Chanute, Kansas is where we found our full-time rolling home. NuWa, the makers of the Hitchhiker brand of fifth wheel trailers, is headquartered there, and we had lots of fun taking factory tours (yup, multiple ones!) and exploring the town on two different visits in the spring of 2008 (when we bought the trailer) and again in 2009 (when we returned for minor warranty repairs).
Unfortunately, NuWa (pronounced “New Way”) stopped manufacturing fifth wheels in 2013, however they kept their service center open. So, in 2015, needing lots of plumbing related repairs on our now eight-year-old trailer, we returned to Chanute once again. It was a 3-day repair job and we had to stay in a motel, so it was a little chaotic!
- “America’s Heartland” – Is it in Kansas? November 12, 2015 In our RV travels to Kansas we discovered pretty Tuttle Creek State Park and the unique Biblesta parade. Is this America’s Heartland?
- When Reality Interferes with Fun RV Travels and Blogging! October 16, 2015 Pausing our fun RV travels to get some plumbing repairs done puts our blogging on hold and gives us an unexpected dose of Reality!
- Chanute, KS – A part of America’s Heartland April 1, 2009 March, 2009 – With America’s economy failing, we returned to Chanute to find it struggling, but the folks at NuWa were very welcoming.
- Chanute, KS – Tour of NuWa / Hitchhiker RV Factory May 30, 2008 We wanted to upgrade from our travel trailer to a fifth wheel, so a factory tour of the NuWa (Hitchhiker) plant was a must.