DW found out about the "dark side"! (commentary)

[Rustyone]

For the last 16 years or so DW has practically insisted that I be the one to pick out the major purchases.  Just didn't want to be bothered I guess.  Three new cars, two new pick-ups; bought a house last December and she still has no idea what the payment is!  But Lord take her to WallyWorld and she can point out where the cracks in the floor are, and how long they've been there!

We've been talking about the Niagara going on five years now.  Getting ready to take the plunge this January...that is till some pea-brain where she works goes and tells her all the virtues of his beloved Four Winds that he "thinks" is a model #24QBS.  This clown doesn't even know what he's got!  All he knows is he has had a PUP and they "aren't worth the hassle" AND if we get a Niagara we "will regret it soon after we buy it" AND turn around and trade it in next year for something we really want!  AND we can get a very nice TT for just a few bucks more.

So DW says to me:   "did you know all this?

I say:   "Yes I did" and ask "what is this guys name, and where does he live"?

She ignores my questions and says:   "Well, why don't we just go look at em and see"?

I say:   "I thought we agreed a PUP is more like camping, and that anything more is RVing, and you said what I can't do, you'll be glad to."

She says:   "wwwellll, I dunno" "I mean sort of" "you know" "I don't know"!

So I say:   "Hey! You know Walmarts' having a hell of a sale on rugs this weekend"!

I really had researched the Niagara for years until I came down with a debilitating bone disease in most the major joints.  But by God I ain't dead yet!  I can hook up, I can tow, I can back it in, but I can't carry, or bend down far.  I've had a love for camping since I first went with boy scout troop #36 in 1962.  I see a PUP as the perfect compromise of days gone by, no sleeping on the ground, yet still the smells, sights and sounds through screen mesh!

But in all fairness to DW, it will be she who will have to tote the gray water out and set the stabilizers and pull the beds out and anything else I can't do.  She's a "sturdy mid-western girl" but she ain't no spring chicken herself.  I can't really blame her.
But hey pea-brain!  I'll find you, wherever you are, you and your 24XYZ are mine buddy, just meet my cane pal!  I wonder how big this guy is?

Russ

[SkipP]

For the last 16 years or so DW has practically insisted that I be the one to pick out the major purchases. Just didn't want to be bothered I guess. Three new cars, two new pick-ups; bought a house last December and she still has no idea what the payment is! But Lord take her to WallyWorld and she can point out where the cracks in the floor are, and how long they've been there!
 
We've been talking about the Niagara going on five years now. Getting ready to take the plunge this January...that is till some pea-brain where she works goes and tells her all the virtues of his beloved Four Winds that he "thinks" is a model #24QBS. This clown doesn't even know what he's got! All he knows is he has had a PUP and they "aren't worth the hassle" AND if we get a Niagara we "will regret it soon after we buy it" AND turn around and trade it in next year for something we really want! AND we can get a very nice TT for just a few bucks more.
 
So DW says to me: "did you know all this?
 
I say: "Yes I did" and ask "what is this guys name, and where does he live"?
 
She ignores my questions and says: "Well, why don't we just go look at em and see"?
 
I say: "I thought we agreed a PUP is more like camping, and that anything more is RVing, and you said what I can't do, you'll be glad to."
 
She says: "wwwellll, I dunno" "I mean sort of" "you know" "I don't know"!
 
So I say: "Hey! You know Walmarts' having a hell of a sale on rugs this weekend"!
 
I really had researched the Niagara for years until I came down with a debilitating bone disease in most the major joints. But by God I ain't dead yet! I can hook up, I can tow, I can back it in, but I can't carry, or bend down far. I've had a love for camping since I first went with boy scout troop #36 in 1962. I see a PUP as the perfect compromise of days gone by, no sleeping on the ground, yet still the smells, sights and sounds through screen mesh!
 
But in all fairness to DW, it will be she who will have to tote the gray water out and set the stabilizers and pull the beds out and anything else I can't do. She's a "sturdy mid-western girl" but she ain't no spring chicken herself. I can't really blame her.
But hey pea-brain! I'll find you, wherever you are, you and your 24XYZ are mine buddy, just meet my cane pal! I wonder how big this guy is?
 
Russ

Russ, don't know who PB (pea-brain) is but I got a good laugh!
 
I'll give you a recent, real-world example of how a pop-up worked for us though.
 
Few weeks ago, we met some old friends and made some new ones in Ohio (dueling license plates, Ohio is "Birthplace of Avation" and NC is "First in Flight"). Great time, fantastic area. The CG electricity was a little dated though. To make a looong story short, we were unable to run our A/C for the entire trip. During the day, it was a royal PITA...but we didn't spend much time inside anyway. At night, with the cool summer breeze, we were able to enjoy the outside in a way that few, if any, other types of camper could enjoy.
 
Thats it.
 
At other times, the other types of campers in our group worked far better. It's a balance, I suppose. I wouldn't cane PB just yet.
 
If setting a pop-up camper up is a "hassle" (ala PB), then it may not be worth it. If the outdoor feeling of a pop-up is of more value than the time spent setting-up then, by all means, knee-cap PB with that cane and start camping! (just to be politically correct, rusty [I hope] nor myself condone violence in the defence of camping styles).
 
Good luck in your chioce!

[IBCAR18]

Got a great laugh Rustyone!!!!  Enjoyed reading.  Have a wonderful weekend!!

[ilovecamping]

You could always get a PU with an electric lift and even some that the beds come out on also.  I understand the thought of the PU being the closest to your style of camping and that is why we purchased our new PU, but in all fairness we feel we would also enjoy the convience of a hybrid and plan on purchasing one as soon as our PU is paid for.  We will keep the PU for "camping" and use the hybrid for traveling and vacations.  What ever you get, enjoy it!

[TheViking]

You could get a pop up with everything electric..beds, roof, etc.  But, by the time you add all that stuff up you can buy a full blown TT.  My TT was $15,200.00 + the normal crap. I pull up to my site,  pull out the awning, and have a beer.  With your condition it would seem to be alot more enjoyable for and your DW to go camping.  More time relaxing and less set up and take down. This is just my opinion.  

 
P.S.- NO !  I'm not the PB guy.

[Rustyone]

If I live to be a hundred I'll never understand the female brain.  Don't get me wrong, I love women, my mother was a woman, but they can change their minds faster than you can tie a shoe!

Just as I was getting ready to tell her an expandable was too heavy for my F-150 (a bold faced lie) she up and says she wants to stay with the Naigara now  but she still would like to "just look" at em some day, so what's that tell ya?

The last car we bought I wanted forest green, she wanted champagne, so we compromised and got the champagne.  Stay tuned as the world turns.

Russ

[frieker]

That was the best darn giggle I have had all day!!  Thanks for sharing that Rusty.  You know.....we women have a few on you too (e.g. like not stopping to ask for directions but driving around for an extra two hours lost instead)!  

I will stay tuned to see how the "browsing" goes and what you end up with.

[brainpause]

I told Holly the gist of your commentary.

She said, "Which one does HE want?"

I said, "He wants the Niagara."

Holly said, "Then they are getting a travel trailer."

 :p

Larry

[Rustyone]

Update St. Louis:

Just got home from getting fresh veggies at the farmer's market about 15 miles outside the city.  Veggie stand is half mile West off the Interstate.  So I fill up two bags of cukes, eggplant, and ten pounds of right-out-of-the-garden tomatoes (we eat em like candy).

Coming back over the overpass I stop on the East side for a cold soda at the QT before getting back on the "big road" when I see this sign that says Howard RV.  Now I knew Howard was there cause you can see him from the highway, but till this moment I never knew what road to take to get there.  I'm done with all my honey-do's and DW is working late;  and what she don't know what hurt me, so I mosey on down to take a peek.

Howard's RV is so huge I think the back of his lot is in a different time zone than the front, but man as soon as you get of your car it's BAM! a salesguy comes outta nowhere.  I explain "I just want to look around and get some literature on that Starcraft Antigua/Travel Star.  He says OK let's go and we jump in a golf cart for crying out loud!

Let me tell you for those who have never been inside one of these things, I can only wish my house looked this good!  You got hardwood floors, maple cabinetry, stainless steel refrigerator doors, and a skylight in the shower!  You got all the amenties of home presented in a designer package.  It's a beauty but it ain't camping.  I guess one of the reasons they have to make it look so good is because that's all your gonna see.  There's windows but if you aren't sitting down or four feet tall you're not gonna see much.  In the Niagara (or any PUP) it's just as open or in some cases more so than a tent.

I guess I could get used to it, I mean it does have canvas bunk-ends, it's just too much of a step to go from a tent to the Taj Mahal.  Or I could make believe I was in an extremely well appointed clubhouse on the river, like me and my buddies had on the river 25 years ago, a beer bottle or two on the floor, maybe a roach clip and some Trojans....well never mind, somebody call the moderator!

Fact is, it's got to be grandma that's gonna be setting up a PUP.  I ain't got the bones or the lungs to do it anymore and it ain't fair to her to make her if she don't want to.  And the guy's here will agree with me I'm sure when I say that if momma ain't happy, nobody's happy

God love you all, I'm gonna eat a tomato.

Russ

[Steve-o-bud]

I would go with the hybrid, much as I like my PUP. I agree that it won't feel as much like 'real camping.' But, on the other hand, you won't be spending much time in it, you'll likely be outside under the awning sipping a cool one, reminising (sp) about that premier delux clubhouse on the river .
 
Hey, just having a decent restroom would be worth it. Here in California, we have great scenery at our beaches, mountains, and deserts, but...the comfort facilities at the state parks are horrendous.

[PLJ]

You may feel more involved with the setup with a Hybrid. You stated that grandma will be the one putting up the PUP etc because of your health issues. I know when we go on a trip I need to crank up the PUP at least once at home just to do a quick inventory and load the fridge etc.
With the Hybrid you could possibly be more involved with that side of the pre-trip preparation. You could go in and out of the trailer to check things without needing to ask grandma to open it up for you.
As others have said most of the time when we camp we are outside the unit anyhow.

Maybe you could also buy the Hybrid and switch with a close friend who has a PUP every once in a while just to get back to the so called real tenting experience?

[brainpause]

And the guy's here will agree with me I'm sure when I say that if momma ain't happy, nobody's happy

Russ

You said it.  

We actually like the Antigua 215SSO. Granted, it's not as open as a PU, but we are starting to dislike having to set the PU up before leaving to load up. Plus, we would like to have less setup time, as we occasionally get somewhere late in the PM. We don't often get to places after dark; we like to plan around that. But, if there is less setup time, we could more easily get somewhere later.

Larry