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Toad wanted
Yahoo Message Number: 97240
I would have posted this in the files area, but we don't have a folder for "WANTED - toads," and I wasn't going to create one just for myself. ;-) So here goes...
 I'm looking for a toad. I can't rustle up much cash, so it has to be inexpensive: not more than $5,000-$6,000. Ideally, I'd like a car with a towplate already installed (toad brakes would be nice too, but I'll add them if necessary--Skylark is already wired for US Gear brakes). A Honda, Toyota or Subaru would be ideal.
 Oh--and since I can't afford to drive a thousand miles or more to buy a toad, the closer it is to New Mexico, the better. :-)

If anybody out there has a car that fits this description and is thinking of selling it, or perhaps considering upgrading to a newer toad, please contact me. Thanks!

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Toad wanted
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 97241
Andy, We are newbies and have have found your website to be the bible(next to the LD manual) for our 1987 22' FL.  I have spent the past two days going through your website, sharing it with my wife and I ordered your book about Full Timing.  Just yesterday I was admiring how you manage to Full Time without a Toad.  I love the communal feeling you describe with fellow Full Timers.  Especially how the community of Full Timers takes care of each other.  I forwarded the link of your financial section in your website to some friends of mine.  We are looking forward to going through your book and will anticipate your Travels with Gertie book.

Good luck finding your Toad.

http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/119462413/direct/01/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Toad wanted
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 97243
I've got a 1987 Suzuki Samarai available for $3500.00 if your interested.  Tow bar already instralled and has new tires
Re: Toad wanted
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 97256
And since Andy won't toot his own horn, I will say that his Eureka CD is the bomb! Like the website only better. You get it through his website on his shameless commerce page. It arrives quickly or you can download it for instant gratification. Best purchase ever.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Toad wanted
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 97285
I've created "FOR SALE - Towed vehicles" and "WANTED - Towed vehicles" folders in the "Buying & Selling" folder of our website's Files area.
Of course I posted the first "Toad wanted" ad mysefl ;-) ... but I thought the folders might be useful to the group. :-)

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
to Doug & Beth, Re: Toad wanted
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 97288
First off, apologies for not emailing this off list, I couldn't find a direct email.

Doug and Beth
 I don't know if your Tracker is set up for towing, but if not, we have a baseplate for a towbar for a 96-98 Chevy Tracker.  We removed it from our old toad (a Tracker) and it wouldn't fit our new toad (Suzuki Grand Vitara).  If interested, email me at kate at cholulared dot com

Kate
 http://cholulared.blogspot.com &

http://www.cholulared.com
 I have been in the hunt and saw you request.  I really appreciate your work!  I just bought a 96 GEO Tracker today for 2K, great mechanics, however it looks like it needs the love we shall give it!
Re: Toad wanted
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 97291
Wish I had a Toad to sell to Andy.  I love reading everyone's emails and Andy's are always standouts. Thanks for all the great advice. We're having fun
Re: Toad wanted
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 97305
you need to be 20 to do that! LOL

Doug and Beth Denver, CO>>>>

Please explain why you thought the motorcycle would work better for a younger person.  Seriously.  As one that is looking at a small motorcycle to use instead of getting a toad (and I'm up there in the wrinkled crowd) I am weighing all options.

Thanks,

Judy Wms. blue '07 RB  "Dog Daze" and all the fur kids

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Toad wanted
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 97308
Quote
W tought we could get along without a toad and use the otorcycle,
however I now think

Quote
you need to be 20 to do that!  LOL

Doug and Beth
Nay Nay, I say!  As we inch solidly into "senior" status, Loni and I are having a blast on our carry-along scooter "toad."  Hmmm, so what IS a good shorthand for a toad substitute that you carry on a back rack? Papoose?  -- Jon
(Former) ‘06 TK “Albatross.” And (former) Vespa 250.   Alas, no more; both are gone.😕 Great memories remain! 😄
Re: Toad wanted
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 97312
From: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com
 [mailto:lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Judy Williams Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 2:27 PM
 To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com
 Subject: [LD] Re: Toad wanted

Please explain why you thought the motorcycle would work better for a younger person.  Seriously.  As one that is looking at a small motorcycle to use instead of getting a toad (and I'm up there in the wrinkled crowd) I am weighing all options.

Thanks,

Judy Wms. blue '07 RB  "Dog Daze" and all the fur kids
 We have carried both motorcycles and motor scooters.  We have also pulled toads.  The last one was a 1988 Honda Accord that we bought used.  Scoots are great fun when the weather is nice and you just want to putt around camp or areas not too far away.  But when it's pouring rain, and you want to go out to eat, or take a couple you just met with you, the toad is really the only way to go.  How would you bring several bags of groceries home on a motorcycle?  Think about where you would want to go, and how you would handle bad weather.  That will make up your mind for you.  For me the toad always wins out over a bike or scooter.  Of course if you can bring both that's even better.  Still have our Honda Elite 250 scooter.  Love that little scoot.

Dick
Re: Toad wanted
Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 97314
"Still have our Honda Elite 250 scooter. Love that little scoot."

I rode a Helix for ten years--same drivetrain as your Elite 250, bigger body. (With a trunk to put the groceries in! :-) Great bikes!

But I agree with everything you said. These are mainly fair-weather vehicles, with very little cargo capacity compared to a car. Even the Helix's trunk would only hold one bag of groceries, and most bikes (short of a fully decked-out Goldwing) carry even less than that.
 While I've ridden in the rain, I can't say I enjoyed it, even with a rainsuit. Riding in cold temperatures can be painful, even with a heavy jacket over bib-type insulated ski overalls. And forget about riding on snow or ice. Two wheels just don't give enough traction for me to ever feel comfortable doing that.
 Then there's the safety issue. I don't mean that bikes are inherently more accident-prone, at least with trained riders... but if you do have an accident--most likely because some person in a car didn't see you--you're ten times more likely to die, according to insurance industry statistics. A minor collision that would be a fender-bender in a car can easily be fatal on a bike.

And unlike pulling a toad, carrying a scooter or motorcycle means putting hundreds of pounds of extra weight on the very back of your rig--the worst place for it, from a handling standpoint. In my case, I couldn't afford the extra weight even if it could be placed amidships.

I loved riding my Helix (in nice weather)... but for me at least, a two-wheeled "polliwog" just has too many drawbacks to make a good runabout vehicle for fulltiming. But there are plenty of other RVers who carry scooters or motorcycles, so I certainly don't claim that my choice applies to everyone. :-)

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Toad wanted
Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 97315
From: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com
 [mailto:lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Andy Baird Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 4:37 PM
 To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com
 Subject: [LD] Re: Toad wanted

"Still have our Honda Elite 250 scooter. Love that little scoot."
 I rode a Helix for ten years--same drivetrain as your Elite 250, bigger body. (With a trunk to put the groceries in! :-) Great bikes!

But I agree with everything you said. These are mainly fair-weather vehicles, with very little cargo capacity compared to a car. Even the Helix's trunk would only hold one bag of groceries, and most bikes (short of a fully decked-out Goldwing) carry even less than that.
 While I've ridden in the rain, I can't say I enjoyed it, even with a rainsuit. Riding in cold temperatures can be painful, even with a heavy jacket over bib-type insulated ski overalls. And forget about riding on snow or ice. Two wheels just don't give enough traction for me to ever feel comfortable doing that.

We seem to be of the same mind, Andy.  We rode several three and four thousand mile trips on our various GoldWings, and I have had dirt bikes too, so I think I know just about everything there is to know about riding motorcycles.  I truly loved riding them when we were younger, but I felt we were reaching a point in our lives where two wheels just weren't safe anymore.  We have even ridden a GoldWing two-up in the snow (couldn't be helped.)  Weather is a huge factor in two-wheel riding.  One way to have a toad and scoot too is like we did by carrying the scooter on the back of our Jeep Grand Cherokee, and pulling the Jeep behind the motorhome.  Not easily done with an LD because of the weight.

Stick with a toad unless you are really the adventurous type.

Dick