Aggravations

Originally posted by pedwards2932 Yes trailer was at 3450 and I weighed the water and removed stuff so I should be at 3330.  I was including passengers in combined and I had about 100 and that won't change. I am very familiar with the bridges as I used to commute across the HRBT.  We are going to the Eastern shore next week so I will keep a check on conditions before leaving. I thiink on the Chesapeake Bay bridge you don't pull off you just tell the toll person the propane is shut off.  We are going to Cape Charles so it is only about an hour or so trip.

I hate motels. They will have to pay me to sleep in one from now on. Of course, that wont happen so we are back to square one. 

Originally posted by pedwards2932 Headroom at weigh in: 50 lbs on trailer and extra 100 lbs on total weight.  I have lost an extra 120 lbs on trailer with water and unneeded items.  We are only taking short trips for now and short stays so we can easily stay under 100 lbs supplies.  I know if we decide this is for us then another TV is in the picture.  It really tows well for me.....I was in Virginia beach traffic on I64 with a lot of traffic no white knuckles but I ran 55 (which is the actual speed limit but nobody does it)  Still getting 15/16 mpg.

Just to understand was the 150lbs the headroom on the MCGWR? Or was it something else?

Doesn’t surprise me you are close, most folks would be overweight. I understand your reluctance to get a heavier tow vehicle considering that you aren’t sure camping is for you. Please be very careful towing with what you have and don’t let driving the marginal TV effect your decision about camping vs staying in hotels. A heavier TV would make the driving part much more enjoyable.

I do agree that this is more a lifestyle decision than a financial one. When I want to minimize cost traveling long distance I drive my Prius and we stay in La Quintas (pet friendly inexpensive motels). The rpod stays at home. The difference in fuel burn alone pretty much pays for the hotel room on a 600 mile drive even assuming zero cost for camping. When we want to camp at our destination we take the rpod, and sometimes for convenience park it at the La Quinta for a night on the road and get a hotel room.

Well I got weighed and I am OK not a lot of room....about 150 lbs.  From my estimates it seemed a bit high.  I had noticed the black water tank guage read full but I figured it was misreading.  I checked with a flashlight and dip stick and it was empty.  Went to my gray water tank and found about 10 gals (80 lbs).  I went thru things we had on the camper we didn't need and found another 80 lbs.  I feel like I have enough room to work with.  The reason I am working so hard with this is we have never been campers and are not sure if this is what we want to do.  To be honest with all the cost, we weren't sure it wouldn't be cheaper to just stay in motels.  So before I shell out the bucks it takes to get a new TV I want to make sure it is something we want to do long term.  If we decide this is are type of lifestyle then I will sell the Escape and look for another TV.  Trading it in doesn't seem to make sense.....to much loss.