I did a search and didn't find anything similar, and I know there are real camping forums, but I figured I'd give it shot and start a thread for all things camping. Where have you stayed, what campgrounds do you like/dislike. Any cool trips planned or taken recently? Where ya from, where ya going, how ya getting there, what's your set up?
I've got a 2015 Lacrosse 336bht, just got it this year. First travel trailer. Bought it at the end of summer so we haven't done too much. Stayed in Oklahoma in it after I bought it, did a test/break in trip close to home at Yogi Bear, currently have camp set up in Minnesota at a real nice campground near Rochester. The big trip we are planning next year is a tour of the western states for a week or so.
Just picked up our 2013 Keystone Cougar 5th wheel a few weeks ago. Took a trip to a local campground (50 miles) last weekend, and hoping to do a couple more small weekends like that before we close for the year. We have already booked a spot at a campground in Myrtle for next summer.
We mostly "boondock" at the VCHSS races all over VA. In fact in the last 4 years of owning a toy hauler, we've only camped at TWO locations with hookups. That's how you put 600 hours on a generator in two years.
Nice looking rig you have there. My wife and I do a lot of Boondocking in our RV. We have solar panels. I think we have 260hrs. on our Onan Generator. Our RV is a 2005 Jamboree 26Q.
I am thinking of a generator next year myself for our 5th wheel. Been looking at the Predator generators from Harbor Freight. The 3500 is very quiet and will run a single ac unit.
NC4stroker, You have an outstanding looking rig setup. :thumbsup:
Our Generator came in handy camping when cat 1 hurricane came ashore in Melbourne Fl in 2012. Only had to use it a few hrs though till power came back up.
Thank you! Our Toy Hauler has a built in Cummins/Onan 5500 watt genset. I had to install a new fuel pump when the generator had only 7 hours on it!! Mostly it has been trouble free, HOWEVER, you must maintain the genset accordingly. I think a lot of people have troubles with these types of gensets because of lack of maintenance or simply not using the generator.
We have a 25' TT, it is an easy pull for us. Tend to stay at the National/State parks in the west but planning a big trip to Glacier/Canada next year. Might move up to a 5th wheel before the trip. Would love to have a bigger shower!
Just did the southern coast of California a couple months ago. Some hook ups and some non hookup sites along the coastal highway.
Nice thing about an RV, if you don't like your spot just move. And it works the other way for us too. If we love a place, we go no further. Great adventures.
We've owned our Heartland Trail Runner 30' bunkhouse trailer since April of 2011.
We have been seasonal campers all but one season since owning it. I try to get it onto the site in such a way where I only need to hook up and go if we want a weekend away.
I've camped at Road America and the Milwaukee Mile and various private campgrounds in southern Wisconsin and as far north as the Dells area. Getting out of the state somewhere is on my "Bucket List" and we will some day. We bought the travel trailer with the term TRAVEL in mind, not to pitch it on a permanent site and let it rot. It is for the reason of travel that I bought my Dodge.
Definitely look into armed forces weekend at the private campgrounds. Sometimes, they will let you stay for free if also reserving for Memorial Day weekend.
Your profile says "Northwestern Illinois". We got the May special at Crazy Horse Campground just a tick west of Beloit, Wi.
Someday, when we decide to plan a long trip, we are looking to be on the road from day to day for not more than six hours. You can go pretty far in that amount of time and still be able to set up and burn wood and enjoy a fire in the evening, and then in the morning not having to rush out of the campground for the next day's ride.
There's a lot around the dells. Good for the kiddys too if you have to keep them occupied.
Just got back from Rochester MN. Stayed at autumn wood just south of town by the airport. Great quiet little place. We were up there for more "business" than pleasure. Had some check up appointments at the hospital. Would recommend autumn wood if you like a nice, quiet, clean, small camp ground. Conveniently located. BUT, it's close to Rochester, and there main clientele are there for medical reasons. So if your looking for a party, I'd suggest somewhere else. I like quiet. No fires though.
My camping is always boondock style. Bring the generator but rarely use it. I camp in the woods and fields for trail riding or enduros or harescrambles or dual sports. Bring my 4 legged friend Buddy and the Gf. Always have a good time and even when it's just the 3 of us that I know at an event always meet a great group of people. I honestly bought my travel trailer for a hot shower after a ride. I still tent camp occasionally and still love it. It's just easier with the camper as it stays packed and doesn't have too be unloaded like the truck when tent camping. Most event have a large community bon fire and during the races the wife's gfs and peoples kids usually get involved or hang out and talk. So the camper is basically for sleeping and a shower. But I don't regret buying it one bit.
Just got all winterize. You don't fill the hot water heater with antifreeze correct? Instructions say it will ruin the anode. I just drained and bypassed it.
What I do is hook up around 40 psi of air pressure to the city water port. I remove the anode and let the air blow the tank out. I then leave it sit in the door for the water heater. I then bypass the heater and blow the remaining hot and cold lines out. Don't forget outside shower and toilet. I then blow the black tank flush line. I make a little plug up so I can blow the drains. Then I use the winter antifreeze just to be safe. Around 3 to 4 gallons will do all the lines and the drains. Also run some through the shower faucet. Close it all up, remove the batteries to keep in the garage and remove all the inside contents. Give the inside a good cleaning to remove any food that may have been missed. I then check the roof and all window seals as well as underneath and seal as needed. Park it on my leveling boards and call it a year. With the gfs help it takes 3 to 4 hours
I did the all antifreeze method, bypassed the hot water heater, filled up the fresh water tank untill it didn't read empty anymore with antifreeze, then turned the pump on and pumped it throughout. Took 20 gallons. 15 in the tank, 1 for the toilet, and 4 more for each drain to the grey tank.
You don't need to put any antifreeze in the fresh tank. Most campers have a short hose on the intake side of the pump that you place in the gallon jug of antifreeze. Drain and bypass the water heater and run each faucet until you see pink.
^^Thanks Ratdog! We've slowly moved up from open trailers, to enclosed trailers, finally settling on Toy Haulers for now. Primitive camping, which is necessary for how we use our rig, is tougher on the RV, because we are having to haul 60 gallons of gasoline for the generator, and 100+ gallons of water. Getting to use hook ups is a blessing, but is rare for us!
I really love this thread I click in here expecting to see fights over new alaska guide domes and the old teppes, or swapping of Dutch oven recepies, or internal vs external frame packs......but heck no.
Call me old fashioned but if a 34' long camper with a shower and queen mattress and all the amenities of home is your definition of camping..... why even go???
BTW, I feel your pain on winterizing with the RV antifreeze. Next year, look into taking the shortcut by installing a short hose on the intake side of the pump, as some suggested, so you can pump antifreeze through your system without having to put the antifreeze in the fresh tank. Then you'll use less than 2 gallons to get the job done! Sometimes a manufacturer already has a hose in place for this. If not, you can definitely install one.
Luckily, our 5er has fitting to be able to pump antifreeze directly into the water lines. Takes less than 2 gallons, and takes about 5 mins!!!
And someone correctly said to bypass the water heater, as it would waste a bunch of antifreeze by having to fill the water heater up before filling the rest of the hot water lines!!
Haha I wish I had a long bed mega sure would be nice... But I know I'm very close to pay load as is when hooked up to my camper and filled up with fuel with my 52 Titan tank...
If I do upgrade to a '13 or newer with the 14k gvw I'd consider it! But then I'd have an auto with 4.10s anyways! Haha
'12 3500 Mega DRW, Mini'd, 5" TBE, G56 w/SB 3250, 5k HIDs, AMP boards, triple gauge pod.
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