Apparently my boondocking travel trailer has been sold. Tomorrow I drive up to Utah to pick up my new trailer, a rather standard cargo trailer.
Those who do something like this might be wise to order a trailer in the slow season, that is, any time but spring. Of course your winter location might be a long ways from your state of residence, where you will need to drive to, in order to register the trailer.
Because spring is the busy season, I would have had to wait ten weeks if I'd ordered a trailer just like I wanted. That pushes the conversion into the Dry Heat of June, quickly followed by the monsoons in July. Thus I bought one off the lot.
Doing a conversion needs more than just good hardware stores and lumber yards. It should benefit from a commercial infrastructure of "hard hat" and truck industries. There are remarkably few practical cities in the Four Corners area. Farmington NM is such a place, probably because of its oil and gas drilling economy.
Better yet, I found an RV park owner who was flexible, low budget, and full of common sense. I thought that such behavior was at least rare, and probably illegal, in this country. I need to park the old trailer (where I will live) next to the new trailer (being converted) for a month or so. Most RV parks would frown on that or charge you for two full hook-up sites. This fellow allowed me to move both into his small storage area for half of what a full hookup site would cost. (Remember, I have three vehicles there.)
What a great guy! Everything I need is one or two miles away. This has to be the best chance for an anti-RV-park person to put their aversion aside, temporarily. It is the sum of camping fees and transportation costs that need to be minimized. Obsessive free-camper-types can easily forget that. And yes, after a hard day of converting, I will take a non-navy shower in the campground's bathhouse.
Although the conversion will be my first and likely to be challenging, we should remember that there are many things worth doing that are not worth writing or reading about. My challenge will be to be helpful to readers, but to avoid drowning them in picayune details that won't carry over to their circumstances.
Those who do something like this might be wise to order a trailer in the slow season, that is, any time but spring. Of course your winter location might be a long ways from your state of residence, where you will need to drive to, in order to register the trailer.
Because spring is the busy season, I would have had to wait ten weeks if I'd ordered a trailer just like I wanted. That pushes the conversion into the Dry Heat of June, quickly followed by the monsoons in July. Thus I bought one off the lot.
Doing a conversion needs more than just good hardware stores and lumber yards. It should benefit from a commercial infrastructure of "hard hat" and truck industries. There are remarkably few practical cities in the Four Corners area. Farmington NM is such a place, probably because of its oil and gas drilling economy.
Better yet, I found an RV park owner who was flexible, low budget, and full of common sense. I thought that such behavior was at least rare, and probably illegal, in this country. I need to park the old trailer (where I will live) next to the new trailer (being converted) for a month or so. Most RV parks would frown on that or charge you for two full hook-up sites. This fellow allowed me to move both into his small storage area for half of what a full hookup site would cost. (Remember, I have three vehicles there.)
What a great guy! Everything I need is one or two miles away. This has to be the best chance for an anti-RV-park person to put their aversion aside, temporarily. It is the sum of camping fees and transportation costs that need to be minimized. Obsessive free-camper-types can easily forget that. And yes, after a hard day of converting, I will take a non-navy shower in the campground's bathhouse.
Although the conversion will be my first and likely to be challenging, we should remember that there are many things worth doing that are not worth writing or reading about. My challenge will be to be helpful to readers, but to avoid drowning them in picayune details that won't carry over to their circumstances.
Comments
Thank you, thank you, thank you Boonie; and I thought you were one of those. How wrong I was.
If you get the conversion done in a month you will be gone when I pass through Farmington. I'll keep track of your progress and perhaps find you as I move into NM.
It is too bad you could not get 'To Simplify' to join you in the conversion effort. Or have made it a Tribal effort with the Kodger adding his cargo trailer conversion experience. Good Luck!
My vote is for "Kaiser Stealthy" (The Usual Suspects). :)
G & Reagan in JAX, FL
What cargo trailer brand and size did you end up with?
What are you doing for your tow vehicle?
Jim & Gayle, I spent the night in the Utah Walmart last night, prior to picking up the the trailer, this morning. I thought about your recent bicycle theft at a Walmart. Actually I was sleeping with four bicycle in the back of the van; almost had a greasy chain in front of my face. But I was ready for the Bad Guys, at least!
G & Reagan, sibling rivalry has forced me to reclaim the lead in the number of houses owned over a lifetime. White boxes on wheels still count!
EdLFrey, my tribal wisdom will actually be tnttt.com, the cargo van topic.
Wayne, oh boy, now you've rattled my chain. All kidding aside, a cargo van pulling a cargo trailer would be a great stealth camper. That's fine for people who are in to that, but stealthiness does not interest me. Comfort, economy, and ground clearance do interest me.
Just giving you a hard time. Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.