Hello From New England

TheBlackFamily

TheBlackFamily

Newbie
Hi Everyone,
You don't me, but after the past few months of stalking these forums I feel like I know you all! The amount of information and sense of community on these pages is absolutely amazing! I admit, on Sunday mornings before the kids get up, I grab some coffee and lose myself in the wonderful adventures you've all had.

Just to put us on semi-even ground, I'm a father of three crazy children (ages 8, 6, 4), companion of one rather large cheeseburger stealing dog and husband to a wife that needs a comfortable bed to sleep in if I can ever convince her to go camping!

I've been scouring these pages as best I can, educating myself and learning as much as possible from the stories and questions posted by folks that were once in my same position. I've not been able to find specific information on two points that I was hoping someone out in the group may have experience or insights on.

#1) Given the larger size of the family, I'm obviously not going to be able to get everyone into the 560 for a good nights sleep. Between my wife and the dog, I hardly have any room on our king sized bed! When the kids are old enough, I'll feel comfortable letting them sleep in their own tent, but for the next few years I'd like to let them sleep a little closer. One idea I had would be to get the roof rack option and mount a roof top tent. Most RTTs have an enclosed area around the ladder, that would also work well for a sleeping area for the pup. So, my first question to you CI experts, have any of you mounted a tent to the top of your CI, or perhaps seen something like this during your travels? Or, if you have a large clan like I do, do you have a setup that you felt worked well for you?

2) My second question is more around people's experience towing the CI off the beaten path. One of my hobbies is Overlanding, which is basically camping and exploring in remote destinations. Typically we set up base camp, and the head out to explore. Many of these base camp locations are in remote areas where the roads are not maintained and you need to use 4WD to access. Have any of you towed your CI off the main road? Primarily the terrain would be old logging roads, or perhaps paths in the woods that contain rocks, ruts, mud, etc. I realize this is not an off-road trailer, but I'm trying to determine how capable the trailer would be. For those of you that have, how well does the exterior hold up to the inevitable scratches and scrapes that come from driving thru dense brush, or am I crazy to even think of bringing such a beautiful trailer into the woods?

I wish you all well and hope that sometime in the future I have the opportunity to meet all you great people.

Cheers,
Josh
 
Josh if you can drive a normal 4x4 off road, then you are good to go with the CI. I get back into the back roads areas of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico with no problems. If your roads require a tricked out Jeep with fat tires then don't do it.

If you don't want your car scratched up then likely you won't want scratches on the CI. It will scratch. I have small knicks in the front area not protected by the bra, just the price of being off on gravel roads and prior to getting big Rock Tamer mud flaps. Nothing serious and the price of having a great time.

Only caveat is remember that you are towing a trailer. Lots of angles going on between the tow vehicle, the ball and the trailer axle.
 
Welcome to the forum! I took a few pictures of someone's home-built teardrop that had a tent mounted to the roof:

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The tent is available commercially, I just don't remember the manufacturer. It looks like it might work for what you need.
The CampInn trailers are available in an SUV model, which gives you an additional 3 inches of clearance, I believe. Not sure if that would let you go WAY off-road, but maybe someone else here has experience in that area...
 
Welcome Josh!

Tina and Jerry use a wrangler to tow their 550 and I know they like to do some off roading. I will be seeing them I'm the next day or so, I will ask Tina to chime in if she has anything to contribute.

I have thought about the tent top as well. The manufacturer's web site on the one I was researching claimed that when set up, much of the weight was supported by the legs and ladder. That would be the key - finding out from Cary or Gary what the maximum roof load can be, and then comparing that to the claimed load of the roof tent.

Keep us posted on your research and your thinking. I like the idea, but am terrified of incurring permanent damage to my TD.

I am typing this while sitting on the couch of my 560, soft music playing on my built in sound system. Sure, I'm in a truck stop parking lot where I grabbed a few hours last night, but I am in Heaven. I have zero regrets about buying my 560.

And I know what you mean about feeling like you know people from this forum even though they don't know you. When I went to last year's CampInn Camp Out in order to rent a 560 (something I heartily recommend by the way) - I felt dumb struck when I began to ACTUALLY meet the people I had only seen as disembodied posts on the forum.

And when I actually met Jenn - I felt like I was in the presence of a rock star! (Still kinda do whenever I see her btw.).

But now YOU are a part of this wonderful caring community, Josh! You have made a post and now you are US. I truly feel that I didn't just buy a trailer, I also purchased a membership to this really amazing social network.

Welcome Again!
 
Hi Josh,

From one forum newbie to another, welcome to the community. I too have found this community to be very helpful and eager to share their knowledge and experience.

Regarding Gary's comments about towing angles when towing off road...

I've not done any back roads overland camping (yet) with our 550 Ultra, but if I do I will consider an articulating hitch set up as shown here:https://locknroll.com

If you Google "articulating hitches" you'll get several hits for manufacturers.

My wife and I are now empty nesters but we love our tent camping memories with our three kids and dog.

Good luck with your roof tent search...
 
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Hi Josh,
sounds like you have a really neat family welcome.
I an oldie but for another possibility might be a northern breeze screen tent might work. see the pictures Jenn and others posted with their tear inside. if you got the screen doors for the tear you could leave the doors open inside the northern breeze and you all would be in one big tent just with a comfortable bed.
 
Eric_n_Joan said:
I've not done any back roads overland camping (yet) with our 550 Ultra, but if I do I will consider an articulating hitch set up as shown here:https://locknroll.com
Click to expand...

Eric, I like the idea of this type of setup. I talked with Lock-N-Roll this morning (they're here in Chicago) and found that it would require replacing the trailer's ball with their part (likely their #504). It would require some major surgery - removing the CampInn welded-on part and installing theirs in it's place.
In my case, the vehicle side part would be their #511, allowing for either a 2.5" rise or drop.
Total cost, not including the removal of the stock CampInn part, would be $250. Not too bad, if you plan on doing any off-roading.

511-504.png
 
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You all rock! Thank you so much for all the replies, this is great information!

Gary, thanks for your insights! It's great to hear you've had yours on the back roads. (I'm very jealous of those locations, I look forward to having the opportunity to explore the areas you've been to.) I've never towed anything off-road before, so your points on the difference with approach angles is key. I've got some more research to do!

Ken, those pictures are perfect, just what I was looking for. Thanks so much!

Rick, thank you for your kind words, it is apprecitated. To your point I've got an email out to Cary about the static load of the roof rack and if there would be any concerns from a frame perspective with the RTT idea. Your posts and those of Evan have been very helpful with ideas for a sound system. I must have re-read those 10 times!

Eric 'n Joan, thank you for the idea about the articulating hitch. I've got an email into Cary to see if that is something that can be done during the build.

Pat, I like the idea about the large sceen tent. If the RTT is not an option, I'll do some digging on the best way to make that work.

Many thanks again to everyone!

Cheers,
Josh
 
Welcome to the forum! I am traveling with a (just turned) 6-year-old and have for the last 3 years. We have had some awesome adventures with our trailer. As we don't always get to travel with Mick, I gives me a sense of security in camping and as he says "you can lock your doors at night...you won't get that in a tent!"

As he gets older and we can't fold him in half to fit in his bunk anymore we will probably get a cot for him to sleep on in the Northern Breeze. I like the roof top tent, but I would have a couple of concerns. He is a flip-flopper when he sleeps which shakes the whole trailer even with the leveling jacks down. That takes me a few nights to get used to each trip. One other thing, I am guessing you can adjust the height, but to have the fantastic fan available is important for us since we did not get the a/c (I have only wished I had it once - we were in Idaho and it was 104!). Where we live, we don't need it. Otherwise, it does look like a fantastic option!
 
Josh,

Welcome. The roof tent is interesting idea. I would also suggest looking at a SUV tent, which would require some customizing so fit up against one of the doors.

I would hope that CampInn would be able to provide side straps that are used on the side tent as a way to attach a SUV tent. Keeps everyone on the "same ground level", would cut down on the shaking of the entire tear as kids move. My other concern is during a severe thunderstorm, kids will be much closer to the ground and to parents.

Plus maybe the dog could sleep in the tent instead of the tear!

Jean
 
Thanks for the idea on the SUV tent Jean, I had never heard of such a thing before, very interesting.

I'm happy to announce I've made the decision to join the Camp-Inn family! I'm just awaiting the adoption/birth papers to sign and then will have the winter to think up appropriate names. I'm assuming the naming will be as challenging as with children!

For those of you going thru the nesting process, I'll look forward to seeing your photos to help pass the time!

Cheers,
Josh
 
Hi Josh

Congrats on your decision, I am a soon to be, our teardrop is in the nest. Good idea we'll post pics when we get em. What about a Northern Breeze, it doubles as a tent with the addition of the optional floor.

Michael
 
Hi Josh,

Good to see another CI owner (to be) in Massachusetts.
Your kids are about the same age as my grandkids who also like tent camping.
My second daughter's family lives in Westborough not far from you.
But then the whole small state loosely fits that description haha.

The SUV tents like Sportz SUV 4 from REI
and the Backroadz SUV tent at Hayneedle look nice.
If linked over a door of the Camp-Inn with a couple of bottom and roof straps
it would be secure for younger kids with easy access to parents. Some of that style
(vs open style) look like the link has a zip door so could be free standing later.

To get a feel for the Northern Breeze, the pictures in forum post by FLMikeandCarol
and the two pages before and after it gave me a better idea what it could do.
People seem to favor the NB for wind & rain ruggedness (calling it a bomb shelter)
and if the bugs are bad especially Alaska

---

When you get your trailer I have a recommendation for a close(quick) cheap ($12/nite)
place for a weekend or even one night. The East camping area of Lake Dennison
recreation area is wooded with enough space and bushes for some privacy.
The North area is less shade and gets many of the big RV folks.
The sites do not have electricity or water, but there are distributed bathrooms with
decent flush toilets and showers to make points with the wife (vs pit toilets).
The east area slopes off from the internal road nearest MA-202 to the lake.
Avoid the line of sites 20, 19, ..., 67, 76 as the two lane highway has evening traffic.
The sites across the road like 46 & 50 are better but I still notice it. I recommend
the next row of sites like 54 & 31 (backin) or 25 (bigger pull thru) as they are
still close to bathrooms but below the rim of the slope so much quieter.
Sites 30 & 31 or 25 & 27 are nice pairs for camping with friends.

Oh by the way the sites like many in Mass SP are dirt, nice for tents but soft when wet.
Sinking my nose wheel half way in mud here is why I suggested a cheap 1/4" plastic
cutting board under the trailer nose wheel in a forum post.
It also makes jockeying during rehitching easier on dirt or even gravel too.

BTW dogs require current rabies tag # at checkin

Hope to see you around the area!
 
Josh,
Congrats on your decision. I'm another soon to be probably in the next batch and will pick up in the spring. It was one of the easiest decisions I ever made and I am busy acquiring the necessary stuff for the trip to pick it up in late March or early April.
 
Yes Pat very excited. We plan to start heading east the first of the month in hopes of missing snow in the Rockies. Our tentative pick up date is Nov. 19, only a month now!
 
Michael and Susan,
I wasn't brave enough to even consider going back in winter. I ordered the first week in July and could have had my teardrop in December or January but just couldn't see myself driving in the unpredictable winter and opted to wait till spring. I started out with 9 months to wait and am down to five or a little more. Time is going pretty fast and I've done some shopping and planning. I still have to have brakes and seven pin installed but the trailer place is very busy this time of year with the snowbirds getting ready to head south. I will get it done in Dec or Jan. I hope you have a great trip and will be waiting for posts about your visit with CampInn folks.
Mark, I really liked your idea about the 1/4 inch bread boards and decided to get them for the jacks as well. I got one for .99 at the second hand store and will keep looking for more.I love a bargain.
 
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