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Why Isn’t My Shower Draining?

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Why Isn’t My Shower Draining?

This tip applies directly to the Scamp travel trailer, but may also be relevant to other small travel trailers.  Toward the end of our 9 day trip to Lake Tahoe, we noticed that our shower floor wasn’t draining very quickly (even with the water pump running).

When we got home, I called Scamp and they told me to check the water filter under the trailer.  The drain waters from both the sink and the shower (grey water) are pumped to the grey tank, but first pass through a filter to remove debris to help protect the pump and give it a longer life span.

I peered under the front of the trailer and quickly found the water filter, a black cylindrical plastic case with a clear top sitting between two clear hoses (see photo 1) .  One of these hoses leads directly to the water pump.  It didn’t take too much effort to twist the clear plastic top off the case.

The cylindrical metal screen pops right out.  In our case, it was completely clogged with a lot of debris.  It only took a few seconds to wash it off with a hose.  Once clean, it should be put back into the case and the top twisted back on to close.

We immediately saw that after cleaning the water filter, the shower water again drained very quickly like when we first started using the Scamp in February 2020.

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

 

5 Essential Items for Theft Protection

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Five Essential Items for Theft Protection

Although it may be completely impossible to prevent your small trailer from getting stolen, there are a number of inventive products which could make a thief think twice about taking your trailer.  Often criminals are opportunists and will take advantage of easy targets, so these products will raise the bar on how easy a target your trailer will be.

The first product we recommend is a heavy duty wheel clamp.  The clamp works by securing heavy duty metal arms around one trailer wheel (no need to buy two).  The adjustable arms are locked into place and prevent the wheel from rotating due to a long metal bar that comes out and rests on the ground.   Being bright orange and yellow it will be highly visible to thieves.

This is the heavy duty wheel clamp we use:  CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

If you want a 2 pack:  CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

The next recommended product is a universal coupler lock.  This is a small metal ball mechanism that fits inside your coupler after you detach your hitch ball.  You lock it into place so that a thief cannot easily hitch up to your trailer and drive away.  This red universal coupler lock is simple to use and effective at blocking access to your coupler.

This is the coupler lock we use:  CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Following the universal coupler lock above, this next item is also a coupler lock but involves locking the coupler latching mechanism by inserting a metal rod through the hole and then screwing down a back plate and locking the mechanism with a key.  We use this not only at the campground to make sure thieves won’t be able to raise the handle so they can get their hitch ball into the trailer’s coupler, but also as an added safety mechanism to prevent the handle from the unlikely event of it popping open while driving.

This is the coupler lock we use:  CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

There are a couple more theft prevention devices we employ that are designed to protect other items from theft aside from our trailer.   We employ a locking trailer hitch pin.  It’s not really oriented to protecting the trailer from theft, but is meant to prevent the ball hitch mechanism attached to your vehicle from being removed.  We always leave this item locked onto our SUV as there is no need to remove it (unless you want to remove the hitch).   Here’s the one we use:  CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Lastly, we use a steel cable to lock down our portable RV surge protector (you will need a lock for this).  Here’s the one we use:  CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

 

 

Indispensable Wheel Chock Leveler

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Indispensable Wheel Chock Leveler

We purchased this leveling block initially as a way to prevent our Scamp from rolling forward in our garage when parked.  It is a large curved plastic wedge that can be inserted in front of one of the wheels on the trailer and will act as a wheel chock to help prevent the trailer from moving in a forward direction.  We use it in our garage at home just as a safeguard.

We discovered, however, the primary selling point of this device on our way up to Lake Tahoe.  We stayed overnight on a residential street in Oakland in front of my sister Hilary’s house.  The street is significantly sloped side to side and our Scamp trailer sat at a pretty large angle which would have made living in the Scamp uncomfortable.  After inserting this wedge in front of the Scamp tire on the lower side, I drove the Scamp forward on the wedge until the Scamp was just about sitting level (this was at about the maximum height of 4 inches that the wedge allows).  When the Scamp tire was at the top of the wedge (don’t go too far or you will either drive off the end or the tire won’t be resting firmly on the wedge), and being satisfied of the height, we inserted the second part of the wedge on the trailing edge.  The result was a nice level trailer and comfortable place to spend the night!

Note:  The Red/Yellow Trailer Lock Wheel Clamp pictured is a separate purchase.

Only one leveler chuck is needed per axle:  CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

Why & How We Fit Our Scamp in the Garage

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Why & How We Fit Our Scamp in the Garage

A fantastic trait of small travel trailers is that you can sometimes fit them your garage!  One reason this is a great thing is because trailer storage fees are one of the biggest ongoing expenses of owning an RV and one that stops many from considering buying one.  It’s not uncommon for monthly trailer storage fees to be between $200 and $300 per month for average sized trailers in big cities.  And even dirt cheap storage fees charged by outdoor lots can easily run $50 – $100 per month.  Someone paying just $85 per month is paying over $1,000 per year, or over 6% of the total cost of their trailer (e.g. $16K trailer), every year on storage fees!!!  These fees can really add up over the years!

Another great reason for storing your small travel trailer in your Garage is that it will be out of the elements.  The sun can take a tremendous toll on a trailer with the UV rays damaging tires, outdoor rubber/plastic window trim and parts (including plastic tail lights), and even potentially damaging interior window shades and other visible interior elements.   UV damage is one of the biggest causes of an RV’s value loss.  Rain is another element that can potentially damage a trailer by seeping in and ruining the interior or causing mold, and hail can damage the exterior finish of the trailer.  Pests, such as rodents, have easier access to a trailer if it is left outside and can do considerable damage (e.g. chewing wires, defecating inside the RV….).  The trailer’s battery can also be more vulnerable to all of the above if left outside.

There are many other additional reasons why storing your trailer in your garage is a good idea.  The trailer is less vulnerable to theft or vandalism.  You can provision your trailer for an upcoming trip very easily without having to drive to a storage lot.  In addition, you can prep for the trip a day in advance without have to load it at the last minute; and it’s even possible to turn on and fill the refrigerator the day before you leave.  If you have a sewer cleanout in your garage (and if it’s allowed by local laws), you can dump your tanks in your garage (after a trip, before a trip, and allowing you to test the water systems at home without having to potentially drive somewhere and paying a fee to dump).  And, if your trailer needs work and you want to tinker on it, it’s much easier to work on it in your garage than having to bring all your tools to a storage location (and finding an allowed work area and electricity at the storage facility).  Lastly, having your trailer in your garage will make it easy for you to charge the battery weekly so that it maintains proper voltage.

I was told by Scamp when I first started my inquiry that their 13’ Scamp will clear an 8 foot garage height.  Since we live in a Community HOA, it would not be possible to store our Scamp on the street.  It would have to be stored at a storage lot or inside our garage.  For all the above benefits of home storage, we really wanted to make the garage option work.  Our tract home in Carlsbad has the typical low 7 foot garage height clearance.  My initial research revealed that some people claimed success with getting their Scamps into their 7 foot high garages by removing the Scamp’s wheels and sliding it into the garage riding on tiny rims and deflated tires.  This is an option I didn’t want to try since it involved work each time the Scamp would be moved.

Instead, we decided on seeing if we could raise our garage height.  The big questions were if the height could be raised and, if so, how much would it cost.  Since we live in an HOA, the first requirement was that the HOA approve the project.  We were required to submit before and after renderings showing what the garage looked like before and what it would look like after it was raised to over 8 feet.  Fortunately, my brother-in-law, Bob, is an artist and used an image I took of the garage and modified it to show a very realistic picture of what it would like after raising the garage height.  After about a month, we received our HOA approval.  I then called a Contractor I had worked with in the past to get a quote.  He came out and said he thought it was very doable and gave us a very reasonable estimate for the work ($3,155) which would take less than a week.  He recommended we get a Permit for the project to do it legally and also add value to the home (as an 8 foot garage with Permit could be a highly desirable feature when selling the home in the future).  In order to get a Permit from the City of Carlsbad, we would first need to submit engineering plans.  This required getting an architect and providing a set of our home plans (which the City of Carlsbad obtained by contacting the developer of our community).  Having the plans made the job much easier for the architect and, in turn, less expensive for us.  The architect’s fee for the job was $1,500.

Once we submitted the plan to the City (there was a small building permit fee), our plans got approved within a couple of weeks.  With approved plans in hand, we called our Contractor back and let him transform the garage height from 7’ 1” to 8’ 1”.  It took about a week and worked out great!  We were fortunate in that the perfect height was created just by removing the short vertical pieces (cripples) between the big major cross beam that runs the width of the garage above the garage door (garage header) and the beam above it.  New higher posts and braces were installed to support the elevated header.  New drywall was also installed inside to cover the new beams.  A City inspector came out a couple of times to approve all the work and finally to issue the final Permit.  One last expense was having a new 8 foot garage door installed (along with new parts).  We took the opportunity to get an insulated garage door to keep the temperature in the garage more moderate as well as to better reduce street noise.  Cost for the garage door installed with parts was $1,355.

The total project cost for raising the garage height was about $6,000.  Sure, this amount could pay for years of offsite trailer storage (5 years @ $100 / month).  However, factoring in all the benefits of home storage, the annual savings of storage fees for the entire time we use our garage to store a small trailer, and the potential for increasing the home’s value by having an elevated garage height, we are extremely happy we undertook this project.  It is nice knowing the Scamp is safe in the garage and ready to go for our next trip!

Note:  It is very important to check the slope of your driveway as it could impact the ability of the Scamp roof to clear the garage height, even if the garage is raised to 8’ 1”.

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

 

Ordering Our 2020 Scamp:  Choosing a Model, Picking Options, and the Price

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Ordering Our 2020 Scamp:  Choosing a Model, Picking Options, and the Price

Scamp makes 3 different model lengths (one of which is the 19 foot 5th wheel which mounts on top of a pickup truck).  We were choosing between the 13 foot and 16 foot models since we don’t have a pickup truck and we wanted the Scamp to fit in our garage (after increasing the garage height from 7 to 8 feet high).  Both models come with and without bathrooms as well as some different layout choices and a Deluxe hardwood option.  Both size models are very similar, except the 16’ model allows for some additional layout possibilities.  People like the 16’ Scamp because some additional configuration choices include the ability for the bed to be kept down all the time and still have a side kitchen table and there is also a front bunk option to sleep more people.

We had never seen a Scamp before in person and initially only had the Scamp company website and YouTube videos to help us make a selection.  Fortunately, Scamp maintains an owner referral network and our Scamp salesman Alan gave us a recent buyer’s contact information.  I contacted Dana by email and she was very excited to have us over to her storage facility to check out her Scamp 16’.  She spent a lot of time with us inside her trailer and told us a few stories as well!  She mostly uses her trailer boondocking without hookups and showed us her briefcase solar panel to make off grid camping more enjoyable.  Dana loves her Scamp and customized it with unique drapes and decals.  She highly recommended Scamp.

After evaluating Dana’s trailer, our garage length, and the ways we planned to use the trailer, we thought the 13’ model would be perfect for us.  We don’t mind converting the bed to the dinette twice a day as it only takes a couple of minutes.   This actually gives us a much bigger dinette than if we had a 16’ with a side dinette and left the bed down all the time.  Additionally, we liked the idea of a shorter and lighter trailer for towing and having a few extra feet in the garage to give us more space.  Also, there are at least a couple of State Parks we planned to visit (e.g. D.L. Bliss in Lake Tahoe) that have trailer length limits of 15’ maximum.  The real clincher was the fact that the larger 54” full size bed is only available on the 13’ Standard or the 16’ Deluxe (which is much heavier and costlier than the 13’ Standard).  After doing considerable research online and taking some measurements, we knew for sure we wanted the 54” bed since we are two people!   I think if there are three people, the 16’ model is a better choice as it allows for additional sleeping space.  All the layouts can be viewed on the Scamp website here.

It didn’t take us too long to decide the Scamp 13’ Standard with 54” bed and bathroom was the right choice for us.  We never considered getting a trailer without a toilet and shower, so we didn’t have to decide on this option.  However, many people do buy Scamps without bathrooms and, instead, elect to use the facilities at the campgrounds (preferring the additional space for living over the convenience of an inside shower and toilet).   I prefer to avoid using public facilities and wasn’t going to make it a habit while traveling in a trailer, so a nice shower and bathroom was a must for us!  This choice has been validated many times for us on our first few trips (especially during the Pandemic now)!!!

The ordering process was pretty easy after deciding on the Standard 13’ Scamp with 54” full size bed and bathroom.  Alan, our Scamp sales rep., went through a list of options over the phone and explained any that we had questions about.  We ordered most options except the AC (since the trailer wouldn’t fit in our garage with it).  Shower & Toilet, check.  City Water (Std. with bath pkg.), check.  We ordered the Group 27 (larger) battery which stores more power and is useful for dry camping.  We added electric brakes (along with a brake controller) for the trailer which sync up with the car’s brakes for smoother control of the Scamp when braking.  One big option we ordered was the TV package ($800) which provides a digital TV in the Scamp along with a cable run to the outside and a digital TV antenna on the roof.  It’s a really nice package if you every want to watch over the air TV or cable at a RV park, streaming TV such as Netflix when you have WiFi, or use the TV to display movies played from your phone.  We found the over the air HD images to be crystal clear and a nice option when travelling to different cities (especially if you want to see local news or weather), but not so helpful at park campgrounds where non-existent or weak TV signals are the norm.  We added a ROKU to our TV on our own so we can watch SLING TV, Netflix, and Amazon Prime in addition to over the air TV when within a WiFi network.  We also download movies from Netflix and Amazon Prime and have a cable that allows my Samsung Galaxy S8 to display the movies on the Scamp TV (great for situations when no TV or WiFi signal is available).

We also ordered dual propane tanks which I think is really helpful because it can be difficult to know when a tank is near empty and with two tanks you can easily switch to the full tank when the first runs out of fuel and then refill the first tank when back home.  I think I would probably have two composite Viking tanks shipped directly to Scamp though (since you can see the liquid in the tank and they are apparently safer) if I ever ordered another Scamp again.  We added most of the other options [such as the electric/gas hot water heater, furnace, porch lights, 12V roof fan (a must), vinyl floor, outside GFI outlet (I recommend also adding a 12V outlet outdoors so you can use 12V pumps for tires), 2 LED reading lights, stove cover, and two additional 120V outlets (rear & kitchen area).]  We did not order a sink in the bathroom as it’s a small space and there is the kitchen sink which is almost an arm’s reach outside the bathroom door.  We opted for no exterior Scamp decals as we initially thought we would vinyl wrap the trailer, but later changed our minds when we saw how glossy and cool the White coating looks – very spaceship like.  Our total build price was $16,556 and we opted for home delivery (delivery price varies according to region) at $2,195 (Minnesota to San Diego).  We were told that the delivery driver would not sleep in or use anything inside the Scamp.  So, the total cost for the trailer was less than $20k.  Note – prices generally increase gradually every year.   ***We did decide after our first trip that the cushions were a bit too hard for us to sleep on, so we had softer cushions made locally (topic of future blog post).

The Scamp delivery driver, Ron, was extremely nice.  He called us in advance to arrange a good delivery date and kept us informed on his status during the three day drive to our home.  He had the Scamp washed the morning of the delivery and did a general walk through of the trailer when he arrived at our home.  We gave him a Cashier’s check upon delivery and we were now in the Scamp owner’s club!

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

 

Observatory Campground, Palomar Mountain

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Observatory Campground, Palomar Mountain July 29 – 30, 2020

Observation Campground is a California State Park located at about 5,000 feet above sea level on Palomar Mountain in the Cleveland National Forest (in San Diego County on the La Jolla Indian Reservation). It’s a popular spot for viewing the stars and, hence, named after the Palomar Observatory at the top of the mountain. There are cement telescope pads throughout the park each marked with N (North) for assisting stargazers by their campsites. During normal Summer times, astronomers set up their telescopes and allow anyone who has a desire to view the stars to peer through their lenses. But, these aren’t normal times and we didn’t see any astronomers with telescopes!

About half of the 1.5 hour drive from our home near the coast in Carlsbad (San Diego) was driving inland on the freeway and the rest of the time was spent winding up the mountain. The small towns at the base of the mountain have an abundance of citrus groves and fruit stands. There are about 27 sites available for RV camping. We paid $23 / night for our site #40 which was perfectly located in the middle of the meadow and a great location to view the stars. It’s a nice long and wide single site. They also had plenty of available sites that were marked first come first serve only.
Make sure to print out your reservation, as we found there is no cell phone coverage at this campground and some people were parked in our spot when we arrived. They insisted the spot was theirs. Fortunately, we pulled out our paper reservation and after some head shaking they eventually admitted they probably had reserved the spot for the day before. This campground is self-serve: no check-in procedures, no visitor center, no clearly marked trails – all on the honor system.

When we arrived in the late afternoon it was hot (in the high 80s) and buggy, but it cooled off quickly once the Sun went down. We watched a couple of Amazon Prime series episodes in the Scamp until after sunset and the temperatures had cooled. The mosquitos came out at night which made watching the stars a little unpleasant, until we started spraying our essential oils! Then, they eventually stopped bugging us (literally)!
The evening happened to have a very bright half-moon; so bright we could see our shadows. So we were not able to see the NEOWISE comet, nor the Milky Way. However, we still had a nice view of meteors, satellites, and some of the planets (Jupiter, Saturn). Next time we go stargazing, a New Moon night is a must. We were the only ones in an RV. Everyone else at the park was tent camping. There are restrooms and water spigots throughout the small park, but no hookups or dumps for RVs. We used our solar briefcase in the afternoon which kept our battery at a good level throughout the night (and filled our Fresh tank before leaving home).

We broke the solemn 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. campground quiet hours by accident when we decided to grab the mattress topper out of our SUV at 11:38 p.m. The meadow was completely quiet until I inadvertently hit the panic button on my remote (opposite side of door unlock). Car horns and flashing lights really amplify in a dark meadow, especially when everyone is asleep! Fortunately, I was able to deactivate the alarm after several seconds (which seemed more like 30!).

We tried hiking the Observatory Trail in the morning (which had tons of annoying flies) and made it about halfway into the 2.2 mile hike until we were forced to climb up to the road (as the trail turned into a dry creek and was blocked by vegetation). We walked the rest of the way to the Palomar Observatory (run by Cal Tech) on the road. Due to the Pandemic, the observatory was closed and we only really got a glimpse of it through the trees on the side of the road (although, our drone captured some nice images).

Perhaps next time we will try visiting in the winter when it will be cooler with less bugs. But, it’s known to snow here in the winter. Beware: many of the Palomar Mountain campgrounds have narrow roads not passable with two vehicles.

Why We Bought an RV and Chose a Small Travel Trailer

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Why We Bought an RV and Chose a Small Travel Trailer

I always thought it would be an adventure to be able to travel around the U.S. and Canada over land and visit State and National parks.  However, making the final decision to actually buy an RV took some time.  There were a lot of considerations such as what type to get, how big it should be, where to store it, and if it really was worth the expense versus just staying at hotels.  This was all before the Pandemic hit which now would seem to make some of these decisions no brainers.

In considering the different types of RVs, I long thought I would enjoy travel trailers the best.  I didn’t really want to drive a motor home around and have to find parking places and storage for it or have to deal with the engine / transmission maintenance.  I also wanted to easily be able to drive around the area after we arrived somewhere without having to navigate and park a big rig.  I considered a Sprinter type van but knew I didn’t want that as my daily car and didn’t want to have the van sitting out in front of my house since it wouldn’t fit in the garage.  Additionally, the Sprinter would need registration and insurance similar in cost to another car (and possibly even more expensive as the Sprinter can cost over $80K).  Also, I didn’t want to risk paying a lot of money for something that we might not want to keep for more than a few years.

I always thought Airstreams were outstanding designs.  Its streamlined aerodynamic metallic look as well as its history with NASA seemed very appealing for someone into aviation and design.  My wife and I went to a couple of Airstream dealerships and sat in some of them.  The designs are sleek and the interiors very appealing.  We spent time considering different models and doing more research on them.  A friend of ours had a 27 footer and sold it a couple years after buying it new.  He said it was just too much to pull and navigate around towns.  After taking a closer look at a 25 foot International and considering the cost of the Airstream, the weight of the trailer, and the price of a capable truck to pull it, the total would be well over $100K; we shelved the idea.  We wanted something reasonable in cost and light weight since we didn’t know if we would like camping, and also something that would be easy to tow and welcome at the smallest parks.  It would also be nice to have something that would fit in driveways for stayovers at friends and family.

After a lot of online research, I identified a trailer called Safari Condo Alto as being something that would maybe meet our criteria.  This Quebec City manufactured trailer is super stylish, extremely light, and has a great interior layout.  We would be able to tow it with an SUV.  They even have a model with a retractable roof to allow for additional height and window area.  We flew to Quebec City for a mini vacation and visited the showroom.  The people were very nice and we really liked the Alto (non-retractable roof version).  We put a deposit down on one, but ultimately decided that since the trailer was fairly unique and the only place that could provide factory service is in Quebec City and we live in San Diego, California that it would be better if we purchased a trailer made in the USA which could either be serviced locally or within the US.  Safari condo was very nice in refunding our deposit.  I think we would have been very happy with the Alto and we have seen a number of them at campgrounds at which we have stayed.

I noticed a stylish little trailer on a ferry in Canada and decided to visit Little Guys Trailers in San Diego to check out the model.  The NuCamp TAB trailers are tear drops and are light and easy to maneuver while towing.  Additionally, they will fit in small spaces.  At about this time, we thought it would be really cool to be able to store a trailer in our garage and these TAB trailers would qualify in this regard.  That way, we could avoid storage costs and also have access to the trailer for doing anything we want to it such as adding things, and decorating.  And by having it at home, we could prep the trailer so it would be ready to leave the next day without having to run out to a storage facility first (including filling up the Fresh tank and dumping using our existing Sewer cleanout).  We really liked the TAB 320S as it had everything we wanted in it including kitchen, bathroom, and dinette which converts to a bed.  The sales people at Little Guys were great and explained that any trailer in California 16 feet or under avoids the annual registration (saving hundreds of dollars per year) and qualifies for a PTI (Permanent Trailer Identification) instead, which only has to be renewed every 5 years for $10!!!  With a couple of more visits and careful thought we ended up scrapping our plans for a TAB 320S.  The deal breaker was that the interior height is only five feet nine inches, which meant I had to bend my head whenever standing up in it.

We met a helpful neighbor who lived next door while we were on a house sitting trip to Northern California.  She had a trailer in the driveway and we started a conversation letting her know we were looking for a trailer.  She immediately recommended the “best trailer” she ever had, a fiberglass “egg”.  Her favorite trailer she had owned was a Casita (made in Texas), but she said a very comparable trailer was made in Minnesota called the Scamp, and she encouraged us to look at both models.  Because these “eggs” are fiberglass, they tend to last much longer than most other types of trailers and may have fewer issues (e.g. not prone to water leaks).  They are extremely light and easy to maneuver and set up.  We researched both and picked the Scamp because of the more generous interior head room (6’3”) as well as the 13 foot length option.  The 13’ Scamp is also considerably lighter than the shortest Casita model.  We also learned that the Scamp is a cult icon and Scamp trailers built in the 1970s are still on the road!  There are Scamp camping meets every year and many Scamp owners who attend these events become lifelong friends.  Another great aspect with these “eggs’ is their price – which generally run below $20K for a nicely outfitted new model and tend to hold their value really well.  In addition, they can be towed with most SUVs and even some cars so an expensive heavy duty truck is not a required additional purchase.  Although not dirt cheap, these eggs are still modestly priced when compared to other types of trailers.

After finally feeling like we found a trailer that would suit us, I called Scamp and placed our order in May 2019 (about a 7 month waiting time is usual).  The salespeople were very nice and walked us through the entire process, which included picking options from a long list since all Scamps are custom orders.  We pretty much got most options except for the AC which would sit too high on the trailer’s roof to fit into our garage, which we still had to modify (I will write about this in a future blog post).  Note:  there are now low profile ACs that may allow the Scamp trailer to fit under an 8’ garage height opening and Scamp usually is willing to work with the customer on special requests.

I received an email from Scamp in September 2019 advising that our trailer was about ready to start production and to confirm options choices.  I called on the phone and we reviewed everything along with things like outlet placements.  I also wanted to add a digital tank monitor so we could see what percentage full our tanks were and they did this as well for a small service fee (I had the part shipped from an online store directly to Scamp).  We opted to pay a Scamp driver to deliver our trailer from Minnesota since we didn’t have the time right before Thanksgiving to make the trip (although I’ve read many owners highly recommend visiting the Scamp factory).  Our 2020 13’ Standard Scamp trailer with bathroom and larger bed showed up at our door right before Thanksgiving 2019!

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

 

San Diego to Lake Tahoe (9 Days)

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San Diego to Lake Tahoe (9 Days) June 19th – 27th, 2020

This third Scamp adventure would be our longest trip to date and one in which we would test many of the Scamps systems.  We designed the trip so we would keep overall daily drive times to around four hours or less.  We packed the Scamp with enough food, drinkable water, and clothes so that we wouldn’t have to go shopping or eat out during the trip.

Our first stop, a 3 ½ drive from home, was at my cousin Jon’s house in Santa Barbara which is close to the beach.  He has a long level driveway on which we would park the Scamp and stay overnight.  But, upon rolling into the sloped driveway entrance, the bottom of the jack plate scraped the concrete.  We spoke to a helpful neighbor who works at a Sprinter conversion company and he recommended we flip our hitch (so instead of a 2 ½” drop it would have a ½” rise).  It appeared the hitch was rated for using it both ways and it does have “Drop” and “Rise” markings on it, so we took the hitch off the SUV and had a local shop remove the ball and flip it (as the nut was extremely hard to remove and pneumatic tools made it possible).  After the hitch was flipped, we found the jack plate easily cleared the driveway and actually made the Scamp level with the tow vehicle and easier to tow.  So, this turned out really well.  Once nicely in the driveway, we were able to hook up the Scamp to electric (make sure to bring your 30A to 110V converter cord!) and also City Water (hose).  We had a great time visiting my cousins Jon and Melvin.  We went for some long trail walks overlooking the ocean with my cousin Jon and Charlie (labrador) and had some nice meals in the Scamp (like salmon tortilla wraps).  It was a relaxing quiet evening and good night’s sleep in their driveway.  After breakfast, we took a long walk through Hope Ranch in the morning and tried to locate my old family home (but we think it was scrapped and rebuilt).  Our plan was to stay over again in a week on our way home.  We filled up our Fresh tank before leaving.  And to be conservative, we dumped our Grey and Black tanks at a 76 station on our way out of town since we didn’t know when we would have a chance again in the next several days.

The next leg was only about a two hour drive north to CP Farms in Paso Robles (an olive oil farm and Harvest Host site).  We arrived in the late afternoon and it was hot (95 degrees).  Harvest Hosts is an annual membership website where Hosts (mostly wineries, farms, and museums) provide “free” overnight stays with the expectation you buy something when visiting (we purchased a $22 bottle of olive oil from the farm).  Our Scamp doesn’t have AC, but the MaxxAir Fan is very good and although it was warm it was tolerable with the fan blowing hard, parked in the shade.  We opted not to pay for electric and water at CP Farms and found that our briefcase Solar Panel provided enough power for our electric needs (fan, water pumps, LEDs, etc.).  We used our propane for the refrigerator and hot water heater.  The WiFi here was also very weak.  There was a very friendly semi-feral cat named Nick who snuck into our Scamp when we weren’t looking (the door was left open for less than a minute) and when we returned we found him asleep on our dinette cushions!  The stars were brilliant here at night.  We checked the Scamp thoroughly to make sure Nick was not onboard before closing up and heading off to our next stop, Oakland.  We dumped at a Valero Station on the way out of town.

We headed next to my sister Hilary’s house in Oakland, about a 3 hour drive north from Paso Robles.  The entry slope on her driveway is very steep and even the rear bumper would have hit the driveway if we attempted to back in.  Instead, we parked on the street in front of her house.  But, the street is very sloped, so we used our special plastic ramp to level the trailer side to side.  Otherwise, being inside and sleeping in the Scamp would not have been too comfortable.  We set up our electric with an extension cord and adapter cable.  Instead of running a water hose across the sidewalk which could have created a tripping hazard due to the large diameter of the hose, we filled up the fresh tank.  Hilary made us a nice pizza lunch and our Nephew, Ro’e and his girlfriend Soph, made an excellent BBQ chicken salad for dinner.  We walked around the neighborhood in the evening and heard a lot of fireworks (which had been a nightly event for the past several months).  After breakfast, we walked at Redwood Gate Regional Park on trails in the woods.  We planned to return to my sister’s house in a few days after our time at D.L. Bliss State Park in Lake Tahoe.

The drive from Oakland to D.L. Bliss State Park in Lake Tahoe was about 4 hours.  We used the central Dump station upon arrival near the Ranger’s station before driving down to our spot at the lake (Site #160, a Premium site which costs $45 / night + $7.99 reservation fee).  All sites at D.L. Bliss are without hookups, although there are the central Dump station and water spigots around the park.  Our spot #160 was the closest to the lake and has a water spigot close by.  In order to back into the spot, we needed to drive past the site and down to the upper beach parking lot and turn around so we could have the right angle.  D.L. Bliss is a beautiful park and we could see the lake while sitting inside the Scamp!  We used our solar panels to charge our battery daily and had no issues with keeping our battery at 12.5 Volts the entire three day stay!  We did use the Dump station once in the middle of our visit and again on the way out.  There are plenty of fun things to do at Lake Tahoe.  We hiked part of the famous Rubicon Trail.  There are Aleutian Canadian Geese on the beach and they are very friendly. There are giant Jeffrey Pinecones under the Jeffrey pines. If you smell this pine’s bark it smells like butterscotch and vanilla with a smidge of pineapple!  We also hiked the higher Lighthouse trail to see the highest Lighthouse in the U.S. (no longer working and looks like an outhouse).  After breakfast one morning we tried out our new 2 person inflatable kayak. It was awesome launching from the beach right below our campsite and paddling along the coast. Sitting just above the water on a kayak gives another perspective of the lake’s natural beauty.

On our final day at D.L. Bliss, we went for a hike to a famous house called Vikingsholm (home of the Vikings): a 30 room mansion Summer home built overlooking Emerald Bay in 1929 by a British lady (Mrs. Knight) and designed by her brother in law, Lennart Palme (a famous Swedish architect). There is a steep 1 mile walk down to the beach where the home sits near the lake’s edge. Scandinavian architectural influences can be seen in the sod roof and unusual wooden eaves and carvings. The owner had a tea house constructed on the only island on the lake opposite her house that she frequented daily for her afternoon tea.  Angelica made gnocchi pasta with pesto sauce and veggies on the stove for lunch which was excellent. Following lunch, a freak thunder and lightning storm with pea sized hail hit. We were ok in the Scamp, but everyone else here had tents and we could see people frantically trying to weather protect them. We hiked to Balancing Rock after the storm in the evening. It’s a magnificent large rock that appears to be teetering on a small base.

We returned to Hilary’s house in Oakland and spent the night on the street again after our time at D.L. Bliss.  The next morning we drove from Oakland to Morro Bay, about a 3 ½ hour drive.  We stayed at a private park called Morro Dunes RV Resort which is across the street from the beach within sight of the famous Morro Rock.  We had a $55 / night premium spot (facing the beach) with full hookups (including cable TV – although we didn’t bring the necessary cable to hook up to our Scamp).  The WiFi at our spot was non-existent and the park was over crowded.  Although we really didn’t enjoy this place due to the crowds and proximity of RVs next to each other, we did have a great hike at Montana de Oro trail – a bluff trail overlooking the Ocean with plenty of wildlife to enjoy at every turn.

Drive time down to Santa Barbara from Morro Bay was around two hours.  We were back at my cousin Jon’s house and his nice long private driveway.  We fed lunch to my college-age cousin Melvin and took a long walk with Jon & Charlie (lab) along the shoreline’s bluff with fabulous views of numerous kite surfers down below.  We had another nice quiet night along with a relaxing morning walk within the Douglas Family Preserve.   The drive back to San Diego was about 3 hours and we were already thinking about our next trip!

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Date of Visit:  February 24 – 27th, 2020

Our first multi-day trip in our Scamp was in the desert at this beautiful State Park about a 2 hour drive from our home in San Diego. Our neighbor and friend Dewey organizes a trip here every February with a bunch of friends and invited us to come along this year.

We stayed in Borrego Palm Canyon campground within the park. The campground is surrounded by mountains, where the big horn sheep (borregos) can be spotted. We chose site #14 next to Dewey and we had full hookups. The full hookup spot cost us $35 / night plus a $7.99 online reservation fee through the California State Parks website.  If you are good with dry camping, less expensive sites can be reserved as well. There is a central dump and water available for dry campers.

The campground was very quiet and well organized, despite being very popular. We had some cell phone service with Verizon. It can be very hot here during parts of the year (e.g. Summer), so best to reserve Late Fall, Winter, or early Spring. There are nice trails (e.g. Surprise Canyon) and a great visitor center (with some nice t-shirts and other Anza mementos). The visitor center also provides short films on the desert as well as information on Ranger guided hikes.

Our days were spent relaxing in the Scamp, making meals, hiking on the trails, shopping in the visitor center and watching some nature movies there, going into town and visiting shops and restaurants, exploring the metal sculptures at Galleta Meadows, sitting by the campfire and enjoying nightly shared dinner with our bunch of friends, and watching the stars at night. With no moon, the heavens are incredibly bright and one can spend hours looking up and pondering the universe on a dark night.

The little town of Borrego Springs (a few miles away from the campground) offers some nice restaurants and some nice camping supply stores. It reminded of us of an old Western town lost in time from decades ago. We purchased some UV sleeves, UV buff, and a multiple stage metal canteen at one of the shops.

The things that we really enjoyed at Anza Borrego were the dramatic starry nights (pitch black space with millions and millions of stars), hiking on the desert trails, the desert metal sculptures at Goleta Meadows just outside the park, the great Mexican food at Carmelita’s,… and making new friends!