This is a very quiet place! BUT

We are off to NC in July to visit family. The Wife says we are doing Our Driveway camping Tour across North Carolina. We just bought the 981 in May and there are a few things I want the dealer to take a look at for us, so we will be stopping through Statesville NC for that. Our Dealer is Xtrem RVs in Statesville. How about you??

My family and I just got back from a 5,000+ mile trip from Southern California to Michigan and back with the Lance. Wife's family is in Michigan so we had a nice reunion. Stayed in Potterville/Lansing area and Higgins Lake. Hit Mackinaw Island one day.

Campgrounds we stayed at:
Butch Cassidy Campground - Salina, UT.
Dakota Ridge RV Park - Golden, CO.
Horse Thief Campground - Hill City, SD.
West Omaha KOA - Gretna, NE.
Interstate RV Park - Davenport, IA

This was the longest trip we've done in the Lance.

Thinking about Yellowstone or Colorado for some trout fishing, camping, fishing, sightseeing, etc....

We use our Lance 821 to head to marathon and cowboy fast draw events. Last trip? Newport, Oregon for a quick run (my wife, qualified for Boston, we're proud) and Fernley, Nevada for the CFDA World Championships (me, and no I didn't place).

We feel lucky to have the 821 and the short-bed F-250. But now I wish I had bought a long-bed and a larger camper!

I am heading out Friday for the Black Hills, over to Yellowstone and stopping at any interesting place we see in between on our way.

quote:

Originally posted by Willy Arnold:

quote:

Originally posted by DoneItAll:
At this point our plans are to tour North Carolina, particularly Asheville. We've been there before and really enjoyed the area. First I'll have to come up with a truck for my new 2008 1191. I don't think my F250 will handle it.

Doneitall

You might want to think about that. I just bought an F350, thinking a F250 wouldn't be enough only to find out later that the only differences (on a 2001) are:

1. a 4 inch block on the rear axle
2. the F350 badge
3. 1,100 lbs more (legal) GVWR

I feel cheated.

I've put my Lance 1191 on a 2008 DRW Ford F450. Allthe difference in the world to my F250. I don't feel cheated at all!

My Family and I are going to take the Lance from Southern California to Michigan and back in August.

Yes, for what it's worth I agree with Rick about the 350 dually. Just by example I carry a '99 1020 which with options weighs ~3400#. Twice while driving in Oregon I stopped at a closed but active weigh station and I was 300 lbs over the 11,000 GVWR of my '02 350 dually. I don't know how much 'over design' is in these things, but I'm pretty convinced that if I were to get an 1181 or 1191 which loaded probably tops 4800# I would also be buying an F-450 with 14,000 GVWR rating. The Lance dealers of course will tell you there's no problem going over GVWR. If that's true then why does Ford recommend strongly that GVR never be exceeded? Just a thought.

Dennis

quote:

Originally posted by Willy Arnold:

quote:

Originally posted by DoneItAll:
At this point our plans are to tour North Carolina, particularly Asheville. We've been there before and really enjoyed the area. First I'll have to come up with a truck for my new 2008 1191. I don't think my F250 will handle it.

Doneitall

You might want to think about that. I just bought an F350, thinking a F250 wouldn't be enough only to find out later that the only differences (on a 2001) are:

1. a 4 inch block on the rear axle
2. the F350 badge
3. 1,100 lbs more (legal) GVWR

I feel cheated.

An 1191 requires a Dually. Nothing less. Even then, the F350 Dually can easily get over the GVWR with all the added weight one can tote along.

Rick

quote:

Originally posted by DoneItAll:
At this point our plans are to tour North Carolina, particularly Asheville. We've been there before and really enjoyed the area. First I'll have to come up with a truck for my new 2008 1191. I don't think my F250 will handle it.

Doneitall

You might want to think about that. I just bought an F350, thinking a F250 wouldn't be enough only to find out later that the only differences (on a 2001) are:

1. a 4 inch block on the rear axle
2. the F350 badge
3. 1,100 lbs more (legal) GVWR

I feel cheated.

Heading to Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Durango, CO, and Taos, NM end of May.

At the end of May and into June I'm heading to the Catskill's fly fishing then work my way up to the Dak's. Then in Sept. back to Mont., Id, and Wy. But this time I am going through S.D. to fish Spearfish area.

I'm headed for the Mid Atlantic TC Rally next week in VA, then the spring Northeast Truck Camper Jamboree rally in May in MA, then the fall rally in PA in September. Hopefully a few trips in between.......I know I'm going to Cape Cod at least once this summer. The summers are too short and the winters are too long........Happy Camping everybody,,,,,,,,TD

At this point our plans are to tour North Carolina, particularly Asheville. We've been there before and really enjoyed the area. First I'll have to come up with a truck for my new 2008 1191. I don't think my F250 will handle it.

Doneitall

In case you're interested in steam narrow gauges I found the Cumbres and Toltec a bit prettier than the Durango Silverton. I understood it's different section of the same original line.
www.cumbrestoltec.com

Never been to Gouldings Trading Post. What's it all about?

Heading to Canyon de Chelly, Gouldings Trading Post, Mesa Verde, Durango (Train ride to Silverton), Taos, NM, etc. end of May.

quote:

Originally posted by headinsouth:
Is anyone doing any Winter Camping?? we are off to Disney World in January.. I think when we get back we will just keep camping through Feb.. Tall Pines in sanford VA opens in march.. We are ready for 2009 camping!!

We are all about winter camping. We use our 1130 as a Ski Lodge on the North Shore of Lake Superior. We usually get first tracks when there is fresh snow by staying very close to the lifts at night. Winter is nice, but I'm thinking Spring!

quote:

Originally posted by moortoyz:
leaving for Alaska on the 21st of this month.

Noticed your plans to do Alaska in a 2001 820. We did the same in 2001 with an 820 on a 2001 F250 SWD 4X4. Spent 75 days door to door from Northern Minnesota. We entered via the Ferry system out of Prince Rupert and drove home in the ALCAN. It was a terrific trip. How did it go for you?

quote:

Originally posted by Rick:
Rocky Mountain National Park the last week of June. Durango CO and the San Juan Jeep trails in August. And somewhere in the Fall, maybe Grand Canyon North Rim.

Rick

We did the park and the San Juans as planned also visiting Chaco Canyon when returning from Durango. Then substituted Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta for North Rim. OK but weather shortened. Gotta do the north rim soon...

Next big plan is for 6+ weeks to Alaska around August 2009. REALLY looking forward to that.

Rick

I was going to head to Arizona in January & the wife was going to fly down because of a back problem but my brother in law is going to have prostate surgery in Jan so we have to wait to find out the date. We will have to help him out a bit & then possibly do our trip after he is back on his feet. We had blowing snow today so I am getting anxious to get south to a bit warmer climate.

Big Rig