How long is too long?

[Musictom]

So far this year we've managed to take 12 trips in our new pup, including a 16 day trip this summer.

I'm curious to know what your longest trip has been. My wife and I are thinking about a 30 day trip this summer (benefits of working for a school!)

We were fine on our 16 day jaunt, but then again, everything is brand new to us. Am I pushing my luck in planning a 30 day trip?

 

[Sjm9911]

If you had fun on the 16 day trip, 30 would be fine also. You know what you need and how to restock from the 16 day trip. Have fun. ( as long as its not 30 days at 30 diffrent sites, then your nuts!)

 

[tombiasi]

Its not the time in the pup that would be a bother but I can't stay in the same place more than two days.

 

[jmkay1]

Had some neighbors who lived in their popup for 6 months while their house was being built. During the summer wasn't so bad and they had fun but as soon as they saw late fall and then winter they never wanted to see their popup again. The second they moved into their new house they sold their popup. So I say go for it. If I was able to take 3 weeks or more off from work I would take that time to drive to places I can only dream of going because it's so far away to really enjoy it in a weeks time.

 

[PopUpSteve]

In 2017 I did a cross country trip which 23 days. Planing for my 2022 trip now and it will be almost 2 months.

 

[Musictom]

If you had fun on the 16 day trip, 30 would be fine also. You know what you need and how to restock from the 16 day trip. Have fun. ( as long as its not 30 days at 30 diffrent sites, then your nuts!)

No, it's a minimum 2 night stay.

 

[Tonya Harding]

I could do it no probs, not the wife lol, dang fortunate I make it month to month here at home...

 

[kitphantom]

Depends on your current tolerances. We did a few 3 week trips in tent days. I did one long solo with the first popup, that was around 3 weeks, and I was really ready to be home by the time I’d started back across the country. In the small TT we have now, we tend to 8-16 nights. We’re heading home this weekend, we’ll have had 16 nights out, and We’ve had colder weather than usual, a snow storm, and a couple of other things, so home is looking really good.
We’re beginning to plan a possible long trip for next July, for my 50th high school reunion, visiting friends and family in that area, then a visit to my husband’s family. He will fly back east to join me for that portion, then drive home from there with me. For me, it will be 3+ weeks. Not looking forward to parts of the getting back and forth across the country, but it’s what has to be done. If we did much sightseeing along the way, it’d end up being a month or more, and I’m not sure I’m up for that in one chunk.

 

[kcsa75]

We did 16 days in the Pup when we went to Yellowstone National Park in 2015. We had a one-night stay on the way and another on the way back which is kind of a pain, but otherwise we did fine.
A 30-day trip doesn't phase me one bit.

 

[Jim Whitehouse]

In 2018, our first year of having Val the ALiner (prior we were tenter's), we traveled from Ontario to Inuvik NWT. Goal was to watch the summer solstice at the Artic Circle. Left home May 26 to first visit DD in central BC. Spent 5 days there then headed North. With timelines in mind there were several 1 night stops. Destination stays were 2-4 days long. It was a clear evening/morning at the Artic Circle June 21 @ 2:30 am. Had to be home for July 6. Just over 9000 km home from the Artic Circle.
People complain about RV fridges, but we were able to pack and keep food safe for most of the journey. Dempster HWY was murder on the fridge door. Bounced off twice before we learned to put a bungee cord across it. 3 reprovisioning stops. Ate out maybe 4 times entire trip.
February 2019 took our first trip to Florida. Were there for 24 days.
Think nothing of hooking up and heading west to see DD. 5 nights out, 5 nights back.
We sure wouldn't hesitate to do any long trip. Takes planning and patience. Always enjoy the ride.

 

[BillyMc]

There have been people full time in a PUP, while other can barely tolerate a weekend in one. We are planning a trip for retirement that will last about six months. At the time we had a PUP and planned to make the trip with it. Covid hit and DW declared all public facilities toxic waste zones to not be entered. While that was fine once we were setup as the PUP had both toilet and shower. We use a portable toilet with an instant shelter on the road. It worked, but got old. Coupled with indoor dining was also off her list and very few places having outdoor seating these days made eating on the road a hassle we moved to a HTT. We now have a place to eat and use the restroom when the need arises.

It really depends on the people. You've already done half that and are considering it so I'm thinking you would do well with a month long camping trip.

 

[Zephyr]

Our longest has been a bit over 7 weeks, just after retirement. The house looked huge when we returned. Our longest stay in one spot was 12 days.

I grew up travelling in a pup. My parents were teachers and we did 4 week trips in our Bethany Chief almost every summer, carefully squeezed in between summer workshops, etc. One trip started with us sitting in a college parking lot while Mom took the GRE. How they managed to get 4 kids organized and packed for a trip while she prepared for the exam is a mystery to me.

 

[MNTCamper]

Longest we have been out was 23 days, a three weeker inclusive of the weekends. 30 sounds fun!! Have a plan and execute, lots to see out there.

 

[Hilldweller]

Longest I can get off work is two weeks at a time -- so 17 days if you time it with a 3-day weekend.

But I've got friends that have "camped" much longer.

Dan
http://theroadchoseme.com/

Scott
http://www.expeditions7.com/

There are no limits except those imposed by yourself.
When we retire we plan to sell the house and hit the road full time.

 

[Grandpa Don]

Because I'm still working, I have not been out more than 7 days. That may change in December. I plan on fully retiring in December on my Birthday. I'll be 76 then. Fortunately my daughter lives with me, but does not camp. So she will be able to stay home and care for the house and critters. I'm thinking I'd like to see more of Arizona.

 

[Campeador]

We bought our camper in May and headed out for 30 days in June. I loved it and could have kept going for another 30. My wife had hit her limit, so we splurged on a fancy Airbnb to celebrate our anniversary. The kiddo was ready for Wifi too. For her, it's the bathroom situation. We have a toilet (and shower) in our Aliner, but we usually use CG facilities instead due to ease of use. Everyone's situation will be different, and it will depend on keeping your whole team happy. Personally, I think I could live in my camper full time, or at least for several months at a time. I suppose at SOME point I'd long for the house and a routine, but right now that seems impossible! Life has been stressful since Covid hit. Escaping that appeals hard right now.

 

[pastorkeith]

Summer of 18 our family of 4 did 6 weeks in the pop up out west. And a Coleman Columbia is a small rig. Once you get in the rhythm, the next week is as doable as the previous.

 

[dbhost]

I current WFH, however we are aiming at a return to facilities in the near future. I suspect my manager will want me in once a week, or every couple of weeks as my work is global and my team is not local to me. What this means to me is as long as I can work, I can stay out. Given I can be camping close enough to make it to the office on my in facility days. We have no kids, my wifes parents are gone, mine are on the other side of the country. No real lock down in town. Honestly I would be more prone to going out, and staying out in a hard sided TT, or motorhome as they tend to be more comfortable, but particularly at this time of year, if the ducks were in a row as it were, I would NOT hesitate to go and not return until after the new year... Sadly 4G is not at my hunting lease, or the mountain areas I want to be in...

 

[Karey]

Thinking on this, I think it would be hard if even 2 night stays thru-out a long trek if in a canvas popup. We rented a canvas pop up for awhile, so I know the set up. We now have an A-frame Chalet and have permanent sleeping bunks on one end. It's like a minute to be able to have the roof and sides up and still be attached to the truck, use the bathroom, cook and eat, and even sleep. We love our Chalet, and could see going for long spells with it. We got it to not have to always need a hotel and eat out when traveling (and for fishing trips).

We're borrowing our son's kayak to see if we want to add that to our destinations doings! My husband wants to try it fishing. I just want to vegetate and paddle and probably start fishing too.

We used to tent camp a lot. My husband is a geologist and we'd go with him to lots of places. Some of the most fun trips were not having a real agenda and camping where ever he needed to check something out. We homeschooled, so we could be out as long as we wanted. We saw so much of the West this way and on into Canada. Him and me will still be doing this kind of camping for the rest of our lives, but now with our Chalet.

 

[silvermickey2002]

Back in 2010 we did a 23 days trip cross country (7500 miles total) - Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Tetons and down to Colorado to visit family. Would I do it today, nope! Our son was with us so he cranked up/down the pup and helped setup. Next time we do it will be in a TT for sure. Because it will be just the DW and myself!