First it would help to explain what blue tarp camping is-- think of your regular set up in a tent.
Then add:
tarp under your tent and wrapped up the sides for moisture prevention if/WHEN it rains
Blue tarps hanging overhead to cover your tent, picnic table, car so you can set up and take down while it is raining. (yes even a 2-4 tarp combo around the fire circle. If it is dry enough to start a fire.
Plan on having a cold dreary camp bone chilling experience. It will rain at some point during your camp experience.
Rainy season- Sept to July
Semi- Dry season- July to September
Dry season- August
Tent camping limits you to a very short "fair weather" time frame.
Wow- she really sounds like a wimpy camper
I grew up camping once a month in tents in Miami- it was hot and we only had to worry about rattle snakes, giant mosquitos, the occasional alligator, and sand sharks.
In SE Michigan, we camped April to late October, multiple weekends even in the tent.
With the parents Class C (23 ft) we all winter camped in Cadillac for the guys to ice fish. We also cross country skied, built snowmen and freed the trees from the snow.
I'm game for almost all of it. Just with the Pacific Northwest rainy season- taking off for a weekend tent camping-- setting up camp can be over an hour as the "perfect site" takes on a whole new meaning.
The ground out here-- volcanic rock. If you go the national forests- it is extinct volcanoes- The ground is harder, rock pitted. Part of the blue tarps underneath are to protect the bottom of your tent. There is almost no way to find enough area on the sites to pitch a tent without rocks under it.
So- that is why we really want off the ground again. We want to be able to camp in the early Spring. late fall if possible. That means going east across the Cascade mountains to get out of the rain.
We are still new out here, but if anyone has great camp sites/cities to head to until we find our N2U pop, please let us know.
Our tow vehicle-
We stopped at the car dealership yesterday to have our specs checked.
The 2007 Sienna's all came with the tow package engine items done and it is listed on our vehicle sticker as being on our vehicle.
We can tow 3500 with a tongue weight of 350 (based on 10% of tow rating)
The manual states these numbers are based on 6 people that weigh 150.(900 lbs.)
We only have 3 people that total weights are under the 4 people (600)
We only have the 3 of us at home, but do have older kids/friends that would camp with us sometimes
What we know we would need:
Inside potty
Not climbing over sleeping people (open aisles)
Sleeps minimum of 6 to allow for future growth- friends/ older kids
outside storage for fishing rods (per hubby this is non negotiable) can be long storage under something inside or the outside near hitch sotrage section like on the Utah.
What we would like:
Inside shower for offroad
dinette and sofa
Campers we have seen that would fit the bill:
Coleman/Fleetwood/Somerset Utah with the toilet/shower
Jayco 1206
Any other makes and models that are similar?
Are you looking new or used? What kind of budget? Must it be an inside shower or could it be an outside shower?
I have a Sienna as well and looked into using that as a TV as well (before I got my class C). It seems they perform better if you beef up the rear suspension with air bags. If you are using a minivan for transportation, why cant your DH put the poles inside? Why must it have outside storage? You can always have roof racks installed on the pup and put bikes, storage pod, or use that for your fishing poles.
My thought regarding 6 people in a pup....thats crowded. How often do your older children camp with you? Lets face it, they are younger.....they can survive sleeping on the ground :dans2:
Here is a video of my 10 foot Coleman Seneca popup that supposedly slept 8 :lmao: I sold it for $1,500.
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
If you want a PUP that sleeps 6 adults, that's gonna be pretty cozy. Although the Coleman Westlake might get close. It might also be too big for your TV. I'm pretty sure most of the high walls will be overweight. And pretty much forget about anything that has a slide out dinette. That adds quite a bit of weight, IMO.
I'm towing with a similar TV, a Sienna between '03 and '05 (not my car). You're very limited on what you can tow because of that. I hear slides run about 500lbs. My camper has a dinette and a couch on the side; so it would fit 2 in each bunk, and one on each couch, so there are PUP's that can fit 6 without too much of an issue... but if you have a potty you're really going to really be limited.
[quote author=Lone Lock link=topic=2357.msg22352#msg22352 date=1364948761]
Are you looking new or used? What kind of budget? Must it be an inside shower or could it be an outside shower?
If you are using a minivan for transportation, why cant your DH put the poles inside? Why must it have outside storage?
My thought regarding 6 people in a pup....that's crowded. How often do your older children camp with you? Lets face it, they are younger.....they can survive sleeping on the ground :dans2:
Here is a video of my 10 foot Coleman Seneca popup that supposedly slept 8 :lmao: I sold it for $1,500.
We are looking used. 2008 or newer to make sure the canvas is in good condition. no mold/water issues, there allergies involved. Plus to take advantage of units made with lighter materials that make the whole unit weigh less.
Shower could be outside, Can also do a porta potty tent outside. Just have it off to the side near the awning cover for when it is raining.
Fishing poles- we hope to store the Pup in the garage. We want to keep the poles in the unit yet be accessible as camping is where hubby gets to fish the most, but might also get a chance outside of camping.
They could be in the back of the minivan after we got there so they were under lock and key when not in use.
They are very special fishing poles - he and his dad made them together so they are irreplaceable and need a designated place so they are not accidental left outside. (They will be on the checklist several times) We lost two when we used to camp with foster kids and we did not recheck that they were packed- someone found them and kept them. Hence why it is very important that they have a permanent storage home.
My initial thought was they would smell like fish, but that has been cleared up.
Regular plans would be to just use the bunks for sleeping. We have put kids outside in the past when they were older. DD11 would like to brings friends camping now and again and we would like to bring some friends with us now and again where they have never gone camping due to finances. Kind of a ministry thing for single mom friends that are afraid to camp alone.
Dad and I get an end bunk. DD11 can bring friends to share her bunk. Just in case of really bad rain/flood it would be good to have dinette etc that could convert to beds.Just want the extra sleeping space for emergency rain out basis. Even cramped is better than being soaked and getting hypothermia. It gets cold at night here even in summer.
Great video. What are the silver reflective things for? I couldn't hear that part.
[quote author=thingette1 link=topic=2357.msg22356#msg22356 date=1364949300]
If you want a PUP that sleeps 6 adults, that's gonna be pretty cozy. Although the Coleman Westlake might get close. It might also be too big for your TV. I'm pretty sure most of the high walls will be overweight. And pretty much forget about anything that has a slide out dinette. That adds quite a bit of weight, IMO.
We are trying not to max out our tow rating of 3500. Eliminating the slide out to lower the weight is an idea I had not thought about.
I love the high walls, but have resigned myself that those are out of our range until we change tow vehicles.
My favorite ever PUP is the Avalon we saw in 2007/8. We saw a used one last weekend that had me drooling. 2008 with AC and some repairs needed in the screens and plastic, but otherwise in decent shape, they wanted 14,500.
We also saw a 2009 Niagara with AC they wanted 11,800 for, but it was used by a smoker and I have asthma, never mind it was overweight.
Our plan is to get something now we can live with for a while and when we win the lottery upgrade the tow vehicle and look for a Niagara. Even better an Avalon if they are making them again by then.
Or maybe a hybrid or small Class C. Anything would be under 25 feet in travel length.
More to think about.
[quote author=samebutdifferent link=topic=2357.msg22419#msg22419 date=1365011351]
We had a 2004 fleetwood utah with slide and weight was around 3800lbs. Tv at time was chrysler town n coutry and four humans and a dog . This was pushing the transmission. Best of luck.
Somerset makes one with all of it that is at 3500. Just the cost is way high. I did get to see several of their models at the local dealer.
I have a Fleetwood brochure from 2008 that has all the models and specs from that year so we are using it as a starting point to get an idea of what we like. We are thinking 10 foot box minimum.
Even better is I have a 1/16/2008 price sheet for all the 2008 units and what was included that year. (We went looking on my birthday)
[quote author=Wizfisher link=topic=2357.msg22423#msg22423 date=1365013147]
Flagstaff 228D (slide out dinette) would fit your needs and be within your tow weights.
We had one and loved it. Some have the potty option, most don't.
We only ever had 5 people at a time though, but could fit 6 if need be.
I like tht layout, it is pretty much the same as the Utah. I'll add that to our list.
Ugh we went shopping and I just typed up what we had seen and how it was priced and then it disappeared as I went over my 120 minutes logged in and it did not post.
So the short version- We reviewed our property for slope and decided it would need to be leveled to store anything there and then could only fit a 7 ft wide camper safely beside the house without infringing on the neighbors part.
Then we checked our CC&R restrictions and learned any camper has to be stored inside the garage or behind a fence. It does not specify about on the side so a fake fence might be legal, but too narrow anyway.
We did look at two 7 foot wide hardside units designed light enough to be towed by a minivan that slept 3-4 and 4-5 per the specs. Reality for both was max 4. 3 adults an one child or a very nimble 4th adult on the top bunk.
Both had a bunk in the back and a dinette to convert nightly. Felt really small on a sunny day and could not imagine it on a rainy day.
So we ruled those out
A lot of discussion later and a lot of going to see what is available on the lots and on craigslist.
Our first pop up had no slide out bunks, was on an 8 foot box with a gaucho that turned into a bed for the kids 10 and under. The dinette was a comfy yet snug bed for the adults.
After looking, We like the U shapped sofas that convert for sleeping if we have guests. Hoping not to mess with the dinette.
Models we have seen that we like Fleetwood/Coleman SunValley, also the Sea Pine, Baysidem Utah etc
Jayco Jay series 1007, 1206 1208
We've called on a few craigslist ads but they are far away or don't call back.
Hunting is big here and some have obviously been used by a bunch of guys for that purpose.
Heavy smoke smells don't work with my asthma. just looking at one had my eyes watering and coughing by morning.
Local easy drive dealers sell Jayco, Somerset, Flagstaff. Mostly the last two. Anything else is used. (Used Colemans/Fleetwood supply was limited)
We are leaning toward used, 2008 or newer woould be ideal but will go 2005 or newer.
We can tow 3500, but because of the Cascade mountains around here and plans to go as far as the Grand Canyon or even back to Michigan, we are thinking we do not want to max out our tow weight.
We've convinced ourselves that not having outside storage will be better thanks to some comments on here, how wet it is. We decided to cook outside as we want to camo in areas that have bear warning signs. Better safe than sorry. (We did find a nice outside oven at Costco today for camping)
Now what we have found in our price range I would like some feedback on:
1- 2005 Sea Pine that has the extras of furnace, water heater and outside shower. It shows the wear on the cushions, but not bad. The canvas looks good, underside good.
2- 2010 Jayco 1007 with furnace, water heater, outside shower and AC, cushions look brand new. We know it moved here from Wisconsin ans was replaced by a hard side. Considering a move was part of that time, I am doubting it was used much from looking at it.
Bascially the same floor plan a bit wider dinette/bed on the Jayco for a little less storage, but we gain a drawer on the Jayco to put the games in.
Also you can reach the fridge with the camper closed because the kitchen flips sideways. That leaves all the floor area from front to back for packing up without lifting. Can get the fishing poles, with easy access.
Both are from dealers and would include hitches, etc for our Sienna.
Out the door pricing, The newer Jayco is $2000 more and comes with free camping for 30 days iin the next year at places we would actually go to.
Nada guides lead me to think the Sea Pine is reallly overpriced.
The 1007 is priced within the nada range and just below the average retail.
We are leaning towards the Jayco.
Feedback aprreciated.
769
23
1 Guest(s)
