Hello, World!

[noordinaryspider]

Obligatory introduction post from newbie. I'm so glad that the forum is still here and will upgrade my membership when I can.

You may also know me as Feather from the Zoom meetings.

I busk.

 

[WanderingRose]

Welcome, and you have an SUV tent, it looks like?

How do you like it?

I almost bought one of these, was discouraged from taking my dog into bear country in anything soft sided like this so I did not.

I am rig-less as of last year, in part because of the 15 year old dog, but depending on how she does and I do I may get one of these in a few years.

 

[tx2sturgis]

And welcome!

I had a friend many years ago who had one of those pickup bed tents....it's like adding a room on when camping.

Please keep us posted about your adventures!

 

[bullfrog !]

Welcome!

 

[INTJohn]

 

[landyachtman]

Welcome back to the Forum.

Please review the rules page and enjoy reuniting with friends.

Terms of Service

 

[Southbound]

Welcome to VLF! We're glad you joined us!

 

[noordinaryspider]

Thank you for the warm welcome back.

I absolutely do NOT recommend sleeping in tents with furbabies, leaving them outside at night, or spending your limited funds on a tent if you are low income.

I still have both the screen room SUV tent that goes on the back (Thanks, April!) and the awning (Thanks, Janet!), which is a Kelty Backwoods Shelter.

They do turn the minivan into an "epic land yacht", but if the sewing and other repairs take more time than they're worth, they're going into the dumpsters at La Posa South, lol. Two years is a very good run for the kind of wear I put on them.

I am extremely grateful for the functional rss feed. I'm finding that helps a lot in these difficult times.

No offense is intended to those who travel with and/or live in high quality tents such Springbar or Clam--I'm all ears if you have any recommendations or suggestions.

I'm also on the Chrysler Minivan Fanclub, if you want to talk 4th gen DGC issues there.

 

[WanderingRose]

So that’s not an SUV tent at the back of your van, correct, you’ve just set up a tent at the rear?

My concern, for myself, would be how easy it would be to do this kind of set up alone, doing the widow-traveler thing.

 

[LargeMarge]

If we built a rig and trailer with side doors, we think an awning would be just ducky to form a semi-enclosed patio.
.
These folks went further with skirts around their rig and matching trailer.
I imagine this reduces wind and snow-drifts:
.

 

[DLTooley]

Welcome, and you have an SUV tent, it looks like?

How do you like it?

I almost bought one of these, was discouraged from taking my dog into bear country in anything soft sided like this so I did not.

I am rig-less as of last year, in part because of the 15 year old dog, but depending on how she does and I do I may get one of these in a few years.

A bit of a tangent, but I’ve never seen a bear in camp with a dog.

 

[eDJ_]

Just a side note on camping in areas where you suspect there may be Bears. And you want a dog that's capable of providing security from that. (or other threats)

The Plott Hound is a large, muscular, and fearless scent hound that was originally bred to hunt bears. It is North Carolina's state dog

 

[WanderingRose]

A bit of a tangent, but I’ve never seen a bear in camp with a dog.

I have, in the UP some years back, during the night, when some foolish people left a cooler outside that had bacon in it.

We were awakened by a ruckus, then a dog barking, and the next morning we’re told these campers heard a noise outside, opened their tent flap to be confronted by a large black bear with their cooler in its teeth.

Their dog bolted out, chased the bear off, and that’s what we heard.

The problem with tents and dogs in bear country is that the dog may confront thru the tent wall any animal sniffing around, is what I was told, which makes perfect sense,

My dog being a 65 pound lab mix, and an alpha female, provides security a bit too well for some people.

 

[noordinaryspider]

So that’s not an SUV tent at the back of your van, correct, you’ve just set up a tent at the rear?

My concern, for myself, would be how easy it would be to do this kind of set up alone, doing the widow-traveler thing.

It attaches to the back hatch and uses tarp poles and guy lines.

My kittycat's tie down keeps getting tangled in the guylines, so I can't exactly recommend it.

It might be easier to put up than a freestanding tent, but in light of my own experience with "predators of the two legged variety", I'm personally more comfortable recommending rooftop storage bags and multiple small (pet, children's play or 1-2 person) tents for storage.

You can always buy more food and camping gear, but you only get one beautiful, amazing, and glorious life.

Coyotes are another good reason to keep your furbabies in the rig at night.

I've got a 6 lb size blind pack leader who climbs, or I'd use X-pens and a catio instead of tie-downs.

Please keep those suggestions for bear safety coming!