(09-16-2026 05:22 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Day 6. I'm back! Couldn't post until I got access to this board on my phone, which I never used. That took web access on another device, which I just got tonight. Updates should be easier now.

Spent several days with my sister at a state park near Springfield IL. Very nice and serene.

Finally got to try some more beer cheese soup. Good, but not great like the first time. Maybe the legend overshadowed reality.

My sis is still with me. We drove from Springfield IL to Branson MO, and stopped in to visit my new friends Bob and Judy Pour, who own a lovely vineyard in Red Bud IL, The Pour Vineyard.

Now in Branson where we will stay a few days. Going to Camping World tomorrow to see if I can trade in my trailer for a truck camper which would fit in the back of my truck bed.

Much smaller and way less luxurious, but way easier to drive. That trailer is just too big a pain in the ass to hitch and unhitch, haul around everywhere, set up and break down, etc. Truck camper would be much simpler. And cheaper.

I'll let you know how it goes.

What’s the payload on your F150 (yellow tire loading sticker in door)? Truck campers on a half ton are hard because of payload. They used to make a F150 HDPP that had 2700 pounds of payload in a four door truck but they haven’t sold that in a while to my knowledge. They were pretty hard to find when they did.

With the height of modern truck beds there is also a non trivial amount of stairs to get up and down, a lot of times without a good handrail. Does your tailgate have the steps and handrail that come out? Some truck campers require tailgate off, some (normally smaller and lighter) work with tailgate down and you can use integrated tailgate steps if you have them.

Lance (probably largest truck camper manufacture) is doing a Squire brand truck camper with a bath. It’s probably the lightest truck camper with a wet bath. Capri makes some lighter slide in truck campers but without a wet bath. The Squire 610 weighs 1475 dry, but once you add air conditioning, battery, etc they weigh about 1700 pounds.

(09-17-2026 10:12 AM)U_of_Elvis Wrote:  

(09-16-2026 05:22 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Day 6. I'm back! Couldn't post until I got access to this board on my phone, which I never used. That took web access on another device, which I just got tonight. Updates should be easier now.

Spent several days with my sister at a state park near Springfield IL. Very nice and serene.

Finally got to try some more beer cheese soup. Good, but not great like the first time. Maybe the legend overshadowed reality.

My sis is still with me. We drove from Springfield IL to Branson MO, and stopped in to visit my new friends Bob and Judy Pour, who own a lovely vineyard in Red Bud IL, The Pour Vineyard.

Now in Branson where we will stay a few days. Going to Camping World tomorrow to see if I can trade in my trailer for a truck camper which would fit in the back of my truck bed.

Much smaller and way less luxurious, but way easier to drive. That trailer is just too big a pain in the ass to hitch and unhitch, haul around everywhere, set up and break down, etc. Truck camper would be much simpler. And cheaper.

I'll let you know how it goes.

What’s the payload on your F150 (yellow tire loading sticker in door)? Truck campers on a half ton are hard because of payload. They used to make a F150 HDPP that had 2700 pounds of payload in a four door truck but they haven’t sold that in a while to my knowledge. They were pretty hard to find when they did.

With the height of modern truck beds there is also a non trivial amount of stairs to get up and down, a lot of times without a good handrail. Does your tailgate have the steps and handrail that come out? Some truck campers require tailgate off, some (normally smaller and lighter) work with tailgate down and you can use integrated tailgate steps if you have them.

Lance (probably largest truck camper manufacture) is doing a Squire brand truck camper with a bath. It’s probably the lightest truck camper with a wet bath. Capri makes some lighter slide in truck campers but without a wet bath. The Squire 610 weighs 1475 dry, but once you add air conditioning, battery, etc they weigh about 1700 pounds.

Looked at truck campers at Camping World in Branson today, They were aluminum and light enough to work with an F-150, but they were just too small and too dark to live in full time.

So, I'm pretty much stuck with what I have. I love my F-150, and the inside of my trailer is great to live in, but it absolutely sucks to pull it with the F-150. And those tiny truck campers are just not going to cut it.

My F-150 has a carry weight of 1800 pounds, including driver, gear, tools and clothes. I'm okay with it.

(09-17-2026 04:45 PM)TripleA Wrote:  

(09-17-2026 10:12 AM)U_of_Elvis Wrote:  

(09-16-2026 05:22 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Day 6. I'm back! Couldn't post until I got access to this board on my phone, which I never used. That took web access on another device, which I just got tonight. Updates should be easier now.

Spent several days with my sister at a state park near Springfield IL. Very nice and serene.

Finally got to try some more beer cheese soup. Good, but not great like the first time. Maybe the legend overshadowed reality.

My sis is still with me. We drove from Springfield IL to Branson MO, and stopped in to visit my new friends Bob and Judy Pour, who own a lovely vineyard in Red Bud IL, The Pour Vineyard.

Now in Branson where we will stay a few days. Going to Camping World tomorrow to see if I can trade in my trailer for a truck camper which would fit in the back of my truck bed.

Much smaller and way less luxurious, but way easier to drive. That trailer is just too big a pain in the ass to hitch and unhitch, haul around everywhere, set up and break down, etc. Truck camper would be much simpler. And cheaper.

I'll let you know how it goes.

What’s the payload on your F150 (yellow tire loading sticker in door)? Truck campers on a half ton are hard because of payload. They used to make a F150 HDPP that had 2700 pounds of payload in a four door truck but they haven’t sold that in a while to my knowledge. They were pretty hard to find when they did.

With the height of modern truck beds there is also a non trivial amount of stairs to get up and down, a lot of times without a good handrail. Does your tailgate have the steps and handrail that come out? Some truck campers require tailgate off, some (normally smaller and lighter) work with tailgate down and you can use integrated tailgate steps if you have them.

Lance (probably largest truck camper manufacture) is doing a Squire brand truck camper with a bath. It’s probably the lightest truck camper with a wet bath. Capri makes some lighter slide in truck campers but without a wet bath. The Squire 610 weighs 1475 dry, but once you add air conditioning, battery, etc they weigh about 1700 pounds.

Looked at truck campers at Camping World in Branson today, They were aluminum and light enough to work with an F-150, but they were just too small and too dark to live in full time.

So, I'm pretty much stuck with what I have. I love my F-150, and the inside of my trailer is great to live in, but it absolutely sucks to pull it with the F-150. And those tiny truck campers are just not going to cut it.

My F-150 has a carry weight of 1800 pounds, including driver, gear, tools and clothes. I'm okay with it.

Did you scale your truck, your truck and trailer without the WDH, and your truck and trailer with the WDH bars connected? That would tell you your tongue weight, and how much weight the WDH is returning to the front on your truck. Sometimes the dealer doesn’t get it set up right the first time.

If you haven’t I would get the three scale weights and level ground photos of the truck and trailer from the side and post them to an rv forum and a grand design owners forum. They may have some hitch setup recommendations that can improve your towing experience.

Or get your scale weights they take it back to a dealer for a hitch resetup.

I had a separate dealer work on that today. He said I could drop another 3 grand on a more auto and less manual hitch setup, from Hensley, which also helps more with sway, but beyond that, I have pretty much maxed it out.

My advice has not changed, if you can afford it now but it might hurt a little 5+ years from now. Do what you need done if it will make your experience easier and more enjoyable. Dont forget, that while with experience a lot of upfront problems seem to get easier. This one will also unless age is faster than the time it takes to get use to. Most of us, and especially those with one foot in the nursing home (Joking), next year will not be as easy as now.

You know all of this already but probably just over thinking things....

You could always go on the hurt for a younger woman that likes traveling and let them help. Find you a big ole country OX. You also know it will cost you a lot more than that auto hatch, money and freedom lol

I tend to do that at times. The overthinking part, lol.

That's why even though I love the idea of a trailer I don't think I want to deal with the hassles of one. I've had a fifth wheel already and it does get old after a while. It's romanticized I think, all the freedom that they claim.

If my wife passes before I do I don't know whether to sell the house or not. I love my house and I would only need someone for companionship but that could become a hassles especially if they're not used to living in the same way as you, you know, messy and dirty and loud, I'm the opposite of that. I think I would room with someone and let them have the hassles of upkeep of their own home. If I want to travel I'll just rent one of those hotel rooms with a kitchen and use it as headquarters to roam around the area. But even that is starting to sound unappealing to me in my old age. It's not the same doing things when you're young as when you're old. You slow down and do the things you need to do only because you have to. For instance, I haven't done a thing with my backyard, and I'm glad I have plants that take care of themselves, some have died and I don't know why but I'm not worried anymore, no one comes to visit anymore so what's the point? Don't get me wrong, it still looks nice but not like I used to have it when I was younger, I was really proud of my backyard.

(09-17-2026 04:45 PM)TripleA Wrote:  

(09-17-2026 10:12 AM)U_of_Elvis Wrote:  

(09-16-2026 05:22 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Day 6. I'm back! Couldn't post until I got access to this board on my phone, which I never used. That took web access on another device, which I just got tonight. Updates should be easier now.

Spent several days with my sister at a state park near Springfield IL. Very nice and serene.

Finally got to try some more beer cheese soup. Good, but not great like the first time. Maybe the legend overshadowed reality.

My sis is still with me. We drove from Springfield IL to Branson MO, and stopped in to visit my new friends Bob and Judy Pour, who own a lovely vineyard in Red Bud IL, The Pour Vineyard.

Now in Branson where we will stay a few days. Going to Camping World tomorrow to see if I can trade in my trailer for a truck camper which would fit in the back of my truck bed.

Much smaller and way less luxurious, but way easier to drive. That trailer is just too big a pain in the ass to hitch and unhitch, haul around everywhere, set up and break down, etc. Truck camper would be much simpler. And cheaper.

I'll let you know how it goes.

What’s the payload on your F150 (yellow tire loading sticker in door)? Truck campers on a half ton are hard because of payload. They used to make a F150 HDPP that had 2700 pounds of payload in a four door truck but they haven’t sold that in a while to my knowledge. They were pretty hard to find when they did.

With the height of modern truck beds there is also a non trivial amount of stairs to get up and down, a lot of times without a good handrail. Does your tailgate have the steps and handrail that come out? Some truck campers require tailgate off, some (normally smaller and lighter) work with tailgate down and you can use integrated tailgate steps if you have them.

Lance (probably largest truck camper manufacture) is doing a Squire brand truck camper with a bath. It’s probably the lightest truck camper with a wet bath. Capri makes some lighter slide in truck campers but without a wet bath. The Squire 610 weighs 1475 dry, but once you add air conditioning, battery, etc they weigh about 1700 pounds.

Looked at truck campers at Camping World in Branson today, They were aluminum and light enough to work with an F-150, but they were just too small and too dark to live in full time.

So, I'm pretty much stuck with what I have. I love my F-150, and the inside of my trailer is great to live in, but it absolutely sucks to pull it with the F-150. And those tiny truck campers are just not going to cut it.

My F-150 has a carry weight of 1800 pounds, including driver, gear, tools and clothes. I'm okay with it.

Had a feeling full time you wouldn't want a truck camper full time. But if you are staying in one place for a month, unhitching might not bother you as much.

(09-18-2026 10:02 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(09-17-2026 04:45 PM)TripleA Wrote:  

(09-17-2026 10:12 AM)U_of_Elvis Wrote:  

(09-16-2026 05:22 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Day 6. I'm back! Couldn't post until I got access to this board on my phone, which I never used. That took web access on another device, which I just got tonight. Updates should be easier now.

Spent several days with my sister at a state park near Springfield IL. Very nice and serene.

Finally got to try some more beer cheese soup. Good, but not great like the first time. Maybe the legend overshadowed reality.

My sis is still with me. We drove from Springfield IL to Branson MO, and stopped in to visit my new friends Bob and Judy Pour, who own a lovely vineyard in Red Bud IL, The Pour Vineyard.

Now in Branson where we will stay a few days. Going to Camping World tomorrow to see if I can trade in my trailer for a truck camper which would fit in the back of my truck bed.

Much smaller and way less luxurious, but way easier to drive. That trailer is just too big a pain in the ass to hitch and unhitch, haul around everywhere, set up and break down, etc. Truck camper would be much simpler. And cheaper.

I'll let you know how it goes.

What’s the payload on your F150 (yellow tire loading sticker in door)? Truck campers on a half ton are hard because of payload. They used to make a F150 HDPP that had 2700 pounds of payload in a four door truck but they haven’t sold that in a while to my knowledge. They were pretty hard to find when they did.

With the height of modern truck beds there is also a non trivial amount of stairs to get up and down, a lot of times without a good handrail. Does your tailgate have the steps and handrail that come out? Some truck campers require tailgate off, some (normally smaller and lighter) work with tailgate down and you can use integrated tailgate steps if you have them.

Lance (probably largest truck camper manufacture) is doing a Squire brand truck camper with a bath. It’s probably the lightest truck camper with a wet bath. Capri makes some lighter slide in truck campers but without a wet bath. The Squire 610 weighs 1475 dry, but once you add air conditioning, battery, etc they weigh about 1700 pounds.

Looked at truck campers at Camping World in Branson today, They were aluminum and light enough to work with an F-150, but they were just too small and too dark to live in full time.

So, I'm pretty much stuck with what I have. I love my F-150, and the inside of my trailer is great to live in, but it absolutely sucks to pull it with the F-150. And those tiny truck campers are just not going to cut it.

My F-150 has a carry weight of 1800 pounds, including driver, gear, tools and clothes. I'm okay with it.

Had a feeling full time you wouldn't want a truck camper full time. But if you are staying in one place for a month, unhitching might not bother you as much.

Exactly the conclusion I came to. My plan is to go to an area of interest, stay a few days or weeks, then move on. The travel sucks, but the freedom to move around untethered is nice. If it ever gets old, I'll likely sell the trailer, keep the truck and move in with my sister.

Don't anybody tell her yet. Lol

I would bet money her new home will have a "brother suit" built on....


After I retired (well retired in I choose if I wanted to work) my wife and I spent the next 5+ years traveling 2 to 3 weeks out of at least 10 months a year. Mostly following WKU's sports then areas/ beach/ocean, till the next game. Home games we got there the night before or used that as as "week" at home. In one year I drove to Ft Lauderdale and back to KY....13 times. After year 6 we slowed down on away games sports and traveling other than PC Beach 4 or 5 times and Ft Lauderdale a couple times a year.

Enjoy it, deal with problems, minor and major the same way, they are a part of traveling and in the big picture problems you have the ability to solve are not worth over thinking. I have a feeling it will get old a lot quicker than you think, doing it solo. Hope I'm wrong on that but to me experiencing things is not as enjoyable, without someone there to enjoy it with.

Stay safe, I think most of us posting in this thread have come to be invested in this stage of your life. Even as strangers, we get concerned about you.

(09-18-2026 11:35 AM)WKUYG Wrote:  I would bet money her new home will have a "brother suit" built on....


After I retired (well retired in I choose if I wanted to work) my wife and I spent the next 5+ years traveling 2 to 3 weeks out of at least 10 months a year. Mostly following WKU's sports then areas/ beach/ocean, till the next game. Home games we got there the night before or used that as as "week" at home. In one year I drove to Ft Lauderdale and back to KY....13 times. After year 6 we slowed down on away games sports and traveling other than PC Beach 4 or 5 times and Ft Lauderdale a couple times a year.

Enjoy it, deal with problems, minor and major the same way, they are a part of traveling and in the big picture problems you have the ability to solve are not worth over thinking. I have a feeling it will get old a lot quicker than you think, doing it solo. Hope I'm wrong on that but to me experiencing things is not as enjoyable, without someone there to enjoy it with.

Stay safe, I think most of us posting in this thread have come to be invested in this stage of your life. Even as strangers, we get concerned about you.

Hey man, that's one of the kindest posts anyone has ever made about me. Thanks.

"I have a feeling it will get old a lot quicker than you think, doing it solo. Hope I'm wrong on that but to me experiencing things is not as enjoyable, without someone there to enjoy it with." wkuyg

I know I wouldn't want to travel alone, no how, no way. Part of the enjoyment of seeing new places is seeing them with someone you're close to. If I traveled alone I'd probably be like this mechanic at the airport who used to talk to himself and really, he would also answer himself too, I'd be like that.

There's videos on YT where people travel alone and do it in a van. They say that they enjoy it but I think that they're lying. Maybe, they enjoy it a little but I'll bet you that they wished someone was with them. Some of those people are ladies and pretty darn good looking too. That takes guts on their part.

Tomorrow, we are moving to an RV park right next downtown Branson, on Lake Taneycomo.

Checking out Thursday, then Nancy will head back toward Memphis, and I will finally head west. Not sure where first. Probably Rushmore, then Utah, then Grand Canyon. Or maybe backwards from that itinerary, depending on weather outlook.

(09-19-2026 10:10 AM)TripleA Wrote:  Tomorrow, we are moving to an RV park right next downtown Branson, on Lake Taneycomo.

Checking out Thursday, then Nancy will head back toward Memphis, and I will finally head west. Not sure where first. Probably Rushmore, then Utah, then Grand Canyon. Or maybe backwards from that itinerary, depending on weather outlook.

Arizona and Southern Utah might still be hot. Its still hot in Atlanta.

Understand that Southern Utah is every bit as hot as Las Vegas and Phoenix.

(09-19-2026 10:09 AM)olliebaba Wrote:  "I have a feeling it will get old a lot quicker than you think, doing it solo. Hope I'm wrong on that but to me experiencing things is not as enjoyable, without someone there to enjoy it with." wkuyg

I know I wouldn't want to travel alone, no how, no way. Part of the enjoyment of seeing new places is seeing them with someone you're close to. If I traveled alone I'd probably be like this mechanic at the airport who used to talk to himself and really, he would also answer himself too, I'd be like that.

There's videos on YT where people travel alone and do it in a van. They say that they enjoy it but I think that they're lying. Maybe, they enjoy it a little but I'll bet you that they wished someone was with them. Some of those people are ladies and pretty darn good looking too. That takes guts on their part.

Ollie, I have never lived alone before. I would love for someone to travel with, but they are either dead or otherwise occupied with their own lives. I prefer company, but am willing to go it alone. Beats sitting in the house where my wife died, waiting to join her.

Besides, I have a sister, 2 daughters and a large group of friends, including many of you guys, plus all on my own board, who follow my travels. With all that, I'll be fine.

(09-19-2026 10:26 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(09-19-2026 10:10 AM)TripleA Wrote:  Tomorrow, we are moving to an RV park right next downtown Branson, on Lake Taneycomo.

Checking out Thursday, then Nancy will head back toward Memphis, and I will finally head west. Not sure where first. Probably Rushmore, then Utah, then Grand Canyon. Or maybe backwards from that itinerary, depending on weather outlook.

Arizona and Southern Utah might still be hot. Its still hot in Atlanta.

Understand that Southern Utah is every bit as hot as Las Vegas and Phoenix.

Yes, I'm headed to Rushmore first, I think. And southern Utah is hot, except for Bryce Canyon. I also have a great AC in both my truck and the trailer.

(09-19-2026 10:09 AM)olliebaba Wrote:  "I have a feeling it will get old a lot quicker than you think, doing it solo. Hope I'm wrong on that but to me experiencing things is not as enjoyable, without someone there to enjoy it with." wkuyg

I know I wouldn't want to travel alone, no how, no way. Part of the enjoyment of seeing new places is seeing them with someone you're close to. If I traveled alone I'd probably be like this mechanic at the airport who used to talk to himself and really, he would also answer himself too, I'd be like that.

There's videos on YT where people travel alone and do it in a van. They say that they enjoy it but I think that they're lying. Maybe, they enjoy it a little but I'll bet you that they wished someone was with them. Some of those people are ladies and pretty darn good looking too. That takes guts on their part.

I see you more like this, ollie ...

I think Ollie is cool. Maybe b/c we're close to the same age.

Ollie is cool no matter his age

(09-20-2026 08:17 AM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  Ollie is cool no matter his age