Camper Flag Holder

 RDB asked me to find a way to display Old Glory when we camp so I went to the interwebs, searching for an easy, mobile way to get a flag pole on our camper.  It didn't take long at all for me to find just what we needed.

FYI, the links below are Amazon, but not affiliated (in other words, I don't make any money when you click on them) I just want this to be as easy for you as it was for me!

Here we go! You'll need:

One heavy duty glass suction holder thingy: (this comes as a set of two, the pricing was great, and we're considering hanging dual flags so it worked for our project)

One pair of ring-around-the-flagpole-so-it-won't-furl-up-on-itself flag connectors: (this is a SET of two, but you need a set of two for each flagpole  - so if you're making this for two flags, be sure to buy TWO of these sets)

Your choice of flags - but be sure to order them with GROMMETS and not banner style. The ones we're flying are 3'x5' which feels a little large up close, but is the perfect size for the nose of our mammoth camper.

A length of 1" PVC pipe (not pictured).  We happened to have a piece that's about 5' left over from another project in the garage, so I just grabbed that for this weekend; I'll need a second piece for the other flag and will probably spray paint them both black, but for now, this works.

Ok, assembly time!

Take your swivel rings and attach them to your PVC pole the appropriate distance apart to be able to hang the flag with just a little bit of slack.  Too tight and the swiveling feature won't work and your flag will furl up against itself in the wind. 

Find a smooth place on the side of your camper and suction the glass hangers to your rig. It helps if you have a tall, handsome bearded man to assist with this, especially if you're a short little lady like me. *wink*

Once the glass hanger is affixed, you'll simply slide the non-flagged end of the PVC pipe into the handle of the holder and, viola! you're done! (Pardon the pic with all the mayflies - they really really like the water dripping from the AC and the light we leave on to illuminate the flags overnight). 

So, there you go! You can proudly display Old Glory and your favorite team's flags when camping.  Hope you enjoy this little project as much as we did!

Lists, Lists, and More Lists

I thought that up-grading to a travel trailer would be pretty seamless, seeing that we already had outfitted the Pop-up and would just transfer all our camping gear over to the bigger rig.  What I didn't think about, is all the 'additional stuff' we'd need to get ourselves comfortably moved into our new space.

 

So, the following list(s) are by no means exhaustive - but they sure where exhausting!  And hopefully will be a point of reference for you if you make the move to the Darkside.  (P.S. - I'll probably add to this as time goes by, so check back occasionally!)

Stuff you already have, but  you're gonna need another set of if you still have your pop-up in the garage:
-Chocks
-Blocks/Bricks
-Tongue Lock


Water/Sewer Equipment- we never used the water in the Pop-up, so a lot of this was new to us:
-Dedicated White Water (drinking water safe) Hose
-Water Filter (connects between city water and trailer)
-Water Pressure Regulator (connects between city water and filter)
-Brass "Y" Faucet connector (so you can have water white and an additional hose simultaneously)
-Water Hose Gaskets
-Heavy Duty Gloves
-Sewer Pipe/hose (ours came with one - but I've heard horror stories about pin-hole leaks)
-Clear Black Tank Elbow
-Sewer Pipe/hose Nozzle
-Sewer Pipe/hose Off the Ground Holder
-HEAVY DUTY GLOVES
-Back Flow Preventer Valve
-RV Safe Toilet Paper
-Rid X (or other enzyme - liquid is preferable)
-Did I mention Heavy Duty Gloves?


Kitchen/Bath Stuff - a good bit is personal preference here, but these were things I 'needed':
-Tiny Dish Rack (it's cheaper at Wally World than Camping World, FYI)
-Cutlery Caddy (the drawers in the RV are too small for an in-drawer one)
-Tiny Baking/Cookie Sheets (I have an oven! wee!)
-Tinny Cookie Spatula (The cookie sheets are small)
-Bathmat (now that we have a shower, we'll be using it!)
-Shower Water Shut-off Valve (helps to save on water usage - Goggle: "Navy Shower")
-Tiny Trash Cans
-Wall Clock (because now I have walls!!)


Misc Stuff - again, optional:
-WD40 (you'd be surprised how much a squeaky bathroom door can annoy you)
-Drill (if you don't want to hand-crack down the stabilizers)
-Walkie Talkies
-Spare Keys (one set to stay in the truck, one set that lives with my car keys)
-DVDs (now that we have a TV!) for those rainy days
-Bedding and Pillows (those will permenantly live in the camper)
-Hangers (Closets! I have closet space!)

That Ain't Stock #4 - A Few More Misc Mods

So, our second camping season is drawing to a close.  We'll have one last trip up to Gladewater on Memorial Day weekend and we'll put this one in the books.  Now that we've gotten settled into the camper a bit, and a few mods (one, two, three) have already been completed, I thought I'd share just a few more of those little things that make our home-away-from-home just that much better.

Enjoy!





Before...

 

Remember how I complained about the door not having a handle at normal height?  And originally I fixed it with a bathroom handle and some Velcro?  Well, that didn't last too long.  The velcro wasn't strong enough to hold the handle on when you pulled the door shut - so, I replaced it with a Command Hook turned sideways. Where I was in love with Velcro on the last set of mods, on this one, it's all about the Command Hooks.

 

...After!

 

 Leash holder for the pup's stuff - also put on with a Command Hook.  (What I love about these hooks is that you can leave the base still attached, store the hook, and then fold the camper down without any trouble.)  I put his leash attached to the door, so that when he gives us, um, Diesel Bombs, we can just open the door, grab a doggie-bag off the leash, and clean up after him pretty easily.

 

Jackets and hats laying around, by far, are one of the most annoying things in the camper, to me. (I love you RDB!)  Wandering thru the isles of a local CVS, I found these cheap clips with hooks.  This is another one that will probably get re-worked - maybe better clips, cheap = they break often.

We always pick up a camp map (or trail maps) when we check-in, and they always seem to float around the camper till I end up throwing them out.  I devised a way to start hanging these from the curtain using and s-hook and a binder clip.  I've got two clip-sets up there, so I can hang the maps like artwork in the camper (can't tell you how many times this has come in handy with visitors - where are we? Where's the bathhouse? Where's the lake?)  The map comes down at the end of the trip, but the clips are so unobtrusive, they stay attched.

There's a few things in this one - but the newest is the hand washing station.  The last trip out with kiddos resulted in a very quick depletion of our babywipe supply, so I started hunting for another idea (thanks Pinterest!)  The blue aqua-tainer is filler with clean water, and has a roll of papertowels (holder from Target) bungee-corded to it for easy removal and storage.  There's a pump-bottle of hand soap on the table (clear with a blue top, hard to see in this photo) and then our 'dish pan' under the spigot to catch the gray water from handwashing.  To the right is our collapsiable trash can, and to the left, back on the table, is our potable water for drinking, doggie bowl, and coffee in the morning.  It makes for a pretty nice set up. 

In the background, you might notice the red and black five gallon bucket.  That's my Pickle Bucket.  You know - when you need to visit the girl's room in the middle of the night and the bath house is a half a mile away, and you don't have facilities in your camper... well, you're in a pickle.  You need a bucket.

The 5-gallon bucket comes from FireHouse Subs (just $2 in-stores, and it supports a great cause).  Obviously, any 5-gl bucket would do, but there's just some humor in calling it my Pickle Bucket (and I'm not sure I could offend an orange Home Depot bucket this way.)  The seat/lid is a Lugable Loo.   I use 13-gallon kitchen trashbags for liners - much cheaper than the 'branded' ones - and then carry a supply of cat litter for absorption/odor control.  And TP.  Always, always, always check the TP supply before you leave.  Otherwise, that campsite map you just hung up on clips earlier....   I swear, guys, ya'll have it easy.  Us girls have to think about things like this!!

Well, that's about it.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great camping season!!

Grandpa's "Scrap Wood Art"

Grandpa, Grandma (with bunny ears), me and RDB

I had always known that camping ran in my blood.  Dad was an Eagle Scout, his parents had property they called "the campsite", and we lived waaaay out in the middle of nowhere so growing up felt like one big outdoor adventure. It was only natural that when RDB and I started camping that I wanted to share our adventures with Grandma and Grandpa - the old fashioned way, of course - through snail mail.  I started printing out a few photos from each trip, jotting down a few thoughts, and sending it along to them.  It's been quite a number of years since they've been camping but I knew they still love and enjoyed it.

Grandpa's always been a tinkerer; for a good portion of the early years of his retirement, he helped build houses for Habitat for Humanity.  I have a number of wooden pieces from my childhood that he manufactured: a bear shaped crayon holder with my name on it, a baseball bat/ball/glove holder from when I played in Little League, two end tables that have moved with me to every home I've ever lived in.  About a month into our camping I came home to a box in the mail from Grandpa. I was delighted and thrilled by what I found inside - a 3 page hand-written letter and some of what he calls 'scrap wood art.' 

"I have been into a little bit of everything over the years," he wrote. "What I'm sending along will need some of your desire for color and assembly.  It is plywood, so it will need finishing for sealing. That is your decision to make."

Hanging on a tree at our first '12 camp out at Lake Livingston

I wish I had taken a photo of it before I painted and assembled the pieces together - but I was too anxious to complete this project, and send back to him a photo of the finished work.  He had made our family camping sign.  I was giddy with delight!!

"We appreciate the prints you sent of your Rockwood & truck - it is a great way to go.  Your Grandma, your father and aunts sure enjoyed the 'Apache' fold out we had. Your Dad used a cot and his Scout bed-roll under one of the slide out beds.

One trip into Northern Wisc. we had a 3am visit from a black bear that wiped the chuck boxes off the picnic log table even though they were tied to the table with Nylon Shroud cord out of a parachute. We had left a small dish of ham fryings in the cabinets to use for egg frying  in the morning rather than in the cooler locked in the car trunk.

Well, my scribbling is catching up with me. Love you both very much.  Happy Camping and stay in touch."

That Ain't Stock #3 - More Misc Mods!

For those of you who loved the first ones, here we go with the next set of Misc Mods!!

Our version of Camp Driveway.  Gotta fight for space!



I can see you!, and you, and you...

Ok, starting with the Lone Ranger: we needed extension mirrors. A big thanks to O'Riely for having what I needed on the first stop!  They're a little clunky to put on (as to be expected, I guess) but they do the job.  WARNING: be careful when you go through the What-A-Burger drive thru with these puppies - I almost lost the driver's side one!



Battery operated, Velcro'd on.

We've done a few late-night set ups coming into camp after dark, and anticipate we'll do more as we camp on into the winter months.  I realized on our trip to Lake Livingston that the back of the truck is pretty dark - especially with the utility cap on it.  So, a trip to Wal-Mart and a $12 under counter /LED light later, and viola! Let there be light!

 



Speaking of Velcro....

Next up, we move on to a few camper mods. Now, for those of you who flip axles and re-do water pumps and all the technical stuff, I apologize! I know my way around a power drill but am totally inept when it comes to those kind of projects.  Now, give me a zip-tie or Velcro and I can rock your world!  And, hey, I'm not afraid to remove the jump seats from a truck if the need arises.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yep, more Velcro.

I've got a set of Coleman LED string lanterns (my Tacky Lights) that fit perfectly across the awning and had been using zipties to secure them every time we set them up.  Hello, Velcro! It makes it a lot easier to get them up (and down) using the quick strips - you can get them at WalMart, 6 in a pack for a few bucks.  I use them on our SHW Gizmos, too. We pull all the slack to one side and then bundle it up.  The Gizmos stay on the camper permanently, so this keeps us from having to deal with tangled cords.





./`./`./` Here we go, Steelers! Here we go! ./`./`./` What can I say? I left Dallas not knowing the difference between a 'first down' and a 'down comforter' and started dating a guy from Pittsburgh. Now Black and Gold runs through my veins (I have family that say he brainwashed me.)  I ordered the Steelers mini-pennants online and used black and yellow gold felt to make the extras.  A quick run through the sewing machine and ta-dah! I've got spirit, yes I do, I 've got spirit, how 'bout you!  The extra ribbon on the ends just ties to the SHW Gizmo straps.

 

 

So, for those of you whom I just gave a headache to with my team-enthused-mod, let me offer you a cold one.  And on the chance that it's not a twisty-top beverage, I've got a mod to suit your tastes!  I attached this vintage looking bottle opener to the outside of the camper, on the front under the bunk end.  We keep the beverage cooler outside, typically under the front bunk end, so this was the logical place to attach this little trinket.

 

 

 

Moving inside the camper for this next one - I modified a mod.  A lot of campers out on the forums (hi ya'll!) have done a hard wire shelf that hangs off the bar across the end of the bunks.  I liked that.  RDB didn't - he has to sleep on the inside.  So, I came up with a compromise (More like, I installed this when he wasn't looking and hoped he'd be ok with it)   I bought an over-the-door shoe holder and cut it down to fit (just two rows of pockets) and then used zip-ties to attach it to the bunk end support.  Now we've got a place for all the little stuff that collects on the countertops and drives me crazy.  And, since it's soft mesh, it stays attached and simply folds in with the rail and lays on the mattress.

Out to the camp kitchen - I installed a cheap (read: less than $2 at Target) paper towel holder on the stove that can be inside or out.  The front edge was the only place were I could get the screws lined up nicely, but it does get a little in the way of where you're standing while you're cooking.  It's a little thing for the ease of having the towels right at hand. NOTE: They do tend to catch the wind here (see the photo) so placing the last one on the roll under the lighter I keep in the little tray, keeps the paper towels from flying away!

Of course, now that we've got such an awesome custom camper, everybody's gonna want to take it home with them, so, we had to get a security system put in. 

Until next time - may the sun shine brightly on you, and may it only rain during the week!



That Ain't Stock #2: Removing the Jump Seats

So - remember this puppy?

Aww, he's so cute!

Well, he's 7 months old and over 65 lbs now.  So, he looks a lot more like this:

OMG, he's gonna eat me!

Needless to say, the small back seat of our 2009 Ford Ranger barely has enough room for him to stand - much less turn around, lay down, and chill out while we drive to our next camping adventures.  RDB and I  both had the thought of removing the jump seats in the back to give him a little room - and sure enough, if you Google it, some one's done it.  We followed the tutorial found here as it had great photos and pretty clear instructions.

Step #1 - Go buy new tools (we both liked this step!)



(I should point out - you don't need the deep socket set, but RDB wanted to get them - he also wanted me to point out that you don't need them... of course, that was before we realized that you do need a set of sockets that aren't deep in order to complete this project - so we ended up with a set of those too, by the time we were done.)

Step #2 - Unscrew stuff.

Step #3 - Repeat Step #2 on the other side.

Step #4 - Lather, rinse and repeat.  (There was a lot of unscrewing stuff). Until you can finally remove the jump seats on both sides.

And then realize that the jack stand is kinda in the way, but nobody talks about that in the tutorial to replace your jumps seats with ear-drum-deafening sub woofers.  We needed room for a different kind of, um, Woofer.  So, we took it a step further, unbolted the jack and relocated it to the utility camper shell we have on the back.  So, to continue....

Step #5 - Remove the bolts that hold in the jack stand (there were only two, I think - maybe three).

Step #6 - Once the unit is removed (I was impressed by how easily it came out - gotta love the Ford assembly line ingenuity!) find a place to secure it elsewhere in the vehicle - because as sure as you don't travel with it, you'll end up needing it.  We located it behind the fishing poles that live in the utility shell.

Step #7 - Securely fasten.  And I mean securely.  When RDB engineers something, he does it so that it can withstand my driving the test of time!

Notice the Leatherman!! My inspiration!

Step #8 - Step back and enjoy your handiwork!

Gotta have the fishing poles - in case we have a blow-out by a lake!



From this....

... to this!

I'm sure our not-so-little puppy is gonna love all the extra space.  Now, if we can just get the weather to cooperate....


One project always leads to another: That Ain't Stock #3: More Misc Mods!

**Update** After having the Ranger for about a year - and especially after doing this project - we were kinda wishing that we had bought our second truck first.  I mean, the Ranger is great for the set-up we have now, but we want to be able to do more as our family (and our dog) grows... I guess the old saying is true: Be Careful What You Wish For.
 

That Ain't Stock #1: Misc Mods



2010 Rockwood Freedom 1960 LTD

We bought our 'Pup in February and almost immediately started camping and stocking it with all those amenities that every camper needs (15 marshmallow roasting sticks? Check!)  As we went along we realized that it's not just the stuff you put in the camper that matters, but also how you make it your own over time.  So, I thought I'd take an opportunity here to list out some of the 'mods' we've done to make our little home-away-from-home a little, well, homier.

A whole new meaning to "bed roll"

One of the first things we did after our first few trips was to 'upgrade' the standard mattress.  Sure, it's fine if you're only out for a night and you don't mind sore shoulders in the morning, but RDB and I have a Tempurpedic at home, and nothing even comes close to that!  We bought a 4" memory foam queen mattress at Wally World on one of our trips and RDB took very careful measurements, then cut it to fit.  We kept the original camper mattress and lay it out on top when we set up camp - when we strike, it gets rolled up (like wrestling an alligator!) and stored on the floor for travel.  Overall, it's probably the second best thing we've done for ourselves comfort-wise.

Silver reflectors on bunkends = one cool camper!

The first best thing we did for our camping comfort was install our Gizmos. (Get them here)   These are radiant barrier/reflective coverings that fits perfectly over the bunkends.  You can see in the photo (right) how they lay over the top and have straps to secure them under the bunks (ours are the Super High Wind kind - thus the straps).  In the photo above, you can see from inside the bunk how they provide an immense amount of shade.  It probably knocks the temperature inside down a good 10-15*, which means the A/C doesn't have to work as hard to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Baby, it's cold outside... yeah right.

So, you ask, just how do I know it's 10-15* cooler with the Gizmos? Because this little Coleman thermometer key chain somehow jumped into my basket on my first trip to Outdoor World.  It stays affixed to the shepherd pole on the spare bunk and gives us a quick reference to what the inside temp is.  And no, I don't have one for outside - cause I just don't wanna know!

And, talking about keeping things cool - what's up with the stock "ice box" in the place where a fridge really should be?! Our very first mod was to remove the wanna-be fridge and replace it with an old dorm fridge that we weren't using at the time.  RDB had to cut out the opening just a bit wider to make room for it, but for the most part it was a perfect fit.  We don't have it permanently mounted (not sure why not) so when we strike camp, it gets pushed back in to the cubby that surrounds it and held closed with bungee cords.  Held partially closed, I should say - as we noticed after the first go-around, if you shut it completely and moisture is trapped inside with no place to evaporate to, and then store your 'pup in the nice and warm garage, you create a wonderful environment for growing the cure for cancer.  So, when we close up shop we rig the door partially open using a fly swatter.  I also store our only glass camping items in the fridge when we travel - the coffee pot and two coffee mugs.

No, Diesel Dog Doberman is not a 'mod' to our camper... but he sure is a great tag-a-long!  What he's modeling for us is the indoor-outdoor carpet that now replaces the mattress in the second bunk.  Less than $20 at Home D-P-Oh for a piece larger than I needed and cut to fit.  A few staples at the corners and around the edges keep it in place.  Right now, with just the 3 of us camping, we only use the extra bunk for storage, and the carpet just gives it a nicely finished look.  (Also, the 'tent crate' you see Diesel in is collapsible and stays on the bunk when we strike camp.  I'm afraid he'll probably have outgrown it by the next time we camp, though.)

Guys, we know, when you're camping, you're not supposed to care about how you look.  But, Guys, you gotta know, we need that mirror.  That quick glance just to make sure we don't have marshmallow goo on our noses.  My remedy was a sticky backed non-glass mirror (car parts store). Attaching it to the door panel was the best spot, as it doesn't interfere with putting the door up for storage, or the panel down for a breeze, and its just the right height for a quick glance.  One other quickie with my door mod - I got really tired, really quick of always grabbing the window panel to shut the door (ours is a 2 piece door, so the handle is about knee height when you're inside).  Velcro and a bathroom handle fixed that.  It's not the strongest fix, so it may get re-worked, but for now, it's a back saver from crouching over to close the door!



One project always leads to another: That Ain't Stock #2: Removing Jump Seats