Our first trip with our New A128S

[DGrissom]

We made the leap from sleeping in our tent to a hard side trailer. I don't think that I am going to ever look back. Payne Lake (Talladega National Forest, AL)


(A great promotional shot of our A128s)



My tow vehicle. Did quite well (I plan on using for short haul trips for the next year before selecting a newer vehicle.)


We had a great time. Refrigerator ran on LP. Used battery for fan, pump, stereo, and lights. We're very proud of this great little camper.

Going out next week if at all possible!

[ahoman]

Hi Loved the rig, I looked at these when over in the US for Xmas and am thinking of buying one to tour around.
Am inquisitive about the size of the vehicle you use to tow it, what is it and what is it's towing capacity please ? Do you use sway bars ?
Also, am assuming it's the version with a double bed, do you find the mattress comfortable ?
regards Antone from Aussie

[loganmartin]

Looks like a nice camping spot!...were the fish biting?

LM

[thehamguy1]

Looks just great, I think you've got a keeper there!

[DGrissom]

loganmartin - I didn't fish on this trip. We picked up the unit and drove straight from the dealer. I just played with my new toy and enjoyed the view. BTW: I used to fish a lot at Logan Martin (my sister still lives on the lake). I didn't open up the awning yet.

thehamguy1 - Your posts were very instrumental in my purchase. I bought the Harbor Freight load bar. I was going to use it as a combination wind lock and central curtain hanger. Could not easily figure out how to place it (without knocking out one or more windows ;-) ) How did your 45 watt solar panel ever work out?

Antone in Australia - the car is a 2004 Saturn Vue. It has been to date my favorite car purchase. It has always been over powered with a 250 hp Honda Pilot V6 engine. I did not go with any sway bars. Wind resistance, sway, and rear dip was minimal. It is still in the test phase at this time. Note: there is 3500 lb towing capacity (and at least 300 lb tongue weight capacity according to the Saturn literature and Saturn forums) .

I currently need recommendations for side mirror extensions for the car. Wally world has some sort of vacuum based unit -- anyone use one of them?

[thehamguy1]

Originally Posted by DGrissom

thehamguy1 - Your posts were very instrumental in my purchase. I bought the Harbor Freight load bar. I was going to use it as a combination wind lock and central curtain hanger. Could not easily figure out how to place it (without knocking out one or more windows ;-) ) How did your 45 watt solar panel ever work out?

Gosh, glad I could help. I put the cargo bar between the two apexes (apexi?) by removing the flat plates on the ends of the bar and setting the ball ends of the bar into the dimples in the centers of the round rubber cushions factory-installed at the apexes. You should also look into putting a screw-type hose clamp on the sliding section of the bar to keep it from slipping under pressure. On my bar, just tightening the existing plastic clamp wasn't enough to keep the bar from shortening under pressure. I later replaced the cargo bar with a homemade one that uses a locking pin to hold it fully extended. And like you, the curtain rod use seemed a natural so I got a pair of inexpensive curtains to hang from it and made a couple of alternate mounting locations for the rod so I could make a little roomette at either end of the camper.

The solar panels are still on probation. I did get a fourth panel to boost us to 60 watts. I think at best the panels will slow down the rate of discharge of my dual battery system to the point where we'll be moving on before they're completely dead. I'll be happy if the system keeps us going for a week at a time. They don't put out enough current to fully charge the batteries in a real-use situation--i.e., with cloudy days, tree cover, constant need to reposition them, etc. I'll know more about how practical they are after our Alaska trip this summer.

[backpacker3]

Looks like a great camping spot. Have fun with the new camper.

[capucine]

It is nice to be able to camp so early in the season. I am not living at the right place!

[DGrissom]

Thanks backpacker3 ...

capucine - I can imagine it's a whole lot different up there.

I would really like to visit Ontario before I depart this earth.

On the other hand, we are hoping to be able to camp nearly year round. It's usually too hot to tent camp in July and August here in Alabama with the 95+ degree temperatures and heavy humidity. The air conditioner should allow us to hit the wood then as well as the winter when the mid thirty's are more the norm. We may try to make an effort to sneak down into Florida during that time as well.

It is my hope and long term goal to get our ACPN (average cost per night for the camper) down to less than $50 a night compared to it's current $11,000+ per night
(Oh, years ago when I owned a fishing boat, I never seemed to be able to get my ACPF (average cost per fish for the boat) less than several thousand bucks! )

[loganmartin]

[QUOTE=DGrissom;189613]loganmartin - I didn't fish on this trip. We picked up the unit and drove straight from the dealer. I just played with my new toy and enjoyed the view. BTW: I used to fish a lot at Logan Martin (my sister still lives on the lake). I didn't open up the awning yet.

We own a lake lot there on Cape Choccolocco (we have the only undeveloped lot) and will spend at least 50% of our yearly camping days there. The croppie bite has been very good the last month...my 9 yr. old is ruined.

Yes, we know what you mean when referring to 100 degrees/95% humidity...oh the joy! The Honda has performed admirably though and hope it will perform when it becomes oppressive in July/August.

Did you get your unit from Dandy in Oxford?

LM

[DGrissom]

LM: We bought it at the Clanton store on I-65. They had 3 models at the time we started looking. Ingram RV in Wetumpka and Montgomery had several new Aliners that we considered. They were nice units, but they were too small and too expensive. My wife ultimately selected the A128S.

[Terier]

Congrats on your first outing!

At the RV show I could see the difference between the Aliner and Rockwood units and in my book the Rockwood came out the winner. Price and quailty were the deciding factors.

Love the pictures! The A128S fits right in with the trees and lake.

[ahoman]

Hi DGrissom, I am looking at buying the same rig, because I think we need the front storage box to house chairs, grey water catcher, buck, external stove, external stove lpg, wheel chocks, power cord, water hose, handle for the stabilisers, brush etc.. - is that your view ? I noticed the box has a slide out, is this good necessary ? does everything have to go in the slide out ?
On the basis of this model, we will definately want a sprung mattress so intend to have the left dinnette permanently down with the mattress there - would this work ? Is that what you do ?
regards
Antone

[DGrissom]

Originally Posted by ahoman

Hi DGrissom, I am looking at buying the same rig, because I think we need the front storage box to house chairs, grey water catcher, buck, external stove, external stove lpg, wheel chocks, power cord, water hose, handle for the stabilisers, brush etc.. - is that your view ? I noticed the box has a slide out, is this good necessary ? does everything have to go in the slide out ?
On the basis of this model, we will definately want a sprung mattress so intend to have the left dinnette permanently down with the mattress there - would this work ? Is that what you do ?
regards
Antone

Hi Antone,

For the record, the front storage is great!
I keep my grill, chairs, 5 gal paint bucket (gray water), awning, and more in it. There is a 175 lb limit sticker on the storage area. The only slide-out I saw seemed to be for the pop-up tent campers (I could be wrong.) Since can alway access storage from top as well as the sides, you won't need it.

IMO, the 4" cushions are pretty comfortable. They are firm and don't shift (like we thought they might). However, I can imagine that a true mattress would be better for any long term camping. It should work if you can find a size that will fit.

I hope this helps.

[ahoman]

Thanks mate, re the mattress, I'm thinking the area is the same as that in the A122 model which comes with a sprung mattress etc.. so I should be able to order the A128 but with a sprung mattress too - does this make sense to you ? or do you know something that I don't etc..
cheers
Antone

[rawlus]

Originally Posted by ahoman

Hi DGrissom, I am looking at buying the same rig, because I think we need the front storage box to house chairs, grey water catcher, buck, external stove, external stove lpg, wheel chocks, power cord, water hose, handle for the stabilisers, brush etc.. - is that your view ? I noticed the box has a slide out, is this good necessary ? does everything have to go in the slide out ?
On the basis of this model, we will definately want a sprung mattress so intend to have the left dinnette permanently down with the mattress there - would this work ? Is that what you do ?
regards
Antone

This stuff can all be transported in an a-frame without the front storage box. We have most of the equipment and it goes in either the front or rear storage lockers on our A122.
for us, the front locker would just cause us to take more than is necessary to be comfortable and equipped.

[DGrissom]

Ahoman: It should fit. I can't remember the layout of the cool cat (location) on the other unit. I believe in my opinion that the air circulation was slightly better with the table up. Let us know if you can get the mattress.