OMG!! What have we done now!?!?!? Let's talk about down sizing from a 3 slide 5th wheel, 30 feet long with lots of room and storage to a small class B+ Motor home with only one slide and 26 feet long!! Can it be done? Well we just proved that it can be done.

We have decided that dragging a HUGE 5th wheel around, was getting to be a bit too much for us. My biggest fear of pulling the 5th wheel was getting stuck someplace and not being able to get out of a "sticky" situation. We have also decided that we want to boondock across America in another year. Moving a big rig can be such a hassle to do and it's also hard to find National Forestry that will accommodate large rigs.. So we made the decision to downsize to something more manageable and easier to move from spot to spot.

We start by researching on the Internet to find what we might be looking for. The hubby wants one style, and the wifey wants a little different style. So we come to a compromise and the next thing you know, we both start to agree on the same kind.

Now the idea was that we really couldn't buy it just yet, it would have to wait until fall time, when we have a bit more time on our hands. Then we can sit at the dealership and just transfer from one unit to the other. No hassle-no worries, and definitely no rush (yeah, right....)

We found one that we both really liked, but the price is just a little higher than what we wanted to pay. So we keep watching by the day, by the hour, by the minute, and before you know it, either your eyes start playing tricks or you actually see the price reduced down to what we think we maybe could afford. So the next step is you take the ultimate plunge! The deal is almost to real and impossible to pass up! Now the question comes up, do you put a down payment on something that you have only seen via the Internet and not in person? Well, that is exactly what we did!!! Oh, let's not stop there, it still gets interesting....

I haven't told you yet where the unit is sitting. Being that we are sitting as contractors for the Corps in AR, and the unit that we really, really want is sitting all the way above Chicago IL!! It still gets better. We made this deal on a Sunday, and now we have made arrangements to go and pick the unit up that very next Tuesday. We have just two days off work to make this all happen.

By Monday morning we had both the truck and rig completey cleaned out and was hooked on ready to roll. We were fortunate that our park wasn't open yet due to ice storm clean-up, so that allowed us to clean everything out and put it in our shed. We were to finish work by 6:00pm on that Monday and thought we could go a little ways before having to pull over for some shut eye. Instead we got permission to leave by 3:00pm, so that gave us the advantage we needed.

As we are down the highway, we right away get behind county workers that were stripping the center lines and because of the curves and hills, we could not pass him. Luckily he pulled off allowing all of us to go by. We finally get on the Interstate and just as we crossed into IL we decided that we would fuel up and then find a place to get some shut eye. After fueling, what I thought was the frontage road to the Interstate happened to be yet another road that kept getting smaller and smaller...my worst fear of that "sticky" situation was about to come true. Up head was a sign with a limit weight and a very sharp narrow turn. Not knowing where it was going to lead we crept slowly forward, and then we got the break, the road was to make a split and was wide enough for us to turn the rig around. We got out of there with no other problems.

We made it safely to Waconda IL, made the trade and by 3:00pm Tuesday we were back on the road heading Arkansas in our brand new home. We arrived back to our destination by 6pm Wednesday with no mishaps what-so-ever. Now comes the fun part, finding where everything will fit. Well guess what? NOT everything would fit! So now it's time to do elimination of process.

As each item came out of the shed to be unpacked, we seriously looked it over and see if it was something that we could live without. The conclusion was this:

• We didn't need 6 sets of towels, 2 set each would be sufficient
• We didn't need 4 sets of bed sheets, 2 would work great
• We didn't need 3 different sizes of fry pan, we could live with 2. We would live fine without the slow-cooker, and all the extra cooking utensils.  We only need a few plates, cups and silverware.  And our roasting pans will no longer work in our smaller convection oven, so why carry them.
• I didn't need to take up loom knitting, cross stitch & crocheting. So all the yarns & loom knitting was sold.
• We didn't need all the numerous office supplies that we accumulated while living in our big 5th wheel. We did keep the laptop (of coure), the printer and printing paper. What else would we need?
• Many little extra electronics that we knew we could easily live with out was sold to other campers.
• No more dusting nick-knacks-sold them all-yeah!
• All of our extra out door chairs and "stuff" went to the way-side.  If we get company, well I guess they will have to bring their own chairs from now on.
• Due to my lower back problem, I couldn't enjoy our port-a-bote much, so it was sold on Craig's List to another full timer that travel to Colorado.
• Our portable washer was sold to another camper that would get as much use out of it as I did. I really don't mind the laundry mats-so long as they are clean.
• Clothes was another story...We went through all of our clothes and what we haven't worn in a long time, went bye-bye...

Even Leah, our little min pin had to go through all of her toys and do elimination of process.  But eventually the things that we needed and kept fit nicely in our new little home.  A few very sentimental things we shipped of to our daughters for them to hold on to for us if we ever should decide to settle down again...

We have been over 3 months now in our new small mini motorhome, and have absolutely no regrets.  We even canceled  our satellite for we now spend more times on or days off outside, relearning how to get back in touch with nature and with each other.