).

Jack McCombs
Kill Devil Hills, the Outer Banks, NC

[happy]

Congratulations and I wish you the very best in this new endeavor.
My wife and I are just starting out and hope to learn as we go.

See you on the road!

[MJC62]

Wow I am impressed at 82 years young you decide to plunge into the deep end of the RV pool and purchase your first, a 36 foot class A motorhome! My hat is off to you sir!!
Congrats on the new rig & enjoy the journey

[coachray]

Congrats on your purchase and welcome to the forum.

[bevedfelker]

Congrats on the purchase Chief. Welcome to the forum. You'll find that the folks here are ready and willing to answer any questions you have about how your systems work, suggestions, and most of all -- help in solving problems.

[Jackkdh]

Thanks much for your responses. We’re looking forward to learning from manuals and equally from you good folks.

[lwmcguire]

Enjoy your travels

We are in the older group but have been in the RV world for more than 60 years

Still traveling but not as much and yes there are many things to see and do

We have gone back to favorites but still see new more off the beaten path now days

[Bob Nodine]

Good for you and the wife. You will wonder why you waited so long to get a RV. Don't be discouraged by small problems that my arise. Motorhomes have lots of systems and things will go wrong.

[Scubawise]

Wow hail the Chief! Congratulations. Way to go!
Any issues or fun pictures let us know!
Take wine

[Calico]

Originally Posted by Jackkdh

Our first long cruise will be to Florida for a month beginning in mid-January and then we’ll start planning a very long tour to various US locations (so many things to see and experience).

Hello Jack! Welcome to the club and the Forum. You are going to really love the RV life!
My husband (also AF!) and I will also be taking off in mid-January and heading to Florida. We are starting our journey from home which is on the Twilight Side Of The Hill in Dandridge Tennessee. I've made reservations for ourselves and a neighboring RV couple along the way, starting with two state parks in Georgia and then a couple of campgrounds in Florida and then one more down in the Keys for a few nights.
From Tampa South, there are slim pickings for campgrounds, so be sure to make any reservations you need well in advance. Mid month January also is the Tampa RV show, so everything around that area is pretty much booked solid.
Have fun on your trip! Travel safe and enjoy life!
~ Nancy & Ray

[Jones47172]

At the start we tend to drive too much and spend too little time at each location. Every place has much to offer and see. Many of us drive around 250 miles at a time max.

[Aunt JoJo's Bus]

We're newbies as well. Hope you enjoy your Thor as much as we are enjoying ours!

[MLP]

You will want to register yourself on Thor's web site and access all the drawings for your rig. Perhaps one of the most simplest things, but not easy when things happen, is to know where each module is located and well as the fuse boxes. Simple is not when you don't have the drawings. The wiring drawings will tell you both the routing and color/striped insulation. This information is nice to have just in case.

Oh yea, congratulations on your purchase and a many new adventures.

[Campnjoe]

Welcome to the club and congrats. Two bits of advice. Fix the small stuff if you can so it isn't sitting at the dealer, and use it as much as you can in the first year cause your warranty is ticking away.

[Pabs4]

Congratulations and welcome to this forum! You will learn so much here. There is always someone who is willing to help out by sharing their knowledge and experience. And thank you so much for your service to our country!

Pam

[saddlesore]

Originally Posted by Jackkdh

Our wellness doctor repeatedly emphasized the need to exercise the brain as well as the body by learning new things.

2
Our first long cruise will be to Florida for a month beginning in mid-January and then we’ll start planning a very long tour to various US locations (so many things to see and experience).

Jack McCombs
Kill Devil Hills, the Outer Banks, NC

A Hearty welcome to our campfire!!!
We are spending Dec thru Feb[mebbe to March] @ Strawberryfields for RV'ers in Chiefland FL.. Stop on by!

[Scubawise]

Originally Posted by Pabs4

Congratulations and welcome to this forum! You will learn so much here. There is always someone who is willing to help out by sharing their knowledge and experience. And thank you so much for your service to our country!

Pam

Amen Pam!! X2

[Scubawise]

Originally Posted by Calico

Hello Jack! Welcome to the club and the Forum. You are going to really love the RV life!
My husband (also AF!) and I will also be taking off in mid-January and heading to Florida. We are starting our journey from home which is on the Twilight Side Of The Hill in Dandridge Tennessee. I've made reservations for ourselves and a neighboring RV couple along the way, starting with two state parks in Georgia and then a couple of campgrounds in Florida and then one more down in the Keys for a few nights.
From Tampa South, there are slim pickings for campgrounds, so be sure to make any reservations you need well in advance. Mid month January also is the Tampa RV show, so everything around that area is pretty much booked solid.
Have fun on your trip! Travel safe and enjoy life!
~ Nancy & Ray

We are lookin for states reasonable campgrounds in Pensacola FL. .there next week

[Bob Nodine]

Originally Posted by Calico

Hello Jack! Welcome to the club and the Forum. You are going to really love the RV life!
My husband (also AF!) and I will also be taking off in mid-January and heading to Florida. We are starting our journey from home which is on the Twilight Side Of The Hill in Dandridge Tennessee. I've made reservations for ourselves and a neighboring RV couple along the way, starting with two state parks in Georgia and then a couple of campgrounds in Florida and then one more down in the Keys for a few nights.
From Tampa South, there are slim pickings for campgrounds, so be sure to make any reservations you need well in advance. Mid month January also is the Tampa RV show, so everything around that area is pretty much booked solid.
Have fun on your trip! Travel safe and enjoy life!
~ Nancy & Ray

Hi Nancy and Ray. We are only 30 miles from Dandridge. Good advice on camping in Florida in the winter. We have been going down their for 20 years now after Christmas each year. One thing we have learned the hard way was don't go until the second week of Jan or later because the traffic will be terrible around the Christmas and New Year holidays. We used to take off as soon as all the family left the house after Christmas and south of Atlanta would be a parking lot.

[Bob Nodine]

Originally Posted by Jones47172

At the start we tend to drive too much and spend too little time at each location. Every place has much to offer and see. Many of us drive around 250 miles at a time max.

As I get older, 75 now, that has become our target miles per day. Can't always manage it because of campground availability but get real concerned if we have to go over 300 miles. We like to get to the campground early and watch everyone else come off the road. Years ago we would do 450 miles a day but that is to much like work. We are supposed to be having fun.