We are Heading out on a ~three week road trip with the PU. As part of our preparation for this we took it on two dry camping trips to "get aquainted" with the PU. Both trips were a positive experience for us so we are exicited about the road trip. The trip includes the following locations starting this Sunday:
Zion (Ferber RV park) , Yellowstone/Grand Teton (Flagg Ranch), Blackhills SD (Rafter J Bar Ranch), with stops to visit family in Loveland, CO and Albuquerque, NM.
This will be our first experience with RV camp sites.
Where are you all headed this summer?
Quote from: azpopup17Where are you all headed this summer?
Short road trip for us this year ... 6 nights in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Porcupine Mountain Wilderness SP), followed by 4 nights in northern Wisconsin (Copper Falls SP). I promised the kids a sticker for the camping map this year ~ Michigan won. :D
We are taking a two week trip around Lake Michigan in late July/early August. We start in St. Ignace, MI at Straits SP for three days around the Mackinac area. It's then west to Wells SP south of Escanaba, MI for a couple days with friends. We then head south to Peninsula SP in Door County, WI for 6 days of exploring. After hoping the SS Badger to cross Lake Michigan, we round out the trip with 3 days at Ludington SP to play in the sand.
Other than that, we are going to take some short trips before and after the big one.
Rick
We are also heading out to Pismo Beach CA in July with some friends then heading down to Disneyland and San Diego. I am guessing this PU will see more use this summer that it did during the 7 years with the original owner.
We will be at Santee State Park (SC) June 22-24 and then in August we are meeting up with a bunch of our fellow members of the CarolinaCampers Chapter of SouthEastern Pop-Up Campers for a "mini-rally" at Table Rock State Park (SC). We'll be there from Aug 16-19th. Other members are staying all week and the weekend. You're always welcome to join us. Go to sepuc.com and find the CarolinaCampers forum.
Not sure on the timetable yet, but remote camping somewhere between the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Zion sounds good. Realistically though, Big Bear CA will probably be the summertime destination soon.
Let me know what you think of the Flagg Ranch. We are leaving in about a month and will be there and the Rafter J bar too!
Quote from: KellyShort road trip for us this year ... 6 nights in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Porcupine Mountain Wilderness SP), followed by 4 nights in northern Wisconsin (Copper Falls SP). I promised the kids a sticker for the camping map this year ~ Michigan won. :D
Our road trip destination this year will be Watoga State Park in W.V. for just over a week. We'll be there in mid July but the sites have power so we'll have the A/C. The Greenbrier River, a bike trail, the Cass Rail Road, Civil War sites, should be great fun for the family.
Kelly, I'd really be interested in hearing about your stay at Wilderness SP when you get back as that's one of the places we're thinking about for next year's road trip; that and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Maybe even yet later on this year if we can make the time.
I love road trips!!!!!
-Speak
Not the longest trip, but we are going to Mt. Desert Island in Maine for a week this year. Should be a great trip with some great folks that we've met at last year's G@TG rally.
Quote from: azpopup17Where are you all headed this summer?
We are heading to Garner State Park for 10 days in 2 weeks. Then we are planning on hitting a few more SP's in TX before the kids go back to school the second week of August and then of course whatever else we can get in before all of the Scout camping starts up.
We are taking a 6 or 7 night trip to Louisiana. In the Shreveport area.
We've done a lot of weekend trips (five so far), with another planned in three weeks, one the weekend before 4th of July, and then one Labor day weekend. (I have a few medical things scheduled in between, so nothing planned the rest of July or August as of yet.)
However, our "big" trip this year will be an eight-day jaunt to northern Idaho with seven nights of that at Farragut State Park http://www.idahoparks.org/parks/farragut.aspx (http://www.idahoparks.org/parks/farragut.aspx) which was a Navy training base in WWII. (Apparently, there is still an active Naval submarine base at nearby Lake Pend Oreille.) The slide show on the park's web site gives an idea of the lack of scenery and activities we'll have to endure. :)
No long road trips for this summer. We are spending 5 days on the Oregon coast and 5 days at an undisclosed location. We also have planned a number of weekend trips.
We are planning a mega trip in '08.
Our Santa Fe pop-up was new-in-box February 22, so we are just getting started. So far we have towed it 2,300 miles from Tucson to Salt Lake via several Arizona state parks and back, 34 great nights sleeping in three months. Next planned trip is to Charleston, West-B-G-Virginia for a wedding in July to be followed by a trip to Disney World, Florida in November for my SECOND GRADE class reunion. (You know you're a red-neck if you have a second grade class reunion). Those are the planned trips so far this year. May squeeze in a trip to Idaho in September if we can find gas money.
Quote from: campdaddyOur road trip destination this year will be Watoga State Park in W.V. for just over a week. We'll be there in mid July but the sites have power so we'll have the A/C. The Greenbrier River, a bike trail, the Cass Rail Road, Civil War sites, should be great fun for the family.
Kelly, I'd really be interested in hearing about your stay at Wilderness SP when you get back as that's one of the places we're thinking about for next year's road trip; that and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Maybe even yet later on this year if we can make the time.
Sleeping Bear Dunes is a real nice park. Clean, nice size sites and enough to do.
If you have a canoe or kayakes, a trip down the river is worth it. When we did it, the salmon were running and it was quite a site.
Very nice area around the park.
Annual fishing trip next month in Northern NH for a week with two buddies. Highlight will be a guided float trip down the Connecticut River.
They will be with me for a week and then DW and some friends will be coming up for another week. I get to spend two weeks in one of my favorite places.
In July, it is the Eastern Rally in NJ.
August will take us up to Acadia National Park for a week with another couple.
Fall is still up in the air. Depending on what gas prices do, it will be either a two month trip out to Montanan and Idaho OR a one month trip from Acadia up to Nova Scotia.
In Feb 2008, we will be heading down to St. Augustine for a two month snowbird trip.
Would love to take my pupup south to california and then to Las Vegas and up through Utah, OR and Eastern Washington. Have a Fleetwood Element Cobalt camper with air conditioning and pupup gizzmos. Wife says pupup in Vegas at 100 degrees will melt into the blacktop. While I could stay inside casinos etc during day, will I survive the nights. Anyone with experience camping at 100 degrees plus and would you do it again. thanks for any ideas, best wishes, Bill, Snoqualmie WA
Quote from: outofdWould love to take my pupup south to california and then to Las Vegas and up through Utah, OR and Eastern Washington. Have a Fleetwood Element Cobalt camper with air conditioning and pupup gizzmos. Wife says pupup in Vegas at 100 degrees will melt into the blacktop. While I could stay inside casinos etc during day, will I survive the nights. Anyone with experience camping at 100 degrees plus and would you do it again. thanks for any ideas, best wishes, Bill, Snoqualmie WA
I think you could keep your PUP cool with the AC & gizmos, but I don't think your fridge would be very happy. Went to a TT campground just outside of Yosemite a couple of years ago & the temps hit the low 100's. With my AC on full-time I was almost chilly inside (because I sure couldn't spend time outside!), but I didn't keep anything "significant" in the fridge. Made for some interesting meal planning. Nights in Las Vegas will be in the 80's so you'll pretty much run your AC 24/7. Do you need to worry about it freezing up? I've heard that it can be a concern, but don't know more than that.
As far as I'm concerned, Las Vegas is best visited from 30,000 mi. up in, an airplane, especially in the summer. Ugh.
We are planning a 7 Day camping trip to Brevard NC (Davidson River Campground). There will be three families involved and will be our first trip most likely with our new to us PUP.
We have tent camped there before and now look forward to being off the ground (especially with DS 1 YR and DD 4YR).
We will be in Rocky Mountain National Park the first week of August. We will be staying in a National Forest CG in Stillwater CO.
Originally Posted by campdaddy
Our road trip destination this year will be Watoga State Park in W.V. for just over a week. We'll be there in mid July but the sites have power so we'll have the A/C. The Greenbrier River, a bike trail, the Cass Rail Road, Civil War sites, should be great fun for the family.
Kelly, I'd really be interested in hearing about your stay at Wilderness SP when you get back as that's one of the places we're thinking about for next year's road trip; that and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Maybe even yet later on this year if we can make the time.
Sleeping Bear Dunes and Porcupine Mountains are both excellent. Porcupine Mountains offers a lot of trails, bring your hiking boots. We were there in 01 and the only showers were in the CG at the eastern end of the park. The other CG is 25 miles away at the western end of the park. They had a nice new shower building at the west CG that they couldn't use.
Don't miss the old life saving station at Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Bob
Our big trip this year is going out to Bitteroot Valley in Montana. We are taking 3 weeks( 4 or 5 days to get out there, a week to visit my folks and 4 or 5 days to get back). It's probably 6000 miles roundtrip including all the side trips. We've driven out there before, but never with the PUP.
I wish I could tag along with everyone, it sounds like everyone is going to have a memorable summer. The only trip we have on the books so far this summer is a 5 day trip with our Coleman Santa Fe to St. Joseph State Park in Florida. We are looking forward to it.
Here's to making memories and don't forget to take lots of pictures.
Happy camping
CajunCamper
We are at the Ferber RV park at Zion and are having a great time. Need to spend more time here the next time since there is so much to see. It has been getting up to the mid 90s during the day and cooling off to the 60s at night so not having AC has been ok. Our site has a ton of shade which has also helped. We will be at Flagg Ranch on Wed, the forecast looks to be on the chilly side with some thunder storms so we will see.
One thing that has come in handy everytime we have used the camper is the BAL level. This is a must for a PU.
Skene
We are heading up north to Mackinaw City for camping and doing the sightseeing of Mackinaw Island, the Soo Locks, maybe Tahquamena Falls. Staying for 5 nights and 6 days, which is alot for us, since we usually only do weekend trips. This is our most distance pulling the pup too, a good 5 hour drive. We survive this is our little 10 foot box, we will be a better family for it!
Hi everybody, first time to post just found Pop Up times recently and bought my pop up from here. :) Our first trip will also be to Wyoming, Yellowstone/ Tetons, Montana, and South Dakota and it looks like we are leaving the same time you are. :) We are all excited, been practicing in the driveway and also camped in it for two nights when we drove to pick it up which was 12 hours away. It will be so nice to get off the ground as we have always tent camped. Have a great trip/summer everybody.
First trip has happened already: 6 days staying at Daisy SP in Kirby, AR. Did Hot Springs, Murfreesboro, & Mt. Ida
Second trip: 6 days at Grayton Beach SP, FL between Pensacola & Panama City. Plan to do the Naval Museum, a dolphin boat ride, and the beach!
Third trip will be 4 days at Garner SP in Concan, TX just to laze on the river. Coming back through San Marcos to go to Schlitterbahn there.
Assorted other side trips to be decided on a whim.
we are heading to ingram texas for the 4th. stopping 2 nights at lake fausse state park in Louisianna on the way out, then staying 2 nights in Arkansas on the way home at Crater of diamonds state park on the way back. crater of diamonds is the only public diamond mine in the world. you can keep any thing you find there. the largest diamond ever found in N. America came out of this place. they find an average of 2 diamonds a day, i dont think i will find any but i am an Earth Science teacher and so i cant wait to relay the experience to my students. we will get back home to GA. and then the next week head up to new hampsire. staying 2 nights in pennslyvania on the way up at pine grove furnace state park and then staying in NH for over a week. may take the camper up to maine and stay a night or two then heading home, maybe 1 night in New York then for sure 2 nights in Virginia at Claytor lake state park. all in all this summer counting local Georgia camping which we have already done, we will have camped in 7 states and maybe as many as 9 if we do maine and NY. cant wait! yall have a great summer and stay safe.
Porcupine... awesome. Went there about 4 years ago and I'd love to make it back. We camped in the western part of the park, I preferred it over the eastern. We were lucky enough to get a site on the bluffs over Lake Superior. Wow the sunsets.
CNDLZRUS - we also hit Tahquamenon Falls the following year. Check out the little brewery they have there! Then head over to Whitefish Point and visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and light house. They have the bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald on display. You can do both Tahquamenon and Whitefish easily in one day, only about an 20-30 minutes between them.
As for us, we just got back from the Warren Dunes S.P in sw'ern MI and we're going back there in the fall. Wife is pregnant and due in November so we're staying close to home this year.
Quote from: KellyShort road trip for us this year ... 6 nights in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Porcupine Mountain Wilderness SP), D
short trips...flying flags, buelton CA, Dogwood, CA, Morro Bay....so far.
oh and we are camping at my sons elem school this weekend...
Our summer road trip will be to the Eastern High Sierras. I'm hoping to catch a couple late season trout, (Largemouth Bass is OK too)! ;) We will be near Bishop, Mammoth, June Lake, Tom's Place, and Bridgeport. Perhaps we will venture over the Tioga Pass to visit Yosemite for a day, (once I fill my gas tank in Lee Vining for about $6.75/gallon). :p
Quote from: CampaholicsWe will be in Rocky Mountain National Park the first week of August. We will be staying in a National Forest CG in Stillwater CO.
Originally Posted by campdaddy
Our road trip destination this year will be Watoga State Park in W.V. for just over a week. We'll be there in mid July but the sites have power so we'll have the A/C. The Greenbrier River, a bike trail, the Cass Rail Road, Civil War sites, should be great fun for the family.
Kelly, I'd really be interested in hearing about your stay at Wilderness SP when you get back as that's one of the places we're thinking about for next year's road trip; that and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Maybe even yet later on this year if we can make the time.
Sleeping Bear Dunes and Porcupine Mountains are both excellent. Porcupine Mountains offers a lot of trails, bring your hiking boots. We were there in 01 and the only showers were in the CG at the eastern end of the park. The other CG is 25 miles away at the western end of the park. They had a nice new shower building at the west CG that they couldn't use.
Don't miss the old life saving station at Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Bob
and
Quote from: GeneFSleeping Bear Dunes is a real nice park. Clean, nice size sites and enough to do.
If you have a canoe or kayakes, a trip down the river is worth it. When we did it, the salmon were running and it was quite a site.
Very nice area around the park.
Campaholics and GeneF Thanks to both of you for the good reports on these parks. I'm pretty sure we will visit one or both within the year or two.
We'll be staying fairly close this year, but plan a trip to the east coast (Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick) next year.
July 1st at Mikisew Prov. Park for Canada Day (I'm shooting the fireworks show)
July 24th-27th, Santa's Village in Bracebridge
July 27th, Samuel De Champlain Prov. Park for Road Hammers concert (part of Mattawa Voyageur Days - I'm shooting the fireworks for that as well)
August 16th-19th, Marineland - Niagara Falls
And more to follow I'm sure!!
Can't wait!!! :p
We have spent amost two weeks in the camper and have loved it. All the campgrounds have been great. It actually snowed in Yellowstone at Flagg Ranch. We woke up to about 3" on the ground. Our travels included two nights in a hotel to brake up long drives.
Zion - 2 nights at Ferber RV resort, great location next to the park. Can get a free shuttle right into park. Was a little hot during the day, but cooled down at night to perfect temps. Can get a site right on the Virgin river.
Yellowstone - 5 nights at Flagg Ranch, great location (2mi from Yellowstone), campground is in the forest, you are surrounded by trees, plenty of shade (not that we needed it). You have a real dry camping feel with the hook ups (20 amp only). Expect to drive about 16miles for real groceries. Restaurant was so so. Oh just to note you have to keep all items with an odor (food, toiletries etc) in your vehicle at night and when you are away from camp to avoid attracting the bears. You cannot keep in a tent or PU. This was a bit extra work but not a big deal.
Black Hills SD - 3 nights at Rafter J Bar Ranch (Ranch section), great location close to Mr Rushmore, Custer, Crazy Horse. Best layout of all the campgrounds we stayed at. Good spacing of sites. Site was surrounded by trees. Showers were the smallest of all the sites.
Other than a minor plumbing leak, noisey furnace fan, and bunk fan with a case of infant mortality, the camper was great. The first two nights at Yellowstone were below freezing so the furnance ran almost no stop both nights. This was our first experience with RV sites, and a positive one at that.
Hope your camping experience this summer has been great...we are hooked and look forward to the next trip.