Health and the Bluebird?

[Dave]

We have wanted a 'bird for a number of years, and have occasionally
come close to a purchase.

But we have seen some coaches for sale with a reason listed of
"selling because of health issues". We are not the healthiest of
individuals. I've had a heart attack in '87, quintuple bypass in 2000,
a defibrillator implanted in 2004 and just finished a 6 week hospital
"vacation" with double pneumonia. And just turned 60!

My question to the group: Any idea's about the physical health
required to own and maintain a 'bird'? Major things to avoid?

Or should we just hang around the back yard?
__________________
Dave & Grace Erickson
Enid, OK
Still looking!

[Pete Masterson]

Well, it depends on how much you plan to do yourself and how much you
plan to hire-out.

I suspect that the "health reasons" may be "financial health with
respect to the cost of diesel"... but "health reasons" sounds a lot
better than "I'm going broke keeping the tank full" as a reason for
selling. However, anything that makes you feel less able to handle a
large, heavy vehicle safely would also be a "health reason" for
selling the coach.

On another list (non-brand specific), one fellow with early
Parkinson's explains that he downsized to a moderate size Class C rig
when he was no longer comfortable driving his Class A -- and his
spouse was also unwilling to drive it. The Class C is only 7' wide,
making it easier to handle and his wife is confident in sharing the
driving of a smaller vehicle. Surely the sale of his Class A would
have been for "health reasons."

Finally, as many folks reach a point in their 70s, they may simply
not feel up to handling a big rig and want something smaller or may
wish to travel much less.

As my in-laws noted (a few years ago) on the cruise ships, they'd
meet lots of folks in their 60s and 70s -- but very few in their
80s... (and cruises aren't near as taxing as driving a WL through LA
freeway traffic).


Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
aeonix1@...
On the road at



On Jun 3, 2008, at 9:00 AM, Dave wrote:

> We have wanted a 'bird for a number of years, and have occasionally
> come close to a purchase.
>
> But we have seen some coaches for sale with a reason listed of
> "selling because of health issues". We are not the healthiest of
> individuals. I've had a heart attack in '87, quintuple bypass in 2000,
> a defibrillator implanted in 2004 and just finished a 6 week hospital
> "vacation" with double pneumonia. And just turned 60!
>
> My question to the group: Any idea's about the physical health
> required to own and maintain a 'bird'? Major things to avoid?
>
> Or should we just hang around the back yard?
>

[JERRY SMITH]

Dave, you really answered your own question. Do you just want to sit around your backyard and wait for the end or get out there and view this great country and meet some new friends. I am the same age and just got my BB less than a year ago. If you can drive a car any distance, you can drive the coach. Will there be some problems, of course. Sign up for a good road service and head out.

There are lots of good deals out there right now. If you find one and don't know what to look for, post on here and one of the owners maybe in the area and can look it over for you.

Good luck, see you down the road.

Jerry Smith

2005 450 LXI

Sarasota, Fl.

On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 12:00 PM, Dave <"david_erickson@att.net"> wrote:

We have wanted a 'bird for a number of years, and have occasionally
come close to a purchase.

But we have seen some coaches for sale with a reason listed of
"selling because of health issues". We are not the healthiest of

individuals. I've had a heart attack in '87, quintuple bypass in 2000,
a defibrillator implanted in 2004 and just finished a 6 week hospital
"vacation" with double pneumonia. And just turned 60!


My question to the group: Any idea's about the physical health
required to own and maintain a 'bird'? Major things to avoid?

Or should we just hang around the back yard?
__________________

Dave & Grace Erickson
Enid, OK
Still looking!

[bubblerboy64]

Dave, My best advice would be not to expect to do too much "work" on
the MH. That might be too stressful and difficult but if you can
drive it with confidence then go for it. But it does depend on what
you like to do and what you find relaxing. Seems to me that if you
take your time and enjoy the work maybe simple repairs would be good
for you. I wouldn't buy a coach that you need to pull the motor and
transmission before you get started but I would agree to go for it
perhaps with the thought that running this past the ole MD might not
be a bad first step.
John Heckman
central Pa
1973 FC





>
> Dave, you really answered your own question. Do you just want to
sit around
> your backyard and wait for the end or get out there and view this
great
> country and meet some new friends. I am the same age and just got
my BB
> less than a year ago. If you can drive a car any distance, you can
drive
> the coach. Will there be some problems, of course. Sign up for a
good road
> service and head out.
> There are lots of good deals out there right now. If you find one
and don't
> know what to look for, post on here and one of the owners maybe in
the area
> and can look it over for you.
>
> Good luck, see you down the road.
>
> Jerry Smith
> 2005 450 LXI
> Sarasota, Fl.
>
> On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 12:00 PM, Dave wrote:
>
> > We have wanted a 'bird for a number of years, and have
occasionally
> > come close to a purchase.
> >
> > But we have seen some coaches for sale with a reason listed of
> > "selling because of health issues". We are not the healthiest of
> > individuals. I've had a heart attack in '87, quintuple bypass in
2000,
> > a defibrillator implanted in 2004 and just finished a 6 week
hospital
> > "vacation" with double pneumonia. And just turned 60!
> >
> > My question to the group: Any idea's about the physical health
> > required to own and maintain a 'bird'? Major things to avoid?
> >
> > Or should we just hang around the back yard?
> > __________________
> > Dave & Grace Erickson
> > Enid, OK
> > Still looking!
> >
> >
> >
>

[erniecarpet@...]

There is a nice looking 90 real cheap on vintage birds.

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Livingston, Montana

---

Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food.

[brad barton]

Dave,

Any coach is going to require maintenance, new or old. If you have someone who can do the heavy stuff, you can enjoy puttering around the coach replacing cabinet struts, door catchesand light bulbs at your leisure. You'll probably want to be able to at least clean the windshields and drivers windows yourself. The older BB's made it easy with foot-holes in the bumper and handles above the windshield (wish mine did). Also, remember you usually have to get down on one knee to empty your tanks, pull out a cord or get things out of your basement compartment. A fold-up camping stool might makesuch jobs easier. You may or may not need to go up the ladder.Butremember you will go up and down those entry steps many times while loading the coach.

Forum members wholove to talk, brag and argue about their coaches, probably care enough to maintain them better than theaverage owner. If you could justfind a well-maintained LXi with Black and Stainless exterior and Maple and leather Western Elegance interior owned by a forum member within 250 miles of Enid,you'd be all set.



BradBarton00LXiDFW bbartonwx@...

---

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
From: david_erickson@...
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 16:00:45 +0000
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Health and the Bluebird?

We have wanted a 'bird for a number of years, and have occasionally
come close to a purchase.

But we have seen some coaches for sale with a reason listed of
"selling because of health issues". We are not the healthiest of
individuals. I've had a heart attack in '87, quintuple bypass in 2000,
a defibrillator implanted in 2004 and just finished a 6 week hospital
"vacation" with double pneumonia. And just turned 60!

My question to the group: Any idea's about the physical health
required to own and maintain a 'bird'? Major things to avoid?

Or should we just hang around the back yard?
__________________
Dave & Grace Erickson
Enid, OK
Still looking!

---

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[erniecarpet@...]

The 90 WB was a repo? Didn't know that. I have seen some of the pics and it looks like a pretty nice project. I could undertake that, if business was better.

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Livingston, Montana

---

Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food.

[David Brady]

Dave,



My Dad is into RVing too, and he's a bunch older than you.

He views it as his "life insurance" policy in that it gets him and

Mom out, involved, meeting people, making friends, accomplishing

tasks, navigating, decision making... It can be great mental

and physical exercise and it can all be done at your pace and

with moderation.



David Brady

'02 LXi, NC



Dave wrote:

We have wanted a 'bird for a number of years, and have occasionally

come close to a purchase.



But we have seen some coaches for sale with a reason listed of

"selling because of health issues". We are not the healthiest of

individuals. I've had a heart attack in '87, quintuple bypass in 2000,

a defibrillator implanted in 2004 and just finished a 6 week hospital

"vacation" with double pneumonia. And just turned 60!



My question to the group: Any idea's about the physical health

required to own and maintain a 'bird'? Major things to avoid?



Or should we just hang around the back yard?

__________________

Dave & Grace Erickson

Enid, OK

Still looking!

No virus found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.5/1479 - Release Date: 6/2/2008 7:02 PM

[Gregory OConnor]

You may want to look for a series 60 or BMC-pt in perfect shape in
need of no mods (if your budget holds 70K to 120K). I'd stay away
from a series 92 or a cat powered bus.

Get out of the back yard and buy a bus. Cross it off your bucket
list. Bless you and your family.

GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Dave"
wrote:
>
> We have wanted a 'bird for a number of years, and have occasionally
> come close to a purchase.
>
> But we have seen some coaches for sale with a reason listed of
> "selling because of health issues". We are not the healthiest of
> individuals. I've had a heart attack in '87, quintuple bypass in
2000,
> a defibrillator implanted in 2004 and just finished a 6 week
hospital
> "vacation" with double pneumonia. And just turned 60!
>
> My question to the group: Any idea's about the physical health
> required to own and maintain a 'bird'? Major things to avoid?
>
> Or should we just hang around the back yard?
> __________________
> Dave & Grace Erickson
> Enid, OK
> Still looking!
>

[Leroy Eckert]

Gee, hopefully you will not draw any more bad cards. Odds are you have already used them. God bless.
My suggestion would be to get out of the backyard and enjoy what is left. Your MD should be able to provide more insight. If he/she says go, by all means have at it. That said, look for a well maintained coach and you should be very happy.

We purchased our coach to travel and live out my days however many their are. I am now at 65 raising my three step-grandchildren and trying to make it through. We are teaching them the benefits of camping. I always am stress free when out in some park in the woods.

There are a lot of nice BB's out there now.

Leroy Eckert
1990 WB-40 Smoke N Mirrors
Dahlonega, GA
Royale Conversion

Dave wrote:

We have wanted a 'bird for a number of years, and have occasionally
come close to a purchase.

But we have seen some coaches for sale with a reason listed of
"selling because of health issues". We are not the healthiest of
individuals. I've had a heart attack in '87, quintuple bypass in 2000,
a defibrillator implanted in 2004 and just finished a 6 week hospital
"vacation" with double pneumonia. And just turned 60!

My question to the group: Any idea's about the physical health
required to own and maintain a 'bird'? Major things to avoid?

Or should we just hang around the back yard?
__________________
Dave & Grace Erickson
Enid, OK
Still looking!