Paula...did you get am ALiner?

[debbiedee1957]

I am reading through some older posts and it seems that you have traded to an ALiner!!! Wow we bought one this spring and love it!!!!!!!

Are you going to Locust Lake in Sep?  We can compare ALiners

[SheBantam]

I have the Cabin A, basically the Bantam in miniture without the drop down ends...it has the wet bath and gray/black water tanks. It is an 11' box on a 15' frame, weighing less than 2000lbs fully loaded.

No I did not trade, still have the Bantam. The cabin A is perfect for me alone, the Bantam has more room and allows for more people. Did take the Cabin A and Raymond's oldest grand-daughter to the rally in NY in July, we managed but it was a little tight.

Did give away the Jayco popup though.

You moved to Reading>> Was ar Morganstown on Saturday and have a(non-camping viggo nut) friend who lives north of Reading and works in Hamburg.

Yes I will be at Locust Lake.

[debbiedee1957]

Yes moved to Reading this time last year.  New job, not much time off so that is why we went with the Aliner, smaller but oh so easy to set up & tear down...

See you at LL.

I have the Cabin A, basically the Bantam in miniture without the drop down ends...it has the wet bath and gray/black water tanks. It is an 11' box on a 15' frame, weighing less than 2000lbs fully loaded.

No I did not trade, still have the Bantam. The cabin A is perfect for me alone, the Bantam has more room and allows for more people. Did take the Cabin A and Raymond's oldest grand-daughter to the rally in NY in July, we managed but it was a little tight.

Did give away the Jayco popup though.

You moved to Reading>> Was ar Morganstown on Saturday and have a(non-camping viggo nut) friend who lives north of Reading and works in Hamburg.

Yes I will be at Locust Lake.

[tlhdoc]

Paula I saw a very large, well compared to your cabin A, cabin A yesterday.  It was several feet longer than yours and had a regular RV air conditioner on it.

[SheBantam]

Look what I just won!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=110025226822&ih=001&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT

Remember I wanted to add doors to the u-shaped lounge in the Bantam???  Well I have enough to do that AND put a couple on the A-liner, AND a couple of fancy ones...several of the doors have the good hardware attached so they won't come down on me when in a cabinet!!
Lets see One bys, a saw and a jig saw, a few nails and a some screws.

I am happy!

I also have an outdoor shower coming for the Bantam, another e-bay seller has them for $20.00 plus $10.00 shipping.  My dealer will have to install this...I can do the doors, but not so sure about cutting on the outside of the trailer...and the plumbing

[SheBantam]

Paula I saw a very large, well compared to your cabin A, cabin A yesterday.  It was several feet longer than yours and had a regular RV air conditioner on it.

They have something called Cabin A Retreat which is a lot longer and more fancy and more expensive...a lot more.

The Cabin A expedition is 3' longer and higher and has the front trunk.

I got this one used, so my choices were limited, but a roof top air might have been good, but there is little framing up there...not much more than your a-liner.

Mine is scheduled to go into the shop on Sept 18th for the awning install, one Max Air Vent (no fan) for the main cabin (not the wet bath), the battery moved to the tongue and the outside shower put in.  Raymond knows about everything but the outside shower...he thinks that is a waste of money. BUT when you do your dishes out side, it is mighty handy...

[diane]

Wow, I never thought about putting doors in that front storage space of the Bantam (I have a bantam 17 and a coleman cottonwood pop-up). That looks like a great winter project. Have you had any problem with moisture in that front area? With heavy downpours I get dampness .

[SheBantam]

Wow, I never thought about putting doors in that front storage space of the Bantam (I have a bantam 17 and a coleman cottonwood pop-up). That looks like a great winter project. Have you had any problem with moisture in that front area? With heavy downpours I get dampness .

Hi Diane>

What year?? I know the '98 and early '99 had a problem.

Here is what I do to keep from having moisture, and there was when I first bought it (used).
I make sure the rubber gasket is clear and am almost anal about keeping the canvas away from the bottom part of the gasket and piano hinge.  

I put the bar inbetween the mattress. I cannot keep anything other than the sheets on the matress and it fold up right.
V-fold and pull the canvas straight out, then roll it as tight as I can and usually take a broom handle and push the little plump that I cannot reach into the trailer.
Then I sandwich the bar inbetween the mattress fold (that does not work on the smaller back bunk end). Snap the matress down.
And fold up the door...IF I am very vrey blessed, The door gives a good thud.

I still usually have to lean up against it and turn the knobs...new knobs run almost $100 for the set, but they are an easy replacement if you use the butyl (sp??) tape, have done it twice...

Another trick told to me by the dealer is to yearly dab all the snaps on the bunk end with Vaseline.  That helps with putting the canvas on and off. That does not keep moisture down, but helps set up and tear down.

I love my bantam, but at 21'  long and everything I have in it (did not have to buy much for the Cabin A since I have at least 2 of everything.) it was heavy to pull and the truck that tows it is a standard trans, and I ha to replace the clutch last year (27,000 actual miles on the truck).  We are keeping it for shorter trips and family outings.

I hope you like your Bantam as much as I like mine, but I also like the comfort of the minivan and the plug and play of the Cabin A.

[diane]

I have a 2000, purchased used this spring. I kept my 2002 pop-up just in case I could not handle pulling a trailer (although it only weighs 200 lbs more). To tell the truth I don't really like pulling something I can't see over and did have quite a scare with my breaks locking because I didn't have the controller adjusted, but I love having a bathroom and all the other amenities. I am also very anal about closing my campers and have resealed all the seams so I just can't figure how any dampness at all is in there. It only seems damp (not actually wet) when there is an absolute downpour. Of course we are expected to have 12 hrs of rain this weekend. My husband says it's from humidity or condensation, but I never had that with any of the 4 pop-ups I have had.

[SheBantam]

I just got rid of out popup. I think that we used it 2 or 3 times since we bought the Bantam, (in 2002) and that was taking my husband's grandkids camping.  We pulled both trailers.

Not seeing over a trailer is something that you have to get used to. I'm OK with it, but it took a while.

I know the break thing too, had the prodigy and had one of the gizmo buttons wrong and got strange signals on the LED, so I called, thurned out I had tried to set the wrong side....and everytime I hit the breaks, it was like slamming them...came home from New Port News VA like that...across the Bay=Bridge Tunnel and through the Delmarva. I live at the other end, near Jersy (the Pennsville NJ Walmart is actually closer than the one in New Castle).

With the Bantam (this one's dry weight is about 20 lbs more than a Niagra) I got a sway bar and adjust that thing VERY tight.  Have taken the Bantam to Indiana and North Carolina as well as both sides of Virginia and Harper's Ferry, as well as PA, NJ and MD,  But the cost of gas is getting too high and I usually tag along with this group as the husband rarely goes with me or if he does, he does not stay the whole time...

[diane]

My husband also does not camp. He takes a peek in (upon my insistance) when I get a "new" camper. He will come out occasionally for a meal and then drive home and he does bring the bikes for my 2 kids and their friends, so i usually camp fairly close to home. Yogi bear/Tall Pines in Elmer NJ has nice sites (on Grasshopper and Elm streets) plus it's only 20 min away so I'm only in panic mode towing for a short time and on back roads.

[SheBantam]

Have they fixed the road in? last time I was there (about 20 minutes for me also) the road in was full of holes and the owners had since changed.
It was in early spring, I was not overly impressed.  Three seasons nearer to Woodstown was OK in the back, but too many seasonals and a lot of trees making some turns a little difficult.

if you do not have a sway bar, GET ONE! I got one for the Cabin A at Camping World for about $50.  If you have a class three hitch there is a plate to go under the ball on the tow vehicle  for the sway ball on the TV, Class 2's have 'em also ut are harder to find and sometimes back ordered. Sam at Slicers on US 13 can get one if you are over on this side of the creek.

Going with us to Locust lake??? The way I go is like going to Lancaster but then head to Reading on PA 10.  We really should get together maybe for luch at one of those Jersy Diners on 40 and talk about camping sometime.

[diane]

Having lunch and talking camping sounds great (I love to talk camping and camping gadgets). I told my husband I think I need a sway bar just for safety, He doesn't see why I even need  brakes for a trailer that only weighs 2000 lbs. (of course he is not in the tow vehicle with us sooo) I think if nothing else a sway bar will make me feel more comfortable going down 55 toward the shore campgrounds. The road is much better at yogi now. I only stay on grasshoper or elm streets. They have the largest sites, (and easy to get into) and I always try to get other campers to go so it's more the company :!  than the campground. I also checked out Hospitality Creek (very close), but the sites were so small I don't think you couldn't even open an awning and too many seasonals. I don't think I'll make the PA trip. I will probably only get 1 more trip in this fall. I go back to work  :rolleyes:  (school nurse) the kids go back to school, the horse, girlscouts, soccer, ect. I would be nice to plan a local one for spring :# .

[HersheyGirl]

You should try and come with us Diane, we are such a great group.  There are several of us who camp without our DH, just bring the kids along.  We would love to meet you.  Sounds like you and Paula have alot in common...camping and gaggets and things.  Hope to meet you soon.

[tlhdoc]

Yes see if you can join us at Locust Lake SP, in PA Setpember 22nd weekend.  I think there will be at least 3 or 4 of us there without our DH's.