So- as everyone knows, we bought "88", renamed Buford, from Duane a month or so ago and brought him home to Arkansas. We've been steadily working on him bit by bit, and planned to take his first trip around January. Then, after talking, we decided we would run to Branson for Christmas shopping, around 3 or 4 hours away from home, and planned to leave next week, on the 23. We discussed it and decided this would be the perfect "test trip" as a family for Buford. Then my wife called Friday. She works at a local bank and was going to have to work four hours on Christmas eve. That shot down the trip, until she said, "Can't you take off early, pack the Coach, and pick me up when I get off tonight?"
Just like that, a call to the boss and 4 hours of vacation time, and I was off to try to get the coach together to take our first ride. My daughter and I loaded up the coach, went to Walmart and stocked it with snacks and necessities, filled the propane tank, put the two furbabies in and grabbed the tow dolly to go pick up my wife.
I've never towed with a motorhome and tow dolly setup before so this would be a new experience for me too. I loaded her car and went to gas up before picking her up.
About 6pm Friday, we rolled out for the first time. The dogs and daughter comfortably lounging watching the new flat screen, and my wife assumed co-pilot/scream duty with the frequent "They're slowing!!!" from a mile away.

Probably the worse possible night for a first time trip. Dark, foggy to the point you could not see two feet in front of you, and lots and lots of curves, as we live in the Ozarks. And, I don't see the best at night, either.
By the time we made it to Harrison, Arkansas, about 40 miles or so from Branson, the wife announced she needed to stop at the Walmart there. I pulled in to their spacious parking lot, and noticed an older Winnebago that had apparently shut down for the night already.
When she went inside, I began thinking about calling it a night. It was already 9:30 or so- the fog and weather had slowed us way down- and I was a tad nervous from being so cautious. When it began to pour, my decision was made. I picked the wife up at the door and went to the far side of the parking lot, away from everyone and any traffic area.
There, we camped. I DID fire up the generator for a bit, but the store was closing and no one was near.


Turned out to be a great choice on our part. The storm hit with a vengence and until about 3 am it poured. The campground at Branson told me the next day that they had been moving people off of the lakeside sites, it was so bad.
But, around 8am the next morning, we woke to a clear day. The Winnebago had already pulled out, leaving us as the lone campers. I did my prechecks and rolled out, the wife having availed herself of my precheck time to go to the nearby Mcdonald's and picked up breakfast. Apparently, my thoughts of saving money by eating in the rv was not going to work quite as well as I'd hoped. The snack stock was a hit, though.
We pulled into Branson Lakeside RV park with no issues, rented a pull through site so I wouldn't have to unhook the car dolly since it would be a one night stay, and my wife and daughter got ready to shop til they dropped while I unloaded the car and set up.



Our view:

Not bad. The park's wifi was pretty good too. A mixture of units there- everything from the dual axled, 42 foot bus to older coaches and trailers, but all in nice shape. We were the only ones with taste to have a Barth though.

Summing up the day- they shopped and spent a ton. My banking app let me know just how much damage they were doing as I dogsat- one of the furbaby's had bad anxiety on her first every trip. The little one, Daisy- well, I'll let this next pic explain her idea of the motorhome:

She was quite the copilot, very content.

This morning, we rolled out. Stopped and gassed up and it seemed like Buford liked the slower speeds that the fog kept me to- best we could figure, about 7.3 mpg, towing, with the generator on, through the mountains.
We rolled on home this morning, since I have to preach tonight at church. Got down to 30mph on a couple of those Ozark hills, but the views-



Long story, but a very successfull, no real issue trip. A bit of labor-clatter on some of the hills, and the biggie-
The furnace did to me what it did to Duane. Worked amazing the night before we left- would not light for love nor money last night. Not good, because it was 27 degrees in the Ozarks this morning.
But, I'd had the forethought to throw a space heater in the closet, so we had heat. The coach was around 68 this morning, a bit cooler than I like, but much better than outside.
The wife and daughter- and dogs- both approve highly of the coach, and the only stipulation I received from my wife is- "if we are gonna use it in the winter- FIX THE FURNACE".
No matter the cost

Now, how to persuade her that the Wilson Combat Arms .45 I want is actually a "heater" and is needed for proper furnace operation...

LOVE THIS BARTH!

Aren't first experiences wonderful. So glad you had a successful first outing with the family. You know the saying "Happy Wife-Happy Life"

Nick

Sounds like a great first trip . It's the little hick-ups that make it an adventure . You will be laughing at the small issues when you tell the story later .

Soon you can tell your wife "Honey, I brought the "Heat""
Sound's like God's blessed you with a really cool family .

God is good all the time

I've been blessed far more than I deserve, that's for sure.