Couple camps out in RV while building dream home

In February of last year, Susie and Dennis Snider purchased a 22-foot travel trailer and were contemplating an extended road trip.

“We bought the trailer new,” said Dennis, “and took it on a couple of shakedown trips to Montana and the Coast.”

Dennis was nearing retirement from the U.S. Postal Service and the Sniders were thinking about selling their house and touring the country until they found a place they wanted to buy.

“We thought we might end up in Florida for the winter,” said Susie, an artist who works in pastels.

What happened instead was that they “stumbled” onto a gorgeous piece of property for sale near Bayview, Idaho. “We decided to buy it and stay in the Pacific Northwest,” said Dennis.

The Sniders sold their Medical Lake house last June, put the majority of their belongings in storage and moved full-time into their 2003 22-foot Skyline Nomad Lite.

The first week of August they received title to their Idaho land, parked their Nomad on it and went into high gear building their dream home.

Although they had never tackled such a big construction project, the Sniders set out to build their house themselves.

Back in the ‘80s, after serving 20 years in the military, Dennis took advantage of the GI Bill and enrolled in a two-year carpentry program at Spokane Community College.

“In the Air Force I was mostly using my head all of the time,” he said. “I wanted to learn a craft and do something using my hands.”

During the next 18-months Dennis picked up construction skills and helped build two houses. “It was a great program,” he said.

In the middle of his second year at SCC, however, Dennis was called to work with the U.S. Postal Service, and his career in carpentry took a detour.

Although he never “hired out” as a professional builder over the next 20 years, Dennis did keep up his skills by putting up the outbuildings on their property in Medical Lake.

“So,” he said, “I figured we could tackle building this house.”

Susie added: “His organizational skills are what really made this project go.”

Other than contracting out the concrete, electrical, plumbing, heating and ventilation work—the Sniders have built their dream house, stick by stick.

“We’ve done all the framing, roofing, insulating and finishing,” said Dennis.

“We actually designed this house more than ten years ago,” said Susie standing in the middle of their almost-finished great room with its sweeping view of Lake Pend Oreille.

“Back then,” she continued, “we didn’t know where we were going to put the house, so we designed it to take advantage of the best view.”

“I had always wanted a house with a great view of the mountains,” said Dennis. “I had no idea we would end up living in the mountains with a fantastic view of a beautiful lake.”

If all goes as planned, the Sniders will be living in their 3,074-square-foot home by July 4.

Until then, they are still “camping out” in their 160-square-foot travel trailer.

“Yesterday we just finished hooking up the shower in the house,” said Susie. “It was wonderful taking more than a five-gallon military shower.”

For more information

Find details about the Skyline Nomad Lite travel trailer at www.skylinerv.com. For a brochure write to Skyline Corporation Headquarters, P O Box 743, Elkhart, Ind., 46515; or call toll-free (800) 348-7469.

Wood carvers at KOA next weekend

The fourth-annual Spokane Wood Carvers Association’s Rendezvous takes place next weekend at the KOA Campgrounds, 3025 N. Barker Road in Otis Orchards.

Everyone – carvers and observers – are welcome at the free event, says member Jack Harvey.

“Members will be giving demonstrations throughout the three days of the rendezvous,” says Harvey. Caving begins on Friday at 8:30 a.m. and goes through next Sunday until noon.

For rendezvous information contact Gloria Strandquist at 924-1186 or wnook@att.net. For camping information contact Spokane KOA, 924-4722. Information about the wood carvers association is available by calling Jack Harvey at 255-5944.

Wheel question

Now that camping season is under way, send in a picture of you and your RV along with a comment or two about the place you stayed. Mail to: Wheel Life, Spokesman Review, 999 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, WA 99201.