Toad Tales

Back in 2010 when I first began to learn about the full time RV life I quickly learned a whole new language as I began to consider class A, B, or C. Or maybe a travel trailer. A small fifth wheel?  While going through this decision a salesman who was trying hard to sell me a travel trailer made the statement “No matter how you go you will be pulling something behind you.”  He was right too, unless I had gone with a class B which is basically a big van.  I knew I would not be happy in that small of a home on the road. And while pull behind trailers and fifth wheels are roomier I would have had to purchase a vehicle to tow one of those.

After winnowing it down I ended up with a 24’ class C.  One big reason I selected it was that I could pull the car I already had behind it. I loved that car. It was a bright orange 2006 Chevy HHR. I bought that car new. My first new car ever.  Of course by 2010 it had nearly 100,000 miles and had been rear ended on the interstate once. So it was perfect for a car to be towed behind my RV. 

My first rig. 

It was my first “toad” in RV lingo.  And it was a beauty. It was the one I learned on. And it served me well through 4 years, 12 states, and 9 jobs. But even a toad’s life has an expiration date. My little orange pumpkin finally needed to retire. Her replacement was a sensible Honda CRV. After a Jeep, the most popular toad is the Honda. Not that I wasn’t tempted by the idea of a Jeep, but in the end I realized if I had a Jeep I’d just be going places I don’t need to go. 

It took a while to get used to this new toad. For starters, it wasn’t orange, or red, or even blue. Just gray. Just reliable. Just what I needed.   Gradually I got used to it and even came to love it. Which really made it painful when I took out a 12 point buck with it. Took two weeks to get it fixed. I was miserable without it, and I was thrilled to get it back. Then me and my toad (and by then my new RV) headed to a job in Louisiana and on to Arizona. 

Toad #2 at Great SaltLake. 

I was really falling in love with that car. Then one evening around dusk the little gray toad took out another deer. This time there was no saving it. I drove from Texas to Tennessee toad-less. In times like these I rely on big brother Clint and his vast automotive knowledge. And I was under the gun too. I needed to have a new toad ready for a trip to Gettysburg in less than a month. With big brother’s help the trip went off on time without a hitch.

So now I’m on my third toad in nine years. And I love him. I call him Howard da Beast. He’s a 2010 Honda Element. Clint had to do a few modifications to get him ready to be a toad (the manual said he couldn’t be towed). I was so grateful to Clint for all his work that I gave him Clint’s first name. He doesn’t use it anyway. I added da Beast after towing it 1800 miles in the first two weeks of toad life. It never gave me a problem. In Howard’s first months of toad life he has driven through eleven states and added 3,000 miles to the odometer. I think Howard and I are looking at a bright future together

But just in case I have put deer whistles in his front grill.

Howard da Beast sitting in Hohenwald