The Camper

Great news, Readers! My hunt is over! Actually, because I am apparently virtually useless at this blogging stuff, I found the camper nearly a YEAR ago. (I brought it home for my birthday last July!).

I found the perfect camper, at the right price. It’s a 2010 Springdale 232. It doesn’t have the bunkhouse I had originally wanted, or a slide out, but the floorplan is perfect for my family. I decided by the time Ker-1 was old enough to no longer want to sleep with me, he would be old enough to tent camp (cue evil mom!). You can see the floorplan below:

It features the walkaround Queen on one end, with an amazing bathroom on the opposite end. There are two small wardrobes in the bedroom and the closet in the bathroom is HUGE (almost the same size I’m rocking in my ’73 manufactured home!). The under bed storage (a.k.a. “basement”) is also blocked off from the passthrough storage under the interior, meaning spare bedding and things will not get quite so dusty in transit!

Initial Planning

I will outline my ideas from top to bottom. I am SO excited for this project!! Remember from my previous post, Choosing a Theme, I have decided on mint green as part of my color scheme. I think I have chosen a similarly classic color–light coral–to pair with the mint green. Below is a list of basics I need to complete my projects (tools not included):

• PaintsLight Grey
• • Coral
• • Mint
• Window coverings/FabricCoral 
• • Mint
• Peel-and-stick Tile (Amazon has a TON of color options, and I will also check out Lowe’s and Home Depot for local sources
• New Hardware

The exterior is in blissfully excellent shape! There are no signs of leaks, and I couldn’t even find gravel dents in the front (common of any used camper). It also features the passthrough storage (as seen in the photo), canopy, outdoor speakers, an outdoor shower, and a second small storage space under the wardrobe in the bathroom. The previous owners also installed a hitch on the rear, which is perfect for our bike rack!

Choosing a Theme

Hello Fellow DIY Glampers! In my previous posts, I discussed Types of Campers, Discovering the Towing Capacity, and Choosing Your Size. Because I’m on the hunt for the PERFECT Bumper-Pull Bunkhouse Camper (a camper with a Full or Queen at one end of the camper, and a set of 2 or more bunks on the opposite end), I’ve been scouring the internet for my dream. I haven’t found it quite yet, but fret not readers, she will come to me!!

I’m going with a used model, because I don’t want the sticker and depreciation guilt when I rip out and bring personal life to the interior. Stock interiors are just so….BLAH! Older models feature period-popular tend to feature brown plaid and the “timeless” wood paneling. Newer models (from the mid-’90s’s on) are brighter, but filled with boring beige wall paper, tacky patterned fabrics (SO. MUCH. FLORAL), and lots of oak or pine. Any way you look, the spaces just seem cramped, dark, and boring.

                  Left: Interior of 1978 Rambler 28     Right:  Interior of 2004 Jayco 27BH J Flight

Don’t get me wrong….I’m IN LOVE with ’78. Except the color scheme. And all that wood paneling. And the fact that the dealership admitted the roof is basically a sieve. The ’04 sold before I had a chance to check it out. So the hunt continues.

In the meantime, I’m contemplating a new color scheme, flooring, bedding, etc. to brighten a camper interior. Since I have an idea of what I want the layout to look like, I’m able to look to Pinterest for theme ideas! And what I’ve discovered is bright and boring. Everyone wants grey and white it seems. While these color palletes are wonderful for making small spaces look larger and brighter, I need some color in my life.

But one thing plenty of camper remodels contain is a cabin or farmhouse feel. Painted shiplap is making its debut outside Chip and Joanna Gaines’s home remodels! And I adore shiplap.

Cropped screenshots from Pinterest

Some used a shiplap wallpaper (or contact paper), but I want something more authentic. Real wood is heavy, though, so unlike the large walls with the shiplap look, I will be renovating smaller spaces. Also, as I said, I’m not a fan of the stark white, or whitewashed looks, so I will be modeling the interior spaces after my dad’s hand-built pallet wall!

He began his garage project before he was diagnosed. This photo was taken after he had finished the ceiling, and had just started on the wall. He passed before seeing his dream completed, but his girlfriend and I will finish it in his memory. I want to do two small spaces with this repurposed look. My intentions are to either do a headboard or the barrier wall between the bed and the main camper, as well as the small wall behind the dinette or couch in this faux shiplap/pallet look. I will cover the pallets with a clear coat sealant to reduce any potential toxic fumes.

This look is rather dark, however, which could make the space appear smaller, so accenting with bright colors (or white and light grey) is essential. As I said earlier, most camper renovations are full of white and light grey to achieve the larger look, but l need color. Naturally, I turned to Pinterest once again, but nothing was standing out particularly to me. Until a trip to Target, when THIS adorable mint green, vintage-inspired clock jumped out at me (it really is more “mint” green in person). I absolutely had to have it. A few days later, I was wandering through Shopko, and found a three-pack of adorable towels, which has almost the same mint shade as the clock on two, plus the little camp theme on the third one towel was too perfect. For Mother’s Day, my dad’s girlfriend also gifted me some adorable little camper salt and pepper shakers, similar to these. Seriously, how cute are they??

Anyway, these set the theme, and I’ve been slowly picking up accessories for camper, including cooking utensils, canisters, etc. I’ve also been researching various painting and remodeling hacks, a story for another day.

*I do not receive any compensation for links within this post*

How Are You Traveling? (3)

Welcome back readers! Here’s the helpful recap of questions:

• What kind of camper are you looking for? (Linked HERE)
• What is the towing capacity of your vehicle? (Linked HERE)
• How many people do you need to sleep?
• How much time will be spent in the camper?

My first two posts in the series were very long-winded and technical. This post will start the FUN part of this journey, and I will be able to answer the questions in one post!

How many people are in your traveling family? Are you bringing pets?

My answer is a little more complicated. I only have 2 people in my family, and my Tiny Human is perfectly content to sleep with me. For now. But I don’t want to replace my camper in 2 or 3 years, when he’s too cool to sleep with mooommmm anymore (cue the bittersweet tears). So I decided I needed something that could accommodate him when he doesn’t want to share a bed with his mom anymore, and something that could accommodate my large dog (and maybe another dog, and couple cats along the way).

Here is the boy and his dog. It’s an oldie but goodie….taken about 2 years ago; these two still love each other this much.

Back to the point. I intend to use my camper as my house away from home, on a fairly regular basis, especially through summers. It won’t be full-time living (I hope….Have I mentioned this is my back-up plan? Haha). So several modern amenities like hot water and a toilet are a must. After looking through options, a camper with bunks, a couch, and a full or queen bed is probably my best option for my family (even if we are only 2 people). My options are limited, for the most part, to 22+ feet (and closer to 30 in most cases). There are hundreds of floor plans that fit my needs, from multiple manufacture companies, so now that I know roughly what I’m looking for, it will just be a matter of finding the right camper at the right price. While I’m intimidated by the prospect of hauling such a large camper, I’m totally stoked for the adventures to come!

WISH   US   LUCK!

Other things to consider with purchasing:

New versus Used? (I’m going used because of that whole “restoration” part, and I can save a few thousand dollars which will stretch my budget farther with the updates).

Solar or not? A lot of newer models have added solar, but with older models (and plenty of new) you will also need to add panels and hook-ups if you intend to do solar power, enabling off-grid living. (Something I desperately want to add to a camper)

Slide-outs or not? There are pros and cons, so do your research. (I’ve decided I’m fine either way, as long as it hits my basic needs).

How many seasons? The standards now are 3-season (spring, summer, fall) and 4-season (they have an added thermal package to help keep your tanks from freezing). Single seasons do exist. Most pup-tents are classified as single-season, because of the tent portion, although if you’re a brave soul you could expand that.

Linked Below

Piloting the Blog World

How Are You Traveling? (1)

How Are You Traveling (2)

How Are You Traveling? (2)

Here is the second post in our Choosing What You Want series! Let’s refresh our questions that need asking:

• What kind of camper are you looking for? (Linked HERE)
• What is the towing capacity of your vehicle?
• How many people do you need to sleep?
• How much time will be spent in the camper?

Now that you’ve chosen your Glamper Category, you’ll need to know what your current vehicle can handle. As I mentioned in my previous post, my HHR could NOT handle the type of camper I needed for my family (again, more on this later). For those of you who don’t know, the HHR is Chevy’s newer-ish take on the old-fashioned panel van. It also kind of looks like Chrysler’s PT Cruiser, but with marginally more cargo space:

 

The towing capacity—that is the maximum weight a vehicle can hold with the hitch, camper, family, and all gear (food, water, toys, clothes, etc) that a vehicle can haul without damaging your car—for my HHR is basically nothing…at least nothing that would work for my family.

*Note: I am getting a Bumper Pull camper that is NOT a pup tent style. Everything in the next few “choosing” posts will be based on my own vehicle, and the bumper pull. You will want to research further if you have chosen a truck bed style or 5th wheel*

No, I’m not really just all-knowing. In fact, I know next to nothing about cars, so this is a HUGE deal for me. I broke down in tears midway through trying to figure it all out….Just another “I should have asked my dad before he was gone” moment (one of many, and I’m sure more to come). I actually used numerous websites and blogs in my research, as well as my Owner Manual, and the sticker on the driver door (GO ME! Haha).

Google and Pinterest are my best friends in the digital world. Some links, like finding out my HHR’s capacity, have been long lost. But THIS POST warns of over-packing, setting me on my journey to ensure my F-150 could handle what my family needs. First, I needed to know what all these crazy terms meant. GVWR? UVR? GCWR? Axle Ratio? My brain hurt. But, I found an awesome post on Pinterest, from Trailer Life. It really lays out the terms and how to do the math. Bottom line is, you need to know your vehicle’s GCWR–Gross Combined Weight. My next challenge was putting numerical figures that matched my particular truck. My main search on Google yielded a less than helpful “2,200 to 9,500 lbs.” That’s a HUGE degree of capacity. But lucky me, after several hours of searching, I found this helpful hint! (I will SO be loading my truck up to weigh it before buying! SUCH an awesome idea!!)

I did what Mr. Mike said to this other user and found the sticker on the door. There was a lot of information on that sticker. But nothing for the GCWR. More research. Yay (boo). Another hour of hunting and I discovered Blue Oval Trucks, which not only had a labeled guide for the door sticker, but also a key for the axle ratios for the different key. (According to my sticker, the axle is an H9; their chart says the ratio was a 3.55).

I circled it in red for you other auto-challenged readers (please tell me that I’m not the only one who knows NOTHING about cars!)! This information took my options from 8 down to 2. And I can live with 2!

And, because it’s now 1a.m., and I am exhausted, I’m going to end this by saying that I’m going with the lesser weight, for safety sake (13,500) and not even checking my tire size (what’s 500lb less packing in the grand scheme?).

 

Linked Below

Piloting the Blog World

How Are You Traveling? (1)

How Are You Traveling? (1)

Welcome back readers!

As promised in Piloting the Blog World, I will be discussing tips to find your perfect camper (or Glamper as I like to call them).

Now first, let me say that this is still a work in progress. I do know what I want (and I will let you know that later). But I haven’t found quite the PERFECT camper, though I am in contact with several private sellers and a few dealerships (YAY!)

Determining the perfect camper for you and your family can be a complicated process. Some big questions have to be answered, most of which are fairly easy (despite my wordy post….I will apologize now. I have a fundamental flaw of talking—and writing—far too much according to my family. LOL). Here are the questions which need to be asked before The Hunt can occur:

• What kind of camper are you looking for?
• What is the towing capacity of your vehicle?
• How many people do you need to sleep?
• How much time will be spent in the camper?

This post will focus only on the broad categories (and their subs) of campers out there. Keep in mind that there are dozens of models, makes (which have different floor plans), etc, spanning the last 70-ish years of Glamping fanatics.

Okay! So let’s start with the easiest question of all: what kind and size vehicle do you have for your camper? Knowing what vehicle you have access to will open or limit your camper capabilities accordingly.

My first time researching, I had (and still do own) a 2006 Chevy HHR. The idea of this hauling any kind of camper that would work for my family was LAUGHABLE (I’ll explain why below, under the Towing Capacity.)

With my father’s passing, I have inherited a 2008 Ford F-150 Triton 5.4, a MUCH larger vehicle than my HHR, opening my options from a soda can, to anything from soda can to full-time living capabilities.

This leads to the first really big question:

What kind of camper are you looking for?

There are several different kinds of camper options available.

—Bumper pull campers are what most people first picture when they think “camper trailer.” They are classified as “Travel Trailers” by most retailers. These hook to a hitch on the back of your car (the bumper). They range in size from about 8 feet, to 30 or 40 feet

Bumper pulls tend to be the most popular, because of their wide size range, meaning you can find one that can be pulled by nearly any vehicle on the market (as long as it fits your family’s needs), as well as the ability to have full use of a truck bed.

Many newer bumper pulls feature all modern amenities: electricity (and/or propane), heat, TVs, running water (and HOT water), and bathrooms! Solar power has also made its debut, providing the ability to go “off grid” without losing out on the modern amenities. A smaller, traditional style is shown below:

Here is an ADORABLE little bumper pull that is/was for sale on Craigslist.

I saved the image because:

1. It’s freaking cute!
2. It might actually make a really awesome gift for my dad’s girlfriend (who’s an amazing angel and wants a camper of her own!)

*note: the pictured bumper pull does not have any modern amenities, as it is a converted OLD camper (but solar COULD be added for provide running water and lights)*

Pup-tents (also called Fold Down Campers) are a sub-class of the travel trailer variety. These feature a solid trailer, but have tent-like components which “pop” out for sleeping quarters and/or head room. Here is one folded up and ready for transport:

The benefit is the size and weight of a pup tent, offering the sleeping space of a small, standard bumper pull. The downside? The tent-like features will leak moisture and are cold, just like sleeping in a tent. Pup Tent trailers can also be difficult to set up alone (a major downside to myself as a single mom with a small child).

All set up and ready for sleeping

—Anyway, the next type of camper is a 5th Wheel. These also come in a wide range of lengths, however, for a 5th wheel, you need a special kind of truck hitch that is mounted into the middle of a truck bed.

This middle hitch has pros and cons—the largest con being that you essentially lose a large portion of use in your truck bed, both when using the camper and when you are not using the camper. Here’s what a fairly standard 5th wheel hitch looks like in the bed of a truck:

As you can see, it doesn’t leave much room for cargo you may want in your truck, instead of your camper

—Toy Haulers come in both bumper-pull and 5th-wheel style hitches. They feature a camper in the front portion, and either a flat-bed, or enclosed rear, for towing motorbikes, ATVs, etc. Some are a standard-style sleeping area, while many feature pop-up/out sleeping areas.

 

—A Truck Bed camper slides right into the bed of your truck. These are smaller space-wise and do not offer a lot of size options. They’re usually more affordable, both new and used, but limit the use of your truck significantly.

Most people I know who own one of these have their truck reserved for ONLY this purpose. Or they own a second truck devoted to their camper, and their “every day” truck. The benefit to a bed camper is the ability to also tow a trailer for other things (ATVs, boats, gear, horses). But they can be a major hassle if you own only one truck and don’t intend to pull another trailer.

*Note: they DO make pop-up bed campers, which are like a combination between the above pop-up style, and this truck bed style. I have seen images but know nothing about these sub-class*

—Motorhomes are the most expensive type of camper. The benefits of a motor home is being able to pull into any parking lot anywhere and sleep for an hour or two without ever leaving your vehicle. The downside? Most people traveling in a motorhome either end up renting or pulling a second vehicle to make day trips and store runs. Motorhomes come in 3 sub-classes.

Class A motorhomes are the largest style motorhomes. They are the most expensive, and look a lot like a tour bus.

This Class A is 1.7 MILLION and features a garage under-carriage!

Class B motorhomes are smaller, and they resemble full-size or cargo vans.

A very old Falcon Class B Motorhome

Class C motorhomes, to me, look like a 5th-wheel and a Class B met, fell in love, and made cute little motorhome babies. The front end looks like a truck, and most have over-cab storage or a bed.

Aaannnddd…. Now I’ve probably flooded your brains with so much language, you’re going glossy-eyed. Instead of making one massive post answering my above questions, I will publish all of them in handy-to-access posts!

Piloting the Blog World

Hello fellow bloggers, and blog-readers. Forgive me for my blogging inexperience, but one must start somewhere, right?

I’ve spent a lot of time (like off and on for the last 4 years!) trying to figure out what to write about. Motherhood? Mental health issues? Moving around like a gypsy? Well, I’ve always been pretty scattered, so I will probably incorporate these, and a dozen other topics, into my BIG focus right now: researching, buying, and renovating a camper.

So I suppose I should start by telling you all a little about myself and my family. I’m a single mom, of one AMAZING little boy. His name is Walker, but from now on, he will be referred to as Ker-1. Why the weird nickname that doesn’t make any sense? Well, my lovely sister had a baby a couple of years ago, who’s name is VERY similar sounding to my child. We have dubbed them the Ker Kids/Ker Children. (Ker-1 also holds the nickname Monster Mash.) I work full time retail management and I LOVE the store and my coworkers. This July will mark 8 years with the company! I’ve been in a pretty unstable living situation for the last 7 or 8 years, and have moved 9 times in less than 6 years!!

Tragedy seems to breed opportunity, however. My mom passed away in 2015….the Big C. After her passing, my dad and I discussed buying me a camper trailer. After extensive research (which I will discuss later), we nixed that idea. We ended up buying me an updated 1973 mobile home (now I guess they’re called a Manufactured Home) instead of a camper, last October.

Another tragedy struck the end of October 2017, just one or two weeks before closing on the trailer. My father was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. (sidenote: CANCER SUCKS!). We’ve spent the last 6 months making what good memories we could, and treasuring every minute. My house has become less and less settled over those 6 months, trying to juggle spending quality time with my dad, work, raising a child and 2 cats. Second sidenote: my dad’s girlfiend is a freaking ANGEL. She’s been such a rock and has taken care of him 100% through to the end, and is equally excited about this RV project as I am!!

Stay tuned next time for tips on camper research, and how I chose the right camper for my family (which truthfully is, as of this post, still a work in progress….I know what I WANT, but have not acquired it as of yet)