Serious camping trip coming up, have I forgotten anything?

[Capt Steve]

Our first serious trip in the new (to us), 18 travel trailer is fast approaching. We are taking off in about ten days for two weeks in northern Arizona and southern Utah. Day one takes us to Flagstaff followed by 3 days in Zion national park (yes, we have reservations). From there we are heading up to Bryce Canyon for a few days. After that the destinations are fairly open but the north rim of the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and Page/Lake Powell are all on the short list. Here are some of the pre trip preparations I've made so far, sooo, what have I missed/forgotten and do you have any additional recommendations for places to see/things to do:

The trailer is virtually new, 2 years old with only 4 trips by the prior owners. I am having the brakes and wheel bearings checked/adjusted. The 4 tires and the spare are new and I have two cans of tire sealant. Have a 6 ton hydraulic jack and cross bar lug wrench and a spare set of lug nuts. A fairly serious tool bag with just about every tool you could name lives in the trailer along with my magic box of spares and odds and ends - everything from wire ties to hose clamps.

The truck, an 06 F-150 5.4 Liter is in excellent shape but was fast approaching time for a brake job so that is going down on Monday. New plugs and a fuel filter couldn't hurt and I am adding a K&N air intake system which should give me an other 15 HP and allow it to breath a little better.

The trailer came nicely equipped and we have added all of our camping gear/toys. We can camp off the grid for 4 to 5 days at a stretch with the dual batteries and propane refrigeration. My Arizona CCW has reciprocity in Utah and will be carrying the MP9c (2 back up mags), along with the newly acquired (anti bear), 6" Dan Wesson V-44 Magnum. I picked up a box of Buffalo bore 305 grain 44 Mags yesterday along with an Uncle Mikes #18 holster. I'll pop a few rounds of the Buffalo Bore off to acquaint myself with that particular thrill before we leave. Oh, I have been warned as to the idiosyncrasies of Utah law where it applies to the purchase of alcohol.

While we are experienced campers this will be a bit of new venture, more rig than I have towed before but it has a serious hitch and anti sway bar set up. I am prepared to bend over at the pump but that beats paying for hotels. (o;

 

[Rule3]

I hate you!

Enjoy, have fun, drive safely.

 

[DeathGrip]

I hate you!

Enjoy, have fun, drive safely.

What he said.

If you do plugs add some wires.Belts and hoses?Spares?

DG

 

[truckemup97]

The only thing missing is my invitation. I assume it's in the mail?

 

[feralmerril]

Hey capt steve, I live at cedar city and that is close to both Bryce and zion. Make your own drinks, I havent got a good one since we moved here! Something about laws makeing weak drinks I guess. I know all the off beat roads and trails if you want advice. On a lot of what you are planning I would try to leave the trailer somewhere and sight see with just the truck.
I would try to get a trailer space on highway 89 around kanob or maybe as far north as say glendale or even panguitch. Zion, Bryce, the North rim of grand canyon, cedar breaks, would all be 2 hours or under in each direction from there. If you eat at panguitch you might check out the cowboy smokehouse BBQ. Not cheap, but so good we drive over there about every two weeks just to eat. There is a little lake and fine campgrounds called pine lake. There is only one entrance into bryce. Its highway 63 off of highway 12 at the north end of the park. Were you to go straight north on highway 22 at the park entrance instead of south into the park, about 8 1/2 miles you would see a dirt road going east to your right. Its called cameron wash. It goes 5 miles of dirt to pine lake. Hopefully you could find a camping spot there. I just discovered it about 3 weeks ago with our atv. I met a guy there from san francisco that said that is the only vactation spot he goes to for years. He says he always limits out on trout every day. Its a pretty spot at a 8,200 feet so is nice and cool. The day we were there we jumped two huge nice bull elk higher up on a trail there. You may or may not get a site without reservations but its probley worth a try.

 

[max]

Sounds like a good time. I am going to assume you have a wide selection of flashlights and spare batteries and a battery radio. I think that with all of the room you have and where you are going, I would want a long gun also. Maybe a carbine that is compatible with your handguns or a short barreled shotgun.

 

[feralmerril]

You will be just fine with a good revolver. In summer we go atv,ing two and sometimes three times a week in the most remote areas I can find. No problems---yet! However right here in cedar city a LEO was vacationing from florida in his motorhome parked overnight at walmart here in town. Some druggie tried to force his way in and the cop blew him away. Of course people here couldnt understand it and claimed he was a med student and not a druggie.
The indians been behaveing themselves lately too, although a drunk native shot a town cop while the cop was digging out his car stuck in the snow. They say he was a nice guy too-- when not drinking. Luckly the cops vest saved him.
Any trouble here will be from nuts, not animals.

 

[gunnut44]

Looks like you are going to have fun! I don't have a camper but from time to time I pull my Baja boat and I always carry spare fuses a test light a extra plug adapter to go from the round on my F250 to the flat on the trailer and a extra receiver (people like to steal them if they are not locked in) and I don't want to be stranded! I too carry many tools probally too many but I would rather have them than not. Sounds like you got it covered so enjoy your trip and try not to yell at the misses when trying to back it up in tight spots! Have fun.

 

[Capt Steve]

As Elvis often said: "Thank yooou, thank you very much!" I knew you guys would come through with lots of good suggestions/info. FM, I sent you a PM seeking more info. I don't have a long gun, other than the Winchester 250 .22 my dad gave me when I was 12. (o; I haven't ruled out bringing the Browning 12 gauge pump with some slugs but I do have a fair amount of confidence in the Dan Wesson 44 mag, especially with the Buffalo Bore's.

One thing I learned in all my years of boating is that when something fails there are only three possibilities: 1. You do without (usually not an option), 2. You fix what broke (usually not doable absent parts, tools and know how) and 3. You pull out a spare, slap it on and get on with your day. My truck and trailer are equipped accordingly.

 

[Snowbandit]

Food?????? Has anybody mentioned food? Pack the canned goods as close to the floor as you can because they're heavy and you don't want the trailer top heavy.

Change out the fuel filter on the truck if it hasn't been done recently and maybe toss a set of bearings and extra seal for the trailer wheels in your tool box.

Don't forget the chemicals for the black water tank on the trailer either. It's going to be warm and those tanks can get pretty ripe in a hurry.

 

[jimmyj]

12 gauge shotgun with buckshot and slugs

 

[setxn]

Duct tape and a corkscrew! Both equally useful but not interchangeable.Have a good safe trip and please post pix later.

 

[feralmerril]

Capt steve, I never got the p.m. I think bow hunting for deer might be in season when you get there. Sombody I know just came back from otter lake and told me tonight that the area was beginning to fill up with archery hunters. That probley would fill up that great camping area I had just wrote about. I know there is regular overnight pay trailer camping grounds all over though. If you are comeing up from flagstaff on 89 I would take the 89a turnoff to jacob lake and see the north rim first, then I would find a place to drop the trailer somewhere near kanab, mt carmal junction, or even as far north as panguitch, drop the trailer and see zion. Bryce canyon, while high in elevation is fairly flat and wouldnt be as hard to tow as zion is. Capitol reef NP is worth seeing too!

 

[sw44spl]

you may need to get a copy of cody lundin's book {98.6 degrees the art of keeping your ass alive.}

 

[DOEBOY1]

I just got back from camping. If I had the money I would have bought a small generator just to cool the pop up down a bit, charge the battery on the lap top and heat the wifes coffee water in a hurry for her. I would also check to see if the alternator is charging the battery to the camper. Our camper was dead as a hammer so there was only sleeping going on no books for the kids, no lights to make the beds, and no fridge to keep anything cool when the ice melted. Seems our converter didn't charge the battery at all. Plus it rained most of the time we were there so dont forget the tarp and rope. A few other things that we forgot axe, shovel, can tomatoes, chairs, towels, 22 mag bullets for wife's fishing gun, and money. We had a good time matter of fact my wife is still there with the kids an her niece. I had to come back to work story of my life. Before I even got out of the campsite to go back home my youngest slammed his finger in the back of the suburban, the low voltage alarm went off in the camper, and I forgot to leave my wife any money before I left. This I heard half way home when she went out to make some calls. So most of all bring some patience with you and enjoy your trip. On a side note I stopped in a not too often pawn shop and just happen to find a nickle 4" model 57 in excellent shape. So don't forget your ffl. Doeboy

 

[Chef]

Take twice as much water as you think you'll need, especially if you are day hiking or just exploring. A compass can come in handy too! Hope you have a great trip!

 

[LVSteve]

However right here in cedar city a LEO was vacationing from florida in his motorhome parked overnight at walmart here in town. Some druggie tried to force his way in and the cop blew him away. Of course people here couldnt understand it and claimed he was a med student and not a druggie.
.......
Any trouble here will be from nuts, not animals.

Funny how folk in Utah don't believe their neighbours are bad after breeding Beau and Monique Maestas.

 

[feralmerril]

I wasnt familiar with those names. I had to google it. All that I can say is I belive you can find similar in every state. Hell, my mom ran off Ed gein when I was a kid in wisconsin when she seen him peaking in the window. A few years later my cousins husband that was sheriff arrested him for a couple counts of murder, cannibalism and grave robbery.
I once stayed at the primm casino at the california/nevada border. Got home and read about a murder of a little unattended girl in the casino bathroom in the wee hours. I had to have been there just a hour or two prior. No part of the country is immune.
Jeremy Strohmeyer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[m657]

Leave your itinerary with some friends....

camera, reading stuff....we've had fun making a little Journal entry in our Camper Log each trip....looking back at what you've done etc adds up over time.

Nice set up you've picked out there.

Dutch Oven always goes along these days with us.

Biscuit makings, even charcoal. Sometimes firewood for evening entertainment.

Sparkling mineral water.

Once a year I take along stuff to wax the truck on some trip or other as I don't seem to get around to it at home.

High Jacker, even though I've never had to use it....or at least the last 20 years, tow chain, clothes line rope, shower sack for sun showers...saves the trailer resources.

Oh...and have a GREAT time!!!

 

[Big Cholla]

IMHO, from looking at the picture of your rig, you would do well to put on some extension mirrors. While it is possible to make do, AZ and UT law requires mirrors wider than the trailer. And the wider mirrors make backing into some of those camp spots much easier. ...... Big Cholla