Teach me how to CAMP out of the RV.
 

I am taking the month of May off. I want to do a long trip in the RV, but in this time of Covid19, I’m worried about where to stay and whether any hotels or lodges would even be open. Camping comes to mind.

I’ve never considered it before now. I would be starting from scratch. I have absolutely nothing in regards to camping. I need ideas for everything! Tents, sleeping equipment, how to eat, how to pack it in the RV, and even suggestions on things like camping etiquette.

Then where to go? I live in TX. I’m thinking Idaho, Washington, or Oregon.

I know I’m asking a lot of questions, but thanks for your suggestions.

Edit:
I have an RV-7 taildragger
I will be solo (at least that is the current plan)

Wow. That will be such a great trip. I don't have any advice, just hope you take lots of pictures to post.

Solo camping or with all the seats in your airplane filled?

Cheers, David
RV-6A KBTF

Here is my OSH packing list for camping. This is for my Cessna 195 so you'd have to scale to your RV. My 6 man tent is way to big for an RV. I don't always bring the food since it's pretty easy to get an uber to a store. However, in your case I'd bring a few days of food, beer and coffee just in case.

Aircraft tie down (claw)
Tie down ropes
Tools
Oil
Tent - 6 man
Pillow x 2
Sleeping bags
Air mattress
Air mattress pump
tarp
jet boil
jet boil fuel
small folding chairs
small folding table
Yeti cups
collapsible Yeti Cooler 30qt
coffee press
Coffee
Creamer
Spoons
Water
snacks
chips
cookies
towels
Soap & shampoo
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Flip flops
Running clothes/shoes
3 polo shirts
5 nice t-shirts
2 nice shorts
1 jeans
1 work short/t-shirt

It kind of depends on how old you are. My kids RV camp with a hammock, a sleeping bag, some Roman noodles and a lighter. My wife and I require quite a bit more equipment.

I wonder how safe is it to carry camping fuel or propane bottles in a RV. It would be nice to look into it to see how the pressure may affect the bottle?

During our mountaineering trip in Alaska, the bush pilot would not allow us to take fuel with us in the plane. They had some at the base camp that they would sell us there. Likewise on the pick up trip, we had to leave any/all unused fuel behind.

Get one of the camping stoves that burn anything, use 100LL. A little lead won't kill ya.

This is the wrong forum to ask this question. A Boy Scout or Backpacking might be a better place. I suspect that an RV6 thru RV14 will carry everything a very inexperienced backpacker might take on a trip. You don't have to be good at backpacking to be an awesome RV camper.

We could run a separate thread for topics like shelter, fire, clothing, cooking, packing, first aid, stoves.

I think the best advice I can give is to experiment in your back yard. When you think you have it down, go camping someplace near by. I mean cook, and purify water, and sleep. You will bring stuff you don't need, and leave home stuff you do need. Push yourself to get better and lighter and more comfortable. Leave cotton clothing at home, and take synthetics. You don't need a new wardrobe though. But if you must, you can find this stuff at the salvation army clothing store for pennies, not REI.

The second best advice I have is to schedule an Airplane Camping Symposium on Fox Island, MI where every camper demonstrates to everyone else his camping preferences.

For a comfortable sleep, a well made backpacking hammock with integral bug screen and a down under-quilt will give you a better nights sleep than your bed at home. With a simple rain fly you stay dry even if water is running underneath. Not so in a tent. But the Hammock needs two trees to set up up and you cant sleep with your buddy in your hammock. So a tent has its place and is a must in case trees are scarce.

A cast iron dutch oven is capable of cooking anything a chef can cook in a kitchen. There is nothing like being in the woods and eating like a king. Chicken Brownies, cake, bread, etc. But meat only stays cold so long. The best chicken I've had anywhere is so simple is cooked in a ditch oven. IT uses lemon, garlic, rosemary, salt & pepper.

A water purifier/filter opens up a whole new realm of camping in the bush away from people.

Refrigeration.....eggs not need to be kept cold. A big cooler filled with with beer and ice works for boats, but not so well with airplanes. The taste of Freeze dried back packing meals gets old quick. Dry Ice helps keep things colder longer and lighter with less space but it will freeze everything up, like milk.

I gotta shut up now.

The Colemand Gas Stove is my stove of choice for 30 years! Have you had luck doing this?

I use to use regular unleaded gas in mine and quite because of serviceability of the generator. I had gunk buildup in the generator. I suspect the lead fouls things. Now I just use the Coleman Fuel and have been running the same generator for the last 20 years or so.

They make bottles to carry the gas that look accident proof. I mean really tough. Gas burns hotter than Propane and has more calories per unit than propane. Another solution is a wood fueled camp stove. That takes some experience to get good at tit though. But light weight and no fuel to transport. Not a good idea for a novice I think.

Have a goal to be able to Start your fire with Flint and Steel...seriously. Its easy and the first time you have wet matches you'll be a believer. Flint and steel is lighter, cheaper, and more reliable than anything else I've come across including matches and a propane lighter wand. It wont blow up and it wont break.