R-pod Owners Forum : jjbescher

R-pod Owners Forum : jjbescher http://www.rpod-owners.com/ This is an XML content feed of; R-pod Owners Forum : Introduce Yourself : jjbescher Copyright (c) 2006-2009 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Fri, 01 May 2026 13:45:02 +0000 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:48:00 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.64 360 www.rpod-owners.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=1087 R-pod Owners Forum http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png http://www.rpod-owners.com/ jjbescher : Definitely saves us time - it... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9588#9588 Author: techntrek
Subject: 1087
Posted: 09 Feb 2010 at 10:48am

Definitely saves us time - it used to take us 1 1/2 hours to unpack and set up when we got to the campsite, now its 20 minutes. Maybe 30 if we have to set up the EZ-Ups.]]> Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:48:00 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9588#9588 jjbescher : Thanks everyone for the warm welcomes.... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9581#9581 Author: jjbescher
Subject: 1087
Posted: 09 Feb 2010 at 7:48am

Thanks everyone for the warm welcomes. It helps when NC is freezing at this point.

I am still at the point of getting the 173T warm enough. We have slept in it twice. On Saturday, only reflectix in the very small back window and my wife woke up at 2:30 in the morning freezing. She said the air mattress was like sleeping on a block of ice. So on Sunday, I spent cutting out the reflectix to put in the bigger windows on the side and putting it on both sides of the fold down piece. The inside piece was easy, but the outside piece I had to cut out holes for all the little hinges and stuff.

I decided to try to sleep in the tent end on Sunday night and it seemed fine to me. No block of ice. I think the reflectix helped out a lot. We are still getting a heated mattress pad to put over the air mattress and that should help.

I really will not be able to get work on it till Thursday, by the time I get home from work and coaching it is dark and cold.

I really have enjoyed all reading about all the mods and was planning on doing some of them myself. It turns out I think Forest River has actually listened to their customer. I do not need to make the mod to get under the couch easier because they made it so that piece can come off very easy.

I did buy pieces for railing over the microwave. When measuring it is over 2' X 2' and was able to buy a 4' piece and just cut in half. I have not installed it yet, pieces cut and stained, but need to still be put in.

I am thinking having the rpod will save me probably about 2 hours of packing and unpacking for a weekend trip. I realize that there is going to be set-up and take down time, but I normally make about 3 or 4 trips to the car when packing and unpacking, then just going to where I need to go there is normally a couple of trips. I figured I can sleep in or relax about an extra hour every day.

It is also going to act as storage for some of the stuff I use to have to leave at my parents house and all around my house.

I am so excited about this weekend to use it.

jon
]]> Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:48:16 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9581#9581 jjbescher : jjbescher....welcome and congratulations.... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9578#9578 Author: yizit
Subject: 1087
Posted: 08 Feb 2010 at 6:26pm

jjbescher....welcome and congratulations. You'll enjoy it very much especially with the new born. No more lugging in and out of cheap hotels. We have a dog too and can appreciate where you are coming from. It'll be so much cleaner then those hotel rooms for the new born. Happy traveling.]]> Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:26:25 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9578#9578 jjbescher : I completely forgot to mention... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9564#9564 Author: techntrek
Subject: 1087
Posted: 07 Feb 2010 at 11:48pm

I completely forgot to mention another part of using Reflectix (radiant barrier) in the tent-end. You can cut pieces of the radiant barrier to fit into the windows. We used this all the time, even when it wasn't too hot or cold, because it kept it dark in the morning. We like to sleep in. But this also helped as much as the cover over the roof to keep the heat and cold out.]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:48:37 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9564#9564 jjbescher : No pictures yet. I have been working... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9557#9557 Author: jjbescher
Subject: 1087
Posted: 07 Feb 2010 at 4:15pm

No pictures yet. I have been working hard on getting it ready to takeit out this upcoming weekend. I have had to cut out reflectix for thetent part of it. I am working on making railings for the part abovethe microwave.

The pull-out part is 5'WX4'L. The air mattress goes over part half ofthe couch of the 173. Although they say it sleeps 6, you couldprobably only get 5. Two on the air mattress, two on the dinette bedand 1 on half of the couch, which would make it inconvenient for thoseon the air mattress to get up.

I hope to start taking pictures after I get everything set-up. It maynot be till after next weekend. If you have any questions about the173T, please let me know.

jon]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:15:53 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9557#9557 jjbescher : Excellent. Happy days to you and... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9488#9488 Author: sylviablue
Subject: 1087
Posted: 05 Feb 2010 at 12:08pm

Excellent. Happy days to you and welcome to podland! Tongue

]]> Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:08:50 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9488#9488 jjbescher : Congratulations on your new Pod... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9461#9461 Author: Guests
Subject: 1087
Posted: 04 Feb 2010 at 1:34pm

Congratulations on your new Pod and welcome to the group. I hope you have many happy journeys in your RP173T. I own it's "older cousin" - just the plain RP173. Keep us posted on your developments and pictures are always great. ]]> Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:34:49 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9461#9461 jjbescher : Definitely want to see the pics,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9457#9457 Author: techntrek
Subject: 1087
Posted: 04 Feb 2010 at 1:02pm

Definitely want to see the pics, and I also want to welcome you.

I want to let you know there is a solution for the tent-end when its very hot or cold. I'll preface this by saying that I don't think you'll need it. The A/C and heater in the 'pod are oversized for the job and could easily keep a trailer twice the size of the 'pod cool or warm. In my popup we only had a problem when we were in direct sunlight above 90F, or below 40F.

If you do have a problem, you can go with a commercial solution or a homemade solution. In either case the solution is a "radiant barrier", basically aluminum foil. You can try Popup Gizmos for an easy and well-respected solution used in the popup world. You can also buy a roll of radiant barrier (either foil or bubble-wrap type) and cut a sheet to size. Drape it over the top and clamp it down with spring clamps. One problem with the foil type is constant movement from wind can make holes in the barrier and also rub some foil dust into the tenting.

We only used this during early-season trips when it dipped into the 30's, or during our annual trip to the beach. Most other times we were camped in the shade or it was cool enough even in the sun.

I'm going to repost this on another forum here since this applies to all tent-end models.

]]> Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:02:04 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9457#9457 jjbescher : I will do a review of the Dealer... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9454#9454 Author: jjbescher
Subject: 1087
Posted: 04 Feb 2010 at 10:30am

I will do a review of the Dealer after I pick it up. So far the Dealer has been great.

jon
]]> Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:30:46 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9454#9454 jjbescher : Congrats!! I'll be looking... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9453#9453 Author: TerryM
Subject: 1087
Posted: 04 Feb 2010 at 10:29am

Congrats!! I'll be looking for the pics & review. Do a review of the dealership also. That helps people that are still looking to buy. Almost forgot: WELCOME to our site!

Terry
]]> Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:29:01 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9453#9453 jjbescher : My camping experience is very... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1087&PID=9451#9451 Author: jjbescher
Subject: 1087
Posted: 04 Feb 2010 at 9:07am

My camping experience is very limited. My idea of camping was to go out in the backyard, pitch a tent and drag extension cords to the tent so I could have electricity.

Why the r-pod? Well, I travel a decent amount on the weekends to Flyball(Relay Racing for Dogs) tournaments with my dogs, wife and now newborn. We would stay in the cheap hotels, the ones that would allow dogs or hotels that were about $100 a night. I would have to pack and unpack the car way too many times and with a newborn that meant extra stuff. We had friends on our team that had a Class C RV and that is what I thought I needed(Still want one). Then, another person on our team got the Jayco Jayfeather 17C. They were able to tow it with their minivan.

So, I started to look at the Hydrid Trailers. I found the Rockwood Roo and really like it, however the weight was still high along with the price. Well, I was looking around and came upon the r-pod. I forgot which website I originally saw it at, but I saw the weight and the floorplans. I was very impressed. So, I looked around and found websites that were close to where I lived in North Carolina. One showed most of the models, even the "T" models.

I contacted one of the dealers and the only "T" trailer they had was the 173T, the one that I liked the most. The 172T was nice, just not enough sitting room without major modifications to the bunks. So after the Snowstorm of '10, they have had schools closed for three days, I ended up driving to the dealer and looking at the 173T. I fell in love with it. Am I worried about the tent part of it, a little, but if it too cold outside or even too warm, I can close the Tent part and now just have a 173.

I pick it up Friday 2/5/2010 Big smile

. I can not wait. There are already modifications I want to make to it thanks to some of the things I have seen on this website and the other one. I am so glad to have found the sites as they have been very helpful in answering some of the questions I had. I know I have many more questions, but they will come once I get it.

I know a lot of you want to see pictures of a "T" model, I will do my best to get some up as soon I can.

I get to try it out on the February 12 and the 13th, I will post some reviews of it after that weekend.

I unfortunately can not make it to the Eastern Roundup, I would love too, but it is too far to travel with not enough vacation days. Maybe someone can organize a mini one in NC, SC or VA.

Sorry for the long post.
jon

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