getting ready first road trip HELP - R-pod Owners Forum

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DavMar

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Joined: 04 Aug 2017
Location: Lexington, NC
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Posts: 592

Topic: getting ready first road trip HELP
Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 8:23pm

Ghost Towns in Colorado...hmmm .... ask the all powerful Google.

http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/co/coalpha.html

Hope this helps!

Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the
wonder dog.
2017 Rpod 180
2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4
Lexington, NC

Ben Herman View Drop Down

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Joined: 26 Apr 2018
Location: Gr Junction, CO
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Posts: 356

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 5:48pm

I live in Colorado; you don't have to go that far (or on such a treacherous route) to get to a dark sky location. We live in Grand Junction, not far from the Utah border. There are lots of places that are dark sky locations, not as hard to get to. The catch is that just about any campground will not be completely dark, what with campfires, bathrooms, etc.

A few places that I know of nearby that would fit your dark skies requirement:

Grand Mesa

Dinosaur National Monument (just did 2 trips there in two weeks, thats how much we liked it)

Neither place will have complete dark skies in the campgrounds, but you could easily drive 10-15 minutes from campgrounds in either location and be away from it all. Unless you absolutely need to camp there. In which case you are talking about boondock camping, which I would never do in a Honda Odessy towing an RPod. I have a Honda Ridgeline high clearance all-wheel drive and would think thrice about doing so myself.

Can't help you with the ghost town quest, not done that, but I do know that there are several you can reach from Silverton area as day trips. With the jeep you'll be fine.

I dont carry a generator and don't ever intend to - nor do I carry 2 batteries. I do have a solar panel that'll charge my battery up, but by itself the battery should be no problem for 1-2 days, using propane for the fridge and being careful not to use too many lights. As long as you are driving somewhere, your battery is charging up.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

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Joined: 22 Sep 2011
Location: Chapel Hill,NC
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Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 5:11pm

I can tell you from personal experience that you DO NOT want to take an R Pod to Chaco Canyon. We were there. It took us about an hour and a half to go the 20 miles of the roughest, rutted, wash board , slimy, muddy terrible , insanely ridiculous road to get there. Get my point?

DO NOT GO THERE!!

It was wonderful once we got there, truly amazing in respect of the abundant ruins and truly dark sky. but boy, did I dread the return trip! I will never go there again and advise anyone to do the same unless you can fly there.

There are lots of other areas where you can see dark sky in a much easier and safer location.

just my opinion.

Vann

Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179

Leo B

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
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Posts: 4518

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 3:57pm

+2, I would not bring the genset or extra battery and would just charge the battery with a set of jumper cable if it got to low for comfort.

Run the fridge on propane.

Maybe a short term rental for a larger tow vehicle such as a large SUV or Truck.

Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171

mcarter

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3419

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 3:22pm

+1 to Lostagain, wise advise from someone who knows the area.

Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

lostagain

Senior Member

Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2595

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 3:13pm

Silverton, CO is reachable in your Odyssey though there are some pretty steep climbs as you approach from Durango, CO. Seems to me it took about an hour and a half from Durango in our Dakota. We left the trailer behind in Dolores, CO. Silvertonis a nice place and very picturesque. It's indeed an old mining town, but is filled with shops and such selling tourist things. A jeep would certainly be fun there. But a real ghost town it ain't.

We recently stayed on the other side of the mountain from Silverton in Dolores. It took about 2 hours to drive to Siiverton from there. I posted in campgrounds, a review of the Dolores River Campground in campground reviews. Here's a link: http://doloresrivercampground.com You may find staying in a place like this more comfortable and you can always drive to see the night sky along the many roads into the mountains, while leaving your trailer in the park.

As for Chaco Canyon, yikes, from the road you describe and the isolation, this may not be your best option to see night sky. If the rental people knew you were going there, they may not be thrilled about renting the trailer. And the probability of breaking something in your Odyssey is riskier than you may want, especially with your mother and daughter along. For practical purposes, the only chance to get help in that area in an emergency is if someone happens to pass by and is willing to go back for help. That's a lot to ask of a total stranger, though most people would do it without hesitation.

Our granddaughter is autistic too and occasionally has seizures. We would not, nor would her parents, risk getting into a situation where medical help is simply unavailable, perhaps for days.

valrenter, I don't know where you will be starting your trip, but if you really want see a real ghost town and the night sky all in one trip, check out Bodie State Park, east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Here's a link to the park: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509

Best of luck on your trip.

Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

mcarter

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3419

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 3:10pm

Brave soul and admire the effort for your family.

Just my opinion going down list:

1. Hitch and safety bars: Good

2. Generator: Ok issue is where do you carry genset and where do your carry fuel, Small gas can is best 2.5 gals max, not a fan of carrying gas in cabin of a SUV. Others may chime in. Gas is dangerous. Good container is a must.

3. Extra battery is not a big deal to me. You have a Pod battery and a tow vehicle battery. If for some reason Pod battery fails you can use tow vehicle battery to cover until you get to repair place. Just carrying extra battery makes no sense to me.

4. Tires: Make sure you have good tires and they are filled to appropriate pressure. Manually fixing a tire in the middle of nowhere is not simple, you would need compressed air and tire repair kit. Good tires with a good spare is what I would ensure.

As far as help, once you are not in cell phone coverage, you could be in a pickle. You'd have to be able to help yourself. Make sure you have water. You can live without eating, but you need water. Emergency water. Remember you can use your tow vehicle to charge your Pod battery, consider the genset and gas and length of stay off grid. Two days isn't a lot on the Pod battery. AND have a plan if it goes wrong, tell people where you are at and how long you will be there.

I wish you the best.

Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

valrenter

Newbie

Joined: 30 May 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 31

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 2:22pm

I am renting for the first time r-pod 190 2019 and towing it with a 2015 honda odyssey ex-L. it is just me, my mother, and my daughter. My daughter has autism and has had a very hard life. she made a bucket list and i want to knock off two items with this trip.

1. see a REAL dark sky

2. visit a REAL ghost town

for 1, I selected Chaco. for 2, i have rented a jeep in silverton, CO.

Now I am discovering how HARD it might be to GET TO both locations and to LIVE in chaco park assuming we manage to get there!

I need serious help from experienced people! I don't want to accidentally kill my own mother and daughter (the 2 most important people in my life)!

Here is what I have done so far:

1. hitch and all safety bars etc: i bought a hitch and brakes from the r-pod rental people and they will install it. I know not to pack beyond the weight limits.

2. generator. I bought a generator but I have not unpacked it. It comes with an inverter and the right kind of plug for the r-pod.

-I have NO CLUE AT ALL how I am supposed to safely carry it if it has gas in it, nor how to safely carry gasoline for it!!

3. extra battery. the rental place says there is no place to put a second battery. I know what kind of battery and wires and box to buy. I'm a little bit scared I will blow us up by accident by putting the extra battery on the ground or something near the actual battery and hooking it up.

I am scared about carrying an extra battery just loose even with a battery box.

4. tires!! I am stuck here. i have a honda odyssey 2015 ex-L. P235/65R17 103 T are currently on the minivan. THE DRIVE INTO CHACO IS 13 OR 20 MILES ON ROUGH DIRT ROAD. There are 50 miles of no cell service just to get TO that dirt road. Once in chaco park, there are NO services, not even ice or food. There is drinking water at the welcome center and that's all. We have 2 nights there.

what can I do to have the best tires for my tow vehicle? I don't think I will be allowed to alter the r-pod tires.

what can i do to be able to fix a tire if it goes out?

what can i do to be able to call for help in the middle of the desert if I need to?

I am hoping some kind soul on this forum will have the patience to help me out. I want to be able to give my daughter her dreams because she suffers unnecessarily in many other aspects in her life.

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DavMar Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 Aug 2017 Location: Lexington, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 592	Topic: getting ready first road trip HELP Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 8:23pm
	Ghost Towns in Colorado...hmmm .... ask the all powerful Google. http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/co/coalpha.html Hope this helps!
	Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the wonder dog. 2017 Rpod 180 2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4 Lexington, NC

Ben Herman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2018 Location: Gr Junction, CO Online Status: Offline Posts: 356	Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 5:48pm
	I live in Colorado; you don't have to go that far (or on such a treacherous route) to get to a dark sky location. We live in Grand Junction, not far from the Utah border. There are lots of places that are dark sky locations, not as hard to get to. The catch is that just about any campground will not be completely dark, what with campfires, bathrooms, etc. A few places that I know of nearby that would fit your dark skies requirement: Grand Mesa Dinosaur National Monument (just did 2 trips there in two weeks, thats how much we liked it) Neither place will have complete dark skies in the campgrounds, but you could easily drive 10-15 minutes from campgrounds in either location and be away from it all. Unless you absolutely need to camp there. In which case you are talking about boondock camping, which I would never do in a Honda Odessy towing an RPod. I have a Honda Ridgeline high clearance all-wheel drive and would think thrice about doing so myself. Can't help you with the ghost town quest, not done that, but I do know that there are several you can reach from Silverton area as day trips. With the jeep you'll be fine. I dont carry a generator and don't ever intend to - nor do I carry 2 batteries. I do have a solar panel that'll charge my battery up, but by itself the battery should be no problem for 1-2 days, using propane for the fridge and being careful not to use too many lights. As long as you are driving somewhere, your battery is charging up. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Pod People Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1088	Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 5:11pm
	I can tell you from personal experience that you DO NOT want to take an R Pod to Chaco Canyon. We were there. It took us about an hour and a half to go the 20 miles of the roughest, rutted, wash board , slimy, muddy terrible , insanely ridiculous road to get there. Get my point? DO NOT GO THERE!! It was wonderful once we got there, truly amazing in respect of the abundant ruins and truly dark sky. but boy, did I dread the return trip! I will never go there again and advise anyone to do the same unless you can fly there. There are lots of other areas where you can see dark sky in a much easier and safer location. just my opinion. Vann
	Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179

Leo B Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4518	Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 3:57pm
	+2, I would not bring the genset or extra battery and would just charge the battery with a set of jumper cable if it got to low for comfort. Run the fridge on propane. Maybe a short term rental for a larger tow vehicle such as a large SUV or Truck.
	Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 3:22pm
	+1 to Lostagain, wise advise from someone who knows the area.
	Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595	Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 3:13pm
	Silverton, CO is reachable in your Odyssey though there are some pretty steep climbs as you approach from Durango, CO. Seems to me it took about an hour and a half from Durango in our Dakota. We left the trailer behind in Dolores, CO. Silvertonis a nice place and very picturesque. It's indeed an old mining town, but is filled with shops and such selling tourist things. A jeep would certainly be fun there. But a real ghost town it ain't. We recently stayed on the other side of the mountain from Silverton in Dolores. It took about 2 hours to drive to Siiverton from there. I posted in campgrounds, a review of the Dolores River Campground in campground reviews. Here's a link: http://doloresrivercampground.com You may find staying in a place like this more comfortable and you can always drive to see the night sky along the many roads into the mountains, while leaving your trailer in the park. As for Chaco Canyon, yikes, from the road you describe and the isolation, this may not be your best option to see night sky. If the rental people knew you were going there, they may not be thrilled about renting the trailer. And the probability of breaking something in your Odyssey is riskier than you may want, especially with your mother and daughter along. For practical purposes, the only chance to get help in that area in an emergency is if someone happens to pass by and is willing to go back for help. That's a lot to ask of a total stranger, though most people would do it without hesitation. Our granddaughter is autistic too and occasionally has seizures. We would not, nor would her parents, risk getting into a situation where medical help is simply unavailable, perhaps for days. valrenter, I don't know where you will be starting your trip, but if you really want see a real ghost town and the night sky all in one trip, check out Bodie State Park, east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Here's a link to the park: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509 Best of luck on your trip.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 3:10pm
	Brave soul and admire the effort for your family. Just my opinion going down list: 1. Hitch and safety bars: Good 2. Generator: Ok issue is where do you carry genset and where do your carry fuel, Small gas can is best 2.5 gals max, not a fan of carrying gas in cabin of a SUV. Others may chime in. Gas is dangerous. Good container is a must. 3. Extra battery is not a big deal to me. You have a Pod battery and a tow vehicle battery. If for some reason Pod battery fails you can use tow vehicle battery to cover until you get to repair place. Just carrying extra battery makes no sense to me. 4. Tires: Make sure you have good tires and they are filled to appropriate pressure. Manually fixing a tire in the middle of nowhere is not simple, you would need compressed air and tire repair kit. Good tires with a good spare is what I would ensure. As far as help, once you are not in cell phone coverage, you could be in a pickle. You'd have to be able to help yourself. Make sure you have water. You can live without eating, but you need water. Emergency water. Remember you can use your tow vehicle to charge your Pod battery, consider the genset and gas and length of stay off grid. Two days isn't a lot on the Pod battery. AND have a plan if it goes wrong, tell people where you are at and how long you will be there. I wish you the best.
	Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

valrenter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 30 May 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 31	Posted: 03 Jun 2018 at 2:22pm
	I am renting for the first time r-pod 190 2019 and towing it with a 2015 honda odyssey ex-L. it is just me, my mother, and my daughter. My daughter has autism and has had a very hard life. she made a bucket list and i want to knock off two items with this trip. 1. see a REAL dark sky 2. visit a REAL ghost town for 1, I selected Chaco. for 2, i have rented a jeep in silverton, CO. Now I am discovering how HARD it might be to GET TO both locations and to LIVE in chaco park assuming we manage to get there! I need serious help from experienced people! I don't want to accidentally kill my own mother and daughter (the 2 most important people in my life)! Here is what I have done so far: 1. hitch and all safety bars etc: i bought a hitch and brakes from the r-pod rental people and they will install it. I know not to pack beyond the weight limits. 2. generator. I bought a generator but I have not unpacked it. It comes with an inverter and the right kind of plug for the r-pod. -I have NO CLUE AT ALL how I am supposed to safely carry it if it has gas in it, nor how to safely carry gasoline for it!! 3. extra battery. the rental place says there is no place to put a second battery. I know what kind of battery and wires and box to buy. I'm a little bit scared I will blow us up by accident by putting the extra battery on the ground or something near the actual battery and hooking it up. I am scared about carrying an extra battery just loose even with a battery box. 4. tires!! I am stuck here. i have a honda odyssey 2015 ex-L. P235/65R17 103 T are currently on the minivan. THE DRIVE INTO CHACO IS 13 OR 20 MILES ON ROUGH DIRT ROAD. There are 50 miles of no cell service just to get TO that dirt road. Once in chaco park, there are NO services, not even ice or food. There is drinking water at the welcome center and that's all. We have 2 nights there. what can I do to have the best tires for my tow vehicle? I don't think I will be allowed to alter the r-pod tires. what can i do to be able to fix a tire if it goes out? what can i do to be able to call for help in the middle of the desert if I need to? I am hoping some kind soul on this forum will have the patience to help me out. I want to be able to give my daughter her dreams because she suffers unnecessarily in many other aspects in her life.