Gladiator on fire, burned to the ground…

[rharr]

Young people often don't know what real camping is or was. It's all about glamping now. I want an oven I can bake a pie in, I want my king size bed and a 240 square foot bedroom area and a big play area for the kids inside so they aren't out among the bugs and ucky stuff. Heaven forbid they see a squirrel.
I need to post the pic I have of the fold down camper pulled by Dad's 64 Rambler wagon - that FIVE of us used to travel and camp in. No microwave, just a 2 burner cook top, beds were more like cots, gasoline lantern (man that was sure nice in the SUMMER). No AC and you had running water if you had a long hose and there was a hydrant close-by.
It's called CAMPING, not GLamping. There's not supposed to be glamour and comfort - if you want a king size hybrid mattress for the kids and cable TV and a microwave and french door fridge with ice and water dispenser and full oven, go to a hotel or a BnB.

Funny thing all I see is old farts with all their glamping crap, they are the only ones that can afford the stuff.

To your point it does make me sad no one young or old really uses a tent any more. And the "camp sites" are some manicured RV park. - Go look at the "take my gladiator camping" threads, it's all manicured with trailers enough crap to make the home shopping network proud. Very little outback rough stuff.

You aren't camping if you aren't pooping in a hole you dug yourself. Says the 40 something guy.

TO stay on topic, I removed my engine cover so I could better keep on eye on everything and have a better chance to catch leaks ect. before they turn to fire.

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[maligator]

View attachment 179976

Young people often don't know what real camping is or was. It's all about glamping now. I want an oven I can bake a pie in, I want my king size bed and a 240 square foot bedroom area and a big play area for the kids inside so they aren't out among the bugs and ucky stuff. Heaven forbid they see a squirrel.
I need to post the pic I have of the fold down camper pulled by Dad's 64 Rambler wagon - that FIVE of us used to travel and camp in. No microwave, just a 2 burner cook top, beds were more like cots, gasoline lantern (man that was sure nice in the SUMMER). No AC and you had running water if you had a long hose and there was a hydrant close-by.
It's called CAMPING, not GLamping. There's not supposed to be glamour and comfort - if you want a king size hybrid mattress for the kids and cable TV and a microwave and french door fridge with ice and water dispenser and full oven, go to a hotel or a BnB.

WWOOAHH hold on lol.

The reason I asked is because the last decade I have been deer hunting in a Cabelas outfitter tent and sitting in a blind in the woods all day when it's -10 degrees outside and only having a cold cot in a tent to look forward to sleep in gets old after a while. Idk weather vary wildly in November in Wisconsin where I deer hunt and I just wanted to maybe go once and not wake up in the middle of the night freezing my nipples off because I have the worst sleeping bag in the tent. If it's 0 out and you have the worst sleeping bag you are the one that has to relight the fire 5 times through the night.

That Old folding camper looks pretty glampy if you ask me

Squirrels are terrifying you're right about that! lol

 

[ShadowsPapa]

View attachment 179976


WWOOAHH hold on lol.

The reason I asked is because the last decade I have been deer hunting in a Cabelas outfitter tent and sitting in a blind in the woods all day when it's -10 degrees outside and only having a cold cot in a tent to look forward to sleep in gets old after a while. Idk weather vary wildly in November in Wisconsin where I deer hunt and I just wanted to maybe go once and not wake up in the middle of the night freezing my nipples off because I have the worst sleeping bag in the tent. If it's 0 out and you have the worst sleeping bag you are the one that has to relight the fire 5 times through the night.

That Old folding camper looks pretty glampy if you ask me

Squirrels are terrifying you're right about that! lol

View attachment 179979

been there, done that - I couldn't feel my toes and my fingers were turning blue after waiting in the cold woods and snow (and not having any luck at all) I know what you're talking about. The hand and foot warmers had long since given out.

 

[AKDrifter]

To your point it does make me sad no one young or old really uses a tent any more. And the "camp sites" are some manicured RV park. - Go look at the "take my gladiator camping" threads, it's all manicured with trailers enough crap to make the home shopping network proud. Very little outback rough stuff.

You need to come to Alaska Shadow. More people than not use tents, camp in the middle of nowhere, got there in a kayak, and are happy as clams with nothing but a football and board games for a week.

 

[maligator]

You need to come to Alaska Shadow. More people than not use tents, camp in the middle of nowhere, got there in a kayak, and are happy as clams with nothing but a football and board games for a week.

Are clams really that happy though?

 

[AKDrifter]

Are clams really that happy though?

I mean I've never heard one complain, about anything, ever. I've not been clamming in a decade, and really didn't eat that many then so I couldn't say definitively, but I think the clam population at large is generally content.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You need to come to Alaska Shadow. More people than not use tents, camp in the middle of nowhere, got there in a kayak, and are happy as clams with nothing but a football and board games for a week.

I was there in 2018. Loved the state and the friendly people. Always felt welcome there. But Alaska is as much a way of life as it is a place, from my observations. My wife and I watch every show we can about Alaska, including the old Discovery shows now on free TV.

 

[jimbom]

Funny thing all I see is old farts with all their glamping crap, they are the only ones that can afford the stuff.

To your point it does make me sad no one young or old really uses a tent any more. And the "camp sites" are some manicured RV park. - Go look at the "take my gladiator camping" threads, it's all manicured with trailers enough crap to make the home shopping network proud. Very little outback rough stuff.

You aren't camping if you aren't pooping in a hole you dug yourself. Says the 40 something guy.

TO stay on topic, I removed my engine cover so I could better keep on eye on everything and have a better chance to catch leaks ect. before they turn to fire.

In my 60's , I still camp once or twice a year (deer and elk hunts) with my older brother in a 20 year old Eureka tent on the ground, haul all our water in (~2 gallons/day each) and yes, crap on the ground. Had a Coleman 2-burner stove for 35 years that finally sprang a leak, so I bought a brand-spanking new one. Two years later the thing wouldn't make a blue flame and had to buy my third stove. The Chinese certainly don't make things like we used to.

Deer hunts near the Mexico border usually aren't too cold, except in 2008 when we had a cold snap and all our water jugs froze solid for a few days. I've got an October elk hunt coming up in the White Mountains (~6,000 ft elev) that could go either way, weather-wise. Last year it was excellent weather (for us,) but the warm temps and drought conditions drove the elk to higher elevation. At least that's our excuse for not bagging one, and we're sticking to it.

 

[jimbom]

I was there in 2018. Loved the state and the friendly people. Always felt welcome there. But Alaska is as much a way of life as it is a place, from my observations. My wife and I watch every show we can about Alaska, including the old Discovery shows now on free TV.

Same here, I love all those shows. Been there twice, but have to disclose that my wife and I took cruises there both times. I've promised myself to spend a summer there flying and fishing (and fly-fishing) before I kick the bucket.

 

[MattK]

This was camping..............

Looks like the modern day definition of "overlanding" to me.

 

[rpres62]

Saw this today in Calgary when I was coming home. Not even going to speculate other than maybe it was too heavy a trailer, and it got awfully hot up front.

I just towed a single axel trailer with a crew cab ranger on it yesterday no way would I town that camper. Waaay underpowered, you would be driving around at 6,000 rpm!

 

[Chestnut]

Young people often don't know what real camping is or was.

I'm 30, and if your not walking in a half mile to a tenting site and sleeping on the ground it's not camping. Those monster TTs seems silly, i can get a LOT of stays in a hotel for the cost of those things especially once you consider the gas and all the headaches towing it. Consider the lost time for reduced speed and it gets even worse. HARD pass.

Are there any 4 season light campers that anybody knows of. I don't want like a tiny pod, but something small that has heat/ac, enough room to stand and walk around in at least part of it and maybe sleep 2 people that don't want to hold each other and a dog. I want something for Hunting and some camping in the summer.

I don't really look that hard, but most of what i've seen that is large enough to have a bed area and sitting area then also has a kitchen and all that extra #$@$. As for 4 season, imo a tent is 4 season so anything with hard sides is going to hold heat in just fine. If it gets to cold for an electric heater your buddy heater will defiantly do the job.
That tent is dang fancy.... got a lot more space there than my ultralight 3 person.

 

[5JeepsAz]

Mebbe people forgetting cave man times.

Just sayin

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Same here, I love all those shows. Been there twice, but have to disclose that my wife and I took cruises there both times. I've promised myself to spend a summer there flying and fishing (and fly-fishing) before I kick the bucket.

My wife and I went on a "tour" thing. The last couple of days were a cruise back down the coast to Seattle. We flew into Anchorage, stayed there a bit, then out and about, into Canada via bus and back via train, Fairbanks, etc.
We decided that was fun - but next time we do it on our own, spend more time where we want to spend the time, further into the interior, and skip the ship ride back. That was ok - but we found out we aren't cruise people. Not enough close-up or hands-on stuff.
The people were fantastic. I loved seeing the bears in their natural habitat right along the road, even had to stop more than once to let a mother and cubs pass.

It was a trip with a group and it was sponsored by a local TV station - this is Metinka Slater (she's a meteorologist for the TV station) and her husband Brian (who I had worked at years ago in IT as Principal Financial Group so we sort of reconnected)

 

[AKDrifter]

Next time you guys go, go to Kennicott, and then Valdez is what I suggest. Go in June there will still be snow on the mountains in Thompson's Pass and Kennicott is essentially the reason Alaska was ever developed as much as it is. Was the major the driver of economic activity right up to WW2 and has been decently well preserved. I tell people the closest thing to going to Kennicott is Virginia City in Nevada which is also a really cool place. Cruises are better than the ferry for sure, but you miss a lot from the water.

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