Sunline Club "Habbit". Do you have one?

[JohnB]

Hi Fellow Sunline Owners Club members and non members.

Some of us visit the forum frequently. When you log in and there will be a few members logged in and many times a number of guests. I wondered about the why are there so many guests as opposed to members logged in

H’mm, Why wouldn’t they just log in if they are members? Once logged in it is easy to see what was not read since the last visit or you can also scan by date of last post but that can be a little harder.

Seems we have many readers that are maybe not members or members that only read and do not post. Both of which are totally fine. As of this morning we have 957 members. Allmost 1,000 WOW…

We where at a Sunline M & G this year and I was talking about this. Who's visiting and who is logged in. And I was talking to one of the “quests”…. And they rose there hand and said “That’s me” and they are a member. They just read and read and read and not post so much.

So now I’m thinking, H’mm SOC helps a lot of different people for a lot of different reasons. Camping forums can be addictive… and I know I’m one of many who have a SOC habbit. When we are not out camping, I make a logged in visit at least once a day, sometimes a few times a day, Just checking in to see what’s up. Now the DW, I’ll have to twist her arm to even do a M & G shirt vote on the forum… not along read what others do. However she is really curious looking over my shoulders when pics of some one’s camper comes up. It seems the camping forum addiction in a house hold can be one spouse or the other or sometimes both.

To those visitors out there, come on in and join the Virtual Campfire We like to hear from you too. And we like seeing pics of your camping experiences.

Now, OK time to fess up, do you have a SOC addition? And if you do what draws you here?

OK, I’ll go first since I created the post…

1. Curiosity and learning. They go hand in hand. Curious to how others use their camper, go camping, where they camp in some really nice places and to pick up some tricks on different ways to camp and use your camper. Before the days of Camping forums the learning curve took a lot longer. You can read on line for about 3 to 4 months on and off and pick up years of knowledge.

2. Camping friends. We have made a good number of camping friends thru SOC and other camping forums that would of never come to be with out the Internet. Most are out of state even. We meet up in a camp ground once or twice a year and stay in touch thru email.

3. Technical learning. This one for me takes the curiosity into the nuts and bolts of the camper and how we camp. The camper is my later in life hobby and the DW’s and I get together. Fixing it, doing mod’s, Camping in it and just plan escaping from the normal grind of every day living. There are only a few areas I have not been into on the camper trying to sort out all how it works so the day I have an issue I know. And some times the learning is thru fixing a problem. And when I have been thru this once before, sharing with others has a satisfaction to it as well.

So what’s your story?

Happy Camping

John

[EMD_Driver]

Hi John,

As you know, I started out my camper experience with an old 1976 Prowler. My intention was to only use it, to go to my diesel truck rally each year. The first year we went, my son and I just slept in the cab of my truck. Kitty was nice enough to come over to help me try to get it in camp-able condition. She kept going on and on about her Sunline and I just HAD to see it!

In July, we took her Sunny to the diesel truck rally. From then on, I was hooked! It wasn't until we started looking for "Sunny 14" that I registered for this site.

I have to say, that you and everyone else I've talked to on here, have been so awesome to talk to! Kitty always talked about everyone here and how nice/helpful everyone is. I have to say, that I've become hooked on Sunline and SOC!

Every time I get on my computer, I HAVE to check out new posts. I even use my Blackberry to check the site out!

Gary

[henryj]

I confess that my habit starts with computers, which I have used extensively at work since the mid-80's and in retirement. I guess I've owned about 10 computers in that time, all Mac, which is a scary amount of money--like another Sunline's worth

Being able to combine computers with my other passions, camping, photography and music (listening only) makes it all the more worthwhile. If I'm not working in the yard or garden I'll be on the computer easily 5-6 hr. a day reading, or working in Photoshop and iTunes. It's a rare day I don't log onto SOC at least once and often more if I think a thread will generate responses. I might look for a specific topic on RVnet every month or two, but I don't read other camping forums, nor GoodSam--SOC is always my first choice and first source for searching and it's rare I don't find what I need right here.

Getting to know some of the friendly people behind the posts at the PA and WNY M&G has also strengthened the tie to SOC. I try to be helpful when I occasionally know some of the technical stuff or some camping info and am grateful for the help others have given me. Although I knew of SOC earlier, I didn't join until Sunline shut down. Now that link to other enthusiastic and knowledgeable campers has proven invaluable as even a lot of the former dealers have lost the incentive or expertise to be particularly helpful.

I don't have a laptop so when we travel, about 10 wk. this year, I suffer from SOC withdrawal and spend a good part of a day reading all the posts when we get back. This summer I got an iPod Touch which worked very well at wifi campgrounds like Southwoods WNY and a few other campgrounds in MI. I'm not a teenager, so using the "thumb board" is not second nature and I have not posted yet using the Touch, but it works very well at reading websites and I've started looking for wifi campgrounds when we travel as I can also do the banking and email with the iPod.

Henry

[Honda03842]

As a retired Sunliner I get on the Sunline site at least four times a day.

I go to the Sunline site for stimulation and knowledge. I read every post because though I might not have a similar rig or problem I may some day.

As to laptops we have geared our lives to RVing, from the computers we own to the clothes we wear. We have learned over the last 9 years what we need and how little we need of it. Now we're always working to get rid of 'stuff'.

The other night at a dinner party the host told me that she couldn't travel with me because she couldn't bring enough clothes with her. People can not imagine how we survive; quite well I must say. We have had the time of our life RVing and have loved our Sunline.

The Internet and opportunities like the Sunline site make life more enjoyable and tremendously support our chosen life style.

[Steve Collins]

Like henryj, I started computing in the very early '80's. My first computer was a Radio Shack Color Computer with 32K (Yes, K!) of memory and no built-in storage. Logged on the old Compuserve with a 300 baud modem for starters.

Been camping since I was 10. My parents sent me to a boys' canoe tripping camp up in Algonquin PP. Bought my first TT in the early '70's. It was a 65 Avalon. Had a reefer so I could not pull it with a pick-up with a cap.

So the combination of computers and camping is a natural for me. I ended up in travel trailers because of bad camping experiences in car camping. This is me trying to cope with the rain at the US Gran Prix in October 1969 at Watkins Glen:


I check in here several times a day. I have my browser set up to always log me in whenever I land here. So I am never a guest. And, yeah, I guess I am hooked. But DW lurks in here from time to time.

I love the tech talk. There is always something new and interesting. I help when I can and listen when I can't.

The people are the best. Gail and I have only been able to get to the Adirondack M&Gs so far, but that will change in the future. We'd like to meet as many of you as possible in person.

SOC itself is one of the nicest places to hang out on the net. Never a harsh word, no flaming, no bickering. I belong to another forum that is pretty much the same and it is also camping oriented. There are good places to be out there.

[Sunline Fan]

I never leave it logged in (unless I forget) because I would almost always be on. I'd say SOC is open for at least eight hours a day here. It's one of my homepage tabs.

I always leave the page scrolled down to the bottom. Every so often, I refresh the page and if the total post count has changed, I search for the new posts. If it's more than two new posts, I usually click to login just to make it easy to find the new stuff. Otherwise, I never really log in unless I'm posting something.

Oh yes, I realized I've never really explained why my beautiful sig pic is covered in ugly lettering. The reason behind that is that I came across a Craigslist posting about four months ago I guess that used the trailer part of the pic to advertise a coach of the same model/year. So until I get a new pic, that text will stay there I think. I had hoped to get a new pic this weekend, but the weather is miserable and the only way I'd take it out of the building was if it was burning...

Jon

[kanyonkitty]

Now why on earth would JohnB think that any of us have a SOC habit ??? HUM, I check the forum I'd say a minumum of 10- 12 times per day, so no I'm not addicted. I never "tent" camped, but I often would end up "sleeping under the stars" back when I had horses. It was not uncommom for my mom, friends and I to saddle up around 8 or 9pm and head out for a trail ride, well often the rides were so wonderful, we'd find ourselves many miles from home and tired. So, we would just pull off the saddles, lay them on the ground, the saddle blankets then became our beds for some sleep, and when we woke, we'd saddle up and head home. Then during my married years, camping was OUT out of the question, motel it or stay home. Then back in 96 my dad wanted us to go cross country with him & mom, well, my now X would not go but said for me to go. That trip with my dad never happened because he suffered a fatal heart attack on my birthday. Mom was a total wreck (I was not much better), but somehow I got the brain storm that we should buy a camper so we could still make the trip and sleep in our OWN beds. We purchased a little Jayco 1982 PUP and towed it with moms Subaru wagon. We were in a different campground every night, did 9,280 miles in 30 days, and that is how I got hooked on camping, and when we upgraded from the pup it was into a 1976 Scotty, then into my first Sunline, and well as they say, the rest is history. Meeting Gary, having him enjoy camping and becoming hooked on "Sunline" is the best thing to happen in my life for many years. By the way, I'm currently experiencing MAJOR Sunline usage withdrawl. Gary has not had the time, nor been well enuff to get the black tank repair completed, but I'm hoping we will get a nice weekend to escape soon. Becoming a member of this wonderful group of people is fantastic, sometimes it gets expensive when we read the "Mods" section, but it's such a wonderful habit and group of fine folks to be addicted to. Hey, do we need a "SOC Anonymous Group" ?

Kitty

[sunnyseagull]

well I have to say that I keep my self log in all the time and I am usally on here everyday at least twice a day unless we are camping, I would love to share pic with everyone and have been trying for about a year now and can not get it to work , I have looked at the directions 100s of time but can not get my photo bucket to work , so once I figure out what I am doing wrong I will have tons of pic s to upload.. I love to read the tech stuff, and the great chemistry between our members , I belong to manyforums but none have the same kind of personal feel as this one does an I have to say thay is due to the great memembers we have here, and I have to say that I am proud to be a memember Dan

[Al in PA]

I found this site a couple years ago and I've been addicted ever since. On our maiden voyage with our T-2051, we happened to stay in a campground where an SOB (some other brand) was holding their version of our M&G outings. I thought it would be great if Sunline had an owners' club; found it 13 years later on this site.

My best memories from my childhood were the wonderful camping trips we took as a family with the local camping club. In the 60's, there were many family camping clubs organized under the NCHA (National Campers and Hikers Association). There were at least 30 families in our club and on any given weekend we would be camping with at least 1/3 of them at one of the PA state parks. This SOC brings back a lot of good memories.

I don't post very often, but I visit this site at least once a day; usually more like 5 or 6 times.

[Poppy & Nana]

We have been members for a few years now - I (Kathy a/k/a Nana) do most of the reading and posting.....I do point out many,many important "techie" things to Leo (a/k/a Poppy)....I usually check the site at least once or twice a day when we are home...I'll bring the laptop camping, but if there is no wifi I don't connect to the internet.

I read and sometimes post - if I can add anything of interest.......

The knowledge I've gained from this site is SUPERIOR to any other that I also belong to.......BUT the friends & friendship go way beyond SUPERIOR !!!!!

We've attended M&G at Buttonwood last year, the WNY M&G this year and the ADK M&G every year so far......I'd love to be in the position to attend more, but out camping season (here in Central NY) does not allow us to have a long camping season (end of May to the beginning of October).
Maybe when we really retire we can do more.....

[vcrt]

Barbara and I started camping back in 1979 out of a 74 Chevy G20 van I outfitted with captains chairs, sofa bed, ice box, pump sink etc. Once when we had started our family, we rented a pop-up and went to Bar Harbor. Well that started us on trailering. We bought a Coleman pop-up in the early 90's and camped in that until 2004 when we bought our Sunline. Neither of us had ever even heard of Sunline, but that was the trailer a woman in our church had for sale and being a sucker for a challenge, I decided fixing up the water damage from a leaking roof shouldn't be too much of a problem. Long story short, it was a tremendous job, but we've been happily camping in it for the last 5 years and nobody ever thinks it's a 92 (see pix in sig).
We have come to learn that Sunlines are among the best built trailers around and finding this site has been an extremely helpful source of much needed technical and general info. We've been to the Eastern M&G in Mexico the past two years and have our site booked for next year. Meeting the people who enthusiastically and politely answer all (even my sometimes harebrained) questions has been an experience we look forward to.
Rich

[donreitz]

A very interesting thread. I recall discussing Sunlines on RV.net well before SOC existed. In fact, on two occasions I attempted to poll forum participants on the need for a Sunline forum as I had been to the Arctic Fox/Nash forum and was very impressed with it. Since the enthusiasm and loyalty of the customer bases of the two manufacturers seemed to be similar, why shouldn’t Sunline have its own forum? Well, my polls didn’t get very far (I don’t think there were very many Sunline owners signed up on RV.net at the time), so it was left to other, more clever folks to get SOC up and running. Good thing for that.

When I was a kid my family always went camping during school vacations, so I’ve never been in a position of not wanting to camp. Once I got married, though, and we had kids, it became harder to arrange time for outings. For about ten years, other than daytrips or weekends we stopped camping. This changed in the mid-90s when longer vacations were possible and the kids were old enough to appreciate the travel. We did the traditional tent-and-Coleman-stove thing for a few years and then switched to a Coleman pop-up. Some of my best memories involve camping in that unit. When fiddling with the pop-up top got boring we moved up to a hybrid. By this time my daughter decided camping wasn’t her thing and she dropped out. My son, who loves camping, was getting more involved in his own life and had less time to spend with mom and dad. Nevertheless, he still traveled with us on occasion. After that, without the kids, it was time to trade in the hybrid for a trailer.

Before we purchased our 2499, we did a lot of research and visited a variety of RV shows. We weren’t in any hurry to buy a new unit and we decided early on that we would look for quality. If that meant putting off a purchase until we could afford higher quality, that was okay. We ran across a number of camper lines we found attractive and with floor plans that were livable—Coachman and Jayco come to mind—but none of them had what we considered to be adequate quality construction. About this time I joined RV.net and quickly learned that the three manufacturers with the consistently highest customer loyalty (as measured by forum responses) were Sunnybrook, Arctic Fox/Nash, and Sunline. One day after having looked at Keystone units at a dealer outside of Indianapolis, we were traveling back home when we passed a Sunline dealer. On the spur of the moment we doubled back and took a look at the dealer’s inventory, which was fairly extensive. Needless to say, our eyes were opened. After having looked at an endless number of run-of-the-mill campers, here were units that were attractive, highly livable, and very well built. It was love at first sight.

While we disliked the layout of the 2499 at first, it grew on us. The lack of a traditional dinette and a bathroom with a midships location initially left us unimpressed. However, after revisiting the dealer several times, lounging about in various models, and thinking about how we would use the unit, the 2499’s layout eventually made perfect sense to us. The only thing that would ever get us out of our Sunline is an Airstream. I’ve always had a hankering for that bit of true Americana.

I’ve been a member of SOC pretty much since the beginning for the same reasons I started with RV.net: collegiality and to be able to take advantage of the experience of people more knowledgeable than I am. I dropped RV.net when it became clear that SOC was superior in every way. I appreciate that SOC, more so than any other forum I participate in, holds to civil standards of behavior. I can give as good as I get when it comes to forum participation, but it’s a pleasure to find a site where you know you’ll be treated with respect. As far as keeping up with things, I’ll bring up SOC maybe twice a day although I won’t log in unless I have something to say, which isn’t all that often.

Great thread. It’s topics like this that keep me coming back.
Don

[chuck & lori]

I try to visit on a regular basis. I am always logged in when I'm here. I am just 6 or so weeks away from finishing grad school (MBA). When school is in session I sometimes get behind on following the forum. Job hunting and finally a new job with very different hours from my previous position have also kept me away.
This has been a really AWFUL year for our camping We only went once- in early June- and then only for a weekend. So I have been camping with you by following along. Hopefully our schedules and other issues will be resolved so we can get back out.
I joined this group while looking for information on how to fix a small leak under our BR sink. I was trying to get this info from Sunline, but discovered this site when I could not get the Sunline.com url to work. This obviously is when/where I heard the sad news of Sunline closing
Lori's family camped, but mine never did. She is the one who got me hooked on the Sunline/RV lifestyle. I don't think I had ever been in an RV until we were dating. I had done a little tent camping at some races in the late 70's (Watkins Glen, Mosport, and Nelson's Ledges), but that was the extent of my camping experience. We bought our first RV in 2001. It was a new 2002 T-1950. We saw it at the Harrisburg RV show. Also looked at a Layton with the exact same floor plan and a Nash. We liked the floor plan of the 1950 better, and since the closest Layton dealer was a 6 hour drive, we went with the Sunline from Fame in Sagertown, PA. It was more than the Layton, but given the Sunline quality, it was money well spent.
We attended the M&G at Buttonwood in 08. Met lots of very nice, very helpful Sunline owners. Hope we get back to Mexico next summer. WNY is also a possibility as school will be done by then
I appreciate all of the information and especially the nice folks sharing it. Thanks