Please Help Us Figure Out What To Do Moving Forward

[steelmooch]

Hello, all...and thanks for your time and consideration.

We started out with a <21' (total length) bunkhouse travel trailer that we did well in, but that felt overly cramped at the time, even when our kids were in elementary school. Took it to the Florida Keys...up to Acadia...all over the east coast...we were turning into a pretty legit "RV lifestyle" family.

We moved up to a 28' (total length) bunkhouse with a large slide, and it made a world of difference for us space-wise and comfort-wise.

We can't keep that longer trailer at home because we have a long, sloped driveway and it would scrape horribly. Not even close.

What I was *afraid* would happen, has ended up happening. The larger camper sits at a permanent campsite in a campground and barely leaves the campground. It's just too inconvenient to get it in and out...removing courses of leveling blocks a row at a time...blocking the road...dodging people and kids on bikes...etc.

We've considered numerous options...your feedback would be much appreciated:

A) Back to a small (<21' camper). We could keep it at home, but our older kids have grown + we added a baby during the pandemic. I'm afraid that we won't *use* it if everyone is cramped and miserable.

B) Try a hybrid TT with 3 flip-out camper-queen beds. We could keep it at home, but we often joke that we live "hard and fast" with 2 careers...are we really going to give it the TLC that it requires with condensation/moisture/mold? Probably not. I also get annoyed with campground noise...potential issue there as well.

C) Keep the existing TT at a storage lot close to home. We could still take it out, but I dread the thought of having to back it into a narrow 10' space (I'm not great at it) and I worry about security. How would we even wash/wax/maintain the camper without hookups and the *space* required to not spray other people's things?

D) Just keep it at the campground and enjoy it for what it's worth. Day trips elsewhere from our home-base campground?

Thanks, all...appreciate any experiences or solutions that we've not considered.

Happy travels and stay safe.

 

[steveblonde]

We have a 45ft triaxle 5er that we tow everywhere and would never consider leaving it at a permanent spot. We have a spot at a local rv storage lot along with 1000 other trailers. We wash it at a truck stop on the way home. Its secured and i run out the day before we leave and turn the fridge on. We leave everything but food and dirty clothes in it when we are not using it. We are just like 100s of 1000s of people who do the same thing. Today i will bring it home load it up and in the morning we will do a 6000 mile road trip.
Picture was taken at storage lot

 

[darsben]

D maybe but I would look at alternate full time spots.

 

[Carbonation]

I vote C.
Your backing skills have to be better than you think. If you traveled extensively and backed into spots all over, you can back into a storage facility. Might take a bit of practice, but if I can back my 40 footer into a 9 foot wide door X 50 foot deep indoor storage, you can get yours in. The storage place I use provides a service for a small extra fee per month where you call, they retrieve your unit with their tractor, and have it ready to go, then put it back in it's spot when you return. It's a great option, wish more places did it. And they are always full, with a wait list, so it must be effective for business.
As far as security, does storage have cameras and passcodes for a gate? About as secure as you'll get actually. Lock your camper, and lock a ball in the A frame.
Wash at home, or at a full hookup site, and spray wax or wax and dry on a microfiber floor cleaner to wax it. Truck wash is always an option.
Congrats on the baby. All I got from Covid was an extra 10 pounds and found out my fridge had a voice option... "what the heck do you want this time?"

 

[donn]

Uea, we sort of made the same mistake. Sadly our 36 foot fiver could no longer fit into the camp area we really loved. Thus we could no longer go there. In your situation I would swap to the biggest TT you can fit at home. Some experienting you might get a 25 footer into your slot at home. Over the years my paramount criteria was having my RVs at home.

 

[steelmooch]

Carbonation...thanks for the great info & congrats.

Donn...great sentiments. Thank you.

 

[JudyJB]

The biggest question is why did you buy a trailer and what do you want to do with it? It sounds as if you jumped into a trailer that is bigger than you can handle, even if it is very comfortable for you. Do you want to travel other than to local campgrounds? It sounds like you had a good time doing this with the smaller RV.

You also mention two careers and lack of time. Is this part of the decision? And will you really take your married child and grandchild with you??

 

[SuwanneeDave]

If I were in your position with two older kids and a baby I would sell the trailer, and for a few years enjoy staying in VRBO places.

 

[Ex-Calif]

Hobbies like boats, planes and RVs (and others) need to be "integrated" into your lifestyle to make economic sense. I have had them all...

Sounds like you are at what I call the peak of baby raising and career. I would consider selling the trailer, putting the RV park fees and the TT money (be it cash sale or the monthly payment) into a dedicated vacations fund.

Then you can rent hotels, rent an RV, or do anything else you want to to. Maybe re-enter the RV life after the kids are off to college.

 

[ChasA]

Steelmooch. Never put in reverse when moving forward.

 

[Kirk]

...removing courses of leveling blocks a row at a time...

I don't understand what that is about? The only reason for leveling blocks is if you have it permanently parked. Most travel trailers only have stabilizers at each corner and they crank down or can be powered down. Some of the largest ones use 6 stabilizers. You may even want to get a power leveling system installed on your present RV.

 

[creativepart]

If you could solve the driveway scraping issue would you keep the RV at home?. I have a long steep driveway but it's not an issue with a motorhome.

Hey... how about a motorhome? That could solve your problems.

OK, maybe that's extreme. Could you back your travel trailer up your driveway? Because backing might not scrape at driveway entrance. OR have you looked at installing "skid wheels" on the rear of the TT? That would also solve the driveway scraping.

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[Domo]

Hello, all...and thanks for your time and consideration.

We started out with a <21' (total length) bunkhouse travel trailer that we did well in, but that felt overly cramped at the time, even when our kids were in elementary school. Took it to the Florida Keys...up to Acadia...all over the east coast...we were turning into a pretty legit "RV lifestyle" family.

We moved up to a 28' (total length) bunkhouse with a large slide, and it made a world of difference for us space-wise and comfort-wise.

We can't keep that longer trailer at home because we have a long, sloped driveway and it would scrape horribly. Not even close.

What I was *afraid* would happen, has ended up happening. The larger camper sits at a permanent campsite in a campground and barely leaves the campground. It's just too inconvenient to get it in and out...removing courses of leveling blocks a row at a time...blocking the road...dodging people and kids on bikes...etc.

We've considered numerous options...your feedback would be much appreciated:

A) Back to a small (<21' camper). We could keep it at home, but our older kids have grown + we added a baby during the pandemic. I'm afraid that we won't *use* it if everyone is cramped and miserable.

B) Try a hybrid TT with 3 flip-out camper-queen beds. We could keep it at home, but we often joke that we live "hard and fast" with 2 careers...are we really going to give it the TLC that it requires with condensation/moisture/mold? Probably not. I also get annoyed with campground noise...potential issue there as well.

C) Keep the existing TT at a storage lot close to home. We could still take it out, but I dread the thought of having to back it into a narrow 10' space (I'm not great at it) and I worry about security. How would we even wash/wax/maintain the camper without hookups and the *space* required to not spray other people's things?

D) Just keep it at the campground and enjoy it for what it's worth. Day trips elsewhere from our home-base campground?

Thanks, all...appreciate any experiences or solutions that we've not considered.

Happy travels and stay safe.

What does it cost per month to "store" the TT at a campground, unsused? Take this expense over the months you don't use it and figure out how a contractor can alter your driveway/lot so that you CAN store the rig at home. Once you have it at home, life will be easier and you can prepare for trips quickly and get on the road with less hassle.

 

[steelmooch]

Great perspectives and shared viewpoints...thank you all so much. Great people every time.