T & E Stables' New Camper!

[ebinmaine 73,725]

Just now, SylvanLakeWH said:

Ain't no such thing... 

 

You know how to open it I presume...? 

 

Also, not sure about Maine, but in  many / most? parks out west, you leave any cooler out they confiscate it and you'll get a ticket... I had a buddy who was a ranger at Yellowstone. Oh man the cooler / bear stories... they don't read labels like "bear-proof"... 

 

I get defeated by cardboard boxes. And you want me to open a cooler that has two secure latches on it? I don't think so.

 

 

No such thing as any tickets like that around here. Quite frankly, there should be. Bears don't attack humans in Maine. It's pretty much unheard of. But the ifw here has the knowledge and wherewithal to cull or relocate problem animals.

[Oldskool 6,666]

That's just a perfect size. 

As I have gotten older tenting in less glamorous. 

I'm sure you guys will enjoy the heck out of it.

 

Congrats

[RandyLittrell 3,936]

3 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Maybe. The only Advantages it offers to us is the above mentioned noise reduction and also not having to open the tent back up to let it dry when we get home.

Comfort will be comparable. Warmth isn't an issue. Food storage probably won't change. It's unlikely we will use the fridge in this unit most of the time.

 

Having your towels and bedclothes and etc in a place where all you have to do is hook up and go, makes camping so much nicer!! 

You can go home and wash it all during the week and then it's ready to go again when you are!

[ebinmaine 73,725]

43 minutes ago, RandyLittrell said:

 

Having your towels and bedclothes and etc in a place where all you have to do is hook up and go, makes camping so much nicer!! 

You can go home and wash it all during the week and then it's ready to go again when you are!

 

Absolutely. Dishes too. 

Everything is stored properly when done camping and doesn't need to be moved removed demoved etc...

We're really looking forward to that.  

[lynnmor 7,951]

4 hours ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Also, not sure about Maine, but in  many / most? parks out west, you leave any cooler out they confiscate it and you'll get a ticket... I had a buddy who was a ranger at Yellowstone. Oh man the cooler / bear stories... they don't read labels like "bear-proof"... 

 

I was in Yellowstone and your buddy left me a nastygram.  We emptied a cooler, washed it out and left it open on its side to dry while we went to do our laundry.  Your buddy said that I would be asked to leave if he saw it again.   Just good that he didn't see me changing the oil.

[SylvanLakeWH 29,016]

9 hours ago, lynnmor said:

 

I was in Yellowstone and your buddy left me a nastygram.  We emptied a cooler, washed it out and left it open on its side to dry while we went to do our laundry.  Your buddy said that I would be asked to leave if he saw it again.   Just good that he didn't see me changing the oil.

Pavlov's bear... they know what a cooler signifies, so a perfectly clean one will attract them.
 

Dirty oil from previous campers won't attract them, but is one of the many many reasons I'm glad I toured our National Parks long ago... 

[Retired Wrencher 5,959]

On 9/21/2025 at 5:03 PM, ebinmaine said:

We've put a deposit on a 2026 Keystone Coleman 13B. 

 

 

 

 

Coleman Travel Trailers - Compact Comfort Trailers - Keystone RV https://share.google/unmuxzxyGQupcq8Qc

 

 

Basically an enclosed utility trailer with a restroom and great storage.  

This will give us the storage space to keep all our standard camping equipment in a permanent place. 

 

Likely upgrades will be an axle flip for increased ground clearance and larger tires.  

 

 

 

Eric, I noticed on the floor plan. It has a shower. Also that’s pretty cool that should serve you well. Why do you want to do an axle swap are you going on really rough roads with this meaning potholes and rocks?

[Racinbob 12,070]

Love the travel trailer Eric and it's about exactly what we are thinking about. Maybe not the BH model though. Pros and cons there.

We've camped all our lives and had everything from tarps draped over the open rear end of a station wagon to the latest one we had, a 38' triple axle, triple slide fifth wheel. It was an apartment on wheels but the best memories are the tent camping and the smaller travel trailers. We do like the idea on the interior conveniences especially as we get have gotten older. 

One story always come to mind. It was in the 80's and we had a new 25' Nomad BH. It was great with the two little girls. One day I was talking with some coworkers when one of them, Fred, decided to get on his soap box about 'wheeled campers'. He was a surly guy who got on a lot of folks nerves with his ranting and he certainly got going that morning. WHEELED CAMPERS AREN'T CAMPING, HARD WALLS, INDOOR PLUMBING, AIR CONDITIONING, IRRITATING THIS, IRRITATING THAT.....BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. I let him rant on a while and finally spoke up. Fred, you know what really irritated me one time? What's that? We were at a state park in southern Indiana one time. We found out the hard way that the voltage was so low that the microwave wouldn't pop our popcorn. Now......that's irritating. 

 

BTW, microwaves don't like 80 volts.

[ebinmaine 73,725]

16 minutes ago, Retired Wrencher said:

Eric, I noticed on the floor plan. It has a shower. Also that’s pretty cool that should serve you well. Why do you want to do an axle swap are you going on really rough roads with this meaning potholes and rocks?

 

Absolutely. 

 

A LOT of  our camping is way up in the Great North Main Woods and surrounding areas.

 

You NEED four-wheel drive and good ground clearance to get in and out of some sites.

[Retired Wrencher 5,959]

2 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Absolutely. 

 

A LOT of  our camping is way up in the Great North Main Woods and surrounding areas.

 

You NEED four-wheel drive and good ground clearance to get in and out of some sites.

Are you buying a truck for this or are you gonna use your your car?

[ebinmaine 73,725]

1 minute ago, Retired Wrencher said:

Are you buying a truck for this or are you gonna use your your car?

 

Trina's 2012 Honda Pilot 

[Retired Wrencher 5,959]

Just now, ebinmaine said:

 

Trina's 2012 Honda Pilot 

So that has four-wheel-drive? What does it have the ground clearance that you’re talking about?

[ebinmaine 73,725]

27 minutes ago, Retired Wrencher said:

So that has four-wheel-drive? What does it have the ground clearance that you’re talking about?

 

 

Oh yes of course. That's the vehicle we've been using to get up there the last two or three seasons.

[ML3 1,860]

My parents had boats growing up & my uncle had campers so we would always go camping at the lake together. Typically my mom & aunt would tow pop up to campground sometime Friday. My dad & uncle usually showed up after work with the boat. I remember piling in station wagon with my sister & cousins, plenty of adult drinking, trailer mirrors clipped to fenders- Lol. One time I unclipped the top of trailer. We got on freeway & trailer raised up! Let's just say that Friday night I paid the price! 

 

I then started tent camping at age 17 again. Bought my 1st Sea Doo. My girlfriend would lie to her parent's bout where she was at for weekend.  We would go to the Lake Erie Islands camping & jetskiing almost every summer weekend.  

 

Once I got married ended up getting a pop up which I really liked. Easy to tow, etc. Later moved to a hybrid trailer w/slide. (pictured) By that time I was a single dad w/full custody of my kids but we still went camping at least 2x a month. Kids are grown now but still talk about the fun times we had camping.  

 

Girlfriend & I have considered maybe getting a pop-up.........

 

 

[WHX?? 52,325]

2 hours ago, Racinbob said:

especially as we get have gotten older. 

Hijacking this thread from EB's new camper to camping in general.

Not  EB ... comes around goes around!

'Sides I know what yer gonna say ... "It's all good" ... 

MY progression of camping in pics.

 

Two best things about a camper  ... peeing at night ... sink to do dishes ... well OK three ... rain! 

Edited 4 hours ago by WHX??

[SylvanLakeWH 29,016]

1 hour ago, WHX?? said:

peeing at night ... sink to do dishes

Visuals alert and clarification needed... please tell me these two things are not related... 

[MainelyWheelhorse 1,817]

Pretty cool @ebinmaine, now you might have to get your old blue truck going to haul the trailer or camper.

[MainelyWheelhorse 1,817]

57 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Visuals alert and clarification needed... please tell me these two things are not related... 

 

1 hour ago, WHX?? said:

Two best things about a camper  ... peeing at night ... sink to do dishes ... 

Hopefully they don’t get confused…or combined…people do weird things when half awake. Not me but I’ve heard stories about other people.

Edited 2 hours ago by MainelyWheelhorse

[ebinmaine 73,725]

43 minutes ago, MainelyWheelhorse said:

Pretty cool @ebinmaine, now you might have to get your old blue truck going to haul the trailer or camper.

 

Funny you'd bring that up....

 

Yesterday Trina and I were sitting in the living room watching TV.

She looks over at me and says, "We gotta get your truck done. I can pull the camper. You can pull the trailer with the truck and bring six or seven tractors."

 

 

I said "NINE.   The trailer will hold 6. I'm gonna build the truck to carry 3."

 

 

 

 I don't think she realized how much space that is going to create.

[lynnmor 7,951]

2 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Funny you'd bring that up....

 

Yesterday Trina and I were sitting in the living room watching TV.

She looks over at me and says, "We gotta get your truck done. I can pull the camper. You can pull the trailer with the truck and bring six or seven tractors."

 

 

I said "NINE.   The trailer will hold 6. I'm gonna build the truck to carry 3."

 

 

 

 I don't think she realized how much space that is going to create.

And so it begins, as the years go by eventually there will be an enormous fifth wheel toy hauler.  It's just the natural progression when on starts this crazy Wheel Horse/camping thing.

[MainelyWheelhorse 1,817]

@ebinmaine Yeah, that’ll be a good use for it and it’ll keep the cobwebs out. I’ve heard it’s not good to let motorized stuff sit too long.

[ebinmaine 73,725]

16 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

And so it begins, as the years go by eventually there will be an enormous fifth wheel toy hauler.  It's just the natural progression when on starts this crazy Wheel Horse/camping thing.

 

 

Go big or go home.

 

We've seen several full size tractor trailers converted to campers at the Owls Head show over the years. I feel like this is a good excuse/ reason.

[MainelyWheelhorse 1,817]

19 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

Go big or go home.

 

We've seen several full size tractor trailers converted to campers at the Owls Head show over the years. I feel like this is a good excuse/ reason.

So, eventually a Toterhome ,eh?

[WHX?? 52,325]

1 hour ago, MainelyWheelhorse said:

…people do weird things when half awake. Not me but I’ve heard stories about other people.

Yah... asking for a friend I bet...