Where do I start. I've always said that owning a motorhome or large camping trailer makes little sense since you can drive or fly to your destination and stay in a nice hotel for less than the annual payments on a motorhome. AND that doesn't include fuel, servicing, licensing, insuring and depreciation.

So, it was an interesting experience, to say the least, when Carolyn and I suddenly both developed an interest in this little puppy. I think it was a picture and ad in the local Auto Trader weekly that first caught our eyes. We looked at the ads when they came out, and we actually took a look at one in Saginaw at a dealership. It looked a little rusty underneath, so we didn't look hard ... but from looking in tthe windows, it was a wonderfully compact vehicle. Checking it out on the internet, I discovered that the LeSharo was a marriage between a Renault 'Trafic' van chassis and an RV section built by Winnie. With only mild interest, we kept noticing them in the Auto Trader and then, one day in the spring of 2000, we saw an ad for one available about 45 miles south. We decided to take a look ... and then we decided to go back with a check (cheque) for the $5500 the owner was asking. Well, not exactly the owner. It was a friend who lived next door and looked after things when the old gentlemen was in FLorida. In this case, it appeared he wasn't planning to come back and had asked that his vehicles be sold.

We looked it over and liked it and everything seemed to be ok. Well, that quickly changed. Carolyn was following me back home in the Sienna and she stopped behind me at the service station when I stopped to gas up. "You don't have signal lights, your brake light is intermittent and I can't see the running lights." Wonderful. "OK, follow me closely so that the cops will see your signaling." I figured that was the easiest solution since our route home led through the middle of Saginaw.

So, we get it home and start to do some checking. Lights are a problem ... usually ground but not always. Internet time again. Oops, the gas gauge doesn't work either. Oh well .... we'll go by guess and by gosh. Internet sources seemed to say that the main problem with back lights is either a poor ground ... which causes a tremendous amount of the LeSharo's electrical foibles ... or .. the idiot adapter that Winnebago buried in the Renault dash. Trying to adapt a European electric system to an American one. Joy, joy, happy, happy. Fortunately the internet sources also led me to the current supplier of all things LeSharo. You see, Winnebago had abandoned the Renault relationship and the LeSharo had been replaced with the Rialta - a VW chassis. All remaining parts and support was handed over and/or sold to a nearby business. We contacted them and ordered a maintenance manual (would you believe $85 for a poor Photostat job?), a set of filters and spark plugs, and a replacement rear lights adapter. When the stuff arrived, I did a complete maintenance cycle of the front end, changed out the fluids, replaced the plugs, and then replaced the lighting adapter. Viola ... a smooth sounding vehicle with lights!

So, for a shakeout cruise, we decide to take Carolyn's mom back to Poteau, Oklahoma to be at her oldest sisters 90th birthday party. It was a pleasant ride down - everything (except that gas gauge) worked fine and the Winnie ran at near freeway speeds all the way. I say NEAR freeway speeds because everyone recommends that you don't beat these poor things to death by overtaxing their engines. That Renault front end that I mentioned? It contains a 4 cylinder 2.2L gas engine. Which means great gas mileage but no power to speak of.

From Poteau, we went on to visit Ron and family in Ft. Worth, Ralph and Donna in Buffalo, and Donnie in Nacogdoches, and then back to Ft. Worth to drop off our little hitchhiker - Carolyn's granddaughter Christina had joined us in Ft. Worth for the round trip. Everyone enjoyed the visits, but it was hotter than any of us thought we'd enjoy ... so we boogied back home via the fastest freeways. I-40 to Nashville and then shen straight north. The LeSharo was quite comfortable for the 3 of us .... we left the back bed down (I don't think we've ever used the dinette) and used the front bed for Carolyn and I when we spent the night at rest stops. The two seats back of the front set fold down and the outside armrests are actually cushions which fit between the seats. It was as comfortable as the back bed.

During the fall and winter, we discussed maintenance on the old gal, and I did some more checking. One gentlemen in Quebec - Pierre LeChance - informed me that the absolute best service could be found just south of Montreal - a guy by the name of Robert Marleau ran a garage that dealt specifically with LeSharos. Carolyn spoke to Robert several times and they finally agreed on what servicing should and would be done. I was most interested in having the timing belt replaced .... when those puppies break ... you can usually kiss your engine or a lot of money goodbye. I also wanted the drive boots replaced - usually quite critical on a front wheel drive (I did mention it was front wheel drive, didn't I?) since that was a constant topic of dismay on the discussion groups.  In late May or early June of 2002, I welded on a hitch (yes, I know they're not rated for towing) and hooked up my motorcycle trailer; loaded the GL1100A Goldwing Aspencade; tied it down, and headed off early one morning. Gassed up in Auburn, pulled onto the highway ... and suddenly I lost power and there was white smoke galore behind me. Oh my, now what? Well, it's only a short distance from home and I have the cell phone, I'll keep going and see what happens. Nothing? Hmm. South to Flint, east to Sarnia and London and then get onto the 401 heading for Quebec. Things were going good until I hit the standard traffic jam going through Toronto .... I suddenly noticed an unpleasant sounding buzz/short sound from the dash when I used the signal light ... but only if the lights were on. Interesting! OK, so I won't leave the headlights on .. problem solved. Well, until Toronto faded in the distance and dusk arrived. OK ... so I'll stay in my lane and I won't have to signal ... Arrived in Kingston late that night, and pulled into a truck stop to grab a bite to eat and grab some sleep. Managed to sleep for about 6 hours and went in, brushed my teeth, washed my face, grabbed a donut and coffee ... LARGE coffee and back on the road. The maps I'd downloaded off Mapquest got me through Montreal and out the other side when construction added some confusion ... but finally we got back on the right trail ... and ended up zipping right past the exit. The Mapquest and the actual road name differed. But, after an hours retracing my track and asking directions I discovered that the Garage was RIGHT BESIDE THE HIGHWAY and I couldn't believe how I'd missed it, considering the dozen or so LeSharos that surrounded it!!!

Pulled in front of the garage, unloaded the bike, unhooked the trailer and rolled it out back where it would, hopefully, be out of the way. Placed the keys in a letter to Mr. Marleau and dropped them through the mail slot; locked the LeSharo, started up the Aspencade ... and before 9:00 AM I was on my way back home ... only 750 miles to go ...

Would you believe $6500 in repairs? The short under the dash was more serious than it sounded. The gas tank was replaced (cheaper than repairing the sender.) 4 tires replaced (Robert told Carolyn he was amazed I'd made it to Montreal, but I'd not had a moment's hesitation - except fo rthe white smoke episode). Timing belts and boots replaced. He fixed my rushed welding job on the hitch (not that there was a problem, I'd also bolted it to the frame). Basically, he'd done everything necessary to give it a clean bill of health. Including replacing the windshield (covered by our insurance). It took awhile - I believe he finally called and told us it was ready in mid-August.  In mid-August, I already had several thousand miles on my new bike ... so was looking forward to adding another 750 or so. Jumped on the bike on a Thursday morning - arrived at the garage about 9:00 PM that night. Chatted with several other folks who were there to drop their LeSharos off - one had been towed several hundred miles. Fortunately, I still had a spare key in my pocket, so I curled up in the back bed for the night. Robert arrived bright and early just before 8:00 AM ... I had paid the bill, attached the trailer, loaded the Wing and was on the road before 9:00 AM.  The trip home was a little slower, as several cars had a duel south of Kingston and the result was two overturned sedans on the highway. Traffic was backed up for more than 10 miles when I arrived and progress was painfully slow. The lack of movement finished off the air conditioning .... I later learned where the fuse was ... I got to enjoy the rest of the day's 85+ degree temps without the A/C ... which was ok once I got PAST the wrecks and got back up to speed.

Sadly, since I returned from Montreal, that old gal has not ONCE left her spot in front of the garage. We've talked about finding time to go here, or there, or somewhere else ... but never found the time. Between the horses, health, and work ... what can I say.  OK ... now to get some pictures of this gal ... I'll do that over the weekend.  OK< Monday, but here's a batch of pictures. I'd forgotten that I'd never remembered to replace that damaged wallpaper from the door.

Enjoy!