Proud new owners of a GD 295RL

[Rgg123]

Greetings! My wife and I are excited to join the GD nation! Previously we owned a 2008 40 ft Damon diesel pusher (a blast to drive, especially in the Rockies), a 2016 30 ft Airstream Classic (iconic and great for many stops type of travel), and now the 295RL Fifth Wheel. So why would we (actually me, my wife did not want to do it) trade in an iconic AS for a GD? Great question, and one that I pondered long and hard. In the end, our RV use changed, as we will now spend 75% of our time in a single spot, with only sporadic cross country journeys. Thus, we need more living and storage space. I also look forward to a better ride with the fifth wheel in the bed of the truck versus 10,000 on a back end hitch (I won’t miss the porpoise effect!).

We reside in the Chicago area and have traveled coast to coast, California to Nova Scotia. My favorite are the Rocky Mountains, with Glacier National Park being my favorite stop so far. We purchased a permanent lot in MI at a private RV resort, only 3 hours from our home, so we will get more use with our RV, and still have the option of traveling south in the winter. We have two sons (36 and 32) and a dog. My wife is an artist (custom jewelry) and I am “retired: from 35 years in corporate sales - however, I now operate a small, part-time business providing career coaching and financial education to people (high school through late adults). The business keeps me as busy as I want to be and also provides a forum for giving back to the next generation. Aside from that, we enjoy family, friends, golfing (me, but not so good), walking and hiking, coaching and teaching via my business, and most of all traveling in the RV. We are also contemplating taking up bowling (I am actually decent and my wife enjoys it) and paddleball (why not, every good RV resort has a court or two!).

We have our share of RV horror stories (like breaking down in our diesel pusher in the Mohave desert and having to be towed 60 miles to Barstow CA, losing all our food, etc.), and also great memories (I already mentioned Glacier National Park, Nova Scotia, etc.). We look forward to the added living and storage space of the 295RL and the upgraded technology - and with that comes more potential problems and headaches! Yet, so far I find the GD owners to be incredibly helpful - thus I will find ways to contribute in return (so if anyone is wondering why a former Airstream owner would trade in their AS for a GD, let’s chat!).

Ray & Debbie Giese
Chicagoland Area

[howson]

Rgg123 -- read a really funny line about golf recently. A woman wrote in and said her husband had won the "Children of Israel Award" as a result of his golfing. The award, of course, was won due to his many hours wandering in the wilderness looking for wayward golf balls. (I can definitely relate.) I often say regarding my golf game that I have a fantastic cost-per-stroke average. Usually takes the person I'm talking to a second to process what I said.

[Rgg123]

I traveled for the first time with my new 295RL - never had driven a fifth wheel before. It was easy! The ride was better than my previous 10,000 Airstream TT. Hooking up and unhooking was easier as well. But the BIG surprise was the ease of backing up into my site - I did it on the first try!! What a difference backing a fifth wheel vs a TT!

Yet, I had a surprise. I dropped the trailer and returned hom with my truck. The dealer had installed a new B&W Patriot 18K slider hitch on rails last week. When asked about the bolts holding the rails on to the frame of the truck, he said, “all torqued and ready to go.” Well, this morning I was cleaning out my truck and noticed one of the bolts holding the front rail to the bed and frame was popped up - when I touched it I could jiggle it! Same for two other bolts!! Now back to the dealer to complain and warn them to check everything. I know this was the initial pull with the new rails and hitch but I cannot see three of the bolts on thr same rail coming loose!

Lesson learned - check everything despite what any dealer says.