Truck Camper Trip Reports – V3.0

[kohldad]

Introduction

This sticky thread is designed to capture a selection of trip reports members have created over the years. There is a lot of great stuff out there and it would be a real pity for it to be lost because people could no longer find it.

Big thanks to Silversand along with Sabconsulting for their great work over the years compiling this reference. Of course I must not forget to whole heartedly thank those who have spent time compiling these reports which I merely reference here.

Around the end of each month, I will post a reply stating the update has been made along with a list of which threads were included in the update.

While I will try to capture trip reports as they are posted, if you would like to ensure your trip report is added then please send me a private message. I also want to start tagging the reports in this reference with details of states visited, etc. so readers can use the search facility in their browser to quickly find related reports; so if you can include that information in the message that would help me a lot. As part of adding the states, if you want to review the older trip reports and let me know which states it covers, I will be glad to add the information during my next update.

If you find a link that is not working, please let me know via a private message and I will fix during the next update.

Enjoy.

Eric (kohldad)


Index

• South West
  
• North West
  
• Central
  
• North East
  
• South East
  
• Alaska
  
• Canada
  
• Cross-country and Full-time
  
• Mexico, Central & South America
  
• Europe & Asia
  
• Africa, Australia and the rest of the world
  
• Meet-ups, Rallys & RV shows
  
• Other great stuff
  

Notes

Amongst the location tags XTC = extreme truck camping – i.e. offroad / wilderness. You can use your browser’s search function to find this and other tags

[ZenMartian]

Wow, I am relatively new in this domain but thanks a lot to everyone for your posts, they really helped me!

[Buzzcut1]

my latest report
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/30006787.cfm

[kohldad]

Been a while but I have been keeping track of the trip reports.
Finally did an update and will be continuing to maintain the trip report sticky. If you would like to have your trip report included in the sticky, just make a post and then give me a month or two to get it posted. If you don't see it posted by then, please feel free to send me a pm with a link to your report.

Here is a list of most of the reports added in this update.

North West
2018 Whazoo's Tripping ol man winter
2018 Whazoo's Trip of a different color
2018 1200 miles in the NW again by emcvay
2018 1200 miles in the NW by emcvay
2018 Trip Report - climbing hills and milling near Waterville WA by emcvay
2018 TR: Eastern Sierra Nevada and White Mountains

Central
2017 Denver to TN- Eisenhower, Council Grove, & Tallgrass Prairie
2017 Solo to Denver

Cross Country
C.Traveler2 finished his epic 23 section report on his 2015 trip to Alaska.
2015 Summer Journey, Crossing Alaska #22 - Alaska
2015 Summer Journey, Crossing Alaska #23 - Alaska

[Travels_with_Yo]

I wasn't sure how to go about posting this or if I was allowed to just do it. If this violates the format for this section, then please feel free to remove it.

Last year (2017) Yoly and I traveled 8,700 miles from Georgia to British Columbia and back. I made a couple Introductory videos to introduce the Playlist before final editing of all the videos was completed. This Playlist basically documents our journey on a day by day basis with each day producing its own video. Hope people find it interesting.

Travels with Yoly - Canada Bound 2017

[bikepsych]

Took a nice trip in May-June 2018 from California to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Took 6 weeks and visited friends and relatives along the way. Here are some quick pictures. I learned several things along the way...
- I can do better in MPG without Cruise Control (Avg 13.7mpg)
- Most expensive diesel was $4.35 (didn't buy it).
- Least expensive diesel was $2.35 in Alabama.
- Do NOT lubricate the bearings on a trailer too frequently. 😕
- The BEST campgrounds are remote and labled as "campground/camping"
- The WORST campgrounds are labeled as "RV Park." Too many perms.
- The BEST highway conditions are in Nebraska
- The WORST highway conditions are in Michigan
- The BEST food was in Wisconsin
- The WORST food was in Virginia.
- Hardest rain was in Pennsylvania.
- Hottest day was in Nevada. (122)
- Coldest day was in Maine. (34)

Here is a video of the SS Badger departing from Ludington Michigan on its way across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc. Its the last of the coal fired ferries.
https://youtu.be/fUZVuk1CXxshttps://youtu.be/fUZVuk1CXxs

Day of departure



Boone RV Park, Lampasas, TX Great stop!


Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. About 2 hours south of Halifax


Just after crossing Mackinac Bridge (Big Mac)


Bad trailer bearing only 300 miles from home.


Total miles 8678
Total Fuel 635 gals
Total DEF 10 gals

[kohldad]

Sorry for being so long between updates, but between work being crazy busy and I’ve been vacationing hard to make up for it, just haven’t had time. But here is the trip reports since the last update.

2018 TC Report -- Coffee Pot Lake by emcvay
(Wasington)
2018 TC Report -- Time to go milling! by emcvay
(Wasington)
2018 TC Report -- Tucanon by emcvay
(Wasington)
2018 Trip Report -- the shake down trip or the maiden voyage by emcvay
(Wasington)
2018 The Dalles Campground, WA by Area13
(Wasington)
2015 Summer Journey, Crossing Alaska #18 - Alaska
2015 Summer Journey, Crossing Alaska #19 - Alaska
2015 Summer Journey, Crossing Alaska #20 - Alaska
2015 Summer Journey, Crossing Alaska #21 - Alaska
2018 TR/3 : Threading the Needles (Canyonlands) part way (Utah)
2018 The TC fools (The Bros) do Anza by jefe 4x4
2018 TR Lassen National Park trip March 2018 by buzzcut1
(California)
2018 Whazoo's Boondock The Big Quiet
2018 Post Eclipse Redux by jefe 4x4

[kohldad]

Getting past the captch has been a real pain and the reason for the delays in keeping this thread up to date. But I have been tracking the trip reports so hopefully none have been missed. If you submitted a trip report in the last 3 months and want to make sure it is included in the sticky, please let me know if it hasn’t been added.

2015 Summer Journey, Crossing Alaska #17 – Alaska

2017 (Jul) Alaska Trip 2017' - Larson's Epic Adventure TR - Part 6 by GpnAZ

2017 (Jul) Alaska Trip 2017' - Larson's Epic Adventure TR - Part 5 by GpnAZ

2018 Whazoo's Boondock The Big Quiet

2018 Whazoo's I hate to do this: New Years 2018 with the Ancients

2018 10 steps to get your friends hooked on TCing

2017 Thanksgiving #38 More of the same Southwest camping

Winter is almost over and the pollen is so thick it's like a dust storm here in the south. All this means camping season is almost upon us so lets get out to make lots of happy memories and even post up a few good trip reports!

[kohldad]

Hope everyone had a safe and Thankful turkey day. Makes the trip reports kind of slow, but we did have 3 reports submitted.

2015 Summer Journey, Crossing Alaska #15 - Alaska
2017 (Jul) Alaska Trip 2017' - Larson's Epic Adventure TR - Part 4 by GpnAZ
(Alaska)
2017 Whazoo's Finding Nemo, Going Coastal

[kohldad]

September and October trip reports have been updated. Lots of good reports, please keep them coming.

2017 (Jul) Alaska Trip 2017' - Larson's Epic Adventure TR - Part 1 by GpnAZ
(Alaska)

2017 (Jul) Alaska Trip 2017' - Larson's Epic Adventure TR - Part 2 by GpnAZ
(Alaska)

2017 (Jul) Alaska Trip 2017' - Larson's Epic Adventure TR - Part 3 by GpnAZ
(Alaska)

2015 Summer Journey, Crossing Alaska #13 by Ctraveler2
(Alaska)

2015 Summer Journey, Crossing Alaska #14 by Ctraveler2
(Alaska)

2017 2 nights around the Olympic Peninsula by GHCreekside
(Wasington)

2017 Whazoo goes Gramping by Whazoo
(Idaho)

2017 Whazoo's Penumbra Umbra, or Looking for Moon Shadow by Whazoo

2017 VIDEO Trip Report: Sutton Rec. Area, Depoe Bay, Some Sights – (Oregon)

2017 VIDEO TR: "A Trip To Camp David" - Not That One - This One – (Oregon)

2017 VIDEO: Smoke From Forest Fires_Marion Forks Fish Hatchery – (Oregon)

2017 VIDEO TRIP REPORT: Malheur National Wildlife Refuge – (Oregon)

2017 VIDEO TRIP REPORT: Page Springs Campground, Oregon – (Oregon)

2017 VIDEO: Oregon, Starr CG_Burns_Diamond Craters_Round Barn – (Oregon)

2017 VIDEO: Diamond Craters Oregon Windy and Stabilized 8-22-17 – (Oregon)

2017 VIDEO: John Day Fossil Beds Thomas Condon Paleontology Cntr. – (Oregon)

2017 VIDEO: John Day Fossile Fields Painted Hills Unit 08_22_2017 – (Oregon)

2011 Summer: The Great Kid Escape (Reposted to fix defunct pics by kohldad

[kohldad]

While there have been about a dozen trip reports in September, I'm to busy to update the sticky. However, fear not I have them captured and they will be included in the October update at the end of this month. My plan is to make a reply each time I do an update so it will be easier to know, especially if you subscribe to the thread.

Happy camping!

[kohldad]

Reports for July and August have been added. If you did a trip report that should have been included, please send a message with a link.

[Admin]

test

[kohldad]

Other great stuff

An Ode to Fellow Expeditionists, by Whazoo:

Twas the night before Christmas, all through rv.net
Not a person was camping, maybe Seldom I bet.
The stockings were hung by TwoMainieacs with care
In hopes that St.Silver soon would be there.
There was Lots of Stuff nestled all snug in the bed
While Sleepy ate sugar plums, he was out of his head.
And CTraveler in his kerchief, Camper Jeff in a cap,
Had just settled down for a long billtex nap.
When out on the lawn there arose Mr. Clatter,
Nemo sprang from the bed, he was mad as a hatter.
Away to the window bka flew like the Flash,
He tore open Spott’s shutters and threw out DJ’s trash.
The moon on the breast of Weymard in snow
Gave the lustre of SheepCamp to kohldad below.
When what to sirdrakejr’s eyes did appear,
But a miniature Tiger, and rvnetter reindeer.
With a little BradW so lively and quick,
Skipbee knew in a moment it wasn’t Farc-tic.
More rapid than rexford his Windwalkers they came,
And he whistled a BlueStilly and called them by name.
“Now Magic, RenoAl, luv2skyski and flaxi,
You boys all look spent, guess I’ll call a taxi.
On Clarryhill, cewillis, Mad Norsky you bull,
Put er in tow mode, this sleigh is so full.
From the top of RickW, to the top of sstan,
Now dash away dash away, like the Labman.”
As dry leaves that before a wild Reddog fly,
When they meet Oldtymeflyer, mount to the sky,
So to Bird Song Place the rvnetters they flew
With a bigfootchevy full of toys, and a Bent Arrow too.
Then in quite a Tizi, twas heard from the roof
The rhymes of FishPoet, he sounded aloof.
If one listened closely, you could hear from RRUGG,
"I've heard that while camping, Jefe sips from the jug.”
As btg graphics was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Silver came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, and did look quite spiffy,
He proclaimed to Eugarps, “I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
A bundle of toys he placed on his Blueboat,
Saying “this is too much for St. Silver to tote.”
His eyes how they twinkled, his dimples Travelinglane
Oh cheese and rice, this is sounding insane.
With a nose like Geewizard's, and cheeks red as cherries,
From drinking spiked eggnog down at St. Mary’s.
His Jacinto Kid mouth was drawn up like a bow,
He looked just like Matho I want you to know.
The stump of a pipe trails held in his teeth,
And the smoke he blew out, well it came from beneath.
He had a broad Virgil Diesel and a little jmtandem,
When asked about campgrounds he said "I can't standem."
He looked at the table and said “Oh MyBlueHeaven”
“I can’t eat this kids cookies, they are unleven.”
With a tunafisher eye and a crick in his neck,
Soon gave the impression that he was a wreck.
He sprang to his fuelhauler, ArtumSnowbird gave a whistle,
They were GoinThisWay, flyin high as a missile.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
a Whazoo Christmas to all, and to rvnet a goodnight.

The Great Whazoo’s otherworldly adventures

Mere mortals like most of us have to restrain our TCing endeavours to the surface of the planet. Of course the Whazn8r has extreme features our normal TCs don’t have and is not bound by these limitations:

• 2011: 20,000 Outfitters beneath the sea
  
• 2009 Sea Of Tranquility RV Site 9
  
• 2008 GMC/Outfitter to the Moon, Illustrated Future Trip Report!
  
• 2008 Outfitter to The Center of The Earth, Illustrated Future Trip Report
  

(Undersea, Underground, Moon)


In Memoriam: A special star gazing write-up from the late Don Curley .
In his article are several pics of mobile/RV-based star-gazing rigs. This is perfectly apropos for those truck campers who wish to get into the hobby as an amateur, or serious practitioner.

• Don Curley's star gazing write-up, February 2011
  
• Mobile observatories easily towed behind truck camper
  

Other interesting things

America’s Wildflowers, On the Road in a Truck Camper, by bka0721, 2015

My thoughts on boondocking, by Whazoo, 2010

2010 Five years later... by Mr Phelps. Acquiring a truck camper: decision making process & outcome.

DHackney’s ‘Hackney Exhibition Vehicle’

• Hackney Expedition Vehicle & TC Build
  
• Building & testing a Fuso-based 4x4 ‘Hackney Expedition Vehicle’
  

6WD military truck conversion deuce-and-a-half M35A2 to camper by JesusGatos

Balloon Festival pictures by various members

4x4 - 4-wheeling pictures by various members

Spot Scott: The Last Ride, memorial travel retrospective of friend by Spott

End

[kohldad]

Meet-ups, rallys and RV shows

2015 England: Adventure Overland show by SABConsulting
(England)

Overland Expo East 2015

• Mud and more mud by RickW
  
• 2015 Overland Expo West by Xpd77
  

(Arizona, Utah, Colorado)

2014 Overland Expo East by OBXcamper
(North Carolina)

2014 Adventure Overland show in England by SABConsulting
(England)

Overland Expo 2014

• 2014 Overland Expo by 67avion
  
• 2014 Overland Expo – the official TC magazine report by 67avion – a great write-up.
  

(Arizona, Utah, texas)

2014 Texas TC rally by jumbojet and 67avion
(Texas)

2013 Montana TC rally by the tc life
(Montana)

2013 Adventure Overland show in England by SABConsulting
(England)

Overland Expo 2013

• Expo 2013, with a stealth TC , by sabconsulting
  
• The 2013 Overland Expo Proclamation , by the venerable Whazoo
  
• Part I by Jefe 4x4
  
• Part II by Jefe 4x4
  
• Part III (rigs with owners) by Jefe 4x4
  

(Arizona)

2013 PNW spring rally by Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli
(Washington)

2012 Abenteuer Allrad show in Germany: Europe’s largest adventure travel expo by SABConsulting – including meet ups with Flaxi, Joerg68 and other German truck camper enthusiasts.
(Germany)

2011 Fall Colors Rally: Cider, Fake Germans, and Leavenworth

• RVnet spread - a nicely designed blog piece by JoeChiOhki
  
• Matt's blog site version by JoeChiOhki
  

2011 Southern Motor Caravan Show by SABConsulting
(England)

2011 North East TC jamboree

• 2011 92-vehicle Northeast PA / Ohio Valley Fall Truck Camper Rally by LanceCamper845
  
• 2011 North-East Truck Camping Jamboree by TwoMaineiacs
  

(New York, Pennsylvania)

2010 German Truck Camper Get-together: Mosel Wine Region by Flaxi

2010 North East TC jamboree and lead-up

• 2010 Many photos of this search for the perfect north east Rally locale by Spott
  
• 2010 Wandering through PA & NY States (excellent photos here!) by TwoMaineiacs
  

(New York, Pennsylvania)

2010 North East truck camper members caravanning through the Canadian Maritime Provinces by TwoMaineiacs
(Maine)

2010 Fall Recompence Cmpg, Freeport, ME by TwoMaineiacs
(Maine)

2010 Mid-Atlantic Spring Rally: another successful one! by TwoMaineiacs
(Maryland)

2010 Outfitter Trip Report: Overland Expo, Arizona by Whazoo
(Overland Expo)

2010 Scusset Beach Canal, Cape Cod: March get-together by TwoMaineiacs
(Massachusetts)

2009 Carolina Beach, NC Get-together (gotta see this!) by AISURFFISH
(North Carolina)

2009 North East TC rally

• 2009 Fall NE Truck Camper Jamboree Pix
  
• 2009 After the PA TC rally: Wandering Through PA & VA: 911 memorials & Frank L. Wright 1 by Two Maineiacs
  (Pennsylvania, Virginia)
  

2009 Fall Ohio Valley TC Weekend: East Harbor by Spott
(Ohio)

2009 North East Truck Camper Spring Jamboree by TwoMaineiacs
(Massachusetts)

2009 Spring Ohio Truck Camper Rally by Spott
(Ohio)

2009 German TC meet-up video
(Germany)

2009 Spring Mid-Atlantic TC rally

• Rally + trip there and back by Spott
  
• Photos by VetteOpel
  

(Virginia)

2008 Fog & TC Friends on the Maine Coast: Wolfe's Neck Woods SP by TwoMaineiacs
(Maine)

2008 RVIA Trade Show, Louisville by BradW
(Kentucky)

2008 North-East Truck Camper Haunted Jamboree: Salem, Mass by TwoMaineiacs
(Massachusetts)

2008 Fall North-East TC Jamboree Photos by Attendees
(New York)

2008 Northwest Colors Caravan by Beddows
(Washington)

2008 Southwest Spring TC Rally by Matho

2008 Spring Ohio Valley TC Weekend V

• Rally pictures by Spott
  
• Rally pictures by cdl2 and joe_jeep
  

(Ohio)

2008 Mid Atlantic TC rally

• Photo Section 1 by AISURFFISH
  
• More photos by TwoMaineiacs
  
• Photo Section 3 by Myrtle
  
• Photo Section 4 by JJohnson1179
  
• Photo Section 5 by Ogrer
  
• Photo Collective 1 by AiSurfFish
  
• Link to Video Section 1 by BradW
  

2008 Spring Northeast TC Jamboree by TwoMaineiacs
(Vermont)

2007 A small meet-up, dry Camping, Maine Coast by TwoMaineiacs
(Maine)

2006 German TC meet-up video
(Germany)

Several meet-ups are covered in this impressive blog by TwoMaineiacs
(Maine)