RE: The difference between PU pers, and other RV ers

Giffster · Jan 06, 2003, 05:49 PM

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[

][: (].

It s good to be a PU owner.

Cheers

kathybrj · Jan 06, 2003, 06:53 PM

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!

brainpause · Jan 06, 2003, 10:31 PM

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.

Gamecock Camper · Jan 06, 2003, 11:24 PM

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.

Jeffrey · Jan 06, 2003, 11:47 PM

rednekrubbrduckThe difference is...........

They have all gone to the darkside and we have not!

whitestar505 · Jan 07, 2003, 05:56 AM

JeffreyJeffery,

You have it down pad. We also have Babylon 5.

whitestar505 · Jan 07, 2003, 06:02 AM

JeffreyJeffery,

You have it down pad. We also have Babylon 5..

rednekrubbrduck · Jan 07, 2003, 06:48 AM

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.

Horscampr · Jan 07, 2003, 07:51 PM

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!!!![]

tlhdoc · Jan 07, 2003, 09:11 PM

whitestar505To put it simply, the difference between PUs and others is that we are happy in a PU.[

]

Dust64 · Jan 07, 2003, 10:03 PM

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

NightOwl · Jan 07, 2003, 11:04 PM

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.

Dayton Dave · Jan 08, 2003, 09:51 AM

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.

whippetwrun · Jan 08, 2003, 01:00 PM

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!

sandykayak · Feb 06, 2003, 04:16 PM

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?

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