ReadyToGo
Minnesota
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Joined: 11/17/2002
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We have pulled the 5er for 12 years now, usually 4 to 6 months at a time. Usually go to one place and stay there the entire time.
This year we are going to use our 8 ft slide in camper that is a popup. It is really a good quality TC.
We will driving from MN to Texas to NM to Ariz. We know what we want to see so that is not an issue. This will be a 6 month trip.
These seem to be the issues:
1. The small frig and of course the freezing compartment. So what are good food alternatives that don't require a frig.
2. Washing of clothes. Hate to thing of spend time in a laundromat.
3 Portapotti and use. I don't like the though of getting up in the middle of the night and walking to restroom.
4. Potential breakins when we are parked at a grocery store/hiking/etc. Is a camper too inviting to thieves?
5. How to hide things we have in the back seat of the truck. Since anyone walking past can see into the truck would doing something like putting a blanket/sheet over the boxes stop or invite thieves?
6. What things can double up on usage. (for instance we found that a George Foreman is a good grill and also makes toast.)
7. Should I take the camper off if we decide to stay in one place for a week or more. I don't like taking the camper on and off and on but maybe that makes things more enjoyable.
Thanks. We are leaving in one week from today.
We do have two rules. Nothing is out of the way, and we don't have to be anyplace at any time.
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Photomike
Southern Alberta
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Joined: 04/26/2008
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1. We eat a lot of pasta, If you make it fresh not a lot of refrigerated ingredients/ dry works well also. We also take a trailer with a cooler in it for extras. Also we use more can goods such as canned vegies so they are not in the freezer.
2.Some truck stops and campgrounds have w/d's that you can use.
3 We have a bathroom for just those reasons!
4. I find it is the opposite, they don't see what is inside. Also, when you are always moving it doesn't give them a lot of time to plan.
5. Two ideas - one from a friend, go to a second hand place and get real old suitcases (the kind most people throw out as they are falling apart) and use these. Thieves will see them and figure you are too poor for anything good. Second idea came from a photographer that built a false floor in his truck, put carpet on it to match the truck and put everything of value under that. He had a good 14 inches from regular floor to the top of his new floor.
6. We take an outdoor stove with a cast iron attachment to fry on. You can use for pots, and also as a large frying pan.
7. I like keeping it on as we use it as a portable kitchen and bathroom when we are at different locations hiking.
Most of all have a great trip!!
2002 GMC 2500HD 4x4 4 Door
1992 Northern Lite 9'- 6" Camper
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BrandonR
Oregon
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Joined: 04/12/2006
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If I was going to be on the road for 6 months in a TC I'd plan on spending a few nights in good hotels once in a while just for the chance to use "normal" sized facilities and being able to relax/decompress from the cramped space of the camper.
Brandon Reed
Albany, OR
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Super_Dave
Sacramento, CA
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Joined: 01/19/2007
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Think about bringing a small tent to store some of you bulky stuff at the campground. I take the camper off if I stay 2 days. I hate having to put everything in the camper away every time I want to run down the road to see or get something.
Checkout the Cooking Forum and there is a lot of great ideas for must have appliances and menus.
Truck: 2006 Dodge 3500 Dually
Camper: 2007 Eagle Cap 850
Boat: 2003 Jetcraft 2125 - Yamaha 150 HP & 8 HP Kicker
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jmtandem
carson city nv
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Joined: 01/18/2006
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Ready to Go,
If you are used to traveling in the fifth, you might take a trip or two of a week to see if the eight foot TC is big enough and will work for you. The standard you are measuring against if the fifth, not a tent. If you were using a tent as the standard the TC would be luxury. But coming from bigger it might not be as comfortable and will surely be much smaller. You don't reference why you plan to use the pop up eight foot TC in deference to the fifth. That might help folks here provide good advice to you. For example are you planning to travel on a lot of dirt roads, etc.
'05 Dodge Cummins 4x4 dually 3500 white quadcab auto long bed airbags overload springs bumpers
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ReadyToGo
Minnesota
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Joined: 11/17/2002
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Well, first of all, this is our second popup TC which we would use for weekend camping and 2 or 3 week vacations. Second, the 5er was only 30 ft long and our prior one was 27 ft long. We have had this TC for 2 years but circumstances limited our use it for only a week or so at a time.
When you look at it a little bit differently, our living space (minus the bed) is only 8 ft, but when you subtract the bedroom (no slide) and bathroom on the 5er you don't have much more space. I am guessing something around 15 feet give or take.
Next, the purpose is to be able to stop anyplace rather than saying to each other, I would like to see that but there is no room for the 5er or there isn't a good place to turn around here. Or can we go down that road?
Lastly, we will be mostly on secondary roads but paved. Only dirt roads would be on some BLM lands but that would be a minimum of use. No off road use.
This is strickly a way to see the country with a minimum of hassles that a bigger tt comes with. Remember we have been doing this for 12 years and before that for 30 years of camping.
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jmtandem
carson city nv
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Joined: 01/18/2006
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Ready to Go.
Sounds good. Wish you luck. We have had three truck campers, one was an eight foot Alaskan pop up. We thoroughly enjoyed it as well as our 11 foot hard side.
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jmckelvy
North Alabama
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Joined: 07/25/2006
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ReadyToGo wrote:.....Next, the purpose is to be able to stop anyplace rather than saying to each other, I would like to see that but there is no room for the 5er or there isn't a good place to turn around here. Or can we go down that road?
.....
This is one of the major reasons I went back to a TC after years of popup trailers, and travel trailers. It is so much more enjoyable driving with the TC and not worrying about access or egress problems anywhere. With the TC I can go or stop almost anywhere I could with a car. Just have to watch out for the height.
I am envious of your trip. Enjoy and be sure to post!
Jim
06 Dodge 3500,Dually,CTD,Auto,QC,4X4,Torklifts,Fastguns
2008 Northstar 8.5 Arrow
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btggraphix
Golden, CO
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Joined: 03/08/2005
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ReadyToGo wrote:
We do have two rules. Nothing is out of the way, and we don't have to be anyplace at any time.
I just want to say, I like your rules. I'd like to adopt them someday......
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Ramblin' Ralph
All around California
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Joined: 10/27/2005
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I'm just finishing up my fourth session of traveling/living in my TC for 6 months.
I have never had any problem with someone breaking into my TC or truck in a campground or elsewhere. The back of my extended cab truck is filled with "stuff". I rarely park in urban areas, however.
I stop about every 10 days and do my laundry in a laundromat. Not sure how you'd escape that, unless you drop it off and come back the next day to pick it up.
Have fun,
Ralph
2006 GMC 2500HD, XCab, SB, 6.0L w/2001 Lance 845
Firestone Air Bags, 125 watt solar
1970 Martin D18 Guitar
My RV Travels Webpage and Campsite Map
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