South Carolina BS thread under new MANAGEMENT and lives in SC

Right on! i got married in Leesburg coming up on 10 years ago, and we have some good friends who live walking distance from downtown. we try to visit them whenever we're in the area. he works for Dirt Nerds in sterling. they focus mostly on jeeps, but work on just about anything offroad. they do a lot of custom work, so it's not just a lift kit install shop. they're currently searching for a proper donor vehicle to build a KOH truck from. bit of a race to see which one of us can get there first. worth stopping by if you're ever nearby. ask for Trevor mention Colin from Charleston. great team of guys. they have a pretty decent podcast too if you're into that kind of thing.

Northern Virginia is a whole different kind of animal as far as cost of living goes. you only get a glimpse of it when you visit as a tourist, which is a good thing because it makes vacation to our nations capitol affordable, which i believe is immensely important. just pulled up the closest house for sale near the house a grew up in. 1.25 million for a split level built in the 1970s with basic updates to the kitchen/baths https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2231-Malraux-Dr-Vienna-VA-22182/51777378_zpid/

My best friend still lives up there. he's in medical sales and made close to a quarter million last year. we sat down and did the math on what he'd need to make to have the same lifestyle if he moved here, and is was barely over a hundred grand. of course the same medical sales job in Charleston would make proportionally less (roughly), so it evens everything out. having not lived there for 17 years, i get a culture shock of sorts every time i go back. there's a lot of talk in charleston about job salaries not keeping up with with cost of living (as there are in most cities), which is true in many cases, but ultimately, we have it pretty good down here.

 

I'll get a beer bong and extend the hose to a safe distance from the truck.

 

Obviously not in the middle of the hurricanes. Asheville during Hurricane Matthew, BRP in Fancy Gap VA top of the ridge during Helene.

Helene shook the whole truck and got worse into the morning.

 

Pretty bold to call a 20mph wind a hurricane and then tell people not to worry about wind because it isn't a big deal.

My point is that wind can be a very big deal if you aren't adequately prepared. I've experienced it first hand a number of times. My typical camping experience isn't 10' from my truck though, so my perspective is perhaps being colored by a different set of experiences and circumstances.

 

It was crazy whipping wind. Very similar to mild hurricane. We kept expecting to hear trees breaking. I was perfectly warm but I hate cold weather so I brought three sleeping bags and had gun case foam as a mattress. He said when he got cold he'd turn his buddy heater on for a little while. He didn't even have a sleeping bag though. Just a couple blankets.

 

LOL ok, I'm just saying most people don't go camp in storms and normal windy days aren't going to have much effect on an RTT. But I'll step down because the expert is here.

 

In your original post I didn't realize you were car camping in an RTT. In that case do whatever you want since you can just get into the truck.

 

I wasn't asking permission. I was answering the question about RTT, most people aren't backpacking those in.

 

My most sincere apologies SandMan. I stand down. I am only a ground camper.

 

We’ve only ground camped in the past but after kids the wife doesn’t think she can sleep on the ground anymore which is why I’ve been thinking RTT. but she also hates the idea of having to do a ladder to pee at night lol. We don’t know what we’re going to do. I’m hoping getting her to try the exped mats that are super thick will help and keep us cheaper and on the ground and not have to store a RTT.

Until then. I’ll continue to live vicariously through y’all and the truck camping thread lol. Keep them coming. They’re always appreciated and enjoyed.

 

On the subject of sleeping mats I've been looking into this one. We have air mattresses but they will freeze you to death in the winter.
Gaialoop Camping Mattress Sleeping Pad

$216 Gaialoop Thick Memory Foam Camping Mattress Sleeping Pad [Car/Tent/Cot] 3" Portable Floor Play Mat Roll Up Mattress for Guests Kids Adults Sleepover Travel[Queen: 80 * 60**3"]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D943RWTX

 

I use to have a honda element and I had a tent like that that made it where you have extended room for sleeping in the vehicle more comfortably and the bottom actually opened up too so you could stand on the ground in private (so changing or bathroom was was easier) which the element was a clamshell open. So I bet something exist for the land cruiser like it.

 

Sounds like a trailer or RV is what she's thinking. Who am I kidding lol a nice cabin to luxury resort seems to be what most wives want

 

Honestly I would rent a mountain cabin/beach condo a couple times a year before I bought a rv and come out cheaper.

 

Big fan of a good air mattress. They store in about the space of a shoe box, and the new/nice ones are super comfortable.

Interesting, I've had a different experience. Been camping on air mattresses since about 2010, in hot and cold environments.
I just pack a sleeping bag rated for the temperature I'm in, and the air mattress hasn't done any harm.

Camped on top of a mountain in PA newyears Eve a while back for wheeling trip. Was in my old crappy tent too. An unforcast storm popped up and dropped close to a foot of snow on us with some wild winds. Temperature dropped to -8. Was in a -20 bag on top of my air mattress. Best part was that because of the snow, I didn't see a giant rock where I set up my tent. Found it the next day while packing up. Slept right on top of it without knowing because of the air mattress.






General tent discussion for anyone looking. Ive been using this LLBean for about a decade now and love it. Got it specifically to make my wife more comfortable, and therefore more likely to camp. It's worked.
Has a 40 square foot "screen porch" space which is great for keeping things from getting covered in dew overnight without having to put it in the tent or truck. You can also cover the screens for additional sleeping space. The main sleeping space is 60 square feet, big enough for two double bed air mattresses. Ample room for 4 adults on mattresses, or 6 on pads. But the best part is that it has a 6.5 foot ceiling height, so you can stand fully upright to get changed. About a 5 minute setup, and packs surprisingly small for it's size.

 

Maybe it's because I'm a wuss when it comes to cold. Maybe it's when we've used the air matress we just used a blanket. The plastic got freezing cold and never got warm.

 

when you used that, if it rained did you have to worry about water getting in? thats a great point about being ably to lift the tailgate and having a built in vestibule too. from what I heard those elements were pretty awesome.


I like that LL bean tent. they have made some of our best clothing that we have. I'll have to look back into their tents. we've never had too much of a problem with the cold seeping through our thermarests while we're sleeping. if its cold we end up tossing a couple of hot water bottles into each of our bags and maybe that keeps the cold away enough for us to notice. might be different now that we're older and less durable haha.

 

we've debated an rv/trailer. we can't agree on what would be best. I don't want another motor to maintain and she doesnt want a trailer. plus she's bougie as hell. id hate to see the RV she picks out.

 

I never had water intrusion issues. The element was pretty awesome. I wheeled it beyond what it was meant for and took it like a champ. Haha.

 

Did somebody say glamping? Only problem now is whenever I mention tent camping my wife thinks I’m stupid.