September 2021 - Big Guy Tiny Trailer

Roan Mountain

This was our first visit to Roan Mountain State Park in northeastern Tennessee, very close to North Carolina and Virginia. It is a beautiful, mountainous area and we were there for five nights. A big plus for us was that we got to see our camping friends.

Camping in the Mountains

It was only the second night in our new Lance camper and our first night in a high elevation campground. Fortunately, our site was not too challenging. I have to say, though, that I was grateful for our Ram 250 truck on those hills. So, we are now in the category of “friends” for this group as we are selling our T@B 400. Just happy to hang out with these wonderful people!

Miller Farmstead

A highlight of our time in the area was a tour of the Miller Farmstead, which is a part of the campground. Tours are free, but you need a reservation. Barb, in our group, had a reservation for twelve and we tagged along. It was a lively group!

It was a lot of fun and very educational to see how three generations of a family lived from the late 1800s to the 1960s. The Park Rangers provided a lot of personal information about the family, which I really enjoyed.

The house gives an insight to life during the time the family was there. Electricity and running water were only added later, when the place became a hunting lodge. I had to be a hard life.

The Outdoor Tour

Marco, a Park Ranger, provided an outdoor tour of the property. He was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about all the plants. The outdoor part of the tour was also very interesting.

Roan Mountain Wildflowers — Wildflowers at Miller Farmstead

Roan Mountain Activities

Members of our group did some amazing hiking through some difficult terrain. Several in the group also did a bike ride in Virginia, called the Virginia Creeper, a long bike trail. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go because it was too long to leave our dog. We did, however, do some limited hiking and I really enjoyed it!

Hiking at Roan Mountain — Hiking with Friends

Sitting around the campfire was another activity. Every night, there was at least one campfire, including a big one for everyone in the group. I believe I heard that there were about forty people at the event and around thirty campers.

Campfire at Roan Mountain — Sitting Around the Campfire

We have camped with some of these folks for five years and they are good friends. New folks are always fun to meet too!

Lastly, we visited Jarret’s Orchard. We purchased some apples, tomatoes, and corn. They had some beautiful flowers outside their building.

Fabulous Food

For such a small area, the food was outstanding! Our favorite was Smoky Mountain Bakers, which serves fresh pastries daily. They also have delicious thin crust pizzas baked in a wood stove. Lastly, they have a pretty good breakfast. Many in our group visited this establishment more than once.

Another great eatery was Puerto Nuevo Fresh Mex and Seafood. A group of us had dinner there and it was excellent as well. It will also be a must visit if in the area again.

The Lance

The Lance was very spacious and comfortable. We did lots of tours at the campground because our friends were curious about it. Happily, the Ram 250 truck did a very good job pulling it, but we were very aware that it is a much bigger trailer. Most importantly, we had room to relax with our dog.

However, we were disappointed to learn that one of the bars on the roof had come off of one side. A friend in the group put it back in place for us. I posted to a Lance Facebook group and learned that this is an apparent problem with the rack. So, fingers crossed for the rest of our trip!

In conclusion, it was a wonderful five days at Roan Mountain! Next, we are headed to Beckley, West Virginia as part of a 3 1/2 week trip. Check out our travels to other states on our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource.

Happy Camping!

A Bigger Camper

Yes, we purchased a bigger camper after almost six years of teardrop travel. My blog is named Big Guy Tiny Trailer and we are clearly out of that category. So, I guess now the name only fits ironically. This post is about the why and what of this dramatic change for us.

Our nuCamp Teardrops

We have been proud owners of nuCamp RV products for the entire time of our camping history. Six years ago, we started with a 2017 T@G XL MAX and used it extensively for almost three years. It was a wonderful starter camper that we took all the way west to California and north to the Upper Peninsula. The camper performed flawlessly, but ultimately, we wanted a space to be comfortable inside when the weather is too hot, cold or wet.

Our bigger teardrop was a 2019 T@B 400 Boondock Lite and it was exactly what we wanted. Though still rather small, it brought a bathroom, indoor kitchen, and indoor dining area to our camping experience. However, camping became more expensive because we couldn’t store the camper in our garage. Also, fuel economy decreased from around 17 mpg to 11. The most expensive change was an upgrade to our tow vehicle from an Acura MDX to a Ford Expedition. We like having surplus capacity when towing and the heavy tongue on our camper was an issue with the Acura.

The 400 was an excellent camper and the extra amenities were greatly appreciated. It provided wonderful times during the several trips we have taken in the last three years. We especially loved the indoor bathroom and kitchen. The Alde system was incredible with heat and hot water that was super quiet and comfortable. Most importantly, NüCamp quality continued in the 400.

A New Family Member

Late last year, we decided to get Sophie, our goldendoodle puppy. She is a sweetheart and a great little traveler. For instance, we have taken her on four camping trips in the last year and she was a real trooper. However, she weighs 35 pounds and will grow a bit more. Consequently, the space that she and her crate takes in our camper made it very cramped inside.

Our New Bigger Camper

After having adequate room, we weren’t happy in such limited space and so decided an upgrade was needed. We would have liked NüCamp as our brand for a bigger camper, but the Avia, nüCamp’s larger camper, is no longer in production. Quality was the most important factor in our search and we landed on the Lance for its perceived quality. I really hope that perception proves to be true!

We ordered a Lance 2075 in March from Bankston Motor Homes of Huntsville and took delivery in August. I highly recommend this dealership. We bought our 400 from them as well and have been pleased with their service.

The 2075 is a cool-looking 25’ travel trailer with some of the European styling we loved in our previous trailers. We specifically did not want a slide out because we didn’t want potential issues with it and are trying to keep it as simple as possible.

Our Lance 2075

We picked up this beauty in mid-August and have spent weeks getting it and our new tow vehicle ready for our next trip. The storage we have inside and outside is intoxicating.

Our bigger camper — Lance 2075 travel trailer

Some Interior Photos

We think the Lance 2075 is an attractive camper. The bedroom is perhaps it’s best feature. It has room for Sophie’s crate and there will be no more climbing over each other to get up. The bed is a full-sized queen and can use a residential mattress. It has windows all around and a skylight. Lots of ambiance, but I hope it doesn’t get too hot.

Bedroom in our bigger camper — Lance Bedroom

With Sophie’s crate in the bedroom, we can actually use the dining area again. We really missed having a place to eat, play games and relax.

The kitchen area is not really any larger than our 400, but the refrigerator is a little bigger and easier to access. The 2075 does have a small rear kitchen which might encourage more outdoor cooking.

Lastly, the bathroom is bigger and has a shower that should be a bit easier to use.

Bathroom in our bigger camper — A roomy bathroom

Déjà Vu on the Tow Vehicle

Our Expedition was within weight limits for the 2075, but we were not happy with how big trucks on the Interstate impacted us. With the 400, we had a lot of surplus capacity and we didn’t feel we had it with the Lance. We very much wanted that same comfortable feeling. So, a Ram 2500 diesel is our new tow vehicle.

A bigger vehicle for our bigger camper — Ram 2500 is our new tow vehicle

In Conclusion

Our two teardrop travel trailers were perfect for us as new campers who didn’t even know if we would like it. They gave us optimal flexibility in campsites and made travel relatively inexpensive. The quality of those campers was extraordinary. I wouldn’t trade a thing for our time in them, but we are ready for a little more room and comfort. If you would like to read more about our travels, check out our page, which is now ironically named Retirement and teardrop camping!

We take the new camper and truck on the road soon for a 2,500 mile trip. Hoping all goes well!

Month: September 2021

Roan Mountain with the SE Tab, Tags, & Friends