Alternative Front Storage Basket

[Galileo]

I don’t mind knowing there are other beings on the planet when I camp. I just don’t want to sneeze in my trailer and hear one of them say “Bless you!”.

I don’t concern myself with snack bars and pools. Hot showers and the occasional washing machine are nice though.

We’ve “camped” at everything from urban campgrounds - basically parking lots with hookups - to the aforementioned Harvest host - with zero hookups. (But a cool impromptu youth rodeo!) I prefer something comfortably in the middle.

I admire the dedication of the tent campers. (BTDT, enjoyed waking up in 2” of water in my sleeping bag.) I scoff at the guys in the half-million dollar coaches. (I like getting more than 4MpG, thank you very much.)

Friends often call what we do in our Oliver “Glamping”. That’s ok, I need some glamour in my life. 

[jd1923]

10 hours ago, Galileo said:

I suppose if you’re the “Hitch up a go!” kinda guy, then have solar and/or a lot of battery capacity would be more important. These days, we don’t head off -anywhere- without a reservation with at least electricity. We did a “Harvest host” overnight once just for the heck of it. We survived. Yeah, “technically” we can get by without any hookups for at least a few days, but we just like the ability to watch TV - more importantly - run our espresso machine - without needing a huge ($$$) lithium battery bank and a big ($$$) inverter. 

We've planned most of our trips while we like more open land and less staying at campsites, NO RV Parks unless we need to be in the city. Longest trip to date is 3 1/2 weeks and from late May to early July we're leaving for 5-6 weeks and I'm not even sure of our route yet, let alone reservations. Like Bill suggested, we prefer the 2-legged carbon forms to be over 500 ft away. Out here 500 ft away from the road, water source and neighbors, and you can shoot guns, drop gray water and take an outdoor shower without looking over your shoulder! 🤣

Purchased our older hull which came with 320W rooftop Solar, a 2KW Xantrex inverter and 450AH of relatively new LA batteries. We ran coffee machines, microwave, streaming TV many hours day and night, NP. But that wasn't good enough. Goal now is to have a high efficiency A/C that can run 3-4 hours on inverted power, no generator. 

So I upgraded our entire electrical system with a 3KVA Victron Multiplus II Inverter/Charger on 600AH Epoch LiFePO4 batteries, added a Victron MPPT 30A solar charger for a 400W Renogy suitcase in addition to the OEM Blue Sky charger for the rooftop panels. I've purchased a Victron Orion XS 50 DC-D charger and as soon as I can get over my latest pickleball injury, I will run the cable and get this system installed. With addition of the Atmos A/C this April, I will be able to run air using under 10A 120VAC.

Although admittedly I overdid it! I'd rather make these long-term investments than spend money on a generator or full hookup campsites. I wish there were more campgrounds that have room for 23 ft trailers without hookups. Half the time we have hookups, I don't bother connecting. We just don't need to most of the time.

I just added up everything we spent for solar tax credit purposes. Yay, got my taxes done yesterday! For the inverter, LiFePO4, Solar suitcase and charger, DC-DC charger, high-output truck alternator and every switch, length of wire, wrap, lugs, terminals, buses, fuses, beakers etc. it came to $5,379. Given I sold the used batteries and inverter, net cost is $4,800. What does OTT charge for their Platinum package? (which does not include near half of these components and capability.) Don't forget 100 hours free labor from this tech! 🤣

@Galileo Val, where do you live and travel mainly? Those of you who live east certainly cannot boondock readily as we do out west.

[Geronimo John]

 

19 hours ago, Galileo said:

If you will be good enough to forward the membership requirements, application, and schedule my entrance interview - I’d be obliged.

(That is to say that I likely already have the experience and qualifications for membership - you’re just lucky enough not to have known me for very long. 😋 )

After a thorough review of your qualifying posts, the Rabbit Hole Society hereby bequiths to you a full lifetime membership.  

[MAX Burner]

49 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

the Rabbit Hole Society

GJ:  You may have some competition HERE .   Consider having an OTT patch made up for the RHS!!!

[Galileo]

1 hour ago, jd1923 said:

We've planned most of our trips while we like more open land and less staying at campsites, NO RV Parks unless we need to be in the city. Longest trip to date is 3 1/2 weeks and from late May to early July we're leaving for 5-6 weeks and I'm not even sure of our route yet, let alone reservations. Like Bill suggested, we prefer the 2-legged carbon forms to be over 500 ft away. Out here 500 ft away from the road, water source and neighbors, and you can shoot guns, drop gray water and take an outdoor shower without looking over your shoulder! 🤣

Purchased our older hull which came with 320W rooftop Solar, a 2KW Xantrex inverter and 450AH of relatively new LA batteries. We ran coffee machines, microwave, streaming TV many hours day and night, NP. But that wasn't good enough. Goal now is to have a high efficiency A/C that can run 3-4 hours on inverted power, no generator. 

So I upgraded our entire electrical system with a 3KVA Victron Multiplus II Inverter/Charger on 600AH Epoch LiFePO4 batteries, added a Victron MPPT 30A solar charger for a 400W Renogy suitcase in addition to the OEM Blue Sky charger for the rooftop panels. I've purchased a Victron Orion XS 50 DC-D charger and as soon as I can get over my latest pickleball injury, I will run the cable and get this system installed. With addition of the Atmos A/C this April, I will be able to run air using under 10A 120VAC.

Although admittedly I overdid it! I'd rather make these long-term investments than spend money on a generator or full hookup campsites. I wish there were more campgrounds that have room for 23 ft trailers without hookups. Half the time we have hookups, I don't bother connecting. We just don't need to most of the time.

I just added up everything we spent for solar tax credit purposes. Yay, got my taxes done yesterday! For the inverter, LiFePO4, Solar suitcase and charger, DC-DC charger, high-output truck alternator and every switch, length of wire, wrap, lugs, terminals, buses, fuses, beakers etc. it came to $5,379. Given I sold the used batteries and inverter, net cost is $4,800. What does OTT charge for their Platinum package? (which does not include near half of these components and capability.) Don't forget 100 hours free labor from this tech! 🤣

@Galileo Val, where do you live and travel mainly? Those of you who live east certainly cannot boondock readily as we do out west.

JD - we’re homeless these days. Sold our 1/2 acre “city” property in Chicago northern suburbs (“Goodbye $13,000 annual property taxes” - and climbing EVERY year or so.) and also our “country” property in Rural NE Texas. $400/year property taxes on 40 acres - go figure. (Ag exemption mainly)

That said, we crash in the same part of Texas (Winnsboro) a couple of weeks a year. And likewise in Joliet area south of Chicago. 

Our camping trips are typically pretty long by comparison. (“I got nowhere else to go!”) At about 2-3 months at a time. We left Chicago just after Christmas, and only  stashed the trailer in storage on March 8th. It will only be there until the end of the month, then camping again in Mandeville (NOLA) area for all of April. June starts the long trip cycle again, and will be in the trailer ‘til end of August. 

Though we’ll be staying near NOLA between two state parks for a month, and campground hosts for 5 weeks in Minnesota later this summer, we generally cover a fair amount of ground, aiming to stay in each place 3-4 days, and driving 100-200 miles between stops. 

“Home Base” for the Oliver (AKA “Indoor Storage”) is Hammond, LA (again, essentially New Orleans) and we’ve covered from there to the Florida Keys & back, Grand Canyon & back, PEI & back, and Yellowstone & back. Put 78,000 miles on previous tow vehicle in three years. (Whew!)

My wife could easily hold down the role of a professional travel agent, as she researches and makes all of the reservations - as well as all of the travel arrangements for our annual fall Europe trips. (Me? I just drive the truck…)

We’re trying to get smarter as far as spending the “cold” months in the South, and the hot months North. (No more Winslow in August please!) But with family in Chicago and Northern Indiana, we usually have to suck it up around Christmas. Biggest concern there is diesel trucks don’t like Chicago winters…

[Galileo]

1 hour ago, Geronimo John said:

 

After a thorough review of your qualifying posts, the Rabbit Hole Society hereby bequiths to you a full lifetime membership.  

What was Groucho Marx’s famous line? Something about not wanting to belong to any organization that would have him as a member? 😋