Best Of
Re: Post up some shots of your [email protected] set-up at the camp site! #3
This week we stayed a few days at Occoneechee State Park at Clarksville, VA, on Rte 58 at the Kerr Reservoir near the NC border. We chose site C16, not right on the water, but still close to the lake and very spacious with lots of shade trees..
Because roads are at the top of hills, many of the sites have 2 levels, with steps going down a short distance from the driveway to the picnic table & fire pit.
This was our second visit here since 3 years ago, and like before, we saw a great sunset from the picnic area behind the park office.
Here's a view from the driveway level. I've always loved how our [email protected] can be rotated by hand as I did here (a wheel makes it easier, but not always necessary with a flat foot plate under the jack post). Note that I tried wrapping the water hose around the stabilizer to avoid damage to the hose fitting if someone trips on the hose.
At the top of the steps I met this hairy little jumping spider (just a half inch long). I got a chuckle out of what looked like a big frown on his face, just below 4 of his eyes.
After getting in some good hikes on trails & some biking the previous days, we inflated our kayak & tied it on the roof rack for a short drive to the boat launch (the smaller of two inside the park).
It was just enough paddling for us to make it around to where our campsite was located (about 60 yards into the trees above my wife's paddle, and see map below).
Morning sun & a wide angle view of the beautiful trees, with lots of Beech trees (and squirrels dropping Beech nut shells on us)..
Edit:
PS: I found the spider's name - He is Phidippus Otiosis & the size & distribution matches, as well as the general appearance.
https://g.co/kgs/fpDpH7
Oh, and get this.. According to Wikipedia, "the species name is possibly derived from Latin otium 'leisure, peace, quiet + the suffix osus "full of, prone to"..". So, our little campground host spider's name is synonymous with "prone to leisure, peace & quiet"! Very fitting!
Because roads are at the top of hills, many of the sites have 2 levels, with steps going down a short distance from the driveway to the picnic table & fire pit.
This was our second visit here since 3 years ago, and like before, we saw a great sunset from the picnic area behind the park office.
Here's a view from the driveway level. I've always loved how our [email protected] can be rotated by hand as I did here (a wheel makes it easier, but not always necessary with a flat foot plate under the jack post). Note that I tried wrapping the water hose around the stabilizer to avoid damage to the hose fitting if someone trips on the hose.
At the top of the steps I met this hairy little jumping spider (just a half inch long). I got a chuckle out of what looked like a big frown on his face, just below 4 of his eyes.
After getting in some good hikes on trails & some biking the previous days, we inflated our kayak & tied it on the roof rack for a short drive to the boat launch (the smaller of two inside the park).
It was just enough paddling for us to make it around to where our campsite was located (about 60 yards into the trees above my wife's paddle, and see map below).
Morning sun & a wide angle view of the beautiful trees, with lots of Beech trees (and squirrels dropping Beech nut shells on us)..
Edit:
PS: I found the spider's name - He is Phidippus Otiosis & the size & distribution matches, as well as the general appearance.
https://g.co/kgs/fpDpH7
Oh, and get this.. According to Wikipedia, "the species name is possibly derived from Latin otium 'leisure, peace, quiet + the suffix osus "full of, prone to"..". So, our little campground host spider's name is synonymous with "prone to leisure, peace & quiet"! Very fitting!
Re: Post up some shots of your [email protected] set-up at the camp site! #3
Cooke Dam Pond near Oscoda, MI. National Forest rustic site....great spot!
Re: Post up some shots of your [email protected] set-up at the camp site! #3
"Overflow" campsite at Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland west coast.
Boondock at town Rest/Camp area along Humber Bay, NL west coast. Camping encouraged. enroute to Blow Me Down Provincial Park for a week.
Boondock designated trucker lot by Wreckhouse Mountain range, living up to its name. 60-80 mph winds on return trip.
Boondock at town Rest/Camp area along Humber Bay, NL west coast. Camping encouraged. enroute to Blow Me Down Provincial Park for a week.
Boondock designated trucker lot by Wreckhouse Mountain range, living up to its name. 60-80 mph winds on return trip.
Re: Post up some shots of your [email protected] set-up at the camp site! #3
Earlier this week, I went to Mount Rainier National Park (Washington). Stayed at Ohanapecosh Campground. Good sized campsites that cater to tent campers -- motor homes over 32 feet and trailers over 27 feet are not permitted in this campground -- [email protected] are right at home here. No hook ups and probably not a good location for solar due to the topographic shading of the Ohanapecosh River valley and the trees, so fill your freshwater tank and charge your batteries ahead of time. Also, if you arrived from the north via WA route 123, there is a tunnel with 13' clearance.
I love fall camping, it was so quiet! The park is not a great place to take dogs though, as they are not allowed on trails, so we took walks around the campground, exploring the loops that were closed for the season.
Obligatory shot of the park entrance (this is the White River entrance on WA route 123):
Wish I had taken the wheel for my tongue jack, I would have turned the trailer sideways. Next time.
I had a nice, private campsite.
Bear boxes are provided at each site for storing foodstuffs, safe from wildlife. Didn't see any bears, but lots of squirrels.
Side trip to Paradise Visitor Center on a glorious fall day when The Mountain was out. Leave your trailer in camp if you take the drive to Paradise, the parking area is often full.
I love fall camping, it was so quiet! The park is not a great place to take dogs though, as they are not allowed on trails, so we took walks around the campground, exploring the loops that were closed for the season.
Obligatory shot of the park entrance (this is the White River entrance on WA route 123):
Wish I had taken the wheel for my tongue jack, I would have turned the trailer sideways. Next time.
I had a nice, private campsite.
Bear boxes are provided at each site for storing foodstuffs, safe from wildlife. Didn't see any bears, but lots of squirrels.
Side trip to Paradise Visitor Center on a glorious fall day when The Mountain was out. Leave your trailer in camp if you take the drive to Paradise, the parking area is often full.
Time to say adios!
After 5 years of thoroughly enjoying my TAB 320, I finally traded her in and took the step to a larger, more traditional travel trailer. I simply needed more space than any of the current lineup could provide. My TAB was my stab at trying the RV lifestyle to see how I liked it before investing more. Here’s a few things I thought I’d share that I learned along the way.
- This forum and community is hands down the best. So much sharing, debating, and learning that isn’t matched with other brands. For that - thank you to all of you.
- The campers are hard to beat for the quality and value you get. I’m getting bigger for sure, but no where near the quality - unless you’re willing to spend substantially more. And mine held its value well. The tech that took the trade said he’s never seen a 5 year old camper in that good of a condition.
- For boon docking, these little campers are well thought out and deliver. With all the mods you can make, you really can zero in on a camper that is uniquely outfitted for you. They should name these PC - personal campers!
- Change out your tires - Goodyear Endurance for me. I literally drove my new trailer to a Discount Tire and had them change the tires on the way back home.
- Don’t over buy organizational things out of the gate. You can think all you want about your needs but you won’t really know until you gain some experience. With my new rig, I’ve just loaded all the stuff I know I used and threw it into the cabinets and compartments. And I’m going out a few times close and will then buy what I need based on how I actually use the space.
- Don’t ignore the maintenance. And that includes your TV. I never experienced any problems with things in the camper not working as it was well maintained and I did pre trips for my bigger trips when I knew availability to services would be minimal when I got there.
- Embrace things when your trips don’t go as planned. It’s going to happen. Go with it, deal with it, and remember - you’re creating memories and experiences with fine people all over this country that most people will never do.
- Good Sams is indispensable. I had to use them a number of times with my TV (My jeep) and that was the best money I spent.
- Don’t be afraid if you’ve never done something before. Almost all of my trips and experiences were doing things Or seeing places I had never seen. I learned a lot about me in the process. And I developed new passions I didn’t know I had. Much to the chagrin of my wife, I have new hobbies and even more places on my ever increasing bucket list.
- Lastly, do your homework. Research things. Learn from others. But don’t wait if you’re thinking about pulling the trigger on any of these campers. The perfect time to start and go camping is now.
Re: '20 [email protected] bath door hinges
I got my replacement hinges from nüCamp through my dealer.
Cheers
Cheers
747 Jockey Wheel Mod
There have been many "747" mod posts by members (including me), but searching for a place to post this new (to me) idea, I couldn't find anything easily searchable, so here's mine along with a place to add your version.
My first 747 mod used cheap pneumatic tires from Harbor Freight. Worked OK, but the tires would lose air over time and even though they were rated for 250 lbs each, they would compress under the tongue weight. This would make it more difficult to maneuver the trailer. I was back at Harbor Freight and saw that they had a better assortment of tires, so decided to try something new. Picked up two 8" Solid Rubber tires.
The old setup would never track straight. I'd have to grab the tires and point them in the direction I wanted to move the trailer to. While looking for a fix, I found a handle in the basement. Not even sure what it was originally for, but it worked perfect for this job.
Terrible & Awesome Parts Experiences: Bankston and Princess Craft
This past week while camping, the front window of our [email protected] 400 fell off the camper while opening it, breaking both support arms in the process. Per Austin at NuCamp Service, a likely broken hinge. A trip to Walmart to buy some Flex Seal tape, I set the window back in place, locked the levers, and taped the hinge at the top to hold the window and seal out any rain.
On Friday I called the parts department of my selling dealer, Bankston in Huntsville, AL. Talked to a lady on the parts desk about what I needed. She asked that I text some photos, and would call me back after getting the photos. No call back. On Monday morning I called again. After a few minutes, the person located the images I texted last Friday, then said she would need to talk to the parts manager and call me back. No call back. On Tuesday I attempted a 3rd call, went through the whole explainer again. No call back. (This has been my experience with Bankston in the past.)
On Friday I called the parts department of my selling dealer, Bankston in Huntsville, AL. Talked to a lady on the parts desk about what I needed. She asked that I text some photos, and would call me back after getting the photos. No call back. On Monday morning I called again. After a few minutes, the person located the images I texted last Friday, then said she would need to talk to the parts manager and call me back. No call back. On Tuesday I attempted a 3rd call, went through the whole explainer again. No call back. (This has been my experience with Bankston in the past.)
On our camping trip someone suggested I contact Princess Craft in Texas. I called Wednesday, Rebecca on the parts desk answered my call, collected my info, I texted images, and she said she would be in touch after talking with NuCamp. In the afternoon, Rebecca texted me she submitted the info to NuCamp. By the next day at lunch time Rebecca had the shipping quote and order ready, the order was placed and I paid over the phone! I can highly recommend Princess Craft for any parts you need to order (and avoid Bankston if you can).
Re: Post up some shots of your [email protected] set-up at the camp site! #3
After an eventful journey through rural SW Virginia's mountainous region, we finally arrived last week at our favorite & most beautiful state park, Grayson Highlands.
EDIT: Thanks to google, I've added this terrain map of the park with photo numbers from the lower right corners of photos keyed to the red pins in the map where each photo was taken.. (Road at bottom is state Rte 58; Red lines are the 3 hikes we took.)
We couldn't wait to see the mountain views, so before getting to our campsite, we stopped at this overlook just inside the park..
EDIT: Thanks to google, I've added this terrain map of the park with photo numbers from the lower right corners of photos keyed to the red pins in the map where each photo was taken.. (Road at bottom is state Rte 58; Red lines are the 3 hikes we took.)
We couldn't wait to see the mountain views, so before getting to our campsite, we stopped at this overlook just inside the park..
Getting here was eventful due to a blowout in one of our [email protected] tires, which you can read about here..
Our campsite 35 was fine, a little uphill, but we were able to get level L-R by just angling a little. 33 right next to it would be a better choice for shade but was taken, and weather was beautiful anyway..
One morning we had this friendly visitor stop by while I was sitting quietly in the lounge chair sipping coffee just outside our door - that's the tip of my shoe at bottom left, so he was very close..
The first morning we took the first of three hikes to the "Little Pinnacle", a rocky overlook at the highest park elevation (5089 ft), but a short hike from behind the visitor's center, with this view looking south into NC..
Sprinkled around the park, you can see these orange colored wild azaleas at this time of year..
After the Pinnacle hike, we returned to camp for some lunch & relaxation..
After driving from the campground area to the Massie Gap parking area, we started our second hike of the day. We took the narrow trail west from the trailhead next to the parking lot through the thick mountain laurel & rhododendrons down the mountain side into the canyon between the Grayson peak and Mt Roger's farther NW, where there's a pretty stream lined with more of the same plants..
Upon returning to the car, we looked for the wild ponies we saw on our first visit a few years ago, but they were nowhere nearby. We had heard from other hikers that they have been seen recently up on Massie Ridge in the highland meadows of the park where the Appalachian Trail winds through. So, off we went on the trail up the mountain for our third hike of the day, with this view on the way up, including mountain laurel in full bloom..
A mile or so later we were rewarded with a view of this group of the "wild" ponies grazing in the high meadows (which are really considered feral, since they are in a managed area to keep numbers low, but roam freely)..
There was also a young one who we saw nursing & then laying in the grass while the three adults grazed. By now, the sun was getting low in the sky, so we headed back down the mountain along this scenic part of the trail..
By the time we got back to our campsite to get dinner ready, I was cooking the fajitas on the grill around 8:30pm. We were worn out after about 800 ft of elevation change over about 9 miles, but it was worth the effort..
(If you recognized the white spare wheel rim on this side, I didn't want to spend any more camping time messing with tires, so waited until we got back home to put the new tire back on.)
The next day it was time to pack up & head back home. We need to stay longer next time, especially with a 6 hour drive home. I do like state route 58 which takes us nearly all the way there, and it skirts along near the NC border where you see lots of pretty countryside. It's mostly 55-65mph until we get on I-85 heading northeast back to central VA.
The next day it was time to pack up & head back home. We need to stay longer next time, especially with a 6 hour drive home. I do like state route 58 which takes us nearly all the way there, and it skirts along near the NC border where you see lots of pretty countryside. It's mostly 55-65mph until we get on I-85 heading northeast back to central VA.
We shall be back some day!
PS: This may be our first 3-day trip (or at least in-state trip) where the cost of gas was more than the cost of camping.
PS: This may be our first 3-day trip (or at least in-state trip) where the cost of gas was more than the cost of camping.
Re: Post up some shots of your [email protected] set-up at the camp site! #3
Wrangled a 1-night stay at Kalaloch Campground in Olympic National Park, Washington state, a couple of weeks ago.
Nice, forested campground. Easy trail to beach.
Peek-a-boo view of Kalaloch Beach and the Pacific Ocean from our camp site.
Nice, forested campground. Easy trail to beach.
Peek-a-boo view of Kalaloch Beach and the Pacific Ocean from our camp site.