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Retired the tent

Varmintmist

Bear, with furnture.
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With lots of years tenting, packing, car camping, kayak camping, taj ma tenting (BFT with cots) tarp camping, and just sleeping in the woods, I figured I was old enough to not do that all the time anymore.

Picked up a Forest River Surveyor (241rble) It is 27' 1/2 ton towable, will sleep 4, or me and the dog. Good size bathroom, real queen bed. I am just figureing it out. Going to "camp" in the driveway the end of next week to see if I am missing stuff I need.
surveyor.jpg
 

Bad Bob

I golf worse than I ski.
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Good for you!
Please remember the ultimate difference between a "good RV" and a "bad RV". Good ones get used and bad ones don't.

There is more really necessary stuff for RV's than there is for skiing. That is why RV parts stores are bigger.
 

Pat AKA mustski

I can keep a Secret
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The first thing I learned when we started RVing is the everyone in the cabinets and in the fridge move around. I learned to use towels to pad our booze bottles and I now use small tension rods in the fridge to keep items like milk and eggs from spilling out the second I open the door. Enjoy. We love it. It's especially good for spring ski trips!
 

CalG

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RVing, ........... the most EXPENSIVE way to vacation....... ;-)
 

Jerez

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Funny. We decided we were too old for "real" camping too, but the price of RV rentals to try that out was insane and I am too cheap to just go for buying one without trying it first.

So we opted for "Glamping" where we got a huge tent with a king sized bed in it and a fire ring and chairs. All we brought was a cooler full of food, coals and clothes. There was even a real bathroom and shower within walking distance
.
3-Glampsite3.JPG

I will be watching this thread to see how you fare and how you like the rig.
 
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Varmintmist

Varmintmist

Bear, with furnture.
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RVing, ........... the most EXPENSIVE way to vacation....... ;-)
Depends on what you are doing. I shoot competitively (well I shoot in competitions, competitive?? getting there) and being able to sleep with some ac and a shower sounds pretty good. Never said it was ging to be cheap, just convenient.
Last match I shot I was scoring with the better shooters on Sat, Sun, not so much.
 
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Varmintmist

Varmintmist

Bear, with furnture.
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Funny. We decided we were too old for "real" camping too, but the price of RV rentals to try that out was insane and I am too cheap to just go for buying one without trying it first.

So we opted for "Glamping" where we got a huge tent with a king sized bed in it and a fire ring and chairs. All we brought was a cooler full of food, coals and clothes. There was even a real bathroom and shower within walking distance
.

I will be watching this thread to see how you fare and how you like the rig.
I got the taj ma tent also and Cabelas outfitter cots and that works well. Until its 90f and you are out since 0630 and just need a break and the tent is 100f. FYI, hammocks are the cats butt for sleeping outside. I am planning to use this about 50% off grid not where there is a shower.
 
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Varmintmist

Varmintmist

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Good for you!
Please remember the ultimate difference between a "good RV" and a "bad RV". Good ones get used and bad ones don't.

There is more really necessary stuff for RV's than there is for skiing. That is why RV parts stores are bigger.

Finding that out. I had a few 30A 220 cords so I built about all the adapters I need. Had to buy the 50 rv to 30. Yes, I know the difference between 30a 220 4 prong and 30a 220 3 prong and 30a 110 and 30a 110rv and how to use a single leg off a std gen plug to get 30a 110 and not pump 30a 220 in. AND I use meter to test :)

Went with the lighter chocks and lego pads, could use some more poo hose. Built a filter up out of a Lowes cheap whole house filter, an adapter, washer hose and a hose bib. Did the same thing for the scouts for summer camp. Just screw the filter in to the water supply, put the pressure regulator to the hose bib and the white hose to the regulator and everything coming in is filtered. Charcoal filters are 14.00 for 2.
Most everything I need to camp I have, just the rv specific stuff. My father just went into assisted living so I picked up a space heater, fire extinguisher, and kitchen stuff.
 
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MarkP

Saturday, and Saturday, and Saturday...
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Funny. We decided we were too old for "real" camping too, but the price of RV rentals to try that out was insane and I am too cheap to just go for buying one without trying it first.

RV rental companies run one way relocation specials when they need to move vehicles (but don't want to pay an employee, IMO).

Two that I've used:

https://www.cruiseamerica.com/
Many of the relocations start or finish in Mesa, Az, convenient to the Phoenix airport. The other end is also usually close to an airport on the Southwest flight path. I've paid $12 to $24 per day with free mileage. Web site recently changed, wasn't as easy to get to relocation specials, but a search on "relocation" got me there.

https://www.apollorv.com/
As cheap as $1 per day. Can't do much better than that (maybe some legal thing about having to charge a nominal fee?)... except when they credit you for some of the fuel.

Check them out. I've had a blast every time I've done it.
 

scott43

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I just found out they have truck-tents for pick-ups. It's actually a pretty good idea..you don't get wet, always flat sleep, less critters, relatively cheap, lots of space, access to power. Brilliant..
 
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Varmintmist

Varmintmist

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I just found out they have truck-tents for pick-ups. It's actually a pretty good idea..you don't get wet, always flat sleep, less critters, relatively cheap, lots of space, access to power. Brilliant..
You can tarp a truck bed pretty quick. I built a frame from furring strips and used a tarp over it with bungee cords holding it. Since I have a whole bed, the cot and gear fit in pretty well. Fastest way is 2 2x4's in a T run tailgate to roof, and put a air mattress in the bed.
 
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Varmintmist

Varmintmist

Bear, with furnture.
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Had her out the weekend before last. Pulled well. Stayed in a KOA. Not really my thing, but to go and visit an area it is a viable option.

This weekend coming I am headed out for the whole weekend and will be self supporting. Fired up both generators (a 5K and a 7500), tested my adapter and ran the ac with both. Got to test the setup and exercise the generators. Double win.

The 7500 is a bit lighter and seems a touch quieter so that one will be coming along. Built a 30a 220 extension cord last night so I can get the gen a bit farther away . The Mistress of the Bark seems comfy with the ac on. I will probably have to crate her in the camper and run the AC, unless I can get a little dog run built.
 

Novaloafah

Should've paid attention to that lesson.
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Stopped tenting vacations once the kids got into teen years and lost interest and did things on their own. Decided I was old enough that i liked to wake up and have my feet drop below my butt when I get out of bed. Started with pop ups (great rigs for the $) went to a hybrid (travel trailer with drop down beds under canvass) and have been in a trailrunner 24' for the last two years. Just back from 1 week off a beach near Bouctouche New Brunswick and it was awesome. We spend 40+ days in it from Nova Scotia to Cape Cod and West to Quebec and Ontario. It's a pricey acquisition but I'd be visiting these places one way or t'other and a good campground is way more fun (and less expensive) than a hotel and most Air BnB. Enjoy, looking forward to hearing how off grid "dry" camping works out for you. I don't normally go off grid for more than 2 days.
 

Cameron

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We tent camp with the scouts but we go RVing the rest of the time. We bought our first, a 36' travel trailer in 2017 then upgrade to our mobile McMansion this past December. You really have to enjoy doing it for it to worth while because its a lot of work and as some one pointed out its not cheap. We're on pace to spend about 50 nights in this year including a trip to Fort Wilderness at Disney and 2 weeks

Our next stop will likely be a large Super C motorhome but not until retirement.
 

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Varmintmist

Varmintmist

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offgridsupper.jpeg

Well, Off grid works well.
Grilled ribeye almost med, found a instant potato that is pretty darn good, boiled carrots, single malt scotch, ice water (it was hot) and watched The Hunt for Red October again.

Got to shower, gen worked fine, didnt use nearly the water I thought I would. Didnt use the black tank as there were porta potties available and I didnt want to deal with it. If necessary I can haul it home and send it down the clean out for the septic. Slept like a rock.

One thing I have found is that I can eat a lot better on my time line for a WHOLE lot less than staying at a motel. Stayed in a buddies when we went to a week long shoot and we cooked for two for way less than feeding one. We did go out, there are a couple places that are on the list of need to go to, but for example on Wed we had a short day that started at 0530 on the range. Came back and built a early lunch of bacon and eggs right after getting cleaned up. Breakfast is healthier and dinner includes what I like and its a matter of tossing the paper plates in the fire and washing 3 pans.

We also took the kayaks along and put into the bay for a couple hours. There would be no where to put them at a hotel because we needed the truck. Also no hauling stuff in and out every morning and evening.
 
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