Women-Owned Popups

[Starryart]

I too Pop up all by myself. I was late 30 something and figured why can't I do this. Why do I have to wait for DH? It sure doesn't say "operate using testosterone only" in my owners manual. Now I'm 50 something and I set up all the time.
Anyway, frequently DH has to work later than me so I hook up, pull the PU to our favorite CG and setup alone. No biggie. I kinda enjoy the peace and quiet after days of teaching??? rowdy 7th graders. I even back the PU better than DH. I have more patience.
He doesnt mind either. It is nice to drive down to the cg and have the camper ready to go. He has gone early and set up ahead of me so I know how nice this can be.
Just take your time and go slow and think things through. Soon it will be a no brainer.
Here's looking forward to Labor Day weekend camping!!!!! (Please, No hurricanes )

[tlhdoc]

Tracy (tlhdoc) will be on the scene any second....

Well it took me more than a few seconds to reply.  I have been out camping at Assateague Island National Seashore MD, Hickory Run SP PA, Pine Haven Campground NH, with stops at Harmony Ridge Campground in NJ in between.
 
DH doesn't camp and I camp often.  At this point in time I camp by myself / or invite friends along most of the time.  Other than repacking the wheel bearings and adjusting the brakes I do the rest of the maintenance/non-warranty repairs myself.  I even teach other campers how to do maintenance, repairs and how to winterize their campers.  I don't see why women feel that they can't camp on their own.  All it takes it a little time and energy to learn how to do it.

[austinado16]

Tracy, you could easily repack your own bearings.

[tlhdoc]

Tracy, you could easily repack your own bearings.

I know I can, but I don't.  I like someone that knows about brakes to check them out.  This year my brakes needed new magnets.  I would not have caught that.

[wavery]

Tracy, you could easily repack your own bearings.

Are you kidding :confused: .......Tracy is a girl .......anybody knows that girls can't pack wheel bearings

[tlhdoc]

Are you kidding :confused: .......Tracy is a girl .......anybody knows that girls can't pack wheel bearings

LOL
First off, I am not a girl, I am a woman.  
Second I can pack wheel bearings, but I don't.  I am secure enough in my womanhood that I can let someone else do that for me.  I can also change the oil in my TV, but DH and DS to do that job for me.  

[AustinBoston]

First off, I am not a girl, I am a woman.  
Second I can pack wheel bearings, but I don't.  I am secure enough in my womanhood that I can let someone else do that for me.  I can also change the oil in my TV, but DH and DS to do that job for me.  

I know what you mean.  I can change the oil in my car, I choose not to.  Heck, PJay replaced the engine in her first car herself, and she chooses to pay someone else to change the oil.

BTW, electric brakes are not that complicated.  You could inspect them yourself.  But don't tell anyone I said so...girls...er...women aren't supposed to be able to do those things.

Austin

[brainpause]

I know what you mean.  I can change the oil in my car, I choose not to.  Heck, PJay replaced the engine in her first car herself, and she chooses to pay someone else to change the oil.

BTW, electric brakes are not that complicated.  You could inspect them yourself.  But don't tell anyone I said so...girls...er...women aren't supposed to be able to do those things.

Austin

Page ONE of my manual says, "Step 1: Apply testosterone cream."

*ducking*

[wavery]

LOL
First off, I am not a girl, I am a woman.  
Second I can pack wheel bearings, but I don't.  I am secure enough in my womanhood that I can let someone else do that for me.  I can also change the oil in my TV, but DH and DS to do that job for me.  

Ya...ya...we know......fingernail polish and grease don't mix too well.... :p

That goes for you too AB :J

[cndlzrus]

Well, I am the one who does the management of the pop up... If something needs repaired and I can't do it myself... I will have the hubby do it.. but that far and in between... Or the pup goes to the dealership. (we got a great one here in town)  I do the driving, hitching up, setting up, take too much control that the hubby thinks he's on vacation when we go camping :confused: So he is there to help, but its not needed but most appreciated when he does.   Last year he got spoiled, he had knee surgery and I basically had to do everything... and I guess you could say, I like it.... And since I am a stay at home mom and he works alot... I think its only fair that he gets to take it easy...   But for me after driving 5 hours with PUP in tow, I am ready to make camp.. that is my limit... So its good to have someone to share the driving with...

[ScouterMom]

late to the discussion, but not late to the subject!

I've been a single mom since my son was 1 1/2.  I had always been 'handy' and had always been a camper.  I grew up in scouting and my family  took a wilderness canoe trip almost every year I can remember.  I was determined that Jon would never miss out on having or doing anything just because his dad wasn't around.  His dad wasn't an 'outdoors' type anyway, and I didn't want Jon to miss out on all the wonderful things I had learned growing up camping.  I took him tent camping before he was 2, & built his wooden swingset/sandbox /fort by myself for his 2nd birthday.  

I disassembled and moved that swingset to the house I bought us when he was 4.  Jon started out learning his 'handyman' skills from MOM - as I  drywalled, painted, re-wired and re-plumbed the house over the years.  (His first lesson was - "what do you do if mommy falls/ gets hurt?"  answer, "dial 911 and call Grandpa's house!"LOL!)  He never had to call, but he learned to take safety seriously!

In first grade WE joined Cub scouts.  I was a den leader & the whole den made Derby cars in my basement.  We discovered a magic tool called a 'dremel' - Jon was hooked - he won trophies for every derby thru cubs for cars HE built using real tools.  

When Jon was in 2nd grade, I was looking for an easier way to camp than loading and unloading my small car (with smaller trunk) of camping equipment every weekend. a friend sold us his 1976 starcraft Starlette PUP for $200. It was in good shape, except for a leaky roof vent and a rotted roof wall over the door.  I replaced that piece of wood and we were off.  It was TINY - I think the box was 5' X 6'.  the beds 'folded' out over the wheels, and the door over the back bumper.  I could tow it easily even with my small sedan, and got very adept at backing, parking & leveling it.  We camped in it every other weekend (the weekends Jon wasn't with his dad)) from May to October, for thru grade school.  I made a number of minor mods, and learned to replace cables and pulleys when the lift system broke on us on a campout.  Our cub scout den was taught how to change a tire and turn signal light bulbs on the camper, along with many other household jobs listed in their handbooks - by working on that old camper with me.

the handy skills paid off - when Jon was 13, for his 'Family Life' merit badge, he had to do a project to benefit his family.  He remodeled our full bathroom. I had a professional plumber install a new tub & surround.  But 13 yr old JON did everything else. He installed a ceramic tile floor, new toilet, cabinet and granite top/porcelain sink, removed 3 layers of wallpaper, re-wired the lighting & outlets (under guidance of my brother, an electrical engineer) , installed new accessories and repainted.  He did NOT learn that stuff from dad!

When we both moved up to Boy Scouts, most of our camping turned to troop camping on bikes and canoes, and in tents.  We hardly used the camper anymore, and it was showing it's age and needed another round of repairs and maintenance.  Our beloved Golden Retreiver, Tristan, was diagnosed with cancer - Lymphoma.  I  was unemployed at the time, and we hadn't used the camper in 2 summers, so we sold the camper and some other stuff in garage sales to raise funds for his cancer treatment. Tristan was not only our best buddy, he was our scout troop's mascot and went on many troop campouts.  Even the boys in our troop helped raise $ for his Chemo.  We got a few wonderful months of remission that fall. Tristan got to go canoeing and camping and made loads of friends before he left us in Jan 05.

Last spring, with Jon almost 17, and more interested in camping with his friends than with mom, (and mom has less patience for staying up all night with giggling teen boys and sleeping on the ground)  I started wishing we hadn't sold that old camper.  but it WAS very small, and Jon is now 6'2 and 180 lbs.  Mom is no lightweight either.  We have another Golden (Fizzy) nicknamed 'chubbs' , and I have a boyfriend, Paul, who is not a small person, either. Jon is happier camping if he can bring a friend - so if I got a camper , we needed more room.

So this spring I bought a 1973 Starcraft Starmaster, 10' long, 'tall' box, sleeps 6, with furnace, stove, sink - (but no portapotti or shower), and started refurbishing it.  it's more than twice the size of the old Starcraft Starlette, and needed roof and cable repairs - but I'd already done that before, so I knew it was 'doable' again.  I've been working on it all summer with the assistance of Paul and my son.   But the ideas, initiative, materials, tools, research and most of the labor all come from ME.  
(and no small part to the ideas I beg, borrow and steal from great boards like this one!)

all it takes is a willingness to try, learn new things, get a little dirty, and be persistant.

Laura

[munchkin]

Kudos. ScouterMom was also very helpful when I joined the forum, as many of you were. My aunt also became a single mom of a son when he was 7. She learned to hunt, camp and lead scout troops, even though she was one of 6 girls growing up and no brothers, in addition to the usual room mom stuff, etc., so  that her son wasn't deprived any more than unavoidable, because of the choices his parents made. I had girls, so it was a little easier for me, but the point is that you can do almost anything you want if you're motivated.


Munchkin


The only women that are limited by simply being women, are those  that CHOOSE to limit themselves.

[tsavlov]

Are there any women owners out there?

How do you handle the driving of PUP, the maintenance and repairs etc. yourself - especially if you are not particularly handy and are single?

i have a 1992 flagstaff pup ,i put the new tires on myself , i did have to have a service person come to fix it once ,the top would not raise....there doesn't seem to be that much to maintain. the driving is no problem  ,,my 16 year old daughter can pull the camper with my jeep  i do have good friends that have campers and they give good advice and help when needed...   terri

[austinado16]

It's great reading stories like this from you gals! Right on!

[CC777]

I be a woman owner and last summer I took my first trip with just me and the kids.  It was a little scarey and exciting at the same time.  I was able to do everything including the awning by myself.

I'm looking forward to going out in our Fleetwood...it's a bit bigger but I tow it no problem.  Some things are different and some things are easier than our old camper...but I intend to master them too!

CC