# possible camper purchase



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Camper/travel trailer.

I'm going to look at a travel trailer today. I'll refer to it as a camper. I went camping with my daughter in September and it was a blast except for all the work she has to do loading the thing up with supplies for 3 kids. If they were my kids, they would each get a list of what they need to pack and put it by the front door the night before. 

She's shown me how much fun state parks can be. And hubby sits in front of the computer all day. I can do that easily but I don't.

I went to bed totally anxious about this. But I feel okay about it now. My daughter bought a 34 foot camper for $40k. They can afford it. Last year my husband had a 6 year old motorhome (27 ft) and I hated it and never went anywhere in it. I always looked at it as a money pit. He had a mortgage out on it! 

What I'm looking at is a 21 foot hard walled camper with beds that pop out like tents on each end. It's got a real nice lay out. It's second hand but only a 2013. Even with the pop out beds it has heat. And in Florida you can supplement with a heating blanket or heated mattress.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Picture????


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Yeah, she better post pics if she brings it home today. We'll have to put her in time out if she doesn't.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Here's the fast pictures: http://www.rvt.com/Forest-River-Stampede-21RGS-2013-Oakland-FL-ID7099081-UX201864
And I did not pay that price, LOL. It was as advertised. The salesperson thought I was leaving with it. I said I'll come back with the Hubs. (I was just too anxious to drive it or pull it.) It's just what I want. A lot of seating, disappearing beds, and a small functional kitchen. I came home and made reservations for Lake Kissimmee State park, so this will be fun to stock that thing. Hubs doesn't know it yet but we are only using a grill to cook. And I won't forget the marshmallows. At least the park is only 2 hours a way, and we can still "run out for bread".

I ordered a weight distributer. It's this thing that clamps on to the trailer and has an adjustable height ball. Easy to use. Helps prevent sway. Hubs says "You don't need that, it's already there". Maybe he thought I was buying the frame of the camper.

How fun, 90 minute drive almost to Orlando.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I had no idea they could come with three fold out beds. I skipped the outside pics but I kept looking at the one inside and thought, is that another tent bed or a mirror showing the one? 

It's really clean looking, got the slide out which you will not regret having. Is there a battery so it's electric or do you have to crank it out yourself?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

The bed tents are a matter of 2 clamp handles being opened. There are 3 pop outs. Many of these trailers had a layout with the dinette and sofa on the same wall with the sofa facing either the sink or the entry door. I thought how stupid. My daughter has one with a long couch all along one side. But that doesn't appeal to me either. I think the sofa and dinette should face eachother and this one had the extra long bench off the dinette. And since that front bed is mine, I can be social from my bed, LOL . The slide is electric and so is the sun shade or awning.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That's great about the slide being electric, not have to be outside during a rain to crank it in is always a plus.

Once I realized there was a third tent bed I thought, oh good, the dog has her own bed. 

Funny you should mention that front bed and that it's yours. I thought it would be. Me? I'd take the back one so I could be as antisocial as I wanted to be.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

The camper sounds awesome.Just think of all the adventures you can have and state parks are fun and offer all kinds of activities for all ages.Plus,no 2 are alike and you get to see Mother Nature at her finest.I use the state parks for fishing and hunting and am lucky there are several close to me.Good luck w/ your purchase.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Well CQ, there you are!

I love my daughter. The reason I got a camper (travel trailer) is because she did and I'd like to get closer to her and do things together. So I send her a few pictures and she responds with an invitation to a Pampered Chef party that happened yesterday. No mention of the camper.

Anyway, all systems checked out. And since we're 90 minutes away, the owner of the RV place said if there's something wrong, don't worry. Get it fixed and send me the bill. They are nice people. He was very patient thru every thing. I had one more picture but it disappeared into cyberspace.


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## havasu (Jun 21, 2012)

Maybe I'm paranoid but envision a bear ripping through that thin cloth and taking a bite out of me as I sleep. No thanks, I'll stick to my hard walls!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

HAHAHA very funny. I don't think Florida bears can reach that high. I've never slept in a tent. Ever. I'm probably not a tent person. There's not a whole lot of storage space in there. No pantry. Sometimes I wonder what these people think. 3 double beds/or queen, so that would be sleeps 6 plus you can squeeze 4 more in there if needed, LOL. But if there's 3 beds for 6 people, where is everyone going to keep their stuff?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

chickenqueen said:


> The camper sounds awesome.Just think of all the adventures you can have and state parks are fun and offer all kinds of activities for all ages.Plus,no 2 are alike and you get to see Mother Nature at her finest.I use the state parks for fishing and hunting and am lucky there are several close to me.Good luck w/ your purchase.


I have a big book of Florida state parks. There are so many and some are beautiful. I have found a few that have a winding river that looks really cool. I think Kissimmee, the one we're going to , has 3 lakes that are connected by canals (?) so you can canoe your little heart out. I don't have a canoe. There are also a lot of springs in Florida.


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## havasu (Jun 21, 2012)

My way of thinking is with the initial cost of a towable trailer, the loss of gas mileage, the storage fee when you are not using it, the maintenance to keep it running good, or the cost of the nightly fee at a campground, I could put mama into a nice Hilton where they scrub your toilet and make your bed daily.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Sorry, Havasu, I'm with Karen on this one. Nothing makes up for a bed that is yours, sheets that are yours. A space where you can put on a pot of coffee and sit back and enjoy it.

The one thing I saw that I don't like with the TT is no counter space. At least in our MH I had the dinette directly across from my stove so I had that to use when cooking. The larger fridge is not a waste. That eliminates having to use a cooler or coolers. And if it's the same, propane, can be fired up before hand to keep things cold for the trip.


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## havasu (Jun 21, 2012)

Yeah, I honestly do love being in a nice campground, sucking on a cup of coffee while watching the fire in the firepit. Problem is I would probably be doing this alone since _the other half_ would be staying at the local Marriott...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I think I know why she would prefer the Mariotte over the RV or tent. Ninety percent of the time the woman is the one dealing with all of the cooking and clean up. More like being at home but harder.


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## havasu (Jun 21, 2012)

Yeah, but us guys are the ones doing the chopping, the bug killing, stoking the fire, doing the hunting, fishing, etc.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Drinking the beer.


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## havasu (Jun 21, 2012)

Well yeah, the essentials, right?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I got to try hard to find my Shiner's beer. I'm planning my "mostly cook outside" , will use the grill they have. But I bought one of those things that people use to cook fish in that close flat so you don't have to flip things . Might be good for zucchini and tomatoes. Make 3 bean salad. And something else.

I guess I would prefer my own little "home" than a hotel room. I feel that either you like camping or you don't. It's not an issue of saving money. I don't think you do save money. My daughter taught me that going to state parks is great. I always had the mindset that camping was KOA and it was to be on the way somewhere. Hubby had a motor home up til about 8 months ago. There is something not right about a motor home (Money Pit) sitting in the yard depreciating and has cost $50k and hubby will be paying for years at $500. per month. So I talked him into selling it. I got on the camper kick after camping with daughter and family. I have no guilt about the thing sitting in our yard not used often. The campground is $20 a night plus electric and has water at each site. 

Lake Kissimmee Park (Sunday) looks great. The camping area is in between 3 lakes that are connected by "canals" so it's a canoe dream. 

Robin the fridge is large but there's no pantry. What a design flaw! And I don't know where I'd put a TV, and it would have to be small.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You have far fewer cabinets than I did but your overhead bins are your pantry. Non food items go in the floor storage areas. The couch and other seating probably has storage under the seats. 

Trust me, if you spend enough time in it you'll be finding hiding places for some time to come.

The TV goes on the table next to the front bed. Does the camper have an antenna? If you're camping mainly at state parks they won't have cable.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

It has a tv by hubby's designated bed. We don't sleep together because he's a nightmare to sleep with and I guess I am too.

I can live without tv. Internet-well I would like. They say there's Wi-Fi up at the main concession area. We have reservations for sunday and Monday. It's 2 hours away. Lake Kissimmee state park. So I've been making lists and getting things ready. We'll do the weight distributing hitch tomorrow. I don't know what's happened but Hubby is getting along really well with me while we set up. Usually he's like it's his way or no way. My chickens will be on their own for 2 days. They all have secure pens, water and food. There should be nothing that goes wrong. I am even giving each pen several water buckets/waterers. That's the nice things about secure pens, at least they can be left alone for a few days.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

And why you should be glad your horse is stabled. You couldn't do that if he/she was in your backyard. Way too much of my life was dictated by having to get home to feed mine.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

True, the horse is well taken care of. At the beginning of the year, we had an old dog put down, then in February we had our other dog put down. So I feel a lot freer taking off for a few days not worrying about seizures. The two of them were not dogs to take with you. Now we have a Spoo who gets car sick and gets Dramamine. Wait til she sees the camper!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Today we spent putting the weight distributing bars on the camper/truck hitch. Not too complicated. I've done it many years ago. We actually got along and no one got bossy. After 3 hours and an hour spent getting the chains tight, we should have read the instructions. There was a much easier way to get the chains tight. I feel really stupid not seeing it. It rides nice , but we have a hitch clunk when we stop or go. Easy fix, I ordered this part on amazon that will stop that.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Get all of the kinks worked out and you're off to your adventures.Are you getting really excited?I would be planning fishing excursions,hunt for dinner or just walk around and enjoy the beauty.I hope you and yours enjoy your time w/ nature.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Remember, you can use your phone as a hot spot. Mine wants a cable attached to the computer so you might need that. 

All that work has a payday in that first camping trip. We'll be waiting to see the pics and how much fun you had.


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