LiFePo4 batteries are getting stupidly cheap now. 460ah for $1300
With the solar set ups on trailers right now itās crazy how little solar radiation you actually need to charge. My parents old trailer (they just had to total it for a cracked frame) would sometimes even charge at night with the moon ( or so Dad claimed).
But yah a forest service campground usually has water (you just need to bucket fill vs city water) and with solar the really only capacity issue is your black tank. Last year there was 21 of us camping for 10 days at a forest service campground. 2 trailers, that we filled daily with water for showers, etc. and then just sneaky hosed the grey waterā¦
Year prior same group at Glacier for 7 days with no sewer hookups.
Are there advantages of pop-ups other than fuel savings? I have always thought that I would hate to be pulling one and having to spend time popping it up to make lunch every day on the road. However this came across my feed todayā¦
We loved our popup because you got the ārain on a tentā sound but were up off the ground and dryer.
Rain on a laminate roof is pretty nice too - just different! Chestnuts on laminate roof will keep you awake! Last October we had a great spot on Raystown Lake in PA, but it rained chestnuts all night for 5 nights!
Now, with two big solar panels on the roof, I will need to be more careful of site selection. Iāll still prefer wooded, rather than open field. At least at a campground I wonāt be needing the sun to charge my batteries.
We continue to unload āArvyā. Down to the last of it now. The new mattress came out yesterday with help from a neighbor. Monday looks cool enough to swap out the Fantastic Fan and cover for a cheap vent cover. My garage is nearly full with totes and moving boxes full of stuff from the rig. There is no way all of that is going back in!
Isnāt that the truth. When you do this you find stuff that hasnāt been used in years and wonder why is even in there 
True. Even after putting āArvyā on a diet 5 years ago when I bought my current vehicle. If I had to guess I think we removed close to 1500#. The goal going back in is 500# or less. Probably canāt achieve that, but itās the goal!
Yea, weight is always an issue. During my remodel I managed to strip about 90 lbs of excess framing out so now we can carry more food and beverage.
Just booked 4 days on the coast here. https://bandon.com/
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Today was salvage the Fantastic Fan and rain cover for eventual install on the new one to replace the tiny bathroom fanā¦
Once the Dicor lap sealant cures, Iāll paint over it with silicone TropicCool roof paint to match the rest. Plan to be out there early in the AM before it gets warm.
I just discovered you can start a post on your PC, then go to your phone and find the edit window for that post and add the pics! Saved several steps.
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Thatās a neat trick I do sometimes , start the post with pictures direct from my phone then go to the laptop to edit and post. Should be in the tips and tricks page
I donāt know but I suggest you stay off 11ā8 on youtube ā¦
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Got a liberal application of Tropicool silicone roof treatment installed and I was off the roof by 8AM. Masking will come off before dark this evening. Back to work on the interior where I can run AC.
This stuff is really awesome. I just poured it on and evened it out with a 5" brushā¦
BTW, Iām posting all this here rather than Facebook as we are trying to surprise my family when I post camping pics from TrainOps.
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Surprise them how, that you went to train OPS or that you have a new RV?
Outside is done New vent all gooped upā¦
Got the old mattress back in. Only some odds and ends left now.
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They wouldnāt be surprised Iām going to TrainOps. Started that tradition back at the Build a RR Event. Missed a few years when it conflicted with our Denver trip.
My youngest son and my sister in-law know. Mostly my brother and Marilynās family who are in Scotland for our nieceās wedding. Iām not even going to mention the new TT, just post pics and see who notices.
My Sister and BiL were married in Creetown, Scotland in 1985. Wife and I were along for the event, had a wonderful time.
Wish we could have done it, but we canāt do it all.
Arvy is fully unloaded and broom clean 1 day ahead of schedule. My garage on the other hand is a disaster 
Tomorrow afternoon weāll hook it up for the last time for a Friday trip to the dealer.
We started camping with a Casita travel trailer and then in 2019 we purchased an Oliver. These are the top line model in the travel trailer world for quality and value and they do come with a price that putts them in that category. The Casita being in the $26,000 range and the Oliver in the $73,000 dollar range. Not priced for many, but you wonāt in most cases be able to find on used.
Thatās a nice rig John. Iāve looked at them (briefly). While I really like the way they are built, Iām not a fan of the radius corners on the interior, but Iām sure I could get used to it!
I see you have a gas/electric fridge and a 6 gallon water heater. I really think Iām going to miss that in our new rig. 12V compressor fridge and tankless on-demand water heater. The fridge will probably be fine as the rig comes with 400 Watts of solar on the roof to offset battery usage. Iām worried about the hot water, Due to the location of the heater in relationship to the shower, it takes a bit for the water to heat and fill the pipes. In order for it to work, you need to flow a lot of water. You canāt just crack open the hot to wash your hands. Seems counter-intuitive to conserving water when dry camping. I might consider a Shower Miser if I can find a route back to the fresh tank from the bathroom. I donāt know yet where the pump is located.
After we got tired of tents (backpacking at first, then a tent in a campground) we bought a Palomino Yearling 4120 popup camper.
After about eight years, we graduated to a regular travel trailer, a Freedom Express 246RKS
A little over two years ago, we bought a Class C motorhome, a Entegra Esteem 29v.
That has served us well, but we just put it on the market, going back to a truck and trailer, probably one of the smaller 5th wheels.