thoughts from our trip

[DJ18]

We got home last night from a wonderful 12 day trip up around northern NM. We camped a week around Red River and 4 days in the Hopewell area. It was beautiful, very high elevation and we loved the cool temperature, even used the heater a few mornings. We kayaked a couple of days and fished a lot more. 10,000 ft kind of leaves you breathless! The Avion was a joy to tow and to camp in. Some of the steep grades were a bit exhausting to both drive up and go down. I think any truck would have had a job pulling a trailer up some of those long, steep roads. At least I hope. A few times, when we were nearing the top of a steep grade, and the truck was in 2nd or even 1st and struggling to maintain 3--35 mph and the rpms were up there, the thought crossed my mind "we need a smaller trailer". but the truck never overheated and from then on, the "average" hill was a piece of cake. brake controller worked, big hills down in 2nd kept our speed under control.

Very early one morning a pack of baying hunting dogs ran through our campground. sounded crazy, and then our walkie talkie picked up a conversation between members of a professional hunting party trying to take out a bear that had been a big problem at the campground. It was very exciting to listen in!

We have not really taken our trailer and truck on such a long trip. One thing we didn't realize was that we had no way at these campgrounds to fill our water tank. they didn't allow connecting hoses to the pumps. So we had to put water in a jug and pour into the tank or use from the jug. we kind of did both and really conserved water. There were pit toilets, and we tried to use them but the long walk there made us take the lazy way out most of the time. I've decided dealing with a black tank is my least favorite part of a bigger camper. Not the emptying of the tank, but the difficulty of finding an rv dump! I think we will carry a portable potty from now on. We did find a place to dump in the first town after we left the first location, but the next leg of the trip we had to haul a black tank full way too far before we found a dump site.

has anyone thought about just taking the toilet out and using a tall porta pot or a cassette toilet? my husband thinks that would be crazy, but I'd rather deal with it on an every few day basis, and be able to dump at the campsite or restroom. it is getting hard to find places to dump!

I didn't take many photos with my phone, but when I upload from my camera, I'll share.

[Razorback]

Hi, Debbie. Sounds like quite a trip! I have never been in the higher elevations like that, but I know it sounds beautiful. My mom and dad used to spend a lot of time in Cimarron, NM. When they first went there, they had their 1980 Avion 34V. The last time they went was with their Casita. They always stayed at the Cimarron Inn & RV park in the middle of town. They loved Cimarron and would stay for months at a time. Dad would ride his bike 30+ miles each day in the area. Probably one of the things that has him still kickin' at 93! Mom will be 90 in December.

I have never needed or considered a cassette toilet, but lots of people use them. My wife and I never camp remotely like you described..... seems we are always at places that have at least water and electric, with a nearby dump station.

For filling your Avion with water: in my childhood traveling with my folks, I remember using 5-gallon water jugs that had a spout that could be screwed onto the neck of the jug. Kind of like a 5-gallon gasoline container, but these were in period-correct avocado-green color! Thinking of this, if you cannot easily find a "water" jug, you could always use one of those red or yellow plastic gas containers (new, of course!). That reminds me...... I need to get a water container or two like that.

[DJ18]

we actually have both a water tank and a portable waste tank with wheels at home! just didn't think we would need them, as we thought the NP we were going to had water. we were not prepared for lugging the water. Of course, 5 gallons of water is pretty hard to pour!

We intended to use the vault toilet more than we did. it was uphill a good bit away and at an elevation of 8500' seemed a daunting hike!

I am used to much smaller tanks. It seems the 45 fresh, 40 black and 30 grey are really big. I have also always been told it is best not to travel with full tanks, so usually research our destination and travel empty if they have water.

we also had planned to go to an RV park near Eagle Nest lake for a few days between the next leg of travel, but the camp host where we were told us the next campers at our spot had canceled their reservation and we could stay. If we had gone to that park, we could have dumped and flushed the tank and it would have been easier.

we do a lot of disbursed camping, and are far better prepared when we know we won't have any facilities. the campgrounds up there do have water pump that you should be able to connect a hose to and fill your tank. but they said someone had contaminated the water system by using a dirty hose so the changed the policy to no hook ups.
I guess its just a learning experience. We have never been to Cimarron, but maybe next summer! I wish we could stay for months at a time!!

edit to add, after thinking about it, we need a big black water tank. When we camp disbursed, and no facilities are near, a porta potty would be a big problem. the only place to empty it would be to dig a hole and dump it in. so as usual, the Avion got it right.