Boyink! - Spring Forward on the Web

It’s with a great sense of anticipation that I write this post.  The last 4 weeks have been filled with lengthy family discussions, meetings with bankers, accountants, and salespeople.  There have been more “What if…”, “What about…”, and “Who will….” type questions asked in our family than ever before.  We don’t yet have all the answers to all the questions, but have worked through enough of them that we are finally ready to put wheels on a long-time dream, and can finally tell you about it.

Sometime in the fall of 2010, we (my wife, 13 year old son, 12 year old daughter, and myself) will turn over our house keys to someone else, seat-belt ourselves into an RV, shift into “drive” and hit the road for roughly a year of travel, sightseeing, work, exploration, making new friends and visiting old ones.  And yes, I fully expect that time will also include arguments, short tempers, frustration, mechanical breakdowns, too-little personal space, and homesickness.

But mix all those together and we think it will fully define what we are after as a family - a true adventure.

While it would (and might, actually) take a book to fully cover the decision making process and everything that went into it, here’s a quick rundown of how we came to this decision, how we intend to proceed, and our expectations for the business side of things.

Self-employment via the Internet

It doesn’t take much nosing around the internet to find stories of high-level executives with million-dollar homes suddenly deciding to give that all up, sell everything, buy an RV and hit the road full time living off their investments and money from selling their house. 

That’s not us.

We don’t have an opulent lifestyle to sell out of - quite the opposite.  In order to make this work I need to keep an income coming in—so the fact that I’m self employed and can be productive and billable with only an internet connection was a key factor in being able to make this choice.  My expectation is that we will setup our RV with a small office space and redundant internet connectivity capabilities so that I can keep doing the work that I do.

Homeschooling

The other key to this decision was the fact that we are already - and have always been - homeschoolers.  Not being tied to a local schools location and schedule free us up to really make our life what we want it to be.

Keeping the House

From a financial perspective the biggest question to answer was - “Will we have to sell our house to afford this?”.  We answered this primarily in two ways - first by finding out that in the current real estate market our house is worth about what we paid for it 12 years ago, regardless of the improvements that we’ve made.  So - there’s no great financial incentive to sell - it’s not even guaranteed that we could sell it in the timeframe we’d need to. I also estimated that the money that we’d lose in just in realtor fees by selling one house and buying another would probably equal the mortgage payments for the year we’re estimating being gone. 

The second factor coming into play here was researching RV’s - and finding out that financially we could afford to get ourselves into something that would suit our needs without selling the house.  Suffice to say we won’t be in the biggest, fanciest rig out there but should be comfortable enough.

Our plan for the house is to keep it, and make the mortgage payments on it, but also look at this as somewhat of a mission opportunity and find someone who could be blessed by having a house rent-free for a year.  This person would be responsible for all utility payments, lawn care, snow removal, and just in general making sure the house stays in working order.  Yes, we risk damage, but also figure leaving the house empty presents a risk either with vandalism or maintenance issues not being caught in time.

RV Type

Over the past 4 weeks I have probably stepped into at least 50 different trailers and motorhomes, and looked at least 200 more on Craigslist, eBay and other websites.  Our major requirements are that it have beds for everyone that don’t require being “made up” (having to change a dining table or couch into a bed every night), and that it have a small office space.

There’s nothing “off the shelf” that meet those requirements that we can afford - but we’ve identified two candidates that we should be able to modify to suit our needs:

Bunkhouse Travel Trailer / Full-size Van
Camping is often a family activity, so most RV manufacturers offer a “bunkhouse” trailer that has a master bedroom with a queen size bed in front along with 2 stacked bunks (4 beds total) in a rear bedroom.  Since we only have 2 kids I would remove two of the bunks and create an office in that space.

Trailers are the most affordable RV because they don’t have the full drivetrain of a motorhome - and are said to keep their resale value longer for that same reason.  The puzzle is a tow vehicle - the best option I could find would be a full-size van which can be found with V10 or large diesel engines.

We’d look something like this going down the road:

Advantages of this route include extra cargo capacity in the van, no loss of “home” if the van needs service, the tow vehicle is available for transportation once the trailer is setup in a campground, etc.  Disadvantages are that you can’t use the trailer facilities while moving down the road, it’s a bit harder to stop for quick overnights in parking lots, etc, and it will be a pretty long combination going down the road.  I’ve also no experience with driving a combination like this.

Class C Motorhome / Towing Something
The other alternative we’ve identified is a 30 foot or so “Class -C” motorhome (Class C means it’s constructed using the front end and chassis of a passenger van).  We can make one of these work by modifying the large rear master bedroom into a combination bunkhouse/office, and my wife and I would sleep in the queen-size bunk over the cab area.  Then we’d purchase some sort of tow vehicle - most likely a newer Jeep Cherokee.  My current Jeep is setup to be towed, but doesn’t make for a great daily driver for a family, nor is it secure for use in big cities, etc.

We’d look something like this on the road:

Advantages of this route are you can access your living quarters while on the road, overnights are easier, we’d have a smaller vehicle for daytrips and errand-running, would be able to do some four-wheeling with all our Jeep friends across the country, and I’ve experience driving this kind of setup.  Disadvantages are having to buy and maintain two drivetrains, having to buy an older motorhome than we could a trailer, our “home” would be unavailable if it needed servicing, and it will take more work to make livable for us.

So that decision hasn’t been made yet, and won’t likely get made until sometime next year.

Route

“So where would you go?”  It’s a common next-question to ask, and we don’t have an answer yet.  We’ve been so busy answering the “is it possible” question that we just haven’t had the time to figure out where we’d want to go and what to see.  Since we’re looking at a fall departure it’s likely that we’ll start by being ‘leaf-peepers” out east, and then head south to stay with the sun and warmer weather.  From there - who knows? 

And I’m not sure how much of the route we’ll pre-determine.  Part of the attraction of this idea has always been how much more spontaneous you can be when you live on wheels.  An interesting sign, a comment from a conversation with some locals or a poor weather forecast could all affect the route and immediate plans.

Business Expectations

Many of you reading this will either be a current client or someone that knows me through the ExpressionEngine world - so the “what about my site” or “what about support” questions are valid ones.

My still-in-development plan at this point is to keep working both in web development and ExpressionEngine training through Train-ee while gone.

Actually I’m hoping that by being more mobile we’ll be able to offer more EE classes across the country (the specifics of where, when, and how are not yet clear).  I expect that my availability will be spottier during travel times.  However I also expect to have satellite or phone-carrier based internet access so in the event of any “emergency” type issues, I should be able to stop and get those fixed in fairly short order.  I will also look into having backup person/process in place.  If you’ve any questions, concerns or ideas in this regard please drop me a line.

I’ve some other fun ideas for work-related stuff to do while on the road, but need to keep those under wraps until they go from half to fully baked.

Family Reaction

This idea started as something a bit secret and shared only between my wife and I (if you have kids you quickly learn to not discuss vaguely potential things around them much - then you don’t have to answer all the questions or deal with the disappointment when the idea falls through).

After MsBoyink and I made an initial visit to an RV dealer we decided the float the idea past our kids - now that they are both pre-teens it’s easier to discuss potential things like this.  My son - who is naturally more outgoing and gregarious - was immediately all for it.  My daughter - more introspective, sentimental and change-adverse, was immediately against it.  She didn’t want to give up her room, stuffed animal friends, or going to the Friday School program that they’ve attended for couple of semesters.  After we took them to see some RV’s and have continued to discuss the trip she’s warmed up to the idea, but is still not as gung-ho about it.  What I know about her though is that she adapts quickly to new experiences and then will be just as reluctant to stop doing the new thing as she was the old.

We called parents last night and let them in on it.  My folks are long-time RVers so are quite familiar with what we’ll be in for both in the equipment needed and what the lifestyle is like.  Their reaction was one of being “non-plussed”.  I haven’t got the complete report from in-laws yet but the initial reaction was positive.  What older folks have is the perspective of age, and knowing first-hand how sometimes waiting to do something like this is a gamble with health.  It seems everyone has a story of people who waited until their retirement years to travel only to have suffer serious health issues keep them from doing it when they finally had the time.

Documenting/Promoting the Trip

Well of course being a web-head I couldn’t look to do something like this and not at least blog it, right?  So yes, yesterday I purchased the domain of http://boyinks4adventure.com and we will soon start roughing in the plans for it.  It’ll likely start out just being redirected to a new blog under the Fun section here on Boyink.com but at some point will be split out into it’s own site and we’ll see about some fun GoogleMap/Flickr/Vimeo integrations.

But What About..

Mail…orthodontist visits…holidays…insurance…and…and… 

We don’t have all the answers yet - it’s one of the reasons we set the “leave date” quite a ways out.  There are dozens..hundreds…of decisions to be made so currently the answer is either “I don’t know” or “It’s not important yet’.

What is important is that we took a pipe dream out of the closet, dusted it off, decided to take it seriously and are now putting wheels on it.  There’s a ton of prep work to be done, money to be saved, arrangements to be made, large purchases to be made, and modification projects to be planned and executed.

But I’m looking forward to 2010 in a way that I’ve never looked forward to a new year. I’m excited about the experiences to be had and the people to be met. 

I’m looking forward to an adventure!

46 people have started a comment party - join it!

1. Michelle on December 11, 2009

   Sweet!!! The whole adventure sounds like a ton of fun!

2. Paul Burton on December 11, 2009

   Fantastic.  I’ve always wanted to do something similar. 

   I’d be happy to recommend fabulous off-beat touring spots throughout Georgia and the South East, treat you to a beer, or make a donation to your adventure in exchange for an EE 2.0 training seminar.

   Congrats.
   Paul

3. Rick on December 11, 2009

   Sounds like a blast.  Can’t wait to follow your adventure online.

4. Brandon on December 11, 2009

   It’s going to be interesting to follow your experience on the road. I’m proud at 22 to have landed a full-time web design job in the corporate world, but one day would love to take some time to travel the country. My girlfriend is a massage therapist so we could both easily travel the country and continue to bring in an income. Congrats and good luck!

5. Boyink (Author) on December 11, 2009

   Thanks all - we’ll definitely be looking to make local connections wherever we’re at.  One goal for the new site will be to promote the direction we’re headed so hopefully those kinds of opportunities can get planned.

   Brandon I don’t regret my time in the corporate world at all - not that I would go back to it - but it was a valuable learning time (and nice to have our kids while on the corporate health plan). 

   Just don’t get “stuck” there…;)

6. Brad Morse on December 11, 2009

   Sounds like a fun adventure!

   If you make it to the southwest, I would like to add Phoenix to your list of “possible EE training / seminar locations.”

   Thanks!

7. John Green on December 11, 2009

   My wife had the pleasure of doing the same thing with her family as a child.  It’ll be an unforgettable experience for your family.  I wish you all grace, peace and safety.

   Oh - and by all means watch the DVD documtentary Glenn Tilbrook: One For The Road before you head out!

8. Boyink (Author) on December 11, 2009

   @brad I don’t think we could avoid the southwest - especially if we have a Jeep with us..;)

   @john: Thanks for the tip - we’ve been through a number of related books but will look up the DVD.

9. salguod on December 11, 2009

   Wow, that’s not at all what I expected with all the hints you’ve been leaving on Twitter.  Sound very cool.

   A couple of other options on your tow vehicle, if you go the trailer route.

   Suburban - My sister just bought one when her family (5 kids now) outgrew their minivan.  I had suggested that they look at full size vans for fuel economy, but surprisingly, the Suburban was better on gas.  My impression is also that they can be better equipped for towing and you’ll want the tow package including the transmission with a tow mode.  On a camping trip through the WV mountains this year with my Odyssey towing a pop up camper, my buddy was towing a trailer with a new tractor with his F-250 diesel.  On the long down grades, my Ody would run away and I had to use the brakes to keep the speed in check.  He put his tranny in tow mode and never touched the brakes all the way down each hill.  You’ll give up some space, although a suburban without the third row seat it pretty cavernous.  Plus, you’ll have a roof rack, unlike the van.  You can also get 4WD in a Suburban, which might be handy in the winter.

   Sprinter - These vans made by Mercedes and sold by Dodge for a time and also Freightliner are pretty tough.  They can be equipped with a turbo diesel 6 and return surprising fuel economy.  They are also very roomy.  I’m not sure about the towing capacity, but they are essentially commercial vans with windows and seats, so I bet they’d do well.  The downside is they are pretty spartan and pricey.  Oh, and you look like you’re driving an airport shuttle.

   I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures.  Maybe our paths will cross out there somewhere.  Let me know if you pass through or near Columbus.

10. Chris Arnold on December 11, 2009

    An adventure indeed! I’m just a few minutes west of Denver, and about 90 minutes from RMNP. I’d be happy to give you some tips about this area, the national park, and a few things your family can get into around here. Cheers.

11. Steven Grant on December 11, 2009

    Sounds like a lot of planning you’ve put in already.

    One place you should definitely take the kids (if you haven’t been already) is the Creation Museum in Kentucky (http://creationmuseum.org)

    Not *that* far from you

12. Boyink (Author) on December 11, 2009

    Hey Doug -

    Thanks for the comment.

    I’ve looked at ‘burbs but though the resale would be too high.  Looking on eBay just now maybe I was wrong - so will put a few on watch.  I know I’d appreciate the driving position better over a van.  I’ve seen decent van examples (V10 or Diesel) in the $8-$10K range.

    I’m kinda not wanting the extra cost and drag of 4WD - but also am fearful that we’ll need it at some point.  I’ve actually considering a brush guard/winch on the van for to give myself an out if need be.

13. Boyink (Author) on December 11, 2009

    @Doug: Sprinters - yea, the price alone rules them out.

    @Chris - we’ll definitely be in CO at some point.  I’ve been there a few times over the years and love the state.

    @Steven - hadn’t thought of that one!

14. Steven Grant on December 11, 2009

    Would love to take the girls but at 2 and 6 months, I don’t think they’d appreciate it.

15. Ben Carlson on December 11, 2009

    Man that sounds like so much fun! Something the kids will definitely remember and (hopefully) look back on fondly. You’ve got a friend in Tacoma, WA if you ever make it to the northwest. =)

16. Larry on December 11, 2009

    What a great adventure! Looking forward to reading about it.

17. John Knotts on December 11, 2009

    Nice!  We’ve often talked about doing the same thing.  We even went so far as to buy the travel trailer… sadly we don’t use it as much as we’d like.  Our kids are still young enough that nighttime is a real challenge for us in the travel trailer!

    Anyway, we look forward to following along online.  And you all are welcome here anytime.  There’s a full hookup on the side of our house and tons of recreation (even Jeep trails) out here waiting for you ;-)

18. Christopher Robert Kennedy on December 11, 2009

    Fantastic! I can’t wait to hear where you’re headed. Hopefully you’ll drive through Texas at some point so I can properly thank you with a beer or some such for all the help you’ve afforded me.

19. Boyink (Author) on December 11, 2009

    @Steven & John - yep , small kids are a challenge. People do it - but it’s soo much easier when they are more self sufficient.

    We’re on the other side of that - with the kids at 12 and 13 feeling like unless we do this now we’ll lose the chance.

    @Ben - thanks!  We loved our trip to Portland and would love to get back out there again.

    @Christopher - Between SXSW and my folks down in the Valley I don’t see how we can avoid Texas at some point..;)

20. Richard Angstmann on December 11, 2009

    Mike - wow, good times ahead! I too wasn’t sure what you had in mind based on your previous tweets, I don’t think this was it however - but all sounds very exciting :)

    Pretty inspired by what you’ve written here - perhaps it will help me reignite some of the ‘dreams’ I’ve put on hold recently.

    Good luck with the huge amount of planning ahead, and I look forward to reading the new blog!

21. Boyink (Author) on December 11, 2009

    Thanks Richard - One person guessed what we were up to but I think we mentioned dreaming about it in a conversation with him…so it didn’t count.

    My joke is that this is a mid-life crisis move for MsBoyink and I, and our kids just get to come along..;)

22. Tony Grogan on December 11, 2009

    Congrats Mike and family! Awesome adventure ahead of you!  Your kids will never get a better education in life.

    My wife and I have discussed this dream at length many times, but with four public school rats, we always put it back on the shelf. Looks like we are going to be in the group that is praying our health will hold out for a few more years. Plans are now to give it a go in six years. By then all our kids will be through college, and gainfully employeed. (crossing fingers!)

    If you happen to pass through South Kakalaki, we will try to meet up and camp with you a while. We don’t range out of the state much because of work schedules. We can put you in some great camp grounds, depending on your routes.

    If you go the tag along route, skip the second door as shown in your example picture. While convenient, it is a huge waste of floor space in an already cramped home. The bunkhouse style is great while the kids are smaller. Our girls can still use their bunks without much discomfort. But our boys, both 6’ plus, don’t fit anymore, and have moved to their own tent.

    I look forward to following your travel online. Hope to catch some EE training if you come close enough too.

23. Boyink (Author) on December 11, 2009

    Thanks Tony.

    The picture was just the first one I could find with a trailer and full-size van.  We were in a few with 2nd doors that made sense (from the bathroom etc) but they were always longer than I want to go.

24. Sean on December 11, 2009

    Mike,

    You will definitely have an unique experience that many will envy. I look forward to following your new blog.

    I’m also somewhat familiar with some of the questions you’ll be answering in the near future as I am in the middle of planning a move for my family from Seoul, South Korea back to Canada and at that to a city, Ottawa, in Canada where I know no one. I’ve been blogging that over at Repatriate Me!

    Will subscribe to the RSS on your new domain once you’ve got the site live.

25. Jack McDade on December 11, 2009

    Right on Mike! What an exciting proposition! If you end up tooling around the country next year (my vote is for the class C RV), let me know if you’re passing by neck of the woods (Albany/Saratoga NY)—i have a strong wifi connection you can tap, and maybe some EE work on the side! :)

    Good luck and God bless as you make some decisions.

26. Boyink (Author) on December 12, 2009

    Thanks Jack - good to know!

27. Boyink (Author) on December 12, 2009

    And Sean - good luck on your move as well.  That’s no insignificant move either.

28. Michael Montgomery on December 13, 2009

    Amazing idea, opportunity, and adventure! I’m looking forward to hearing more of your chronicles.

    About your house, I’d recommend charging some rent, even if at a greatly reduced rate. In my experience, “free” leads to sloth and neglect, while 50% or even 10% leads to diligence and gratitude. Just a thought.

    As far as heading “south to stay with the sun and warmer weather”, you might consider the timing of the Future of Web Apps conference, which is usually in Miami during late February (and usually Barcamp Miami too). http://events.carsonified.com/fowa/2010/miami

    Best wishes and prayers for your family.

29. Boyink (Author) on December 13, 2009

    Thanks Mike!

    Barcamp events are definitely on the docket.  Other conferences we’ll have to see what the budget allows for.

    The rent/no rent decision is tricky one - and involves one person that we haven’t talked with yet: our insurance rep.

    From what we’ve been reading if you charge rent you have to change from a homeowner policy to a landlord policy, which then means you lose coverage for items in your vehicle that are normally covered by your homeowners policy.  The authors of this particular book had quite a frustrating time getting it all sorted out.

    However it’s probably a good thing to check into so thanks for the reminder.

30. Jason Hudnutt on December 13, 2009

    I’d say the second choice, My in-laws have one like that and they love it.

31. Boyink (Author) on December 13, 2009

    Hey Jason -

    Thanks for the comment. Do you inlaws also travel with a 13 YO and 12 YO?  ;)

    There are just so many variables in this decision.  If we go the travel trailer route we can probably buy new, have a warranty and more livable space since the cab area of a Class C is basically dead space when parked. 

    The MH & Toad would let us go Jeeping, but that also is an opportunity for breakage and repair costs that might break the budget.  Plus the extra vehicle maintenance with the two drivetrains. 

    My folks love their MH as well - but realistically most motorhomes are designed to be used by 2 people.

    So far I’m still not feeling strongly about one way or the other.  It’s not a clear-cut decision, at least at our budget level.

32. Jason Hudnutt on December 13, 2009

    Mike, not a 12 and 13 yr old. However, it did house:

    - Mother In-Law
    - Father In-Law
    - Their big dog
    - Myself
    - My Wife
    - My 4 yr old son
    - My Big dog

    I agree though, its a tough decision and I want to look into it when I am done with my commitments.

    Either way, best of luck and be sure to let me know when/if you are in my vicinity!

33. Boyink (Author) on December 13, 2009

    That’s alot of bodies in a RV of any size..;)

    We did take a 2 week trip with my inlaws and infant son all in a 30’ Class C years ago.  It didn’t have a slide - and was definitely “close” even for that length of time. 

    The other consideration is comfort while driving.  Class C’s (and fullsize vans for that matter) don’t have a ton of room for the driver/passenger.  The Suburban approach would definitely be more comfortable for me going down the road.

    It’ll likely come down to what we find a great deal on first.

34. Sue Sal on December 14, 2009

    Sounds like a great idea, Mike!  I hope Miranda warms up to the idea.  I drove a Sprinter a little over a week ago - it was a nice ride.  My brother made his into a motor home.  My other brother has a REAL motor home and that would be my choice, if I could afford it.  The gas mileage is pretty poor, but the comfort of people moving about, napping, doing homework, making lunch…all while traveling is worth a lot.  God bless you as you continue to make plans - pretty exciting!!

35. Boyink (Author) on December 14, 2009

    Thanks Sue!

36. Molly Klimas on December 16, 2009

    Mike - fantastic! What a great experience this will be for your family!

37. Chad on December 17, 2009

    Wow. Awesome to see someone who’s actually “doing it”, instead of just talking about it. You’ve probably already heard of the book, The Family Sabbatical Handbook, but I thought I’d throw it out there.

    Got six kiddos of my own now and would love to do something like that someday. I think I’d need a bus from a traveling sports team or something to fit everyone.

38. Boyink (Author) on December 17, 2009

    Thanks Molly and Chad.

    Chad I don’t think we have run across that one - but not sure how well it will fit.  I don’t see us really on sabbatical, more just making where “home” is variable.  Large portions of day to day activities will be same (working and schooling) just with different soil under our tires.  But I’ll research it nonetheless.

39. Emily on December 21, 2009

    Ah ha! That was my guess but only because I’m thinking along similar lines :) I’m not sure I’d've guessed that if I knew how many commitments you have though!

    I run a small web design business in London (UK) with my husband and we are planning to spend 3 months in N.America (between Chicago and Vancouver) visiting friends and family next summer.

    We don’t have a house or kids to worry about - though like you we do have dependent clients - so as self-employed workers of the intertubes we really don’t have any excuse not to do a spot of mobile working since we’re feeling that way inclined.

    I do hope you manage to pull it off - from what you’ve shared about yourselves you and your wife sound like perfect candidates for this kind of challenge.

    All best!

40. Boyink (Author) on December 21, 2009

    Hey Emily -

    Thanks for the comment.

    Your trip will be a bit of a hike as well!

41. Glenn Costanzo on December 28, 2009

    Hey Mike,

    I’ve been roughing out plans for a similar trip in 4years or so…my plans are still very rough :)

    I’ve travelled between New Hampshire and Florida three times in the last five years with my wife and 9yo(now) son. Our trips were two week jaunts to Disney.

    We’ve used a 29’ bunkhouse and a Cummins Dually. I’m not a big fan of class ‘c’ motorhomes unless theyre the ‘super c’ that starts on a freightliner or GM 6500 or something similarly heavy duty. (I’m sure you know how pricey those are, though) The one ton van class ‘c’s just seem to be straining too hard all the time. And the gas mileage goes off a cliff as soon as you hook on the dinghy.

    
    I wouldnt go any smaller on the rv and while the truck pulls it great, its getting a little tight on space inside. I’m thinking of switching to a Powerstroke Excursion (meh) or a 3/4 ton Suburban. I use a suburban now as a work truck and really like everything about it except it’s thirst for dino juice.

    If you get a 4x4 suburban and make a few upgrades, you could get off the paved paths a little bit and still fit the whole fam.

    Just my 2 pennies worth :)
    Best wishes on your trip - maybe your adventure will motivate me to get some more planning done on mine!

42. Boyink (Author) on December 29, 2009

    Hey Glenn -

    Funny, when your comment came in I was looking at a 3/4 ton Sub on eBay..;).

    Yes - we’e looked a the “super C’s” and they are definitely out of our price range.

    Just curious - why the “meh” on the Excursion?  I’ve a couple V10 versions on my watch list as well.

43. Glenn Costanzo on December 29, 2009

    Yeah, those ‘super C’s’ are crazy expensive. I saw one in Florida that must have been custom built…it was on a Peterbuilt 359 chassis and looked AWESOME!

    The ‘meh’ was more for the Powerstroke than the Excursion, only because you cant get a Cummins in an SUV.

    I think they might get a bad rap regarding their problems, but I like the Cummins alot better.

    I towed my work trailer (6000lbs) alot with a 5.7L gas engine in my pickup. My mileage dropped to 8 mpg when i was towing (15mpg when i wasnt towing).

    My Cummins Dually Clubcab gets about 14mpg towing on the highway. I knew a guy that had a Powerstroke Excursion and he said he only got 9 or 10mpg towing his 4place snowmobile trailer. Based on that, I’d get a V10 Excursion but would steer clear of the Powerstroke.
    I dont know if you guys are planning on being on the move all the time, but its another little nugget to mull over.

    Sorry for the run-on post…Good luck with your search :)

44. Boyink (Author) on December 29, 2009

    Thanks Glenn -

    Hmm…just looking at an ‘01 Chevy Van w/Duramax diesel.  That’s be an interesting rig as well.  Just not ready to buy yet..;)

    Thanks for the input!

45. Geert Leyseele on January 02, 2010

    Sounds like 2010 will be an adventure for you and your family :)

46. Boyink (Author) on January 02, 2010

    Thanks for the comment Geert!  “Adventure” has become our keyword for the year for sure.

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