My maiden voyage/ shake down cruise

[Pooneil]

I finally am getting away for the Carly's maiden voyage to Colorado Bend State Park in Texas. Unlike the advice I would give and probably should take, this voyage is to a remote park, 30 miles from town with 1/3rd of the drive over rough dirt roads. So no running to WalMart for forgotten supplies.

Fortunately I am pretty experienced with campers and with the park so there should be few surprises. And I did actually take a nap in the camper the other day when I was trying to figure out how to live without all the stuff in my Niagara I never used.

The real downside is that this will be late June and the park has no electric sites. I'll probably bring a battery lanterns and not even turn the lights on, just to make sure I don't run the battery too low. That is unless I have time to order some LEDs. So it is battery only to run the fan for three nights and leave the vent and windows open in the daytime, when we are out hiking.

In this regard, has anyone done a mod to make a sun/rain canopy that fits over the service side window? I'd like to leave it open all day but would hate to damage the interior if we were out of camp if it rained. It seems like some treated nylon, velcroed to the "A", then staked to the ground with a line would do the trick.

Everyone else in the group will be in tents. So being on a bed will be very comfy, relative to the company. I wonder if I will have to fend off requests to sleep on the dinette bed?

[neil.ervin]

Have you considered ainstalling a second 12v battery and when they wear out, replacing with two 6v deep cycle golf cart batteries for even extra 12v power?

I'd love to see your window canopy. I want to install a rain canopy for the large roadside window but need ideas. After all it might rain on a hot night.....!!!!

Thx.

[Pooneil]

Originally Posted by neil.ervin

Have you considered ainstalling a second 12v battery and when they wear out, replacing with two 6v deep cycle golf cart batteries for even extra 12v power?

I'd love to see your window canopy. I want to install a rain canopy for the large roadside window but need ideas. After all it might rain on a hot night.....!!!!

Thx.

That might be the plan. Go with two group 24s now instead of discarding the one that came on the camper. Add better batteries when they are done or I go boondocking more. That I can do over the weekend.

As far as the service side canopy. Two poles sewn into the fabric with a tie down cord should do the trick. Maybe I can get the DW to teach me how to sew. Probably not before this trip.

[rawlus]

Keep an eye on tongue weight with 2 batteries. It sort of depends upon your type of camping but I rarely find myself dry camping for more than a weekend so I have chosen not to invest in batteries and the weight associated.

I think it's prudent to camp first and then decide what you need or want to improve the experience, otherwise you can spend lots of time and money on building the most versatile flexible camper and end up not using or needing half of it. Just my 2 cents.

[Pooneil]

Originally Posted by rawlus

Keep an eye on tongue weight with 2 batteries.

The tongue weight is no issue for my TV.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks it is good advice, because that is my tendency. My previous camper had a group 31 battery and I've just never camped with one so small.

[RenFaire Camper]

Last time I dry camped I used a solar panel it kept the battery charged for two days.

[RenFaire Camper]

Colorado Bend State is one of my favorite state parks I haven't made it there yet in my aframe but its on the list to do this year.

[Pooneil]

Originally Posted by RenFaire Camper

Colorado Bend State is one of my favorite state parks I haven't made it there yet in my aframe but its on the list to do this year.

I'd say to come join us but the park is sold out and our group is filled. We need to do a Texas Aframe rally seo we can get together and talk about how cool we are!

Speaking of cool, have you dry camped in the summer heat? How did that go, ventilation wise? Better or worse than a tent?

At least CBSP should be low humidity.

[RenFaire Camper]

Not in the summer yet. Dry camped first weekend last Oct at TRF when the temp hit the mid 90's. With the vent fan running and the two windows opened it wasn't bad lots better than my old pop-up or the tent.

Wife and I are planning a trip to Copper State Park weekend next.

Texas AFrame rally would be great.

[daijari]

A Texas A-frame rally is go for me also!

[Pooneil]

I started doing some prospective loading this morning and have a concern that somebody else must have solved already.

Unlike my old Niagara, the AFrame has plenty of open floor room when closed, making it a tempting place to pack stuff. I am quite sure my duffle will go in there the night before the trip. But when I set my cooler inside, all I can forsee is all that weight sliding around and crashing into the fridge door. Has anyone found a easy way to stabilize a cooler or other hard and heavy items to prevent damage?

[ko777]

I use the square rubber mats on the floor, sliding of stuff is eliminated. Since I put my tanks, folding bench/tables/chairs and water bottles on it, the floor will not get scratch during the bumpy ride.

See those rubber mats, I use that inside the trailer, nice and soft to the bare feet, eliminate the cold floor and protect floor from scratches. I put an extra layer for the trip. Plus easy to break into small square pieces for transport. I also put it on top on any hard surface inside the trailer before closing the A-Frame.

[Pooneil]

Nice!

[neil.ervin]

I priced the interlocking square pieces. Very expensive for my wallet. I'm going to use a large polyproplene dog mat for outside. Easily hosed off. Foldable. Wife sewed a pouch for rug storage. I believe I saw someone else post this polyproplene idea.

As for my floor, home depot sells some rather thick 'welcome' door mats. I use one outside and two or three inside. It is surprising to me how items lying on the floor do not move around during towing. But I do secure my fridge door with a bungee hooked into eye screws I placed under front and rear seats. Eye screws and bungie might be a good way to secure a heavy object, and place a rubber mat between the object and the trailer's inside wood panels.

Ditto. Any rubber thickness on flooring keeps the feet warmer while inside the trailer.

[handbuilder]

Our trailer has 4 rugs: One in the entry is an RV mat (Miracle Door Mat, Miracle Door Mat) a second rug is under the dining table, a third rug is in front of the kitchen sink/stove cabinet and the fourth rug is in front of the pull-out sofa bed. Stuff on the floor doesnt slide around and.neither hs anything I put on the beds. The cutting board has bounced out of the sink a couple times and stuff in the cargo netting (on the wall) has also fallen out.

[Jeep4Two]

I use the non slip rubber drawer liner for crates and such. Should work for a cooler as well. You can get a big roll for less than $15 at Wally world or the home stores.

[Pooneil]

Originally Posted by Jeep4Two

I use the non slip rubber drawer liner for crates and such. Should work for a cooler as well. You can get a big roll for less than $15 at Wally world or the home stores.

Good idea, I think we have some lying about the house.

[Jeep4Two]

Input 4 large crates and 2 small ones with my duffle on top of them and they are always right where I left them.

Nice thing is the drawer liner rolls up for easy storage while camping.

[thehamguy1]

You could pull the cushions off the seats and stuff them around things as well. Before I started using bungees to hold doors shut I used to wedge seat cushions against them.

[Pooneil]

I soothed my concerns about the sliding cooler by putting down runner carpet and buying a small extra piece of no-slip carpet padding to sit in the square area just inside the door. I may also look for a flattish door mat that can be cut to put in the doorway.