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Rocky 
It was February 2001. Time to start thinking about upcoming vacations. We were going to do more camping this year so we got out the tent. We went to set it up only to find out that the screen door and a screen window had disintegrated. This was the strangest thing that we have ever encountered with screening.
Our options were to either get the screen fixed somehow or buy a new tent.
We didn't really want to spend the money to get a new tent and tried to figure out if there was another way to fix the screens. Well, that Sunday there was an ad in the paper for an inventory sale at a local Camper dealer. We decided to take a ride just to look. Remember, it was just to look. Well all of a sudden we found ourselves visiting other dealers. We had the bug. All of a sudden the money that we worried about that would take to buy a tent didn't seem too bad. After all, we would be able to camp any time we wanted to. The packing and weather wouldn't be an issue.
OK, we were getting closer. What did we want in a popup? A shower/potty combination...large beds...maybe a refridgerator..and oh yes, there was going to be an air conditioner! It must fit in our garage. After all if we were to be able to leave on at the spur of the moment it must be close. Also, if we were going to spend all of that money, we sure as h*** weren't going to put up money for storage fees.
We culled the brochures, measured the garage, looked at the dealers offerings once more. We decided on a Rockwood Model 2280 that we had seen. We called the dealer, it was sold. They did not know when another might come in. Maybe in four weeks, maybe not.
Not to be denied, I decided to search the internet for any other dealers around that advertised Rockwoods. We found one in Anderson SC (a three hour drive). I called them and they had just got in a 2000 model on a trade-in. We jumped in the car and headed to Anderson. When we got there someone had already placed a deposit on the used model.
But LOOK !!! There is a brand new one....with warranty! Unbelievable, we still don't understand how a bad screen door can turn into a popup. But it is worth it. Now we needed a name and Rocky was born. |
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Bullwinkle 
Well we bought Rocky with the intention of pulling him with our 1993 Toyota Previa. We went doen to the local hitch store and had our van outfitted with a class II hitch. The owners manual said that it could pull 3500 lbs. We were within our range. So off we went to pick up Rocky. Pulling Rocky to the nearest campground (our delear was 3 hours away) for an overnight to check everything out before heading home wasn't too much of a problem.
The trip back home was still pretty good, although the trailer was riding at a downward angle. Well we switched the drawbar around and the trailer was then fairly straight. So the next weekend we were off again to check out our 'baby'. Now remember, this is all over pretty flat lands. There aren't any nountains to climb between Anderson, SC and Matthews, NC. The van worked well but did have problems getting up to speed and then keeping up.
Afer the second weekend, WE WERE HOOKED! We decided to do something that we hadn't done in ages, a TWO-week vacation. Not only that, we were going to camp throughout Virginia. That meant mountains. That meant potentially watching our van come to a grinding halt. That meant looking for a new tow vehicle.(!) The search was on.
We sold the sports car and decided on a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder, towing capacity 5,000 lbs. (Had to keep the van for hauling the girl scouts around.) After the first outing with the new truck it was time to look for some towing mirrors. (couldn't see a lick) We bought some McKesh towing mirrors on e-bay. When they arrived we put them on the truck, took one look at the multiple mirror setup and Bullwinkle was born. |
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