2021 Camping season...planning for the future.

chris1126 · May 10, 2021

GsRAM said:
Wow, that really speaks to the times these days. Your old trailer is nice, but no way I'd pay 20G for a 3 yr old camper with how quickly they depreciate. Glad it worked out for you though. Your new camper Is very nice also.

we sold ours that was 3 years old for $19500. guy had cash in hand. paid like $24k for it new. was nothing special. we kept good care of it. not a mark on it but the guy and his wife showed up, cash im hand, made the deal in prob 20 mins. WE WILL TAKE IT!! im like, dang, shoulda asked more for it

Jughed · May 12, 2021

So with all the new "Covid" campers out there... (1st time people that just got brand new trucks and campers during this mess). Camping this last weekend was a mess.

We typically stay at state parks, but this time we met some friends at a "resort" campground.

Rookies were everywhere. Walking thru campsites, keeping or forgetting that the outside speakers were on, canopies getting busted up in the winds...

Two sites down we had 4 20+/- boys in a brand new camper with a brand new Denali... covered head to toe in tat's, including the face. They were guzzling whisky straight out of the bottle and making video's of their ******* stunts. They had a pit bike with an open exhaust - wheelies, crashing, crashed right into another campsite... blasting uncensored rap music from both their truck and camper - different songs. My kids said they were YouTubers making videos... the best was the fire department showing up at 1:30.

Across the road was a family reunion of sorts. 4 camp sites, 2 with brand new rigs, the other two with car trailers full of camping gear. Probably 30+ people. 15 or so being kids. The kids were starting fights with everyone and anyone - throwing gang signs, yelling at adults in Spanish... we had to call security and the state police as they were all about 15-16 and tried to fight my 10 year old and his friend. They followed my kid around calling him all sorts of stuff a 10 year old didn't hear... then they told the cops that we were all racist and starting the problems.

Then they jumped a kid a the playground.

I couldn't even let my kid ride his bike.

Loudram · May 12, 2021

Jughed said:
So with all the new "Covid" campers out there... (1st time people that just got brand new trucks and campers during this mess). Camping this last weekend was a mess.

We typically stay at state parks, but this time we met some friends at a "resort" campground.

Rookies were everywhere. Walking thru campsites, keeping or forgetting that the outside speakers were on, canopies getting busted up in the winds...

Two sites down we had 4 20+/- boys in a brand new camper with a brand new Denali... covered head to toe in tat's, including the face. They were guzzling whisky straight out of the bottle and making video's of their ******* stunts. They had a pit bike with an open exhaust - wheelies, crashing, crashed right into another campsite... blasting uncensored rap music from both their truck and camper - different songs. My kids said they were YouTubers making videos... the best was the fire department showing up at 1:30.

Across the road was a family reunion of sorts. 4 camp sites, 2 with brand new rigs, the other two with car trailers full of camping gear. Probably 30+ people. 15 or so being kids. The kids were starting fights with everyone and anyone - throwing gang signs, yelling at adults in Spanish... we had to call security and the state police as they were all about 15-16 and tried to fight my 10 year old and his friend. They followed my kid around calling him all sorts of stuff a 10 year old didn't hear... then they told the cops that we were all racist and starting the problems.

Then they jumped a kid a the playground.

I couldn't even let my kid ride his bike.

I'm sorry to hear that.
That really sucks.

chris1126 · May 12, 2021

yeah me too. hope you have better trips this season. i think we are all hopeful this new generation of corona campers go away. lets really hope its a fad and they go back to their beaches and hotels.

sandawilliams · May 12, 2021

Jughed said:
So with all the new "Covid" campers out there... (1st time people that just got brand new trucks and campers during this mess). Camping this last weekend was a mess.

We typically stay at state parks, but this time we met some friends at a "resort" campground.

Rookies were everywhere. Walking thru campsites, keeping or forgetting that the outside speakers were on, canopies getting busted up in the winds...

Two sites down we had 4 20+/- boys in a brand new camper with a brand new Denali... covered head to toe in tat's, including the face. They were guzzling whisky straight out of the bottle and making video's of their ******* stunts. They had a pit bike with an open exhaust - wheelies, crashing, crashed right into another campsite... blasting uncensored rap music from both their truck and camper - different songs. My kids said they were YouTubers making videos... the best was the fire department showing up at 1:30.

Across the road was a family reunion of sorts. 4 camp sites, 2 with brand new rigs, the other two with car trailers full of camping gear. Probably 30+ people. 15 or so being kids. The kids were starting fights with everyone and anyone - throwing gang signs, yelling at adults in Spanish... we had to call security and the state police as they were all about 15-16 and tried to fight my 10 year old and his friend. They followed my kid around calling him all sorts of stuff a 10 year old didn't hear... then they told the cops that we were all racist and starting the problems.

Then they jumped a kid a the playground.

I couldn't even let my kid ride his bike.

Yep- with covid we have a new big group of morons. Went out for 2 months last summer and could hardly find a campground. The ones we did find were full of newbies with no campground morals what so ever. This past winter we went South for 2 months were we saw people trashing their campsites and music blaring. We need to stop the unemployment windfall and get these idiots back to work. We have also taken up the challenge of reporting people trashing our campgrounds and dry camping areas. Especially the dry camping areas throughout the West. Federal agencies are saying they will start closing these areas because of the trash left behind by campers. Just my rant for the day.

chris1126 · May 12, 2021

sandawilliams said:
Yep- with covid we have a new big group of morons. Went out for 2 months last summer and could hardly find a campground. The ones we did find were full of newbies with no campground morals what so ever. This past winter we went South for 2 months were we saw people trashing their campsites and music blaring. We need to stop the unemployment windfall and get these idiots back to work. We have also taken up the challenge of reporting people trashing our campgrounds and dry camping areas. Especially the dry camping areas throughout the West. Federal agencies are saying they will start closing these areas because of the trash left behind by campers. Just my rant for the day.

i absolutely would report someone. thats disrespectful on way too many levels. there no reason we (as seasoned respectful campers) should have to deal with the nonsense. i wont put up with it and neither should anyone else!!

sandawilliams · May 12, 2021

chris1126 said:
i absolutely would report someone. thats disrespectful on way too many levels. there no reason we (as seasoned respectful campers) should have to deal with the nonsense. i wont put up with it and neither should anyone else!!

With so little law enforcement patrolling of our government lands its up to the users to try to contain those that don't respect them. If not they will be lost to all of us.

392DevilDog · May 12, 2021

Jughed said:
So with all the new "Covid" campers out there... (1st time people that just got brand new trucks and campers during this mess). Camping this last weekend was a mess.

We typically stay at state parks, but this time we met some friends at a "resort" campground.

Rookies were everywhere. Walking thru campsites, keeping or forgetting that the outside speakers were on, canopies getting busted up in the winds...

Two sites down we had 4 20+/- boys in a brand new camper with a brand new Denali... covered head to toe in tat's, including the face. They were guzzling whisky straight out of the bottle and making video's of their ******* stunts. They had a pit bike with an open exhaust - wheelies, crashing, crashed right into another campsite... blasting uncensored rap music from both their truck and camper - different songs. My kids said they were YouTubers making videos... the best was the fire department showing up at 1:30.

Across the road was a family reunion of sorts. 4 camp sites, 2 with brand new rigs, the other two with car trailers full of camping gear. Probably 30+ people. 15 or so being kids. The kids were starting fights with everyone and anyone - throwing gang signs, yelling at adults in Spanish... we had to call security and the state police as they were all about 15-16 and tried to fight my 10 year old and his friend. They followed my kid around calling him all sorts of stuff a 10 year old didn't hear... then they told the cops that we were all racist and starting the problems.

Then they jumped a kid a the playground.

I couldn't even let my kid ride his bike.

This is why we have been camping in the forest.

Stupid still finds its way there too.

GsRAM · May 12, 2021

Jughed said:
So with all the new "Covid" campers out there... (1st time people that just got brand new trucks and campers during this mess). Camping this last weekend was a mess.

We typically stay at state parks, but this time we met some friends at a "resort" campground.

Rookies were everywhere. Walking thru campsites, keeping or forgetting that the outside speakers were on, canopies getting busted up in the winds...

Two sites down we had 4 20+/- boys in a brand new camper with a brand new Denali... covered head to toe in tat's, including the face. They were guzzling whisky straight out of the bottle and making video's of their ******* stunts. They had a pit bike with an open exhaust - wheelies, crashing, crashed right into another campsite... blasting uncensored rap music from both their truck and camper - different songs. My kids said they were YouTubers making videos... the best was the fire department showing up at 1:30.

Across the road was a family reunion of sorts. 4 camp sites, 2 with brand new rigs, the other two with car trailers full of camping gear. Probably 30+ people. 15 or so being kids. The kids were starting fights with everyone and anyone - throwing gang signs, yelling at adults in Spanish... we had to call security and the state police as they were all about 15-16 and tried to fight my 10 year old and his friend. They followed my kid around calling him all sorts of stuff a 10 year old didn't hear... then they told the cops that we were all racist and starting the problems.

Then they jumped a kid a the playground.

I couldn't even let my kid ride his bike.

Very sorry to hear that. What a nightmare. Hope that's a once in your lifetime experience. Something too much of that and I'll give up camping for good.

Agreed, I hope these covid idioits go back wherever they came from next year.

Jughed · May 13, 2021

GsRAM said:
Very sorry to hear that. What a nightmare. Hope that's a once in your lifetime experience. Something too much of that and I'll give up camping for good.

Agreed, I hope these covid idioits go back wherever they came from next year.

I'm not one to complain much... but these people were over the top.

Couple that with the cost of the site @ $100 per night, and we booked a site next to the new heated pool... that we quickly found out was 1/2 complete, and concrete trucks, generators, nail guns were running all weekend.

So it all added up to this rant.

Covid people - they all bought boats as well. Same story on the water.

I'm tempted to sell the RV and boat - take the money and run, everything is inflated, then come back in a year or so and buy on the downside.

GsRAM · May 13, 2021

Jughed said:
I'm not one to complain much... but these people were over the top.

Couple that with the cost of the site @ $100 per night, and we booked a site next to the new heated pool... that we quickly found out was 1/2 complete, and concrete trucks, generators, nail guns were running all weekend.

So it all added up to this rant.

Covid people - they all bought boats as well. Same story on the water.

I'm tempted to sell the RV and boat - take the money and run, everything is inflated, then come back in a year or so and buy on the downside.

Hey i get it. You go camping to relax and enjoy the outdoors, not to get more stressed than when your home or what's the point.

Camping and owning a camper is a lot of work if you do it right and take care of your equipment. I was just thinking this last night. While I think getting a new camper would be great, I'm not paying these overinflated prices for one. Also I'm getting older and all of the work and maintenance is harder and harder for me to do with each passing year as I have to do most all of it myself unfortunately.

Maybe when my old Layton is done, I'll be done. Who knows, maybe it's just how I'm feeling right now.

Have a good day guys.

tron67j · May 13, 2021

GsRAM said:
Hey i get it. You go camping to relax and enjoy the outdoors, not to get more stressed than when your home or what's the point.

Camping and owning a camper is a lot of work if you do it right and take care of your equipment. I was just thinking this last night. While I think getting a new camper would be great, I'm not paying these overinflated prices for one. Also I'm getting older and all of the work and maintenance is harder and harder for me to do with each passing year as I have to do most all of it myself unfortunately.

Maybe when my old Layton is done, I'll be done. Who knows, maybe it's just how I'm feeling right now.

Have a good day guys.

Not sure if the size would work, but trailers like rpods are less maintenance because they have a one piece roof. Not much to do on outside. But, man, prices are crazy and try to get anything. My sister sold her food in about 2 minutes after posting it on February for more than she paid 2 years before. Ordered a Class C just before, now they say maybe delivered in June.

tron67j · May 13, 2021

Loudram said:
I'm sorry to hear that.
That really sucks.

Sorry to hear about the problems you had

Yeah, we aren't doing any camping this year. Heard too many stories like this from friends already this year. We have enough stuff at home to make it a fun summer and have enough land that we can have family and friends camp here for a couple days.

Loudram · May 13, 2021

So far our first trip was great. The next one is next weekend. That's at a CG that we've never stayed at before but comes highly recommended from a friend at work. We'll see how that goes. I've come across quite a few newbies but they've all been nice.

Right now I'm a bit sore. I just finished washing and waxing the trailer. I use Camco rubber roof cleaner for the roof, then regular car wash soap for the awning and trailer. I use LA Awesome for black streaks and Protect All spray for the wax. I also used some seal conditioner for the slide seals and door rubber. Protect All works great for smooth side trailers. 303 has some stuff out for fiberglass as well. Never tried that but I know 303 makes quality products.

GsRAM · May 14, 2021

Loudram said:
So far our first trip was great. The next one is next weekend. That's at a CG that we've never stayed at before but comes highly recommended from a friend at work. We'll see how that goes. I've come across quite a few newbies but they've all been nice.

Right now I'm a bit sore. I just finished washing and waxing the trailer. I use Camco rubber roof cleaner for the roof, then regular car wash soap for the awning and trailer. I use LA Awesome for black streaks and Protect All spray for the wax. I also used some seal conditioner for the slide seals and door rubber. Protect All works great for smooth side trailers. 303 has some stuff out for fiberglass as well. Never tried that but I know 303 makes quality products.

I get it brother. I always am for a few days when I wax mine every spring.

I use hot dish soap to clean it real good before I wax.

I use meguiars cleaner wax one step, hand applied for the entire rig.
After every camping trip I wash with turtle wax car wash, does a decent job and wont strip my wax.

My wife and boys help take off the wax, but I apply all. Lots of up and down the ladder washing and then waxing that's for sure. For several days after my back, knees and neck are not happy, but its once per year so I do it. The price of admission if you own a camper.

My old Layton has a one piece aluminum roof, uncoated so I wash that before I wax in the spring. They sure dont make em like that anymore. Keep the caulk joints sound and you can see how long you can make one of these older trailers last.

Most new ones have a junk rubber roof that will be shot in 15 yrs, then the cost to replace it is more than the trailer is worth so its junked. Typical modern day throw away stuff unfortunately. You can sometimes get more than 15 yrs from a rubber roof, but I highly doubt you could get the 32 yrs out of it my original aluminum roof is,.

Oh well, I digress. Have a good Friday and weekend guys. Happy camping!

Loudram · May 14, 2021

GsRAM said:
The price of admission if you own a camper.

Yep, all people see is the fun. These things take a little work. But it's a labor of love like washing the truck. All these newbies will figure it out. You can get away with not maintaining your rig for a couple of years but it'll catch up to you pretty fast.

GsRAM · May 14, 2021

Loudram said:
Yep, all people see is the fun. These things take a little work. But it's a labor of love like washing the truck. All these newbies will figure it out. You can get away with not maintaining your rig for a couples of years but it'll catch up to you pretty fast.

Absolutely 100% correct man.

I've said since the beginning of this covid that I anticipate lots of 1-3 yr old trailers going on sale starting this fall or next spring. At least I hope for a few reasons

1) if I dont go with a new one and lots of these newbies realize camping is not for them, I'm hoping to get a good used one for 50% the cost of a new rig...but well see. I am sure that some folks have discovered camping for the first time due to the covid and some will really like it and stick with it. All well and good so long as they learn what being a responsible, courteous camping neighbor is all about.

2) as you so correctly stated, many folks wont realize that the caulk applied at the factory is marginal at best, so it's a very real possibility some of those 1-3 yr old rigs could have rot starting already. If the market is flooded with lots of used nice rigs, hopefully that'll drive the price of new ones back to around pre covid levels

It will be interesting to watch it all unfold, especially next year when things really (hopefully I pray) are back to normal. I believe the typical condo vacationers/beach people will be flocking back there. My wife is a beach person and we're going back this year, I am sure many others also.

Thankfully we were many decades campers before covid because it was great being able to camp last year when most things were all shut down. Camping was the few normal things we could enjoy and that got us away from home a bit.

White six four · May 14, 2021

@GsRAM personally I'd prefer an older camper buying one a few years old would be out of warranty and unless your handy, which seems like you've been camping for awhile so you must be lol, adds to the work of owning one. Our 2020 had ac problems last year on the first trip and kept blowing the slideout fuse. This year it's parked on a site and the ac runs constantly even when the the thermostat is set to off. This weekend the outlet for the microwave doesn't work. All fuses and breakers are good. The dealer is sending someone to come look at the ac and outlet next week. One year warranty is up next month. Good thing I always have tools in the truck. I got a feeling I'll be using them a lot.

And forgot to mention the first time we tried dumping the black water it was blocked by a 3" round piece of plywood osb or whatever they use for the floors. It already had a half moon shape cut out of it so they must have cut the hole too small. Then cut it to the right size and let it fall right in.

Randy Grant · May 14, 2021

There are a lot of newbies out there for sure, and we get our fair share of them. Just remember, there are still rv parks and campgrounds out there that will not put up with that cr@p. I know, because we are one of them. Just read the reviews and try to find one that people complain about all the rules. They are usually the most civilized. Another problem we see here in the PNW is rv parks full of full timers because of various circumstances. We are only open six months so don't have that problem an usually have spaces open. Look carefully and have a good summer. Camp on!!

GsRAM · May 15, 2021

White six four said:
@GsRAM personally I'd prefer an older camper buying one a few years old would be out of warranty and unless your handy, which seems like you've been camping for awhile so you must be lol, adds to the work of owning one. Our 2020 had ac problems last year on the first trip and kept blowing the slideout fuse. This year it's parked on a site and the ac runs constantly even when the the thermostat is set to off. This weekend the outlet for the microwave doesn't work. All fuses and breakers are good. The dealer is sending someone to come look at the ac and outlet next week. One year warranty is up next month. Good thing I always have tools in the truck. I got a feeling I'll be using them a lot.

And forgot to mention the first time we tried dumping the black water it was blocked by a 3" round piece of plywood osb or whatever they use for the floors. It already had a half moon shape cut out of it so they must have cut the hole too small. Then cut it to the right size and let it fall right in.

No doubt there is value in new. I just struggle with taking the plunge.

I paid $1600 for this 1989 Layton 8 or so years ago. I've done some repairs, upgrades and maintenance to it. My fondness for 80s rigs are the aluminum roofs and the larger framing members. Built more solidly and heavy when weight wasn't as much of a concern.

This rig sits outside, uncovered all year. Its proof that if you take care of a rig and keep the water out if it, they will last a long time.

New ac 4 yrs ago or so, sanded, wire brushed and repainted the entire undercarriage, did an axle relocation so it sits higher (incorrectly called a flip by some), tires, recaulked all the windows and roof, tires, battery (once in 2013...battery tenders do wonders for battery longevity), repaired wiring and many other things I forgot now. My family has made a ton of memories in this old girl, that's for certian.

It sits in my driveway and gets out 6 or so times per year so it's hard for me to want to spend 30k on a new camper that will be.sitting there and depreciating and slowly deteriorating except for 6 trips per.year.

But the new ones are really nice. It's just a tough decision.

So we keep on with this old girl..and I keep on fixing things.....but maybe someday I'll take that plunge :waytogo:

2021 Camping season...planning for the future.

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