# Newbie Reporting In!



## Trailer Trash (May 28, 2012)

*Hello, everyone...

The wifey and I just picked-up a used 2004 Keystone Outback 21RS last Thursday. We're very happy and way excited! I'm sure glad I took Thursday and Friday off before the long Memorial Day weekend, because this RV ownership thing is a lot of work! We're trying to get everything ops-checked, lubricated, spruced-up, spray-painted, cleaned and serviced so we can go camping next weekend.

I found the camper on Craigslist here in Pensacola, Florida. I drove past it every day last week on the way to work, so I finally decided to call the guy. It was parked in front of an auto body shop, and the owner of the shop was selling it. Apparently, one of his friends had been bugging him to get him a camper at auction since he has a Florida "dealer's license". He bought this camper from the local auto auction, and his "friend" never paid. Some friend, huh? His loss is my gain. It was a bank-reposession from Louisiana; it looks like the previous owners took really good care of it...left the dishes in it and everything.

The body shop owner (who bought the camper) sold it to me for what he paid for it at auction--$5,700.00!!!!! As far as I can tell, it still blue books for at least $2,000 more than that. We paid $6,400.00 total with Tax, Tag and Title--and it's PAID-FOR! We think we got a smokin' deal on it, and we're very happy first RV owners! It's funny, our neighbors used to own the exact same camper, and we always liked it.

So far my Mods include:

- I ordered a new patio awning tarp to replace the tattered one on the camper now. The boys and I will replace it later this week.
- We ordered a Spa Sensations 8" Thera-Touch Memory Foam Queen Size Mattress from Wal Mart.com (we have the 12" ones in every room of the house--amazing and cheap!)
- I tinted ALL the windows with Gila 20% VLT Ultra Shield Heat-Rejection window tint.
- Replaced the spare tire cover--after spraying the FIVE WASP NESTS that were lurking underneath (**Yikes!**)
- Added carpet pads to the entry steps
- replaced the broken entry door assist handle
- got a couple of nice, plush rug runners to make the wife happy
- did the spring-loaded curtain rod TP holder "Mod"

And many, many more little things.

We love the layout, and despite having 4 kids, it's just big enough for us. Reason being, our kids are 18, 19, 20 and 21--All driving, working, and in college or trade school...so it'll just be the wife and I and the dog most of the time.

We'll be towing it with our 2007 4X4 Chevy Tahow 5.3L. I need to get a weight-distrubution hitch soon, but for a couple of local trips it should tow fine in the mean time.

I'm looking forward to learning a lot from the experienced Outback owners on this forum--and some cool mods. I'm a Mod-Hound, cars, motorcycles, etc. I can't leave anything stock.

BTW, I'm Rob. 40 y/o, Retired USAF. I teach Aircraft Metal / Composites Fabrication for the USAF now.

Gotta go for now--I'm spray-painting the wheels, re-packing the wheel bearings, inspecting the brakes and sealing the roof today! And it's 100 degrees out already.









See y'all around the forums!

--Rob*


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## NorskBoy (Feb 26, 2012)

Congrats on your new purchase! Sounds like you have the skills to this TT what it needs- and a great deal too! Have fun with it- you will have a great summer!


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

Welcome to the forum. We are also owners of a 21RS. I'm sure you will love the model. This is definitely the place for questions.

Mods I've done to the 21RS.

I hope you realize just how much ribbing your are going to get with a user name like that.


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## Cokerwoman (May 26, 2012)

Trailer Trash said:


> *
> 
> The wifey and I just picked-up a used 2004 Keystone Outback 21RS last Thursday. We're very happy and way excited! I'm sure glad I took Thursday and Friday off before the long Memorial Day weekend, because this RV ownership thing is a lot of work! We're trying to get everything ops-checked, lubricated, spruced-up, spray-painted, cleaned and serviced so we can go camping next weekend.
> 
> ...


Hello, everyone...

congratulations to you and yours.


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

Welcome to Outbackers!









Sounds like you're getting the trailer just the way you want it. A little extra effort definitely adds to the pride of ownership.


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

thefulminator said:


> I hope you realize just how much ribbing your are going to get with a user name like that.


Your comment reminded me of a phrase I'd never heard until yesterday. Apparently we RVers are also known as "Shed Draggers"


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Welcome...Welcome...Welcome.

Glad you found us.









Congrats on the Outback.


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## gzaleski (Aug 29, 2009)

Welcome to Outbackers!


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## hoosier steve (Apr 10, 2012)

Welcome Rob, always nice to have a fellow U.S.A.F vet on the site. Congrats on the camper!


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## LaydBack (Aug 22, 2010)

Congratulations on the trailer purchase, and welcome to the forum. Thanks for your service to our country, and you are in good company when it comes to modding. I'm sure it'll be a pleasure having you around.


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Welcome to Outbackers!


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

Congrats on the "new to you" OB. Welcome to the site!
crunchman


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## hoodscoop (Mar 29, 2012)

Welcome to Outbackers Rob. With a handle like "trailer trash" you gotta be fun people. Hope to see guys around.


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## Trailer Trash (May 28, 2012)

Thanks, everyone. We like to think we're fun people.

We just got back from our first "shake-down" trip; we spent 3-days at Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area on Perdido Bay, here in Pensacola. It's on an old abandoned Navy helicopter base. For being out in the sticks on the outskirts of town (by the bay) it sure seemed like we were at least 100 miles away.







So far; zero problems with the 21RS. We got the Outback about a week and a half ago, and my younger daughter wanted to go out in it once before returning to PA next week to get ready for her Sophomore year at Mansfield U...so we decided to take it out on it's "Maiden Voyage" with just her, the wife and I.

Everything from towing, to set-up to blackwater dumping went very smoothly. Good thing I spent the money on the Rhino Extreme dump hose system. Very high quality and leak-free. The new 8" memory foam mattress from walmart.com was AMAZING. I HIGHLY recommend it. The 21RS had plenty of room for the 3 of us; we wished we'd brought one of the dogs.

The outside shower (which I thought we'd never use) was awesome. Nice for rinsing the salt off of you when it's time to come in from the beach for another beer and start grilling!

Now that we're back, I'm gonna clean and seal the roof this week. Also gonna install my Reese WD Hitch I picked-up on Craigslist. I'm also going to replace the crappy clock-radio-esque "stereo system" with a new car audio stereo and new inside and outside speakers.

Thanks for the welcome and support so far, folks...the expandable curtain-rod toilet paper holder Mod was the bomb!









Here's a couple of pics from our first trip out (of MANY to come...) One of the prime camping spot; another of the sunset Sunday evening.


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