One more compelling reason to go RVing vs. motel. Two months ago I checked into the Embassy Suites at BWI airport. I've stayed there many times in the past, but I couldn't help noticing the place looked a little run down. I'm just dozing off at around 11PM when I swear I have been bitten on the leg. Roll back the covers and I've been bitten by bed bugs.

I'm a Diamond Hilton member as I stay at Hiltons a good 100 nights a year. They packed me up and shuffled me to the new Hilton BWI and eat all the costs. Now if that's happening at Hiltons, guess how likely at the budget hotels? And if you live around DC you know the hotels start at $250/night and I've paid in the mid 4s on occasion.

I consider my Barth to be a stress reducer when traveling on my own nickel as I don't want to be suffering with the daily question of bugs vs safety vs money, etc.

Corey

Is it just me (and my engineering background), or are folks just NOT willing to do math...

The Class B and B+s are selling for around $50-65K. Now one could get the Breakaway at ppl for $16,500 or so. Let's just call this an average of a $40,000 difference, or at $5/gal., 8,000 gallons of diesel fuel. Figuring that a typical Breakaway gets at least 10 mpg, and the Regencies, 8+, the difference is 80,000 miles on a breakaway and 64,000 miles on a Regency.

And that doesn't even consider the fuel costs on the little guys - figure a realistic 15 mpg @$4/gal. (gaso). 80,000 miles equates to 5,333 gallons, or $21,333.

As for me, I'll live with StaRV II - more room, and plenty of savings...

I sold the Barth because, at my tender age, 6 months months on the sunny side of 80 now, I was no longer comfortable driving it, & my wife was having trouble climbing the steps. Furthermore, as most of you can attest, an older unit requires fairly constant maintenance attention, & I don't like other people to touch my toys except for L.O.F. I used to do that, too, but my joints no longer take kindly to crawling into engine compartments, and underneath.

After a medical emergency in AZ, in 2005, that required 6 days of hospitalization, & the assistance of my daughter & son to hold Mama's hand & help me drive home, we only took one short hop in the Barth. I wasn't going to let it rot as so many do when they can no longer use it, so I let it go.

I believe I can still handle a van conversion, & they are lots more convenient for weekend hops to local attractions. Been there, done that, in 2 conversions previously. In fact of all the RV's we've owned (4 TT, 3 Class A, 2 van conversions) we had more fun in our first van than any of them, one circumnavigation of the U.S., 2 cross country trips, innumerable weekend jaunts from wherever we had the anchor down. Kick the tire, light the fire & go. No lengthy preparations for months-long trips.

I still have the urge. Worse yet, around the middle of next month, my glands will tell me once again we should be anchored up in some secluded cove in the Gulf islands, Desolation Sound, or the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. Haven't done that since my wife turned 65 & informed me, "I don't do lines any more." That robbed me of my crew, & advancing maturity has done the rest.

There are legitimate factors other than the space/cost comparison that contribute to decisions, insurance & storage for example, as well as convenience & direct operating costs.

Olroy, I'm delighted to hear that you're looking for another RV. Every time I read one of your posts, I could almost sense the yearning to be 'back on the road'. Having said that, my 28' Regal is almost as maneuverable as a class B. I don't hesitate to unhook it and take it a couple of miles down the road to a restaurant. And mine has a 194" wheelbase.We don't use a toad because we don't need one. The real issue with us is the cost of vacations in general. Living on a fixed income at the age of 70, and watching everything go up at astronomical rates, has made us just pull back and see how this thing works out. I watched a CNN special last night and I don't think many Americans want to realize how fragile the situation is. If there is a problem in Iran, you'll see $10 gasoline withing a year. And it looks like some governments are just itching to do a preemptive strike on Iran. What ever happened to nuclear deterant? It worked with Russia for almost 5 decades.

quote:

I watched a CNN special last night and I don't think many Americans want to realize how fragile the situation is. If there is a problem in Iran, you'll see $10 gasoline withing a year.

I have to disagree; I think most Americans are scared to death about what direction this could go.

quote:

And it looks like some governments are just itching to do a preemptive strike on Iran. What ever happened to nuclear deterant? It worked with Russia for almost 5 decades.

I'm not sure which countries you refer to but it sounds like Israel and the USA. I think Israel feels it is better to do a preemptive strike than a retaliatory strike. What's really happening is the nuclear deterrent doesn't work with them whereas a show of what they are ready and willing to do might just do the trick. Countries like Iran are like little kids. If you are always telling them they are going to get a spanking if they do that again but never backing up the words with action, the child will respond in a negative manner and keep misbehaving. If you begin with the spanking, the poor behavior is greatly reduced.

Iran is the little kid that has had many sanctions but no spankings. Israel is training and preparing for what they might have to do while hoping and praying the recent dress rehearsal for an attack on Iran IS the deterrent needed. History has shown that the US has always backed Israel and we always will unless the wrong person ends up in the Whitehouse.

I only responded this way because of a posting containing remarks that have nothing to do with Barth Custom Coaches or RV'ing in general. I'll be surprised if Bill N.Y. leaves this here but I have to say this is a site for fellowship of RV'ers everywhere and if it is going to turn political (although Bill N.Y. would never allow that to happen), I for one would be gone. You only have to look as far as the looming presidential elections to see there is a great deal of anger between the left and the right. It has no place here. Anyone who disagrees with me might be happy to know I twisted my ankle when I fell off my soap box!

olroy, I certainly wasn't referring to you, but rather the people driving up the prices of the Bs and B+s based on economy, not utility. It sounds like a RoadTrek or similar would be ideal for your wants.

I certainly didn't want to start a political discussion, but merely wanted to point out that the RV lifestyle in the United States is changing and will continue to change in ways we cannot even imagine.

I can certainly agree with that!

TG, I don't necessarily agree with you, but I respect your opinion and your right to express it, and I don't think Bill will [or should] kill it this time. This thread has become somewhat of a clearinghouse for opinions and I hope it stays open in that respect. As long as we remember the true origins of the site, what we are here for, and respect one another, we can handle a little opininiated discord, let's just keep it here, and not spread it throughout the site. Bill?

Hey Danny,

I know we all won't agree on everything and although it is nice to be able to voice an opinion, I feel strongly that politics and religion are two areas that should be avoided here. Politics is about the only subject that can cause problems within our family, mainly between siblings, or even at work.

I'd hate to see the stress level at barthmobile.com go up between two (or more) Barther's or RV'ers. This might be a good place for this type of discussion but, in the future, I'll try not to become part of it as I did here. I'd rather not have someone using the term SOB when they're thinking about me anymore than is needed. I'd like to see that used only when referring to Something Other than Barth.

Re: The future direction of RV-ing. When the first gas crunch hit in the early '70s, all the mfrs. started coming out with "lite," this-and-that. Most of them bombed in the market place, & suddenly park model trailers & condominium parks became the thing. Then the gas crunch disappeared, people started getting rich, & Class "A" behemoths became the rage. Who knows where things will go now, but a lot of Class "A"s are likely to molder away in storage. But keep the Barths polished up & tuned. They'll still be around when gas gets cheap, or a new miracle fuel appears.

Olroy brings up a good point that perhaps some of our engineers can answer. There is a lot of activity world wide to produce mostly cars that are very eco-friendly and many of them are hybrids. The Chevy Volt is a promising all-electric car. Does anybody think that technology will translate to motor homes? I don't mean diesels, but rather fuel cells, electrics, combinations of electric and small gas engines, etc. Does anyone think they will be powerful enough to push a big box up a hill? And what about retrofitting a Barth? Heck, they'll probably outlaw the gas engine someday!!

quote:

Originally posted by Danny Z:
Bill?

Yes?

I've seen a couple of people leave posts that would usually start a problem on other boards. Not here. My attitude on something like this is usually to let it go and see what transpires.

We're all adults, we all have been hit by the big run up in oil. Sometimes we need to vent just a little.

So far, I've only seen one political statement that I was tempted to delete. But, I decided to see if anyone would start in with the member. Thankfully, no one did and no one hit the "Report This" icon that is located in the lower right corner of each post.

Everyone here has the power to report a post. If you don't like what someone says, then you as an adult can decide to...

1)Ignore it.
2)Watch it.
3)Report it.
4)Reply to it.
5)Viciously attack it.

That list above is in the order of how I view everything here. I am only a "host" and everyone here is expected to follow the TOS on our site.

I have strong opinion about politics, you could try to bait me. But this isn't the place for that type of discussion and I try not to let my stripes show.

We are very fortunate on our site. We have a group of people on our board who have decided to help me test things and to help me moderate. So far, no one from that group has decided that anything said should be deleted. So, I will let these posts stand for now.

I'll tell you some things about me.

For the people who like to look at the stars, today is my Birthday. For those who would like to know my commitment level, I am married to the girl I dated in HS and took to the senior class prom. I live in "Upstate NY" and I have voted in every election since I turned 18. Local, state, general, federal, firehouses elections, and being part Cherokee, I even vote in all of my tribal elections.

The way this thread returned to it's original topic shows how we reapect each other and don't get into the "bloggers syndrome" of turning everything into a disjointed argument of our personal beliefs.
As for powering the really big coaches, how close could we be to running a diesel generator that powers electric motors, the way locomotives and the big Oshkosh military trucks are?

I know this is completely off topic but:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILL