Wishing you had a toad???

CraigS · 03-26-2022, 08:26 PM

View and Navion owners, those of you who don't have a toad.
Have you missed not having a vehicle to travel about while your View or Navion stays back at camp? For those of you who travel without one, do any of you carry bikes and kayaks is so how? Rear mounted or small trailer??

Thanks in advance, Craig

lenore · 03-27-2022, 08:23 AM

Not a view or navion, but a Vita, Yes we finally gave in to no toad. Tried bikes (electric) but better half could not use hers. So sold both and joined the toad group. However we did make many trips without, and parking the Vita, just like a Navion in length was a breeze. The Navion and View are remarkable in their size for going anywhere. Just didnt like sightseeing in some cities as was worried about break ins. So toad won this battle.

SpudNYC · 04-10-2022, 04:13 PM

We were full-time in a Via (same chassis and towing) and after a few months we chose to flat tow a SmartCar. It was simple and worked perfectly. We have since sold the rig and the car but I’d do it just the same if I needed to.

Fanrgs · 04-10-2022, 06:12 PM

We don't have a toad . . . yet. But that is mainly because our Mini Cooper is an automatic and can't be flat towed. We do not want to use a trailer or tow dolly because we would need longer campsites in many designated campgrounds. Right now, we take our bikes on a receiver-mounted cargo rack, while we are debating electric bikes. Our problem is that we are set up for boondocking and dry camping, so are often too far from attractions and stores or are on roads without a safe route for bikes. And we are "travelers," not "campers," so rarely spend more than 2-3 nights in each campsite. Due to this frequent movement and the Navion's size, we have never had a problem parking at grocery stores, shopping centers, or many tourist attractions. But we are not going to make a final decision on a toad until after a month-long RV trip in June, which should provide a real test of bikes vs. toad.

SpudNYC · 04-10-2022, 06:22 PM

The great thing about the SmartCar is, it’s a manual… that shifts itself. Throw it in neutral and remove the key fob to tow.

rprochnow · 04-11-2022, 10:09 AM

Before purchasing our 21D, we looked at our full range of options, and selected our D because it had a surprising amount of space inside with the slide out - while being short enough that we're able to find parking spaces almost everywhere we've gone.

With our HWH auto-leveling jacks and because we only hook up power (and not water/sewer), we can set up and tear down our View in only a few minutes. So it's not a big deal to unhook and drive our View somewhere for sightseeing, shopping dining - or playing golf.

Though when we know we'll be going to retail, restaurants or golf courses, I'll usually look at Google maps to review the parking, so I know where I can park at each location.

The only time we've had problems so far is when we visited family in LA, where there weren't many options for parking a 25' long RV. So we haven't tried to use our RV when visiting there - either leaving it at an RV park and borrowing/renting a car or putting it into short-term storage and staying with family.

71_340 · 04-11-2022, 10:28 AM

We had a toad behind a 31" Class A because we thought it would be convenient. Yes, it was nice for sightseeing once we arrived at our vacation destination. The flip side is the cost and that you have to be really careful when choosing a gas station. I used Google map's satellite view, trying to figure out if I have enough room because you can NOT back up when using a tow bar.
In retrospect it would have been much better to just rent a car at our destination.....much more cost effective as well unless you are fulltime.

CraigS · 04-11-2022, 06:37 PM

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and experiences.
I was thinking even in the smallest town these days you can find an Enterprize car rental place. I thought that could be the solution for not having a toad. If you know you are staying a few days, rent a car for getting around to the sights you want to visit.

Craig

jayelldouble · 04-12-2022, 10:26 AM

Finding a rental car in a town is usually possible- but we prefer places like Hovenweep or Navajo National Monument which are not in or near anything that might be called a "town". Also Death Valley really calls for a Jeep or a dirt bike. So we'll keep towing a Jeep, sometimes with a dirt bike hanging off the hitch. To each his own...

WinnDixie · 05-05-2022, 04:35 PM

So far my wife and I have been lucky between Uber for short stays and rental cars for longer stays it has worked out. Enterprise will deliver the car to our campsite and we've found Uber drivers just about everywhere. When we boondock we generally don't leave the campsite anyway except to go hiking or biking.

TJFogelberg · 05-22-2022, 08:40 PM

We are just breaking in our 2nd toad (2013 Honda CRV). This is our 10th year Rving and we can't imagine life without a toad. The Hondas (1st one was a 2002) are easy to tow. Our new setup is the Blue Ox Tow Bar with Demco Stay in Play. I found a used 2013 Honda CRV with low mileage and added the tow and break systems for a total of about 22K. Our travel style varies between long and short stays but we use the Honda a lot in both cases. It is very convenient to get the RV set up and not have to move it during stays. Sometimes one of us stays "home" while the other runs off. We often travel through remote areas. If the RV breaks down, the toad is a safe means of transportation to find help, so it is a safety issue too.

cgflyer · 07-16-2022, 06:16 AM

We took a 41' Class A to Alaska and back for 40 days and five kids without a TOAD. Rented a vehicle once we were there. A few occasions when it would have been nice to have one. Now that the kids are mostly gone, we've downsized to the 24' Vita. I do haul a Jeep most of the time, but now, even towing it I can move through a Walmart parking lot with relative ease. The smaller Class C is definitely easier to set up and tear down so working without one is not complicated.