SLIDEOUTS

AS LONG AS WE WERE MOVING THE CAMPER OFF THE MOUNTAIN I THOUGHT I'D TRY TO SHOW YOU THE SLIDEOUT CONCEPT. THESE FIRST TWO PICTURE ARE WHAT THE SLIDEOUTS LOOK LIKE WHEN THEY ARE EXTENDED

THE LAST TWO PICTURES SHOW THE SLIDES "IN" FOR TRAVEL DOWN THE ROAD.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE ABOUT SLIDEOUTS, I GOT TIME, DO YOU? WITHOUT A DOUBT , SLIDEOUTS ARE ONE OF THE GREATEST IMPROVEMENTS TO RV'S SINCE THEY PUT IN BATHROOMS.

THE BACK SLIDE IS THE BEDROOM AND IT'S THE HEAD OF THE BED THAT SLIDES OUT, MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO WALK AROUND THE BED. WHEN THE SLIDE IS RETRACTED IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DRESSER DRAWERS, AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO CLIMB OVER THE BED TO GET TO THE CLOSET. IF YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE CLOTHES DURING A TRAVEL DAY, MAKE SURE YOU LAY THEM OUT BEFORE RETRACTING THE SLIDEOUTS.

IN THE FRONT IT'S THE DINNING BOOTH AND WHAT WAS THE COUCH, AND IS NOW MARY'S DESK, THAT SLIDES OUT. THE IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER IN SELECTING A TRAILER WITH SLIDE OUTS IS WHAT IS ACCESSIBLE WHEN THE SLIDES ARE RETRACTED? WE CAN SLIDE INTO THE BATHROOM, GET INTO THE FRIDGE, GET TO THE SINK, TABLE, AND ALL BUT TWO KITCHEN CUPBOARDS.

THIS BECOMES IMPORTANT WHEN YOU STOP IN A REST AREA TO HAVE LUNCH OR BREAKFAST, CHANGE CLOTHES, GET A COLD BEER OUT OF THE FRIDGE, OR EVEN CRAWL IN BED FOR A NAP WHILE TRAVELING.

MY LAST POINT IN SLIDEOUTS IS THEIR WIDTH. YOU'LL NOTE IN THE FIRST PICTURE THAT THE FRONT SLIDEOUT IS TWICE AS WIDE AS THE BEDROOM SLIDEOUT. THE WIDER THE SLIDEOUT THE MORE ROOM YOU WILL HAVE INSIDE YOUR TRAILER, WHEN THEY ARE EXTENDED.

RV'S TODAY HAVE UP TO FOUR OR FIVE SLIDE OUTS. THIS IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE IF THERE ARE SLIDEOUTS DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER MAKING FOR A REALLY LARGE LIVING ROOM AND OR KITCHEN.

SO THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE INSPECTING AN RV, DON'T JUST COUNT HOW MANY SLIDEOUTS THERE ARE, BUT CHECK OUT HOW WIDE THEY ARE.