Camper VS Trailer (04-19-14)

We took the camper for our weekend test and spent 3 nights out on the road to check out all the systems etc.  Here are my thoughts.  First, many people name their rigs or RVs.  If Paul and I have names for them, its “the trailer” and “the camper” and of course, “the truck”. Sometimes we call the trailer the Ranch, as in “lets head back to the Ranch”.  On a rare occasion we’ll call it Porter’s Place.  But mostly, it’s just “The Trailer”.

Our destination for the weekend was an RV Park in Coarsegold CA, a mere 45 minutes from where we are staying in Fresno, but it felt like a whole other world.  This Park is essentially a membership park, operated by other full timers like us and has a forest like setting.

We chose a small spot-one that would never have fit the trailer, and one without hookups, so we could test out the generator etc.  As it turns out- the generator is a joy- simply press the button and it starts.  The only downside is that you can practically see the propane being sucked out of the tank.



My first surprise came when it was time to back into the site.  Usually it’s my job to stand in the rear and help direct Paul so that the trailer lands in a good spot, without hitting anything. Well, with no trailer, I kind of just shrugged my shoulders and told him to keep backing up until he was off the road at which point I said “ok, stop”. He got out and said  “That’s it???” Yup, with no trailer, it was just that easy.

My second surprise came when we stopped to look around, breathed in the fresh air, sighed, and realized that Yosemite National Park, one of our favorites, is only “down the road”.  I started thinking about taking a day trip to the park the following day and realized….it doesn’t work that way!  There’s no “dropping the trailer to go off exploring”.  If we wanted to go to Yosemite, we should have looked for a campsite in Yosemite!  This is a totally new way of traveling, and will take some getting used to!





Once we were set  up, we relaxed with Margaritas.  We had to rough it and drink them out of wine glasses, since we aren’t bringing our Margarita glasses with us in the camper.  We looked over the calendar of events for the RV park ( we happened to show up on “Stagecoach Weekend”) and found out there would be a dinner, a dance, and an auction while we are here.  The dinner was just ok, but I have never been to an auction so I was looking forward to that.

In the hour or so before the auction we could check out the merchandise that was going to be up for grabs.  Most things were used, but some were brand new. We also took advantage of the time to search the web for prices on items we were interested in.  We made a list of things we wanted to bid on, how much we were willing to spend, and waited for the auction to start.

Four hours later we were exhausted, but proud owners of “new” chairs, a Blue Boy, a 30 amp extension cord, hydration backpacks, and a few other smaller items.  We originally  bought a ladder but it was too short so we brought it back.








That night, and the next morning, I figured out several of the major differences between the camper and trailer.  I had forgotten how…..luxurious…for lack of a better word, our trailer is. Being in the camper for 2 nights was already making me appreciate the shower in my trailer, the size of  my bedroom, and the thick insulation that keeps out the sounds of birds and trucks, both of which can be heard quite clearly from inside the camper .  The trailer feels huge compared to the camper.  The camper is really only one space.  Paul can’t watch TV without my noticing, and even the coffee perking sounds loud.  Climbing in and out of the bed is probably going to get old pretty quickly ( and Sandie, it would NOT have worked for you!!). But hey, we’ll get used to it. I’m not complaining, just making note of the differences.  It reminds me a lot of our boat.  Everything you need, but in a compact space.





As much as we enjoyed the dance on Saturday night, Yosemite was beckoning.  I had looked online and discovered that there were two sites available for Sunday night- maximum length: 27 feet.  We top out a 26 feet so I quickly booked a site and Sunday morning- off we went. It was very strange parking in and among the tent campers.

One of the excuses for heading to Yosemite was to test the truck and camper on a long, windy road.  From the main turnoff, its a 1.5 hour trip to get into Yosemite Valley.  The road is narrow and difficult.

The last time we were here, we didn’t come into the park as much as we would have liked, because the daily drive in and out was over 4 hours long.  Extremely tiring for Paul.  So being able to spend the night in the park was awesome!

Springtime in Yosemite means incredibly beautiful waterfalls- like this one- Yosemite Falls.

Our first day there we headed to Vernal Falls- a hike we’ve done before.  We didn’t plan on hiking all the way to the top of the falls, but once we got started, we were inspired.

By the time we were done hiking, we had climbed about 1200 feet in elevation and hiked about 6 miles or so. It felt awesome to be on the trail again!












The next day we discovered two major perks to having a camper instead of a trailer.  Check out time is noon, and ordinarily it would be difficult to spend the day in the park, since we would have to pack up and be gone by noon.  Well, this time, we packed up and drove to a Day Use parking lot. 




We took the tram to the hiking trail and were able to spend a good portion of the day hiking to Mirror Lake.

We’ve never hiked this trail before but after the elevation gain of yesterday, we chose it because although it’s about a 5 mile hike, it’s relatively flat.

Once we were done with our hike and got back to the camper, it was simple to open the slide and make ourselves some sandwiches, another perk to having the camper with us all the time!

  Both before and after our weekend, we made some changes to the camper.  The old, analog TV is gone, replaced by a larger digital one.  The bathroom faucet has been replaced, and Paul is in the process of installing the new shower head. Using a camper for weekends or the occasional week long vacation is different from living in it for 5 months, and  there are some changes that are being made because we will be living in it for so long.

We’ve had a fun time buying stuff for the camper, and have, of course, moved some things over from the trailer. 

For pictures of the interior of the camper, here’s a link to my blog post that has those pictures:

Truck Camper Post

Exciting Day!

What's better than hiking to the top of Yosemite Falls on a beautiful sunny day? Hiking to Yosemite Falls on a beautiful day, accompanied by a family of bears! Talk about the thrill of a life time! Yesterday Paul and I started up the trail to Yosemite Falls at about 9:30 am. Less than 30 minutes into the hike, we were joined by a mama bear and her two cubs. They meandered out of the woods and onto the trail about 40 feet ahead of us. Mama bear knew we were there, but showed no concern unless someone started to walk towards the cubs. Then she would just turn her head and stare at the offending person until they backed up enough to satisfy her. Since they were walking up the trail to the Falls, we were stuck behind them. After a little bit, there were more and more people backed up behind the bears. We were all vying for the best vantage point for taking pictures, without irritating Mama. We really didn't have to worry- there was plenty of time to take pictures! Once the bears went ahead of us, we slowly followed them up the trail. At times they would cut the switchbacks (the zig zags in the trail that make it less steep to climb) and we would think they were gone- but then we'd catch up to them in a minute or two. Several times they stopped to eat along the way, blocking our progress up the path. Mama kept a watchful eye, and soon got very upset. The cubs were on the trail and hikers came around the corner, headed down the mountain. It was obvious that Mama felt her cubs were being threatened. She visibly tensed and started making a swiping motion with her paw. The descending hikers immediately headed back up the hill, and those of us behind her backed off even further. She finally took the cubs up the hill aways, off the trail, and they were able to get down. We caught up to them again in a couple of minutes. By this time, the bears have been around for close to an hour and some of the hikers were getting antsy to get past them. One man tried to cut the switchback to sneak ahead of them, but to Mama it felt like a threat- she headed towards him (still about 50-60 ft away), reared up on her hind legs and made a swatting gesture. Boy did he fly back down that hill. Eventually she pulled them off to the side long enough that we were all (by this time, about 25 people) able to get by (very quickly, keeping a close eye out!). It was an interesting bonding experience with the people we were with, as we discussed our options for passing the bears, cautioned each other about getting too close, and discussed picture taking. We met a couple, Les and Pat, who we spent most of the day with, on and off, as we rested and hiked to and from the falls. They are from Utah, near Zion National Park, so we got some good tips on what to do when we get there next week. This hike to Yosemite Falls, is, without a doubt, the most difficult one I have ever done. Round trip we hiked about 9-10 miles total, with an elevation gain of 3000 feet. That's the equivalent of climbing the Empire State Building more than twice. We (I) had to stop frequently towards the top, and for a while, I wasn't sure I was going to make it- but I did! Once at the top we were astounded to see that there were people tightrope walking across the falls! Paul got a good look at the Falls and guys doing the "walking" but I elected not to go down that pathway...a shear drop with a tiny railing. He came back pretty quickly, since the wind started picking up. As we headed around the corner, we ran into Pat again. She was completely distraught, unable to find her husband Les. She was convinced he had fallen over the falls (no railings- could happen, but of course, not likely). I stayed with her while Paul went ahead to look for him. Eventually we found him ( he had not heard her say where she would be, and thought she went on without him.) A pretty tense time for her, but with a happy ending. After resting for a bit, we headed back down the mountain. By that time it was already 3 pm and the day was starting to feel long. The views along the way were as beautiful as most view are in Yosemite, but as we looked into the valley, we could see was a haze- as it turns out, it was a haze of pollen, adding a slightly green tinge to everything. We made it down without incident, but didn't get to the bottom until almost 6 pm. We were so hungry and tired at that point, we ate at Yosemite Lodge instead of leaving the park for dinner. I also got a T-shirt with a bear on it. The drive back to our trailer is almost 2 hours and most of it was done in the dark. We arrived at about 10 pm and we were both (especially Paul)too tired for words. Driving those roads, 4 hrs a day, especially in the dark, takes a toll. All in all yesterday was one of the most strenuous,yet rewarding days of our trip. I feel extremely lucky to have spent so much time with the bear family. Today we canceled our plans to drive Tioga Rd, which is supposed to be beautiful, but would be about a 5 hour drive. Paul is done in, and we'll just relax today before heading out tomorrow.