H Is For HORIZON - Our Home on Wheels (#AtoZChallenge)

Today you get to tour our home on wheels, a 2007 Itasca Horizon 40TD, as part of the #AtoZ Challenge using the theme starting with the letter of the day -- "H".  [A future posting will examine the more technical aspects of our motorhome.]

Exteriors

Even though our motorhome is now ten years old, it certainly doesn't look it. It has 92,650 miles on it, too. Hubby Luke is known as "Mr. Clean" and his passion is having a shiny rig that draws Oohs and Ahhs.  The first images show how the motorhome looked in December 2008 when we actually took delivery at DeMartini RV in Grass Valley, CA.   It was a great deal!  It had been sitting in an enclosed dealership in Indiana that had gone bankrupt in 2007. Because it had never been sold we even got full warranties.

The engine is a Cummins ISL400 Diesel, before the requirement for extra DEF tanks. Notice all the outside storage bays.

Officially, the coach measures 39' 10" and is on a Freightliner XC-F chassis.  To drive Highway 49 through our "restricted" canyon the true length cannot exceed 40'.  More storage bays and one includes an outside extra freezer.

We spend a lot of time in Arizona where spectacular sunsets are the norm.  Reflections on our front windshield always attracts attention.  Our friend Jim Hood took this sunset reflection photo of us near Lake Havasu City, Arizona.  This photo also shows the motorhome with the slide-outs extended and our DirecTV dish on the roof.  We were "roughing it" in the desert.  Thank goodness for our new solar panels.

Our Horizon parked on BLM land in Quartzsite at sunset.

Let's Look Inside

The Horizon 40TD is a "front kitchen" model and feels very residential.  The entry door comes up in front of the co-pilot/navigator  (i.e. passenger) seat and the left side features plenty of storage, the food preparation area, cooking appliances (propane stove and convection oven), a dishwasher drawer and even the kitchen sink.

We do not leave items on the counters when we travel.  They could become deadly flying missiles in a sudden stop. When we park we put a toaster oven on the counter and there is plenty of room for fruit baskets and snack containers.  The dishwasher seldom gets used.  It only uses 6 gallons of water for a normal cycle but that amount can fill the "gray water" holding tanks rapidly.

Next to the galley is the "living area" which has a "jackknife" style couch that converts to a futon-size extra bed. It also lifts up for storage of extra bedding and two dinette folding chairs.  There is a wonderful 53" Sharp Aquos HDTV television that receives both over-the-air television signals from a roof antenna and satellite programming from DirecTV.  We have a Winegard roof antenna that automatically raises/lowers to find the proper satellite positions at the push of a button.

The floor normally has an area rug over the tile floor. The residential-style bathroom door is normally closed!  The shelf below the TV usually has my "artificial" greenery to hide our weather alert and portable radios.  The handy storage drawer holds all our various RV group name tags and electronic charging cords.  The storage cupboard is deep and holds bags of maps, campground directories, a Wii game machine, and throw blankets for cuddling on cold nights watching TV.

Opposite the Kitchen/Galley...

This whole section is on a 16' slide-out that is extended once we get parked and leveled.  The 4-door 12 cf refrigerator with ice maker sits directly behind the driver's chair.  Next to it are two slide-out pantry storage compartments.  The table and chairs you see are no longer there!!!   We had a custom buffet-office unit built to fit that space.  It will be featured next.  Two recliners are wonderfully positioned for socializing with company and for watching TV.  Each seating position also has LED reading lights.  Ceiling fans keep the air circulating in the living room and bedroom.

Our Dining Table/Office Computer Space

The greatest modification we have done to this floor plan was to remove the free-standing table with no storage (shown above) and replaced it with a custom built dinette computer cabinet with a hidden expansion dining table leaf. The built-in unit now has two laptop work stations and office storage space.

The whole unit was built by Amish cabinet maker Carlyle Lehman of Focal Wood Products in Nappanee, Indiana.  This was the first unit he built with Corian surfaced counters and he matched the pattern and harware to the rest of the coach.

Each side of the table has a storage shelf for our laptops that roll out for use as needed.  Electrical wires are hidden under the counter-top to the middle storage compartment with a wall outlet and power junction boxes on the top shelf. The lower portion of the cupboard holds larger pots and pans.  Luke's side of his work station has an office supply drawer and a pull out section for hanging files.  My side has storage shelves for reference binders, paper supplies, and miscellaneous "stuff".  Our shared all-in-one printer is not shown but it rides on the carpeted floor when we travel and has a home base on the counter when we are parked.  

Kicking Back

The twin recliners do lean back slightly for naps.  The chairs are fixed in position but are comfortable for watching television or for visiting with guests on the couch. They also have seat belts which make them legal seats for traveling. There is also a handy storage box between the seats for all TV remotes and for the RV operational and maintenance manuals. Not shown is an adjustable-height coffee table with fold-down leafs that Carlyle also made for us. The wood matches the cabinets perfectly.

The BIG Slide 

Everything from behind the kitchen sink to the rear closets are on a 22' slide.  A touch of one button moves the floor containing the couch, television with cabinets, the large hanging clothes closet with dresser drawers, and the bedroom end tables, headboard, and queen size bed.

When the long, passenger side slide is extended Luke can have access to his double clothes closet and dresser drawers located in the hall.  A nice touch to this space are the curved walls that softens the "boxiness" of an RV.

Spacious Bathroom

The walk-through bathroom features plenty of counter and storage space. The corner shower has lots of turn-around space and there is another storage cabinet above a porcelain toilet hidden behind the door.  The door from the bathroom to the living room is residential style and you normally don't see the bathroom from the living area unless the door has been left open. A pocket door separates the bathroom and the bedroom.

Bedroom Fit for a Queen (and King and Dog)

The bedroom has a Select Comfort number queen size bed with dual night stands, cedar-lined hanging closet with extra end storage shelves and an under-bench storage compartment opposite the bed. One thing we like about this bedroom is that there is walk-around space to get to the far side of the bed and the pillow area is easily accessible when making the bed. The only drawback to a queen size bed is having a German Shepherd who has claimed "her space" between our bodies at night.  I would probably sacrifice the night stands to add a KING size bed that would accommodate Miss Shade better.