U-hauling in Myrtle Beach State Park

We finally got a break to take our first camping trip of the year last weekend. We headed out to Myrtle Beach State Park in South Carolina as our accommodations for a weekend family reunion with extended family (my mom was born and raised on a farm in the area before the tourism boom). The last time we were in Myrtle Beach we camped at Huntington Beach State Park which is on the far south end. Huntington Beach SP tends to be a bit quieter and there's less traffic. Myrtle Beach SP is just south of Springmaid Pier and the south end of Ocean Blvd (known by locals as The Boulevard).

South of Myrtle Beach SP is most of the private owned campground resorts (aka RV parking lots). Many of them offer water parks and other amenities but since we're more of a camping family than an large RV (read condo on wheels) family just looking for a parking spot, we of course headed to the state park. The campground is very shady and has a surprising 300 or so sites for tents to RVs scattered through ~6 different loops. We stayed in site 23 and loved it. Here's where having a small camper is awesome. Site 23 is technically a tent site, but I called ahead and spoke to a ranger and told them the size of our camper and they gave me the ok to book it. It's basically the first site in the campground which means it's the closes to the beach access path. There's not a site right next to or behind it. It's very private/quiet and totally surrounded by trees/shrubs. It also has 2 perfectly spaced trees for hanging a hammock. So that's why I wanted that site. Another site we liked when we were there was site 82. It seemed quiet and a bit deep, was across the street from a small bath house and next to a little path to a playground where the kids went every day.  So if we go back, those would be my top two sites (uh-oh I let the secret out!). The 2 bath houses we used were in great shape and regularly maintained. There is a camp store open daily from 8am-9:30pm if you need something without leaving the park. The campground is not a long walk from the beach and it's located on the northern end of the park's beach.

The park has it's own pier that is free to access. There are fee's if you want to fish/crab from the pier though. There is a store at the beach side of the pier also for souvenirs and bait and pay the fees for fishing. All of the hosts and park staff we interacted with were very nice. The beach is beautiful and there were not many people there when we went out in the morning. The state park does have day use access (fee per person for those not camping) to the beach so it does get busier on the weekends as the day goes on.

As you know if you've read this blog for a while, I'm a big fan of supporting the state parks in any state and I love to take my children camping there. One of the benefits to a state park over an RV resort, is the educational programs and activities.Unknown to us until we got there, that Saturday was a huge event with the North Myrtle Beach Sea Turtle Patrol targeted towards kids. The day's events ranged from educational talks, to looking for turtles from the pier, to arts and crafts. The kids favorite event was the life of a sea turtle obstacle course on the beach. At the end they got a "test tube" with information about their sea turtle's DNA and how many times it had nested and how many eggs it laid each time. The DNA project is interesting. I thought it was the most exciting and well thought out event I had seen. The kids had a blast! Many thanks to the NMBSTP for putting on an engaging day.

Now there are two things to be aware of when you are planning to stay at MBSP. The first is that the Myrtle Beach Airport is just northwest of the campground and they tend to land planes from the east. So there's a bit of air traffic which may not be something you're used to. We were there Friday till Monday and I'd gotten used to it by then. It does make for an incredible site for the kids on the beach to see the jets coming in for a landing. But MYR only has a single runway so they are limited to how many flights they can run each day. For those who may not be familiar with the area and are history buffs, the airport and Market Commons area to the south of it used to be Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. (My grandfather was stationed there when my Dad was in high school which is how my parents met.)

The second thing to be aware of is mentioned in tiny print on the home page of the state park:

Due to heavy visitation on Saturdays and Sundays, expect long lines when entering the park, especially from 11am to 4pm.  We appreciate your patience in advance! 

And by long lines they mean it will take you 30-45 mins to get into the park (and that's on a Sunday in early May!). Yes, we ran into that problem on Sunday at ~1pm. We spent the morning hanging out with my cousin and his kids at their beach house and came back to the camper to get ready for a dinner with the big family. Had to wait 30-45 mins in a long line to get into the park. The problem?  There's not a separate entrance for campers. So you have to go through the same entrance as all the day use folks. I'm sorry MBSP, I do love your place but that's a very poor design decision. You should provide a second entrance for campers. The main entrance is off business hwy 17 near the south end of the park and winds it's way towards the middle of the beach where the pier is. I don't understand why there's not an entrance/exit on the north end for campers since the campground is on the north end. 

In the end, it's a beautiful park and I think that during the week it's probably not as bad on the entry issues. I know that they can't control air traffic, but they really do need to setup a separate entrance for campers. That is something they can control. While the entrance on Sunday afternoon was a pain, overall we enjoyed our time and the turtle event was a huge success from what I saw.

Get outside! How We Fit 4 People and Dogs in a 13ft Uhaul Camper.

When people see our little fiberglass camper, there's usually some statement about how cool or cute it looks. That's usually followed by questions about how small it is and how do we all fit in it. :) What makes it ideal for towing and storing, is also the one thing that people seem to think is a problem for actually using it. In America, we live in spacious houses where everyone has their own room. The thought that you'd have to sleep or hang out in the same room with the rest of the family for a couple days seems inconceivable to a lot of people. We camp. We don't live out of it 100+ days a year. Yes, we would need a larger camper if we were going to actually make it our home for most of the year. But most of our trips are going to be less than 15 days.

When camping you need to realize that it's not about taking your house with you. It's about making the most of your time and experience. A tent or camper is really just a place to sleep. I explain that to people when they ask about how we all fit. We have an outdoor screen we can sit under, We go hiking, We have hammocks. When I go camping, I want the kids outside most of the time. I don't want them watching tv in a big luxury camper all day. That defeats the purpose of going camping in my opinion. That doesn't mean we don't have electronics. We have tablets with access to books for the wife and I to read. We carry dvd players that go over the back of the front seats in the car for long trips. And we can and do use them on a rainy day to watch a movie. But we don't sit inside the camper all day. So we don't need it to have a lot of room. We just need it to be warm and dry (or cool in the case of summer in the south).

The times in the camper can sometimes feel cramped if you don't plan ahead. Rainy/cold days happen. And with little ones, you have to be prepared to entertain (See my post on Entertaining Kids on a Rainy Camping Day). The other thing about the little camper is that there's not a lot of floor space. So only about 2 people can stand at once in the camper. This is why it's important to keep a neat camper and put things back in their cabinet/place. This is also why you only take what you need. Space is a premium!. One of the things my wife did was to design a way to make everyone feel like they have their own space. Each kid has their own bunk bed and we have the main bed area. See my post on the bunk bed setup to see how we gave each kid their own little room.

When you have a small camper, you have to figure out how to pack what you need without having too much stuff. There's just no room for extra stuff. The back end of our SUV becomes a key storage space during camping trips. I try to keep it organized and we keep any bulky items there plus some of the dry food. The items we keep in the camper are imperative to the camping and cooking and are the items we keep packed in the camper even when we aren't traveling. Items we keep in the camper include plates, bowls, utensils, dish detergent/cleaning products, paper towels, pots/pans, small coffee maker, toaster drying rack, and an expandable tub for washing dishes in. I also keep electrical cords, flash lights and camper maintenance gear in the camper as well. While that seems like a lot, we've trimmed down the gear to the essential. So we only take 4 plates and 4 bowls, a couple of pots and a frying pan. Most of this stuff stays in the cabinets and cubbies in the camper. All cold items are either in our mini-fridge or in a cooler left outside or in the back of the SUV. Clothes are stored in bins under the main bed.

While there is a stove in the camper, We hardly ever use it (except that one time in South Dakota when it was too cold to cook outside). I take a Coleman camp stove and my Weber Q grill and cook outside. We also do clean up outside. The camper does have a sink but it's really small and we mostly use it just to wash hands and brush teeth at. We bought a collapsible dish tub (here's ours) that we use to wash the dishes outdoors. See my other post on Adding Space to Tiny Fiberglass Camper for how we use our screen room.

So I didn't mention the dogs yet. We have 2 currently. When we first got the camper we had 2 Yorkies and a Silky which were perfect size for the little camper. Our current dogs include a Miniature Pincer and a Border Whippet. Zelda, our Border Whippet, is a lot bigger than the other dogs we've had. At ~45 lbs. she is the size of another small child. Fortunately, she is a major couch potato and loves to lay in our bed. We'll take her on walks and hikes but when we're at camp, she's happy laying on our bed and staying in the camper. At night she'll ball up at the foot of the bed usually between our feet. It's amazing how small she can make herself. We do have an outdoor dog crate we'll put smaller dogs in under the screen room. Inside, we'll either let them sleep with us or on the floor. We have put a small crate under the bed before. I usually keep my clothes in the back of the SUV to make the room under the bed for the dog crate. 

I don't think we could add another kid or a larger dog to our equation. As the kids grow, we'll need to find ways to adjust. I can see us maybe adding my small tent to the equation at some point. We also have the hammocks we take with us and I have tarps that can go over them to provide shelter. I personally love sleeping outside in a hammock. But that's part of the fun for me, figuring out how to make it work. Limiting the amount of time you feel "cramped inside" is a major win in making it work. So most importantly: GET OUTSIDE!

The New Faces of Fiberglass Campers in 2016

New Faces of Fiberglass Campers in 2016

If you've seen my page on how you can find your own fiberglass camper, then you know that there are many options when it comes to the molded fiberglass campers (not to be confused with fiberglass panels over a wood frame). There are many older brands that aren't in production anymore (U-Haul, Boler, Burro, etc). If you're lucky, you can find a good used one. They never seem to lose their charm no matter how old they get. And that's the great thing about fiberglass campers, they tend to last a long time unlike "stickies" that need to be rebuilt after many years. There are many companies that still make new fiberglass campers today that I've listed on that page. Some, like Scamp, have been around a long time. Others, like Lil Snoozy, are newer.

As one look at the Lil Snoozy will prove, newer ideas sometimes have some neat innovation in design. That's why those of us in the molded fiberglass community love to hear of new companies popping up and creating new models. As each new entrepreneur works to plan a design that is beautiful and useful, they bring various features to the market that have us on our toes to see what's coming next. 

Since I originally published the above mentioned page, there's been some new companies and designs hitting the market. So I thought I'd highlight a few here for you in case something piques your interest.

Happier Camper's HC-1. The Happier Camper started out as a company that renovated and rented old molded fiberglass campers in California. After years of doing this the owners decided to try their hand at building their own. The camper has a modular design to the inside to allow for various configurations. The rear hatch is a unique option not found on any other molded fiberglass camper. The retro styling and color combinations provide for a beautiful design. Check our their website for information and to see pictures.

DubBox USA. DubBox is also focused on a retro styling. Taking its design from old Volkswagen camper vans, it's modeled completely out of fiberglass. They currently provide 2 camper models and 2 event/food trailer models.

American Dream. The American Dream trailer takes it's unique design from a bit further back in history. Reminiscent of the 1950's trailerboats or 1960's Kompacs, the American Dream provides you with a camper and a boat. It's a beautiful camper and a neat concept. They're also much smaller than other fiberglass campers with a dry weight of 650lbs. This makes them ideal for smaller tow vehicles.

Nest Caravans. If the retro look of the previous trailers doesn't do it for you, you might be interested in the Nest Caravan. With a bit more futuristic styling the Nest is also a beautifully designed option. It even has a "control center" inside. Visit their site to check out the details. UPDATE: Airstream has purchased the startup company behind the Nest and will be producing and selling it.



Please visit the above companies websites for more information on their models available and specs. If you know of any other up and coming manufacturers, leave a note in the comments below. As I discover more I'll make additional posts to highlight those options. One thing is for sure, with all the choices out there, you can find the perfect one for you and your family!

The Perfect Addition to Our U-haul Camper

Santa brought me the perfect addition to our U-haul Camper for Christmas, a canoe! I'm super excited to dive into a new frontier of outdoor adventures. I like to fish and I've done a little from boats but most of my fishing has been from the bank of a lake/river.

A few years back before we had kids, I got the opportunity to get my hands on a small boat. It was a old 1970s Sears Craftsman 12ft fiberglass boat. It was nice because it wasn't heavy. I actually only put a trolling motor on it and it would take me upstream on the Oconee fairly easily. After we had kids, I didn't have as much time to take it out. I was trying to get our family outdoors and camping at the time. That's when we bought the U-haul CT-13. The camper was going to replace the tent for us.

That decision pretty much put the nail in the coffin of the boat. I couldn't tow the camper and the boat when we went somewhere. And I refuse to be one of those people who take multiple vehicles so they can haul every single toy they own camping. I enjoy having my family with me outdoors, and I enjoy sharing experiences with them. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy solo trips too to decompress. (It's easier to find time to read a book when you're not entertaining 5 and 7 year olds.) But getting my family outdoors and experiencing their excitement and wonder is something I genuinely enjoy. So I sold the boat.

The obvious option, if I wanted a boat I could take with the camper, was a canoe or kayak. Something I could strap to the roof of the SUV that wouldn't impact towing the camper. So the search was on to find one. I've been saving a little money and keeping the idea in the back of my mind for a couple years. I read reviews and listed out my requirements/wants. I weighed my list and prioritized features. In the end, I opted for a canoe for now. With the kids being young, I need something I can take them out in together. You just can't find a 3 person kayak.

I settled on the Old Town Saranac. It's 14.5 ft long and while it weighs 70-something pounds, it does have good reviews. It's not too expensive at ~$499 most places online. It will seat 3 people and handle over 700 pounds. I've had it strapped on the roof and it doesn't overhang too much. For now, I think this is the best option to get my kids on the water. When they get older, we may trade-up for some kayaks. Hopefully by that time, they'll have a desire within to explore on their own.

The sad thing about getting a canoe for Christmas is that it's too cold to really enjoy it right now. Can't wait for spring to break it out. Expect to see a few more posts, photos, and videos after we've broken it in and learn more about exploring on the water as a family.

LaCrosse Grange 18-inch Boots Review (Video)

Santa brought me a new pair of mud boots for Christmas. With the wet weather and flooding we've been having lately it was a great addition to my gear. I ended up with LaCrosse Grange 18-inch boots. These boots are great for having to deal with high water around the house, fishing, farming, and even camping. While I don't recommend hiking in them, they are a great resource to keep stashed in your truck or in your RV. Nothing is worse than getting your nice pair of shoes caked in mud. So I find these a great investment.

The boots fit true to size. If you're a half-size, go up to the next full size. My 11's fit perfectly. They are tapered around the ankle which allows them to grip. It may require some push to get them on, but when you're walking in a creek or muddy muck, it's nice to know they won't slip off easily. Their nice and high and have the ability to cinch up at the tops. They have a bit of a heel to them. The tread on the bottom grips decently and doesn't seem to hold mud (at least not for me yet). These are not insulated, so if you're going to be in the cold you may want to look for another boot or wear thick socks. All in all they're a good mud boot and I'm happy with my purchase.

See my video review below to see them in action.