By Bradley Bleck
Cover photo courtesy Bradley Bleck
Before my wife Rachel and I bought a travel trailer, we had everything necessary for camping, but rarely used it. With our travel trailer, we regularly explore the Inland Northwest and beyond, visiting new and favorite places to ride bikes, hike, swim, and stargaze. We’re now on our third trailer, each one bigger and more attuned to our needs than its predecessor.
Before buying each trailer, we read countless reviews and RV websites, talked to friends with trailers, and visited RV shows. The first two set the stage for the third. One thing we learned visiting RV shows is the “show price” is available months later if you’re willing to shop beyond Spokane. Also, while prices are not always hugely flexible, bargaining for additional features can get you more value.
Having decided to buy a travel trailer, consider where you want to go and what comforts you want. To camp in Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, the trailer must have a hard shell. Our required comforts included a bed, indoor toilet and shower, a dining table, the ability to cook indoors, heat and AC.
Our first trailer, a 17-foot Jayco Hummingbird, had all of this. But as much as we liked it, we soon found it cramped, especially on rainy days. Another drawback was the wet shower, where the toilet was inside the shower and one sits on the toilet to shower. Additionally, the bed spanned the width of the trailer, too short for me at 6’2”. Traveling the Inland Northwest, plus Banff and Tofino, we learned it was too small.
For our second trailer, we wanted a bed that runs lengthwise in the trailer and a separate toilet and shower. We got this in a Winnebago Micro Minnie. We no longer had to climb over one another to get in and out of bed, nor did I have to sleep on the diagonal. The separate toilet and shower meant both could be used simultaneously. The Minnie was about seven feet longer, providing more space. Two things, though, didn’t work for us. One was the loveseat beneath the murphy bed. We rarely used it due to having to raise the bed. Additionally, the door opened to the foot of the bed, which, despite a privacy curtain, was not private. A few years of this had us searching for more usable space and privacy.
That search resulted in a Flagstaff Super Lite. It’s only slightly longer but significantly heavier than the Winnebago. We now have a private bedroom, two recliners and a dinette, plus plenty of counter space (another point to consider). It also has 400 watts of solar power to charge batteries off-grid and a hot water recirculation system to conserve fresh water.
We initially towed the Jayco behind a Toyota Highlander. After a year, we upgraded to a Ford F-150. Focus on Gross Vehicle Weight Rating when determining what you can tow. GVWR is a combination of the weight the trailer exerts on the hitch and the weight of the loaded tow vehicle. Between a fully loaded trailer and truck—meaning people, dogs, food, bedding, bikes, and more—we tip the scales at 6,600 pounds. The GVWR for our F-150 is 7,000 pounds, putting us at 96 percent of capacity.
Some sources suggest limiting overall weight to 90 percent of GVWR. Towing capacity cannot be enhanced. What the sticker on the door frame says about GVWR is inalterable. With most trailers, a weight distribution hitch, sway bars and electric brake assist are essential.
Quite literally, your mileage will vary both in what you need and how much gas you burn. Having gone the travel trailer route, we’ve forfeited complaining about the price of gas. Just know you’ll be spending more and loving it.
Bradley understands that some might not see the RV experience as camping. In the Sept/Oct 2024 issue he shared some observations drawn from being a longtime contributor to OTM. Bradley teaches English at Spokane Falls CC and continues to love nearly everything Spokane.
