A-Frames Hangin' With The Big Guys

handbuilder · 04-14-2013, 10:26 PM

As seen from across the field, these two A-Frames fit right in with the motorhomes. LOL

Yukon Don · 04-15-2013, 10:18 AM

Last year in Dawson City I wound up spending a few days in one of those "shoulder-to-shoulder" RV parks.
It was fine when I got there -the place was fairly empty. Then two massive 5th wheels pulled in, one on either side of me.
It was like camping in a narrow canyon

thehamguy1 · 04-15-2013, 11:34 AM

...bet I can guess which place in Dawson City that was... Did the big rigs give you that "there goes the neighborhood" stare? I hate it when that happens.

Yukon Don · 04-15-2013, 09:22 PM

LOL

I remember your comment, Lee, on the 'Iowa to Alaska' thread about the "refugee camp disguised as an RV park".
There were actually two to pick from:
The one just before the bridge over the Klondike River and the one right "downtown".
That's the one I was staying in (downtown).
It was OK (I guess) but not really what I define as "camping". It did have the benefit of being close to Diamond Tooth Gertie's Saloon -with its dancing girls!

I never actually saw anyone from either of those two behemoths. I was half waiting for flight ops to commence from the roof of either one...

If I make it back up there this August (which is a pretty good possibility), I'll likely cross the river and stay in the provincial park in West Dawson.

thehamguy1 · 04-15-2013, 10:00 PM

The Provincial Park will be much more to your liking I predict. And a right turn coming out of that park puts you on the Top of the World Highway.

As I recall, the downtown RV park bore a strong resemblance to a parking lot, only not paved. We stayed at one of the two out by the Klondike bridge. I guess I'd stay there again if it meant I could be back in Yukon Territory and Dawson City again. Not to mention Tombstone Territorial Park a ways NE of town. We still haven't completely caught our breaths after staying there. We bought one of the big panoramic photos of the Tombstone Mtns. (sold in the visitors ctr.) and hung it in our bedroom.

There's a good old-fashioned hardware store in DC too. That's where I bought the replacement cabinet door hinges after the original starched tinfoil ones broke.

Have fun on the ferry back and forth across the Yukon River. We enjoyed that ride quite a lot.

Yukon Don · 04-15-2013, 10:17 PM

I had a good look at the provincial park when I made the mini Bataan death march out to the stern-wheeler graveyard.

I just love that part of the country -especially Dawson. I spent every evening just strolling along the river and through the town.
I hope to retire there someday (oddly enough, it's usually warmer there in the winter than where I am now!).

Handbuilder: apologies for the thread

West Dawson beach and graveyard:

bodzcampers · 04-15-2013, 10:41 PM

Nice Pics!
About the A-frames...............Those campers are really HOT right now!
One day you're like...wow, interesting concept...the next...they're everywhere!

handbuilder · 04-15-2013, 10:44 PM

No apologies needed, Don! I am enjoying the photos and conversation!

I dont know about staying in tight campgrounds surrounded by close quartered big rigs...I dont thomk I'd like that very much if seeking nature. At the dog shows, there is no odd feeling of being in a small trailer - its a definite mixed bag of nuts. LOL

My friends will be taking their Rockwood to Alaska - they are commercial fishermen & driving up next month.

Yukon Don · 04-15-2013, 10:57 PM

Bodz: there are a couple of threads here from A-frame owners who are rather bemused by the fact that we can't set up camp without half the campground coming to visit and check out our rigs because they've "never seen one before".
They are great little units though...

Handbuilder:
My friends will be taking their Rockwood to Alaska - they are commercial fishermen & driving up next month.

Tell 'em to run the Dempster Highway at speed. It'll be just like being in a trawler in a perfect storm (you can hear Lee laughing in the background

)

bodzcampers · 04-15-2013, 11:03 PM

Maybe they're just plentiful here. I know the feeling though. We had a HI-LO and it took 5 seconds of pushing a button for the hydraulics to lift the top up and then back down....but it was a spectator sport.

Pooneil · 04-16-2013, 11:03 AM

Forest River is what sold me on A-Frames. Until then, they were curiosities that I could never camp in. The Aliner and Chalets are too narrow resulting in beds that are to short for me at 6'2". The Forest River value is also much better.

I, for one, welcome Forest River as our new A-Frame overlords.

rkuffler · 04-16-2013, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pooneil

Forest River is what sold me on A-Frames. Until then, they were curiosities that I could never camp in. The Aliner and Chalets are too narrow resulting in beds that are to short for me at 6'2". The Forest River value is also much better.

I, for one, welcome Forest River as our new A-Frame overlords.

I would agree with you on this. I had looked at Aliner and they were way too small plus on top of that expensive as well. I am 6'3" and have still a couple of inches before touching with my feet.

I think the only negative to them would be the higher tongue weight and weight of the unit. But I guess with all the features they come with that is to be expected.

Funny thing is the first time we went out I had a Aliner drooling over all the features the Rockwood came with and if it wasnt for the tongue weight and the TV he had, he would have went with the Rockwood.

**Terier** · 04-16-2013, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkuffler

I would agree with you on this. I had looked at Aliner and they were way too small plus on top of that expensive as well. I am 6'3" and have still a couple of inches before touching with my feet.

I think the only negative to them would be the higher tongue weight and weight of the unit. But I guess with all the features they come with that is to be expected.

Funny thing is the first time we went out I had a Aliner drooling over all the features the Rockwood came with and if it wasnt for the tongue weight and the TV he had, he would have went with the Rockwood.

I almost brought an Aliner and even put down a deposit to hold the price. As I was driving off the large lot (several RV dealerships) I couldn't help but think "what am I doing?? That's a lot of money for a lot of compromise!) I'm a short girl at 5'2 but even I bumped my head a few times trying to look out the window.

Later after buying my TT I had the chance to see a couple of FR A-frame units and were impressed with them. The price is much better but the units are much nicer too. I will always have a soft spot for A-Frames.

Pooneil · 04-16-2013, 05:02 PM

I am sure that with A Frames, less weight means a higher price. Using structure wood as the floor I'm sure saves money but must be heavier that the more expensive rot resistant composites uses in others.

I considered the super big Chalet XL 1935, the one with the front side dormer because it has the 80 inch beds. The price I saw was about $25K.

And there were none on dealer lots I could find close to Houston. It was more than twice the camper I wanted.

handbuilder · 04-16-2013, 07:01 PM

The floors on the A Frames have a 25 yr warranty on them...I think that is saying alot about their confidence in the Ainsworth flooring product. I agree about the heavier floor and frame. I am fine with the weight, its enough this style trailer walls bend and flex, sure dont want the frame to do the same. LOL

Pooneil · 04-16-2013, 07:57 PM

I looked up that product. They have really improved the underfloor material since I bought Niagara in 2002. Still, I was perfectly happy with the performance of the Structurewood floor in the Niagara. It was still solid after a decade of being outdoors in humid Houston. I'm sure that narrows the perceived difference between Forest River and the more expensive makers.

thehamguy1 · 04-16-2013, 09:10 PM

When we were researching Aliners and Chalets, hoping to learn as much as we could before buying one (we didn't know then that FR had just begun making A frames), two chronic problems they had been having over a number of years were a) floors rotting out, especially at the corners, and b) the frames sagging down at the rear end so much that the doors on the folded down walls would fall through their openings. That slowed our search for used units down a bit. It's why we hadn't yet bought an Aliner when we happened on a FR dealer's display at a winter RV show, and the rest is history.

I'm pretty sure both makes have fixed those issues, though you can still find postings on Aliner and Chalet user groups about replacing floors and working around the door-falling-through problem. I hope the companies have overcome those problems, they pioneered a lot of innovations we enjoy today.

But meanwhile I'm glad for the lengthy floor warranty and the beefy frame on my Rockwood.

rkuffler · 04-17-2013, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pooneil

I am sure that with A Frames, less weight means a higher price. Using structure wood as the floor I'm sure saves money but must be heavier that the more expensive rot resistant composites uses in others.

I considered the super big Chalet XL 1935, the one with the front side dormer because it has the 80 inch beds. The price I saw was about $25K.

And there were none on dealer lots I could find close to Houston. It was more than twice the camper I wanted.

$25,000 is crazy to me. If I was going to spend that much I would say screw it and buy the R-Pod with the rear kitchen (RP-181G). Love the R-Pod but the price was just a little more than I wanted to spend. That and pulling it would be more a chore for my TV with the R-Pod height.

Pooneil · 04-17-2013, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkuffler

$25,000 is crazy to me.

It was to me too. I serched a bit yesterday, and the prices I saw were well under that today. Around $18k. Either they are cheaper now or the sticker shock was just that bad.

Either way, it was too much money for a trailer that I couldn't eve see at a dealer. My local dealer sells A-Liners now. But on a price for comfort level, the FR campers won easily because all the FR trailers have 80 inch beds. The difference in weight is irrelevant if you can't sleep comfortably. Kidn of like those cute Casitas. If I can't stand in it I won't enjoy being in it.

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