With a place to stay and the 30GS stationed in front of my house, I began the complex task of packing. I don’t know about other campers, but I never have enough time to prepare properly for my trips. And the spontaneity of this excursion only added to the disorder. As usual, I commandeered the living room to set out my equipment: fly fishing gear, outdoor stoves (at least two), hiking boots, folding chairs, marshmallow forks, canteens, dishes and cutlery, towels and rags, food and drink, wildlife books, binoculars, and so on.

For my kid, I always take along popcorn and her favorite DVDs in case the road is long and boring. (Since the 30GS is equipped with a 26-inch high-definition LCD TV in the living area and a home theater system with Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, I took a few of my own movies too.) And for my wife? Well, I learned long ago not to pack for my wife. To all this, I added my sister-in-law and her two young sons. They, of course, brought more gear to fill the Jayco, more hands to try the amenities, and more bodies to test its roominess.

As the 30Gs was equipped with a queen-sized bed in the slide-out aft quarters, a large cab-over bunk and convertible sofa, and a converting dinette area, I knew we had plenty of sleeping room for three adults and three kids. What I found disappointing, however, was the RV’s lack of exterior storage. While the optional Customer Value Package would add a removable exterior gas grill that plugs conveniently into the rig’s propane tank, I always take along my Coleman dual fuel, two-burner camping stove. I also take my new Primus Atle stove and grill. Granted, this might be overkill, but the Primus is perfect for frying up bacon, and the Coleman…well, it’s backup, like slipping a compass into your pocket when you have a GPS unit on your belt.

The point is that none of the rig’s exterior storage lockers were large enough to accommodate the stoves together. I had to place them in separate compartments. Worse, our Kelty collapsible camp chairs were too tall to fit in any of the outside bins. They ended up under the dinette benches while the kids’ fishing poles were relegated to the shower.

In contrast, the 30GS’s interior offered vast amounts of storage. Built of stern Northridge maple, the RV’s cabinetry is akin to fine home furnishings. In the kitchen area was plenty of drawer space for our dishes and cookware. Below the sink and three-burner oven was even more storage. The split-level, 8-cubic-foot refrigerator/freezer gave us more than enough space to chill our food and drink.

In the rear bedroom the bed lifted on hydraulic dampers to reveal more storage. There were two closets and a stack of fair-sized drawers. Between the closets was a countertop “desk,” a minor addition but as most RVs have no counter space in the bedroom, so it was welcome.