New Campers Archives - Big Guy Tiny Trailer

New Campers, Unhitching and Setup of T@B 400

New Campers

I wrote this unhitching and setup post exclusively for new campers. Experienced campers have already figured this stuff out and could possibly share better methods. When we first began camping, we did not know anything at all about campers and how to use them. I would have appreciated a post like this. However, I could not find anything this basic and detailed.

We have now been camping for four years and this post reflects what we have learned and is how we setup our current camper, a nüCamp T@B 400.

Setup for New campers — New Camper Unhitching and Setup

The Order of Things

Some steps must be done in a specific order or must precede other steps. Others can occur anywhere in the process. In this post, I will always indicate when order is important and why. Lastly, we have found that a standard practice makes our process more efficient and less prone to errors. You develop a sort of muscle memory.

Level the Side-to-Side

This first step is essential if you have an unlevel site from side-to-side. You should perform this check before other steps because the trailer must be hitched to raise one of the wheels. So, I use a small level that we keep in the camper to see if the the side to side is level. If it is not level, we have two leveling pads that we drive the wheel over on the low side. Often, we do not need these pads for leveling. Sometimes, we need both pads and occasionally only one is needed.

New campers should check level status — Checking the side to side level status

It is important that the camper is level for the refrigerator and air conditioner to work properly and for accurate reading of tank levels. Lastly, it is much more comfortable in a leveled camper.

Chock the Wheels

For safety, it is important to chock the wheels before any steps in the unhitching process begins. An unchocked camper can roll and cause damages and possible injuries. So, it is just a good practice to always do this before unhitching.

Insert Wheel or Block

We currently use a block to unhitch and stabilize the front of our camper. For maximum stability, we center it and lower the jack. In our previous camper, we used a wheel. However, we prefer the block.

Remove 7-Pin Connector

You should remove the 7-pin connector before unhitching to prevent drain on the car battery and to get it out of the way of the hitch.

Remove the Chains and Breakaway Cable

You will want to get these out of the way before unhitching. Regarding the chains, you should always cross them while towing.

Remove the Weight Distribution Bars

We have the Blue Ox Swaypro Weight Distribution Hitch and it requires the jack to lift the car to enable the bars to be removed. Once the jack is raised, the bars can easily be removed.

Remove Hitch Lock

We always keep a lock attached to our trailer coupler. It is vital while towing to ensure the trailer remains properly attached. It is also beneficial as a theft deterrent. We previously used a long padlock, but wanted something that was easier to get off and on. We settled on the Bulldog Adjustable Lock.

Lock recommendation for new campers — Bulldog Trailer Coupler Lock

So far, we really like the ease of putting it on and off. It works much better than the padlock. It fits snugly, which would make it difficult to cut off.

Unhitching From the Tow Vehicle

Next, lower the jack to release the strain off the ball. Once lowered, pull up the lever on the tongue. Now, lift it off the ball. Ideally, the ball will drop from the jack. Sometimes, it can be difficult to decouple. In those circumstances, it may be necessary to pull forward or backward ever so slightly. This is the most stressful step in the unhitching process for me.

Level Front to Back

Next, adjust the jack so that the camper is level from front to back. I always set a level on the floor parallel to the door and it makes it easy to find that level sweet spot using the jack.

Lowering the Stabilizers

Lastly, lower the stabilizers. This is the last step of unhitching and taking them up is the first step of hitching. It is important because the stabilizers can be damaged if the camper is raised or lowered by the jack while they are down.

Camper stabilizers — Stabilizers are lowered

Setup

Now that the camper is unhitched, it is ready for setup. Actually, you can attach the water and power before unhitching. For example, if the weather is hot or cold, you might want to get the power on so the inside temperature can be impacted sooner.

Electrical Hookup

We recommend that you include a surge suppressor in your electrical hookup. A suppressor can protect your camper’s electrical system if there is a problem with a campground’s power supply. It can also identify electrical other issues.

Connecting to City Water

We always attach a water pressure regulator and a filter to our water connection. The meter protects your water system if there is too much pressure in the campground.

I have a couple of tips regarding the water. First, it is not necessarily to over tighten the connections. Second, be sure the gasket is in the fitting of the hose.

Holding Tanks

We usually do not have sewer connections because most of our camping is in State Parks. When we do have sewer at our site, we keep both the gray and black tanks closed until we are ready to empty. I understand that it is critical to keep the black tank closed to prevent issues due to the lack of water. Also, you wouldn’t want anything that might be in the sewer to have access to your camper.

New Campers, In Conclusion

It can be intimidating to set up a camper if you are inexperienced. We learned how to do this over time, with some mistakes. Now, we consistently strive follow the process above and have it down to a routine. If this post is helpful to you, check out our page, Camping Resources for New Teardrop Campers.

Happy Camping!

Retired couple

Wheel Bearing Maintenance-A Safety Necessity

This post is for new campers who may not be aware of important maintenance that should be routinely performed on the wheels of their campers for safety.

Reasons for Wheel Bearing Maintenance

Wheel bearing maintenance is not an exciting topic, but it is something in which campers should know. As members of several Facebook camping groups, we have learned that wheel bearings on campers should be packed with grease routinely. On this topic, we have seen recommendations for annually and for every 10,000 miles.

This maintenance prevents unnecessary friction on the bearings and enables the identification of worn bearings or a dry axel. Grease breaks down over time and the heat generated during braking speeds up that process. Therefore, adding fresh grease addresses this problem.

This maintenance is an important safety procedure. First, if bearings are not properly greased, the wheels could lock up and cause an accident. Additionally, the axel could also be damaged by improperly greased wheels.

Our Wheel Bearing Maintenance

As we have had our camper for about eighteen months and have towed it close to 10,000 miles. Clearly, it was time to perform this maintenance.

We contacted a local RV dealer to have the work done as my husband has a very bad knee. They said that they do not usually do the work and that it would be a significant wait. However, they informed us that a local tire dealer has a person who routinely does this task. We contacted him and got an early morning appointment. The technician completed the task in a couple of hours for $150.

E-Z Lube System

We later learned that if you have one of the later NuCamp campers with the E-Z Lube System, it is a very easy and quick process to add fresh and remove old grease using a grease gun. Our camper has this Lube System. The link below is to a very informative video with detailed instructions. If we had known it would be this easy, we would have done this ourselves.

https://youtu.be/XT0RKDGgDm8

It seems that many who own campers do this work themselves. To assist, there are several YouTube videos with detailed instructions. It is my understanding that it does not require a lot of special tools.

Sealed Bearings on Some Models

There is one last bit of information provided by a reader of this post. Early T@B models have sealed bearings that cannot be cleaned or repacked and it was recommended that owners keep a set of bearings with them as spares. This is probably true for some other camper models as well. It would be a good idea to determine if this is true for your camper if you have an older model.

Whether you do it yourself or find an expert to do the job for you, I encourage new campers to not ignore wheel bearing maintenance, an important safety task.

If you would like to read more about what we have learned on our camping adventures, we have a Camping Resources page for new campers you might want to visit.

Happy and Safe Camping!

Camping Etiquette, How to be a Considerate Camper

As a relatively new camper, I want to be a good neighbor to my fellow campers. I posted a request for dos and don’ts on a couple of large camping groups on Facebook and received many comments. Most are on existing lists, but there are a few that I have not seen published.

Camping Etiquette

My background is in accounting and auditing and I am very much a rule-follower, but my husband is just the opposite. He, on the other hand, is very charming and gets away with a lot. 😏 Camping etiquette, however, is about being a good neighbor, which we both want to be.

The list below is not in the order of importance. I think if you had ten people rank the list, you would get many variations. I have tried to organize the information into just a few categories. Also, remember to observe and obey the rules at your particular campground.

Respect Your Neighbor’s Space

This was the area where I received the most feedback. Do not run, walk, or bike across an occupied site. Also,do not allow pets or children to invade the area. Lastly, do not block access to the site. These were all mentioned multiple times in the feedback I received. Park in the middle of your campsite or in such a way that you allow neighbors on both sides adequate space.

Control Noise

Respect quiet hours, generally from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Run generators only in the daytime. Keep music at low levels that extend only to your campsite. Use quiet voices, especially when arriving late. Don’t leave outdoor TV on when not there and don’t leave outdoor speakers on when inside. At night, don’t slam doors and double click remote door locks if horn beeps. Don’t let diesel engines idle unnecessary.

Fires

Always thoroughly put out fires before going to bed or leaving. Be sure to have enough water to ensure fire is out. Do not leave fires unattended. Do not burn trash, plastic, or styrofoam as this creates very unpleasant odors. Build fires only in designated areas and not where it will allow smoke to drift to open windows. Do not allow cigarette to smoke go into campsites of others. (In the responses I received, it was acknowledged that controlling where the smoke goes can be difficult.)

Don’t bring firewood from other areas as this may bring non-native insects that can devastate an area. I did not previously know the reasons for this; it is always good to know the why.

Clean and Tidy

Keep hoses, power lines, and sewer lines as close to your rig as possible for groundskeeping. Keep your campsite neat and tidy and don’t let trash accumulate around your site. Don’t use the fire ring as a garbage can. Clean up after yourself in bathrooms.

Leave your campsite clean for the next camper. Do not leave garbage or cigarette butts behind. Put everything back to original spots if moved.

Water Issues

Don’t wash dishes in the bathhouse. Don’t take longer than necessary showers if others as waiting. Appropriately dispose of grey water.

These next items are a bit unfamiliar to me as we have a teardrop, but I am including for those who have a black water tank. Don’t dump at campsite that does not have full hook-ups; use dump station. Don’t dump while neighbors are eating. Don’t leave black water tank valve open at full hook-up site as it can result in a “pyramid of poo”. I don’t know exactly how that works, but it sounds really bad.

Lights

Turn off lights when going to bed, generally during quiet hours. Do not leave outside lights on overnight. Many people mentioned lights left on at night as an issue, though often they specified bright or LED lights.

When arriving late or departing early, use lowlights. If setting up or tearing down in the dark, use flashlights.

Children

Teach children to be respectful of others and their camping space. Teach them to not leave bikes, toys, etc. in the road. Don’t let them over utilize the bandwidth by excessive use of the Internet.

Don’t use bad language that children can hear. Also, keep in mind that children are there to have fun.

Pets

Keep pets on a leash and limit barking. Clean up after your pets and do not allow them into the campsites of others. Don’t leave a barking dog at a campsite. Do not walk your dog during quiet hours, which causes all other dogs in the area to bark. Don’t wash pet bedding in public washers unless you intend to clean them after you have used them.

Interactions with Neighbors

Greet neighbors and be friendly and polite. With new arrivals, give them time to set up before going to talk to them. However, do offer help if it appears it is needed. Be friendly, but do not overstay when talking as walking by. Leave any leftover firewood you may have for the next camper or give it to a neighbor. Share excess goodies if you have them.

Wildlife

Lastly, don’t feed the wildlife. They remember where they have been fed and will come back for more. The results can be a nuisance to others and may also be dangerous.

Summary

Many people mentioned the Golden Rule and just being considerate and respectful of others, which is at the heart of camping etiquette. We are all in very close proximity in a campground and our behavior can significantly impact others and their ability to enjoy their vacations. I prefer to know the things that can irritate others so I can be as considerate as possible.

The items in this post originated from comments from camping groups and multiple camping etiquette documents. I hope you will find this post above camping etiquette useful! If you would like to read about our camping adventures, please follow this link.

Enjoy Camping and Your Neighbors!

Camping in Northern Georgia

Fun times with wonderful friends Memorial Day weekend at James H. (Sloppy) Floyd State Park in Summerville, Georgia.

Camping in Georgia

This was not our first time camping in Georgia. As we live in neighboring Alabama, it is easy to made the trip to a Georgia campground. Even so, it was a great weekend! We had site #4, which had plenty of shade and was near the bathhouse. The park was well-maintained and the bathhouse was kept very clean. The hosts for the park have been there for eleven years and seem to work very hard to keep it clean and attractive. They have many repeat guests.

Rain was expected off and on for most of our time at the campground, so we utilized only our privacy tent for changing clothes. We set-up quickly and were ready to go, which was nice.

Relaxing and camping in Georgia — Big Guy relaxing

The first night, we grilled steaks with our friends and turned in rather early. The temperature was cool in the evening and we slept very well with only our fan and the windows open.

Camping and Hiking in Georgia

On Saturday, we took a ranger-led tour to the Marble Mine, one of the park’s main attractions. It had gotten warm by that time and the heat plus the steep incline to get to the mine made it quite challenging. We saw a very large rat snake along the way that remained very still for about ten minutes. We estimate that he would be about six feet long if stretched out. Needless to say, we were very careful where we stepped after seeing him! He is not venomous, but still scary to me.

The hike was steep at the end, but we made it to the top. The waterfall with its crystal-clear water was worth the effort. It was quite beautiful and the water ice-cold. We were so hot by then, we would have liked to wade in it.

Hiking while camping in Georgia — We made it!

Games and Rain

The afternoon was spent playing Mexican Train Dominos and then dinner at The Crushed Tomato in Summerville, which features pizza, calzones, and several flavors of ice cream for dessert. We highly recommend this place! Our pizzas were excellent with perhaps the best crust I have had in the U.S. Also, it was quite inexpensive.

Saturday night brought torrential rains in the middle of the night. We had our fan vent opened widely and it rained in some on the middle of our bed. I have left it partially open before in the rain without it coming in, but it did not work in this case. We woke to a slightly damp middle of the bed and a very wet campsite, so the Rainy Day Plan was evoked for breakfast. When we returned, the sun was shining and our campsite was beginning to dry out.

Paradise Garden

In the afternoon, we visited a local attraction, Paradise Garden. It is a collection of folk art by Howard Finster, who has been called the Andy Warhol of the South. Mr. Finster passed away in 2001, but has achieved quite a bit of acclaim for his work. His art is displayed at the Smithsonian. He also designed album covers for groups such as R.E.M. We were very surprised by the number of people visiting the gardens. As you can see below, his art is very eclectic.

We rounded out the day with games of Rook and Mexican Train Dominoes. We grilled hamburgers for dinner at the campground. This was our last night, so we took down most of our gear before going to bed because my Big Guy likes to leave early going home. This is a long-standing habit of his. Not my favorite, but he does a lot to make me happy.

A few lessons learned:

Rain will come in the fan vent if open and it rains hard enough. A small opening works fine though.
Peggy should always come because I get to play lots of games when she is around. 😃
Put chairs in the car if it might rain. I knew this, but did not take the time.
A minimal campsite can be great if you are in the shade. We don’t really need a tent if it is just the two of us.

This camping trip in Georgia was awesome. We are looking forward to our next trip to Arkansas and Lake Catherine in Hot Springs! Check out our States Visited, a Campsite Resource to see where else we have traveled.

Camping and Execution of the Rainy Day Plan

This trip had several “firsts”–first porta potty usage for camping, first successful execution of rainy day plan, and first time our food was stolen by animals.

We reserved a site on Holt Lake at Deerlick Creek Park near Tuscaloosa, Alabama weeks in advance. When it was time to go, it was evident that a rainy day would likely occur at least once. However, we decided to go anyway as we felt we could easily handle one day.

Our site was right on the lake with lots of shade. There was a concrete slab for the trailer with a wooden deck and bannister. It also had a circular pull through. Lastly, a picnic table on a wooden deck and a graveled area with a grill were at a lower elevation. We could not attach our 10×10 tent because it rain would be raining late the next evening. So, we decided to forgo the tent.

Deerlick Creek Park Site 37 — Deerlick Creek Site 37

Porta Potty

This was the maiden voyage, however, for our privacy tent and porta potty. The restrooms were quite far away and up a steep hill, so we really needed them. I have to say that I loved having this equipment so close.

Our Leapair privacy tent went up and down very easily and the tissue inside remained dry in the heavy rain that followed. The porta potty worked well and was really no big deal. I don’t know why I resisted it so long. I am now “porta potty trained”. Here is a link to a similar model of the tent.

Porta potty in privacy tent — Privacy tent/toilet

It was good to just have the camper and the privacy tent. Set-up was minimal and quick and the site was very comfortable.

Things That Go Bump in the Night

On our first night, I was startled by a scraping sound near our teardrop. It sounded like something was moving around at our campsite. My husband was asleep and I did not awaken him. I opened the door and shined a light outside. I could see that one of our large Hefty plastic food bins was away from our table by about a foot. However, I did not want to get out and move it by myself. (I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to unknown things in the dark.) The scraping continued a couple more times and each time, I opened the door and shined the light. The last time, I caught a glimpse of the culprit. Its eyes were shining in my light and I could make out the form of a quite large raccoon.

Later, my husband woke up and we went out to survey the scene. The box had been moved about eight feet. That raccoon was planning to take our entire box away! We moved it to the top of the table with the other two boxes and we were glad to see that it was there the next morning.

Perfect Day

The first full day we were there was glorious! A beautiful, sunny day with lots of cooling shade. The temperature was perfect. We had a leusurely breakfast and just sat in our chairs and enjoyed each other’s company and nature. We used our phones as hotspots and kept up with email, Facebook, etc. In the afternoon, we went biking through paved trails. It was a truly uplifting and peaceful day, the kind of day that just happens occasionally that you can’t order up or force. It felt a lot like some of those past perfect days I have experienced at the beach.

Robbed

That night, rain moved in and there were heavy winds. We had to close our star gazer window because it was difficult to sleep with the trees bending so much in the wind. It was also very noisy with heavy rain. We were a little concerned about limbs falling on us. Later in the night, my husband got up and discovered that two of our food bins were open in the middle of our outside rug and everything was strewn about. The next morning, we discovered that our chips, English muffins, and cashew nuts were missing. The bags were down the back of the ravine where we think the raccoon has his nest. We put our remaining food in the car. Not as convenient, but much safer. We did not see any more evidence or their visits after that.

Rainy Day Plan

The rainy day plan was in place when we went to bed the night before. We had researched the area for where to eat and how to spend our time. Our clothes were in the camper, so everything was ready for us to just head for the car with an umbrella. So, we had a leisurely breakfast at the Waysider, a Tuscaloosa landmark. The restaurant was established in 1906 in on old house. It is famous for the biscuits and coffee and both were excellent, as were the complementary beignets.

Tuscaloosa Museum of Art

Next on the rainy day agenda was a visit to the Tuscaloosa Museum of Art. It is a very interesting museum with gorgeous Japanese architecture on the outside and Early American Art on display inside. The art is a collection by Alabama businessman, Jack Warner.

Rainy Day Activity, visit a museum — Tuscaloosa Museum of Art

George Washington portraits were abundant at the museum, more than I have ever seen in one place. The museum also featured many paintings and sculpture depicting early American life, a couple of which are included here. The museum staff were great and there was no charge for viewing the art. They also allowed photography as long as there was no flash. The art was beautiful and abundant, a perfect way to spend a rainy morning.

“Magnolia” Loading Cotton by Moonlight in 1865 by Jack Stobart

Jemisin an De Graff Mansion

Another rainy day activity was a tour of the Jemison Van De Graff Mansion. The Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society owns the mansion and offers free tours at 1:30 daily. We had a little time to kill before the tour, so we did a little shopping at the local mall and had lunch at the food court.

Our tour of the Italianate mansion was given by a very knowledgeable docent. She gave us a lot of personal history of the mansion. Interestingly, a woman named Priscilla Cherokee Taylor ran several of the plantations from this home, which was the townhouse for the family. The family name, Cherokee, was explained by the docent. The lady of the house at the time helped heal the daughter of the Cherokee chief. He was grateful and later saved the family from a Choctaw uprising. They asked how they could thank him and he said by naming their first daughter Cherokee. They have given the Cherokee name to a member of the family in each generation, a habit that has continued to this day. A portrait of Priscilla Cherokee Taylor is below and it was her mother who healed the Cherokee chief’s daughter.

Mansion Yesterday and Today

The 26-room mansion opened in 1862. It was very technologically advanced for its time with running water and a coal heating system. The mansion is currently well-maintained and proported to be haunted. Our docent told us it has been examined by paranormal experts on several occasions. We did not see or hear any ghosts, but she had some stories to tell. Today, the house is a frequent venue for weddings and special events. It is truly beautiful! Below is the mansion and a couple of my favorite rooms.

Conclusion

We really enjoyed our rainy day plan and were able to see some Tuscaloosa points of interest that we would have otherwise missed. I highly recommend our stops in Tuscaloosa and you don’t have to go in the rain!

Our visit to Deerlick Creek ended the next morning. It was our second Corps of Engineers campground. The volunteers impressed us because of the way they manage and maintain the park. They did a great job.

If you would like to follow along to see what we have learned in our travels, you might want to check out our resources page.

Lessons Learned:

Lock food in the car, even if not in bear country! Our habit in the past has been to put our table and food bins in our tent. If we had set up our new 10×10, the very persistent raccoon would likely have shredded it.
A Rainy day can be great because there is likely something nearby to do if you have a plan.
Corps of Engineer parks are great and very inexpensive. They also appear to have a similar look and feel. Especially relevant, the Senior Pass consistently provides a 50% discount.

Looking forward to that next trip!

Camping–Just the Two of Us

Just the Two of Us

Our first camping trip was with seasoned campers, and after it, we felt ready to try it alone. Even though it was getting a little cold for camping, we wanted one more trip for 2016. We only had three days, so could not go far. We decided to try Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama. I called to make the reservation and they were able to provide a camping spot on the water and near a bathhouse. Arriving just before dark, we set up quickly. We brought along an EZ 10X10 tent and stored our table and food bins under it as there was a very slight chance of rain.

That First Night

No cooking was required that first night because we stopped along the way. We did not do anything special, just listened to music and talked till sleepy. Sleeping was wonderful in the LG. We have learned that it is important to keep the cabin ventilated, so we kept the fan vent on the top open. It was not cold at all under the covers, even though the temperature went down to the mid-forties!

A Windy Camping Day

We awoke the next morning to the wind howling and when I checked, winds were at 19-20 MPH. We quickly took down the EZ tent as we were afraid it would blow away and perhaps do some serious damage. It is quite heavy and though we had it staked, it did not seem adequate. We were down to just our LG on our campsite. It was a few days before Thanksgiving and the campground was filled with many large RVs. Next to them, our little spot looked barely populated.

A Beautiful View

We had a fantastic view! We were there for two full days and three nights and each day was filled with abundant sunshine and deep blue skies. Again, we had chosen a time with a cold front. While we were there, it became colder and after we left, it became warmer. At least no rain though! Below are some photos taken from our campsite.

Camping at Gulf State Park — View from Site 245

Excellent Raw Oysters

The first day, we had a very simple breakfast of instant oatmeal and then went exploring the area. The park is very nice and there are many trails and sites to see. We had lunch at the Oyster House in Gulf Shores. I have always been a fan of raw oysters, but these were perhaps the best I have ever had. Two factors, I think, contributed to this: the cold weather and the nearness to the source. These had to be very fresh and they were large.

More About the Park

A nice pier and beach access is provided by the park. There is also an outdoor swimming pool. This will be a good place to take grandchildren later. We visited the pier and walked on the beach. A few seagulls posed for some photos. If you are into fishing, this seems to be a good place to go as well, however, according to some fishermen we met, they were not biting on the day we were there.

We went shopping in Gulf Shores that evening and saw the movie, Hacksaw Ridge. It was a great movie! When we arrived back at the campsite it was getting quite cold, so we pulled out our new electric blanket.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

It was very cold outside when we awoke the next morning. I believe it went into the mid-thirties the night before. The idea of preparing any kind of breakfast in that cold was very unappealing, so we went out for breakfast at Another Broken Egg in Orange Beach. It was a first for us and we really enjoyed it. By the time we returned to the campsite, it was much warmer and the winds were calmer. We went to a small Sunday service at the Education Center with some people we had met the day before. After that, we rented bikes. There are many trails in the park and we had a great time! Much of the trails were paved and shaded with beautiful trees and Spanish moss.

Camping and enjoying bike trail at a Gulf State Park — Enjoying the View

Gulf States Park Biking and Hiking Trail

Evenings Camping at the Park

We planned to cook some spicy sausage on the grill that night and went to the nearby Walmart for charcoal. However, we were lured by Auntie Annie’s pretzels located within Walmart, and that killed our appetite. Consequently, there was practically no cooking on this trip. We sat outside for a couple of hours with our new electric blanket over us. It was not enough! However, for sleeping inside the LG, it did a great job. All three nights at Gulf State were great sleeping for us–no cold and no discomfort.

Our Puppy Wakeup Call

We awoke the final morning to a Lab puppy whimpering just outside our door. He had gotten loose and wanted in our LG. Greg could not get out because of this. Eventually, he crawled over me to get out on my side to avoid the puppy jumping into our cabin. The puppy was very friendly and followed Greg to the bathhouse. Greg found a tag with a phone number on him and called the owner, who was frantic to find him and came to get him right away. He was very grateful and had been looking for him since daylight.

On Gulf State’s Bike Trail

Camping Lessons Learned

1) Buy high-quality water hoses and fittings. Our cheap hose leaked and we had to find a hardware store to be able to hook up to the water without leaks.

2) Alligators are not a likely to come into your camp if you are near a lake in November. This may seem silly, but the website stated to beware of alligators and I was a little concerned about getting up in the middle of the night with an alligator nearby. A ranger told me that it is very rare for them to get out of the water and they are not very active when it is cold.

3) It’s not so bad to not have a toilet in your camper if you are near a bathhouse.

4) Lastly, and more importantly, we can go away camping for several days and totally enjoy each other’s company. Our first trip was with friends, which was great fun and helped to keep us entertained. We now know that it can be great fun for just the two of us as well!

What’s Next?

We are looking forward to 2017 and more camping adventures. Heck out our page, States Visited, a Campsite Resource to follow our camping trips.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

First Camping Trip

We were so excited to be going on our first camping trip in our new teardrop. Our friends, who were experienced campers, made it easier and so much fun!

First Camping Trip

Our first camping trip was more than a month after we bought our Little Guy (LG). While we were waiting, we acquired camping accessories. Our son has done a lot of tent camping and he gave us some gear, including a ceramic heater. So, we thought we were good to go. However, the day before our trip, it occurred to me that if we wanted to use the cable service at the campground, we might want to get a coax cable. I called a friend to ask how that worked along with several more very basic questions about protocols at campgrounds. She probably thought some of my questions were silly, but remember, we are very, very inexperienced in camping.

The Campground

Our first camping trip was to DeSoto State Park in Fort Payne, Alabama. We were with four other couples and a single camper. They were all experienced campers and very helpful. We learned right away that we had neglected to bring a water hose, but a friend loaned us one. As we were staying for a couple of days at the site, we took a tent to expand our living space. It went up rather quickly and we were set. Below is a photo of our campsite. It was mid-October and the weather had turned much colder, with lows in the mid-thirties the weekend of our trip. We set up the tent with a table, our gear, and that glorious heater. It did an amazing job in making the tent very comfortable.

There were no other teardrops at the campground on this first camping trip. All were motor homes or full-sized travel trailers except for one pop-up camper. Our friends all had very nice accommodations. There were three motor homes and two good-sized travel trailers. I must say, after going around to check out all their campsites, I had a little camper envy. All had full baths, closets, headroom and space for entertaining. While they all were lovely, I still am glad that we have our Little Guy because of the many reasons outlined in my first blog. We just have to make some adjustments.

How Did the Big Guy Fit into Tiny Trailer?

I am going to show you something I could not find while we were shopping and considering our LG. We searched all over the Internet for comments or pictures showing anyone tall in a teardrop. My husband, Greg, is 6’3″ and the photo below shows him in our LG.

First camping trip in our new teardrop — My big guy in our teardrop

We used all of the LG’s functionality except the air conditioner on our trip. We stored the makings for hot dogs in our ice chest, cooked them on the stove, and washed the dishes in the sink. All performed beautifully! The cable television came in well and my husband watched part of the Auburn game. It was very comfortable. We had a couple of those pillows shaped like the back of a chair to lean upon, which made it more comfortable for just hanging out.

Watching the game on first camping trip — Watching the game

First Camping Trip, Cooking and Eating

Our first night, we had a potluck at a double campsite of our friends. We ate outside on the picnic tables. This was a site with two motor homes. They had cute lighting outside and the football game going in the background. It was very festive and lots of fun! I brought Mexican cornbread made at home, so there was no cooking for us.

Our first cooking at our campsite was for breakfast. We had the same thing both mornings: English muffins with egg, sausage, and cheese. The sausage was cooked in a skillet on the stove and the eggs in the microwave. We purchased an inexpensive two-slice toaster for our camper; it and the coffee maker were on the counter. It got crowded in a hurry. Next time, I think a small table set up near would be a good strategy for the toaster and coffee maker. We cooked our hot dogs the second night and we met at the same campsite as the night before to eat together. However, there were fewer of us because some had gone into Mentone, a nearby town for dinner. We ate inside one of the large motor homes and it had all the comforts of home.

You can see the galley in the photo above. It has an electric ice chest, two-burner stove, microwave, sink and some limited counter space. We cooked at the galley and had our breakfast and coffee in our tent. It was so nice to have a place to sit and eat that was warm. The tent was also a good place to change clothes and to store our dishes and food.

The Other Teardrop Issue

Other than being able to be comfortable in the LG, my big concern was its lack of a toilet. This was my first real-world reality check with that issue. We were about 400 feet from the bathhouse and the path was through a wooded area with three forks in the path. I made the trek during daylight a couple of times. It was easy to see the way to get there day and night because the bath house was big and well lit. However, even in daylight, I took a wrong turn once on the trip back. I am not generally an incompetent person, but have a terrible sense of direction.

Knowing I would have to get up in the middle of the night, I prepared as best I could. I had my flip flops on a shelf at the foot of the bed and a flashlight in the corner of the head of the bed. No problem getting there. It was cold, but not miserable. Also, I was moving, which helps me stay warm. I tried to pay attention on the trip back–but again–wrong turn! I came out in an area where all were big campers. Fortunately, I recognized campers belonging to our friends so I knew which way to turn. I made it back to the LG with no further issues.

If this is Likely Again

However, this got me to thinking about future camping trips. I have looked at some campsites on line that are quite large and are not laid out in a predictable manner. A few wrong turns could create exhausting wandering. That would not make me happy! I think I might have something that will help with that. There is an app called “Find My Car”. For me, it could be, “Find my Bed”. I would not need it in all circumstances, but if we stay in a larger, more complex campsite, I think I will use the app.

I know that there are options with portable toilets and those will be considerations as well, but I plan to take the bath house option most of the time.

Going Forward

Our first camping trip was truly amazing! We also expect to take a couple of short trips in the November-December timeframe and will be taking a long trip in February, which I know is going to be an adventure. So far, this has been great fun! If you would like to follow our progress, this is a link to our main page.

We welcome your comments.

Donna and Greg (aka Big Guy)

Teardrop Camping, The Decision to Buy a Teardrop

Why would a tall man and a professional womañn want to buy a teardrop camper with no toilet? Actually, it was a very logical decision.

My husband and I love to travel, but traveling as we have done in the past is quite expensive and we could only afford a limited amount of that kind of travel. I just did not see anything in my future that would fill the kind of time I would have on my hands.

A friend had recently begun camping with her husband and suggested we give it a try. I had only been camping a couple of times in my entire life and that was tent camping. I dismissed the idea at first, but she kept bringing it up. Occasionally, she would send me pictures of campers. At some point, miraculously, the idea became appealing. We began to consider it an option and my husband and I did some research on line.

Must Haves

A large bed. My husband is 6’3″ and we are both miserable in anything less than a queen.
An air conditioner. Neither of us can sleep if it is too hot and we keep our home very cold at night.
We have an Acura MDX and wanted something it would pull without any issues. We did not want to purchase another vehicle just to pull a camper.
A toilet, and preferably a full bathroom.
A high-quality product that would hold up well to our travel plans.

Various Considerations

Our requirement for a lightweight camper eliminated the majority of campers. Even most of the pop-ups were quite heavy and we felt they would not hold up well over time. It also takes a good bit of time to set them up. Of those that were lightweight, many did not have an air conditioner or a toilet. We finally settled on a Forest River R-Pod 179. It was perfect, with its queen bed, wet bath, and air conditioner. It was pushing it a little on the weight, but if we adjusted the towing package on our vehicle, it would work.

However, we did not consider storage of the camper when we decided on the R-Pod. The R-Pod is too tall to fit into our basement and we live in a neighborhood with covenants. To have an R-Pod, we would have to build a place for storage or pay rent for storage off-site. That seemed like too much for a couple who were not sure they would like to do very much camping.

Our research had also identified the T@G, a teardrop manufactured by NuCamp. I loved it when I first saw it, but when I suggested that we might purchase it, most everyone looked at me as if I were crazy. (I did mention that my husband is 6’3″). Also, it has no toilet and I am a professional woman not known for “roughing it”.

Man sitting behind teardrop camper — My big guy and our new T@G

Our Teardrop Choice

Once we had to consider trailer height into our search, A teardrop was the only type left standing. Anything else required construction or ongoing rent. My husband came around and was even enthusiastic. One thing that did help with the decision was seeing where a couple of other tall men had bought the T@G.

We had to give up some conveniences, a toilet in particular, but it enabled us to have a camper that met all of our other requirements and it weighs just under 1,000 pounds. You can move it around manually. That ultra light weight means that gas mileage is only minimally impacted and our Acura is well equipped to pull it.

The Purchase

We purchased a new T@G XL from Southland RV in September 2016. They had a great selection of small campers and Shonn, our salesperson, was great.

A big plus with the T@G XL is that it has a king-sized bed. In fact, it is basically a bed on wheels with a galley in the back. The interior is really nice with multi levels of lighting, a TV, air conditioner, storage under the bed, cabinets, a stereo/DVD player, and windows with shades and screens. The galley in the back has an electric ice chest, microwave, two-burner stove, storage cabinet, and sink.

One great thing about the T@G is its “cuteness factor”. It is adorable. Everyone that sees it, remarks how cute it is. In a world of big RVs and pop-ups, it is uncommon in the Southeast, which is our area of the country. The

A Blog as Well

I have named this blog, “Teardrop Camping Adventures” because it will be a real adjustment for us and adventure sounds so much better than adjustment. For my husband, the adjustment is because it is so little and he is so big. For me, not having a personal bathroom or even a toilet for days at a time will be challenging. However, I am sure that with our level of commitment, we will make those adjustments and have wonderful adventures!

If you would like to follow our progress, there is a resource page that includes many of the cool things we learn on our adventures.

More to come….