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Post by Cowboy Camper on Jan 4, 2010 22:22:35 GMT -6
I've often wondered how other folks pack up the campers after each trip. Some folks don't have too much, while others seem to have a ton of stuff set up while Camp is full swing. Me...? I've grown into one of those guys that has probably WAY to much crap along at camp. Thus.... that's why I keep wondering how others more experienced than I manage to pack it all in at the end of the trip. (End of the trip... That sucks, don't it?)
Well, during this current Off Season time from Camp, I've gathered some Pics together as to how I've (at least Tried!!) to somewhat come up with an efficient way to pack it all when it comes time to go back home after a nice (usually Extended) weekend at camp. Y'all Need to understand that this is Still something that I'm working on even after so many years of trying. I Swear... each and every trip seems to result in a different way of putting everything back into the camper when closing down. Jeeze! Y'all also have to know that the Pics coming soon are ones taken from one of my last trips of the '09 season, and that I have been working my way up to this from the beginning of my Tenting days with just a little station wagon. (what a Horror those days used to be, huh? ~ but... so much easier back then without all the stuff!)
For the record, I started camping in 1995 with just a tent and an Escort Wagon. Then a 1966 Wheel Campers pop up that was light enough for the little wagon came along in 1997. Then an S-10 truck and an eventual 1975 Palomino pop up. (too heavy for that little car...) Then... a full sized truck and shortly thereafter the new 2008 Palomino Yearling 4124, because the '75 was destroyed over one Winter. So...
I've come a long way in the last 13 years, but I still struggle with the Pack Down question. Coming soon, I hope to have the most recent Pics in Detail of the Pack Down process up at my Gallery on Webshots. When that's done, I'll also post them right here. Maybe you can learn from me, but I am really looking forward to hopefully learning from You! Please, Stay Tuned!!
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Post by snow on Jan 5, 2010 7:13:31 GMT -6
I don't think I have any pics of things packed up, but certainly on my picture site you can see the "stuff" we take. After being brought up flying and camping in a TT I can tall you the words "carry-on" is how you pack.
4 day vacations too see Mickey = carry-on Week long Campouts = Carry-on (you can find a laundromat) Week long trip to Germany (3 people)= Carry on each plus 1 bigger checked bag.
Mind you my load will change this year if I get that custom truck rack built.
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Post by Cowboy Camper on Jan 5, 2010 20:22:41 GMT -6
After being brought up flying and camping in a TT I can tall you the words "carry-on" is how you pack. Getting to work on my Webshots Galley tonight, but wanted to quickly say somethin' about the TT business. I've VERY seriously considered trading up to a TT or at least a Hybrid Trailer. That way, Most or All of the walls and cabinets could stay assembled for travel. But, since we're dealing with fold down trailers... this is where my struggles begin. To start off some Pics, here's a couple of side by sides of the S-10 and the W/T 1500. Believe me, that bigger truck helps a lot to haul more stuff. In fact, that bigger truck has contributed to my/our carrying a lot more stuff!! Take this Double Dorm Fridge as an example. It rides in the back of the truck to camp, and worse yet... I also haul along a cube sized dorm fridge too. The little one sits on the counter in the camper when all set up. I imagine both of those could stay in the Hybrid trailer if I had one.
"Carry On"? Not me... I can't do it anymore, and at times I really Envy those that can! The album I'm working on though covers more of the regular and sane items that really will fit into a fold down camper, but there's a little example of how much I do go overboard.
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Post by Cowboy Camper on Jan 6, 2010 22:52:41 GMT -6
I'm still working on that Webshots Gallery folks. I have to put the Pics in the Proper Order, but I have most of them up tonight. But for Starters, you can check out this link for the story of my Pack Jobs so far. Pack the CamperMake sure to read the Captions that I've entered in under each Pic at the Gallery. That's where you'll find the Text of my packing up of the camper for Travel.
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Post by snow on Jan 7, 2010 7:09:18 GMT -6
All you need to do is go back through everything you take camping.
Example: Does your pup have a fridge? Do you still pack coolers plus the two extra fridges?? If yes to both, then leave a fridge at home.
You have a smaller family (in numbers) and a bigger area in the truck to pack stuff (regular box, plus cap) then I have, shouldn't be too hard to weed out some stuff.
When I pack up the biggest problem I have is loading enough wood. Yes shoot me I take my own wood along.
I assume by all the fridges, that you try to last a full week at the CG instead of going out mid week to buy more food? If so then yes you can cut your stuff by 20-25% by going out mid-week.
We have thought about getting a hybrid or a small TT, the problem is there are only 2-3 TT's we like the floor plans on and those will only sleep 2-3 people. The hybrids = more gas for towing and I really don't like anything thats been made in the past 5 years or so.
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Post by snow on Jan 7, 2010 7:23:35 GMT -6
Two pictures in and I see a couple things that could be left out (providing they are not needed for health reasons.)
Buy an adaptor hose(s) and a propane distibution tree for your lantern, stove and what ever else you have.
Is the microwave really needed?? Too some it is, but if its just to make pop corn buy either a popper to use over the fire or a hot air popper.
What is the ladder used for??
Do you use all those appliances in picture #5? all the time?
I gotta run, but I'll look at the last 12 pics later... see if we cant thin you out a bit. lol
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Post by snow on Jan 7, 2010 16:29:50 GMT -6
Ok short addition... We have often thought about taking along a coffee maker, crock pot and other things, but have yet to do so. I have made crock pot meals for camping, prepared before hand and frozen the heated in a pot.
I also carry an old purculator coffe pot I use this for heating water for tea and hot choccolat as well as for making my coffee.
Look for multi-use things.
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Post by Cowboy Camper on Jan 7, 2010 21:43:22 GMT -6
OK, 3 posts to answer to. Fridges: I am Iceless now. NO Coolers. No more trips to fetch ice from someplace. The double dorm outside has all the beer and pop and most other drinks. The 2 Dorm fridges inside, Stock RV fridge, (so yes the pup has it's own...) and the added one on the counter keep all the food stuff. I don't like melted ice-soggy food. Bigger box on truck: My problem here is that the truck is also a small garage at home. I have more crap in there on a daily basis than any other normal person ever has in the back of a truck. If I weed that stuff out, Camp storage would NOT be an issue. The firewood? If I shoot you for bringing your own, I'd have to shoot myself too. Half of my free time is spent harvesting trees for my own personal Campfire use! The first year I had the big truck, I loaded up the front 1/3rd of the bed at the floor with my wood, and that lasted just about the entire camping season. I have a semi permanent shelf built in back there over where I keep the firewood for camp. This shelf is intended to be for tools and such that I want with me at all times in the truck. that VERY hot place, there's even an Air Compressor up on that shelf! No Tank mind you, but a compressor good enough to run smaller air tools pretty well. ~~~ Anyhow, so with all things getting back to normal, I still have a 6 1/2 foot bed remaining for camp use. And that's more than enough for what we really need to haul along for camping. Propane: The in/out Stove the camper comes with has it's own built in connections for both in and out use. Nothing extra I'm hauling along for that. The Lanterns: I use the 16oz disposable cans cause I can then move the lanterns freely about the campsite. I have the tree and hose distribution set up to use a 20# tank instead, but I figure the smaller 16oz cans are easier to stow away. Note here that I have favored the very small single mantle lanterns over the larger 2 mantle lanterns. Them little ones put out some pretty good light considering the amount of space they Don't take up! Here's a link to my (3 pic Gallery) of the tiny lanterns. Single Mantel LanternsAppliances: No, the Microwave is not 'needed' per se. But then again, nor is the TV. I bring them because I can, and I now have a full Duplicate supply that is permanently kept in the camper. That goes for the coffee maker, toaster, crock pot, foreman grill and blender as well. Are they all used on each and every trip? No, but when I want them they are there. ALL of them have been used though, it's not like we're hauling around stuff that we've never once taken out and used. I also have a Percolator in case the power goes out. (OK, that comes from the tenting days, but still... I'll have Coffee on the stove if necessary!) Almost skipped this one, the Ladder: I use that for anything and everything that involves the roof of the camper while set up. Roof top A/C problem? Get the ladder out and take a look at it. A leak at the top part of the canvas? Use ladder and investigate. TV antenna going haywire? Once again... use the ladder. Wait a sec, here... I need a 6 foot ladder, not the two step! OK, seriously. I use the 2 step ladder for the awning and tacky lights set up and take down. I've also had to use that 2 step ladder to work on the Screen room/AAR set up and take down. As I type this out here right now, I realize that I don't even have any Pics of that in the camper... but it's stored in the middle aisle for travel mode.
Yeah, I've got a lot of stuff I'm hauling around for camp... but it's not necessarily what I would call a waste either. I mean, we DO use the stuff. OK, I think I've run this post long enough. But you see what I'm sayin' here from my end? A lot of my problems would be answered if I didn't have the 'garage' stuff in my dang truck. But... I guess that's my own dang fault.
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Post by Cowboy Camper on Jan 7, 2010 22:27:41 GMT -6
Example: Does your pup have a fridge? Do you still pack coolers plus the two extra fridges?? If yes to both, then leave a fridge at home. I assume by all the fridges, that you try to last a full week at the CG instead of going out mid week to buy more food? If so then yes you can cut your stuff by 20-25% by going out mid-week. We have thought about getting a hybrid or a small TT, the problem is there are only 2-3 TT's we like the floor plans on and those will only sleep 2-3 people. The hybrids = more gas for towing and I really don't like anything thats been made in the past 5 years or so. The Double dorm Fridge is for BEER! You want me to leave that at home? What are you trying to do here, Kill me???
The Hybrid trailer would work out OK for us, as we are only 3 people with no pets. MY big problem with an HTT (Hybrid Travel Trailer) or a smaller TT would be the V-6 I have in my truck. The W/T Frame might be heavier duty, but the engine (IMHO) could be a lot better. I was sort of told (and I should have listened to this one....) a smaller V-8 will do better than the larger V-6. Power, Mileage, TOWING!!!... All would have been better had I bought a V-8! Next Truck upgrade will be a V-8 and possibly 4WD. The 4X4 would have saved us a lot of trouble when DD and I went on that Geocache Event a couple weeks ago. But I guess that's another topic for another time, huh? As for the floor plans... I'm really pretty easy on that I suppose. I may or may not have an Ideal in mind, but I've pretty much gotten Lucky on what I've bought on every step Up from the camper being replaced. Every upgrade in camper to me has been an improvement, so I guess I haven't really paid a whole lot of attention to the floor plan particulars. If/when we can afford one, I'll consider the HTT an Upgrade just because that will save me the work of setting up and breaking down camp. The fact that I can leave the inside of the camper pretty much alone will be a that VERY hot place of an improvement over having to disassemble things on each trip out.
But.. While we're here tonight talkin' about the camper I currently have, I'll have to say that I'm pretty dang happy with what we have at this point. Yeah, it's a fold down camper and that comes with some certain PITA aspects that come with it. But this thing IS rather nicely Fully Loaded as far as pop ups can be, ain't it? Top of the List is the Full Bathroom in this thing! Yeah, I did a Mod to it that includes Hard Walls now, but aside from that bit of extra work... I can hardly think of a Pop Up that is more equipped! Full Bath/Shower Hot Water. Furnace. (Thermostat controlled, at that.) A/C! (Cool, huh? Pun Intended!) Screen Room/Add A Room.
I guess I really have no room to complain, huh?
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