RE: Tetons In Late September
I have spent 40 consecutive years in Grand Teton/Yellowstone National Parks and worked there as a Park Ranger, in the 70s. I might know a little about those two parks and would be happy to share some of this. There are a lot of factors that will influence what will impact the fall colors there. Mostly, wind and snow. Things begin shutting down (campgrounds/services) in the Tetons/Yellowstone after the third weekend of September. Gros Ventre (pronounced; Grow Vont) Campground will be the only campground open in the park, into October. Snows can happen anytime, and begin to increase into October. Expect temps, 60s-70 daytime and nighttime, 20s-30s. The best part, inclement weather moves through quickly, so just be patient.
I did a trip report many years ago and much of it is still relevant. The photos no longer work, as the RV.net script corrupted the tags on them. Tetons/Yellowstone.
If you would like, send me a PM (as anyone can) and I will send a “cheat sheet” of hikes and places to visit and eat.
As for the Photos, start looking for the color changes around mid September to the end of month. Colorado usually is the last week of September to the first week of October.
Have fun!
RE: Finally Getting Started: New Garage With RV Bay
Great thread and enjoying your contributions, without doing any of the work. I feel your pain on those concrete forms. I had a project that required those type of forms and they played that trick on me. I agreed to the conditions. After the forms were used and stacked, I blocked the trailer in with heavy equipment. I told the company I rented the forms and paid for thirty days and he could pick them up after that time. But I wanted to be fair and if he needed them, before the 30 days, he was welcome to rent them back from me. 10 days later, he came and got them and brought a check for the credit. We both laughed over it and he told me; "You got me, but don't tell anyone how you did it." So I am not telling anyone!
b
RE: How much solar?
DJ, do it yourself. Like Mellow Mike said, it is not that difficult if you just follow some simple steps. You have my number, call me anytime. What I did on my roof (not my trailer) would work perfect for you. That way you can add an additional panel, or two, if needed. It will really depend on your seasonal useasage and where you go and what you plan on AmpH demand. Believe me, there will be more AmpH demand than you might be planning. Bigfootford is right, use a template, or do like I did.
Also, be careful about advice of those people saying get a BIG panel. Remember snow load (parked/stored), tilting for Sun angle shadow (if more than one panel) and wind load will impact the cells by stressing them and the anchors in your roof.
I love my solar and the freedom it provides me, but economics, available area and battery space are a factor. For me? My 900w is not enough!
RE: Few pictures from Overland Expo 2013
Bryan, nice to hear from you too. How far have you travelled since OX? 200 miles? 8<)
Our camper was cleaned up the day after we got home and is sitting in the shade, empty tanks and battery minder plugged in awaiting further orders.
regards, as always, jefeHi Jefe. The Expo certainly left an impact on me. Great time meeting so many more TC Forum members.
As of today, I have traveled 364 highway miles, since the expo, many more backcountry miles and river miles. It normally would have a smaller number of highway miles, but my son asked to meet me out in the northern desert. So there are some exceptions. Still, no interstate miles for me for 2013 and only 48, for 2012.
Travel safe, everyone.
b
RE: Few pictures from Overland Expo 2013
Thanks for the photos, Virgil. The best part was meeting you and Maria. I hope our paths will cross again, very soon.
b
RE: Truck camper meet-up at Overland Expo, Flagstaff, May
Well, it is official, the 2013 Overland EXPO is complete, packed up and moved out. While the breakdown was completed on Monday, I stayed on a few more days to do, well, what I do best, explore the area! What a beautiful area these Northern Mountains of Arizona are. True to what Whazoo had shared with me, previously, this area remains much cooler than the lower and southern locales of Arizona, with morning temperatures dropping below freezing.
Friday May 17th Hi 66°F / Lo 43°F
Saturday May 18th Hi 66°F / Lo 33°F
Sunday May 19th Hi 67°F / Lo 37°F
Monday May 20th Hi 68°F / Lo 30°F
Tuesday May 21th Hi 71°F / Lo 26°F
Life out on the road continues to be an adventure!
I would like to thank the superb work of our fearless leader, Sabconsulting (Steve Blackman) and his lovely wife (Sally), for their work and support in putting together a terrific event, for like minded Truck Camping enthusiasts. What attracted me to this event initially was the “off the grid” mentality and I was not disappointed. While a Truck Rally could be fun, this type of event is more to my liking and it looked like it was true, for many of you as well.
We made a list of those attending and interested in the 2013 Overland EXPO and will maintain it for the upcoming 2014 Overland EXPO. If you wish to be taken off this list, or know someone to include, please contact me and we will update the list. The newest news is that the EXPO recognized the growth of the Truck Campers attendees to their annual event. In a meeting this week, the organizers asked us to develop some classes/seminars that are oriented towards this group of overlanders, which I am doing now. If there is something that you would like to see, please contact me as well, and we might just bring it forward. Also, Angela and Gordon White, of Truck Camper Magazine fame, will be working with us too. I am hoping Steve and Sally will start making plans for a return visit, next year!
While I do not post photos on RV.net any longer, I do a few other places. One of these places is on my Facebook page; A Wanderer’s Photography. For those that are on Facebook, or thinking about it, come find me there, too. Again, thank you for providing such a memorable experience, for me and others as I hope we will see each other on the road again, somewhere soon.
bryan
RE: Trip report, part one: 2013 Overland Expo and the TC flood
Great to see the many rigs. Even though I didn't park within the "pod", thanks to Brian for encouraging this long time lurker to engage in the fireless fire side chat Friday evening. This was my second year. Looks like I'll have a reason to attend next year as well.
Mark ObertHi Mark!!
It was a treat to meet you and learn more about you. I hope you will stay in touch too. Private messages are nice, but I am not always able to load the RV.net site, as easily I am able to have emails come up on my iPhone. Your RV.net settings do not allow Private Messages. Also, if you are on Facebook, please friend me or anyone can visit and like my community page; A Wanderer's Photography
Stay in touch!
bryan
RE: RV Net Forums & Other Forums
Hi everyone!
Sheriffdoug, what a great and timely topic. With forums, I tend to move to the ones that most interest me at the time or topic I am needing some assistance from. There are two forums, within RV.net, that I visit regularly, approximately at about 60/40%, which would be the Truck Camper Forum and Tech Forum. I have never used the New Topics tab and might look into that. Being able to connect to the internet is sometimes a challenge, due to the very remote locations I tend to frequent, so I tend to come and go from the forums.
Many years ago, I was active on the Escapees forum, due to HDT I use to travel in to support my racing. But when that ended I somehow learned about RV.net, and came here. I have never been to the NATCOA site or look for other TC forums. I signed up to the LOA forum, when I bought my LANCE but found that the forum was too specific and slow. I do frequent a couple of other forums, that mirror my interests in motorcycles and racing, but not part of the RV.net group.
I do not post often, as I don’t have a lot of knowledge about many things, but try to share my experiences. I do enjoy learning more about my own camper, and others from the people that post here. There are prejudices here and other sub forums, within RV.net. I just use my own values, and tolerances, to work through them. It is very rare that I meet someone that is familiar with RV.net, which reminds me not to think RV.net is the center of the RV Forum Universe. Two years ago, I met a couple that does frequent RV.net and I now follow them. I mentioned, to them, that I often post in the TC Forum and he answered back; “Oh, I never go there and would never go there either. I only post in the Coach forums.” I took his comment as he meant it, but the same prejudices work in reverse too; “Oh, I never go to any other forums, other than the TC Forum.” Prejudices can be found everywhere.
Subscribing to many of the TC member’s posts, that I find mirror my interests and quality of their experiences, is how I find the best topics to follow, for me. This often leads me to “Around the Campfires” and many, many others. I don’t PM often, as I find this creates a “boy’s club” affect in that other posters miss the back and forth discussions. These discussions have proven to me, many times, others are reading/lurking and can gain from these auxiliary discussions. I have been following another TC oriented site, non forum, but have found it has grown to be mostly a playground of a very small group of people, that does not encourage participation of others, outside that small group. One of the discussions was about a truck rally and another person asked about the location in the posted pictures and the main contributor thread poster answered that; “the information is posted in the events area.” It seems it would have been easier to have just answered the person’s question. I went to the events sections, but the information was “aged” and had dropped off the events page. It just seems some people just don’t wish to be helpful for others, no matter how experienced or long they have been on the list.
For me, the RV.net forum fits my needs and my interests, when I have the time and interest to visit. I like everyone I have met here, even the ones that don’t think much of me and have stated as much. No matter what the situation, I feel I can learn from anyone.
b
RE: Trip report, part one: 2013 Overland Expo and the TC flood
I must say, this was an outstanding event to attend and enjoy. Many others are better at sharing the events and photos that were documented at the EXPO. Thank you for your words of support, jefe4X4. For a very long time, I have wanted to meet up with you and now meeting you on the “road,” my original thoughts of you, were correct. You are a quality person, as all the TC’rs I met this week are. I look forward to a very long friendship, often in absentia, with you. Travel safe, always, my friend.
One of the unusual happenings, at the EXPO, was when a small group of RV.net TC’rs were standing around, talking with me, when an individual walked up and introduced himself and began talking with us. He admitted he was not with our group, in fact had never signed onto RV.net, but in fact was a mega long time lurker. He proved this fact, very quickly, but counting down the 4 people that were standing there with us, correctly by their names and handles! We were all surprised and of course I said; “you probably don’t know who I am, as I don’t post often, or have pictures of me posted.” Without a hesitation, he pegged my name and handle, immediately. It just proves, there are many more people out there reading our posts, than we could ever imagine. Before he walked away, he did say that he just might sign up and who knows, he might be reading my post this very minute.
One of my greatest pleasures, is meeting other RV.net TC owners, on my adventure here on the road and now I can count the EXPO as one of the locations to meet some of you. I will say that meeting many of you was the best thing about the expo, for me, and reaffirming the friendships that have begun with some of you.
A bit of Post EXPO news.
Many expressed that they would enjoy returning to this event, in 2014. I certainly took note of your comments and the 30+ Truck Campers (in our RV.net Truck Camping area) we had attending, as did the EXPO Event organizers. The Truck Camper Magazine documented almost 120 Truck Campers attending the event. They will be posting the details of the event in an upcoming article. Today, there was a meeting with the EXPO organizers and we are now planning on some 2014 EXPO Clinics that will be Truck Camper specific. We will be working in conjunction with Truck Camper Magazine in putting a program and clinics together for this growing segment of Truck Campers, now attending the Overland EXPO.
Stay tuned.
b
RE: Overland Expo 2013
I must say, this was an outstanding event to attend and enjoy. Many others are better at sharing the events and photos that were documented at the EXPO. Thank you for your words of support, dadwolf2.
One of my greatest pleasures, is meeting other RV.net TC owners, on my adventure here on the road and now I can count the EXPO as one of the locations to meet some of you. I will say that meeting many of you was the best thing about the expo, for me, and reaffirming the friendships that have begun with some of you.
A bit of Post EXPO news.
Many expressed that they would enjoy returning to this event, in 2014. I certainly took note of your comments and the 30+ Truck Campers (in our RV.net Truck Camping area) we had attending, as did the EXPO Event organizers. The Truck Camper Magazine documented almost 120 Truck Campers attending the event. They will be posting the details of the event in an upcoming article. Today, there was a meeting with the EXPO organizers and we are now planning on some 2014 EXPO Clinics that will be Truck Camper specific. We will be working with Truck Camper Magazine in putting a program and clinics together for this growing segment of Truck Campers, now attending the Overland EXPO.
Stay tuned.
b
RE: Bear bell for dog?
Hey Buddy. Sorry for what happened.
I have had a couple of scares with my buddy too. But that is life. Those that don't live out in the open spaces of the west, don't really understand this issue as well. My buddy has lost his ability to hear and at night, he stays really close, no doubt his own concern with Coyotes, bears and other things. I have always used bells, way back to the 60s with my bird dogs, and use one of my Bear Bells all the time, now. As old and slow as he is, I can be looking at the stars and he just stumbles away. One of the things I started using, a number of years ago, in conjunction with the Bear Bell, is one of those flashing lights. I first got two of them (at REI) to put on my pack and jacket when I was was out walking in the snow, late at night. As you know, I have been hit by cars before, and am trying to cut down it happening again. It works great at night, on the dog. I have had a few people talk to me about it, when all they saw is this blinking red light moving around in the distance, not knowing it was my dog.
To be honest, one of the reasons I have the Bear Bell, on the pup too, is if a wild animal does grab him, I know which way he was taken and for me to go the opposite way. Now you know why people don't go hiking with me, in bear country! :-)
b
RE: Newbie to solar question
Those big house panels are cheaper $ per watt, but for portable use, they are big and heavy.
I elected to go w/ 2 smaller lighter, easier to store panels And a $10 15 amp controller works fine w/ them too..I agree here. Larger panels work well in a fixed position, except in heavy wind and snow load locations.
A smaller panel will be much better when handling them in and out of your TT and setting up. One only has to watch, once, a person wrangling a solar panel when the wind comes up, to understand what I am sharing. Imagine turning around in a wind with a large sheet of plywood in your hands as opposed to a small sheet of plywood.
b
RE: Truck camper meet-up at Overland Expo, Flagstaff, May
Steve/Bryan,
We are really looking forward to this event. I've heard that 16 TCers are confirmed for the event. I'd love to see that confirmed list posted here on this thread.Hi Mike!
While Steve is able to speak for himself, on whom is on the EXPO list, I would think anyone could share, on this forum, their plans or desire to attend the EXPO. What I do know is that a large portion of the people attending have requested that their attendance not published on a public forum. As I have written many times, on this forum too, one tenet of personal security is not to publicise their coming and going from their homes. I suspect this is one of many reasons some have requested this privacy. While someone may ask you a question, about anything, you have the right to decline to answer if you choose and no meaning should be derived by that, other than the question; "Why would you ask?"
b
Thanks, Bryan. I guess I should've stated why I was asking. I could go back through this thread to see who intends on going and compile a list myself. My reason for asking was to see if the 16 confirmed includes those from the TCM group as well.As you are referring to the Truck Camper Magazine group, we have only heard from one person. We did hear from TCM themselves (Angela) and there is no plan, by TCM, to organise any gathering, just an effort to share with the readers of the event. .
I do believe the number, RV.net members attending, to be 16. It was planned for a staging of 25 Truck Campers. This total has decreased due to some bringing trailers, as I am one of these. We just wanted to make sure that there is generous room around the individual campers.
b
RE: Truck camper meet-up at Overland Expo, Flagstaff, May
Steve/Bryan,
We are really looking forward to this event. I've heard that 16 TCers are confirmed for the event. I'd love to see that confirmed list posted here on this thread.Hi Mike!
While Steve is able to speak for himself, on whom is on the EXPO list, I would think anyone could share, on this forum, their plans or desire to attend the EXPO. What I do know is that a large portion of the people attending have requested that their attendance not published on a public forum. As I have written many times, on this forum too, one tenet of personal security is not to publicise their coming and going from their homes. I suspect this is one of many reasons some have requested this privacy. While someone may ask you a question, about anything, you have the right to decline to answer if you choose and no meaning should be derived by that, other than the question; "Why would you ask?"
b
RE: Truck camper meet-up at Overland Expo, Flagstaff, May
We live in Phx but during the Expo DH will be hiking the AZ trail in the area, I'll be hanging out. We will get up there Thursday afternoon and plan to hang around til Sunday sometime.Sorry, we were unable to send you information, on the EXPO, due to your RV.net account does not accept PM, nor do we have an email for you.
b
RE: Modding an F-350 up or an F-550 down for TC
Hi Jeff. Welcome to the forum.
Many of the points have been addressed, already and I will confirm that there is a world of difference between a F350 & a F550. Mounting points, frame size, axle, brakes, insurance, registration and the list goes on. But then, what do I know.
Personally, I feel you really need to focus on the use of the vehicle and recognize that there is going to be compromises. As an example, you talk about the tires for off road use. Well, with these you are going to lose capacity that going to a heavier truck would provide, so that is going to be a limiter. Size of the camper and connecting the bed, camper, as well as a hitch (F550 does not come with a spare tire or mounting location (remember it is a different frame and the fuel tank takes the place of the spare tire). The type of frame on an F350 is prohibitive for welding on.
Wasting money on a "pretty" service body,from Douglas Truck Bodies, when there is cheaper and better service bodies locally,not 1800 miles away from you, makes me wonder why you are spending money here and not on the truck?
Good luck.
b
RE: Our custom true flatbed truck camper build thread
Steam and pre bend?
Yes, thinking about it...but I am going to try kerfing today on a scrap section to see what it might look like. I really don't want to have to build a 4'x8' steam box just for these 4 remaining pieces. Also I worry that the plywood would swell and warp in other ways.
But steam and pre-bend is definately on the table. I could also go with three or four layers of 3mm instead of the two layers of 5mm...but the 3mm is $57 a sheet and I already have a lot of the 5mm from an old project.
Cross fingers on kerfing...I will post results soon.a few ways I have done this work, on furniture.
1. Find a clothing supplier that has a hand steamer that is used for pressing pants and jackets. Slowly moving the steamer across the surface will slowly allow the wood cells to warp (bend).
2. Find thinner sheets bend them and glue them together. (This is how I have done stair banisters.
3. Find a small bathroom. Place the sheets vertically over a bathtub, or toilet (closer to ceiling the better), and run the shower repeatedly as hot of water you can (turn up the water heater temp), keep sheets away from the water stream and the bathroom door and windows closed so the air in the room is saturated with humidity. Keep this sealed and every couple of hours run s the shower often to keep room humidity up. (The surface wood cells will swell, but after a few weeks the will reduce and sand for smooth surface.) Immediately take a sheet one at a time to frame and slowly bend. Also, use weights at the end of the sheets, don't place pressure at bend location and don't attach anything until bend is achieved. Wood needs to spread like dough. Just like bendin a sheet around a large pipe. I have used this technique in building floor to ceiling bookcases and skinning canoes.
b
RE: Do you like your cabover bed?
There are two long time, well known TC Forum members that are changing from a TC to something that does not require all of the climbing. This is just a product of getting older or joints just don't work the same. Neither of these two is abandoning the outdoor world, just getting something that will still allow them to get out and enjoy the outdoors. That is it, find something that works for you and if things change, change.
I still prefer to sleep out in the backcountry, in a tent, but my NS bed sure is nice too. I had a Park Ranger swear that I was sleeping in my TC camper once, until he checked the tent, to find me asleep in there. He was just amazed why someone would not sleep in their camper. Having the camper is nice, but it will never be my true calling.
b
