Large Scale Central

Camping

Other Hobbies
#1

Started with an adventure to Algonquin Provincial Park as a father-son trip with my dad in a tiny pop-up in the late 60’s, then tent camping with my bride-to-be in college and for many years after we were married. We stopped in the mid 90’s when we got to old to be comfortable sleeping on the ground and hiking to the showers. Last spring we bought a 30 ft. travel trailer which we love. Took it to Fred’s last summer, out to WNY to visit my family, and out to the EBT last fall. Over 5000 miles the first season. This summer we plan to head south into the mountains. Visit Elkins & Cass, WV among other places. Probably will stop back in WNY again too.

#2

Jon, I’ve been a camper my entire life. A few years ago my wife pulled the plug on camping until we bought a trailer. Well, after two years of fighting it we bought a trailer and truck to pull it around. The first night it was used (not counting the driveway) it poured rain all night. While I was cozy in my bed with flannel sheets everyone else outside was moving to their cars… Ahhh… I do love my trailer now!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v601/jfoster48386/Miscellaneous%20Shots%20Non%20300D/Family%20Fun/TheRig.jpg)

Jon.

#3

Jon, click the IMG reference under your photo in Photobucket, then paste it in to your post on LSC. That way, we’ll see the photo.

It’s a good idea to resize your photos before you upload them. 640 X 480 is good.

#4

Looking good Jon - This is my rig, waiting for the season to start… [url=lsc.cvsry.com/R-Vision-1024.JPG]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/R-Vision-640.JPG)

[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color]

#5

Got enough of camping out when I was in the National Guard for 20 years, sleeping on a tank in the rain cured me of camping out! Jerry

#6

Jon,
Contact me when you are in the WNY area! Maybe we can do lunch?

Chas

#7

Nice stuff guys. On our next rig I’m going with the glass siding. Cleaning the aluminum is a nightmare! And to think, I’m the idiot that picked it…

Chas, if we get out that way this summer I’ll drop you a line!

Jon.

#8

Jon -

Do a lot of research before buying a smooth side. The last few years nearly every manufacturer has been dealing with de-lamination problems. I suspect there is only one or two manufacturers of the laminated “filon” wall material that’s used in all smooth side RVs. There may have been a bad batch or something, because on the RV forums there are numerous horror stories. So far, 10 months since manufacture, mine seems to be holding up well.

Oh - it gets just as dirty complete with the black streaks. Might be just a bit easier to clean though.

#9

“Oh - it gets just as dirty complete with the black streaks. Might be just a bit easier to clean though.”

A company called “Starbrite” makes a product called “Black Streak Remover”. This problem is also common with boat topsides, where the toe rail is aluminum. Aluminum edging, moulding, or trim leaves off a tarnish that runs down the sides of vertical surfaces. This Starbirite product takes care of that problem rather quickly.

#10

I’ve got a bottle in the garage :slight_smile: It doesn’t work as well as I’d like it to on the painted sides of my pontoon boat. I’ve had better luck with their cleaner-wax on the boat. I’ll give it a try on the RV.

#11

I learned of “Black Streak Remover” from a boating friend that had bought a white conversion van and struggled with the streaks. He’s a rather demanding customer/friend, but was sold on this product. Most of my recommendations about this product came from him. I’ve passed it on to many people and they seemed happy with the results. I have limited personal reason to use the product and also use a cleaner/polish on our boat. Never a wax because of the fertilizer runoff in our lake that turns wax to a yellow film.

#12

I have some stuff (Simply Green?) we bought at the dollar store. Everyone on the RV.net forum said it works wonders. It does get the black off the sides but it also strips the wax at the same time!

Jon.

#13

Here’s our camper. Bought it last summer (and the truck to go with it) after a particularly interesting campout with 4 people, the dog, and everyone’s camping gear stuffed into the Subaru.

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/bob_mccown/_forumfiles/camper1.jpg)

Love the thing, and it turns out it was a great deal. It is, apparently, one of the top model pups, with everything but a shower and toilet in it.

#14

Nice Pup Bob :smiley:

That’s exactly what Marilyn had in mind when we went shopping. Then she saw a 40 footer with a king bed and a fireplace. We couldn’t pull that one with the Envoy, so we down-graded to the 30 footer :slight_smile: My justification for the hardside was fall camping. Took it to EBT last October and we were very comfy with the furnace running in the morning. But I sure wouldn’t mind spending less on gas to pull the thing.

#15

We camp in the winter too. There’s nothing like heat! And to be honest, the air in the summer isn’t too bad either. You know, those hot summer nights… Heck, the full bathroom is ok too. :slight_smile:

Jon.

#16

Last night we experienced what everyone hopes will never happpen to them. Just after getting on the interstate at about 8PM heading for a camping weekend in Western, NY, the water pump in my Envoy exploded. We managed to get off the roadway safely but had to call for a tow. The truck was dead. It took over an hour for the NY Thruway authorized towing service to show up. When they did they didn’t have the right equipment to handle the trailer. So they went back for a different rig while we waited another hour on the shoulder.

They finally arrived with the proper rig, and got us hooked up. When they came back they brough a second vehicle, a van, to transport us (including the dog) more comfortably than squeezing into the cab of the wrecker. Fortunately, we were only 6 miles from the dealer that services the truck and they squeezed us in first thing this morning. The fact that we have a 30 foot trailer parked in front of thier showroom might just have been the incentive to fix it quick :smiley:

They have the parts in stock, and so long as there is no other damage from the explosion we should be back on the road by noon. We’ll end up about 10 hours late to our next stop but at least we will get there.

#17

I’ve had that happen. Driving on a Saturday night on 80W in Pennsylvania. Truck died about 5 miles east of “Snow Shoe”, at about 1am. AAA eventually showed up, and towed me to to the next exit, and dropped my truck in front of the bay doors for a service station. Gas flunky showed up about 7am. I convinced him that, yes, I knew what parts I needed, and knew how to look them up in the catalogs (he was NOT a mechanic). Half an hour, and an under-the-counter $25 later, I’m on the road. Kid didn’t want to ring up the parts because “I’d get in trouble if I sold parts on a weekend”. Go figure.

#18

Jon,
Good reasons to stay OFF the Thruway BESIDES tolls. LOL!

ahd some interesting experiences recently but with a Uhaul and a flat tire. (sigh) Long trip from Pittsburgh, PA to Ipswich, MA and home to W NY.

Chas

#19
W. Chas. Ronolder IV said:
Jon, Good reasons to stay OFF the Thruway BESIDES tolls. LOL! [i][/i] Chas
Well - we were on the freeway - I-84 just over the NY/CT line. It seems that the NY Thruway Authority has taken over many of the non-toll roads in NY. Must have something to do with how much surplus they have from toll revenue.

We do use the toll sections I-87 and I-90 when towing the camper. The grades and road are much better then NY 17/I-86 and it’s nice to have the closely spaced travel plazas when you only get a little over 125 miles to a tank of gas.

After they road-tested the water pump repair they decided that the alternator was on its last legs too, so we opted to have that done at the same time. We finally arrived in WNY after 9PM, about 7 hours behind schedule. The remainder of the trip was fantastic. Couldn’t have asked for better weather.

#20

Sounds like quite an adventure. Glad it all worked out.