Glamping in a Campervan

I’m not going to pretend that we are roughing it. I don’t rough. I dislike mosquitoes, uncomfortable sleeping places, and having bowel movements in public restrooms (or worse, in nature). So the following will be information on “glamping” (glamorous camping) in a campervan.

When Won suggested a Recreational Vehicle (RV) as a mode of travel and living, my criteria was that it must have a serviceable bathroom: flushing toilet, hot shower. We have now rented 2 different brands/models of campervan: the Pleasure Way Lexor TS 2017, and now the Winnebago Revel 2021. These things can easily cost >$150k, so renting may be preferable if you are only using it twice a year, like we would. The rental comes with basics: one roll of RV toilet paper, one roll of paper towel, coffee cups and utensils for 2, pot pan and induction cook top.

We pack essentials into plastic bins into our Honda CR-V, to transfer quickly into the Revel. We also bring our own bikes, and other recreational gear. Over the years, our clothing has become stuff that can be worn repeatedly without washing: Icebreaker Merino wool mid and base layers, Patagonia down outerwear, Darn Tough socks, and Uniqlo undergarments that can be hand washed and dried overnight.

Top ten things to bring, in no particular order, when fancy RV camping:

1) Instapot – gourmet meals without the need for propane, campfires, or induction stoves.

2) Electric water kettle – instant coffee in the morning, Shin ramen in the evenings, hot chocolate and tea in between.

3) Bungee cords – bring more than you think you will need, to strap things down in a moving rig. Otherwise, the rattling at 70mph drives us bonkers.

4) Quick-drying microfiber towels – for showering, for dish rags, for water sports. Nobody likes mildew on damp towels.

5) Pillows and bed linens/sleeping bag – I won’t even judge you if you brought along a memory foam topper, comfortable sleeping is essential.

6) Sherpa lined indoor slippers – leave dusty hiking boots at the door, and be clean and comfortable inside.

7) Cell phone holder or USB-C to lightning cable or whatever you need to connect to the navigation system of your rig – for comfortable/accurate navigation, as well as music, podcasts, and other road trip entertainment.

8) Clothes pins or binder clips – very useful in hanging clothing/towels to dry.

9) Paper towels and disinfectant wipes and small trash bags.

10) Head lamp – for the many times that it takes longer than Google Maps says to get to your campground, and you are trying to find the hook-ups in the dark.

When we pick up the rig, our next stop before we hit the road is always the nearest Trader Joe’s. I have a “RV shopping list” that has been honed to produce at least 5 gourmet Instapot meals utilizing the same basic ingredients. Also, buy drinking water, lots of it. We have gone through 18L in 2 days. And then Target, because in spite of spreadsheets and lists, we inevitably forget something. With shopping time built in, we have learned to temper expectations on how far we are going the first day.

A typical day starts with peeking out the black out shades to watch the sun come up, coffee, followed a breakfast of instant oatmeal or fried eggs. Today, I’m sitting in the lounge area blogging, while Won does his (ahem) morning business in the walk-in bathroom.

We are inside the Grand Canyon National Park, so after it warms up above freezing (it was 25 degrees at dawn), we will get the Brompton folding bikes out and go exploring. We can drive the rig to the start of the trail, since it is small enough to fit in a normal parking spot (most parking lots in national parks limit the size of a vehicle to less than 22 ft), and then we have our own personal bathroom at the trail head.

In the afternoon, we may move to the next destination. We try to limit distances to a ~4 hour drive, to avoid arriving after dark. If it’s been 2 days or so, the arrival ritual involves dumping the cassette toilet, and refilling the fresh water tank. Plastic gloves are essential for this task! I should include it in the top ten list. Also, for marital bliss, it is important to have some way to determine whose turn it is to dump the toilet. Rock, paper, scissors, best 2 out of 3, works well in a pinch.

Then, a celebratory whiskey (for me) or beer (for Won), and an Instapot dinner. We are usually off the grid, so post-dinner entertainment involves Kindle reading or watching a movie off the iPad Pro.

As night falls around our van, the black out shades go up, and the diesel powered heater makes it warm and toasty. The fresh water tank holds 21 gallons, which is enough for 2 nights of showering, “Navy” style (wet everything, turn off water, lather up head to toe, turn on water to rinse). The Power Lift bed is lowered from the ceiling (no need to make the bed each day, it just gets hidden above). We are usually asleep well before 10pm.

October 26, 2020