Maiden Voyage

[trailrider]

Thanks to everyone that answererd my questions regarding pop-up truck campers. We now have a new 2013 Silverado and a new ATC Ocelot shell. It's maiden voyage was a week trip in Colorado starting 9/14. It is really is going to fit our life style. It is real camping but more protection from the enviroment when you need it than a tent. We did Koebler Pass, Cinnamon Pass, Animas Fork, Corkscrew Gulch, California Pass, Hurricane Pass and Ophir Pass. We also got some hiking in around Ouray.

Mike

 

[ski3pin]

Congrats on your new camper. Enjoyed your photos of familiar places.

 

[trailrider]

ski3pin,

We communicated before about hiking. We did the Columbine Lake Trail off 550 between Silverton and Ouray. You may have done it. It was beautiful! We did not do any 14ers. Too much 4-wheeling!

Mike

 

[highz]

Great area for a maiden voyage. Congrats!

 

[takesiteasy]

Beautiful country. Congrats on your new camper!

 

[rotti]

Isn't Colorado great?
Great pictures and nice truck!
You missed the Great Sand Dunes NP
Next time.

 

[Onefin]

Awesome trip!
Any chance you have an interior photo or two of your camper?
We are thinking of adding a drivers side window when we order, and visualizing the view and light inside the camper is hard.
What other options did you order?
Thanks for posting our photos.....more to stoke the camper desire fire!

 

[trailrider]

I don't have any yet. My wife wanted the extra window for brightness and an open feel. When sitting on a bench or dinette the window view is low. You can't see far out. We still like it. If you get a driver window see if you can get it to be a mirror image of the passenger side window (window opening part directly across from each other. Typically they are not mirror images. We ordered an extra roof vent and refrigerator cabinet. I bought my own compressor fridge and installed it. I also installed a 12v outlet in the cabinet. The biggest refrig that can be put in is 85L. I also had the camper set up for a future bed extension (slide extension). This entailed some additional reinforcement and shortening the small overhead cabinets. Also the upper bed is 48 in wide and snug for 2 people. I am not sure if it could be made larger. With the extended cab truck in could have been a little larger. We will be making some beds down below. It would have been nice to have a wall switch installed on the inside of the camper down low to control the overhead lights when entering.

 

[takesiteasy]

We have windows both sides in our camper and we like it. It makes the camper seem lighter and larger somehow. Even though you can't see out of the windows very easily (you have to kneel or bend over), they let in a lot of light and the added ventilation at sitting level is nice. It limits the ability to add cabinets on that side if you want to, but we don't. I built a shelf that goes over the window to make a counter when we want one. You can see the details here: http://travelswithrockythedog.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-camper-after-one-year.html

 

[Onefin]

Thank You both for the responses. Very helpful to hear the feedback of others. I think we are going to wind up going with the narrow ocelot shell, but have the extended north-south bed. A smaller fixed bunk widthwise under the bed extension would serve as seating, and a bed for our young daughter. It could be sort of cave-like down there, but I will just decorate it as a Fort....all kids love forts. I am hoping to order the shell very basic, add a 12v fridge, and then modify to suit our needs after we have some experience with the camper. Thanks again for all the input.