Category: Campers

Top 5 RV Campgrounds in Georgia for Nature Lovers | State Park Guide

I asked my Chat buddy for the Top Five Campgrounds in Georgia. Did it get them right?

Certainly! Here are five of the best state parks in Georgia that offer RV camping:

1. Fort Mountain State Park
– Located in the North Georgia mountains, this park offers stunning mountain views, hiking trails, and a beautiful lake. The park has spacious RV campsites with hookups, making it a favorite for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.

2. Red Top Mountain State Park
– Situated on the shores of Lake Allatoona, this park is perfect for water activities like boating, fishing, and swimming. The RV camping area provides easy access to the lake and scenic trails, offering a relaxing getaway.

3. Vogel State Park
– One of Georgia’s oldest state parks, Vogel is nestled in the Chattahoochee National Forest. It features a picturesque lake, waterfalls, and miles of hiking trails. The park has RV sites with hookups, allowing visitors to enjoy the natural beauty in comfort.

4. Crooked River State Park
– Located near the coast, this park offers a different landscape with its tidal rivers, salt marshes, and maritime forests. The RV campground is well-equipped and provides access to boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing.

5. Skidaway Island State Park
– Close to Savannah, this park provides a unique combination of coastal scenery and historical sites. The RV camping sites are spacious and well-shaded, with amenities that make for a comfortable stay. The park offers trails, bird watching, and access to nearby attractions in Savannah.

These parks provide excellent facilities for RV campers and a range of outdoor activities to enjoy. (The Article and Picture were AI Generated)

10 Common Mistakes When Buying a Small Camper

So, I thought I needed to write something and just didn’t have time, so I ask Chat GPT what the ten most common mistakes were when purchasing a small camper. The answers are pretty spot on!

1. Not Considering Tow Vehicle Capacity: New buyers often overlook the towing capacity of their current vehicle, leading to issues with safely towing the camper. It’s crucial to ensure the tow vehicle can handle the camper’s weight, including any additional cargo.

2. Underestimating Space Needs: Small campers can feel cramped, and new buyers may not fully understand how much space they need for comfort. It’s important to consider sleeping arrangements, storage, and daily activities.

3. Skipping a Thorough Inspection: Buyers sometimes neglect a comprehensive inspection of the camper, leading to missed issues like leaks, mold, or mechanical problems. Always inspect the camper thoroughly, or better yet, get a professional inspection.

4. Ignoring Weight Distribution and Trailer Sway: New buyers may not consider the importance of proper weight distribution and how it affects towing stability. Without this, trailers can sway dangerously on the road.

5. Neglecting the Importance of a Good Layout: A camper’s layout significantly impacts functionality. Buyers might focus too much on aesthetics and overlook whether the layout suits their needs and activities.

6. Overlooking Camper Maintenance Requirements: Campers require regular maintenance to keep them in good condition. New buyers might not be aware of these requirements, leading to neglect and costly repairs down the line.

7. Choosing the Wrong Type of Camper for Their Needs: There’s a variety of small campers, from teardrop trailers to pop-up campers to compact travel trailers. Buyers might choose a camper that doesn’t suit their camping style or needs.

8. Forgetting About Campground Restrictions and Accessibility: Certain campgrounds have restrictions on camper sizes, types, or features like hookups. New buyers might not consider this, leading to limited camping options.

9. Underestimating the Costs Beyond the Camper Purchase: The purchase price is just the beginning. New buyers may forget about additional costs like insurance, registration, maintenance, accessories, and campground fees.

10. Not Planning for Weather Conditions and Climate: Small campers can be sensitive to extreme weather conditions. New buyers might not consider insulation, heating, cooling, or other features to ensure comfort in various climates.

So, when I bought mine a few months back, did I cover all of the above? Actually no and I’ll write about that in anothe4r post later this week.

You Charged the Battery, Right?

When I added the website’s tagline, “Old Man with A New Camper, what could possibly go wrong?” I had no idea how true it would be.

On my recent trip to the Atlanta Motor Speedway infield camping, I thought I had seized the engine of my Wen Dual fuel generator. I had worked perfectly until the last day and just stopped.  Now, let me qualify that and say it wouldn’t start with the electric start button.  Logic would say to try the pull rope, but Logic didn’t make the trip with me. So, after letting a friend, a bartender’s husband fix it, I found this out. On the first pull, it worked.  He did put some gas in it. I had just been using the Propane.  I’m not sure that had any effect on the problem. So, what was wrong? The battery died. So, this was a new battery I bought when the one that came with it didn’t work.  And sure enough, if you checked the Wen website, those who had purchased the battery said it didn’t last long. However, my new friend dug a bit deeper to discover that if you didn’t charge the battery before installing it, you would have a problem.  I charged the new lithium batteries I put on the camper, and you probably charged your phone battery when you got it.  I never even thought about it with the arrival of the generator. 

Now, the generator, the Wen 4500, is a powerhouse. I got over 16 hours from a 20-pound propane bottle, and Jay, my new generator expert, said it was a great generator. Maybe I’ll do better when I get back to Atlanta’s Infield in September.

Hello Atlanta – Here I come!

It’s NASCAR weekend in Hampton, Georgia, a.k.a. the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Oh my, where will I be? Inside the 1.5 mile oval for the Ambetter Health 400 on Sunday. Yep, Infield camping, in turn three, is my home for five days. Entrance to the infield is open at 2 PM Eastern on Thursday (2/22/24). I’ll drive up on Thursday morning, getting into the marshaling area about 2 hours later, then onto the track. It’s the first time for me on the infield.

What can you expect from me here? Daily updates, maybe twice daily—the exploration of the Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) Infield with many pictures and some videos. I hope to provide a better overview than I was able to find on the internet. Watch for short, to the point videos. Well, that’s my goal anyway.

I plan to post specific questions and answers, so maybe the internet will find what I hope to be valuable information for the camper. Let’s see how that works!  What do you want to know about the infield? Let me know in the comments below.

My Move to Lithium

A friend pointed out that I had not posted here in several weeks. Yeah, I know. However, today, I have an update. With some help from a friend with mechanical skills, I was able to upgrade my power from a single Interstate Deep Cycle battery with two 12 Volt 100 Amp LifePO4 Lithium batteries from @litimepower. Mechanical skills were needed because the two batteries would not fit in the battery rack on the frame, so we built a new one. I should note now that the Interstate battery is guaranteed for one year and may last a few more, but the Lithium will most likely outlast my time left here.  

Next, I want to install a solar controller (also from Li Time), but probably won’t get that done before my trip to the Atlanta Motor Speedway later this month.  

Update from the Camp

Field test getting ready for a real road trip!

I’m feeling a bit snake-bit as far as camping goes again. I canceled the trip to Talladega. Two generators arrived, and I am still having issues with the battery, and all I want to do is go camping.

This past week, a friend of mine who has some land out in the county. Let me take the Puma out to do some field testing. I’ve been working out the kinks before a real trip. It’s been boondocking for the past few days.

I’ve learned a lot! The generator, now that we figured the problem with the battery was due to an unplugged connection, has run over 11 hours in the propane test and is still on the same 20-pound propane tank! I think I can get another hour or so from it.

I plan to work from there next week! The T-Mobile home internet box has worked fine.  It only showed two bars on the reception meter, but I could get on the internet and stream YouTube TV without any significant hiccups. It’s just an occasional buffering circle every half hour or so.

I plan to run the generator in the bed of the truck.  When running at full power and with little wind in the area, I have found that the carbon dioxide warning will kick the generator off.  I can fix that with an extension on the exhaust, which I plan to do in the coming weeks and definitely before the February Atlanta NASCAR race.  

And That’s That!

Talladega race weekend has come and gone. Unfortunately, a problematic transmission scuttled my plans to camp at the infield this year.  Or as I call it, “Brand New Camper and no way to pull!” I’m counting on the event insurance to save the day and roll me over to the spring race at no charge.  I’ll let you know.  Truck is off to the shop on the 12th, so wish me luck. Oh well!

Post Update: 10/12/23 1 pm – Good News, the truck is back at 100% again. The PROBLEM: transmission torque converter creating shudder through gear ranges. SOLUTION: Performed transmission fluid exchange to correct.

Have You Tried Plugging It In?

When I got my first camper in 2009, I added a 20 Amp outlet by the driveway so I could charge it and get it ready easily for trips.  I’d hang out in it occasionally, wishing I was out of the driveway.

After getting the Puma home, I found the outlet was not working.  Imagine my surprise when an electrician I had called said, “You should plug it in all the way.” Please, that is a rookie mistake, not something I should have done.

With that behind me, I’ll take a few days to learn where things are in the camper and get familiar with it before hitting the road.

And Now – The Camper is Mine!

It’s been about fourteen years since I bought my first camper. For the last five or so years I have not had one. But not now! After shopping for various models and dealers over the past few months, I’ve found my new home on the road. It’s a New 2023 Palomino Puma Ultra Lite 12FBX.  I ended up purchasing from RV Roadway in Opelika.  I worked with Cody on the sales side, and Deborah completed the paperwork and financing from USAA, although the current interest rates are lousy right now.  I can’t say enough how easy the process was and how much I like the folks at RV Roadway.  I’ll take a few days and probably do a Google Review.  I’d certainly recommend it. As a matter of fact, the dealership is expanding on the property next store to the current location, formerly the Harley Davidson Dealership.  I’ll take a few days to learn about the camper and will share details on the blog in the coming days or weeks.