I need a pep talk! How to Camp alone

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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    But, the real question is.... Hey, Photomom, how did your weekend go?  Did you have fun on your first camping trip in your T@B?
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • Corbinpilo
    Corbinpilo Member Posts: 21
    Photomom, 

    I'm not a girl camper but want to share a few thoughts. 

    First, we all remember being nervous the first time we towed or camped. As you know, this site is a good place for questions and finding answers. 

    My better half just finished her first solo camping trip. She was very nervous and considered not going because of a fear of towing our T@b through the mountains of WV. But she did go and now believes that towing is no big deal. 

    Some things that helped her were the advice of a lady camper who encouraged her and said, "when backing your trailer remember you can always pull forward and try again" and "you're going to pull into the campground like a boss!" And my wife did! She even nailed backing in solo the first try. I'm sure there will be campers who will help your at the campground if needed too. 

    Finally, my wife has been empowered and encouraged by a lady named Janine Pettit. She is a writer, blogger, and podcaster. Her efforts are focused on empowering women to go places and do things. Her Girl Camper podcast lead my wife to her first trip and joining several female camping groups like, Girl Camper and Sisters on the Fly. Now she has new friends and camping trips booked all over. It's been a wonderful thing. 

    Here's Janine's website. You can play her podcasts from this website too. Remember that you will "pull in like a boss!" 

    http://girlcamper.com


    Chris & Gina 
    2015 T@B S Max Sofitel 
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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Whew! Back home now and tired! It was a good weekend, was able to do some hiking and geocaching but it rained almost all the time so not much in the way of photography. It turned out I had a really bad site with a ditch across the front and very uneven with the middle higher than the sides. I was able to conscript a nearby teenager to help me maneuver the T@B into an acceptable location.  If the tire had been mounted underneath I would not have made it.

    Really happy with the T@B - waking up to rain on the camper roof is SO much nicer than waking up to rain on a tent roof! BTW, I'll put in a plug for the Maxxair Deluxe fan - it worked perfectly in the rain. Everyone who custom orders should consider it.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,655
    You're good to go, Photomom! If you're still smiling after a first trip in those conditions, the rest is a cakewalk.

    I guess all that homework paid off.  :-)
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    I have backpacked and kayak camped, and we have tent camped for many years. I'm not afraid of rain.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    If you haven't camped in the rain, you haven't camped. In the Pacific Northwest, that is just a given, just a matter of when, how long, and how hard! Builds character!
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • Ratkity
    Ratkity Member Posts: 3,770
    (Story told with a Southern accent)

    "There Ah wuz..... snug as a bug in mah Reverse TD....had to have been in 2010.... baby seester was a ground dweller back then. We met up at Shenandoah NP in Big Meadows campground. She had a nice tent with purdy awning. I had a great fyre going most the evening when she pulled up and set up her tent.

    With the unpredictability of mountain weather, shure 'nuff, it started pouring not long after we jawed a bit over the embers. Not jus' pouring, but BUCKETS and BUCKETS. We retired to our respective sleeping quarters. I thought, any minute I'm gonna hear a knock on my TD door and she's gonna want in! I kept hearing great splashes of water hit the ground. Slept good, no knocks.

    Next morning, there she wuz... I'd seen the same type black rings around the eyes of a raccoon. She had spent the night poking a sagging spot in her tent roof that was collecting gallons of water (the random water splashes!). Guess there's another use for the curved end of an umbrella! Baby seester is a trooper, though (like most seasoned tent campers). Undeterred, we set everything out to dry and she commenced to cookin' a proper breakfast without a blink of an eye. She stayed a ground-dweller for a long time after that too (and makes the best biscuits with white sausage gravy evah)."    

    Fin.
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Okay, but the hot stuff you make with wood is pronounced "far". I grew up in East Tennessee.

    We camped at Big Meadows a few years ago, and are thinking of a circuit of Shenandoah VA - Indian Boundary TN - Pipestem WVA next year. Either that or head north to the maritime provinces.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • TerryV6
    TerryV6 Member Posts: 1,101
    Photomom said:
    Driving was fine but I was disappointed to get only 12.2 mpg through the Southern Tier of NY. Overall mpg up to 14.3 for the whole trip which still seems low. I kept speeds between 55-60. 

    Backing was horrible but I was able to find a nearby teenager to help manhandle the trailer almost into the spot I wanted. Then I realized it wasn't level so I had to hook up and try again. Obviously need more practice. 
    We did our first excursion this last weekend and I knew my mpg would be 10-12 miles to a gallon.  On the way home, about 30 miles out with my wife driving, she turned to me and said, our gas light just came on.  We looked for the next off ramp and the small community there had no gas station.  We stopped someone and they pointed down the road and said, 10 miles... We white knuckled it and pulled up to the pump with about a half gallon... Whew...
    Terry & Jody...  2025 Honda Ridgeline RTL
    2016 NuCamp 320 T@B Max S
    T@bbey  Road   
    Appleton,  WI





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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    "rain builds character" - Yep, last spring I had three weeks of rain and it turned me into a foul-mouth character all right.
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Terry - Know the feeling - Coasted into Moab with the light on and the guage on empty. Twas lucky it was down hill.


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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    My car has a computer that tells me how many miles I have left. I have had it as low as 15 before. The computer doesn't know whether there is a trailer though...
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Mine does also but I never pay attention to it. I'm usuall good at keeping it full - Been in places where you get gas when you can even if it's just a quarter tank. Headwinds did me in at Moab.
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  • ChanW
    ChanW Member Posts: 3,165
    There's character, and then there's PXL character... B-)
    PXLated said:
    "rain builds character" - Yep, last spring I had three weeks of rain and it turned me into a foul-mouth character all right.

    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    PX, I never said what kind of character :D
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    TerryV6 said:
    We did our first excursion this last weekend and I knew my mpg would be 10-12 miles to a gallon.  On the way home, about 30 miles out with my wife driving, she turned to me and said, our gas light just came on.  We looked for the next off ramp and the small community there had no gas station.  We stopped someone and they pointed down the road and said, 10 miles... We white knuckled it and pulled up to the pump with about a half gallon... Whew...
    If you have a smartphone with cell service, google will find the nearest gas station for you, and there are also apps like Gas Buddy. 
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    Love Gas Buddy! AllStay Camp and RV shows gas stations, too. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    +1 for Gas Buddy. My new TV has a similar app built into the system.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Yep, they show you where the gas stations are and just how screwed you be.
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  • TerryV6
    TerryV6 Member Posts: 1,101
    And hindsight is always 20/20...
    Terry & Jody...  2025 Honda Ridgeline RTL
    2016 NuCamp 320 T@B Max S
    T@bbey  Road   
    Appleton,  WI





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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Long story short, when it gets to 1/2 to 1/4 of a tank, fill it up! :s
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    PXLated said:
    Yep, they show you where the gas stations are and just how screwed you be.
    You should live in Indy. Race weekend and the price jumped 25 cent between 10 am  to 1 pm. Love when they gouge the locals and the fans ;(
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    ericnliz - Agree but it's only possible if there's a gas station :-)
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Good point PX! :o
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • TerryV6
    TerryV6 Member Posts: 1,101
    One of the many should haves...  Experiences are the best teacher ...  
    Terry & Jody...  2025 Honda Ridgeline RTL
    2016 NuCamp 320 T@B Max S
    T@bbey  Road   
    Appleton,  WI





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  • kbrnr
    kbrnr Member Posts: 9
    I thought parking my new 320s at a campground would be easy, compared to parking the squirrely little thing in my driveway. Wrong!! First mistake was picking a site that had a muddy slope to navigate and not an rv site. After numerous entertaining fails, a young man showed up and said "I do this really a lot. Where do you want it?" I'm not one for the "Damsel in distress" thing, but, I thought he was sent from heaven!
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  • lino
    lino Member Posts: 244
    I am not a female camper so I can’t totally answer your question. But I will tell you it was not easy for me to learn how to back up either. I figured it out and now I feel comfortable but I still make mistakes
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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    We still struggle.  Practice makes perfect.  It has been an interesting study in discovering who communicates the best.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    I love it when these old threads get resurrected! After 3 seasons I still can’t back the trailer worth a hoot but I very good at directing my DH. I do need to learn this year since I’ve joined Sisters on the Fly and have a couple of campouts scheduled with them.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    I get pretty good at it and then all of the sudden you would think I had never done it before....that usually involves some "helpful" person telling me which way to cut my wheels, lol.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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