When it comes to choosing a motorhome there are many factors to consider…price, diesel or gas, manufacturer, size, etc. 

First, we determined that because we’d be moving frequently through all kinds of terrain that we’d prefer a diesel pusher (diesel engine in the back of the coach).  So, that did away with all of the gas models.  Second, we’d like to have bunk beds for the boys.  Unfortunately, nearly all of the models that offer bunk beds are gas powered.  It wasn’t until 2007 that manufacturers began to offer a variety of diesel pushers with bunks.  They finally acknowledged that more people are traveling with children than ever and many of them prefer and can afford diesel pushers.  Baby boomers are retiring and taking their grandchildren on the road for the summer.  Telecommuting has given the workforce a new freedom (www.nunomad.com), and the rise of homeschooling has given families the opportunity to travel.  Many of them are taking it.  We, however, didn’t want to buy a brand new coach.  We probably won’t keep it after our trip is over and we don’t want to take the depreciation hit.  So we began searching for older floorplans that would work.

It’s not that the older coaches can’t sleep 4 people.  They can, easily.  The sofa in the main living space makes out into a bed – actually they both do.  But, think about it.  Our children go to bed between 8:30 and 9:00.  If they sleep on the fold-out sofa that means that we have to

1.      fold the sofa out every night and put it away every morning OR

2.      make them sleep on the sofas without folding them out into beds

3.      confine ourselves to the bedroom once they go to bed so that we don’t wake them, which means we can’t get to the kitchen

4.      avoid going in or out the door to keep from blasting them with night air and waking them once they are asleep OR

5.      put them to sleep in the bedroom and then carry them to the fold-out sofa every night once we’re ready to go to bed

None of these options sounds too appealing to me, and don’t think that we’re sleeping on the sofa and the kids are sleeping in the bedroom.  Not going to happen.  Then I ran across this floorplan - the PLQ.  The area in the back of the bedroom is a multi-purpose area.  I’ve seen it configured with a desk and an easy chair, with an armoire, a dresser and a chair, or with a sofa.  But when I saw it I immediately thought BUNKS!  What’s great about it is that everything in that space is optional.  Taking it out does not sacrifice closet space or storage.  And these coaches are not hard to find used.  The Monaco Knight 40 PLQ is the same floorplan.  So, we’ll be gutting this space and making it the "kids’ room".  There will be storage under the bottom bunk and access to the motor.  We’ll also probably take out the smaller sofa and replace it with a small computer armoire (that we already have) so that we can have an office in the front and we’ll move a comfy swivel rocker from the back to the front.  Sounds homey already.

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Now before you say that having the kids sleep in the same room with us won’t work, hear me out.  We can send the boys to bed at 8:30, and close the door (did you see the DOOR!) and have some time to ourselves in the front of the coach.  We’ll have access to the kitchen, the exit, the bathroom, the TV, and we won’t disturb them.  Then there’s always “Movie Night” – that special night of the week when kids get to sleep on the fold-out sofa (what a treat) and eat popcorn and watch a movie, without Mom and Dad!  I think it’ll work. 

So, that’s the plan.  I’ll be sure to post before and after pictures of the area that we modify as soon as they’re available.  Can’t wait! 

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