New A-Frame Camper

in #camping6 years ago

Oh boy! We got a new camping trailer, (or at least new to us). Ever since we played ‘explody tire’ with the last a-frame pop-up trailer, I’ve been wanting to get another one.

Off on the first camping adventure here’s a view of the new camping trailer in the trees:

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Jayco, Jay Series trailer in the trees – click for viewing full screen

These type of pop-up hard sided trailers are really easy to tow and can go into many primitive campsites. This one is 19 feet long and is just small enough to fit in my garage when it is collapsed down for towing.

This is really nice because you don’t have to worry so much about the weather-seals leaking and things growing all over the outside of it. (Did I tell you it rains a lot around where I live?)

Here’s a view of it camping on our land near Canada:

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Camping on our land by the road – click for viewing full screen

There is usually no data access to the Internet when camping in most of the places we like to go. So please be prepared to not hear from me for periods of time on occasion.

My unscientific observations this year are that there were less bugs and birds than the last time we visited. I did not see any of the wild turkeys walking around. The turkey vultures were not flying around like before either, but someone had shot a coyote last time we visited.

Speaking of coyotes, I almost hit one when it was trying to cross the road. The trailer brakes do work nicely. I saw the coyote running really fast across the field but he was pretty far away and I didn’t think he was trying to beat the car across the road. The direction he was running made it look like he was headed a different way, but he must of turned and took a short cut under some bushes because all of a sudden he was right in the way. I slammed on the brakes and just missed him - I’m amazed at how fast those coyotes can run.

It is very pleasant in the morning and night camping here but the afternoon and evening were very hot.

It seems like many of the pine trees are being stressed by the weather, or maybe the pine beetle. Lots of them have needles turning brown.

Someone years ago, removed all the trees from the land in preparation for doing some farming. It is a nice level field but not big enough to compete with big agricultural farms imho. I think there would be an issue with getting enough water for irrigation here too.

It doesn’t look like many trees will naturally start to regrow here at this point. It is tempting to try to start some fruit trees but I don’t think they would last long unless you guard them from the bears and water them.

jaycoLand.jpg
Camping close-up – click for viewing full screen

Here’s the trailer that was traded in:

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RPod that was traded in – click for viewing full screen

It is a really nice trailer and there were many things about it that I liked a lot. It was just a bit big and harder to tow. With this trailer I was getting ten to twelve miles per gallon. When towing an a-frame I get around sixteen to eighteen miles to the gallon while traveling much faster.


Thanks for reading! I always value your support and comments. The pictures were taken by me with my Galaxy S9+ with some modifications done in the digital darkroom on the last one from Google Photos.

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How are you still able to stay healthy in camping?

Looks very Beautiful brothers scene when brother @lightsplasher camping his photography is also very beautiful siblings look so clear picture, his trailer is also very good my brother has never seen such a thing before and i really like it thank you for sharing the beauty of the brother to me, sorry I was late to see him because I am today cleaning the gardens are so bushy, hopefully your sister's day is fun, and keep the spirit in living its days.

I think camping is very healthy. The feel of the fresh air and being in the presence of very old trees is wonderful. It helps me feel joyful.

I think so too brother @lightsplasher, let alone camping close to the air surfer will be more fresh, I dulus ever camping I think is quite fun, good brother is hopefully keep my hope healthy.

I really agree with this. The air is way healthier than in the town.

How are you doing in the garden during this season, whether there are already harvest some plants in your garden, may the plants all grow perfectly, success greetings from my brother @lightsplasher

That's a pretty cool little rig @lightsplasher! And I'd guess with an A-frame design it it has pretty good height, too. I'm always interested in various pop-ups because we have pretty limited storage space at our house... no real place for anything with any height, so collapsible is kinda important.

Also good point about the mileage you're getting. It all adds up.

We are really enjoying it! I can't wait to go camping again. Having it fold up is a real plus for storage and towing. When it is opened up it is very roomy inside and is easy to move around in. If you store it outside, many of these designs will leak when folded up so you need to get a cover or pay attention to what is going on with the seals more. It is better to store them opened up if they are outside. (The water runs off the roof better, however it can still harm the floor and rot the wood - I purchase a used one the owner replace the floor on) I like to keep them in the garage so that I don't have to worry about water issues, solar damage and plant growth. Water damage can be an issue with any trailer stored outside, they aren't really made all that well for long term weathering imho.

Wow ... looks very beautiful and fun atmosphere like that, I really like to see nature atmosphere like this. of course very comfortable camping with the fresh and cool atmosphere in such a location ... hopefully, @lightsplasher in days so always beautiful ...my best friend.

I hope to be able to get some more nice nature photos when I'm out camping this season. I really didn't get out camping much last season. Somehow there was more hesitation around getting out in the larger trailer and it was very expensive to tow it very far. I very happy to have the smaller camping trailer now.

yeah ... it looks very nice and very comfortable for a moment in this year, let alone camping with a beautiful couple ... hehehe ...
ok ... my friend ... so always be happy there

Amazing and so cool camping trailer, its make camping more easy and more pleasure, have a nice camping mr @lightsplasher, if you have time please stop by to my blog, success always for you

It has a very comfortable bed and is lots of fun to go camping in. Thank you and success always for you too.

You are welcome brother @lightsplasher

The new trailer looks a lot sleeker, IMHO. What a beautiful local. A slice of heaven on Earth if you ask me, even if you have to be on the look out for daredevil coyotes:) Have a great time:)

I really enjoy getting out in more peaceful locations. The city is fun too but it is wonderful to wake up to the fresh air and birds and bugs singing.

SWEET!!! Congrats on the cool looking camper!! I really like that A frame! Looks like it would be less air drag when driving, yet seems to have a large amount of windows for good views. Plus I can see the A shape will get the rain off faster without as much chance for it to come in.

That is some lovely country out there! So peaceful and wide open!

Thanks! Yes, this is the third and nicest a-frame we have owned. The first one was a shorter 17' trailer that was very nice too but it had a intermittent electrical problem with the brakes that no one could fix. Most of the time it would work fine but sometimes it would lock up the wheels and release them in a really quite dangerous way.

I've towed a-frames through Wyoming in nasty windy weather and had no problems with sway or anything using a simple hitch. My new hitch has load leveler and anti-sway bars for the bigger trailer so it is really easy to tow the lighter a-frame. This new a-frame is heavier than any of the other ones that I have owned though, so the bars are kind of nice to have. I've experienced sway before towing a boat and that is really no fun, however, I probably would not have purchased this fancy a hitch for such a lightweight aerodynamic trailer if I had not owned it already.

There is some really nice country around here with beautiful places to camp in the Cascade mountains. It is really fun to go camping!

"Explody tyre" "Explody tyre" Did you do a post about it that I missed?
Love the look of both trailers, but I think the former looks grander! Of course you say the new one is more functional, I understand.

Imagining your camping trips should be real fun.

I never posted anything about that camping adventure but it was a really hot day and we were cruising along rather fast but under the speed limit, when the tire exploded. The previous owner of the a-frame had put on over sized truck tires and 15" rims on it so there was very little clearance in the wheel well. When the tire exploded a large piece of rubber got caught in the wheel well and pretty much destroyed it, part of the really nice custom wood flooring, and a cabinet in the interior. The trailer was still tow-able but was totaled out and rubber and wood fragments were strewn all along the highway.

Bigger wheels are much better on the axle bearings because they turn slower and they provide more clearance on rough roads. Having inboard tires is nice because the trailer wheels don't stick out beyond the tow vehicles tires but you really need proper clearance if you have this design.

The new a-frame trailer has 13" rims and just barely clears the bump on my driveway if I take the safety chains off. (I'm kind of tempted to put 15" rims on - just kidding, LOL)

Anyhow, the biggest issue was the age of the tires - you probably shouldn't run trailer tires longer than five years unless they are really stored well.

Yup, the RPod was a much fancier, more expensive trailer but the new one fits what we use it for much better. The window in the new trailer is really nice and the feel and lighting inside is much better. Somehow there is more usable space too, which is interesting considering it is a foot shorter and without a slide-out.

I'm really looking forward to some nice camping trips with the new trailer.

I get it, thanks. I must say that this is a well-written description that will make a nice post on its own.

Wow! This is where you have been. I have been over a couple of times to check on you and you have been gone gone gone.

I must tell you that the explodey tires, although not funny really made me laugh. Although, having had that happen to me, it really is not funny. I really like the new a frame. A long way from the ones of the past. That big window has got to make it so much bigger looking inside. I do love the way they are laid out and have looked at them.

That piece of land do have is quite incredible that's Rolling Hills and the picturesque scene. I actually like camping, especially in a camper. But the one trouble I had was making sure that the vehicle was Sleek enough do not cause drag when you're going through some of those places that have winds. I used to have a Winnebago and that probably got about 4 miles per gallon, I kid you not. Well I am joking but it really had terrible mileage. I never realize that I don't need a huge space to live in while I'm camping. I have no idea why I thought I needed something as big as a house. Minimal. That's the main word. Now I only like to get his big as I need. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, I am delighted to see that you are out there having a good time as I was worried that maybe you weren't feeling good.

Happy camping and congratulations on your new camper. She's a Beauty. Tip!

Thank you! Tire issues can be pretty funny in hindsight. I once had a rear tire go flat in a really busy highway in Denver. I was towing a 19' A-frame but it was loaded a lot with no load leveling hitch. Someone most have been watching out for us because it was just past the worst section where it would have been very dangerous to pull over with a trailer.

I had a used tow vehicle that I just purchased and when I went to get the spare off, I found it was locked with nut that there was no key to anywhere in the vehicle. Basically someone have removed all the locks from the wheels but not the spare tire and I didn't check it because it was under the cover. Luckily we were close to a relative who came by and helped us out and patched the tire with a plug. I'm very thankful for that - an explodey tire would have been much more difficult to deal with and the tire stores were closed by then.

You kind of learn as you go along but weight can make a big difference. I think that having a load leveling hitch, newer tires and a light weight trailer will hopefully help with the explodey tire thing, LOL.

Minimalism - Learning to say 'NO' to storing the easy recliner lawn chairs, latte machine, etc., etc. in the trailer, while saving weight for things like a tire repair kit and air pump.

Only in hindsight!!!

Oh, I can see we all have camping nightmare stories! Best fun ever and I am planning some of the National Parks this year or next. The possibilities are endless!

Thanks for sharing this with us!

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good afternoon dear friend saya.pada this afternoon I have seen your post and I see I am very touched once and I feel smile karen this time I see this cangih engine and it looks very unique once I really like this my dear friend @lightsplasher and I will resteem or share his yes my dear friend..salam from me @kabil

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https://steemit.com/esteem/@kabil/bertopeng-belum-tentu-itu-teroris-lihatlah-isi-postingan-ini-be75d6fcd708b

Hi, good afternoon (it is night time for me). Thank you for commenting and resteeming.

yes my dear friend @lightsplasher thanks also for you yes I am always happy to see your post 😊