1. You travel with any children, Guest? 2. Ever try keeping two very active, young children contained in that popup when the weather doesn't cooperate for them to be outside, and they're bursting with energy, having been couped up in the tow vehicle for hours travelling?
3. Ever tried to have some private, 'intimate' time with your spouse in that popup, with a couple of children sleeping just a few feet away from you?
4. You ever been in that popup when a nasty storm hits, with wind/rain blowing sideways, etc? With two small children scared to death that the storm is going to rip that canvas popup to shreds?
5. You ever had to take camp down in that popup, when its pouring rain?
6. You ever needed/tried to just pull over in a parking lot or whatever and catch some rest for a night, in that popup?
Will
I just have to surprise Will with my answers before the horse is buried!
1. Yup. Said trip was with my 7, 4 and 1 year old in the van. What's the problem?
2. Yup. portable DVD player is kept in reserve for those times. Longer rains call for a side trip to the local tourist traps.
3. Rather personal. I'll just say it works as well as it does in hotel rooms with kids right there....
4. The kids love storms. DW is the one hanging from the ceiling by fingernails. One night on the trip I had to move the van to make it into a wind block bc DW couldn't sleep from worry. Nothing but ZZ's from the kid end!
5. Nope, I live a charmed life! Batting 1000% now on setup tear down for almost 30 years of popup camping.
6. Nope. I never plan more than 500 miles for a single day. And rarely more than 400. Vacation is for relaxing, not pushing it.
Guest, was in a doozy of a storm coming off Lake Erie last summer while camping. Everyone's stuff was tumbling in the high winds and the five of us (and two dogs, no horses) in the camper all agreed that if the popup was going to fail us, that was going to be showtime. As it turned out we didn't get a drop of water inside and not one component - canvas or otherwise - tore off or failed in any way in the high winds. Had a few other rainstorms during the night and found it was easier to sleep with the patter of rain on the camper. Who knew?
1. You travel with any children, Guest? 2. Ever try keeping two very active, young children contained in that popup when the weather doesn't cooperate for them to be outside, and they're bursting with energy, having been couped up in the tow vehicle for hours travelling?
3. Ever tried to have some private, 'intimate' time with your spouse in that popup, with a couple of children sleeping just a few feet away from you?
4. You ever been in that popup when a nasty storm hits, with wind/rain blowing sideways, etc? With two small children scared to death that the storm is going to rip that canvas popup to shreds?
5. You ever had to take camp down in that popup, when its pouring rain?
6. You ever needed/tried to just pull over in a parking lot or whatever and catch some rest for a night, in that popup?
Will
I just have to surprise Will with my answers before the horse is buried!
1. Yup. Said trip was with my 7, 4 and 1 year old in the van. What's the problem?
2. Yup. portable DVD player is kept in reserve for those times. Longer rains call for a side trip to the local tourist traps.
3. Rather personal. I'll just say it works as well as it does in hotel rooms with kids right there....
4. The kids love storms. DW is the one hanging from the ceiling by fingernails. One night on the trip I had to move the van to make it into a wind block bc DW couldn't sleep from worry. Nothing but ZZ's from the kid end!
5. Nope, I live a charmed life! Batting 1000% now on setup tear down for almost 30 years of popup camping.
6. Nope. I never plan more than 500 miles for a single day. And rarely more than 400. Vacation is for relaxing, not pushing it.
Enjoy!
My word, we have become a real nation of softies if camping with a couple kids in a rainstorm is cause for alarm and the purchase of a giant camper. We bought our pop up because it was a nice step up from tent camping, but I don't remember the children being terrorized by being outdoors in a tent, that seems like the whole point of taking children to the outdoors, to have them actually experience the outdoors rather than sitting around a camper watching television.
All I have to say to Guest's smug response to Will is that you've obviously not come across the kind of weather that many of us have. Our first family camping trip we were treated to baseball sized hail and who knows how fast of wind. Cars were trashed with dents, tents in our group were shredded, popups were skidded sideways into the shelters they were set up next to. The one travel trailer in our group was unscathed except for the skylight and vents. We loved our popup, and I do miss aspects of owning it, but we'd never go back. You're foolish not to admit that TT's have a distinct safety advantage in bad weather, just like we'd be fools not to admit there are definite advantages to the popup. You love your pup, great. Just like we love our tt.
I am with Will on all of this. He wasn't doing any bashing. I like him read the OP and the title of the thread and felt compelled to put in my worthless opinion. "Revenge of the minivan?". Come on.. Through the pages of this thread you would think that towing with a vehicle that is designed to do the job is some sort of disadvantage. Don't blame those who can afford more RV or choose a situation that is more appealing to our version of relaxation. Who cares how the other guy does it? Not me for one. I think it is great the guest finds happiness in his method of RV'ing, but that doesn't work for me, my kids or my wife who has shared many personal moments in a tent. Will is right, try that with a herd of kids.
I go dry camping maybe 3 times a year, the rest of the 20 are spent in parking lots with hookups and no privacy. You can be assured that in those situations I am going to do it in comfort and relax. If that method means I need a truck that is capable of mass hauling, then so be it, it is certainly my choice just like Guest chooses to use a minivan and brag about his mileage along with how much money it saves him. Then the minivan kings chime in with why it is so much better than towing with a full size vehicle built to do the job and this place can be guaranteed fireworks.
Heck, I am in spot 18 of the parking lot with hookups right bow, watcbing cable TV, using my laptop and the parks wireless while 2 kids watch a movie on the other LCD and one other is watching a different one on a portable. The place offers it, so why not? We are only here for the pool anyways.. Kids...
2008 Cougar 310SRX 5th Wheel
2005 Dodge Ram 2500 QC 4x4 CTD
2008 Nissan Armada LE
You hairy chested overly endowed diesel men shouldn't be so sensitive to the minivan affection-ado's inconsequential boasts of self endearing towing accomplishments. It makes you appear even more insecure.
'05 2500HD Dodge 5.7L Hemi 5spd auto/3.73 SLT. 95k miles
ex '95 Cummins,'98 12v Cummins,'01.5 Cummins,'03 Cummins
'07 KZ Jag 28JFSS.
Hannibal wrote: You hairy chested overly endowed diesel men shouldn't be so sensitive to the minivan affection-ado's inconsequential boasts of self endearing towing accomplishments. It makes you appear even more insecure.
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