近距离内射合集

Winnebago has entered the monster-truck, expedition adventure wagon market in a big way. A really big way. The  is more in the class of  than any simple overland vehicle. It is at least as big, but cheaper, than most of the Colorado-based

It is being positioned as a step up from Winnebago鈥檚 EKKO and two steps up from its capable four-wheel drivish Revel Class B. From videos produced by Winnebago brand ambassadors, who received sneak preview camping trips, it appears capable and well-designed. For a small person like my wife, it was more of a leap and grab than a step to get inside the extended cab.

Starting at slightly more than $330K, it is much less expensive than the $500,000 to $1 million Earthroamerlike rigs.

Built on a standard RAM Promaster 5500 truck series its at least 41-inch military-grade wheels are belt-level for a small person. Winnebago replaced the four-wheel dually  normally on the 5500s in back, so it has four rather than six tires, making it possible to air down on bumpy, four-by-four required dirt roads, said Peter Holcomb of the on their Youtube .

Talking to Holcomb and his wife Kathy Holcomb and seeing the ARKA in person at its first release at Overland Expo West recently cemented exactly how big this type of adventure wagon is.

Who is the ARKA made for if not for us 鈥� the 60+plus GO! New Mexico, drive off road but not-to0-far crowd?

First you have to be like the Holcombs, who for now work and live full-time in their Revel.

鈥淭he Holcombs sold their home in 2014 and moved their (then) ten year old daughter and photography business into a 170 square foot Winnebago View for a year long road trip, they had no idea of the impact that one fateful decision would have on, well...  pretty much everything,鈥� according to their web site.   

They have their sights set on taking a vehicle around the world and Kathy Holcomb told GO! New Mexico though she loves her Revel she took the ARKA road trip to try life in a larger rig. The ARKA drives so smoothly since it is based a pickup truck sometimes you forget there鈥檚 a two story house behind you, he said. 

Winnebago ambassadors Sabrina and Kenny Philips, of moving forward adventures who got a sneak peak, told me that for the past few years, their family had parked its nearly 10-year-old class A 鈥� ie giant recreational vehicle 鈥� and lived the home life, but were ready to get back on the road with their dog Belle. By working full-time and not owning a house, Sabrina said the $330k price was not out of reach especially since she wanted the ability to go anywhere, anytime and didn鈥檛 want to be denied entry to rv parks that won鈥檛 allow older vehicles because of the . She said she had rarely driven the giant Class A Winnebago motorhome, but the ARKA was small enough for her to feel comfortable driving on their more than two week test drive.

Based on Winnebago's official overview for the ARKA, this model represents a major leap into the purpose-built adventure truck category: 鈥淎s the most robust offering in Winnebago鈥檚 Backcountry Series (alongside the Revel and EKKO), it is designed specifically for travelers seeking deep exploration, extreme weather protection and prolonged off-grid independence,鈥� Winnebago says.

Some highlights, according to Winnebago, include:

• Ram 5500 powered by a 6.7L Cummins turbo diesel engine can be worked on by any mechanic

• tows a giant payload, up to 15,000 pounds of trailer, boats or other vehicles

• convertible gear garage has room for bike, motorcycle or small off road vehicle

• extreme insulation and heating/cooling for four-season adventure including radiant heated floor

• lithium battery system with solar and ability to support multiple alternators

• can sustain up to 14 days of off-grid living without a gasoline generator

• full wet bath, though a bit funky as shower area sits between back and cab-over bunk sleeping area

• built-in Guzzle H₂O UV water purification system to supply a 40 gallon fresh-water tank

  
  

The ARKA gets a bit more than 10 miles per gallon of diesel, and its extra large, 48-gallon tank allows a range of more than 500 miles, said product manager Stefanie Whittington, who said she drove the vehicle from Colorado Springs to Flagstaff, Arizona,  for the unveiling.

Everything about the ARKA is well-designed, well put together and beautiful, showing the attention Winnebago pays to detail. No shoddy workmanship here. But the inside felt like it had smaller usable area in the back then the EKKO, did not have a walk-through from the cab and at about 6-foot, 2-inch me head brushed again the inside roof.

Would I buy one if I won the lottery? Would I even drive one to test?

I would not buy an ARKA unless I sold my house and replaced my wife with a much taller more limber version. But seeing it in person made us rethink the smaller Winnebago vehicles, the EKKO and the Revel, as possibilities if our Sportsmobile Ram Promaster diesel can鈥檛 be rescued from eminent death by a new transmission. If you have a tall partner, La Mesa RV is taking pre-orders for the ARKAs now and you should be able to test drive sometime in the fall.

Share your New Mexico adventure channel, rigs and panorama photos with us at go@abqjournal.com.  It could appear in an edition of the Sunday Journal in the GO! New Mexico weekly outdoors section.