More great thoughts. I appreciate the continued input. This forum really does rock it!
Mik: I don't like the tall cabinets, but can't get around it if I want some storage in this RB - and they really aren't that "tall" when the PH is up. The fridge and food prep on the same side make sense to me, and I wanted to maximize the cabs on the other side, while still trying (hopefully successfully) to squeeze in those nice awning windows. Jonathan didn't freak out when I sent my rough plan, so fingers crossed on that... I'll find out for sure next Wednesday.
4Mac (+Rio)... gave the stove a TON of thought and originally had it in the build. BUT... then I succumbed to "forum fascination / obsession" and determined (with a buddy's help who skipped it in his SMB) that I really probably don't need it for how I see myself rolling in this beast. I have various backpack stoves and the obligatory outdoor propane stove I can sub should I care to eat inside (with my rain-resistant ventilation)... plus the microwave. I try to make up food at home to bring along to heat up, so I need very little prep area and with the microwave will likely have even less need for an inside stove.
As for the windows... I really like the idea of maximizing them as much as possible and think I did a pretty good job with that if Jonathan will let me keep those (I'm concerned about the tight spacing against the ribs as I mentioned previously). And yes the PH will be great for that too.
If I could ever get my work situation a little more settled - as in not being on the road 3 weeks out of 5 - I will road trip more like I used to. It was nothing for me to blast from Denver to the CO mountains, Yellowstone, Moab, Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, or the Grand Canyon on 3 or 4 day weekends (which was literally every other week on the 9/80 work schedule I had) living in the back of my truck (I road-tripped two factory new pickups into dust in ~12 years). Taking a year off in 2012 and spending 3 months of it cruising the deserts, mountains, and west coast living in a silly Jeep was a MAJOR factor in deciding that my sorry carcass wishes for a little more comfort in my late middle-aged dotage. (oh, and I spent another month that year in a crappy little camper van in New Zealand that also convinced me that wasn't adequate)
(+Viejo) To some extent I am only getting the water heater for resale attractiveness later... I will quite likely disconnect it and remove the onboard water tank in favor of more storage for hiking gear. Can always put it back in. As such, it is going to have to be a 110v since apparently nothing but the RB50 has the space for the propane and I want nothing to do with a flat plate (I have neither the patience nor work space to rastle that creature if it gets uppity). I think I am OK with that... it's just me and no one around to notice my "robust" aura after a few days.
I don't see needing much, really, as I've always done without that convenience in a few hundred thousand miles of photo and hiking road trips from border to border and coast to coast. Consideration of others certainly plays a big part... as does the presence of a female, in general... but I am without such *ahem* "issues". I'll keep it in the build unless it really trashes usable space (the website is SILENT on the goofy thing as far as I could find). It is sacrificial to me, however... if it has to go it will.
Rio... WRT the galley box... The SMB website in general needs a MAJOR overhaul. Much of their info is either too terse, incomplete, or out of date (frustrating when one is trying to absorb as much info as possible before spending his arms, legs, and kidneys). And the DYO thingy needs work and updating significantly (I think a college gamer-geek programmer kid could revamp that and make it spiffy 3-D as a cheap-labor summer job). Hence, the lack of that cool swing out galley. But I persevered!
Open space at the rear is for odd things I want to bring - a big camera tripod, extra cooler, duffel bags, a stack of plastic totes, chairs, easy-up awning (used extensively in the Smokies, but not worth a pinch in the windy Rockies)... you get the idea. The cabinets / closets may be a little too constrictive for some things. I saw that idea on one or two galleries and thought it might be useful for some of the stuff I might want to take. I will probably rig a net across the opening there to hold things in as needed. Might be a bust, but I'm gonna roll with it for now.
I really appreciate the thoughts, everyone!
Since I am planning this alone as I've mentioned, I do not have a ready ear to babble all this at. Well, at least not to anyone who would understand why I am about to spend what I am, anyway (my coworkers are appalled and think I'm cracked)!
Cheers to all here!!