Potentially Moronic Question

I carry this in the trailer if I ever need to unhook it and leave it for any length of time.. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Reese-Towpower-Universal-Coupler-Lock/15125814 And for the RV I have this on the entrance door window.. And yes, there is usually a Rottweiler in there!.. lol http://www.amazon.com/Might-Rottweiler-Guard-Window-Sticker/dp/B005D1EZM0/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1388165151&sr=8-10&keywords=rottweiler

We took our kids out with a used pop up 25 years ago to Stone Mountain, Disney and Yellowstone, Black Hills for 6 weeks from Wisconsin. They loved it, but unfortunately due to our career choice we were never able to use it much after that. Now we have a 30ft 5th wheel and make at least 2 3-7000 mile trips annually, plus a few 4 day outings. Try the popup, try the rental C before settling on your method after this trip. As for getting stolen, that is what insurance is for. More likely anything that can be carried, coolers, chairs, generators, would be far more likely be stolen, but even that is fairly rare for the amount of camping that goes on in this country. Don't let that fear stop you.

niccofive wrote:
JimM68- Interesting to read that because I've had all the same thoughts.

I've considered flying into Vegas and a 1 way Class C rental.
Flying into Vegas and a round trip Class C rental but making a loop instead of going cross country.
Buying an RV and then going Cross Country using it and then selling it.
etc etc etc.

I'm so tired of having no idea what is best to do. Argh!
So I just keep reading, and learning, and listening, and dreaming!

What about a pop up. If you have a vehicle to tow one, they would cost less. Our 30 foot class C gets about 9-10 MPG so going cross country would really cost a bundle. Two boys could "rough" it in a popup and while they do have some disadvantages size wise, I think that is what I would look at.

I have a hitch lock that can't be defeated by a pair of bolt-cutters. It's a solid chunk of metal that fits over the socket, and locks with a key.

And, as has been mentioned, it's a very low probability that you would have your whole rig stolen from a campground. Especially if you are usually there in the evening, and only venture out during the day, and there are other campers around.

Not so for your other gear. I was in an National Park campground in Arizona, and I heard that a few weeks earlier, someone had come through the place at around three a.m. with bolt-cutters and stole several generators. This is why I now have a cheap (forty bucks) motion detector alarm that I aim at my two generators if I leave them out over night, even if I have a good place to chain them up to. It won't go off from small animals and such, but a coyote-sized, maybe even raccoon-sized is suppose to set it off.

I've had my battery stolen from my hitch while I was sleeping inside my TT, WHILE my two brand-new Yamaha generators were running outside. The guy knew I would wake if the ac quit.

Because of this last incident, I've been too paranoid to 'boondock', which means camping anyplace without any hookups or support. I would be freaking out if I left my baby sitting all alone in the middle of nowhere. My precautions might prevent the casual thief from driving off with it, but breaking in the unit would be possible.

So, I pay the exorbitant campground fees for security. Full hook-ups are nice, but cost as much as a motel room twenty years ago. Even a dry National or State park campground is ridiculous; 25 bucks or more a night for a picnic table and a pit toilet somewhere in the campground, possibly no dump station or showers. At least we qualify for the senior 50% off discount.

JimM68- Interesting to read that because I've had all the same thoughts.

I've considered flying into Vegas and a 1 way Class C rental.
Flying into Vegas and a round trip Class C rental but making a loop instead of going cross country.
Buying an RV and then going Cross Country using it and then selling it.
etc etc etc.

I'm so tired of having no idea what is best to do. Argh!
So I just keep reading, and learning, and listening, and dreaming!

popeyemth wrote:
If one has never camped before a cross country trip to learn everything may not be the best plan.
A few weekend trips before would help insure a better trip.
Then one can focus on the trip and less on "how do I ...."
Good Luck, Mike

Dayum I just hate it when Ican't get to the end of a thread without replying (again...)

Our first trip was gonna be a rental. fly to seatle, rent a class C, and drive up and down the coast with 2 friends and thier families. The more i looked into it, the more I didn't like it. That rental was empty. Not so much as a plate or a towel. KACHING if you wanted any of those.

I ended up buying a '99 pace arrow for 30k. We put 6300 miles on here in 5 weeks, and we were hooked, line and sinker.

Couple years later, traded for a used DP with a twenty year mortgage, I am still hooked. No place I sleep better than in my camper, and no place I am happier than cruising down the highway with that big cummins diesel whispering somewhere "back there"

niccofive wrote:
Hello!

I am continuing to worry/work through/plan a cross country trip with my boys for summer 2015. I'm still in the beginning planning stages and am a super-newbie. I've never camped before.

I was looking online at the Trailmanor and Camplite models and talking to my husband about them. I was saying it would be convenient to be able to unhook our vehicle and go exploring vs having to take a Class C with us.

Then he asked me "How are you going to keep the camper from being stolen?"

I looked at him and told him they just aren't but honestly the thought had never occurred to me. I'm sure there is some amazingly obvious answer to this, but what keeps someone from just hitching your trailer up to their vehicle and leaving the campground?

Yikes! I was gonna read all before responding, didn't get past the first post...

We are campers. We watch out for eachother. We are all friends, some of whom just don't know eachother yet.

I often leave my bus unlocked, particularly when it's time to walk the dogs and #3 son is out and about somewhere.

We don't worry about campground security. any camper who would mess with us either needs it way more than we do, or is inviting karma to rain on each and every day he or she spends in any camprground for the rest of thier days.

WishWeWereCamping wrote:
We have had our 1997 TrailManor for almost 10 years and have never had the problems Mr. Camper described.

i don't think TrailManors or any RV, are made as well as they were 17 years ago. RV build quality was much better then.

We have had our 1997 TrailManor for almost 10 years and have never had the problems Mr. Camper described. Just like our Prius (which is the least stolen car in America, you have to know how to start it up and put it in gear, it's different, plus my daughter says it's extremely ugly ;)) the TrailManor is a different kind of trailer. I dont' think that many people know how to open and close it! We have a hitch lock and also use a locking pin on the hitch while traveling. I really don't worry about anyone stealing it, plus we leave it opened up at home, so if someone wanted to steal it, they would have to know how to fold it down.

I've never heard of a trailer stolen, altho we had 2 pricey bikes and a canoe, all chained up, stolen in a gated campground. If someone wants your stuff badly enough, they will get it. But trailers in campgrounds just don't seem to disappear. Hitchlocks, sharp-eyed neighbors, watchful campground owners, all combine to make it very unlikely. Plus, people are going to take a special interest in looking after a "single mom" and her kids on the road. A stranger wandering around her site or messing with her trailer will attract attention.

Personally, I prefer the truck and trailer option, too. But it is trickier to drive than a class C by itself. Make sure you get some practice.