next camping adventure - July 4th weekend

cmcdar wrote:
BUT I also have a Coleman Propane Drip Coffee Maker for when we are not plugged in (coffee makers draw too much to run them off of batteries).

Coleman Camping Coffee Maker - You can get them at Walmart as well.


NOTE: This will not keep your coffee warm after it is done brewing. You will also need a carafe.

yep, been using one of those for 9 years now and it still works great.
we rarely have hookups so this gets to work most of the time.

Thanks for all of the tips!

I too am trying to make my "new-to-me" hybrid both comfortable and "get-up-and-go-able".

I have set it up with solar power, installed all LED lights and fans, so we are comfortable even when dry docking.

ONE thing I really LOVE is my morning coffee. My camper has it's own drip coffee maker for when we are plugged in BUT I also have a Coleman Propane Drip Coffee Maker for when we are not plugged in (coffee makers draw too much to run them off of batteries).

Coleman Camping Coffee Maker - You can get them at Walmart as well.


NOTE: This will not keep your coffee warm after it is done brewing. You will also need a carafe.

I think our kids are somewhat baffled that we waited until they went off to college to move up from tents to a trailer. They must think we like the dogs more than we liked them...in hindsight, I wish we had gotten the camper a few years ago, but we have invited them to come along if they want so they don't feel completely left out.

One thing that we did, we have a 10 year old girl and a 14 year old boy, is I put up a small pressure shower curtain rod and shower curtain in the middle of the campers, it actually is between where our fridge starts and across to above the kitchen. It's usually tucked to the side, but when people are changing clothes or showering we pull it across. We call it the "privacy curtain" and it gives the person changing more room to do what they need to do.

quote=DutchmenSport

As I've said many times on these forums, my camper is my vacation spot, my personal resort, and we have it stocked with the best we can get and afford now. end quote

This is one of the best comments I have read on this site, completely dead on. I have a friend we camp with in his mid-50's that sleeps in a small, two man pup tent, never forgetting to tell us how he is really camping. Our camping is just about our only vacations and I want to be comfortable and enjoy myself. When we are out for a two week stretch and it rains for 10 days, I want to be able to relax, play some cards, and not have to worry so much about staying dry.

We did the tent thing for years (got to have some cash for a camper!) when our family was young, moving up to a pop-up, to a bigger pop-up (family kept getting bigger!), to a hybrid (which we loved) to a 23 foot hard side (couldn't pass up a great deal). We have loved every aspect of camping, but it is nice to be in my early 50's and have a bed off the ground that I don't have to climb over my wife to get out of bed.

We still use the paper plates (less dishes), but others use every day plates and silver ware.

To each his own!

Steve

It's been an adjustment this year going from "camper" mindset to "Rv'er" mindset...though our little hybrid is one step up from a pop-up. At 29 feet, yours is a helluva hybrid. Having our own bathroom has been worth the price of admission (best thing ever, according to my wife), but I don't want to start adding frilly pillows and doilies at this stage. We're still figuring out the best way to pack so we can just pull the trigger and go without a lot of fuss, or forgetting anything important. We're also figuring out the tricks - like we found instant coffee we like, and we have a teakettle, so we don't need a coffeemaker or percolater. I just restowed the "basement" based on what I seem to actually use and need, since there is no room to waste in there. One very cool purchase was a set of four small jacks to augment the ones on the trailer. We have "stabilizers" not really "jacks" and they don't really level the trailer, just keep it from rocking. The new jacks don't take up much room, and they made the trailer much more level and less rock-y.

Your post rattles my brain, brings back a lot of memories.

We camped at my wife's house many, many times. They live on a Farm in Clinton County, Indiana, and we parked the camper by the barn, plugged into 30 amp service, had air-conditioning that way, hooked up to water and dumped in our tote. I'd haul it into the middle of the field and dump. (good fertilizer). We really enjoyed the privacy of our own own "bedroom", as we spent many nights inside their house with no privacy. You'll really enjoy having your own privacy and when you've "had enough" you can retreat to your own world!

When we first purchased our TT, we simply moved all our stuff from our pop-up to it. But that was only the start. We realized real fast we wanted better than just paper places and plastic spoons. Over the years, we've replaced every item and now 3 TT's later, we have some really nice stuff. Nice blankets, nice sheets, good dishes, nice supplies, comfortable living with everything. (we are RV's now, not "campers" ... so we had to get over that mind set of having to do everything "primative" style).

So, we do not cheap-out in the camper. As I've said many times on these forums, my camper is my vacation spot, my personal resort, and we have it stocked with the best we can get and afford now. It took time, but it began with new sheets and blankets instead of sleeping bags, and then over time, advanced from one thing to another, including electric blankets, electric space heaters, cushy pillows, We want it outfitted with the absolute best and finest we can do. Our kids are grown and gone now, so it's time to really enjoy and spoil ourselves when we do go camping. We are not full timers, but this is our vacation and get away destination spot. We want it to be the finest, BETTER than any 5 star motel!

So, when thinking in terms of "outfitting" your new camper, each person has their own way of doing things. You may want to use paper products, or grandmas's antique china. Either way is OK, as long as you do what makes you happy.

Each time you take your rig to a new destination, you'll find there is another item you will want and may even 'need' for your camper. Don't be skimpy, just just get it! Eventually, you'll be getting rid of stuff you don't need or want or use anymore, but that's the fun of the whole process!