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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 24, 2018 - 04:58pm PT
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Paradox Valley for triples...remote, straight, slightly downhill road with good visibility and no cops. Got my Subaru Outback to clock 126 mph there when it was new.
Four Runner with a T@B 400 trailer...who knows?
At least no cops yet.
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Aeriq
Social climber
Location: It's a MisterE
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Oct 24, 2018 - 05:36pm PT
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Drop & Go is great except for site fees/risk AND the states you travel through - the "55 with trailers" rule "can" set one back seriously time-wise, depending on schedule and distance.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Oct 24, 2018 - 05:42pm PT
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You would never know there was a 55 mph limit on trailers by the way people drive in CA. But I did get a ticket for doing 65 pulling an 8 foot cargo trailer, go figure.
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skywalker1
Trad climber
co
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Oct 24, 2018 - 06:17pm PT
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Jim, my intentions weren't to put down your decision. By posting I was just stating my observation that camping and climbing has become a rig thing. I just find that I pull up to the crags now and its not camping. When I try to hook up with some friends they have to bring their camper and its an issue. We have to find a place that accommodates their trailer. etc.
In no way was I trying to disrespect you. We all know of your exploits.
S...
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Oct 24, 2018 - 06:19pm PT
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if that were an objective of mine, I'd go Tacoma or similar with smallish Airstream thingy in tow
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Oct 24, 2018 - 06:25pm PT
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The only consistent complaint I’ve ever heard about them is that they tend to get more flats. The thing is the stock tires on these rigs tend to be bottom quality and/or bias ply with very low specs for temperature, speed, load, etc. They’re cheap to upgrade.
The other thing I’ve seen is people tend to ignore the wheel bearings - so they dry out, overheat and fail.
Both fail a lot sooner if overloaded, which seems common.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 24, 2018 - 06:43pm PT
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No disrespect felt at all Skywalker. Just letting everyone know that I’m not one of those oblivious dudes pulling a trailer or driving a motor home way under the speed limit while blithely ignoring slow traffic pullouts. The drive to Wawona comes to mind.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Sport climber
moving thru
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Oct 24, 2018 - 08:16pm PT
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Don't think I have a pic of my rig on this new computer. I have a 2006 Chevy Express Van that has served me well. It's not built out, I carry my gear in the back so if anyone calls I'm ready to rock the outdoors.
The kayaks go on top or inside as well as paddleboard. For me simple is best. The less mechanics the less there is to break and fix. It's been a friend to me for the past 10 years.
Jim and Angela, you guys are awesome and think things out. I think you two will rock in your new rig!
Cheers, lynnie
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hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
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Oct 24, 2018 - 09:25pm PT
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there was a period of time in my climbing career when the last dozen or so miles to the trail head was made up primarily of climax level washboard and no manly vehicle could negotiate it as well as the late sixties, gas guzzling gunboat my partner inherited from his republican parents. replacement of the blown shocks was not even consideration, so swell was the ride. if you're listening jim, as i recall ... it had a hitch!
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i'm gumby dammit
Sport climber
da ow
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Oct 24, 2018 - 10:32pm PT
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i went with a yuburvan. i had a 5k budget but needed 4x4 and something for month long solo winter trips.
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Oct 25, 2018 - 12:19am PT
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TWP
Trad climber
Mancos, CO & Bend, OR
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Oct 25, 2018 - 05:27am PT
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TWP's Dream Rig
1985 Ford, F-250 Supercab, 1-ton chassis, 6.9 liter diesel, purchased by TWP new in 1985
aka "The Wildebeest"
2005 Lance Camper 915
aka "La Tortuga"
Shown on location: Hackberry Wall, NW Arizona, Nov. 2017, doing double duty as a laundromat.
Rig gets an honest 10 mpg at 65 mph.
Eat your hearts out Sprinterafarians. And Donini with his tow-along toy trailer has gone all Euro-sissy on us. Just sayin' IMHO
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Gunkie
Trad climber
Valles Marineris
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Oct 25, 2018 - 05:28am PT
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I think as both a climber and a surfer who surfs winters in the northeast (US) a van with a little buddy propane heater and a vinyl water tight floor is quite appealing. However, the climber side likes the base camp concept of leaving a comfy camp trailer and driving to different trail heads/climbing access spots/town.
My Prius V will have to be my wind break when changing out of a 6mm hooded wetsuit after getting out of 35 degree (F) water and standing in 20 mph off-shore winds in 20 degree (F) air. 6.5 years into this car and it's great. I always keep my cars for 10+ years. So only dreaming for at least the next 3.5 years.
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Tom Patterson
Trad climber
Seattle
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Oct 25, 2018 - 06:58am PT
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donini - your thread highlights what my wife and I recently decided to do, too. I actually love sleeping in the stars on dirt, and always have. But my wife and I camp every month, and she's not as stoked about throwin' down in the dirt. Also, when we're on a trip and there's climbing involved, the trailer makes it so that she can stay in camp, and I can take the truck to the crags. We've had VW Westys (which we still love) for 30+ years, and that was always the issue: you have to do a certain amount of breaking down camp, and then driving your camp with you.
So the solution we came up with was to have a teardrop trailer made to our specs. Best decision ever. We prefer to be outside when we're camping, so the fact that this little thing is really for sleeping only makes that perfect for us. We live in Seattle, so a lot of the local camping has high likelihood of rain. We've got awnings for the sides, and a shelter we can put up to cover the rear galley/cooking area.
Here are a few pics:
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 25, 2018 - 06:59am PT
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TWP is correct, I have gone Euro sissie with my Toy Trailer purchase. Seems like it happens once in nearly everyone’s lifetime. I feel proud to have resisted for so long. Most of my contemporaries fell to the syndrome in the 80’s when they donned bright neon, multi colored tights. I resisted that tragic trend with a vengeance.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Oct 25, 2018 - 09:32am PT
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Whatever camper you have solar panels are great. Run the heater all night then the suns comes up and charges the battery in 2 hours. About $500 for panels, $500 for install or do it yourself. Way batter than an annoying generator that has to be maintained and fueled up.
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Da-Veed
Big Wall climber
Bigfork
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Oct 25, 2018 - 09:38am PT
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Used to have the van when I was solo stealth camping in National Parks. Perfect for myself and gear. Low key.
Then the girl shows up in my life, now it is all about comfort and having a pad to go home to at the end of the day. Food, campfire, dog, and of course wife.
This is our current set up!
Love it, especially for places like City of Rocks.
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couchmaster
climber
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Oct 25, 2018 - 09:53am PT
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I'm staying tuned into this discussion. I'm still fine dirtbagging as you can buy a prime time tent for under $200, but my wife is adamant that we will be getting something. We'll see. I love tents, maybe 'cause as a lad we lived in one for a while....the wife calls that being homeless, but we were never homeless, we simply had a canvas walled home (this was before nylon became a thing) that we had to move periodically.
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Oct 25, 2018 - 10:19am PT
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Some key questions for trailer vs truck w/ camper shell vs van:
1. Do you want to be able to pull over on the side of the highway or a dirt road en route to your destination and have a quick no-hassles and comfortable bivy?
2. Do you care about having to step outside if it's raining?
3. Do you set up base camps and explore by vehicle around a radius, or do you move in bigger loops, or just shorter weekend trips with no time to really settle in?
For me, nothing beats the comfort of stopping the vehicle and crawling in the back to a bed with a blanket when you're tired after a long drive. I paid my dues setting up tents after midnight on USFS roads with the kids sleeping in the back of the car. Then I trained them to just sleep on a tarp under the stars, and we've had to beat a hasty retreat when a pissed off land owner made it clear we weren't on BLM land. And digging out the Prius buried in sand up to the axles in various places. Most of the time I sleep in the vehicle will be when arriving somewhere late and departing early in the morning, no real moving in process at a base camp. This is the perfect scenario for a van.
But sometimes there is a base camp, and vans work great for that too! Much of the time can just move camp chairs around the van to chase the shade too- awning is not a critical need for me so far (but I haven't spend days languishing in the desert).
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Don Paul
Social climber
Washington DC
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Oct 25, 2018 - 11:26am PT
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Honestly if I had to choose between sleeping in a $100k RV at KOA, versus the Walmart parking lot in my blazer, I think the Walmart would be more interesting. I had to laugh at the comment about digging out of the sand, I've been there too. The worst is the red dirt in Utah that turns into a slippery paste in the rain.
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