Travels With Miranda

Talking with my Franco-Ontarian neighbours yesterday, we somehow got on the subject of the layout of our rigs.

I told them that I could not live in a class A like theirs because they are too open for me and therefore feel very small. Some class Cs, like mine, are much more like an apartment with several rooms, so I can have an office and then use the overcab bunk to sleep.

The gal replied, “Oh, you sleep up there!”

And her husband wistfully replied, without a hint of sarcasm, “Man, I wish my RV had two stories.”

I’ve been following Tioga George‘s roof makeover adventure and one thing has left me dumbfounded: he only has one roof vent/hatch left.

My roof hatches are one of Miranda’s best features! I have one in the study, one in the dressing room with a fan (plus a skylight over the shower), a giant escape-sized one in the kitchen, and a little one above the bed in the loft. I do block the latter one with a block of styrofoam for darkness, but I’d be lost without the other three.

The study and dressing room hatches have a cover over them, so I can have the hatches wide open when it rains and have fresh air when it’s impossible to keep the windows open. The roof hatches also let less noise in than do open windows, so I can shut myself in to do transcription but still breathe fresh air. If I’m going away for the day, I can securely let some air into the rig without worrying about granting miscreants easier access. The hatch in the kitchen can’t be left open in the rain or if I’m leaving the rig, but it adds tons of light in the front part of the room:

Even closed and with covers over them, the two rear hatches let in a lot more light than would a closed ceiling.

What are my readers’ thoughts on RV roof vents/hatches?

Jody and I went to another small RV show and sale this afternoon. I was much more impressed with the units on display this time! Last time was mostly Keystone and this time was mostly Jayco. Again, there were no motorhomes to speak of since Albertans have a truck culture and therefore favour trailers and 5ers.

Here are a few things that caught my eye: