3-4 Feet
Okay, okay — you’ve heard it before.
But this time… I think it’s real.
We found our full-time RV.
Yes, I know. We said the Beaver was “the one.”
Live and learn.
In January we went to the Quartzsite RV Show (I’ll tell you all about Quartzsite in a future post). We chose this show for several reasons: it was warm, there was a creators meet-up, classes on solar and RV repair, work-camping sessions — and most importantly, it had one of the largest used RV selections in the country.
We knew two things:
We did not want a new RV.
We were absolutely not going there to buy.
We just wanted to walk through layouts so that once the Beaver sold, we would know exactly what to search for online.
Some people might say, “If you knew you would buy one, why did you even go?”
Did you forget I was going with Krissy?
No one believes me when I say we were not going to buy. But I do have the ability to say no… and Krissy does listen.
(Usually.)
Class A… Or So We Thought
We arrived a day early and started with Class A motorhomes. We had learned we did not want diesel, so gas it was. We also learned 40 feet was far too long.
Krissy wanted around 35 feet.
I wanted 28–30.
There wasn’t anything in the used Class A inventory that truly stood out, but we did learn a lot about layouts and features we liked. We also learned that brands like Integra, Tiffin, and Newmar offered solid value for what you get — though none were on the lot at that time.
We left that first day feeling encouraged and informed.
Then the next day… no new arrivals.
So on a whim, we walked into the Class C section.
Who knew?
We had always assumed the truck-style cab would make it feel less like home. Instead, we found ourselves loving the layouts — more separation between spaces, smarter use of square footage, and a surprising coziness.
We especially liked an Integra, but something still wasn’t quite right.
We were close.
“A New One Just Came In…”
Two days later we were ready to relax and enjoy the rest of the show when the salesperson called:
“A new RV just came in. Class C. We think you’re going to love this one.”
In walked Lucky — a 2021 Coachmen Leprechaun 298KB.
30.5 feet.
2020 chassis (important because 2021 chassis builds were rushed during COVID demand).
Beautiful paint.
A shower big enough for Krissy and tall enough for me.
King bed.
Washer/dryer.
Auto levelers.
Two AC units.
Two heat sources.
Kitchen separated from the living area ish.
Over-cab bed.
Solar-ready wiring.
Swivel cab seats.
L-shaped dinette that converts to a U.
Hitch.
Two slide-outs.
Outdoor TV.
But most importantly?
It felt like home.
I was angry.
We were not going to buy here. Right?
Krissy looked at me.
I looked at Krissy.
The salesperson looked at both of us.
A few hours later, we were signing papers.
Beaver not sold?
Still yes.
Because home.
The Adventure Home
We flew home to gather funds, secure insurance, care for the pups, and immediately flew back — red-eye on Frontier (we swore we’d never do that again… oops).
We rented a minivan and slept in the back in a gas station parking lot. Let’s just say we are not as young as we used to be.
After paperwork in Nevada (hello, no sales tax), Lucky was officially ours.
Driving home, we realized we didn’t know her height.
Krissy asked Siri, “How tall is a leprechaun?”
Siri replied confidently:
“Leprechauns are on average between 3–4 feet tall.”
Perfect. We’ll fit under every underpass.
Learning Each Other (Again)
Long trips teach you things.
I learned I don’t like snacking unless Krissy is snacking too.
Krissy learned she doesn’t like going to bed in the camper if I’m not coming to bed at the same time.
At 2:00 a.m., I wanted to push through and drive home.
Krissy wanted our first night together in our new bed.
So we pulled into a truck stop, auto-leveled (because yes, auto-leveling is magic), put out the slides, and slept four wonderful hours.
We were home.
Flat Tire #1
Morning came. Krissy offered to drive so I could sleep.
We weren’t going anywhere.
Flat tire. No tools.
Thankfully, we had insisted on the four-year warranty with roadside assistance.
Six hours later, we were back on the road.
Flat Tire #2 (But Make It Worse)
Less than two hours later — near Las Vegas, New Mexico (yes, New Mexico, I did not miss type that) — I was driving while Krissy slept.
A loud banging. Swerving. Loss of movement.
The tire that had just been “fixed” flew off the RV, launched 25 feet over a barbed wire fence, and the hubcap was run over and hit another truck.
The previous service had not torqued the bolts properly.
No tow truck until morning.
We spent hours roadside before a kind tow driver got us to a Super 8. You should honestly watch our video — it was surprisingly clean and they even had soup waiting.
Stranded in Las Vegas (New Mexico)
Now what?
No Uber.
No rental cars.
Bus leaving the next day at 4 p.m. After, actually a lot of, research we learned that that there was a bus that left from a gas station and would either take us to Denver or Greeley but Denver was a faster route and we have awesome friends that would some get us.
So we hired a random man who would “drive you anywhere for $20” to take us to Walmart.
Six hours in Walmart.
Snacks.
Cards.
A chocolate box turned card holder.
A tiny St. Patrick’s Day hat.
Subway inside Walmart for a long card game.
What else does one do?
The bus (Los Limousinas) was an adventure of its own — random stops, no toilet seat, no toilet paper, and no one speaking English.
Snow delayed us into Denver. Our ride couldn’t make it.
Krissy gave up and demanded a nice hotel.
We stayed at The Oxford Hotel — one of the oldest historic hotels in Denver and the only one with a wood-burning fireplace.
We were underdressed (Since we only had one change of underwear and been wearing the same cloths for 4 days), overtired, and very happy.
Breakfast was bagel chips and lox.
We learned again: we are not fancy.
Finally Home
Our friend Stacey picked us up the next morning.
The following week, my parents drove me 15.5 hours to retrieve the car in Las Vegas, NM. We even stopped at Charlie’s — incredible homemade tortillas (we got to watch them being made).
And finally…
Lucky was home.
Why Tell This Story?
Two reasons:
It feels like a story that needed to be told.
After all of that chaos, We still absolutely adore Lucky.
She still feels like home.
What makes something feel like home for you?
Have you ever instantly known something was right?
Finding the good in the chaos,
Anne