@Travellingman: yes, I know, we are quite fortunate when it comes to having time off. This helps when having to travel a long time to experience a trip as the current one in the making. Good input on the missing slide-out. On our trip to Australia, our RV had an awning and since we stayed outside most of the time, the smaller inside area never really posed a problem. If you are going to the east coast Downunder, let me know...
But I will def. take it into account if going bigger means less chance of camping in the really good spots. Then I would rather go smaller.
@Southwest Dave: great input, again. When my wife read your reply, she went "who is this guy and why isn't he working for our travel agent!". On the other, May that's why we stooped using travel agents and started looking at forums like this..
We quickly checked arches, canyon lands and Capital and they look great. And if they are overlooked by most, it sounds like something for us. It is important to us to see SF, so we are ok with the one way fee - and as long as adding the three additional NPs you mentioned (thanks for the heads up on the annual pass) doesn't make it unrealistic and stressful time wise. I will start drafting a route incl. day planning and will share it here for the forum's review.
Again, thanks all..