What kind of Four Wheel Camper are you?

[4llamas]

I pack in the wilderness areas with llamas.

So when I get my FWC Hawk I plan to use it for trail head camping. I pull a lightweight single axle llama trailer with 2llamas. Maybe I'll change my tag to 3llamas. I retired this year and now I can expand my hiking territory beyond what was limited by long weekends and vacations. Haven't got to actually see a FWC, but I'm confident (and excited) that it will be the ticket. The wife and I also like to crab in the Oregon bays and Kokonee fish the Cascade lakes with our 18' Hewescraft. Now we have a more comfy place to stay on those chilly early spring and late fall nights.
And thanks to everyone for the inspiration and informative post. Zoom zoom

 

[Dave Johnson]

Well, we are the opposites.

I'm an old soft luxury RV type. At 60+, I'm not afraid to admit that my bones don't like the cold or hard. I want HEAT before my feet get frozen to the floor. I need the comfort of a Men's room several times per night; and frankly, putting on cold clothes and shoes so I can find the nearest tree, four times a night reduces my enjoyment. I want cold beer or wine EVERY night.

My OH is a backpacker, poops in the woods in the middle of the night. Loves to sleep on Granite, under a tarp (if that). Heat food over an alcohol stove, (made from a beer can). Thank God she is independent enough to trek on her own.

So, our rig is used for several purposes.
Trailhead camping for the OH, sometimes with me.
Soft camping, like a week in the driveway of the daughter, taking care of the grandkids, when needed.
AND maybe a trip to the ROSE BOWL. PENN State is big with the OH.

Which brings me to a side point, anybody know where to hide in a big city, near the Rose Bowl? We don't need anything, other than a little space. Wally Mart, or Camping World is the current option. Will buy dinner for a parking spot, (if we get tix).

 

[4llamas]

No too opposite, really

Dave,
While camping with llamas I sleep on a cot, eat fresh salad and hot meals, drink fine whiskey and sit in a chair under a shade. Plus I get to swim in cool mountain lakes and eat fresh brook trout. I don't like to rough it while I'm roughing it. It can be a little difficult to get the bones working on a cold morning, but it's worth it.
Enjoy

 

[Garymc]

Dont miss Lavender Canyon (Monument Valley)on your south west trip. You get the combination for a locked gate at the ranger station and you get to go to a remote area with no other vehicles around.

Lavender Canyon is in Canyonlands NP, not Monument Valley.

FWIW-

Gary Mc

 

[Star152]

We are a family of four. I’m out numbered 3 to 1. I have been tent camping since I could walk. I can not believe I waited so long to get a camper of any kind. I read every thread of the website during my recovery from heart surgery. Thanks DD!!!!! I was able to find a used camper and truck. I keep the camper stocked up ready go for emergencies like when the big one hits. We camp at unimproved sites at lakes. I tow a 17’ Lund aluminum boat for fishing and water sports during the summer. The winter time the camper is used for Volley ball tournaments. On free weekends we take over night trips long the coast. On days when the fog lifts we watch the surf and sunset with dinner. The best use of the camper is over night fishing trips at lakes Sonoma, Berryessa, Don Pedro, Mac Clure and more………..

 

[terrisjoy]

I love my lightweight land yacht!!!

Hello everyone, Wishing you all a very special New Year filled with joy and peace.
After several days tent camping in the Eastern Sierras, I decided I wanted a little more shelter between the bears and myself. I had previously owned a camper and really appreciated the comforts that it gave me. The lightweight FWC gives me a wonderful home away from home. I love the bed above the cab, it's like being in a treehouse! Enjoy, Terri

 

[Southern Gent]

Fishing, Camping and soft in my older years

I like to Fish and Hunt a bit. I drag around a 14ft McKee Craft boat fishing Fresh Water and Salt Water on the Gulf Coast of FL., AL., MS. & LA.

I settled on FWC units after about a year of research and finding a used Granby within 300 miles of my house.

 

[Alaskan Snowbirds]

We're NEW Four Wheel Campers

Chicale, Kirk and crew at FWC mounted the display model Grandby on our ’07 Dodge 2500 4x4 regular cab either the 2nd or 3rd of this month (and did a great job! ). We and the camper/truck spent the next couple weeks getting to know each other.

We spent the first couple nights in KOA-type campgrounds making sure we could deal with the mid 20's temperature without freeze-up then went to a couple very nice (and mostly deserted) State and Federal campgrounds that didn't offer hookups. Organpipe Monument had very few rigs camped and the sunset was beautiful...Lake Powell had one other rig a quarter mile away and the scenery was outstanding! We did one night at a Quartzsite BLM spot without designated campsites and that felt good but was more populated than some of the campgrounds.

The most 4-wheeling we did was in a heavy snow between Boise and Pendleton on I-84. What a mess! Did a little on some BLM roads too but I need to get better educated on running sand instead of mud/snow before we get serious.

We will probably eventually fit with Yukon and PV's Toy (what a sweet rig!!!). Mostly moderate off-roading to remote camps or sparsely populated designated campsites in Alaska/Yukon/B.C. in the summer/early fall and the same in the Southwest/Mexico in the winter and early spring. Throw in a run to a more developed area for water/propane/laundry every 5-7 days (when it's reasonable) and that will probably work just fine for us.

Happy Trails!
Duane and Susan

 

[pvstoy]

Hi Duane and Susan,

Welcome to the group and more happy days ahead.

Glad you had a good first trip and the people around here would love to see some pictures of your last trip and of your set up. You can post up a report in the "Trip Report" section (pictures).

 

[DLN]

Welcome to the forum and the FWC family. Sounds like you got to know the camper very well in a short time. Best of luck and don't forget the pictures, pictures, pictures.

 

[Alaskan Snowbirds]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

pvstoy & DLN,

Thanks for the warm welcome/kind words!

Here's a fuzzy foto from Organpipe Campground that Susan took with her cell. I'll do a short write-up and add a few fotos to the trip forum when the camera and photo download software land at the same spot .

Happy Trails!
Duane & Susan

 

[craig333]

Nice pic and welcome to the forum

 

[Alaskan Snowbirds]

craig333,

Thanks for the welcome and good words on the pic. It was a beautiful evening. We'll get a little trip log and a few more (hopefully clearer) pics in the trip forum as soon as we can.

Cheers!
Duane & Susan

 

[EdoHart]

Carry extra underware

*snip*
Throw in a run to a more developed area for water/propane/laundry every 5-7 days (when it's reasonable) and that will probably work just fine for us.

Happy Trails!
Duane and Susan

I can go for many days wearing the same outerwear, but I hate having to go to a laundromat just because I ran out of underwear.

Joking aside, welcome to the forum. This is a great group of people with some really fabulous ideas.

 

[chnlisle]

Ed,
in a word....COMMANDO.

 

[Alaskan Snowbirds]

Thanks for the welcome Ed!

Ed,

Thanks for the welcome!

Seems like winter in Arizona for me is:
1 Fleece Shirt
1 Wool Shirt
1 Short sleeve Arrow cotton shirt
2 Pr. Jeans
7 Pr. Boxers
7 Cotton T's


Thanks Again!
D

 

[ralyn43]

Base For Exploration

The wife and I like to get out and explore.......everything from museums, to photographing and crossing high passes in Colorado, to hiking/skiing/snowshoeing to visiting relatives and friends throughout the U.S. We use the truck camper so that we can avoid motels, take the dog with us, and go everywhere without the hassle of hunting up places to stay. We call it our freedom machine. We stay in refined campgrounds, unimproved campgrounds, wherever. The truck camper beats out any other mode of transportation for us. We have a 1990 three quarter ton Silverado with an eight and a half foot 1997 Hallmark Ute pop top camper mounted in perfect balance.

Only thing we would like to change is to trade the Hallmark for a FWC Grandby. Why? lighter, lower profile, stronger, easier to set up, better interior lay out, etc.

Anybody interested in such a trade? The Hallmark is a fine rig,,,,,just not our cup of tea.

Alyn Wolf