We Bought a Camper!
We’ve been talking about it for a few years and we finally did it… we bought an a-frame popup camper!
This fall we were looking forward to doing another week or so in Iceland and we have a list of options for 2021, however it seems like COVID-19 has different plans for us (and the rest of the world).
As we’ve had to rethink how we want to spend out PTO from work for the rest of this year and going into next year, we talked a lot about how we’d take care of that travel itch by still staying safe. Being conservative about our exposure, we currently aren’t comfortable with flying and visiting hotels and restaurants and, as of right now, American’s pretty much can’t leave the country anyway. So the only logical thing to look at was where we can drive and camp and control our exposure to our food and space.
On top of that, this will be the first time that we can actually make traveling with our dog, Juneau, actually part of our plans!
We knew we wanted a pop-up because they’re lighter for towing and easier to store (although a camper van would have been amazing). Also traveling with a dog whose breed is known as “Houdinis,” we just weren’t comfortable with the soft, canvas sides of a traditional pop-up camper. So we decided to go with a hard-sided, A-frame popup camper as it is the most sturdy and secure and offers a lot of storage.
Just like bikes and deep freezers are hot commodities in the pandemic, apparently so are campers. After struggling to find new ones at dealers because they are basically sold before they arrive, we ended up getting a great deal on a barely used 2015 Forest River Viking model.
Although it is in great condition inside, we are looking forward to putting some of our own personal touches on it
The 20ft fiberglass trailer sleeps four, with a permanent queen bed and a dinette that’s converts to a double bed. It has AC, heat, a mini fridge, 3-burner range, microwave, and a 27 gallon water tank with water heater and sink. There’s also an outdoor shower, just needs a popup shower stall. Basically the only thing it doesn’t have is a toilet so we’ll still be a little reliant one campgrounds with facilities.
It weighs just over 2,100 lbs dry, which makes it perfect for Katelyn’s Ford Edge ST with a 3,500 lb towing capacity.
Ignore the slant, we were on our way to get the right hitch.
The interior is pretty much the standard RV look, which isn’t really our style so we have some plans for the camper over time. But for now, it’s time to enjoy.
A lot of Michigan state park campgrounds are already full for the summer but we are planning a few things for the coming months. Stay tuned!