I was pulling for Charlie Parker was outvoted by my wife and kids!
I've been lurking here for a few months now learning about these amazing campers. We really loved the idea of the clamshell for cooking outside but also really needed the extra clearance for boondocking in our Colorado mountains on the weekends! I didn't think the pitched axle was a possibility on the CS-S until I read a post on this awesome forum that a dealer a couple hours away orders them standard on all his 320s. He happened to have one 2018 CS-S left on his lot. Added the Pahaque add-a-room tent and we were good to go. We then decided to do a quick shake down trip of 4000 miles, 12 states and 2 countries with me, my wife Katie, our boys Miles (8), Coltrane (4) and Ella the Silver Lab (she matches the T@B nicely). Used our 2013 Durango as TV ...Boulder to Saratoga Springs, NY for a small Jazzfest where Katie and I met 16 years ago (thus the Jazz theme in our family). We saw MT Rushmore, camped in a great little state park in the UP right on the Lake, 2 nights in Ontario, Niagara Falls, the Adirondacks...an amazing Maiden Voyage. We saw a couple Outback 320s, a cool new 400 and followed two ladies and their rented T@G half way through South Dakota...everyone was super friendly.
Billie pulled like a dream behind the 5.7 HEMI but the real test was pulling it up into the mountains with my highly modified 2003 Jeep Rubicon. The main reason we went with T@B was to stay under the 2000 lb limit of the Wrangler. I read hours of posts on this forum and jeep forums and was finally comfortable that it could be done. Added a Prodigy P2 brake controller and a Reese friction sway hitch in an abundance of caution and safe driving practices. The first two trips were up to the Indian Peaks up 10%-13% roads and she did great...rock solid and never over 4000 rpm...we dragged Billie over roots, rocks and puddles to a secluded dispersed site we have been tenting in for years with no problem.
On the road trip east we had a few soggy campsites where we all just squeezed in the T@B bed with Ella on the floor. It was tight but we are not large people so it was fine. But when we add the Pahaque tent and a queen inflatable for the boys it is truly spacious.
I haven't camped in a trailer in almost 40 years and have never owned one. Learning all the ins and outs of the systems has been a steep learning curve but has been made easy thanks to all the people that share there knowledge on this forum. We can't wait for our next adventures.
Camp-on!
Boulderjay
Comments
Draco dormiens numquam titilandus.
Love'n'it
TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
Spokane, Wa.
Eric aka: Lone Wolf
Pulled by a silver 2017 Chevy Silverado
Leaves on T@bventures from Spokane, WA