I was reading thru another board when I couldn t get into this one over the weekend, and they had a section for problem areas and " you wouldn t believe" , which most were rather funny, and/or good to know. But I started to notice that the folks in the " big rigs" complained about things like non paved roads, non level sites, being put into areas where " tenters" were..etc. Where as we get upset when we re not reconized as rv ers...also being pushed to an area which is for tents (not enough space to open up rig), not allowed into certain CG s, basically being treated like second class rv ers. But the other things they were upset about..PU pers usually explain how they overcame the same thing thru mods and such, or were so happy where they were cause the other RV ers couldn t get to the same area, which meant unobstructed views, and peace and quite. Are we just a different breed..or is it just me? It was kind of funny reading about them upset when they couldn t canp at a certain area, or were treated " badly" cause of the seasonals that have set house had looked down on them (like how we re treated " badly" cause we don t have a 50K plus RV rig).
rednekrubbrduckI just have to say that I am a seasonal and I never look down on anyone camping with tents, pop-ups, MH s, etc. The only thing that I can t understand is the monster motorhomes that come in now. I just can t imagine setting up one of those huge things for just a weekend. That is just my opinion. I personally could care less what anyone camps in as long as they are enjoying it. I have TT and love it, but I also camp with Foxyladies in her PU and have a great time with that too! I think it just matters who you are camping with to make it fun. Come on April 15th!
rednekrubbrduckIan
I think you just described why most of us who found PUT a couple/few boards ago were so happy. This was the only place that caters to pop ups exclusively.
I think it was due to this that it grew so quickly and became very popular.
I for one am very happy with my pop up and plan to keep it for quite a while!
rednekrubbrduck[font=" Papyrus" ]Are we a different Breed??
Why of course we are!!
Aren t most of us just tenter in disguise. Most of us
pop upper are adaptable to many situations. A throwback from our tenting days. [/font]
ForestCreature[font=" comic sans ms" ]Gotta agree with both Tim and Marcy! (course I m so happy to be able to get in here today I ll agree with anyone! [;)])
I LOVE my PU and we ll be in one for a long long time!
We call ours a glorified tent!
Yep! We re a different breed all right! [:)][/font]
rednekrubbrduckYea! It s almost as if we Where " A Cult or Something" ....To quote a great man!
I think the Sacrifices have begun [;)]
WE ARE RV ers!
rednekrubbrduckInteresting perspective!! I think that part of what befalls Pop Uppers is our own doing. I know that when I had my Coleman and would mention that I was going camping, someone would say oh do you have an RV? I would usually respond (without thinking) " no, I JUST have a tent trailer" . I think that people will immediately relate that to tenting, and have even been assigned a campsite in the tenting area. Even now with the TrailManor, I will be careful to say that I have a Travel Trailer and only go farther into explanation if needed. I will admit that TrailManor is considered a Travel Trailer by definition, which causes a whole set of other issues when talking to " campers" .
Now I find that I have to justify my existence here among pop uppers, when they say" that isn t a pop up" , but I contend that it IS!! As I have said before, TrailManor s are Pop UPs Too!!!!
Happy Campin <><
rednekrubbrduckYes, we ARE a breed apart! And even though some of us have gone on to hybrids (like Linda and Ed Jones) and even TT" s, there is a certain kind of person who will always have lingering traces of something special in their hearts that made them love their tent or their popup. Being a popupper is an attitude. Or a mind-set. And that is why there are people here who no longer own a popup, but who regard them and their owners with affection.
Look at all the people who have written how they went from a popup to a fiver or a TT or a MH and then came back again to a PU. There is something about a tent on wheels that is magical--kind of like the magician pulling a rabbit out of his hat.
With a TT or a MH or a Fiver, anyone can look at it when you pull in and they can tell at a glance what you have.
But with a popup, you pull in with this little rectangle on wheels and pretty soon it starts to pop up here and pop out there and expand from this place or that, and next thing you know, the thing is 3 times bigger than when it was being towed and it is a rolling palace!.
Now tell me that is NOT MAGIC!
NightOwlWOW, well said, I sure can t wait to camp with you Elisa!!! You are first rate!
Happy Campin <><
rednekrubbrduckI think that what makes us stand out among the others is the sense of humor, childlike awe and wonder, and most of all, the open hearts that we have, all results of being popped out all over, as Elisa would say.
T
[;)]
rednekrubbrduckNow I gotta figure out how to delete a post[:(] I dont even know the difference between a dancing sandwich and a hot topic--I am in BIG TROUBLE NOW![&:]
wiininkweLarry, the feeling is entirely mutual![:)]
This needs to be our little secret, but I think we TM owners have the best of both worlds--we ARE a popup, but we ARE technically also a TT--how can we go wrong!
In my heart I am truly a popup camper and always will be. And you know how psychologists have this test they do where they show you pictures and if it is something you think is wonderful your eyes will automatically dilate? Just show me a popup and my eyes get as big as saucers (this happens when I look at pictures of kittens, too, but that i another storyLOL)
And, when I am a creaky-boned old lady, I will STILL think popups are
MAGIC QuoteORIGINAL: wiininkwe
I think that what makes us stand out among the others is the sense of humor, childlike awe and wonder, and most of all, the open hearts that we have, all results of being popped out all over, as Elisa would say.
T
[;)]
Toni, YES!
rednekrubbrduckI have noticed at certain cg s that the big rigs do look down at us(literally and figuratively). But, if you take the time to talk to some of them, you ll find that they are very nice people who love to reminisce about their first camper, and it s usually a pop-up.[;)]
After all, we are campers, right?[:)]
Or as Red Green says, " We re all in this together" .[8D]
rednekrubbrduck[:)][>:]I believe I ve got it figured out. Remember a post about people in the big rigs seem to always stay inside? Well, I think I know why. For the most part, these people aren t camping. They are RV ing. Have you ever noticed a RV park? Barren grass parking lot mostly. This is why they stay in even at a CG. They don t know any better.[:@][&:][8D][:D]
And if we move up, it will be a hybrid so we can enjoy the tent ends.
Miller Tyme
QuoteORIGINAL: Miller Tyme
I have noticed at certain cg s that the big rigs do look down at us(literally and figuratively). But, if you take the time to talk to some of them, you ll find that they are very nice people who love to reminisce about their first camper, and it s usually a pop-up.[;)]
After all, we are campers, right?[:)]
Or as Red Green says, " We re all in this together" .[8D]
MT, thi is EXACTLY what happened this summer at the rally. There was a huge, very expensive MH next to our friends JBreeland, and one evening as I was passing this older couple in the MH were out grilling steaks so I stopped and asked them about the gorgeous DreamCatcher airbrushed on their back window. They turned out to be the nicest, sweetest people you could ask to meet. They wanted to know all about our group and then said, quite wistfully, they had started out in a popup and that they missed it and the times they had in it when their daughter was growing up. Before I knew it half an hour had passed in their pleasant (and unassuming) company
rednekrubbrduckMight have been me that mentioned I never see the " big rig" people come outside their RV. Although I m new at PU owning, I ve been doing alot of camping since Sept. Still waiting to even talk to a " big rig" owner.
Btw...last week while I was camping, the people in a 26 ft TT next to me were in awe when I set my PU up. They ve never seen a " hardside" PU like mine. They watched the entire setup and were walking around it asking questions about it. I think they like the electric lift as much as I do[:D][: (].
It s good to be a PU owner.
Cheers
rednekrubbrduckWe have friends that own a 5th wheel and they do enjoy all the comforts of home, because, well, they don t actually own a home any longer. So some evenings at the CG we ll find them inside watching TV. But they also eat breakfast out at the picninc table and go off and ride their bikes and he always has his outdoor grill going in the evening for dinner. Our friends have also stated that they miss the days when they had a pop up, but with his disabilities, it s just not something they can do. They also are full timers
Last summer at Wellsley Island (NY) we went over to their site in the " RV s only" loop- no PUs allowed. There were very few folks outside- those that were had a big screen TV in one of the storage compartments under their rig. I think we stood for a minute and stared before moving on to our friend s site.
At times, with all the comforts of our unit, I don t really feel like we re camping. I just can t imagine having a larger RV, but I m open to it in the future!
rednekrubbrduckYep, I hate it when my Jake brake and my diesel intake manifold don t work to slow down my 100,000 pound rig. Plus, my powerchip from Camping World s ace mechanics works well, except when pulling or going uphill. My 142 gallon diesel tank is just too dang small. And at the last campground, all they had was one measly 2.5 acre site (but it had hookups). Wish I had my popup back.
rednekrubbrduckThere really isn t as much a difference as you would think. Everytime we go camping we have met our temporary neighbors.... from tents to PU s to 5 ers to the big rigs.... I ve never yet met anyone who wasn t as nice as can be at a campground. Everybody has their own reasons for the rig they have. Most I have found have " moved up" to the 5er s/TT s/MH s and would go back to pop-ups in a heartbeat. There is a mentality in our society that always believes that bigger, more expensive, more status, etc... is always better. You have got to camp in a rig that you are happy and excited about. I personally feel that the pop-up has the best of both worlds.... best of a tent because of the bigger windows, zip-ups to let the breeze through, fabric that lets you listen to nature, easy to hook-up tow and go, etc... best of what most people call RV s because of the AC/heat, refrigerator, bed matress, couch, stove, shower/porta-pottie, and all the other creature comforts of a home on wheels..... I think in many ways it is kind of magical how you can fit so much function into a pop-up camper. It inspires us all to modify our rigs, inspires us to marvel at all the little changes and discoveries that can be made from a camper that can do it all in such a unique and compact package. I like to compare it to a Swiss army knife....... a PU provides much more than you would expect out of such a compact package.
rednekrubbrduckThe difference is...........
They have all gone to the darkside and we have not!
JeffreyJeffery,
You have it down pad. We also have Babylon 5.
JeffreyJeffery,
You have it down pad. We also have Babylon 5..
whitestar505Babylon 5..now that was a good show. Also " Space: Above and Beyond" . The new one on FOX " FireFly" (I think) I also like..to bad they re not gonna do any more episodes...according to the paper. I did this thread cause I thought it was kind of funny what we RV ers dislike, or run into...some same..some different. Our complaints are usually along the lines of being put into a space (usually for tents) that s to small to open up our PU s (mine is like 25 X 7-8 when fully open..yes nightowl...this lil box openning up to all this space..kinda like my kid s Transformers), or not even being allowed in. The bigger ones complain about trees to close together to back in..seasonal s hogging all the good spots..etc. One of the differences I liked was the paved road thing. They don t seem to like cg s that aren t paved, or the rock is so crushed down..it s almost like being paved..where as we couldn t care less (or actually prefer dirt road access cause it helps keep the big boys out). We also have a tendacy to try to make the best out of a bad situation..thru mods and such, then the other RV ers. I ve met a few folks that own the big trailers, or RV s, but so far they seem a lil arrogant (cept the couple we met in Branson when we were scouting out sites for the rally). Try to talk to them about their rigs..and they seem a lil " put off" . But a PU per.. " well he-(double hockey sticks)..have a (insert adult beverage) and let me show you what I ve done" Just an observation. From what others have typed, I guess I just keep meeting only the snobs.
NightOwl
QuoteORIGINAL: NightOwl
Larry, the feeling is entirely mutual![:)]
This needs to be our little secret, but I think we TM owners have the best of both worlds--we ARE a popup, but we ARE technically also a TT--how can we go wrong!
In my heart I am truly a popup camper and always will be. And you know how psychologists have this test they do where they show you pictures and if it is something you think is wonderful your eyes will automatically dilate? Just show me a popup and my eyes get as big as saucers (this happens when I look at pictures of kittens, too, but that i another storyLOL)
And, when I am a creaky-boned old lady, I will STILL think popups are MAGIC
So thats why my dad refuses to drive anywhere with me during the summer months.... He says that when I spot either a horse trailer or a pop-up on the road, my eyeballs stand out on stalks and my driving ability quickly declines. I think I caught him once at a rest area paying all of the PU owners 20 bucks to STAY BEHIND US..
I saw a psychologist on this subject, and frankly he said the only cure was to camp more with Poppy.
Thats a remedy I can live with......and so can Poppy.
BTW, Elisa both the above post and the one before it where beautifully written. I know I couldn t have said it better myself..
TO GIVE UP CAMPING IN MY POP UP WOULD BE TO GIVE UP CAMPING FOREVER....AND THAT...... WILL NEVER HAPPEN!!!![:)]
whitestar505To put it simply, the difference between PUs and others is that we are happy in a PU.[;)]
whitestar505Anyone that s read this forum for more than a few days soon realizes that there are differences even among popupers.
Some folks like fixing " experienced" campers others have to have a new warranted model. Cassette/porta potti s, showers, front storage, slide out dinnettes, electric lift, solar panels, generators, extra batteries, water heaters and furnaces are all subject to fairly strong personal opinion as to necessity.
Dry camping, boondocking, dispersed camping, full hookups, partial hookups, State Parks, COE campgrounds, private resorts and seasonal sites all have advocates within our membership.
Just because someone doesn t camp the way I camp doesn t make my experience any better than theirs, it just makes it different.
I think sometimes we d all be better served by thinking about the things all campers seem to have in common rather than nit picking differences. I have to ask myself whenever I feel I m in the presence of " snobs" , " Are they really acting superior, or am I simply feeling inferior?" ...earl
whitestar505yes, earl, you are right about campers having many things in common no matter what they camp in. That is one thing I especially enjoy about PUT--although this IS a site dedicated to RV s which pop up or out, no one has ever been turned away because they dont fit into that strict category.
And Carol, thank you for the kind words. You yourself have written movingly about your menagerie, Poppy, and your family--especially your beloved brother. It is probably these personal things we share with each other here which make this site such a unique one.
rednekrubbrduck
QuoteYep, I hate it when my Jake brake and my diesel intake manifold don t work to slow down my 100,000 pound rig. Plus, my powerchip from Camping World s ace mechanics works well, except when pulling or going uphill. My 142 gallon diesel tank is just too dang small. And at the last campground, all they had was one measly 2.5 acre site (but it had hookups). Wish I had my popup back.
_____________________________
1976 Gremlin with HEMI
Larry 72
Holly 71
1986 Palomino Colt, " The Inn-Tensive Care Unit"
1998 Nissan Frontier 4x4 Ext Cab
NEWLYWEDS
http://www.larryandhollycrockett.com
Man!!! I can t get over the Gremlin with a HEMI. Cool.
I have 4 teenagers and the DW going with me camping. I really do not think that I can put everyone in anything but a popup. Think about it. If I had a TT with bunks, the weight limits of the bunks is to low. Should I cram everyone on the fold out couch that is left over in a TT. DW and I get the regular bed and room up front, what else is left. With my Bayside, I have two king size beds. DW and I get one, sorry kids. The kids get the table and other end. Plenty of room for all. my only complaint is that things do get crowded if it is wet weather. I guess I should get a seperate screen room. I have a aar, but it is really small for 6 full size people. One of these days when the kids are gone, then DW and I will get a " real" camper... snik snik. But by then, I want to do more full timing type camping.
rednekrubbrduckI see it the same as the difference between tent camping and popupping. When I was younger I didn t care if the ground was hard and I had no tent- I could go anywhere. Now I like the comfort of the PU. But I can t get to some of the places where I used to camp. But I am still camping. If, with age and aches, I need to move to more self-contained camping (an RV or TT), then I will, even if it means once again not having the same access to the outdoors as I once had with my sleeping bag and a patch of ground.
But as long as I can get outdoors, away from our little piece of suburbia, enjoy a campfire and a walk through the woods or by a lake and see the stars clearly overhead, I am camping.
And no matter what I use for shelter, I am camping with style!
whitestar505tis a slow day on the boards so I m checking the OT section for the first time!
I m afraid I tend to find that the folks in the big rigs seem more content to remain isolated. As a popupper (who still kept about 10 of her tents!! - I sold the big one) I prefer to camp with tenters.
Last weekend we were at John D. Easterlin, a Broward (FL) county park. The tent across the way had no vehicle...only a shopping cart and we thought that they might be homeless (job loss etc.). I finally decided to find out.
Went over and started chatting. They lived in the area but were spending two weeks in their two-roomed tent that they got for their honeymoon 2 1/2 years ago.
She then told me that she has brain cancer (!!!!) and that they had been dating for 1 1/2 years prior but he still married her. And, get this...she is 50 and he is 34 (WAY TO GO, I told her.)
Her husband is a tiler and they will soon be moving up to Orlando because that is where she wants to spend her last days....camping.
Sure puts things in perspective, doesn t it?
whitestar505With all said @ seasonals & whatever, I ll give you " another perspective" as quoted by me on another board:
********************************************************************
After reading the topic about mixing it up with other seasonal campers thread; it got me to thinking.
Now we re on the other end of the RV scale....a popupper.
I m very sorry to see campgrounds that give you " big guys" a hard time & bad sites as well as us " little guys" . I originally thought that the " big rigs" had most of the say-so at some of these private campgrounds - apparently I was wrong!
Case in point - DW & I stayed at Taylor s Beach CG in Howell, MI last May. ARVC book says " 189 sites, 80 available" . Are they kidding?? When we checked in, the CG host said we could set up just about anywhere we wanted. Well, we quickly found out this place was a leveling nightmare. Couldn t find a good (decent) spot for at least 45 min. Once we did, we realized the small field that we were in was just enough room for maybe 20 other campers. The entire CG was filled with seasonals. The " porches, out-back sheds, over-grown grass & outside decorations" mentioned in the other thread were very evident. You guys are right! This WAS very annoying. The restrooms were a mess, no place to dump grey water, algae-filled lake.......
OTOH, in August, we stayed at Washakie Golf & RV Resort in North Branch, MI. ARVC book said " 100 sites, 10 available" . Well, seeing this, we thought we in were in for another rough time. Happy to say, it was one of the best experiences camping for us all year.
We got to set up right along the clubhouse; a real nice spot, very level, nice shade & all. We had a great camp host; went out of their way to accomodate us. Came by every day to say " hi & how s everything" . The big rigs were parked a ways from us, but all the folks there kept their sites clean and well maintained.
So after venting so much here, I m sure you " big rigs" can become just as upset about open sites as us " little guys" .
Just an observation.............