Nomad dreaming in Long Island - towing?

[MeiraNomadRN]

Hello all!!

Due to family obligations old and young, my nomad life is a couple years off, but I'm ready to start learning & prepping for it TODAY.

I've been in love with road trips since probably infancy, when my father would take us on long trips back to his family in Kansas.  That love has ramped up in recent years and I enjoyed 18,000 mostly wonderful miles in 2018/2019.  

Who am I? Late 40's married female, mother of three, living in a couple acres of forest on Eastern Long Island.  Passions include knitting & crochet, cooking, reading, hiking, baking, COFFEE, so much music (Dave Matthews, Phish, Stevie Wonder, 21 Pilots, Mike Doughty), hypothesizing & theorizing better/easier ways to do things, medicine, psychology, cats, dogs . . . I got obsessed with watching La Liga when I had a FUBU trial (Messi > Ronaldo) . . . I can make a mean XP farm in Minecraft . . . Favorite YouTube channels are CRVL, CreativityRV, IBXToycat, Gone With The Wynns . . . Current favorite states are probably Wyoming & Washington. First place I want to go the next time I get on the road is Montana, I've never been.

But first!  I have a couple questions and I'm not sure the perfect place to ask them.  I have a 2015 Honda Pilot, it's capable of towing like 3000lbs, it has a covered thingy on the back where I think a tow thing goes but i don't even have the words on how to google it and could i really just buy something off Amazon, put it there, and then dangle 3000 lbs off my car by it?  That sounds crazy.  Similarly, I would like to attach a yakima cargo box (when I win the lottery) but there are no rails or racks or -- I don't know exactly what I need! Can some clue me into the best place to ask about these things?

Thanks a bunch!!
-M

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome M to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

first up study up on towing, it sounds like you have never done it. the smart thing t do is to stay way under you tow rating which at 3k doesn't leave you with many options. what do you plan on towing?

there are aftermarket luggage racks. go to the Yakima web site and see if they have anything for your Honda also try Thule there are others too.

highdesertranger

 

[MeiraNomadRN]

first up study up on towing,  it sounds like you have never done it.  the smart thing t do is to stay way under you tow rating which at 3k doesn't leave you with many options.  what do you plan on towing?

there are aftermarket luggage racks.  go to the Yakima web site and see if they have anything for your Honda also try Thule   there are others too.

 Correct, I have never towed a thing in my life.  ;o)  Technically the Pilot is rated for 4.5k, but I've watched enough to know that it's really important to respect that, and it's very hard to keep weight low, so I'm aiming low.  I was daydreaming about an enclosed cargo trailer, maybe 6 or 7 by 10 or 12.

But before that, the roof carrier.  I don't know why, but it never dawned on me to check Yakima's site.  Doh!  I'm going there now, thanks!

 

[highdesertranger]

that was very smart on your part.

ok that's better you could tow a small lightweight cargo trailer.

highdesertranger

 

[travelaround]

I've towed a few things (like cars behind U-hauls) but also feel new to towing and it is looking like I'll have to get a cargo trailer to haul behind my van so I'll have room to live in my van. I've been thinking that once I get the van adequately converted I can turn the cargo trailer into an art studio. I've been living in the van for a month now and like the freedom of not being concerned about trailer issues. Then I look around me at the stuff in my apartment and wonder how I could possibly get rid of it all within the next month. Well, now 25 days until the day I have to be out of here.

 

[tx2sturgis]

  I was daydreaming about an enclosed cargo trailer, maybe 6 or 7 by 10 or 12.

You could very easily tow a little teardrop trailer and have a bedroom/kitchen there, maybe a small easy-up canopy for a living room. 

Then the teardrop can be your basecamp, and your Honda Pilot is your local errand running grocery-getter, while the trailer keeps your campsite for you.

Very doable.

 

[travelaround]

How does one keep a trailer from being stolen?

 

[tx2sturgis]

How does one keep a trailer from being stolen?

A complete discussion of this topic would detour this thread in the newcomer forum. 

Perhaps a new thread about this topic would be a good idea.

 

[MeiraNomadRN]

 Well, now 25 days until the day I have to be out of here.

OMG, how exciting.
I am positively giddy just imagining it for you.

I flip-flop on the trailer/no trailer thing every damned day.  A little trailer is more space and so cute and you can stand up if you want . . . but then I think of all the signs indicating 'no trailers' and then I feel all "Don't tell me what I can't do!".  I love the compact idea of waking up getting in the driver's seat and just going . . . I also love the idea of being able to zip into town . . .  I'm beginning to suspect this is a debate that never ends . . .

 

[PODebbie]

I think having a trailer or not depends on where you will be staying. If you are camping on BLM land or forests, or campgrounds, a trailer would be great. Myself, I do beach camping. In the winter I am on the Gulf side of Florida and during the summer I am often on Lake Michigan. Having a van, I can pull into any business that has white vans (think florists, pool cleaning companies, Goodwill stores, Rental stores,etc.) and just park in line with them. I spend the day at the beach, or hiking trails, etc, then drive into town and park in line with other white vehicles. I may go to RTR this winter, then I may need to change up my setup. I may need solar, fridge, etc. to stay away from the beach towns. In towns, I can buy ice and fresh veggies every day or so. I live out of my van. If I was staying somewhere 2 weeks at a time, I would want more room than a van. I would pull a trailer.

 

[Cammalu]

.  I'm beginning to suspect this is a debate that never ends . . .

You are right. It never ends. I started with a 32’ trailer, then because it was a pain, bought a tiny fiberglass camper. It needed fixing and I couldn’t do it. Sold it and bought an Ultravan. It was amazing but unless you are a mechanic it’s a risk to have something that old. Sold that and I bought another tiny trailer. Sold again and found a 23 foot class Bplus which I’m still in. Wanted to bring more toys with me and am looking for a Class A or Super C.

It never ends....

 

[Buster1903]

Hello MeiraNomadRN or just M 

Welcome to CRVL (I think this is my second welcome to you but why not two)

The "covered thingy on the back where I think a tow thing goes" is called the "tow hitch receiver", the "Ball mount" or "tow hitch insert" is the bar with the ball on it that goes in the receiver. I don't know what your stock hitch receiver is rated for. Sometime the stock ones are just part of the bumper and will not be rated for the full towing capacity of the vehicle. Something to look into. I'm new to the forum myself but there should be a thread on tow hitches and towing, if not start one and I can answer more there or just PM me. I may not have a lot of nomad experience but towing trailers i'm prity good at. 

The question of Van or Trailer or RV or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a never ending one. For me I know I will not know until I live and travel in it. I'm just at the start of my adventure and I've, like you. stated with what I got. And what I got is a little car so, I'm pulling a little trailer, and we will see how it goes. Since you have a fairly new Pilot that's not a bad tow vehicle it sounds like a good place to start. My suggestion is to keep an open mind. Look for something used to keep cost down so your not committed to it. And if you find something interesting at a good price that fits your towing criteria give it a shot. Small travel trailer, cargo trailer, teardrop, popup, TTT I'm sure there are nomads traveling and living in all and there should be many to fit your Pilot.

 

[Cstrom]

I have a 2015 Honda Pilot and the towing capacity is 4500. I have a 3000 lb. Forest River R-pod 178 that I tow. It tows great. I have a tow package on my car already and an anti sway bar that helps.

 

[MeiraNomadRN]

Cstrom - Those R-pod 178s are gorgeous. I suspected the weight worked well, thank you for the confirmation.

Buster1903 - I'm going to start that thread tonight so be on the lookout!

y'all rock. thank you.