Maiden Voyage of Our Land Yacht

Before Ursula could be delivered she had to be all cleaned up. When they first met her, Suna and Lee spotted some little issues (like a non-functioning air conditioning unit and dirty carpets).  The RV place also went over the entire vehicle and replaced a lot of things Suna and Lee had not noticed, having never driven it or run it for very long. A lot of hoses and connections were tightened or replaced. It was pretty impressive how much work the technicians went to. When they were all done, she looked great.

Right after we decided to buy Ursula

It was interesting to pick up Ursula, because rather than the salesperson showing them all the controls and such, the technician who had worked on her explained how everything worked, and showed them what he'd done to get her back in good working order for a 6-year-old vehicle. You have to expect a bit of wear and tear, and a few things you'd like to change, like (gasp) the square TVs! No HD televisions were standard back then (we figure it was probably the last year for SD televisions). What is important is that the engine, drivetrain and such are all Freightliner truck components and they will last a LONG time. Whew. Glad Lee knows about this stuff.

Her lovely front side.

It took two endless hours to get the tour, plus the hour and a half of filling out forms, but at last Suna and Lee got to drive their new friend/land yacht/mobile house.

That windshield is huge. You can see so much from the seats in an RV!

Great view, if only there were something to see in Luling, Texas.

And such nice seats! They swivel, too.

The Captain pilots his ship.

Where Did She Go? And Why?


Lee had more than one reason to want an RV. His dad has some health issues that will require spending a good deal of time in the middle of nowhere (AKA the environs of Yorktown, Texas), home of The Family Farm.

No,this doesn't give you a clue where Yorktown is. But it proves it's real.

His dad keeps his trailer burningly hot in the summer, plus there is often Nephew Chris staying there (he has a bus conversion RV, too). Everyone is an introvert, so the more privacy the better!

Majestically posing where the cattle would rather be grazing. Building at right has been razed since we were there!

So, yeah, the first trip was to the farm near Yorktown to check up on Lee's dad, hang out with Chris, and see how things are going there. By the time Ursula rumbled across the cattle guards (oooh, those are new) everyone was asleep, and it sure was nice to not disturb anyone and just head to the big ole queen sized bed (with the really dumb bed covering that now lives under the bed in storage).

This bed covering had a life of its own. Would not fold or  get out of the way.

Ursula did really well at the farm, though it was hard to get her level. It was a gentle introduction to riding around in the huge vehicle. Those narrow farm roads are a lot of fun when another vehicle is coming, and wow are the bumps bumpy!

The first meal was cooked--Tacos that were enjoyed very much by the menfolk. It was fun to try out the new dishes and cookware. Suna and Lee have tried to use as many of their duplicates from the house and kitchen, but did need to get dishes (Corelle) and an inexpensive set of pots and pans. Lee's old purple towels are fine in the bathroom, though. And they had sheets already.

You can see Nephew Chris's vehicle hiding under the trees.

Ursula pulled out of the pasture early Sunday morning, and they made it back in time for Suna to get dropped off at church to sing some song. Lee had to go back to Ursula's parking place in Georgetown and practice backing her in for a long time. But he did it! A successful maiden voyage.

Just for fun, here are a few pictures of Ursula inside. Quite the neutral decor. That's a relief--one of the RVs they looked at was quite intensely blue. Way too blue. And way too sparkly.

View from the front, with the slide out.

From the hallway. Kitchen is at right. I like the floors. They are wood!

We are adding a trip report after every time we take Ursula out, to record the lessons we have learned and the highlights of travel.


Trip Report: The Family Farm, Yorktown, TX—May 27-29 2011


Highlight: Cooking a meal for the Bruns and Caso boys
Lowlight: Having to get on the road so early so Suna could go sing something.
Meals: Tacos from a taco kit, with all the trimmings, plus refried beans. Other meal was dining out, since we could borrow the pickup truck.
Location Review: It was very loud due to oil workers working 24/7 behind Lee’s dad’s trailer. And it was weird to have to check in with a guard at the gate to land you own. But it was nice to wake up and see the cattle looking in your window, and the weather was lovely for sitting outside and chatting There are actually some nice views looking toward the ranches behind the house, and sunsets are amazing, since it’s so flat.
Lessons Learned: We later learned it is NOT a good idea to wait to dump the waste water until the start of the next trip. Phew.

Our New Friend Ursula

Apparently Lee had been thinking about getting an RV for a long time. He did look at Craigslist a lot. Even visited a couple. He realized he could afford a used one. Did he want a trailer? No, the truck is too wimpy to pull one so he'd need a new truck. Did he want a van conversion? Yes, if it met Suna's conditions. He had to see...

He went to the RV Outlet Mall (caution! link plays music--not a modern website!) in Georgetown and looked at RVs. He imagined the possibilities. He brought Suna back the next day and they looked at all the used and new models there.

One matched all Suna's requirements. Ursula. She wasn't too plain and she wasn't too fancy. She wasn't too small and yeah, she was big, but they make them bigger. She is a 2005 Damon Ultrasport. Diesel. Truck chassis. Lee likes to drive trucks and even has the right license. So, OK.