Camping, tent, travel trailer, HAMMOCK

[devildodge]

Rothrock State Forest site 3

 

[devildodge]

Heading campground travel trailer camping Friday.

Giving this thread a bump.

Planning to do some hammock camping soon in the state forest. My son wants to do a backpack trip.

Will do campgrounds til Memorial day weekend...then see if the landscape changed any from last year. If the crowds remain...back to the forest til after labor day.

 

[devildodge]

Just got home from our trip.

Filled the truck with 88 OCT for 3.89 a gallon, got hooked up and began the tow.

As usual, it rained while I was hooking up, sunny on the drive and began to rain as I backed into the site to set up. Situation normal.

Only 7 other sites were reserved and it was a much needed peaceful weekend.

We got all 4 seasons. Spring rain. Summer sun. Fall warmth and SNOW.

Love camping in PA.

 

[devildodge]

Amazing the difference a week can make. Beautiful day for camping. Hoping the clouds stay away for the meteor shower.

 

[devildodge]

After doing a lot of stealth camping this very mild winter, it is time for the campgrounds to open and start our first regular season trip of the year.

About 12 hours and I will be enjoying this

Also got a new backpacking setup that I hope to try out at some point.

Can not wait to hook the camper and drag it up to the 2nd highest point in Pennsylvania.

 

[Loudram]

Our first trip of the year is two weeks away. It's our anniversary weekend. She's been putting up with me for 31 years.

 

[boogielander]

I didn't know this thread exists till now lol
I've been doing camping/ overlanding since 2020.
I started out in my 4Runner and Coleman ground tent (unfortunately no pic of that) to RTT, drawer with pull out cooking table, etc

Now I have:
Chassis Unlimited Bed Rack
Inspired Overland Light Weight RTT
Decked Drawer for tools, kitchen gears, etc

For electrical, IceCo JP42 fridge runs on Jackery 250W overnight (will be hardwired once my LiFEPO4 starter battery arrives)
EcoFlow Detla2 powers diesel heater in winter (when needed) and EcoFlow Wave AC in summer

I thought about utilizing a trailer but we don't really stay at the same spot nightly, and when we see flat dirt roads or even washboards we just go flat out. So trailer is not a really good option.
If we do more "base camp" type of camping then I'd build a trailer for that; until then, probably will stick with this set up.

Oh, I may be selling this setup next year when I start my preparation for Dalton Highway in Alaska and opt for a GFC instead. I love how enclosed it is, so I can do everything inside the camper and not worry about having to take a dump in the wild in bear country lol

 

[MG99]

No camping yet but got down to PA last weekend to try trout fishing with my boys in Hickory Run.

 

[frisby5]

Towed my small hard sided popup down to GA this past weekend for an event. I had just passed 1k miles on the way to get it out of storage at my brother’s farm before the trip so I wasn’t worried about towing on the engine break-in period, but I’ve now crossed 2k. Snagged a pic as I parked it, but you can tell the truck was being used as a truck, even tho it’s a fancy-dancy Limited

Had the rear seats folded up and several hundred pounds of tools in large plastic totes; the flat floor made getting them in and out much easier. The underfloor storage is perfect for ratchet straps, spare hitch accessories, jumper cables, gloves, safety vests, magnetic base led lights, etc. I definitely appreciated the backup camera and air suspension for making hitching up and dropping the trailer quicker, and the trailer detection for the blind spot monitoring worked fine.

Towed at 70-75 mph from IN to GA through Chattanooga, and had no issues with 15+ mpg. With tow mode off, eco mode engaged without issue whenever I was in slower traffic. All of the trip was in rain, and the place I was headed to has some very well worn gravel “wishes it was still gravel” View attachment 8209paths with a slick coating of red Georgia clay on top, but the stock tires with a quick set to 4wd auto climbed right up the hills that some other folks had failed to get up. didn’t try in 2wd, but the way it went up the hill I’m sure it would have been fine.

The trailer is a Rockwood A122-SESP, and has 2 batteries & 2 propane tanks on the tongue, plus several totes under the bed (aft ofthe door/over the axle), plus quite a bit of weight forward with a bunch of tools under the table (Forward of the door) and weight from 5 gallons of gas and an extra full Blue Rhino & portable heater I brought for an outdoor pole barn in the big storage compartment on the front of the trailer. Not like it’s a heavy setup, but about 3k as loaded.

I am thinking about getting a A aframe popup trailer,how do you like yours?

 

[devildodge]

Started in Tuscarora State Forest on the 2nd. Spent 7 days there, dodging rain events and enjoying the peace and quiet. This was our 5th trip to this site. And each time it gets better. Learning some local knowledge and taking a look at some historical literature, we have now come to the conclusion...based on the angry fisherman of our first trip there...that we very well may have been the first people to have camped at the site.

We saw turtles, herons, and a few snakes. One of which surprised the heck out of me when going to the tailgate of my truck.

It then proceeded to climb the tree

Literally the only pic we took there. I have shared many other pics of the site before....it is our favorite of them all.

No visits from DCNR. We watched the sunrise and set at a dual vista on Longfellow Trail. And from a power line on Licking Creek Road watched fireworks for the 4th of July.

Compared to Memorial day holiday...where every site was reserved...there was no one else in any of the adjacent sites for either the weekend before or after the holiday.

We left Sunday, in a torrential downpour to head to the sunny dry skies of Buchanan.

This site is close to the road also...but pretty secluded. It has two entrances...a nice gravel road for the camper folks and a drivable trail for the Overlander crowd.

It is situated facing west...so we get to see the sun set.

It is fairly well shaded...and I think we parked the camper in the best spot to take advantage...but unlike the Tuscarora site...it is wide open...good for solar power and star gazing. Also, zero service at the Tuscarora site...but full use if AT&T here in Buchanan.

My son has taken up the great past time of map reading and even made his own maps of our sites. He also figured out a route today...that took us right to the abandoned Turnpike.

We hiked down to a stream he wanted to see, found the overpass from the AT and took a wild guess which way the tunnel was. Graffiti on the road shortly let us know we picked the right way.

It has been a great off grid experience and just the break from civilization and work we needed.

Highly recommend giving up the full hook up sites in state parks and venturing out to a state forest.

And, since a picture is worth a thousand words...some photos.

 

[devildodge]

Been awhile since I kept this post active.

Got a new shelter dragger and we are camping at one of the only campgrounds we still frequent.

We almost exclusively camp in forest single sites...but Blue Knob State Park is still one of the one's, even fully reserved, you can strategically pick a site and hardly know anyone else is there.

Beautiful Weekend so far, but the thunderstorms are doing there thing.

 

[boogielander]

Graduated from the RTT and Bed Rack setup to GoFastCamper last November.
retained the ability to go fast in the desert (with just ~100lb over the bed rack and RTT setup) but now i can keep stuff inside the bed without getting them dirty (or, less dirty when going through really fine dust terrains at high speed)
also have the ability to fully standup and get changed in private.

With "Ramborghini" the 3rd Gen Cummins, aka the support truck/ trail lead. Guy on 39s on Carli Dominator and Thuren goodies

I don't really do base camp mode but the support truck does base camp mode with his rock climbing buddies (in a way, he camps more than i do) so solar panel is needed for him.
Here, both of us have red camper lights on. Mine's RGBW while his is only red. I have 2 separate circuits, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. Red is good for night time to avoid attracting bugs.


Inside access to the sleeping area. Move the mattress aside, place a chair in there, and I got a desk that I can work on or eat on.

 

[devildodge]

Forest camping in Tuscarora to get us closer to Carlisle All Trucks Nationals.

I know most like to RV, which we do too. But man is the Crew Cab Long Bed so great for family tent camping trips.

And we look so unassuming, like we are just construction guys getting home. No one ever knows what we are doing...

My friend said it looked like a UFO landed in our site. I never realized how big our tent is. So we put our backpacking tent inside it, with a queen and 2 twin air mattresses and 4 chairs...

 

[boogielander]

Forest camping in Tuscarora to get us closer to Carlisle All Trucks Nationals.

I know most like to RV, which we do too. But man is the Crew Cab Long Bed so great for family tent camping trips.

And we look so unassuming, like we are just construction guys getting home. No one ever knows what we are doing...

My friend said it looked like a UFO landed in our site. I never realized how big our tent is. So we put our backpacking tent inside it, with a queen and 2 twin air mattressesView attachment 187425View attachment 187426View attachment 187427View attachment 187428View attachment 187429View attachment 187430View attachment 187431View attachment 187432View attachment 187434View attachment 187435 and 4 chairs...

tent inside a tent!

to look more like construction crew, a white truck is required LOL

 

[devildodge]

tent inside a tent!

to look more like construction crew, a white truck is required LOL

Not here in PA...the good construction crews use red...But I have that covered too.

 

[devildodge]

tent inside a tent!

to look more like construction crew, a white truck is required LOL

I did just remember one thing we forgot...our first aid kit.... Luckily I always have one in the truck.

 

[Loudram]

Forest camping in Tuscarora to get us closer to Carlisle All Trucks Nationals.

I know most like to RV, which we do too. But man is the Crew Cab Long Bed so great for family tent camping trips.

And we look so unassuming, like we are just construction guys getting home. No one ever knows what we are doing...

My friend said it looked like a UFO landed in our site. I never realized how big our tent is. So we put our backpacking tent inside it, with a queen and 2 twin air mattressesView attachment 187425View attachment 187426View attachment 187427View attachment 187428View attachment 187429View attachment 187430View attachment 187431View attachment 187432View attachment 187434View attachment 187435 and 4 chairs...

Nice set up.

 

[boogielander]

I did just remember one thing we forgot...our first aid kit.... Luckily I always have one in the truck.

i put mine on a Grey Men Tactical RMP panel attached to the back of my seat.
no way i will ever forget it


only way I'll forget about it is when i use the stuff inside and forget to refill lol

 

[boogielander]

Not here in PA...the good construction crews use red...But I have that covered too.

over here in west coast it's all white lol
like 99% of them are white unless they use personal trucks not fleet purchase.

 

[devildodge]

i put mine on a Grey Men Tactical RMP panel attached to the back of my seat.
no way i will ever forget it


only way I'll forget about it is when i use the stuff inside and forget to refill lol

We have general first aid kits in all the vehicles. And I have one on the GHB.

The huge box in the middle of the night time bed shot is her trauma kit. She can do everything but subscribe us pain killers and a note for work/school...