How often do you dry-camp and other ponderings

[TroutBum]

Maybe I should have set this up as a poll, but I don't know how to do that so I am just starting a thread.

I am curious what percentage of the time people on the forum dry camp?

If you don't typically, what does it take to get you to give up the microwave and AC for the weekend.  If the place is special enough (a National Park for example) is it worth it to you or is it a non-starter? (stay outside the park)

What is the longest any of you have boondocked at a single stretch?

How many people use generators?

In my case, 95% of my camping is dry.  I frequently camp in the Smoky Mtn. NP or Cherokee NF.  I have only used hookups a handful of times.

So far the longest we have gone at a stretch is 5 nights.  We don't have a generator, but do have dual batteries.  We were not super miserly with the power (we ran the furnace for about 20 minutes every morning and used the lights for 4+ hours a day, used the water pump for dishes etc.)

Just curious (and no one has posted in the Dry Camping forum in a while

[austinado16]

You might be able to use the edit button at the bottom of your post, and then play around with setting up the poll feature.

1) We only dry camp.

2) 2 days/2 nights is the longest we've been parked in one spot.

3) We don't bring the generator, but I'm working on getting a little Honda EM600 put together and that will be for charging the battery if we're out for a longer stretch.

[tlhdoc]

I only dry camped until 2002.  We had electric hookups at Sleeping Bear Dune National Lake sure in Michigan.  Since then we have had hookups more often.  The Eastern PU Rally we usually have hookups and winter camping I want electric to run electric heat.  We do a mix of dry and hook up camping these days.  The longest we have dry camped was 14 days in Acadia National Park.  On that trip we had 2 batteries, but only used one.  I do have 2 Honda EU2000 generators that I purchased last year.  I have only used them two or three times when dry camping.  Each year we dry camp for Easter, usually 5 days; the first weekend in May, usually 4 days; our summer trip to Assateague Island, usually 5 days; Memorial Day weekend, usually 4 days; and a few other trips each year.

[JimS]

I only dry camp, longest was last Aug - Sept for 21 days - nights.  I don't use a generator.  I have a solar panel to keep the batteries up.  The way I am set up, I can go as long as the water, propane and food last!

[tlhdoc]

I only dry camp, longest was last Aug - Sept for 21 days - nights. I don't use a generator. I have a solar panel to keep the batteries up. The way I am set up, I can go as long as the water, propane and food last!

How big of a solar system do you have?

[JimS]

How big of a solar system do you have?

I have a Kyocera 130 watt solar panel going into a Blue Sky Solar Boost 2000E controller with MPPT capability feeding two Trojan T-105's.  In full sun, the output to the batteries is between 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 amps, occasionally up to 8 amps when the panel is cool.
I did post on this back in the second week of September after getting back and included some pictures.  Scroll down the pages and I'm sure you will find it.  It goes into more detail.

[austinado16]

When Jim sets up, it looks like NASA just deployed Skylab!

[vjm1639]

hmm....probably only about a week in the camper, but camped at least 10 days several times in the tent...but our favorite trips ever were several 10-12 day camping trips to totally primative cabins you have to backpack to in the mountains. Everything gets backpacked in.   Food cooked on a small one burner backpack stove...food that I fixed and dehydrated and packaged..  Water had to be gotten from a spring and filtered through a purifier before you could drink it......outhouse only....no electricity, no running water....you cut and chopped any wood you could find for a fire and when you needed more than a  solar shower you had to hike back out to your vehicle to drive down to a campground to a real shower.     Total peace and quiet, totally wonderful.....

[You-And-I]

We dry camp a lot in the Missouri Ozarks "Mark Twain National Forest"
The longest stretch was 5-nights/6-days, We to have dual battery set up and back up solar panels "Mainly used as a trickle charger"

We are checking out small generators to purchase, "Honda 1000 watt" mainly to top off the batteries when camping for an extended period.
As far as a toilet/shower, we have what we call a "Pee Pee Tepee" Its actually a "Pett Dry Toilet Unit W/Tent" and for a shower we use the "Zodi Extreme"

Pett Website:
http://www.thepett.com/
 
Zodi Website:
http://www.zodi.com/web-content/Consumer/zodiextremeshower.html

[JimS]

When Jim sets up, it looks like NASA just deployed Skylab!

   

[garym053]

We camp almost every weekend and in the last two seasons have had electricity once! Longest has been 8 days, many are 4 days at a time. I would never use a generator unless they invented one that could not be heard by anyone off my site! I don't believe that I have the right to disrupt the campers in the next site by running a generator no matter what time of day.

I have sleep apnea and use a CPAP and sometimes carry a third battery but have never needed it. Use one battery for the camper lights, furnace and a second that is dedicated for the inverter & CPAP only. I have also made up a connection that allows me to recharge a battery while we drive around and sight see, go to trail heads, kayaking put-ins, etc if I ned it.

[robpoe]

Went down to Perry Lake (in Kansas) this weekend, to drop the camper off at the Dam Store storage lot (have too much in my driveway - city was getting ready to go all hostile on me).  

There was NOBODY at the camp ground.  It's an Army Corps CG, and it's where I do a majority of my camping, but now that it's fall -> winter, there isn't any attendants (just a self-pay box).  All of the water is off at the CG, but the power is still on.  

So, not quite DRY camping, but will have to bring in my own water, and either solar shower it, or just .. not ..  

It's been SO nice in the past few weeks, seems a shame that the place is so deserted.  And lots of firewood (well, drift wood) at the lake edge, since it was 5 feet up about 2 weeks ago...

Kinda made me sad, NOBODY in the CG at all on a Saturday.

The lake is COLD, maybe 50 degrees.  Maybe a bit higher.  I think I saw two or 3 boats on the lake .. One in party cove, and one truck on the other side in the put-in ..

[You-And-I]

Garym053,

Can I ask, what type of camper do you pull ?
Just curious what type of clearance you have on your camper. We don't do rock crawling, but we have gone down logging roads to get back to a spot along a stream to do a little fishing.

[tlhdoc]

I have a Kyocera 130 watt solar panel going into a Blue Sky Solar Boost 2000E controller with MPPT capability feeding two Trojan T-105's. In full sun, the output to the batteries is between 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 amps, occasionally up to 8 amps when the panel is cool.
I did post on this back in the second week of September after getting back and included some pictures. Scroll down the pages and I'm sure you will find it. It goes into more detail.

Jim thanks for the information.  I will look at your other post.

[TroutBum]

Likewise You-And-I, what camper are you using on said logging roads.  I love my RT serieis Starcraft for that very reason.  

Also, you don't list a town in your profile?  Where do you live and where are you camping/fishing.  I am a guide in the Smokies and am always interested in talking to people who use their PUP in the same manner I do.

Garym053,

Can I ask, what type of camper do you pull ?
Just curious what type of clearance you have on your camper. We don't do rock crawling, but we have gone down logging roads to get back to a spot along a stream to do a little fishing.