TheSamba.com :: View topic - Tell me about how you set up your camp site.

Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:11 pm

Justin wrote: Last year we had our first family camping trip (wife, 3-year-old son, me, small dog). We over-packed on clothing, used a tent and big foam pads for sleeping, and had our '71 standard bus full of wood boxes with gear, wood, clothes, et cetera.

This year a lot our set up will be quite different. After way too much planning and thinking, here's what we've come up with:

*I made a Westy bed, installed a child cot, and installed home-made curtains (so no need for a tent or bedding). Blankets and pillows are in the box below the bed.
*I threw an old dresser behind the front seats for clothes and gear (stove, utensils, et cetera), and a small night stand for dry food with a cooler sitting on it for cold stuff. All of these items can be accessed without having to move anything. If we decide to pull the dresser and night stand out to get to things easier, we just set them under the awning and use the top of the dresser as a table.
*Fresh water for drinking and doing dishes is bungy-corded inside the bus behind the passenger side headlight.
*Poles for an awning and the child cot fit in between the dresser and the front seats on the floor. The awning is a really fancy, high end contraption that I made which consists of a blue tarp and two 2x2s that I attached to the wood roof rack. :roll:
*Tool box in the engine compartment, on the driver's side where the side marker light is.
*Canoe on the roof rack with life vests and paddles attached inside of it.
*I also made two hooks so I can hang two fishing poles inside the bus alongside the rear and middle driver's side windows.

The only thing that will take up floor space and need to moved at the campsite is one or two Rubbermaid containers with firewood in them.

We're pretty stoked about the set up. Thankfully my wife enjoys camping and doesn't require much "stuff." Her only requirements are a comfy bed and quality food. Besides that, we're planning to pack lightly.

Man, I'm itching to get out in the woods.

-Justin

I hope you have all that furniture and firewood tied down in there Justin, I wouldn't want to be the fireman that first peeked in a window when I arrived at the rollover scene if it isn't :shock:

Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:51 pm

i i hate fastmc..... :lol: :P :twisted:

Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:10 pm

busdaddy wrote: Justin wrote: Last year we had our first family camping trip (wife, 3-year-old son, me, small dog). We over-packed on clothing, used a tent and big foam pads for sleeping, and had our '71 standard bus full of wood boxes with gear, wood, clothes, et cetera.

This year a lot our set up will be quite different. After way too much planning and thinking, here's what we've come up with:

*I made a Westy bed, installed a child cot, and installed home-made curtains (so no need for a tent or bedding). Blankets and pillows are in the box below the bed.
*I threw an old dresser behind the front seats for clothes and gear (stove, utensils, et cetera), and a small night stand for dry food with a cooler sitting on it for cold stuff. All of these items can be accessed without having to move anything. If we decide to pull the dresser and night stand out to get to things easier, we just set them under the awning and use the top of the dresser as a table.
*Fresh water for drinking and doing dishes is bungy-corded inside the bus behind the passenger side headlight.
*Poles for an awning and the child cot fit in between the dresser and the front seats on the floor. The awning is a really fancy, high end contraption that I made which consists of a blue tarp and two 2x2s that I attached to the wood roof rack. :roll:
*Tool box in the engine compartment, on the driver's side where the side marker light is.
*Canoe on the roof rack with life vests and paddles attached inside of it.
*I also made two hooks so I can hang two fishing poles inside the bus alongside the rear and middle driver's side windows.

The only thing that will take up floor space and need to moved at the campsite is one or two Rubbermaid containers with firewood in them.

We're pretty stoked about the set up. Thankfully my wife enjoys camping and doesn't require much "stuff." Her only requirements are a comfy bed and quality food. Besides that, we're planning to pack lightly.

Man, I'm itching to get out in the woods.

-Justin

I hope you have all that furniture and firewood tied down in there Justin, I wouldn't want to be the fireman that first peeked in a window when I arrived at the rollover scene if it isn't :shock:

I have it all secured temporarily until I decide if the set up is going to work. Good thinking, though. :D

-Justin

Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:24 pm

traditionally we just improvise. :wink:

Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:04 pm

oorwullie wrote: traditionally we just improvise. :wink:

I like that teardrop camper you have there..... :lol:

Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:05 pm

theizzardking wrote: i i hate fastmc..... :lol: :P :twisted:

:lol:

Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:29 pm

I always make my site bigger than I think I will need. Inevitably by evening I have gathered a lot of fellow campers at my fire.

edit: as for stuff, I fill my cooler with water, I bought lots of MRE's, I always bring a guitar and tongue drum, tequila, beer, coffee, beef jerky, tobac, warm clothes and bedding, propane, TP, bread, gravy mix, poncho, tool box, my 10/22, lighters, lighter fluid, my buck knife, silverware, first aid kit, camp stove and pans and coffee pot. Glow sticks (give 'em to kids), batteries and LED flashlight. Mess kit and trash bags.
It all fits in the cabinets, its secure incase of hard braking (might get a pillow in the head) and if it doesn't spoil it stays in the bus.

Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:51 pm

mattirobi wrote: One thing we like to do on camping trips is to line our cooler up with the sliding door, hinges toward the center of the bus. This gives access from the inside to the cabinets, gives our dog a little path from the bed up to the front, and allows cooler access from the outside during short stops (gas stations, views, restroom, etc).

That all flies out the window when doing two week or longer trips, though:

Also, despite the picture, our dog is not allowed to stand on the counter.

This is pretty much what my bus looks like when I'm done loading it... except now we have an Akita who will be 120 lbs by the time we go camping this summer and I have no idea how he's going to fit.

I envy the guys that bring the bare minimum... but that aint me and it probably won't ever be me. When we go camping we go with friends and I'm the guy with all the gear and I love to cook so I usually bring all the gear and food stuff.

I love everything about camping... including loading up the bus with all my shit. When we camp at the beach (which is 90% of the time) my wife and I take two kayaks, half a dozen rods and reels, the rest of my kayak fishing gear which takes up most of the space above the engine compartment, two coolers: one with drinks, one with meat, drinking water, folding chairs, small folding table, Weber kettle, charcoal, dutch oven, a ton of cut up pallets for firewood, ez-up, bocce, horse shoes, axe, under the bench is filled with all the tools / parts as always. I keep most of the stuff in the BIG rubbermaid containers... I'm OCD about having everything in a square containers so it fits neatly. My wife won't come near me when I'm loading the bus cause i get in a weird ocd mode. haha

I'm looking at my list... there are probably things I could do without, but why should I?

Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:01 pm

Here isRusty loaded for a 2 day trip.

The campsite, We use the covered tent for storage of stuff.

The kitchen sink:

The breakfast table:

Stove number 1:

Stove Number 2:

WE try and keep things simple and have fun,too.

Oh yeah I almost forgot our portable heater....

Mr. Turbo our 3 year old Doxie. :lol:

Sat Apr 25, 2009 4:17 am

Here are a couple of variations on camp setup......... depends on the situation........ if we have external power or not.....

Light camping........ (short weekend)

Travel Camping.... (Car Show weekend)

Camping with facilities....... (Power and Showers) Mama likes this way.... not me...

Setup for a longer stay....... with solar power