East of the Mississippi FWC owners chime in

1

100acrehuphalump

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2014
Messages
540
Location
In a pool of clear crystalline water. Appalachia
I know the website is aptly named Wander The West, but I'd like to call out to any and all FWC owners in the eastern USA. So everyone feel free to chime in, tell us where you're from or maybe where you are (hopefully not at home) what kind of rig are you driving and what are you carrying... What's your favorite color ? ...thanks

Hello my name is Dan and I am a FWC addict.
2012 F150 with a hopefully soon 2015 FWC Hawk.
Asheville NC
 
I'm Charlie. I live in north metro Atlanta and just put a 2014 Eagle on a 2015 Taco. Before this I had an FJ Cruiser and towed an AT Chaser. I bought mine from AT in Prescott since I have dealt with them for years and they were actually the closest to me at the time. Photography and fly fishing are my major interests these days and I spend a lot of time in the Smokies and southern Utah.
 
JD here and we live on the North side of Indianapolis, Indiana. We took delivery of a 2014 Grandby on 8/1/2014 and it is on my 2013 F-250 long bed. We plan on visiting every National Park during the coming years. We like to spend time in Montana.
 
I'm Bill and live in WV about an hr south of Pittsburgh and I have a mid 80s Grandby (that's in the the process of a rebuild),I've had this camper since I believe the early 90s..I had some buddys that worked for FWC in Denver and on a elk hunting trip got to see my first FWC and had to have one,so eventually a used one showed up ,I got a call,called off work a couple days and me and another friend headed out to Denver..It has sat for quite a few years cause I got rid of my full size and got a small Toyota and had nothing to haul it on..So I was on the Expedition portal then found this site and fell back in luv with it again..I just got an old F150 and have it tore down and doing a rebuild and hopefully I'll have both on the road by July..Great site BTW :)
 
We don't really qualify as we live about 3 miles west of the Mississippi in the Twin Cities but figured I would chime in anyway. From my vantage point, St Paul is east of the Mississippi, Minneapolis is west (for the most part anyway- the river takes a few turns going through the two cities). On this site I have joked that we live in the "mid" west. I guess you guys live in the "east" west. Looking forward to more trip reports from wandering the "east." :)
 
We are in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts near Vermont. We have a 2011 Eagle on a 2001 Tacoma. Most of our travels are into the great North Maine Woods... a very wild remote area. Lots of fly fishing, canoeing, bug swopping, and listening to wildlife. (no camp grounds in this private area....no nothing but logging and single primitive sites off log roads). Our Summer plans are for the lakes of southern Ontario. Have done many mods. Air foil,over the cab box, tripod solar panel, lift struts, etc... I love this camper and though it was -11 this morning here... we dream of the Spring and road trips.
 

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Bernard here. I'm in central Virginia, near Charlottesville. I got my Fleet last summer, on a '07 Tacoma.

We're planning a big trip through the West to California and back next summer. Also, a short visit to Illinois in April. Cape Lookout in North Carolina and Michigan's UP sometime in the next few years. But, my main interest is "wandering the West"!
 
Another half-breed, we live 20 miles west of the Mississippi and 20 miles south of Minnesota in northeast Iowa. We have traveled coast-to-coast and corner-to-corner (plus Canada) for over 30 years together just day hiking. We never used vacation days in state while working and tent camped with our children everywhere. The best part of Iowa is being in the middle of everything since we enjoy hiking the east as much as the west (two days driving to Appalachia, two days to Utah). Greater Appalachia (Georgia to Maine) is our primary eastern destination with side trips to other hiking spots along the way but rarely the coast (other than visiting family on Long Island, NY). This year we hope to hike in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky during the first half and Canada, California, Nevada, and Utah in the second half (assuming my better half gets her passport in time).
 
Jim, 15 miles east of the Mississippi. 2012 Ram 2500, standard cab, 8' bed, 1977 FWC Grandby. Recently retired. After 50+ years of backpacking/mountaineering, the Grandby is a HUGE upgrade. Every year the ground gets a little harder!

I rarely get east of the UP. Mostly wander the mountain west. Currently waiting for Texas to warm up so I can escape the frozen tundra.

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jim
 
Hey guys Mitch here. I am camperless at the moment. Had a hawk first then a grandby. Sold that one to yeager alias rystjohn. We were going to jump ship and get a small class b. Had a good nights sleep, finely woke up and realized,boy did I mess up. Looking for another hawk. I live in Brazil, in. about 60 miles west of JD. Love going to Montana,s glacier's. Hopefully Utah this fall.
 
Dan, I don't actually have a FWC yet, you know my story from yesterdays post but hopefully will meet on our camper pickup day. If not then will meet at one of the future east coast rallies.
I want to do and see everything mentioned above.
Buckland you live in a beautiful part of your state and I read your posts about the north woods of Maine and was shocked to learn that there is such a vast wilderness on the east coast. Its been on my list since you made me aware of it, maybe some day you can give me some tips or better yet I can tag along.
Great adventures aside, when I've had past campers one of my favorite things to do with them is to drive to the beach Friday night, with my Honey and Beast, around 9 pm (no traffic). Wake up on the beach Saturday morning to a nice sunrise, spend the day surf fishing, paddle and boogie boarding, crabbing and just chillin. Do a little Bq, take a shower, get a great night sleep to the sound of the surf crashing, wake up to another sunrise on Sunday have a nice breakfast maybe some fishing or an early morning walk on a mostly empty beach. Pack up and start heading north on the Garden State Parkway around 10 or 11am, While I'm driving home I look at all the south bound bumper to bumper beach traffic and say to myself thank God Im not just coming down for the day in that traffic. I'm home around 1, I have the rest of the day to relax at home and get ready for the grind of the coming week. It cost me less then a tank of gas and I can't stop smiling. Its like a 300 watt solar panel that recharges your personal batteries. Good for the soul.
But don't get me wrong I want to Wander as much as the next guy.
DanT
 
I live 1 block east of the Mississippi in St.Paul. We bought a lightly used 2012 Eagle and have it sitting on a 2012 Tacoma. We only have a few nights in it but we are planning a trip west in the next month or so. We have travelled much of the country and spent much of last summer driving thru Canada and up the haul road to Prudhoe Bay. Having a get together would be fun.
 
I'm in Northern Indiana/Upper Peninsula/Beaufort North Carolina. 2014 Hawk on a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and I travel between those locations. I have two children in Seattle so I am planning an extended adventure to "wander the west" and visit the kids and grandchildren. This is my first experience camping in anything more luxurious than a tent. I must admit at this age I enjoy the comfort of the FWC Hawk. Thanks to all for the informative posts they have been invaluable in helping as I outfitted my rig.
 
Tom here, from Green Bay, WI or close by.
2010 Hawk on 2000 Chevy 1500, 5.3L, 4wd, Ext Cab. The rig has been to Alaska and Canada as far as we could go.
Great many places to explore in MI, WI & MN. Lucky to have so many National Forrest close to home. All east of the Mississippi River .
And if that is not enough there is Ontario.
 
Dan the word from Woodland is that our campers are supposed to arrive at MLO on March 14. When it gets closer I'll check in with the Mainline boys and see what they say, I'm assuming it will be that weekend or the weekdays that follow. I don't know if I could wait until the following weekend knowing that she's only 2 hours and 20 minutes away waiting for my Silverado.

So maybe will get to meet then. As far as a rally, I'm game. I went to the Sugarloaf rally last year and it was very cool and the people were great. As far as where and when, that's a tuff one. I'm thinking somewhere in the Shenandoah National Park area because of it's central location and incredible beauty. Of course it should be an open invite to the entire wanderthewest family, I think the western wanders, who are surrounded by magnificent natural wonders would be impressed with the beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains. As far as when, us newbies would probably say March 21st, but we should most likely just calm down a bit. It would be really cool if we could get some of the FWC guys to attend like Tom, Stan, Mike or Chicali or at least our local guys Matt and Pete.
I know they come east for the Overland Expo east on Oct 2 so maybe the last weekend in September would be an ideal date to make it more feasible for some of the FWC crew and as we know its a beautiful time of year on the east coast.
With those guys or without we should definitely get some type of annual rally started. I think it would be cool if we could move it to a different state each year to make sure its easier for all to attend (at least when its in their neighborhood ) and for the sake of wandering.
Anyway Dan I hope to see you at MLO and with the help of this forum I'm sure I'll see you at the
First Annual FWC East Coast Rally……... thats got a nice ring to it.

DanT
 
I'm Chad from western Maryland. I have a 2010 Fleet originally on a 2012 Nissan Frontier. My wife and I try to take a two week vacation to wander the west every year and try to get in a few shorter trips closer to home.
 
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