We Go Truck Camping in Northern Europe - TCM

D, you've put together a truly magnificent article on your adventures in Northern Europe. The photos you took of your travels are quite amazing. Thanks so much for sharing with everyone.

Hey John, good to hear from you. Its real different than the Texas Truck Camper Rallies you and I have been to in the past. BTW, I see you're going to Gatlinburg this April. I don't think we'll make it, but I will try.

67avion wrote:
Hey John, good to hear from you. Its real different than the Texas Truck Camper Rallies you and I have been to in the past. BTW, I see you're going to Gatlinburg this April. I don't think we'll make it, but I will try.

Very different too here as well.No TC rallies as such, more Off Road Caravans in Australia

Thanks for sharing.
I still have relatives in Poland and going for retirement (soon) I might follow the idea about TC rental.
I know RV rental in Europe is very, very rare and most common form of caravaning is light trailer behind BMW or Mercedes sedan/wagon
TC can't become popular as pickups population if Europe next to 0.
Sprinters usually come with van body.
On the other hand I always wanted Sprinter pickup in US and Mercedes is having European delivery program.
Might see if I can combine it all and after long European vacation, drive the set in US.
Dare to share average speeds and mpg in the Sprinter?
Funny you mention incident with tide.
I've seen warnings that in some parts of Chanel La Manche tides can go 60'
Sure not something you want to overlook.

Hi Kayteg. Let me see if I can answer your questions. First of all there are a lot of RV rentals, but they are mostly class C. I would say that the caravans (trailers) are not a lot more popular than the class C. However, the Tonke is one of the only truck campers in Northern Europe. The Italians appear to have several manufacturers and the Germans in the south have several.

My average speed in the Sprinter was way too fast, at least on the autobahn. I'd say I averaged 75-80 MPH. However, on the rural roads we went far slower than that. It appears we had around 19 -22 MPG of diesel.

I understand from Tonke that the Mercedes Sprinter they use is exactly like the US import. I don't know, however, if the same environmental laws are in effect in Europe and the US.

It seems like I saw a trip report on truck camping in Poland and Eastern Germany in TCM. Under "World". Give it a look.

I want to urge you to RV in Europe. It is a wonderful way to travel with your family. And a wonderful way to sight see. Best of luck.

Great trip report - thank you

Excellent report. I like seeing other parts of the world that we might never see otherwise. Parts of the scenery are almost like some of SABconsultings posts of their European adventures. We just don't have the same architecture and history here in North America.
Thanks for taking us along on your travels.
Brian

67avion wrote:
Hi Kayteg. Let me see if I can answer your questions. First of all there are a lot of RV rentals, but they are mostly class C. I would say that the caravans (trailers) are not a lot more popular than the class C. However, the Tonke is one of the only truck campers in Northern Europe. The Italians appear to have several manufacturers and the Germans in the south have several.

My average speed in the Sprinter was way too fast, at least on the autobahn. I'd say I averaged 75-80 MPH. However, on the rural roads we went far slower than that. It appears we had around 19 -22 MPG of diesel.

I understand from Tonke that the Mercedes Sprinter they use is exactly like the US import. I don't know, however, if the same environmental laws are in effect in Europe and the US.

It seems like I saw a trip report on truck camping in Poland and Eastern Germany in TCM. Under "World". Give it a look.

I want to urge you to RV in Europe. It is a wonderful way to travel with your family. And a wonderful way to sight see. Best of luck.

I was looking for some posts saying a Mercedes Sprinter, cannot carry a TC, Tonke does not look like TC and Mercedes cannot go Off Road.
All the positive souls on this section.

Robert, I thought that might happen too. But this was more of a trip report than a review. Perhaps that makes a difference. Mercedes is competing in the light truck category and has 4WD versions, I believe.

Awesome write-up! Great to see places we may never get to ourselves. Beautiful country - you have a good eye with a camera! Thanks for sharing! ST