RE: General coughing and rousing

[SactoCampers]

 Cottonwooder

If you own your home, could you refinance (or get a home equity loan) and get a killer deal with today s skyrocketing house prices and plummeting interest rates? That s what we did. Somehow, through the mysterious world of financing (of which I know nothing), we re able to enlarge Rebec s room to accommodate both girls AND get this new trailer while maintaining the same monthly payments we ve always had. :::shrugging::: Glad Mike understands all of this, because I sure don t.

 We re getting a HELOC right now....for our photovoltaic solar electricity system. It s a variable with fixed-rate option. That s a really nice and flexible loan. Thing is, I ve always preached to Mrs. Sacto about not incurring debt, and now she s holding me to my word[:@][&:][: (]! It s just a quirk I have. For home improvements, long-term payments are worthwhile, but for depreciating assets (like cars and RVs), I m extremely hesitant to do so. By working in a hybrid into a 30-year loan, that means I would be paying for that thing for 30 years, even after we sell it, which explains my hesitancy. I have to be able to visualize paying off the vehicle in a reasonable amount of time rather than focusing on the low payments. We also need to add onto our house in the near future (we have 1250 sq ft), so I think that s where our priorities lie. I also can t refinance the house without a huge penalty. That s what I get for thinking interest rates bottomed out a year ago. [:@][: (]. Great, now I m talking myself out of it! But good things come to those who wait........I guess. If Mrs. Sacto didn t shop so much at Target we might be able to afford one.....[&:]. But we have a good life so I m not *really* complaining....just dreaming!
 
 

[Cottonwooder]

 SactoCampers

If Mrs. Sacto didn t shop so much at Target we might be able to afford one..... .

 It s probably because she DOES shop at Target instead of places with outlandish prices that you can afford anything at all, LOL!  See, it works like this:
 
 Wife:  Look at how much I saved with all these sale prices!
 Husband (groaning):  How much did these savings cost me?
 
 ROFL!  Yes, it s all a matter of taking a good, hard look at all the numbers and balance the needs vs. wants.  1250 sq. ft. is a mansion compared to our 840 sq. ft., believe it or not.  The room enlargement is desparately needed.

[SactoCampers]

 Cottonwooder

Wife: Look at how much I saved with all these sale prices!
 Husband (groaning): How much did these savings cost me?

 Yeah right. That s what Mrs. Sacto keeps telling me [:@]. The biggest problem with Mrs. Sacto only working part-time is that when she gets bored, she goes to Target. When she goes to Target, the budget s in trouble. [: (][]. So if you can tell me when the female genetic mutation occurred that inspires women to go shopping when they are bored, please forward it to me. Otherwise I must treat it as a character flaw [].
 
 
 

Yes, it s all a matter of taking a good, hard look at all the numbers and balance the needs vs. wants. 1250 sq. ft. is a mansion compared to our 840 sq. ft., believe it or not. The room enlargement is desparately needed.

 
 Wow, 840. That is small. IYour new trailer has 1/4 the square footage! (27 * . I can sympathize. We re fine with our house right now, which is why the home addition will have to wait a few years. There s something homey about a small home. The transition from a larger home to a smaller home wasn t that difficult. That s why I laugh when I hear stories like the one from my sister in-law. She works with a woman who is moving out of a 3600 sq ft. house and building one over 5000 sq ft because she says hers is too small! But there is something to be said about being able to vacuum your entire house from one outlet!
 
 I ve also become very creative with storage ideas. The garage is like my Mona Lisa. I was able to get our washer and dryer, two workbenches, three plastic storage shelf units, one of those white particle board storage cabinets, another shelving unit, a cheap dresser, another bedstand dresser, water softener, the popup, and the minivan all in our two car garage. We have to fold in the mirrors of our minivan and scoot across the passenger seat, but it s worth it! I keep trying to find ways to squeeze a little more storage space out of it, but I have no more tricks up my sleeve.

[griffsmom]

 SactoCampers

 

ORIGINAL:  SactoCampers
 
 I explain to Mrs. Sacto ....how it would be easier to set up

 I look at hybrids/travel trailers/motorhomes and think the same thing in a sort of envious way, but this weekend, the motorhome next to us proved otherwise.  My DH and I sat there in our camp chairs, drinking our beers, and watched the owner spend about two hours trying to level his motorhome.  He finally had to pull out a drill and take off the rear stabilizers, readjust them and then put them back on.  Suddenly, the simplicity of our pop up looked pretty good.[]

[SactoCampers]

 griffsmom

ORIGINAL:  griffsmom
 
 
 

ORIGINAL:  SactoCampers
 
 I explain to Mrs. Sacto ....how it would be easier to set up

 I look at hybrids/travel trailers/motorhomes and think the same thing in a sort of envious way, but this weekend, the motorhome next to us proved otherwise.  My DH and I sat there in our camp chairs, drinking our beers, and watched the owner spend about two hours trying to level his motorhome.  He finally had to pull out a drill and take off the rear stabilizers, readjust them and then put them back on.  Suddenly, the simplicity of our pop up looked pretty good.[]
 

 In some ways I agree. It would take us quite a while to set up 34  the triple-slide 5th wheel. Partly because the slideouts were kinda slow, also partly because it took longer to get situated into a campsite. Manueverability was reduced and we had to make sure we were close enough to the hookups but also had clearance for the slideouts. Leveling for us was about the same as with the popup.
 
 I bet overall, hybrid setup takes a little less time since I wouldn t have to set up the door or greywater system. Hot water would automatic. But most important, packing would be so much easier because it would go directly into the hybrid and the sequence of events would not be so critical. I can t tell you how many times I ve closed the top without emptying the freshwater tank, which I can only do from the inside. So here are the things on which I would save time with a hybrid:
 
 1.) No raising the roof
 2.) No lowering the roof (the real time delay)
 3.) Beds. I imagine they re easier to tip out then pull out.
 4.) No grey water system set up. Internal tanks.
 5.) Real awning takes less time.
 6.) No transfer of clothes and food from tow vehicle to popup. All of this would be pre-packed in the hybrid prior to departure.
 7.) No setting up the door
 8.) No setting up the stove.
 
 
 Here are some things that would take longer with a hybrid:
 
 1.) Retrieving the trailer from storage and bringing to the house (It also, however, takes me several minutes to maneuver the popup in the garage by hand to ready it for hitching).
 2.) Waiting in line at some campgrounds to empty tanks can be a substantial delay.
 3.) Backing into a site may take longer due to reduced visibility.
 4.) Lining up tow vehicle to hitch since presumably the tongue cannot be moved by hand.
 
 If anybody wants to contribute to the " help buy Sactocampers a 17-foot hybrid"  fund, contact me and I will give you my paypal account name. All donations are tax deductible.
 
 Don t get me wrong, I ve got it good and I love the popup (even if I did just discover it s only 10 !), I just want it better. If I never get a hybrid, popup camping still suits me fine.

[Cottonwooder]

 SactoCampers

If I never get a hybrid, popup camping still suits me fine.

 Yeah, barring that mental obstacle I m also familiar with, LOL!   {{{{Sacto}}}}  You sound like a great family man.  You ll get your hybrid one day. []

[Red neff Barchetta]

 SactoCampers
Brian -
 
 First off, here is the link to Gregg s (Yor123) awning weight site;
 http://community.webshots.com/album/41386171WPFnZc
 Here is the latest thread asking about them from a month ago on PUX;
 http://www.coastexplorer.com/popupexplorer/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2007
 If you want Gregg s e-mail address, just let me know.  He s a great guy and wouldn t mind at all getting a note from you for his shopping list.
 They work so well!  I am extermely happy with this set-up.  Now I m just waiting for the first tear in the awning so I can justify a Carefree awning and screen room, lol.
 Just had a thought;  Ouch!  Anyway, do you think the lower Coleman awning poles are anything like the lower Tracker awning poles (with the metal push button tabs)?  My thought is that I could leave you our lower poles and the weights and you could swing by Friday and pick them up on your way to the coast.  I won t need them again until the Gold Country rally since Amy won t be with us in Fort Bragg and I won t be setting up the awning then.
 
 Hybrid -
 We have gone over this again and again just like you and Mrs. Sacto., but aleways come back to the simplicity of the PU.  We really got lucky and actually picked the perfect PU for us the first time.  The Utah was made for our family and I now have it outfitted just the way we like it.
 Set-up and down is a breeze (I highly reccomend you get a drill).
 Storage isn t even an issue (a Hybrid wouldn t fit through my 10  high warehouse roll-up door even w/o a/c)
 WE LOVE THE CANVAS tent feeling (but also love the screen room, hot H2O, fridge, toilet, heater, outside shower & tent, king beds, couch, etc...)
 When we dry camp in French Meadows (for example) we don t feel like we are cheat-camping too much, but still get to stay clean and warm or cool.
 Btw, have you ever sat and watched an RV set-up their screen room or AAR?  Takes 3 people and about 25 minutes!  I can have ours up (along with the skirt) by myself in under 15 minutes.  It was a PITA to figure out the first time (like the Paha Que TeePee tent), but ever since has been a cinch.
 I say keep your PU as long as you can and couldn t agree more with not getting a 30 year loan on it.
 How about selling it and getting a PU with a slide-out?  That is where we feel we " accidently"  bought the right PU for us.  If we hadn t got one with a slide, we would have already sold it and moved up to a Utah after camping with the group a time or 2.
 
 Target -
 Amy also works part time so her favorite off-day place is Target as well.  I ll come home and she ll say " I went to Target for some laundry detergent" .  And I ll say " Then what is all of the kids clothes, plants, pillows, etc... for?" , lol.
 Between Target and Starbucks, she is keeping the economy churning along!
 
 Btw, as you know, we live less than a mile from Spring Lake and Annadel mountain.  Spring Lake has a campground which we ride our bikes through about 4 times a week.  Of course I always have to look at the PU s.  Well all last week there was a Tracker (didn t notice the model) PU set-up (only other one I ve ever seen), but the first evening nobody was around, but the second night I saw someone there so I went to say hi.  Anyway, to make my boring story longer, they were not very friendly (but that s alright since I approached them), but what was funny and almost unbelievable was that they said they had been camping in it 7 times in the 3 years they ve owned it and still haven t figured out how to use the fresh water tank, water heater, or hose for the grey water (they just use a bucket directly up against the wall of the PU when using water hook-ups with cold water only!  They didn t even know that they had a water pump!  Well, they didn t want to talk so I couldn t even give them a few tips or information.  Basically, they have a nice PU, but only utilize the mattresses, lol.  Maybe all of the mud on me and my bike (as well as my friend) from our ride freaked them out, lol.

[Red neff Barchetta]

 SactoCampers
Nick -
 I was just checking out the latest issue of PUT and on the back cover is your brother s twin!  A Hummer pulling a PU.  Check it out.
 Btw, did your other brother Dave get a Kiwi yet?

[SactoCampers]

 Red neff Barchetta
Jeff, thanks for the links.
 
 And thanks for the offer to borrow the weights, but we won t be able to stop by. We have to get an early start because we want to get one of the beach sites at Wright s Beach. Conceptually, I see how he did it, I didn t know the poles fit right into 3/4"  PVC. I just so happen to have some leftover from my new and improved grey water drainage system! If I have some extra time, that will be the next project! This weekend, we ll just stake  em down if necessary.
 
 

Set-up and down is a breeze (I highly reccomend you get a drill).

 Cranking up isn t the problem. Remember, I m a non-Coleman owner. My lift only takes around 33 not 250 cranks to be fully upright [8D][]. It s the cranking down, and going around pushing in the tent material that adds time.
 
 

WE LOVE THE CANVAS tent feeling

 I like it too, that s why I liked this 17-foot hybrid. Still felt like a tent. Though with the hard sides, we would probably head over to Doran Park much more frequently. Mrs. Sacto likes Doran Park because of the gentle beach, but hates the wind. I forgot she mentioned that. I think I should play up that angle a little more []. Ducted heating and a little insulation doesn t hurt either.....
 
 

Btw, have you ever sat and watched an RV set-up their screen room or AAR?

 Have you ever seen ME set up my screen room? NO, it s still in the box unused because my awning takes forever to set up. It s the *awning* I was talking about, not the screen room or AAR []. I want an easier AWNING. RV awnings are much easier []. I m too cheap to buy a Carefree, but I suppose that would be cheaper than a hybrid [][].
 
 

How about selling it and getting a PU with a slide-out? That is where we feel we " accidently"  bought the right PU for us.

 Yeah, in fact I was hoping this dealer was going to have one on display since it s one of the few light enough for me to tow. My hybrid fantasy might not have a hold of me if I were in a slideout. But all my complaints about setting up and breaking down are still valid....though a front storage trunk would make things a little easier. Only problem is Palomino doesn t allow WDH on their popups, yet people look to them because of lower capacity tow vehicles that could benefit from WDH. Also, now that I realize I only have a 10  popup, I m not sure I could get the Mustang SC-SL in my garage. It might be too long....Then again, the cost would make it close to a hybrid(?).
 
 

Well all last week there was a Tracker (didn t notice the model) PU set-up (only other one I ve ever seen),

 Funny story. I m surprised there s another Tracker out there. I ve never seen one. LOL about putting the bucket right up against the body of the trailer. That s classic. What, they didn t notice the threads on the drain?
 
 

Maybe all of the mud on me and my bike (as well as my friend) from our ride freaked them out, lol.

 No, I think it was just you.........................[] Just kidding. That s a little rabble rouse, there.
 
 Jeff, I can always count on you to see the virtues of my 10-foot popup. I m almost in Surfcal s half-a-popup category.
 

[Red neff Barchetta]

 SactoCampers
Brian -
 Forgot to tell you to have a great time this w/e!!!!  I m glad you guys are finally getting out again.  I m sorry we won t be around to come bother you, but will be having fun with another NNC er (& spouse) for part of the w/e.  Good luck getting a prime site, but Wright s Beach is so nice that any site is fine.
 
 Also forgot to comment on the salesman.  LOL!!!!  He went into his sales speech before he even knew what you were interested in doing.  I agree, a portable office is not a good sign.  3 of the salespeople at our dealer don t even like to camp and the owner hasn t had a vacation in 10 years!  Makes you wonder what the heck they know about PU s and Caravan s?!
 Btw nice rouse, except a good comedian should never have to point out his/her jokes.  Gotcha!

[Ca-girl]

 SactoCampers

this is also a story about a cheesy salesman.

 When we first seriously looked at trailers, pop-ups, etc., we saw the Palaminos before we saw the Caravans.....one of the biggest reasons I couldn t bring myself to seriously consider buying one was the cheesy salesman!!  He had such a used car dealer way about him  [>:] Of course, we ended up buying the Caravan for other reasons too, and have no regrets about it, but I doubt I would have bought that Palamino even if I loved it because I couldn t get happy about giving that guy any of my hard earned $$$.

[The Memory Maker]

 SactoCampers

ORIGINAL:  SactoCampers
  how I wouldn t have to set up the door, how we could give Megan and her future sibling a real bath rather than a shower/rinse....

Am I the only one to catch on to this???!!!
 WHATS UP???!!!
 Bun in the oven and no warning??!!!
 Give us the scoop, Is This why we haven t seen you in like...forever?
 
 

[SactoCampers]

 The Memory Maker

 

WHATS UP???!!!
 Bun in the oven and no warning??!!!
 Give us the scoop, Is This why we haven t seen you in like...forever?
 

 No bun in the oven yet (we think). But timing is getting just about right. Hopefully sometime this summer. [] Sactotoddler is ready to be a big sister. She carries her little baby doll around, hugs it, gives it kisses, feeds it water, and pushes it around in her little toy stroller.
 

[SactoCampers]

 Ca-girl

ORIGINAL:  Ca-girl
 
 

this is also a story about a cheesy salesman.

 When we first seriously looked at trailers, pop-ups, etc., we saw the Palaminos before we saw the Caravans.....one of the biggest reasons I couldn t bring myself to seriously consider buying one was the cheesy salesman!!  He had such a used car dealer way about him  [>:] Of course, we ended up buying the Caravan for other reasons too, and have no regrets about it, but I doubt I would have bought that Palamino even if I loved it because I couldn t get happy about giving that guy any of my hard earned $$$.
 

 Too funny. I wish there was another dealer around. The Sac dealer really gives Palominos a bad name. He doesn t even equip them with any options. No decor package, no hot water, no water pump (and thus the no rise faucet). I don t even know if he equipped them with a heater. He also didn t keep the interiors very clean. The Palominos didn t look very appealing the way he had them set up. In contrast, my trusty Tracker (Palomino twin) has nice faux brass trim, all the options I mentioned, and nice faux hardwood lineoleum, which is really good at disguising dirt and footprints.....even if my dealer was a crook.

[Ab Diver]

 SactoCampers

Hopefully sometime this summer.  Sactotoddler is ready to be a big sister.

 If Sactotoddler is gunna be a big sister by this summer, you d better get busy![8D]