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Help me with your experience camping in your rig.
#1

A little background on our family.  We're from Texas.  Grew up in tents, pop-ups, and trailers.  My wife hauled our kids all over the lower 48 pulling a variety of different very long trailers.  I was the lucky one and mostly flew in and out through the summers to catch the highlights of various areas.  We've hit all but two of the National Parks in the lower 48, and just loved the trout fishing, campfires, hiking, and being outdoors.  Although we've enjoyed all of our historic cities, we mostly prefer the parks.  Now for our dilemma...

We've vacillated back and forth about purchasing a coach.  We're heading to Miami to sit with Glenn to teach Carol about driving one, and make sure she's comfortable.  However, are there enough "camping" areas that we can actually enjoy in a 45' coach?  Although we appreciate some of the nicer places we've stayed, we're concerned about being limited to most of the places where you get a picnic table, a tree, and a concrete pad.

We're debating purchasing a pickup bed camper and tow a 4WD 1 ton for some day or two getaways.  So help us out here.  Given our love of hiking, kayaking, fishing, and campfires by the water, are we wiser to just get something that's smaller?

My bet is, we are not alone in this, and some of you here have figured out how to have both.  Enlighten us with how we do that!

Thanks!!
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#2

How many will be in the coach camping?
Our story: started with a 39' Newell, sold the house and went full-time in a 45' 2 slide Newell. Sold it and bought another house. Bought a 26' Lazydaze, sold it a year later and now have a 36' no slide Foretravel. IMO, even though I really like Newells, I feel the Foretravel is a better size for the travels we're doing now and is better setup for dry camping with a propane stove, fridge, and aquahot. Even tough there are numerous places the 45' fit, there are even more places we plan to take the 36'.
BTW Glenn is an excellent teacher who taught my wife to drive our 45'er. Just don't plan to ride along with them while he's teaching your wife.

Forest & Cindy Olivier
1987 log cabin
2011 Roadtrek C210P
PO 1999 Foretravel 36'
1998 Newell 45' #486 

1993 Newell 39' #337 
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#3

(06-03-2018, 09:13 AM)folivier Wrote:  How many will be in the coach camping?
Our story:  started with a 39' Newell, sold the house and went full-time in a 45' 2 slide Newell.  Sold it and bought another house.  Bought a 26' Lazydaze, sold it a year later and now have a 36' no slide Foretravel.  IMO, even though I really like Newells, I feel the Foretravel is a better size for the travels we're doing now and is better setup for dry camping with a propane stove, fridge, and aquahot.  Even tough there are numerous places the 45' fit, there are even more places we plan to take the 36'.
BTW Glenn is an excellent teacher who taught my wife to drive our 45'er.  Just don't plan to ride along with them while he's teaching your wife.

HA!  I agree on the "Don't be in the coach while she's learning."  We used to be pretty addicted to sailing.  We hired a very good captain to come on board to teach my wife how to handle emergency situations that could arise.  During one particular drill we had to make a series of very radical turns.  I asked a buddy that was with us to be the one calling instructions to her while she manned the till, and I'd work the sheets and lines up front.  Afterwards as she was wiping the tears from her face from all the stress he whispered, "She wouldn't hit me, but I think she'd have KO'd you if you'd been back there."  We now all laugh about it.  But the point stood.  Spouses, for reasons unknown, can add stress to situations even when we're "helping". 

As far as the numbers go, that'll vary drastically.  We're positively going to put whatever we buy on the ferry and take 3 months going up the Alaskan coastline.  During that trip several couples, and probably our kids will drop in and out.  Mostly it'll be the two of us, but as many as 6 would not be uncommon.

Thanks for your reply.  Keep them coming!!
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#4

We went from a 43’ Newell fo a 22’ Sprinter. While we loved both experiences, the little one allowed us to get everywhere we wanted to with much more real estate in National Parks, State Parks, National Forest service etc. wouldn't trade either experience. Enjoy the decision, if it doesn't work out, sell your mistake and buy the other choice you will have with your dilemna. Life is short, go go go. Sounds like you have enjoyed so very much. Life is good
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#5

We currently own a 2007 45' 8" Newell and we are full timers.  Before the Newell we had a Leisure Travel Van Libero 25' 4" that could practically go anywhere but too small to full time.  We love our coach but it is just too big for the camping we like to do.  So we are planning to downsize and are now researching the Foretravel IC-37 which will make its debut at the January 2019 Tampa Show.

The bigger your coach is the less spontaneous you can be with your camping.  My wife is our "tour guide" and makes the reservations between 6-12 months out depending on the reservation policies of the park we are going to.  A few years ago  California only had one state park that would handle a 45' coach.

Bottom line is that you and your wife need to be comfortable in whatever length of coach you choose or else you will not enjoy your camping experience.

Oscar & Janet Valent
Full timing
2004 Foretravel U320 3820 PBBS
2007 Newell Coach #815 - Great Coach Sold
2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit
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#6

I have a 38’ classic, we camp almost exclusively in national, county, and state parks.  I tow a Ford Escape for day trips and getting the zodiac or canoe to the water, I have not had a problem getting in to any site; 7’ longer, 1’ taller, and with a tag would be a problem.
If these are the types of parks you want, I suspect anything over 40’ could be tough.

Scott

1983 38' Classic #007
8.3 Cummins, Allison 6 spd.
"Any other Way"
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#7

(07-30-2018, 04:46 PM)wepaddle4 Wrote:  I have a 38’ classic, we camp almost exclusively in national, county, and state parks.  I tow a Ford Escape for day trips and getting the zodiac or canoe to the water, I have not had a problem getting in to any site; 7’ longer, 1’ taller, and with a tag would be a problem.
If these are the types of parks you want, I suspect anything over 40’ could be tough.

Scott

That's where we may be heading.  We've been by the Newell and Foretravel factories.  We're in Kentucky right now headed up to RV world in northern Indiana to talk to some factory reps p there.  We may go big and get a drop in camper for the back of the 1 ton pick up for day or two excursions off the beaten path.  If we go that route, we'll need something that can tow all of that as well.  

Thanks to all for your feedback.  Tough choices will soon need to be made!
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