Question:
We love 30′. The measured space to park the RV (class C) in our driveway is 29′9". the ‘98 Itasca Sundancer is 29′3", so we fit with "room" to spare. What we really liked about it was that when we were driving through the French Quarter, we could make turns without any difficulty. We have kind of determined that this is our size limit.
You guys have GUTS!! I pulled my 13′ Scamp all over Alaska, Yukon, Montana, Idaho, etc., last year, including a jaunt up and down a series of 18 and 20 degree grades on gravel, but I’d NEVER try to drive around in New Orleans… Pete
Response:
New Orleans itself is not so bad. The French Quarter is another matter. Actually driving around is not so bad as they get the big ladder trucks in and out but that takes building a fire. The real trick is parking. <grin When I live (raised actually) there we would park outside the quarter and take cabs where we wanted to go. (Also impressed the h*ll out of the ladies — I was single back then). | You guys have GUTS!! I pulled my 13′ Scamp all over Alaska, Yukon, | Montana, Idaho, etc., last year, including a jaunt up and down a | series of 18 and 20 degree grades on gravel, but I’d NEVER try to | drive around in New Orleans… | | Pete
Response:
My wife has guts, I’m the navigator! Bill Attwood Tucson, Arizona – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We love 30′. The measured space to park the RV (class C) in our driveway is 29′9". the ‘98 Itasca Sundancer is 29′3", so we fit with "room" to spare. What we really liked about it was that when we were driving through the French Quarter, we could make turns without any difficulty. We have kind of determined that this is our size limit. You guys have GUTS!! I pulled my 13′ Scamp all over Alaska, Yukon, Montana, Idaho, etc., last year, including a jaunt up and down a series of 18 and 20 degree grades on gravel, but I’d NEVER try to drive around in New Orleans… Pete
Response:
You guys have GUTS!! I pulled my 13′ Scamp all over Alaska, Yukon, Montana, Idaho, etc., last year, including a jaunt up and down a series of 18 and 20 degree grades on gravel, but I’d NEVER try to drive around in New Orleans… Pete
how hard is it to find used Scamp 13s for sale? Looks like just what I’m thinking about but I never see them on any of the sales sites online.
Response:
Your best bet is to check Ebay. I’ve seen quite a few scamps over there. Even saw a Uhaul 13 footer travel trailor when Uhaul tried out the idea…..Ebay is where I’ve seen em…other than that…LOTS O LUCK
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You guys have GUTS!! I pulled my 13′ Scamp all over Alaska, Yukon, Montana, Idaho, etc., last year, including a jaunt up and down a series of 18 and 20 degree grades on gravel, but I’d NEVER try to drive around in New Orleans… Pete how hard is it to find used Scamp 13s for sale? Looks like just what I’m thinking about but I never see them on any of the sales sites online.
Response:
Here is one I found for you…dunno if you wanna DRIVE this far..but here’s one… http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1819527183
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Your best bet is to check Ebay. I’ve seen quite a few scamps over there. Even saw a Uhaul 13 footer travel trailor when Uhaul tried out the idea…..Ebay is where I’ve seen em…other than that…LOTS O LUCK You guys have GUTS!! I pulled my 13′ Scamp all over Alaska, Yukon, Montana, Idaho, etc., last year, including a jaunt up and down a series of 18 and 20 degree grades on gravel, but I’d NEVER try to drive around in New Orleans… Pete how hard is it to find used Scamp 13s for sale? Looks like just what I’m thinking about but I never see them on any of the sales sites online.
Response:
All you have to do is check out the campground guides…we’re too big for some places, especially state/national parks and forest areas, with a 35′ fifth wheel. Gwen in S.E. PA
Response:
snip You can have your cake and eat it too…… if I wanted to fulltime, but also wanted to go to remote locations I would get me a big dually with a diesel engine…… and an 8 foot bed. I’d out a camper in the bed of the truck…. a light one, but one that would do.
snip ????? If I had a ten foot pole handy, I might touch that……but naaah.
Response:
Hunter, hitting the "o" instead of the "p" wrote……. I’d out a camper in the bed of the truck…. a light one, but one that would do.
Eagle eyed Bob Giddings pointed it out…… ????? If I had a ten foot pole handy, I might touch that……but naaah.
Hahahahahaha Hunter <wiping away tears
Response:
That got past me on the first read. Good catch, Bob! Tom
Response:
If you have been setting up tents in your living room since the early 70’s, it seems to me that you should be giving us advice on public camping areas. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My husband an I are not new to rving, we set up our first tent in the living room of our apartment (too anxious to wait for snow to melt) in the early 70’s. We’ve moved through tents, pop-ups, and several fifth wheels. Presently we have a fiver that attests to be 32 ft but is actually 35….. < cut
Response:
We love 30′. The measured space to park the RV (class C) in our driveway is 29′9". the ‘98 Itasca Sundancer is 29′3", so we fit with "room" to spare. What we really liked about it was that when we were driving through the French Quarter, we could make turns without any difficulty. We have kind of determined that this is our size limit. Bill Attwood Tucson, Arizona – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Our experience has been similar…30′ is pretty much the limit in most Nat. Forest/State Park campgrounds. You may find some individual sites in some campgrounds that can hold a bigger unit but the problem is getting in and out of them. The size of the unit is causing some concern. We like to "camp" in Nat’l Forests & State Parks maybe a third of the time (love to sit by the campfire & watch the stars.) I know we are trying to have our cake & eat it too, but isn’t that the RV way?. Anyone have comments on the rig being too big to "camp" and/or the Snowbird by NuWa? P.S. tow vehicle is a 1 ton GMC Ext Cab Duramax…may consider a MDT in the future. Been lurking awhile…this is our first post. We have been in several of your state parks with a 30′ 5W but it is a tight fit – anything bigger would get real challenging, IMHO. You are also right up there weight-wise with that 1-ton and a 35′ trailer. Ever actually had it on a scale? Just my opinion but anything past 30′ is too big to tow behind a truck that looks like a half-ton. At a bare minimum you need to be into the 450-650 series Ford chassis or an MDT. R.J.(Bob) Evans (return address needs alteration to work)
Response:
There’s a thread of For Sales on the Casita owners’ site: www.casitaclub.com Various kinds of Egg trailers show up there, including Casita, Scamp, Trillium, BigFoot & Boler. Pete – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Here is one I found for you…dunno if you wanna DRIVE this far..but here’s one… http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1819527183 Your best bet is to check Ebay. I’ve seen quite a few scamps over there. Even saw a Uhaul 13 footer travel trailor when Uhaul tried out the idea…..Ebay is where I’ve seen em…other than that…LOTS O LUCK You guys have GUTS!! I pulled my 13′ Scamp all over Alaska, Yukon, Montana, Idaho, etc., last year, including a jaunt up and down a series of 18 and 20 degree grades on gravel, but I’d NEVER try to drive around in New Orleans… Pete how hard is it to find used Scamp 13s for sale? Looks like just what I’m thinking about but I never see them on any of the sales sites online.
Response:
Thanks to everyone who posted in answer to my questions. To those concerned about our "35" already being too much weight for the 1 ton…we’re okay. We haved scaled the unit(loaded) and are well within the towing capacity for the 3500HD dually, and are well within limits for the trailer GVWR. The loaded 36+2 would be well within the dually’s limits also, but we might be looking at a MDT in the future anyway. Hubby is a retiring OTR driver of 30 years. We are still undecided on the Snowbird. This weekend we are going to do a spot search of the TL Campground guide to see how much of the "market" we would be eliminating if we go that big. I was hoping to hear from a few with "big rigs" about their experiences. Thanks and happy travels to all.
Response:
We stayed in some beautiful CGs on the Blue Ridge Parkway last summer. The sites were a tight fit for our 26′ TT and full-size van (approx. 46′ long together). — Dudley – http://members.aol.com/stephndudb/rv.html "Camping" in 5000 pounds of stick and tin.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My husband an I are not new to rving, we set up our first tent in the living room of our apartment (too anxious to wait for snow to melt) in the early 70’s. We’ve moved through tents, pop-ups, and several fifth wheels. Presently we have a fiver that attests to be 32 ft but is actually 35. Next year, we will begin fulltiming, and are looking for a new home. We have been seduced by a 36+2 Snowbird w/ a kingsize bed & a "real" bathroom (having tired of the water closet arrangement) but have no experience with the NuWa brand. The size of the unit is causing some concern. We like to "camp" in Nat’l Forests & State Parks maybe a third of the time (love to sit by the campfire & watch the stars.) I know we are trying to have our cake & eat it too, but isn’t that the RV way?. Anyone have comments on the rig being too big to "camp" and/or the Snowbird by NuWa? P.S. tow vehicle is a 1 ton GMC Ext Cab Duramax…may consider a MDT in the future. Been lurking awhile…this is our first post.
Response:
The size of the unit is causing some concern. We like to "camp" in Nat’l Forests & State Parks maybe a third of the time (love to sit by the campfire & watch the stars.) I know we are trying to have our cake & eat it too, but isn’t that the RV way?. Anyone have comments on the rig being too big to "camp" and/or the Snowbird by NuWa? P.S. tow vehicle is a 1 ton GMC Ext Cab Duramax…may consider a MDT in the future. Been lurking awhile…this is our first post.
We have been in several of your state parks with a 30′ 5W but it is a tight fit – anything bigger would get real challenging, IMHO. You are also right up there weight-wise with that 1-ton and a 35′ trailer. Ever actually had it on a scale? Just my opinion but anything past 30′ is too big to tow behind a truck that looks like a half-ton. At a bare minimum you need to be into the 450-650 series Ford chassis or an MDT. R.J.(Bob) Evans (return address needs alteration to work)
Response:
. . Next year, we will begin fulltiming, and are looking for a new home. We have been seduced by a 36+2 Snowbird . . . . The size of the unit is causing some concern. We like to "camp" in Nat’l Forests & State Parks maybe a third of the time (love to sit by the campfire & watch the stars.) I know we are trying to have our cake & eat it too, but isn’t that the RV way?
You can have your cake and eat it too…… if I wanted to fulltime, but also wanted to go to remote locations I would get me a big dually with a diesel engine…… and an 8 foot bed. I’d out a camper in the bed of the truck…. a light one, but one that would do. Then I would pull a big travel trailer, like an Airstream. (I’m prejudiced towards ‘em) Then you could pull the big boy around with the truck/camper. Think, you’d also have a guest room. Plan B is you could get a Class B and pull a large travel trailer with it. Lots of Airstreamers pull their Airstream trailers with Class B Airstreams…. not sure why. Hunter
Response:
You can have your cake and eat it too…… if I wanted to fulltime, but also wanted to go to remote locations I would get me a big dually with a diesel engine…… and an 8 foot bed. I’d out a camper in the bed of the truck…. a light one, but one that would do. Then I would pull a big travel trailer, like an Airstream. (I’m prejudiced towards ‘em) Then you could pull the big boy around with the truck/camper. Think, you’d also have a guest room. Plan B is you could get a Class B and pull a large travel trailer with it.
Plan C: tow a VW camper van or small Class B with your big Class A. Actually, VW campers aren’t *that* heavy…. –randy
Response:
My husband an I are not new to rving, we set up our first tent in the living room of our apartment (too anxious to wait for snow to melt) in the early 70’s. We’ve moved through tents, pop-ups, and several fifth wheels. Presently we have a fiver that attests to be 32 ft but is actually 35. Next year, we will begin fulltiming, and are looking for a new home. We have been seduced by a 36+2 Snowbird w/ a kingsize bed & a "real" bathroom (having tired of the water closet arrangement) but have no experience with the NuWa brand. The size of the unit is causing some concern. We like to "camp" in Nat’l Forests & State Parks maybe a third of the time (love to sit by the campfire & watch the stars.) I know we are trying to have our cake & eat it too, but isn’t that the RV way?. Anyone have comments on the rig being too big to "camp" and/or the Snowbird by NuWa? P.S. tow vehicle is a 1 ton GMC Ext Cab Duramax…may consider a MDT in the future. Been lurking awhile…this is our first post.
Response:
I suspect that your BLM, National Forrest and maybe National Park camping will end when you get the 36+2. I seem to remember seeing 32 as the upper limit. In some cases it may be less. Good luck
Response:
. . . Next year, we will begin fulltiming, and are looking for a new home. We have been seduced by a 36+2 Snowbird . . . . The size of the unit is causing some concern. We like to "camp" in Nat’l Forests & State Parks maybe a third of the time (love to sit by the campfire & watch the stars.) I know we are trying to have our cake & eat it too, but isn’t that the RV way?. Anyone have comments on the rig being too big to "camp" and/or the Snowbird by NuWa? P.S. tow vehicle is a 1 ton GMC Ext Cab Duramax…may consider a MDT in the future. Been lurking awhile…this is our first post.
OK, brace yerself. You need to decide whether you want to live in a transportable house all the time or "go camping" in quiet NF’s etc. The two objectives are really not compatible IMO, despite the valiant attempts of many to meet both needs with the same rig. Rigs that size can’t even get TO some of the more quiet & remote sites, let alone squeeze into them if you could get there without tearing up the roof with overhanging branches. Are there compromise locations? Sure – but your choices are limited. You say you’re experienced, but I challenge you to realize that the MOST experienced rv travelers learn the joys of traveling light. While everyone’s tastes are different, I encourage you to realize that you can’t take it all with you and still enjoy both the travel and the periods of "temporary living". Finally, PLEASE don’t attempt fulltiming with an overloaded truck. I realize the Chevy is a good truck, but the trailer you’re thinking about is HEAVY – even before you load all your worldly possessions! I don’t worry about the truck being unable to pull it – just about the first time you run into an emergency maneuver. This lecture brought to you free by Will Sill KD3XR, who hopes you are not offended by anything you read, inferred, assumed, presumed or otherwise guessed I might have possibly meant as demeaning – unless of course you are personally a humorless nitwit who WANTS to be insulted. In which case be my guest.
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