The 1950 Spartan -- and the story

Lots of folks into RVing today started the lifestyle anew as adults. But not everyone. Some of us have RV roots that go back to our childhoods. There's such a story behind this 1950 Spartan Royal Mansion.

It all started back in 1950 when a returning GI walked into an Oklahoma RV dealership and bought, brand new, off the showroom floor, a 30' Spartan Royal Mansion for $4,000 -- half his annual salary. Over the years that RV did a lot of miles. And watched a family grow up.

 Of course, that couldn't be the end of the story, could it? Notice the little lassie, pink shorts, second from the left. She grew up too, and went on to live the "corporate life." For a while. But evidently the life got to be too much. So when she was through, she went to her daddy, and asked (like the prodigal son) for her share of the inheritance. And please, make the share that old Spartan trailer.

That inheritance went on to become a rather complex story that took her and the trailer on a long journey. We're not here to tell that story, you can read about it in her blog if you like.

Suffice to say, like a lot of our own RV trips, taking an RV from here to there can take you a lot of places along the road -- and a lot of places in your mind and heart. Hers is such a story. Meantime, we thought you might like to see a couple of pictures. 

By the way, if you've got old photos of your family RV trips of yesteryear, we'd love to see them. Post Russ at rvtravel dot com an email.

Need a big motorhome? How about a custom 52-footer?

If "bigger" really is "better," than you should probably be shopping at the Powerhouse Coach website. These folks take big diesel trucks and build coaches out of them. We couldn't but do a little eye-pop at one of their pre-owned rigs.

For the driver, there may be no "autopilot," but they work in that direction. Radar up on the front bumper that gauges if you're getting a bit to close to the guy up ahead -- it promptly disengages your cruise control. And while you can't see it from this photo, underneath there's a catchy little system that lifts and swings the coach from side to side, making parking a bit easier. Of course, our question is this: Where are you going to locate a parallel parking spot for this behemoth? I guess if you can find it, and you own this rig, surely you can pay the parking meters . . .

Sure, wood floors, wide screen flat TV, king size bed (Sleep-by-Number), enclosed "toilet room" behind a solid wood door, washer-dryer (vented) stashed away in the closet, granite countertops.

And if there's not enough space inside for all your possessions, included in the $750,000 price tag is a nice matching 35' utility trailer to hitch up to his four slide-out motorcoach. But like the advert says, "Serious inquiries only, please!" Guess we'd best not do any inquiring.

"Travellers" ply the UK with unusual rigs

Here in the U.S., say the word, "traveller" and the mental image is someone who spends time traveling. Say it in the U.K. and it conjures up an entirely different view – often negative. Travellers are a nomadic people, sometimes termed gypsies. A man who calls himself Traveller Dave has documented dozens of rigs used by these traveling folk. Here's one of his collection, a unit owned by a traveller from Spain who converted an ancient Mercedes 805D into his rolling home.

Early house car

We don't know much about where, when, or how. Anybody out there know anything more about this classic early "house car"? We're thinking 1924 Ford Model T . . .

Courtesy Glenn Clark