I have a certain wanderlust and love the woods, so I have wanted a RV for years. I briefly owned a brand-new travel trailer, but it had mechanical issues right from the start. The manufacturer would not honor the warranty. The dealership had my trailer on their service lot for months, and meanwhile, I was paying for a trailer that I could not use. I sold the trailer at a loss. However, I had also learned from this experience that I did not want to tow a trailer. I continued looking through the intervening years at motor coaches but despaired of ever owning one because they cost so much, and even at their higher price point, people were reporting costly problems with their new or nearly new RVs.
I have always loved the look of vintage motorhomes but was nervous thinking of the work that they might need. Still, periodically I’d go online and look at older motorhomes and dream. Eventually, my online searches took me through the world of owner forums. I learned the
names of smaller coaches with a reputation for reliability and quality, the kind of quality you cannot find today unless you can afford to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars.
I started looking at Chinook and Pleasure Way. These searches took me to the owners’ forum for Born Free. I researched the brand and learned that in their time they were largely unsurpassed for quality, reliability, and high-end finishes. The forum mentioned two, specific
classic RV dealerships that sometimes have a Born Free coach in stock. It was a Tuesday, early February 2026. I went to the first website. There I saw a 2002 Born Free 24RB Casual Elegance
class C in incredible condition. She looked barely used, and two weeks later, she was mine. My mother named her “Ellie.”
I joined the Born Free Leap’n Lions RV club, and I plan on going to their rallies, but I wanted other opportunities for shared community as well. I googled vintage RV clubs that will accept a 24-year-old class C and found Tin Can Tourists. I looked through all the TCT events, and I knew I had to join.
I’m still working on a thorough cleaning and the small repairs that “Ellie” needs. Our first mother-daughter camping trip will be in June, so wish us luck!