Ziggy - Pleasure-way Excel TS
Are we crazy or what. We bought our 2010 Pleasure-way Excel in 2024 but plan to keep our 25' Bigfoot. Sounds a little crazy but there is some logic behind it. We are now, in 2024, snowbirds. We winter in the desert near Quartzsite and summer in the north, in our case in Prescott Valley some 125 miles north. We use Sassy (Bigfoot) as our winter home. Without her we'd be stranded in the snow. So we keep Sassy.
UPDATE: In early 2025 we decided to not move to Desert Gold (Quartzsite area) over the winter. If not wintering at Desert Gold it's hard to justify keeping our Bigfoot trailer along with our, new to us, camper van. So, with sadness in our hearts we sold Sassy (our Bigfoot).
But campgrounds and RV parks are so crowded, particularly in the summer, that one needs reservations. We don't like travelling that way. Our plan for our camper van (Class B RV) is to get off pavement and boondock far more. We should be able to also tow Brutus (side x side) for offroad adventures along the way.
UPDATE: Pulling Brutus on a utility trailer was a problem. When unloaded we'd still have the utility trailer in tow. So, we essentially traded Brutus (Kawasaki Teryx) for a 1995 Suzuki Sidekick (Waldo). We plan to then flat tow Waldo behind Ziggy, no cumbersome utility trailer.
Pleasure-ways, and similar camper vans, have very little ground clearance. As is they aren't capable off pavement, and the hangey down bits (like plumbing) are fragile. We plan to "lift" the van some 5" for more ground clearance. Two wheel drive should be OK with adequate ground clearance. Workable for most off pavement use, not offroad but off pavement. A more complete description of our thinking is here. [done, see below]
Then there are all the modifications we make to all our RVs. We may add some solar, although the Pleasure-way has a Onan generator. [done, shiny new electrical with solar] The Excel TS has a couch that flattens into a bed via an electric motor. Slick, but can't really leave the bed made up all the time. We'd prefer their Excel TD model which has twin beds. That may be another needed mod. [done, see below] These, and others, will be documented as they are done here.