Date:         Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:41:51 -0500
Reply-To:     mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Beyond Vanagon-Keeping older vehicles! Camping in motor homes!
Comments: To: Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
In-Reply-To:  <5E1FC937-A20F-47CD-9665-4A81651CC70F@shaw.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

---- Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> I'm glad somebody has said this. I don't mean to be negative, but some folk really want to stuff the poor Vanagon package to an incredible degree. I *try* to think of the van as a tent on wheels.

A tent on wheels, with a bed off the ground, is how I use my camper.  We do like the convenience of having a kitchen (a minimal one, some camp kitchens even for tenting are far more elaborate than what is in the Campmobile), and as we age, the bed is a comfort we seem to need.  Since we live and travel in brutally hot climates, A.C. while on the move is welcomed.  But, we have never even considered air conditioning the camper for camp.  Though we do camp in winter and in mountains in summer, we have not installed a heater.  We also have not installed an auxiliary battery, though we have considered that, and decided it would not give us any advantage unless we could run the refrigerator off it to save propane for cooking.  But we can stay out for three weeks before we need propane as is.  I guess a bigger propane tank would be more important to me than an auxiliary battery.  Maybe I'll get a solar panel setup to keep the starter battery up.

We have only stayed at a campground with electrical hookup one time in the four years we've had the camper, and that was when we used it to attend a work conference, and the state park only had sites with hookups.  Mostly we try to camp at what the USFS calls "dispersed camping" locations or similar when we can.  Though our camper is not a Syncro, most RVs cannot reach our preferred places.  Otherwise, we use what public lands and parks agencies call "primitive" sites, without any hookups.

We don't need to take our house with us when we travel or camp.  Our tent on wheels is great, though.

I'd just like it to trust it to always get us home.  Actually, so far it has not failed to do so.

mcneely