One Night Stands

I noticed that most people add a tent, shelter or screen room to their TD when they are staying in one place for a few days but I am curious about what you do when you are on the road and need to stop for just one night (and it might be raining). Do you rig a rain fly or small tent or nothing since you are just staying one night?

 

Sounds like a simple question, but I have a complex answer. It depends how early in the day did I stop? or how late on the following day will I be staying before departing? Would I get enough usefulness out of the side tent that's worth having a wet side tent or REI alcove in the back of the car? What's the weather forecast like for overnight/early morning? Will I regret it in the morning it I don't have a shelter?

Lots of decision points there, that filter through my head--making a seemingly easy decision likely way more complex than it needs to be. All that said, unless it's a forecast of really bad rain, I normally don't put up a shelter for 1 or even 2 night stays.

I think it also depends upon how limber one is (or isn't). Some people need the side tent regardless of weather.

 

For one night stays with rain I back the or pull the Outback close to side door and use the back hatch for cover. I am not shy and have changed under it several times....

 

Our vote is no. If you set up a shelter in the rain, then you'll need to set it up a day or two later after the rain has stopped to dry it out properly. It is generally more trouble than it is worth for an overnight stop.

One of the important benefits of owning a Camp Inn is that you get to practice being limber enough to change your clothes inside the camper each day you use it. It's hard to figure that out if you start out with the side tent.

When we experience rain the only change in our routine is to put our shoes into a plastic grocery bag before storing them in the cabin for the night. Traveling with a dog assures us that some of our bedding will get wet. When the rain stops, we dry it out at a laundromat.

We have an REI Alcove, and have discovered that it really isn't designed for anything more than light rain. If it rains hard, water pools up and stretches out the fabric. There are folks that have worked around this with elaborate bungee cord set ups, but once anything starts looking like it was designed by Rube Goldberg that is a good sign it is getting too complicated. We use ours for shade or a windblock, mainly when in the desert or out on the plains. Anywhere else and if there are nearby trees we chase the shade around as the sun moves, and try to arrange our van and camper to provide a sheltered side to escape the wind.

Anyone that is interested in messing up their camper's aerodynamics with a roof rack might find ARB awnings interesting. They attach to a rack system's cross bars or a metal wire storage basket. The downside is getting them mounted high enough to not be banging your head on the support bars. They work great with Jeeps with 35" wheels, but are a bit too low for other applications. These would be easy to deploy for quick use. And just as easy to deploy to dry out later.

http://www.autoanything.com/roof-r...=72470587208&gclid=CL-HpKa4q8kCFdgDgQodI-0JPg

 

Hi Steve L.! No, we don't set up a tent for one nighters even if it is raining. For longer stays, we set up an REI tent called the In-Camp (ironic, isn't it?), rain or shine. It serves as a living room! It is a great tent. Check it out on the REI website.

 

We have only had that situation once in our short time owning our TD. On our way home from picking it up, and after four days at CICO, we arrived at a campground just as darkness fell and the rain started. We did not put up either of our tents. We did not even unhitch the trailer. We went to bed very early, got up early the next morning and found the nearest Waffle House.

 

On our trip last summer we did not set up the side tent for single night stays to save time and energy after long days on the road.

 

Set up the canopy when we're on the fly? Nope. One night stays are usually us on the run to a specific destination and time ticks on while you're putting things up and down.

Rain really doesn't factor into it. A few years back we were in Estes Park and it was pouring. Poor Jim donned his "Nor-Easter" and still got drenched as he man-handled Spamalot into a tight little tent spot on a slippery slope (I kept guard inside the truck). We were out the next dawn, breakfasted in Boulder on the fly and headed straight for Kansas. A good thing too as most of the town was washed away a few hours later.

But that is a whole other story and yes, we will write about it very soon. Love to do it now, however so much on our plate. You know, life gets in the way of living sometimes and what you want to do is buried under what you need to do and....

What were we talking about?

Camp On,

Sue and Jim says

 

With the 25+ nights that we have camped with our 560 it rained all but three of them. If we were staying put camping for several days we put up a canopy, but if we were just pulling in for the night we did not use a canopy. We kept umbrellas by the door for the night time restroom runs along with using our slip on, rubber shower shoes. We kept our other shoes in the car for the morning when we were pulling out. We also did not unhook from the car on one nighters.

 

Yah, no setup for one-niters.... as noted above, usually traveling to the destination and if I'm not driving, I'm sleeping.

If raining, then that's why they have "Rain coats" (jackets) and learning to change inside.

Being a guy, the 3am night 'Nature call" runs are easier... with... well, pm me for details, but it's really quite simple and I used it all the time..

It's just a matter of planning and trying out various routines and options and then getting used to it.

Putting up and taking down a canopy each overnight is a PITA... thus, Rain coats & Pants... works great...

HTH

 

I still love my Sportbrella. Easy up for a short stay. Protection from rain or sun for the galley.

 

I usually set up the side tent if camping for 2 or more nights. A dry entry is one of the primary reasons I use it. It seems that the bathtub bottom is equally good at holding water in as keeping it out. When it pools close to the CI door it must be sponged out. I’m thinking of adding grommets on the corners as drains. Anyone worked out a different solution?

 

For me, 1 nighters aren’t worth the hassle. My wife feels differently. She will set up a side tent.

 

Most of my one nighters are in rest areas or truck stops so all I do is set the parking brake and jump inside if it’s raining. I have set up the kitchen if it’s not raining.

 

That sound familiar, except "she" isn't the one that sets it up

 

In my case, it is. My bride doesn't mind it --- so she wins Of course with a CI we're limited to either a camp site - its not like the full-on RV with walmart parking lots.

My goal though is that we live by our breakfast to 4pm travel days, with relaxed stops and low stress. The 20 hour drive days (Which I used to do) are just not conducive to slowing down and seeing the wonders that exist in this beautiful country we've been given.