one trailer, two trailers, one trailer

Well, we’re in our new home.

While heading north, I knew when I was passing through Utah. I took a campsite in southern Utah for one night after a long drive and wanting to get a real early start the next day. The campers in the next site had Remington low riders!

I read an article about a couple traveling in a 5th wheel and it stated, “…they often boondock—staying in the parking lot of a casino or a Wal-mart.” Can’t quite bring myself to comment on that.

Along similar lines, there is something called The ND Indoor RV Park (www.ndindoorrvpark.com). I just skimmed something on it so I’m probably wrong. It sounds as if one can set up their RV in an insulated building and LIVE in it. Like I said, I must be wrong. Each building can hold up to 24 rigs. Each of the 10 buildings has carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, climate control and air exchanger ventilation. Again, it would probably be best if I do not comment on this.

I did the ‘butt voyeur’ thing for two back-to-back days. Good grief—what an absolutely horrendous way to travel (at least I didn’t sleep in a parking lot). I was enjoying NM so much, I put myself a couple weeks behind. Now I’m up in Oregon and won’t start meandering south until some time in September. Maybe I’ll go down through Nevada and check out the national forest around Ely and then Great Basin. I’ll be doing the distance at my regular pace and take a month to reach southern Utah. I might stay in that area until the end of November.

When I went to post my Casita on the eastern Oregon craigslist, there was another Casita listed in La Grande. I wonder if they were moving up to a new trailer from Outdoors RV or Northwood (both factories are in La Grande).

Quite a bit comes standard in this four-season rated trailer, such as: two 30 lb. propane tanks, exterior shower, generator ready (separate locker - good for storage if one does not have a generator), power awning, decent insulation, in-floor ducted heating, 20,000 BTU furnace, heated and enclosed tanks and knife valves, 10 gal water heater, skylight over shower and exhaust fan in bathroom, microwave and oven (neither of which will be much use to me), AM/FM/CD player, charging center (12V and USB), solar ready, rear receiver hitch, rain gutters with oversized rainspouts, front pass-through storage area, diamond-plate-like panel front gravel guard and the standard stuff, all riding on a heavy duty cambered off-road chassis. Way cool. For options, I ordered two Fantastic roof vents, spare tire with rack, range cover, two 6V batteries, and a 60W solar panel. Total cost was $15,800 and only $9,800 with the money from selling the Casita. Not bad. I also purchased a Wave 6 and had a line put in for it, as well as, a weight distribution hitch.
I would think current prices would range from $18,000 to $21,000 depending on price increases, options, season, distance of dealer from factory and other factors I’m not aware of. MSRP is a bit over $21,000.


Taking care of M&M was one of the first tasks. Mesa adjusted in a few days. After a week and a half, Meadow is still having a problem with the new rig. There’s been some improvement and hopefully, she’ll soon be back to normal.

I’m presently using this ramp as a ‘cat door.’ The problem, however, is they occasionally climb up the ramp and instead of going into the cage and through the window—they jump onto the top of the cage and up onto the RUBBER roof. They should be glad I don’t walk around with a handgun.

I’m glad I started this lifestyle with a used Casita. It’s a great trailer for what it was designed for and they are one of the few RVs that retain their value. With all the calls I got, I could easily have sold it for $1,000 more than I paid for it back in 2006, but sold it for $1,000 less. Casita owners are selling their Casitas for exorbitant prices. I just couldn’t bring myself to go that route. The trailers are not worth it. Unfortunately, buyers are willing to pay whatever the seller is asking.

A Casita or similar trailer is not cut out for my particular lifestyle, though. It’s not tough enough and it’s not for living in, although some do. I’ve been living in mine for the last few years. Many write off the lack of insulation as not being a problem since they just run the A/C or furnace. Good grief. I’ve probably dry camped out in snow more often than most with small fiberglass trailers. And the two nights dry camping with below zero temps were quite unpleasant. I coped, but some insulation would have been nice. Nope, been there, done that, learned more than most, time to move on. Also, Casitas are riveted. Rivets don’t hold up to rough roads. That’s one reason I did not look at Airstream trailers, although I really like the looks of them. Years ago I had a Holiday Rambler (before my 5th wheel) so I know what a regular trailer is like and it’s good to be back in one. Not that the HR would have held up any better than the Casita. The Nash, with its decent ground clearance and off-road chassis, should be rugged enough to hold up to all the miles of ungraded dirt roads, old logging roads, double tracks, sand and mud. We’ll see. You’ll hear about it one way or the other.

The 17K is still considered a small trailer. Most RVers just stay in campgrounds, state and national parks, Wal-mart parking lots and the like. The length wouldn’t be a problem, nor would it be out on BLM land and along forest roads. I’m hoping I won’t be restricted all that much on the roads I like to travel.


For a couple days I had two trailers. I parked in an awful spot out in a national forest for a few days so I had a spot big enough for the two rigs. It was convenient to transfer my stuff from the Casita to the Nash and easy for the buyer to find. When the trailer was being pulled away, I felt the transition was complete. I wonder what M&M were thinking as Dave and Teresa drove off with their home.

I just wanted to update you on the 17K. I still have plenty to say about it all, so I’ll either add to this page later in the month (doubtful) or write a long page for June.
take care and stay amused.

April sixty minutes sixty years—2135 minutes
April Triple 18—pecs/delts: 1855; core: 1800; legs: 1875

Right now is a good time.
Tote Yamada

RVwest article ‘Following a Free Spirit’
FOR INDEX OF POSTINGS GO TO JULY 2006