How does how you build compare to how you camp?

[Martiangod]

How does how you build compare to how you camp?

When I built, as with everything, its come up with an idea, and just go with it. No plans, things change, sometimes for the bad, but usually for the good.

When I camp, no planning, just decide we're going camping, day in advance at most, load up, hook up and go, sometimes things don't work out but we usually find an alternative that turns out better.

I can't plan for more then a day out, stuff always happens that gets in the way, so we just wing it....More fun that way, every moment is an adventure.
I usually find something planned is boring, hate already Knowing what the outcome is before I start

[len19070]

Any Trailer I have built for myself has definitely had a Retro/Functional theme.

I've been camping since before I was a year old, as were my kids.

And we went Camping! No electricity, No flush toilets and most times, No Campgrounds.

I love to camp like its 1955.

I'm equipped to go out in the middle of Nowhere, stop,set up and stay.

I always have a stocked supply in the trailer of what I call "Guy Food" Can goods, Spam, Dinty Moore Stew, Soups, Beefaroni, canned Veggies. Things that if you had the opportunity to run away quickly ya wouldn't have to really worry about food. Not the best but adequate.

I guess the best part about mine and anyone Else's trailer is that you can Stock it with all the stuff you usually forget!

The only modern accessory I have built into my Personal Trailers is a 12V battery for occasional lights (and I cheat on Extremely HOT nights with a fan)

I enjoy cooking over a fire, using Kerosene or Coleman Lanterns, using Coleman Stoves, hiding you food so animals don't get it, camping in primitive areas, and making a campfire cause your cold.

My personal trailers are very basic.

Now, do I build any that are real glitzy for the Masses?

Of Course I do. Thats how I fund my camping trips.

A typical Camping trip for me.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=56279&p=1020113&hilit=Pocket+change#p1020113

Happy Trails

Len

[Shadow Catcher]

I have been camping for more than 61 years and most of that was tenting, canoe camping...so yes we roughed it. But why when you don't have to. More importantly it was not as much of a vacation for Nancy since she insists on cooking cleaning up etc. One of the goals with Compass Rose was that meal prep and cleanup be no more difficult than at home and with the water tank and water heater and cook top and the gas grill it is very similar in effort so she gets to do things she wants to, or simply sit on the beach and read. Having reading lights, a fan or AC or heat, XM radio to drown out the barking kids and screaming dogs and the CW blaring, the air filter/purifier to take out the smoke from the idiot who is clueless on how to build a fire and can be deadly to me (asthma).
The Teardrop will go and work any place we can tow it to it was setup for serious boondocking.

[jeff0520]

It's funny that you ask that. When I built the Command Post I first bought a set of Dale Summer's Squidget plans. Then I modified them heavily, including roughing everything out on Sketchup to make sure it would work. Then I started.building in a methodical and preplanned way, deviating from the plan only when something went wrong. There were a few "shot-from-the-hip" corrections, but mostly I made a plan first, then stuck to the plan.
When I camp first I decide where we are going, and for how long. Then I make a menu plan for each day of the trip. Then I go back through the plan making a grocery list and adding quantities as I go. Then I add a generous amount of free grazing snacks. Finally I check equipment,restock consumables, and pack activity gear as needed. Then once we arrive at the campsite I merrily abandon all the predetermined plans and do whatever comes to mind secure in the idea that I planned ahead for everything and there's plenty of supplies for anything that strikes my fancy :-)

[Woodbutcher]

I try to have as much "stuff" that I take in the Trailer. My plan was to build with a place for most things. All my trailers have had a good sized tongue box. All the dirty stuff goes in there. My chair, floor mats, lantern, Ext cord, Charcoal chimney, etc. Only my shelter (if I take it) and a few minor things go in the TV. I want to be able to add only clothes and perishable food and I am off. I leave it stocked with everything else kitchen related till the end of the season, then I clean out anything that should not freeze. I do have electricity, but don't need it to camp.

[KennethW]

I built mine for road trips. Light easy to tow. No restaurant stops(cooler and campstove) As self contend as I can(two cpap's two days on battery ) No reservations because I have know ideal where I will be at the end of the day. I am not the set around the campfire kind of camper. So I put a pullout tube in the roof for hanging a shower curtain as a shower stall and dressing room.

[bdosborn]

I have Evernote lists, here's my Departure List:

TRUCK

* Pets walked & happy
* Drink/coffee cups filled
* Maps/Route/GPS ready
* Music/iPhone ready
* Cell phone(s)
* All keys accounted for
* Sunglasses
* Hats
* Pillows

INTERIOR

* Items Stowed
* A/C Stowed
* Windows closed
* Satellite dish Stowed
* TV antenna down
* Refrigerator items secure
* Faucets Securely Off
* Water pump turned off
* Interior Cabinet doors secured
* Turn off furnace and A/C
* Stow LED Projector
* Discard trash/recycling

EXTERIOR

* Stow Solar Panels
* Stow holding tank
* Power, water, sewer, cable, etc. unplugged from RV
* Turn off Propane
* Turn of Hot Water Heater Propane
* Outside storage bay doors secured/locked
* Raise leveling jacks
* Entry steps stowed – Back and Side
* Stow Grill
* Secure Tongue Box
* Remove wheel blocks and Lynx levelers
* Check Fresh Water Levels
* Tire pressure checked

AT DEPARTURE

* Tow vehicle walk-around, hitch inspection
* Safety inspection – turn signals, brakes, headlights
* RV walk-around: windows, compartment doors, roof antennas/vents, steps
* Inspect site for left items, litter

Then we play it by ear when we get there...
Bruce

[jgrote]

This has to be the funniest thing I've ever sat and thought about before posting. I haven't been camping in years. Mostly, because I've been married to a person that hates camping for the last 10 years. I am the type of person who would pack a backpack, drive down a dirt road until I found myself lost enough to be happy, and get out and start walking. I can't do those things anymore. Between the fact that I now live in an area where you can get yourself killed that way, and now there is a missus and a minion at home that depend on me getting home safely and one piece, I need to be more conscientious of my actions. My son is finally old enough to take out, into the woods and be safe. My wife has relaxed enough that she won't have a nervous breakdown while we're gone. I'm looking forward to some summer camping soon!

With that, on to the question at hand. My build is going slower than I want, and more complicated than it need be. This is typical of anything I have ever done since the day I said "I do". That's okay though; it keeps me better grounded having to think of others while doing things. I hope to be able to camp in the middle of nowhere in the future, but I have resigned myself to the fact that I will probably need to stay in a campground while the minion is still pretty young. He's just not a fan of digging a hole before he poops yet.

[PKCSPT]

Jgrote, I too am married to a confirmed non camper. going on 25 years very soon.

How does my Build compare to how I camp?
I am not patient enough to build my own so I bought one. When I get to camp I want to just drop the front wheel down put out two chairs and be done with camp set up. Meal prep and clean up take up too much get out and walk or canoe or whatever time so it is all premade and ready to eat cold.

My camp is very basic, I do have a side tent I can set up if I want extra space. My lights are battery operated (AAA batteries) and that is as much power as I carry. I have an extension cord for when I camp with power to run my fan.

[Mary C]

In my back room I have everything spread out and in boxes to be gone through when I get the galley finished and I can buy the boxes for the galley. I have thought and thought about it and I first must build a box for the front and get it attached before I can decide where all my stuff goes. Before when I tent camped I carried just what I needed and it was usually too much after backpacking for over 150 miles I got the hang of what I needed. I was pretty good at that but I always wanted less and less. Tent camping depended on who went with me and if they had camped before what I found was new campers in the North Ga. area never brought enough warm clothes. So a small blanket i kept in my car would suffice. Now I just don't know what I will take. I am excited about packing for that first camp out with my TD. as far as my plans when I do go I usually have a planned place to go I haven't had the luxury to just go in a long time.

Mary C.

[S. Heisley]

.
How does my build compare to how I camp?

PDG! (That's pretty darn good!)

I love my build.
I keep trying to find ways to improve its usage or make it more efficient or make it "prettier"; but, I have yet to find much that would suit me better.

I thank God for His help and Andrew for his wisdom and all the people here who bugged me when I hadn't posted in my build thread for a while. Ya'll kept me going.

[Triumph3]

How does how you build compare to how you camp?
...

Great question.

I backpack/hike/hammock as much as possible and record the weight in ounces of every item I carry using Evernote. Plus lay out a detailed route for my hikes. I've reduced backpack weight over the years from 50lbs to around 20lbs which has turned out to be a good thing giving I'm now in my mid-50's. I enjoy the detail and planning.

However, just the opposite on my first TD...kinda winging it. This probably speaks to the wealth of info/planning in this forum I supposed since I have done a fair amount of cruising the forum.

[Ron Dickey]

when we tent camped we had to worry about the weather, the temperature. With the trailer we use more gas because we do not pull with the prius. We still have to make the bed because we do not pull with a truck but a carolla and so the trailer becomes a utility trailer until we get there. We want to get a truck with automatic so she can drive too. maybe a CRV but anyway. when we get there no tent to put up. but we have no galley so we have to set up a table or a screen tent to keep out the flies, the up side is if the animals want the food they will not bother us.
Building a new trailer with a galley so we can stop and eat and not worry about fast food wows. Just means we will carry more Pinesol with a stonger smell that will send them away.

We can stop and go faster, we do not need to find a motel, we like KOA's for restrooms, shower, and paces to wash dishes. But there are so many places to camp and we have not run across any bad folks yet, but if we do we can break camp faster and just go any time of the night. no stakes to drive no rolls to put in bags. And at time when we are at home we can just climb inside and break the everyday humdrom of life. And if any of our friends are camping near we can just load up and go.

Ron

[PKCSPT]

Cowboy, I thought I was the only one who decided at the last minute where I am planning on camping. I know before I get in the car as for a bit of security I write down on a note the name of the park and where it is so my husband knows where I am hiding. But usually still deciding as I hook up.

[roadinspector]

I spent 2-4 years planning my toyhauler CT build to revolve around the requirements that are needed for us today and 1.5 years building it. After we got married we tent camped for years. My wife developed back problems so we needed to up grade and the inability to take road trips on the bike. I can haul the bike and the wife is comfortable. We have the ability for hookup or dry camping. But as most builds go, I made changes to the design as it went along. The base design went as planned and it serves us well.
Earnest