Hello From Ontario, Canada

BigWil · 10-17-2017, 02:39 PM

My wife spent the last couple years harassing me about going camping. As a currently serving Canadian Armed Forces member, I've done enough sleeping on the ground, so when things lined up for us this spring, we went out and bought a Clipper 17FQS, which I towed behind my little Jeep Cherokee. The combination was OK for short trips, and despite working 2 weekends out of 4, we made it out for 6 camping trips from May to Sept. DW then decided that we needed to do some longer trips, further away, and I agreed.

The first thing to change was picking up a Ram Rebel, and now we just ordered a Freedom Express 248RBS, which we should have in the next couple of weeks. The extra room for the 2 of us, with an 80lb black lab in the mix, will be greatly appreciated. The ability to open the fridge and get access to the bathroom while on the road will be nice, as will the 5x cargo carrying capacity (400lbs to 2100lbs) so we can bring some extra stuff to make camping even more fun. With the full size fridge, we should be able to bring enough camp food for a week long trip without any difficulty.

I joined this forum to learn more about the trailer, and to get some quality information about the upcoming trailer-related purchases. This seems like a friendly, welcoming group, so I thought I'd join instead of just lurking.

ben31 · 10-17-2017, 03:18 PM

Welcome and congratulations! You should have a good time and I hope you make lots of wonderful memories in your new rig!

geeman53 · 10-17-2017, 03:43 PM

Welcome from SW Ohio ,enjoy your TT !

DaGrinch · 10-17-2017, 04:04 PM

Welcome from Western Maryland.
Sounds like you have a great combo.... Getting a new trailer and a wife who wants to go see things!

SeaDog · 10-17-2017, 04:05 PM

welcome to the forum its a great place to get your questions answered

MolsonCanadian · 10-18-2017, 10:25 AM

Welcome! Where in Ontario are you?

BigWil · 10-18-2017, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonCanadian

Welcome! Where in Ontario are you?

Eastern Ontario, Belleville ON.

MolsonCanadian · 10-18-2017, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigWil

Eastern Ontario, Belleville ON.

Nice! I'm up in Midland.

BigWil · 10-18-2017, 01:42 PM

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Originally Posted by MolsonCanadian

Nice! I'm up in Midland.

Not too far away from here, I see. Keep me posted on when and where you go camping. If we happen to end up in the same park, my beer is always cold. (and is usually Molson Canadian)

MolsonCanadian · 10-18-2017, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigWil

Not too far away from here, I see. Keep me posted on when and where you go camping. If we happen to end up in the same park, my beer is always cold. (and is usually Molson Canadian)

Absolutely! We hope to be in Ottawa, Sherkston Shores, Darien Lake and then Disney for Christmas 2018.

BigWil · 10-18-2017, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonCanadian

Absolutely! We hope to be in Ottawa, Sherkston Shores, Darien Lake and then Disney for Christmas 2018.

That sounds like a great plan. Any resources for finding campgrounds in Ontario that are open all year round? We mostly hit Provincial Parks, and very few of them are open after Canadian Thanksgiving.

MolsonCanadian · 10-18-2017, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigWil

That sounds like a great plan. Any resources for finding campgrounds in Ontario that are open all year round? We mostly hit Provincial Parks, and very few of them are open after Canadian Thanksgiving.

Not sure, we just got our trailer late this year, so we've only been out twice. (and same campground to boot). I'll poke around the Allstays app and see what I can find, but I assumed you would be hard pressed to find much open coming into November.

BigWil · 10-18-2017, 03:00 PM

There are a handful of Provincial Parks open all year round, Algonquin Mews campground being one of them. We plan on a shakedown cruise the first weekend I'm off after I get the trailer. Heated comfort stations and 30 amp power will make it work...enclosed underbelly should help keep our feet from freezing in the morning, and we probably won't add water so we don't have to winterize again.

Fluffywhitedogs · 10-18-2017, 07:47 PM

https://www.ontarioparks.com/operatingdates/2017

Rooikss · 10-18-2017, 07:55 PM

Welcome! I'm also looking Ontario!

itat · 10-18-2017, 09:13 PM

Welcome from Bowmanville. We camped at the Marmora KOA two weekends ago (met a couple from Belleville there that weekend) and the Brighton KOA last weekend. We split our camping between Provincial Parks and KOAs/RV parks. Sounds like you work out of Trenton?

BigWil · 10-18-2017, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itat

Welcome from Bowmanville. We camped at the Marmora KOA two weekends ago (met a couple from Belleville there that weekend) and the Brighton KOA last weekend. We split our camping between Provincial Parks and KOAs/RV parks. Sounds like you work out of Trenton?

Yup. 4 years there now...waiting to find out when and where I'm moving next.

We were up at the Marmora KOA Labour Day weekend, and it wasn't a good fit for us. Not a lot of space or privacy, and it was pretty noisy. I hear better things about the Brighton KOA, but we've generally stayed in Provincial Parks. Bon Echo twice, Silver Lake, Presquile and Lake St Peter.

Hutch333id · 10-18-2017, 09:53 PM

Hi and welcome to the forum. Thank you for your service to Canada and congratulations on the purchase of your RV.

We hauled ours over to TO this last summer and plan on doing the same next year, although we'll head further east as well. We found some nice locations and some we wouldn't go back to but overall we had a great time. We're (well, I am - the wife his happy to let me as it keeps me quiet) currently researching locations in ON for next summer but we prefer glamping locations with FHU over Provincial parks.

Asking about 'trailer related purchases' is like opening pandoras box. There are limitless options you didn't know you needed to buy until you saw one that somebody else had.

Best wishes for the upcoming camping season (7 months from now).

SailorSam20500 · 10-18-2017, 11:07 PM

Good luck with your new trailer and thanks for helping keep us all safe.

Check out the Forest River Owners Group site and join up (it's free). FR supports a number of rallies where you can meet up with other owners. We had a great time at the Pretoria Rally in 2017 and are waiting for the 2018 version to be posted and opened for registration. FWIW, Pretoria is near Sarnia, so more western Ontario... Expect the rally to be held in late May or early June.

Also, you should have picked up a Ford...

BigWil · 10-19-2017, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SailorSam20500

Good luck with your new trailer and thanks for helping keep us all safe.

Check out the Forest River Owners Group site and join up (it's free). FR supports a number of rallies where you can meet up with other owners. We had a great time at the Pretoria Rally in 2017 and are waiting for the 2018 version to be posted and opened for registration. FWIW, Pretoria is near Sarnia, so more western Ontario... Expect the rally to be held in late May or early June.

Also, you should have picked up a Ford...

Thanks for the suggestion. I've joined up, and depending on work schedule, will try to make it to the next one.

And Fords aren't near as comfortable as Rams. The Dodge/Ram/Chrysler products have worked some serious magic for interior space and legroom, and being 6'6", 250lbs and driven a wide variety of vehicles, Rams are by far the most comfortable for me without looking at European vehicles.

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