Today is an exciting day for Barry and me as we head out for 5-6 months in Sadie, our new 2025 Grech RV Strata-Ion Tour.
We downsized from Vinny, our 37 ft Newmar Ventana diesel pusher with a full wall slide, two passenger side slides, and LOTS of inside storage plus additional outside “basement storage” to SADIE. Sadie is our new 2025 Grech RV Strata-Ion Tour Sprinter Motorhome. Sadie has NO slides, and NO outside storage! So why did we go so small? It is now about being more nimble on the road. Being more spur of the moment to go check additional things out along our travels, and getting into places we couldn’t with Vinny.
Ironically, it has taken us longer to pack up Sadie for 5-6 months on the road than it did to pack Vinny! There is no room for the “I MIGHT want this” items. With Vinny, the mindset was “if in doubt, put it in” because we could! Now the motto is, “If there’s doubt, it stays OUT!” Organization is key, so I bought a lot more coil-rope baskets, and Command Hooks. The rope baskets adapt for flexible fit just about everywhere! The Tetris work began. 🙂
With sofa “down” in sleep mode and how it clears storage in the back end. 2nd picture in “sofa mode”, and that’s where our tri-fold cot mattresses fit for travel and regular daytime use.
EMERGENCY INFORMATION
Several years ago we ordered this flexible magnetic Emergency Information “board” from YouTube RVers, Phil & Stacy of “Today is Someday”. You never know when an emergency will occur, and trust me, when It happens you may recall the name of the park you just pulled into, but not likely the name of the cross street or highway you turned off of, let alone the complete street address and zip code. 911 operators are not always familiar with the area where you are located, so to alert the proper ER responders quickly you need the official street address and your site #. WE add the county so we have it if weather starts getting “interesting”.
We punched two holes in the top of the soft magnet. Since we lacked metal surfaces we used Command hooks to hang the emergency information inside our front closet. It worked great and keeps a cleaner look for our small living area.
ENHANCED SLEEPING AREA – While the sofa and ottomans are extremely comfortable, we wanted to protect the leather better from sleeping on it with only a sheet every night for about 6 months. Since we are not getting any younger, we agreed upon a tri-fold 31 inch x 75 inch x 3 inch COT-size memory foam mattress from Walmart (online). We tested it out a couple of times before heading out for 6 months. We love it. It folds up quickly and flips behind the sofa after sleeping.
My biggest concern was finding a fitted sheet that would really work. These stretchy jersey knit from Amazon are fitted cot-sized sheets that are perfect!! They stay smooth and in place all night!! I’m happy. 🙂
We are packed and ready! Let’s GO!
Today’s destination was China Cabinet Ranch in Tucson, AZ. This is our FIRST Harvest Host! Barry selected China Cabinet Ranch because it is just 12 miles from the Living Desert Museum that our friend, Gerlind, highly recommended, and we plan to check it out tomorrow!
Not sure why Google Maps took us the way it did though. It seemed to be least 7 miles of very uneven, and narrow roads of dirt, sand and rock. We were glad we weren’t in Vinny, and that we didn’t have any vehicle coming towards us at any time! Serious doubts about this Harvest Host location weighed on both our minds, but neither of us said anything. We finally hit a decent road for a short distance, and then a much better and wider dirt road than all the previous ones. And voila – we made it. Once there and parked, it really was beautiful and quiet. The host was surprised of our GPS experience. It should have all been decent roads off I-10 till the dirt road to her place (about 0.3 mi). Good to know we don’t have to get out the same way we came in!
Views from various windows and patio door of Sadie:
Views out my “bedroom” window when I got up the next morning.
I felt bad for the owner and all the health issues she has had and is currently dealing with. I went in later to see her jewelry. Jewelry is her thing, but I don’t really wear any – not even simple earrings much anymore, so there wasn’t much that I could see me wearing. Then a bracelet caught my eye. I purchased it. I was glad I found something to patronize the business of this Harvest Host, and actually something I would likely wear for awhile. I was complimented on the bracelet the next day, and asked where I got it. It was nice to China Cabinet Ranch a local referral for her jewelry.
Tomorrow’s adventure will be at the LIVING DESERT MUSEUM!