R-pod Owners Forum : Shaking it Down in the High Country https://www.rpod-owners.com/ This is an XML content feed of; R-pod Owners Forum : Camping Adventures : Shaking it Down in the High Country Copyright (c) 2006-2009 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Sat, 05 Sep 2026 16:44:42 +0000 Tue, 21 Jul 2015 07:46:01 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.64 360 https://www.rpod-owners.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=6671 R-pod Owners Forum https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.rpod-owners.com/ Shaking it Down in the High Country : Thanks for the suggestion techntrek.... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63680#63680 Author: topher2u2
Subject: 6671
Posted: 21 Jul 2015 at 7:46am

Thanks for the suggestion techntrek.  I was reading about furnace solutions yesterday on this forum and that led me to start researching those two brands.  This forum is definitely full of good information and helpful people.
]]> Tue, 21 Jul 2015 07:46:01 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63680#63680 Shaking it Down in the High Country : Great post - your photos are lovely,... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63677#63677 Author: Up the Pitt
Subject: 6671
Posted: 21 Jul 2015 at 2:10am

Great post - your photos are lovely, and I appreciated the travelogue. Camping in Colorado is a retirement dream for me (still 8 - 10 years away), so it's interesting to read your tale. Enjoy your new R-Pod!]]> Tue, 21 Jul 2015 02:10:04 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63677#63677 Shaking it Down in the High Country : Quick suggestion for heat - many... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63673#63673 Author: techntrek
Subject: 6671
Posted: 21 Jul 2015 at 12:05am

Quick suggestion for heat - many full-time RVers use one of several brands of catalytic heaters.  Silent, no use of electricity.  Olympic Wave and Mr. Buddy are two brands.]]> Tue, 21 Jul 2015 00:05:56 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63673#63673 Shaking it Down in the High Country : The camp ground is very sparse.... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63649#63649 Author: topher2u2
Subject: 6671
Posted: 20 Jul 2015 at 1:26pm

The camp ground is very sparse.  I understand that they had to cut all the trees down because of the beetle problem.  The surrounding area is still very beautiful and with temps in the 60's during the day, the lack of tree cover wasn't terrible.

]]> Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:26:55 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63649#63649 Shaking it Down in the High Country : Passes under 11k don't count... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63648#63648 Author: COSPod
Subject: 6671
Posted: 20 Jul 2015 at 1:23pm

Passes under 11k don't count  Wink

How is the pine beetle recovery coming along up there? State forest is up on my list of places to go, but wondering how bad the beetle damage is as that area seemed to take the worst of it. The campground seems a bit sparse but other pics don't look bad.



]]> Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:23:47 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63648#63648 Shaking it Down in the High Country : Great pictures!! Looks like a... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63645#63645 Author: Leo B
Subject: 6671
Posted: 20 Jul 2015 at 11:49am

Great pictures!! Looks like a great time!!]]> Mon, 20 Jul 2015 11:49:43 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63645#63645 Shaking it Down in the High Country : Thanks for the post and pictures!... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63644#63644 Author: Guests
Subject: 6671
Posted: 20 Jul 2015 at 11:02am

Thanks for the post and pictures! Good stuff.
I would have liked to made to Rocky Mnt NP this year (100th anniversary) but, it just wasn't meant to be. Maybe next year.

Many good travels in your new Pod!]]> Mon, 20 Jul 2015 11:02:07 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63644#63644 Shaking it Down in the High Country : We took our 171 out for the first... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6671&PID=63643#63643 Author: topher2u2
Subject: 6671
Posted: 20 Jul 2015 at 10:56am

We took our 171 out for the first time over the weekend.  We've tent camped both in Florida and here in Colorado, but this is our first travel trailer.  There are quite a few RV's in our family and we've had the pleasure to camp with our family on many occasions.  However, camping with someone in their RV and being responsible for everything are not the same Smile

We picked State Forest State Park in the high country in Northwestern Colorado, because it's fairly close to home and the park is known for moose sightings, hiking, fishing, etc. 

The drive was beautiful and we really tested the towing capabilities of our Jeep as we pull over Cameron Pass.  Colorado Hwy 14 is a winding route that follows the Cache La Poudre River through some spectacular canyons and over a pass that is less than a thousand feet lower in elevation than the Eisenhower Tunnel on I70.  There is no need to be in a hurry on this route, as the max speed limit we encountered was 45mph.  The low speeds helped us with fuel economy also, which clocked it at 16.6 mpg for the round trip.  I would say that about 100 miles were on the interstate and the rest was a nice low speed hike through the mountains.  We opted for sway control on the Jeep and pulling the trailer was a smooth experience.



We set camp at Bockman Campground in State Forest State Park.  The site has fire rings, a nice flat pad for the camper, and vault toilets.  Otherwise, it was pretty rustic, exactly what we were looking for including the one message I love to see on my phone when I want to get away.




We found the 171 to be very comfortable on this short trip.  My son used the dinette bed and grumbled some about the cushions, but he seemed to sleep fine.  Easily accessible storage space was at a premium, but I think we have a solution for that.  We removed the microwave when we got home and it seems like we will have quite a bit more space available when we go out next week.  We intend to boondock in the R-Pod and don't plan to haul a generator along with us to run the microwave.

Backing into our spot had to give our camp neighbors a chuckle, but we did get it parked (eventually).  I guess you have to start somewhere.   



It did get a bit chilly at night and both my wife and my son felt cold in the camper the first night.  I set the thermostat to 60 on the second night and everyone was comfortable.  I've read more than a few posts talking about how the heater will drain the battery and I was concerned about how using the heater would work out.  I think I may look at an alternative to the built in furnace in the future.  My solar panel kept the battery topped off, but I haven't hooked up my inverter yet to support devices that will likely suck more power from the battery. 

We did find that we can charge a cell phone from the stereo, as long as you turn on the unit and select USB as a source.  One of the main reasons I initially considered for installing an inverter was to allow phone charging.  Phones drain quickly if you don't put them in airplane mode when there is no service.



View from trail near Bockman Campground

We were able to go fishing at a small reservoir near the campground (didn't catch anything) and we found a few easy hiking trails nearby. 

Overall, the trip was a ton of fun and the trailer performed wonderfully for us.  We forgot lots of things that we should have brought with us at home, but nothing that was truly essential.   I think we learned a few things that will make our next trip even better and maybe we'll do a better job backing the trailer up next time too.
 

Rustic cabin near Bockman Campground  
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