Truck Camping on the ragged edge

[Less_Stuff]

My new truck and camper.


My old truck and camper in Georgia.


Old truck and camper got about 14 mpg on the highway.

My new truck and camper gets better than 20 mpg.
Present tank full reads 23.2 mpg.


Wow that really opens things up for me!
It still has a 382 mile range, all that and the tank only holds 26 gallons.

Main things I disliked about the old truck and camper.

Whenever we had to camp around most dog owners.
Long cold evenings cooped up in the camper.


Things I may dislike about the new camper.

It sure is small.

Down sizing can open doors. Less money spent on a RV can mean more money for travel.

We have found long cold evenings can be fun in a hotel with a pool and hot tub.

My new rig is small but a night or two in it then a night in a motel can be nice.
We started truck camping that way then went to the Lance. Now smaller again.

Oh yes we tried this Jeep Patriot and tent on top trailer.
Alas it was a lot of work for this old goat.



So now it's just 17.6 feet of total length.



My wife has a dear lady friend who drove the Pan American Highway. She has a husband whose thinking about it.

[realter]

You might check out "truck cap camping" on Facebook. They will be nicer????????

[Less_Stuff]

realter wrote:
Gee whiz, I have missed all this. I camped 4 nights at the Colorado Rally, and stayed 4 nights in a motel. Me happy, wife happy--well not about the camping. I will say this, driving 1500 miles in a top heavy TC is no fun. Now I'm wondering about getting a pop-up TC, as my wife said TCing is not for her. Like a lot of you, there is a lot to see in the USA, but I'd like to have my own bed and a potty for the midnight relief. Not ready to go to just a topper like the OP, but I really admire his reasoning.

I'm seriously thinking 4 wheel campers or a Alaskan mini.

Thought about a Four Wheel Shell model. But because I have no place to store a camper off the truck and intend to leave it on the truck full time.
So this:


Is not as useful to me as this:

A topper allows varied bed use when not camping and the reason for my choice.

Good luck with yours.

Recommending something other than an RV or Truck Camper can rile folks I've found.
What the hay this is RV.NET after all.

[JumboJet]

realter wrote:
I will say this, driving 1500 miles in a top heavy TC is no fun.

I have driven thousands of miles with a top heavy TC. The different perspective may be personal, but a well setup truck makes driving a pleasure.

[realter]

Gee whiz, I have missed all this. I camped 4 nights at the Colorado Rally, and stayed 4 nights in a motel. Me happy, wife happy--well not about the camping. I will say this, driving 1500 miles in a top heavy TC is no fun. Now I'm wondering about getting a pop-up TC, as my wife said TCing is not for her. Like a lot of you, there is a lot to see in the USA, but I'd like to have my own bed and a potty for the midnight relief. Not ready to go to just a topper like the OP, but I really admire his reasoning.

I'm seriously thinking 4 wheel campers or a Alaskan mini.

[PUCampin]

Less Stuff wrote:
PUCamping enjoy those family camping trips they are golden.

Our family sure had fun camping. In fact we have reserved campsites at the beach for Labor Day this year.
Our three kids and grandkids and great grandkids will be there. The old farts will be in our new "Truck Camper".

Grandkids are life's bonus! Great grandkids are a double bonus!!!!

Congrats on your Great-grandchildren and have fun with your family! I'll bet your new camper gives them pause for thought, and hopefully inspiration of what they can do when they grow older if they wish. My wife's grandmother passed away this last December at 100 1/2 years old, she lived to see my wife's older sister's grandson, her Great Great Grandson! We have a 5 generation picture from a get together last year.

My in-laws have a similar size TT and we try to go camping together and get adjoining sites. We have actually gotten out twice together this year, the kids adore camping with grandma and grandpa. We have also adopted my wife's aunt (she has no other family) and she often comes with us. Next trip at the end of August will just be us, but maybe we will all go again in October. I wish my parents could do more of this with us but can't.

[Less_Stuff]

PUCamping enjoy those family camping trips they are golden.

Our family sure had fun camping. In fact we have reserved campsites at the beach for Labor Day this year.
Our three kids and grandkids and great grandkids will be there. The old farts will be in our new "Truck Camper".

Grandkids are life's bonus! Great grandkids are a double bonus!!!!

[PUCampin]

I used to own a 95 Ford Ranger long bed (7ft) with a color matching snug top and full on padded removable carpet kit. The sides of the kit had lids to open and store stuff, and the center was 2 sections that could be slid out and set on top of the sides making a bed with storage underneath. My life was simpler then and I spent many years camping out of it. I loved the simplicity and being able to go anywhere not having to worry if the space would be big enough, and not worrying about a tent.

Now days it would not be big enough for my family of 5, in fact our TT is considered small for a family of 5 (often 6) My family LOVES camping so I would not dream of going ever without them, but there is a lot to be said for the simple elegance of a topper and the freedom that comes with it!

[DWeikert]

Less Stuff wrote:
This thread is more fun than I've had in a long time. Thanks everyone!!!

Obviously, you've come at this with the proper attitude.

🙂

[billtex]

Less Stuff wrote:
No thank goodness my new Ram has the great Pentastar V6 and ZF 8 speed transmission.

Great milage and no need to touch another Diesel fuel pump nozzle.
It's a real cheap Tradesmen model only $25,880. That sure appealed to my cheap side.
After even more discounts and me giving them my 1.5 year old jeep the remainder was under $12,000. I'm a happy truck camper!

Wasn't sure if you got the new 1/2 ton diesel.
I know the veggie oil didn't agree with your last truck.

Good luck, safe travels.

Bill

[Less_Stuff]

This thread is more fun than I've had in a long time. Thanks everyone!!!

[jefe_4x4]

It takes all kinds. The OP simply has not aged, RV-wise the way the rest of us have. It's a mental thing. He has no interest in camping comfort in the commonly held way. Fine with me. Minimalism has its place.
Seems we're all in the business of trying to 'sell' our particular set up or position; trying to convince others that we have made the right choices. I have news: there are no right choices, only choices. I proposed a question in College: "How do you bias your opinion?" The typical response was, "I have no bias". Dream on.
The best way for any thread to go away is to simply not respond.
Ironically, just by doing this I've perpetuated this thread a little longer.
It reminds me of the Shakespeare Play: "Much ado about nothing."
jefe

[BCSierra]

Nothing wrong with taking the lighter route and a lot to be said for properly assessing your needs and using what you need to do the job, not what others think you need.

As a kid, our family traveled and camped in a gem-top on a 1970 chev 1/2 ton. It had a bed for the adults made of a piece of 3/4 plywood sitting on the top of the box and my brother and I slept in the floor space. We had everything we needed and I have great memories of it. I remember going some places that were probably not even recommended for it, and definitely would've been impassible for a truck camper.

Happy camping.

[Less_Stuff]

No thank goodness my new Ram has the great Pentastar V6 and ZF 8 speed transmission.

Great milage and no need to touch another Diesel fuel pump nozzle.
It's a real cheap Tradesmen model only $25,880. That sure appealed to my cheap side.
After even more discounts and me giving them my 1.5 year old jeep the remainder was under $12,000. I'm a happy truck camper!

[billtex]

Less Stuff wrote:
Well for one languiduck I do!

I've been thinking.
If i can be a Happy Camper, then when driving my new RAM I'm a Happy Truck Camper even when the RV part is easily dismounted.
I know my topper is an RV because it has the carpet lining and SnugTop recommends it when you use the topper to sleep in.

Gosh this is fun!

I think I would call myself a "Unhappy Truck Camper" when my old Chevy started blowing blue smoke indicating the injectors needed replacing. But to be correct at that time I still had the Washington licensed Lance.

Stop me someone I could go on all day!

less...will you be running veggie oil in the new truck also?