Single Mom PU campers?

[crm1385]

Pattycakes,
Thanks for the great suggestions.  I just got back from Acadia National Park, that is too funny.  We spent a week at the Family Nature Camp at the College of the Atlantic, right next to downtown Bar Harbor.

I am looking into a camper for next year.  Have you gone to Jellystone Park in Ashland?  We went there last year and had a blast.

Thanks for the inspiration, we go girls!!!!!

Christi

P.S.  There is a great life out there after divorce.  TRUST ME!! :p    

Hi Christi,


My husband of 16 years has recently filed for divorce and left me heartbroken and stunned.  Apparently he has a girlfriend to help him through his midlife crisis.  Anyway, we bought a used popup last year and only got to take it out once, although it was for 2 weeks.  I sadly cancelled our reservation for this year and thought I guess we'll have to sell the popup because I certainly can't tow it and my husband didn't think he could teach me.  When I finally stopped crying I thought the hell with him - I'm going to try.  Another woman came over and showed me how to hitch it up and followed us towing it on our first solo.  I have a 9 year old son.  My sweet son told me I tow better than Dad!  I rescheduled our annual vacation in Maine near Acadia National Park.  I was scared with a 5 hour trip ahead of me and cried that morning going to Acadia without my husband for the first time in 10 years.  Well that trip was the best thing I ever did.  We just returned safely after 9 heavenly days.  My attitude about my life has changed, and I can't wait to get out there again.  Actually, that's why I was browsing these forums, I was hoping to find a group to camp with.  My son can now back me up to the popup, hitch, unhitch, setup, take down, build a campfire all by himself, and hopefully has learned a lot from watching mom try something she never thought she could do.  He used to ride his bike and play while we setup or took down camp.  It makes me so proud to see him now.  I think it does wonders for his self esteem as well.  He let me know how important it was to him that he didn't miss this camping trip for the first time in his life.  We biked, we hiked, we collected beach glass, and we found peace of mind.  

The jist of all this is - DO IT GIRLFRIEND!  You can do it and there are always people around at a campground to help.  The campground hosts are a good choice if you have a problem.  On our first solo I had a dead battery in my car after packing everything up.  Note to self:  don't leave interior lights on anymore.  A fellow camper gave me a jump and we were off.  On this past trip to Acadia I pulled an ultimate stupid popup trick.  I kicked the front leg out that holds up the tongue (I was trying to get one of those lego blocks out from under it).  The next thing I knew the tongue of the trailer was on the ground and I was cursing myself out for my stupidity.  After a few yucks some fellow campers got a very large crow bar and managed to pry it off the ground so we could get the leg back down.  I told my son, the good news is every time we do something stupid, we'll never do it again!!   All the people we met gave us 'atta boys for doing this by ourselves.  

Good luck and have fun!!!

P.S.  I tow with a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan, FWD  
I am going to sign up for Good Sam or AAA for added peace of mind on the road.

[Johnowolf]

Pattycakes,
Thanks for the great suggestions. I just got back from Acadia National Park, that is too funny. We spent a week at the Family Nature Camp at the College of the Atlantic, right next to downtown Bar Harbor.
 
I am looking into a camper for next year. Have you gone to Jellystone Park in Ashland? We went there last year and had a blast.
 

Christi,
 
I did a bit of checking around on the Dodge Grand Caravan, and here's what I could find:
 
If you have the 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan AWD you have:
3.8L V6
Automatic Trans with "Manustick" that allows you to adjust gear selection with a computer "safety override"
All Wheel Drive (duh )
 
One of the available options is a Tow Package. If you already have the tow package, you can tow up to 3500 Pounds. At least what Dodge says is:
Tow Allowance (Std/Max) 3500/3500 *Properly Equipped (i.e. with the Towing Package).
 
If you don't have the tow package, you'll need to have one installed. That's more than just putting a hitch on, it includes a transmission cooler and may also include a heavier-duty engine cooling option (which was also a separate option that Dodge made available).
 
Probably the easiest way to tell if you have the factory tow package is to look and see if you have a "Hitch Receiver" in the back. It'll either be a small square hole (IIRC 1.25") that's a Class II hitch or a large square hole (2") that's a Class III/IV Hitch with a wiring harness plug next to it. If you have that, you more than likely already have the towing package. If you don't, you'll need to have it installed either by Dodge or by a RELIABLE shop that knows how to set up for towing (a lot of the UHaul centers are good for setting up towing packages). I'm guessing at a 3500 lb max that it's a Class II.
 
Now, that DOESN'T mean you can go pick up a trailer that's 3200 lbs and be OK. Remember you also have to consider what's going to be loaded in it, and you don't want your max load to be more than approx 80% of your capacity (not a good idea to push the limits). So figure your max loaded PU weight should be no more than 2800 lbs. That still leaves a lot of options open to you, but don't go looking for the 12' box with a slideout and all the bells and whistles! You should be able to tow an 8' or 10' box OK. I'm partial to both Jayco and Coleman (still not sure what I think of the most recent changes Fleetwood has been making, but I loved my old '83 Coleman PU). I know a lot of people also swear by StarCraft, and they have a few models that should fit your limitations pretty well. Try to keep your trailer weight under 2400 lbs if you can. Looking at a new Jayco Jay Series PU, you would probably be OK with a "Jay Series 1006" (a model I liked the looks of very similar to my Jayco Qwest 10V) but would be pushing against the number I mentioned above (2800). You'd have no problem with the 806.
 
Keep in mind, I'm not a "towing expert" by any stretch of the imagination, but from what I could see, that should give you a pretty good starting point to think with. Hopefully some of the folks with more "professional towing savvy" will be able to chime in with a bit more info
 
...John

[dpuppetmam]

I am a single mom of two.  I have one daughter who is 16 and a son that is 7.  My friends think I am nuts to own a house and now to buy a pop-up to camp with.  Not to mention some of my girlfriends think I am nuts to camp at all tent or PU.  

I was just wondering if there were any other single mom's like me that dare to pull a trailer and enjoy some time with their kids?

Hey..  you would be surprised how many of us out there...  My DH travels for business almost 90% of the year - never is able to go with us ... My son and I go all the time..  started with tent camping, now we just use rental popups while we decide which one we want..  My son is 13 - sometimes he takes a friend..  but we also make new friends and fun where ever we go..   who wrote in the rulebook that we could only go if we had a male escort..  no offense to my DH, but if I waited around for him to be home ..  I'd have cobwebs! :yikes:
I've also found that camp hosts and even just other campers adopt us and watch out for both single Moms and Dads - - - we have a lot on our hands when we're the only adult on the trip..  

So....  go for it...  life is too short to spend it on the couch...  

Maybe if we can get anough interest..  we can have a single mom popup rally..

Royce

[griffsmom]

I was raised by a single mom who bought a Starcraft PU in the early 70s for our family vacations (we couldn't afford to go anywhere that cost a lot of money). Those camping trips were so wonderful and filled me with fond memories that I still carry with me today. In fact, the memories of those camping vacations were a huge factor in my wanting to get a pop up once lil Griffy came along! We bought our camper when he was a year old, and now that he's 4, he absoultely loves camping and I hope that he will have memories as fond as mine from our family trips. I know that if, heaven forbid, something happened to my DH, I would still continue to take my little one camping. So I say wholeheartedly: GO FOR IT!!!
 
Edited to add: Now we bring my mom on all of our trips.  She may be 79, but she still loves to camp.  It's the least I can do for her after all she's done for me.

[tlhdoc]

I am not a single mom, but DH does not camp.  I have been taking 1 to 6 kids camping for the last 12 years.  We camp about 40 nights a year.  Some local weekend trips and other long distance week plus trips.  Some people think I am nuts to haul kids all over to camp, but I love it.

 
I didn't know anything about towing or trailers when I purchased my first PU.  Anyone can do it.  Just educate yourself and take your time.  Don't forget to keep your since of humor near by.

[HersheyGirl]

I am not a single Mom, but you would think I was as DH also has a very demanding and time consuming job.  I camp very often with just the kids and I really do enjoy it.  I also like to camp with a friend and her kid,kids, so we help each other and have loads of fun, something you can't always do when the men are around.  You can do "girl" things and talk...it is so much more fun.   Go for it and forget about what some of your friends say...do what you want to do and enjoy it.  Lots of people think that camping is crazy, but then again, I think what some of these people do is crazy too!  Have fun and feel free to ask questions.  We want you to have a good time and be safe too.

[knuk78]

Hi everyone,

I'm in my twenties and enjoy going camping with my mom in her recently purchased pop-up.  Sadly, my father passed away almost 2 yrs ago, so she is on her own now.  Unfortunately, my dad was never able to go camping very often because he had MS and the heat affected him too much.  My mom would go tent camping with my younger sister.  Tent camping is "roughing it" too much for my taste - but now that she has the pop-up I can go with her!

We have only had the camper for a few weeks and been on 2 trips, but we have learned a LOT (even how to work as a team to get things done and not kill each other in the process!) :p We have learned that we can do anything just the two of us (except maybe back up the trailer!!) :banghead: Sometimes that can make you want to flag down the nearest member of the male species to come to your rescue, that is until you see lots of men also struggling and trying multiple times to reverse onto their site!   (I think reversing is the most challenging aspect of pop-up camping, regardless of whether you're male or female).

We have had a lot of fun camping together so far, and a sense of accomplishment from surviving all the occasional frustration and "learning experiences" (otherwise known as SPUTs).  What is it they say "what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger!??)  

Happy camping!

Kirsty
 :C

[kamwam]

I camp all the time.  I am not a single mom, but my husband does not care for camping.  I go without him all the time.  Many times I wish he was with, he just doesn't know what he is missing.    I have three kids who are teens now.  Many times it is just my youngest and myself and we have a great time.  I would not pay attention to what others think or say.  Go and have a great time and enjoy yourself.  The more times you go, the more you will enjoy.  It is so great to be out and meeting new people all the time with your same interest.  And maybe you will meet someone new under your same circumstances!  Also, if you are in need of any help or suggestions, there is always someone around willing to help.  It's wonderful sitting around the campfire and talking with the kids.  Many times the kids will open and talk to you about things.  I have had many wonderful conversations with my kids.  It is so relaxing sitting around the campfire and creating so many memories with kids.  So go and enjoy!