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Another Arizona Weekender!

GpnAZ
Explorer
Explorer
They're short, but it is so nice to get out of Phoenix and up into cool country. We headed up Friday afternoon to Sedona to try to find a campsite along Oak Creek on 89A, but as expected it was full. So we decided to head up 89A past the Oak Creek Vista Point and find a forest road to head off on for dispersed camping. Forest Road 535 was the first one we sighted and took off on that to find a camp spot before it got dark. We made it in a mile about a 1/4 mile from the closest camp and set up. Of course 30 minutes later a couple families come driving up and set up camp a couple hundred yards away, didn't seem too bad at the time. After dinner we head to bed and after a couple hours of sleep I wake up to screaming and I'm wondering what the Heck? The kids were running around the forest and their campsite screaming their heads off from midnight til 1am, unbelievable, I thought I was listening to a horror flick. We get up early the next morning and head back down 89A to Oak Creek to find breakfast. We stopped at Indian Gardens to buy a Red Rock pass and see a nice little cafe, so the menu items look good and we order. They tell us we can eat out back in the garden area, what a treat. The food was delicious and the outside eating area was great, I highly recommend this spot. We head to Bootlegger Campsite which is a day use campsite only. We hiked down and along Oak Creek and found bushels of blackberries, though they were about a week away from being fully ripe. We relaxed and hung out for about 3 hours and decided to head up to Flagstaff to check out the historic downtown area. We found a campground on Route 66 just outside of Flagstaff, Woody's Mtn. Campground, plenty of open sites and a nice clean campground. It rained Sunday morning, so we hung out in the camper for about a hour and kicked back outside after that, dreading the thought of driving back to Phoenix, but realizing what a glorious weekend we had. We are really enjoying the truck camper and the spontaneity of loading it up and not knowing where we are going until we leave. We would not be going to 1/10 of the places if we depended only on our MH. I hope I didn't ramble too much, seems like a lot of text for a short weekend camping trip.






2018' RAM 3500 Laramie CC, DRW, 4X4, Cummins w/ Aisin transmission
2019' Host Mammoth, 480 watts of solar
2017' Jeep JKU Rubicon
2011' Airstream Avenue
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gpnusa
www.flickr.com/photos/gpnaz
www.flickr.com/photos/his_cross
14 REPLIES 14

Shadow_Hunter
Explorer
Explorer
GpnAZ,

Sorry to delve slightly off topic, but your camper setup is what I am looking at purchasing. I have a similar truck as yours...a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel QC 4x4. I am seriously looking at either a Lance 865 (like yours) or a Wolf Creek 850, which is slightly larger. The main differences are the battery and LPG capacity. The Wolf Creek can handle two each, whereas the Lance is only one for each. I have been debating this for a couple weeks, and actually just got back from a road trip to Oregon to view the Wolf Creek campers.

Do you ever wish you had additional battery or LPG capacity? How long does it take to burn through one LPG tank? How do you keep your battery charged? I would prefer to buy a Lance because it is narrower and weighs slightly less, but am concerned because I intend to "boondock" and frequently vacation in the NW with plans for Alaska.

Any advice or words of wisdom from anyone viewing this would be appreciated, especially if anyone has any first hand knowledge of these particular campers.

GpnAZ
Explorer
Explorer
Rbertalotto - The accessory in the back door is my favorite and loves campimg in our camper as much as I do:)We had a FWC Hawk popup camper before the 865, so I had installed Rancho 9000's already and I installed Stable Loads and a Hellwig rear stabilizer bar right before I put the 865 on it. It handles very well, although you still know you have a 8' 2600 lb box in the back of a short bed pickup. The first time I weighed it, loaded it was 2600 lb and it advertises as 18xx lbs dry weight, base camper. We don't have AC or microwave. No regrets, it's a great camper for us.
2018' RAM 3500 Laramie CC, DRW, 4X4, Cummins w/ Aisin transmission
2019' Host Mammoth, 480 watts of solar
2017' Jeep JKU Rubicon
2011' Airstream Avenue
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gpnusa
www.flickr.com/photos/gpnaz
www.flickr.com/photos/his_cross

Rbertalotto
Explorer
Explorer
Damn! That truck and camper looks great! (The accessory in the back door is looking good also... )
That is a 3/4 ton truck. How does it handle the Lance 865. I'm thinking about upgrading from a pop-up to a hardside and have the same truck in a diesel version.

Did you modify the suspension any.

Thanks for the pictures and the travel-log.........
RoyB
Dartmouth, MA
2021 RAM 2500 4X4 6.4L
2011 Forest River Grey Wolf Cherokee 19RR
520 w solar-200ah Renogy Li-Epever MPPT

GpnAZ
Explorer
Explorer
bleaux skies - When I ordered my camper from the dealer I specified no decals or name on the front cap and no brand name on the sides and left the back with the factory decals and name. Lance campers was very cooperative about it and did exactly as asked. I think it does look a little cleaner, but they're all good in my book.
2018' RAM 3500 Laramie CC, DRW, 4X4, Cummins w/ Aisin transmission
2019' Host Mammoth, 480 watts of solar
2017' Jeep JKU Rubicon
2011' Airstream Avenue
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gpnusa
www.flickr.com/photos/gpnaz
www.flickr.com/photos/his_cross

GpnAZ
Explorer
Explorer
bleaux skies - When I ordered my camper from the dealer I specified no decals or name on the front cap and no brand name on the sides and left the back with the factory decals and name. Lance campers was very cooperative about it and did exactly as asked. I think it does look a little cleaner, but they're all good in my book.
2018' RAM 3500 Laramie CC, DRW, 4X4, Cummins w/ Aisin transmission
2019' Host Mammoth, 480 watts of solar
2017' Jeep JKU Rubicon
2011' Airstream Avenue
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gpnusa
www.flickr.com/photos/gpnaz
www.flickr.com/photos/his_cross

bleaux_skies
Explorer
Explorer
I loved your pictures. Kept looking at your TC and thinking what a nice clean looking TC. Then it dawned on me....no decals!

I do that to my vehicles, but never thought about it with the RVs. Did you take them off yourself?
Previous Owner of a Alumascape 26' RKS 5er GMC 2500HD Diesel
My "micro-hotel" on wheels, 1706FB Micro Minnie towed by a GMC Yukon

Megadesertdiese
Explorer
Explorer
we spent 3 days in Happy Jack last weekend. lots of spots in the woods away from everyone. Took some trail rides on the atv's down to Blue ridge resivoir. Lots of rain friday and saturday evening.

Northern AZ is a great place to be in the summer.

GpnAZ
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks everyone for the replies!

Pezvela - I normally photograph with a Sony A900 or Sony NEX 7 camera, but I forgot to put my camera card back in my NEX 7 and I didn't bring my A900, so I had to resort to my Samsung S4 phone camera, which I admit takes very good photographs. I also run most of my photographs through Adobe Lightroom 4, to enhance them a little. My photo tips include trying to photograph during the first 2 hours of the day and the last 2 hours of the day and I like to use a polarizing filter when the sun is pretty harsh if you are photographing during mid day. Good luck on your journey through Arizona, it is a beautiful state.
2018' RAM 3500 Laramie CC, DRW, 4X4, Cummins w/ Aisin transmission
2019' Host Mammoth, 480 watts of solar
2017' Jeep JKU Rubicon
2011' Airstream Avenue
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gpnusa
www.flickr.com/photos/gpnaz
www.flickr.com/photos/his_cross

CAJW
Explorer
Explorer
Exactly why we got ours! Loading up at the last minute and stumbling upon a new (to us) campsite is half the fun.
2013 AF 996, 2013 Chevy 3500 CC,LWB,4X4, Duramax, DRW, 3.73 rear, Torklift Stableloads & Tie-downs,Fast Guns, Ride Rite Air Bags, Superhitch w/ 32" extension.Big Wigs, Front Timbrens, TST TPMS-507,CubbyCam, Trimetric. TM & SC 2030 150W + 100W suitcase

pezvela
Explorer
Explorer
Boy, those photos are razor sharp. What brand and format camera and what size were they shot at, originally?

I'm exploring the Rim Country next week for the first time. Any tips?

dakonthemountai
Explorer
Explorer
Except for the screaming kids at midnight, it appears you had a great time! Love the pose in the camper doorway! looks like an ad! ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks for sharing your trip with us! It IS great to be able to just get in and go isn't it?!

Dak
2018 GMC Denali "Extreme" and 23' EVO 2050T Travel Trailer
Escapee member #224325-Since 1992

Camper_Jeff___K
Nomad III
Nomad III
Nice forested areas and I like the leveling with the rocks. Sharp rig too.
Thanks for the post.

Mello_Mike
Explorer
Explorer
Hi Mark! Looks like you and the wife had a nice time up north. We'll be hitting the Rim again in a couple weeks.
2016 Northstar Laredo SC/240w Solar/2-6v Lifeline AGMs/Dometic CR110 DC Compressor Fridge
2013 Ram 3500 4x4/6.7L Cummins TD/3.42/Buckstop Bumper with Warn 16.5ti Winch/Big Wig Rear Sway Bar/Talons w/SS Fastguns
My Rig
1998 Jeep Wrangler
US Navy Ret.

the_tc_life
Explorer
Explorer
looks wonderful. I really need to head south to visit areas like that.
2010 adventurer 810ws
1999 c3500 dually 12' flatbed

THE TC LIFE