Camper

 

We bought a used pop-up camper for our pickup truck last month. For several years, we have talked about various options for camping that would provide us a bit more protection from the rain than our tent. We considered a pop-up tent trailer, a small RV like a Roadtrek and a small hard sided trailer like a Scamp. But, on our recent camping trip to NE Oregon, we met a couple who were spending five summer months living out of their pop-up on the back of their truck and we decided that it might be the best option for us. Nothing to tow, not a third vehicle and we already had a pickup.

These campers are built to be light and are pretty expensive to purchase new. Dave looked around on Craigslist and was able to find a 2010 model right here in town! The price was reasonable, too. He had to install some custom brackets and had Ray help him install some air shocks on the truck but it is all fitted out now. It costs us some gas mileage on the road but the ride is really stable. The queen sized bed is comfy and, though there isn't a ton of storage, it seems to have enough. It is easy to put the top up and take it down so I think we will be pretty happy with our new rig! 

 

Our first trip was an overnighter, camping in a field near Leavenworth, WA, at the Overland Expo Rally. Dave has met some of these 4WD, off road types on some of his motorcycle trips and they have a nice magazine, The Overland Journal. We were just there for the beginning of the weekend - likely more folks arrived and lined up to camp in the meadow, side by side. It was a good shakedown trip - Dave and Ray each won a new shirt from rally sponsors.