Well Since there are very few pictures of the host campers on here I thought I would post the pictures from our little trip to Bend Oregon to the Host Factory to get our new camper.
My girlfriend and I decided to make a long weekend of the approximately 4 hour trip so we loaded up the dirt bikes and the dogs and headed off to Bend. We stopped in Salem so I could get my bike serviced. That took a little longer than expected.
We arrived at Host around 2:30 on Friday and were loaded and gone in about an hour. Everything went well, Dave at host was very nice, and very knowledgeable. He knew a few things about my truck that never even crossed my mind.
I ended up spending my camper money on our house last year so I didn't order it exactly the way I intended to, but I set it up so its easily able to get to exactly where I want it.
Specs on the camper.
2013 Host Cascade double Slide
Dinnete slide, rear slide.
Buckskin ultra leather with black counter tops(really looks slick I think)
I ordered exterior speakers because adding them later would have been impossible.
I ordered the TV prep package without the TV because I bought a TV for my old camper last year.
I ordered it with generator and AC prep. I have a honda 2000, but wanted the option for a onan should I decide I need it.
Convection/micro combo.
fantastic fan.
I went with the small escape hatch because of people on here not liking theirs. We're smaller people so it will be fine.
Really the only thing we didn't get that I wanted was:
LED lights, mostly because I like the color vs regular bulbs
AC, I'll put that on this summer. I really only need the AC for my dogs because we're outdoors most the time, but when we go out riding motorcycles or on the lake I don't want to have to worry about my dogs being too warm.
Satelite dish. I think I would use this when I travel for work.
Here is the camper as we pulled up.
Loaded on the truck.
I don't have air bags. I through stable loads on before we left, alone with new tires. I have to say the truck handles this camper AWESOME. My old elkhorn 8s made this thing rock like a boat. I wouldn't hesitate to throw an Everest on this truck.
Here's the back couch. Sorry for picture quality, we took them with the cell phones and the light was bad.
Here's the dinette
upper kitchen cabinets and lower
Bathroom
Another outside.
So we left for Fred Meyers for food and supplies.
The passengers in the back seat. Rosie on the left, Bear on the Right. Rare that Rosie is sitting up as car rides stress her out, but Bear on the other hand will whine until you open the window so he can stick his head out.
Yes, my hitch extension is too long, but for $100 bucks off craiglist i was going to run it until I have cash I don't want to spend on anything else.
We stayed at La Pine state park, and it snowed a little while we were there. We got there late, didn't get any pictures or much exploring done. We hit the road the next morning intending on riding at East Fort Rock. We drove out NF22 for 14 miles through small snow drifts before it just got too deep and steep for me to want to try and get there. I'm not from the area and I have never been there so I didn't know what to expect of roads. After I stopped moving in two wheel I parked the truck and jumped on my Husky 450 and rode up the road and it just seemed to keep getting worse. So I decided to scratch the riding idea. I backed the truck and trailer down the road and we headed out.
We decided to check out The Cove Palisades at Lake Billy Chinook for places to go ride the sea doos with summer. We intended to stay the night there and head home, but contrary to their website, every park there was closed. We we're a little annoyed because we checked, so we said screw it and headed to Kahneeta warm springs. I am sitting in the camper waiting for the shuttle to take us to the casino to see if our luck has turned around. We'll see.
About the hitch extension, can it be modified and cut off at either end? If the hitch extension starts out as a solid steel section, it would only be a matter of cutting off the un-needed length, and drill a new 1/2" hole. Or if solid steel for only 12" or so, then 2-1/2" tubing to the back, you might be able to weld a new band over the section you wanted it to end at, then drill a new 1/2" hole and cut off the un-needed section.
Either way, I think I would weld a large step to the hitch extension, to make getting in and out very easy. Say a 3/16" plate of steel, about 12" square? Round the corners so they do not jab someone in the leg sometime.
Excellent setup. I will be getting a Cascade in a couple years. We got a boat to pay off 1st. I have a couple questions.
1) what did your weight come out to be?
2) To put the ball hitch past the end of the trailer and keeping it as short as possible, what length of stinger do you recommend? I know its a 10.5 model, but by the time you add the extension, WD hitch, etc. the length is way past the bumper. I had an Arctic Fox with a 4' extension that was too long and could have easily gone a foot shorter.
Love the camping life. 06 Host Rainier SS, 07 Classic GMC Sierra 3500 DRW.
Great floorplan. The sofa makes a nice place to relax. I always liked the Host campers. I wish I would have bought one insted of a Lance. I only thing I see that I don't like is the snow.
* This post was
edited 04/16/12 02:38am by LanceCamper845 *
Very very nice TC!! Congrats!!! I realy like the new interior look. Love the sink counter top and the cherry.
2009 Chevy Silverado 3500 dually D/A, Supersprings, Stable Loads, Bilstein Shocks, Hellwig Sway Bar, Front Timbrens.
2010 Arctic Fox 1140 DB, 220 watts solar, custom 4 in 1 "U" shaped dinette/couch, 59 interior and exterior mods to date and still adding
One suggestion, buy a shorter antenna. It looks like yours is about where mine was. Mine didn't damage the overhang, but it did mark it up until I bought a shorter one at a Mustang accessory site. You should be able to find out for your Dodge at a Dodge car parts site.
'06 F350 Lariat Supercab SRW, 6.0 PSD 4x4 Long Bed, Intake Elbow, Walker Big Truck Muffler. '06 Host Rainer 950 Double Slide, Fastguns. Firestone Air Bags, Rancho 9000s, Vision 19.5s with Hankook DH-01 245s, Energy Suspension bump stops.
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