Camping in Canada ??
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Camping Adventures
Forum Discription: Post your camping adventures here for all to share
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5285
Printed Date: 29 Apr 2024 at 11:17am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Camping in Canada ??
Posted By: CharlieM
Subject: Camping in Canada ??
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 12:03pm
|
Need some advice from our Canadian friends or others who are in the know. I'm thinking of a short trip through eastern Canada, probably starting at Niagara Falls, NY, via Toronto to Sudbury and Sault St. Marie, and back down through Michigan. I'll be towing a camper; no firearms or alcohol. Other than US passports and US insurance cards what will I need? Is a Canadian insurance card required? Any recommendations on campsites? I've heard Canadian Provincial parks are awesome. Where to stay, what to see? Thanks from the lower 48, ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Replies:
Posted By: jeeperic
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 1:09pm
|
The border crossing at Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge goes pretty smooth, although it has been a quite a few years since I went through. Sounds like you're all set with passports, and probably a second set of photo ID. As for alcohol, Canadian beer is better anyways (uh-oh, can open, worms EVERYWHERE..!)..
This time of the year, the leaves around Sault St. Marie will be fantastic. If there's still room available, you will be doing yourself a favour by booking a seat on the Agawa Canyon train. I don't know how to put a link on this page, but Google it..it's worth the day spent!  ------------- That button at the top of the remote? That's the power button..press it. Turn it all off. Go outside! '14 RPod 171 '09 Jeep Wrangler JK (mine) '14 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 (hers) |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 2:22pm
|
Passports aren't actually required to enter Canada - a US drivers licence/birth certificate will do. You will, however, likely need a passport to re-enter the US. A little booze is fine - a 26er of liquor or a 24 of beer per person; a carton of cigarettes is ok as well. Fruits and vegetables are mostly banned as well as some non-US meats. Its about a 10% chance that they even ask, but you may have to throw out your bananas and potatoes at the border. Bread and condiments and all that type of stuff is fine - so you may want to just bring that and plan on a quick trip to the grocery store on this side of the border. Our gas is expensive - brace yourself to pay 20-25% more. But, we don't have nearly as much ethanol in our gas, so you'll get slightly better mileage. If you're bringing pets - make sure you've got dated papers on letterhead from your vet (tags are not good enough) showing up-to-date rabies shots - papers should clearly identify the animal by breed and colouring. And, pit bulls (including crosses and dogs that just happen to strongly resemble pit bulls) are outright banned. As a non-resident, don't even try to argue 'cause you'll be turned back. The trip between Niagara Falls and Barrie is mostly 4-8 lane highway. There aren't a lot of picturesque camping stops. I'm not sure what your intentions are for this part of the trip - do you plan on making your way into Toronto? There are a couple of handy parks on commuter train routes which would be your best bet. Oh - do head to Niagara on the Lake on your way toward Toronto (its not far off course). Walk around downtown and visit the dozens (and dozens) of shops. This is a great way to score points with your wife. Everyone will suggest Algonquin Provincial Park - and I strongly agree for at least a 3 night stay. If you're just driving through, stay at Arrowhead Provincial Park which is gorgeous and not nearly as far out of the way. Grundy Lake and Killbear are also favourites along your route. Between Sudbury and Sault Ste Marie, Chutes Provincial Park is a nice little park for a night. If you're an Arrogant Worms fan, you might want to stay at Gordon's Park on Manitoulin Island (its barely 30 minutes south of your route) - just to see the Mounted Animal Nature Trail; if you're not, then the lack of nostalgia is definitely not worth the trip. If you want to go just north (2 hours) of Sault Ste Marie, Lake Superior Provincial Park is well worth a stay as well. Its a gorgeous park with much to see. Finally: much like our gasoline, our provincial park rates are high - so brace yourself for $40-49/night. Also, you'll need 75' of electrical cord and will almost always have to level the trailer. No provincial parks have on-site sewer or water, so visit the sanitary station to fill up with fresh water on your way into your site and dump on your way out. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2014 at 10:59pm
|
Craig, Thanks for the fast and detailed reply. Lots of good info there. I checked out the on-liine reservation system. It is excellent and very similar to our ReserveAmerica system. Either we copied them or the other way around. Arrowhead, Grundy Lake, Killbear, and Chutes look interesting. Algonquin is a bit off the path and I don't carry a canoe  . From your post I gather dump facilities are at the sanitary stations, but what about water? Are there faucets I can connect a hose to for filling my on-board tank, or is it the bucket brigade? No problem with the electrical line; I have 90 feet of 30 Amp extension cord. Are 30 Amp connections available? Lastly, what are radio free areas?------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: ron_whitt
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2014 at 6:54am
|
Usually you have dump and water fill at same location, but might have to drive ahead 50ft or so to get potable water. As far as canoeing, Algonquin Park has fantastic hiking trails and the view from some of them at that time of year will be breath taking. Yes all prov. parks are 30amp some of the private ones only have 15amp so you might want to take along a 15/30 amp adapter. Also look into highway 28 north from Peterbrough Silent Lake prov. park... Along the way... in Applsy look for "Wandering Swish Bear" bakery and restaurant.. world's best pecan pie ... Fall colours will be great..
------------- Ron & Shirley 2020 Tacoma 2012 177 rpod |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2014 at 7:26am
|
Ron, Thanks for the help. I usually carry 50' of white hose, but might toss in an extra 50' for good measure. I also carry 30/15 and 50/30 adapters for power. As for hiking, unfortunately I'm a candidate for two knee replacements. No hiking for me, but wait 'till next year! And lookin' for that pecan pie ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Seanl
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2014 at 8:28am
|
I crossed at the Rainbow Bridge two years ago. It was busy. Took us at least a hour to get across. This was middle of August. ------------- Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition 
|
Posted By: Puck Podders
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2014 at 8:44am
|
Remember to add 'eh' to the end of every sentence when in Ontario. Also with it being the fall Ontarians will be talking about how this season will be the year the Maple Leafs finally end the 1967 drought and win the cup! Please humour us and just agree eh. It is a condition we suffer through annually but it passes by December when reality hits again. You are always welcome to say critical things about the Montreal Canadians when in Ontario eh. These valuable hints will quarantee a fun trip through our beautiful province eh. Rick ------------- Rick & Wilma 'Hairy' Gracie 2015 178 GMC Sierra |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2014 at 9:23am
I first read that as "I crossed the Rainbow Bridge two years ago.". I was happy to see there is an Internet connection from the hereafter! ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
|
Posted By: Budward
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2014 at 9:26am
That is the right way to do it- separate dump and fill. 2 reasons- first> it keeps some dummy from sticking the fill hose in his black outlet to rinse- thereby contaminating the hose  second> it lets people fill without holding up the people waiting to dump. We were at Two Medicine campground in Glacier NP a few weeks ago, they had the potable water fill only about 20 ft from the dump port- which accomplished number 1 above but didn't allow for a fill without blocking the dump for the next guy. To add to that the water out of the potable fill was about 2 gallons a minute so filling 30+ gallon tank was a very slow process.. ------------- 2014 179 Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2014 at 9:38pm
|
Almost every time I cross the border at Sault Ste. Marie, MI (pronounced Soo Saint Marie, or as we say up here: The Soo) the Canadian Customs officer on duty tells me to "be careful and watch out for moose, eh?" So I will pass that along.
------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: DavidW
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2014 at 11:10pm
|
CharlieM, I will second Outbound's recommendations for Provincial Parks along your route.
You can check out my reviews, photographs and suggested campsites for Arrowhead and Grundy in the Ontario Parks review section. Booking ahead online will get you the best sites. I drove through Killbear last week to check out our site 628 for Thanksgiving week-end and it is in a great part of the park. The views nearby are to die for. You won't need a white hose to fill up at the water station in a Provincial Park. And you are not permitted to connect to a neighbouring water tap if you happen to be near one. The bigger issue on length is to make sure that you have a long enough electrical cord. 75' should work but I personally recommend 100'. Make sure that you can reach the outlet before you disconnect your R-Pod. Enjoy your trip! [PHOTOS: Killbear Prov. Pk.] 
 ------------- David & Liz 2014 R-Pod 178 2019 Chevy Traverse And Lily (our 8 yr old Golden) 
|
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2014 at 4:38pm
|
Why do you say you won't need to use a hose to fill up the water tank? ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2014 at 5:58pm
|
[QUOTE=DavidW]CharlieM, I will second Outbound's recommendations for Provincial Parks along your route.
You won't need a white hose to fill up at the water station in a Provincial Park. And you are not permitted to connect to a neighbouring water tap if you happen to be near one. QUOTE] Same question. Why don't I need a white hose. Are there faucets to connect a hose to or do I have to haul water in 5 gallon (19L) containers? Or maybe a hose is permanently attached? If so, what length? ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Budward
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2014 at 6:09pm
|
I've run into dump stations where the fill station had no hose and ones with a permanently attached hose, typically on one of the spring loaded masts...I also ran into 2 on my 30 day trip that had NO water of any sort. Not even the wash water to hose down a spill at the dump port... BTW I ran low on water at a USFS campground that had a hand pump for water...that was fun- Had to pump a good 10-20 times before you got ANY water and if you paused for a few seconds the water column fell back down the pipe and another 10-20 pumps to get it started again...whew. The pump was huge with a handle about 4 ft long, with about a 4 ft stroke, making it impossible to both pump and hold a collapsible 5 gallon container under the spout. Required two people. Definitely made one conserve water with all the work it took to get more  We stayed in one USFS campground near Vail, CO that had NO water available at all. Even the poor host had to buy and haul his in. ------------- 2014 179 Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2014 at 7:22pm
|
As others have already said, in Ontario Provincial Parks, the dump/fill is usually in the same area (Samuel de Champlain is the only one that comes to mind with separate dump and fill areas). For the most part, the dump/fill stations are on a short, single-lane loop of road close to the park entrance. Usually, the dumpstation is located first along the loop and then about 50' further up is the fillstation. They're kept separate to prevent cross-contamination. Occasionally, in the larger parks, the garbage bins are handily found in the same area (e.g. Arrowhead). Dumpstations usually have a RED-painted water tower (steel, cylindrical, about 8' high and 8" around) with non-potable water to be used for flushing tanks/messes on the concrete bib around the drain. Fillstations usually have a LIGHT-BLUE-painted water tower almost always have a short length of hose (suspended on a spring affair to keep them well off the ground) that you can use to directly fill your tank - no additional hose required. The only exception you may run across is Bronte Creek Provincial Park, which keeps its water taps & hoses in small, heated sheds as the park was intended (but never realized) for year-round operation. Everything to do with sewage and fresh water is clearly labelled and instructioned at all Provincial Parks. Oh - Mew Lake in Algonquin has a heated closet for fresh water as well, but that's only available during winter months when the usual water source is shut down at the sanitary station. There are water taps peppered throughout the campgrounds as well. Generally, these have non-threaded taps and occasionally, they must be held in the on position to keep the water flowing. But, a water thief usually works fairly well to connect a hose. As DavidW has said, even if you do have sufficient hose, its prohibited to connect to any of the campground taps. But, I have been known to hook up for the 10 minutes it takes to fill my fresh tank - as long as its only for a few minutes, no one cares. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2014 at 9:02pm
|
I've long been mildly curious -- this is the first time my curiosity has risen to the level to ask about this -- but when dump stations are coupled with a potable water station, do they really have two water sources, one non-potable for washing down dump station spills, and another, separately plumbed, source for potable water? I understand not wanting to use one hose for the both purposes, but really, what do you even have to do to have two separately piped and plumbed water sources coming to essentially the same spot? Now, I used to have a farm where I had water for the cattle and horses come from a spring and a gravity-fed tank to the troughs, and separate household water. I can see that in some cases that would be doable and even very appropriate, but how often is that even possible, let alone remotely practical? TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: DavidW
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2014 at 9:58pm
|
Perfect summary, Outbound.
I was not meaning to imply that one does not need to have a white hose in your R-Pod - merely that it is rarely used at an Ontario Provincial Park. In fact, I carry two 50' foot white hoses for those situations where I am at a private RV park. Again, for electricity I always carry 100'. Most electric posts in our Provincial Parks serve two adjacent sites. Depending upon when the electric lines were put in place, one can find the electrical post at the edge of one's site, deep in the woods between two sites, along the entrance road, or even on your neighbour's site. Hence the need to be flexible with the length of one's cord. It is useful to check the Ontario Parks website to determine where the dump station and water fill-up station is located. Sometimes it is after the gatehouse (Sandbanks), sometimes before the gatehouse (Driftwood), sometimes on the way "out" of the park (Bronte Creek or Murphys Point) in which case you then have to re-enter the park. I have adopted techntrek's strategy of always having a small 2 gallon water carrier filled with water from home (or water bottles) which we use for coffee, brushing teeth, and for our dog's water. I also have two 6 gallon "army style" flat rectangular water carriers which I picked up during my stay at Murphys Point. As I couldn't find the water fill-up station on my way in, I had already set up my R-Pod before I discovered where it was. Then it was too late. Luckily, water taps are located fairly close to one's site such that it wasn't too difficult to fill up the carriers at the water tap and transport them to our R-Pod. This avoids running into any problems with the water supplied by the Park. For example, I know that Mew Lake has a lot of silt in their water system if one camps in April. In that case, it is useful to arrive with one or more full portable water carriers in your TV (You wouldn't want to fill your tank with water anyway because it would be liable to freeze in April). ------------- David & Liz 2014 R-Pod 178 2019 Chevy Traverse And Lily (our 8 yr old Golden)
|
Posted By: ron_whitt
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2014 at 7:18am
|
Tars, never really thought about the water source. I always just assumed that there was 1 well and it served both dump and potable sites, just split in 2. But then your talking gov't supervisors... sooooo likely 2 drilled wells 40ft apart with wells 100ft deep and $50 a foot to drill.............. ------------- Ron & Shirley 2020 Tacoma 2012 177 rpod |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2014 at 7:10pm
For the most part, you're correct of course - its a single source of water for both the non-potable and potable taps. Both taps will have backflow preventers (at least 2) installed to prevent upstream contamination. Parks staff are fairly sensible and usually try not to waste money/time/effort. But, in a few cases, the taps are fed from "separate" sources.
------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2014 at 7:19pm
I'd really like to stress DavidW's point. Its a very rare occasion (once a year, perhaps) that I find myself on an Ontario Parks campsite where the r-pod's stock power cord will reach a power post. Generally, I'll need at least 25', usually 50' of extension on top of the 26' stock. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2014 at 8:11pm
|
I'd really like to stress DavidW's point. Its a very rare occasion (once a year, perhaps) that I find myself on an Ontario Parks campsite where the r-pod's stock power cord will reach a power post. Generally, I'll need at least 25', usually 50' of extension on top of the 26' stock. [/QUOTE]Got the message. I'll bring 85-88 feet of 30 Amp cord. I assume the connectors are the same as our standard two blade plus one prong 30 Amp RV plug. We're really looking forward to our short camping trip to Canada. Thanks, ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: DavidW
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2014 at 8:18am
|
CharlieM, Yes, the connectors are the same.
Enjoy your trip! ------------- David & Liz 2014 R-Pod 178 2019 Chevy Traverse And Lily (our 8 yr old Golden)
|
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2014 at 12:33pm
|
I've always thought it would make sense to standardize future campground connections on the L14-50 (50 amp) twist-lock outlets/plugs. For comparison, portable generators with a twist-lock connection use a L14-30 (30 amp), and the pods use the L14-30 where the power cord plugs into the pod. Get rid of the TT-30 (30 amp) and 14-50 (non-twist-lock 50 amp). Keep the 20 amp outlet for standard extension cord connections, too. A random musing, somewhat off topic. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2014 at 10:01pm
|
OK folks, We've decided on Killbear and Chutes Prov. parks. Got the long power cords and understand the water ins and outs. So for a week in Canada relatively close to the border and armed with plastic cards will I need Canadian currency or will pretty much everyone accept US $$ ? ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2014 at 10:51pm
|
No, I would say you will have to get your self some Cana Bucks ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: Budward
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2014 at 4:27am
|
Speaking of credit cards- when I was last in Canada about 10 years ago nobody took Discover card. Is that still the case? ------------- 2014 179 Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
Posted By: DavidW
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2014 at 9:17am
|
Budward,
Yes, that is still the case. Very few will accept DISCOVER. And a lot of businesses really don't like AMEX because they are charged large service fees. Your best bet is VISA or MASTERCARD. (Of course they will charge you a conversion fee). Cash is good but few of us carry much cash anymore either. Most places now take debit and don't keep much cash in their drawers. I second the comment that Canadian cash is better to use than USD. Mainly because not everyone will take it and, if they do, might not give you much better than 1:1 (which is a 10% loss for you). Cheers, David ------------- David & Liz 2014 R-Pod 178 2019 Chevy Traverse And Lily (our 8 yr old Golden)
|
Posted By: DavidW
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2014 at 9:22am
|
Budward,
I forgot to add that we will be at Killbear for Canadian Thanksgiving from Sat. Oct 11th to Mon. Oct 13th. I can't see from the conversation thread above when you are travelling but if you are at Killbear when we are, you would be most welcome to drop by. We will be on site 628 in the Granite Saddle Campground. David ------------- David & Liz 2014 R-Pod 178 2019 Chevy Traverse And Lily (our 8 yr old Golden)
|
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2014 at 9:24am
Yes, pretty much everyone will accept US cash. You won't get a very good exchange rate tho and they may well just give you par. And, your change will be in Canadian (its the law). Plastic works pretty much everywhere here (predominantly MasterCard and Visa. AMEX will work at most hotels and restaurants, 50% of gas stations and very few campgrounds). Don't forget we've got chip-n-PIN, so make sure you've got a PIN if you have chip and its getting to the point that you're turned away if you don't have a chip at all. Most gas stations don't support pay-at-the-pump for US credit cards, so you'll have to go inside. Debit will work, if you're on one of the major networks (like Cirrus) and have chip-n-PIN. I don't think you can even use a swipe debit card here anymore. Oh - its very unusual for Canadians to have a combined credit/debit card and they're treated a bit differently here than you're used to. In fact, clerks have to punch a different button on their till for credit vs debit - the customer doesn't select it at the PIN-pad. When you're asked "how do you want to pay for that?" - they're looking for an answer of "cash," "credit" or "debit." They really don't care if its MasterCard or Visa -or- that you want to debit the money from your Chase account. Personally, when I go to the US, I usually pay for everything with my MasterCard (they offer a fair exchange rate with no extra fees). I'll also usually find a bank machine somewhere just over the border and pick up $60 for miscellaneous expenses. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2014 at 9:27am
10 years ago was probably the peak of Discover in Canada. Its rare that I even run across a sign anymore. MasterCard or Visa are the way to go. Even Costco has dumped AMEX and is going MasterCard come January. ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2014 at 1:48pm
|
Interesting, I wonder if that is true for Costco in the US. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: Sea pod
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2014 at 11:09pm
 Going to BC next July 2015....Vancouver island and western mainland... looking for information on campgrounds, whale watching, bear tours, surfing, hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking. Any ideas or secret spots would be appreciated. ------------- TV..ford 350 Co pilot....Noreen Navigator...rosie |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2014 at 10:49am
|
We’re just returning from a 4100+ mile trip. Four and a half
weeks, 2 countries, 15 states, camped in 10 plus ON. Thanks to our Canadian
members I was fully prepared for their awesome provincial parks. Two nights
each in Killbear and Chutes. The parks were very well maintained, sites were
well spaced and treed, and park personnel were great, The extra length power
cords came in handy and the turning leaves were beautiful. Definitely will do this
again but probably further west. One
note: cell phone data (ATT) is very expensive so I’ll be looking for an
alternative next time. Maybe a Canadian cell phone/data plan? The Camplite 21
and Tacoma combo worked great. No problems with either except the gunshot sounds
of acorns falling from 50 foot oaks onto the aluminum roof ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
. Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2014 at 11:21am
|
LOL, I was working in my Salem yesterday and kept wincing as the acorns dropped on the roof. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2014 at 11:54am
The difference is, I'm convinced, squirrels were up there throwing acorns down at us. Either that or Canadian bears carry 30-06s ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: DavidW
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2014 at 2:54pm
|
Glad you enjoyed your trip, CharlieM, and returned safely home.
Feel free to join us up here anytime! Cheers, David ------------- David & Liz 2014 R-Pod 178 2019 Chevy Traverse And Lily (our 8 yr old Golden)
|
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2014 at 3:33pm
|
Wow. http://www.ontarioparks.com/park/killbear - Killbear looks really, really nice. It's now on our must-goto list. fred
------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2014 at 5:50pm
|
One thing I love about camping forums, they really bring people of many countries together. Not just west of the Atlantic, either. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2014 at 7:51pm
It is really, really nice, and not too far from you. Go there, but check on their season. You'll like it. And note my new TV in my avatar. Don't need no stinkin' sway control  ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Budward
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2014 at 5:08am
|
So spill the beans CharlieM! How did that supercharged Tacoma do mileage and power wise? Not that I'll ever drop 5k to add one to my Toyota ------------- 2014 179 Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2014 at 9:41am
So far the S/C is working and I think I like it. Gas mileage towing the Camplite seemed to run 10-11, about what I got with the Pilot/RPOD combo and about what I expected. The Tacoma doesn't have an MPG computer so I go by my ScanGauge. It measures instantaneous MPG and mileage for the current tank. I'm lazy so I didn't save receipts and calculate the totals. The S/C does require premium gas so that brings $/mile into question, but there are way too many variables to really answer that question. With the Pilot/Pod combo I did observe about +2 MPG using premium while towing, but I can't make that comparison with the Tacoma. Performance was no problem. Lots of power when I needed it, but we didn't find many "mountains" on our trip up east. I think we got to 2500 feet elevation maybe. It pulled fine going up hills .I kept my highway speed to 60 MPH and had no problem maintaining that going up hills. Again, the Camplite is 1000# heavier than my Pod and has a slightly bigger frontal area so comparisons are imprecise. And I didn't have any experience with the Tacoma without the S/C so no help there. When we first got the Tacoma the S/C whine was really annoying, but we find we're getting used to it. Bottom line is the jury is approaching, but it's still out. I suspect the MPG will be about the same with or without the S/C unless I really use the S/C, but then that's why I bought it. The real test will be the Rocky Mountain passes this summer. That's where I expect a great improvement and I do have the Pilot/Pod experience to compare to. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2014 at 11:13am
|
I would say you don't need weight distribution, but you still need sway control. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
|