I'm starting to think about a B

[rexlion]

We tent camped in our early years, but since 2005 I've been towing a TT. Had a 23' Rockwood, then a 17' Burro, now a 16' KZ. We had a brief fling (one summer) with a popup, too, in '99.

But now that I am back home (Okla.) from Yosemite, I am thinking really seriously about selling the trailer and getting a used class B.

On the way to Yosemite I stopped at Capulin Volcano Natl Monument in NM. Bought my permit, then found out that they would not permit me to tow my TT up the road to the top of the volcano. Grrr! My shoulder was bothering me and I did not feel like aggravating it by cranking the TT's jack up and down 4 times (once to disconnect the WD, 2nd to unhook the ball, 3rd and 4th to reverse the process afterward) just to go 2 miles up the hill and back. So I simply left, thinking as I drove away, Hmmm, I wouldn't have had this problem if I had a van camper.

Later, I'm crossing the San Rafael Swell in a strong headwind. The Highlander is struggling harder than usual to make it up the inclines. That big sail behind me is starting to irritate me. And I start to think, If I had a van instead of a trailer, I could be maintaining the speed limit most of the day instead of having a max speed in the low 60s and getting bogged down to 45-50 on the hills. I could make better time without that TT behind me.

Then when I'm at Bridalveil Creek in Yosemite, one night an older gentleman pulls in with his pop top van. Looks nice. Looks convenient. I talk to him a bit and he says it works great for him. (Wish I'd asked to see inside, dagnab it.) Hmmmmm. I could see myself with one of those. I camp alone nowadays, since my DW had part of her colon out and lost all interest in travel; it seems like a camper van would be great for one person.

Two days later an elderly couple (in 80s, I think) pulls in with a Sprinter van and Scamp in tow. Well, I like egg trailers, so I went over and introduced myself, and then helped them get into their site. Had to move the picnic table and guide him in. After backing in, the gentleman was too tired to even unhook the trailer. (I offered but he declined, said he'd do it the next day.) And I returned to my site thinking, is this what I have to look forward to eventually if I keep towing a trailer?

As I head home from my vacation, I am thinking. I took the TT when DW and I went to visit relatives in Michigan this June, but she wasn't happy about it. She says she missed staying in a nice hotel on the way. And towing the TT slowed us down, making the trip about 1.5 hours longer each way. With a camper van, we can make better time and easily park in hotel parking spaces. I'll still have a bed I can call my own while we see relatives, and a way to go off and camp for a couple of nights while she visits her mother.

You know, I tow a cargo trailer 20,000 miles per year for work. I'm getting kinda tired of towing on my vacation as well. Yup, time to start shopping for a Roadtrek or a Pleasure-Way or a Sportsmobile, or something!

[rexlion]

Yeah I could see keeping the TT for the one time per year that the son and 2 granddaughters might go camping with me. Let them have the TT and me in the B.

I can see where a TC has some of the advantages of the B. But not all. I often wish the TT had larger windows so I can sit and look out at the scenery. With the right B, I could have a screen for the entire rear opening... open up the double doors, and voila, a huge window! I traveled with my parents in a 22' Winnie MH, back in the early '70s, so I can remember the convenience aspects.

[Bumpyroad]

I have considered a B like the 2100 roadtrek IIRC that comes with a 10,000 lb. hitch and about 6-7,000 lbs. capacity and tow a small TT like my Ascend 171RB. already have the cheap half of that combo. 🙂
36 ft of RV in two pieces rather than one.
bumpy

[Eugarps]

Jamesq wrote:
to each his own

:W

Bill

[Jamesq]

to each his own

[Eugarps]

Why not? Tow a Roadtrek 190 4x4, park the Class A at the trailhead, and strike out for the outback! If I could drop $135,000 for a towed, why not. I can't but some can. Good for them!

Bill

[Davydd]

Gene in NE wrote:
Davydd - But, but some people love to ride a motorcycle like some people like kayaking. We pull a small trailer to haul that motorcycle. Another advantage - when the better half finds something she absolutely needs, we have space in the small trailer. 🙂

I would agree, do not pull anything that spoils the advantage of the small Class B.

You smartly opted to do exactly what I said and got a larger Class C. 🙂

Here's another litmus test. Do you stop at rest areas where they direct you to cars or trucks? 🙂

[stan909]

Guys with A's towing B 's for toads? Awesome. I first saw a pusher towing a VW camper 15 years ago. I think it's a great idea. Out west in the Sierra Nevada mountains there are so many places a big rig can 't go. If they can afford it then good for them.

[mlts22]

Because most of the year I'm mainly touring (which means that I'm most likely at a FHU site), a "B" that gets more MPG than my daily driver and can slide into virtually any parking place is important, not to mention storage of the rig consists of parking in the driveway, and plugging in a cord to keep the batteries topped off.

Since I boondock in the same place for a part of the year, I might as well haul an enclosed cargo trailer that I can move to the campsite and leave there, partially as a place for additional storage, and partially as a way to show that a place is taken. Once the enclosed cargo trailer is in place, I only have one relatively small vehicle to worry about.

Plus, this gives me the ability to slap a solar panel or two on a trailer, which will more than offset the battery loss from the furnace without needing to fire up a generator.

Of course, the downside of the trailer is that one has to find a place to put it before being able to visit a town square, which partially defeats the purpose of a "B", but some items like motorcycles require it.

If I needed more room, I'd also consider a high quality hitch mounted cargo carrier, but even that can turn a "B" into something fairly difficult to park in most places unless one is able to take up two spaces lengthwise, especially if it is a longer Sprinter chassis.

[Gene_in_NE]

Davydd - But, but some people love to ride a motorcycle like some people like kayaking. We pull a small trailer to haul that motorcycle. Another advantage - when the better half finds something she absolutely needs, we have space in the small trailer. 🙂

I would agree, do not pull anything that spoils the advantage of the small Class B.

[Davydd]

If I was going to burden myself pulling something then why suffer with a B and sacrifice the go anywhere, park anywhere freedom? Get a bigger RV.

[bobojay5]

hhornig wrote:
What do you think about the guys with "A's" that are using a B as a toad?

They have too much money....

[hhornig]

I am also thinking about a B. Even thinking about pulling a very small enclosed trailer. The small trailer would not hurt mileage too bad and I could carry bulky stuff as well as a spare water and waste tank when boon docking. Most of all I can carry my small scooter for running errands and not have to unhook.

What do you think about the guys with "A's" that are using a B as a toad?

[scarpi]

Yes I forgot about that, you have your clothes with you. I remember one time that we got stuck in a traffic jam due to road construction. The road was shut down to one lane with flagmen and pilot cars. We had a long wait and because my wife and I had too much coffee in the morning we had to "go". So while we waited for our turn, we actually used our bathroom. We made the right choice in a class B for us.

[NCWriter]

What Scarpi said... Plus, if the weather changes, or you wish you had worn your hiking shoes, or you decide to swim, or you spill lunch all over yourself....you've got all your clothes handy.