OK, this isn't about not having the money to buy a camping trailer.  I already have a camping trailer, but am not all that gifted when it comes to mechanical repairs and so will sell it soon enough - you'll see it on this site. 

I love to camp and ride, but the frustration of things not working (and, yes, I do have a professionally built living quarters) is wearing me out.  So, am wondering if anyone else would like to see a camping unit with gravity fed roof mounted water (nix one 12V pump and surprise water outages), in line propane hot water heater without a tank (nix cold season draining and maintenance)  hi tech ice box like the Coleman Xtreme (nix maintaining and replacing the fridge and leveling the trailer)  that sort of thing.  Is there somewhere I could order a rig custom designed for a low tech lightweight like me?  Am I alone in my desire for ease and simplicity?

Thanks for listening, and sharing your thoughts.

Shouldn't be that hard to build one.  You get the trailer, I'll help

Have a friend that has your basic set-up now except he can plug in for electric dorm fridg and lights. He wants so bad to move up to what I have now, but finances don't accomodate him at this time.

To each his own, but IMHO you might be sorry.

Oh my Gosh! This is funny. I keep thinking and dreaming of owning a small LQ with all the convienences!!! Finances don't allow for it though. I keep thinking of ways to make my camping a little more "pleasant". I would absolutely love a fridge and a hot shower. Those are the two at the top of my list. The shower being # 1 for sure!

What I would like to have installed, is a cowboy shower on the outside of my trailer. That way I could also use it to rinse my horse after a ride as she sweats like a racehorse. As for me, I could buy one of those tents for the outdoor Zodi showers. I do already have a hayrack with the water caddy that I use for a gravity fed COLD shower. Would really like to have a hot water heater and some water pressure though. I thought about having a hay pod or covered hay rack of some kind. As my water tank is really getting beat up by the sun.

Prices around here are high too. I think I remember calling a local RV person who has installed these types of things for other horsie friends. If I remember correctly, he quoted me $80-90 an hour and the cowboy shower at over $2500-

I have a small 2 horse GN with a 3' short wall that unfortunately has the tack door on the curb side.( makes for a much smaller LQ area) . It's a nice trailer but I have to be really creative on how I am going to make this work. What I really need and want is a stud partition for the front stall( for storage) A covered hayrack or hay pod thingy.( I am thinking of putting my water heater and tanks up there since there is no room any where else)And having a switch of some kind installed that would ignite the tanks and start the water heater from down below so that I don't have to climb the ladder all the time.

Any one else have pics of what they have done with a small LQ space?

One of my favorite things to do when camping is walking around and seeing what others have done creatively. Another good place to go to see stuff like this is an endurance ride or race. I have seen some of the neatest ideas there.

I will be installing a small, but thorough weekend in my trailer this winter.  I want something simple, very comfortable and repairable by me.  My thoughts are that if I install it, I can repair it, so that's plan number one - do it myself (with my family's help).

I've planned it out except for the toilet - can't decide which way to go on that one. 

Well, we have caved into the hi-tech stuff recently having purchased an 06 3/horse slant w/10' LQ which already had an electric awning (which I find I prefer the manual) & a satellite dish so we can use our Direct TV box, but my husband is handy & can fix almost anything incl replacing a fridge if need be.  But I agree with your thoughts since we have camped w/horses for 30+ years having started out with an 8' truck camper on a 1/2 T. truck that had an ice box, built in radiant heater, porta potti in closet & hand pump for water but we felt we were blessed because we had a warm, dry place to stay (that was 1975).  Truck got stolen so we went to a 3/4 T. truck an found a used 10' truck camper w/fridge, stove w/oven, radiant heater w/thermostat, & toilet/shower combination w/hot water.  I really liked having a fridge (piezo light) & the shower. We had that camper for 20 years but basically the only draw on battery was the lights & water pump, everything else propane & we also camp were we never have electric so it was great.  Eventually we got a new camper & still pretty self-sufficient except by then the heaters had to have blowers which run your batteries down pretty fast so we were very conservative setting the thermostat.  While I love my new used LQ trailer, everything is electronic - fridge needs battery or doesn't run even on propane, blowers on heater (most of my friends install a vent-free radiant to supplement), microwave vs. oven & trailer has a "fantastic fan" which really circulates the air so we don't bother with the AC & have a 1,000 watt Honda Generator which is extremely quiet.  We are considering also installing a solar panel and depending how much cold weather camping we do, may also get a vent-free heater.  It seems that since RVing of all types has become so popular & there are now many places to camp w/horses that provide sites w/elec & water, & I guess the manufacturers assume we all have electric to run everything or you need to resort to carrying a generator.  From all the years of camping, we have learned to be conservative & my husband usually runs the generator for an hour in the AM when he makes the coffee & we shower so it is doable but I agree things were much simpler in the early years before all the technology.  Not sure how I would survive if I didn't have my husband & had to pay to have everything done and nothing is built to last like it was back then!  Just my 2 cents.

You are beyond blessed indeed!  To have a partner who shares your interest AND can fix things.  WOW now that would be just spectacular!

Thanks for your input.

Eleanor

I love the atmosphere of "camping!" I don't have a LQ and don't think I ever will. I just have a 8' long wall and have insulated and nicely tongue and grooved paneled it added rope trimiming and some decent and nice looking tack rack. It keeps me warm at night and have just a "few" high tech things in it. I won't go beyond anything more. I just love the outdoor cooking in dutch oven, on campfire, coffee on the grill, stove, campfire.

Just a small bit of what I consider "high tech" convienencies (sp) that I have are:

12v fridge

Luggable Loo

Solar Shower in back of trailer, which I love and works well, I have gotten some "hot, hot, hot" water out of this!

and I do bring my laptop to map my trails and download pics after rides, and dvd player if I feel like a movie in bed is in store. (husband installed a 12v to run my goodies.)

and my stove is an antique Griswold two burner gas which I hook up to a 5 gal. propane tank.

That's my "high tech". LQ's are nice, don't get me wrong and I love browsing in them, but that's all I'll do is browse. Maybe I'm just "addicted to the dust" per say, but I love my low profile, low tech camping!

I just have insulated DR with AC also.

My extra features that I like best are my Honda generator, Thedford 465 porta potti, and coleman hot water on demand.  I have 4 deep cycles under the gooseneck that come into my trailer and end as cigarette lighters.  I can plug anything from 12 volt fans to water pump hooked up to 50 gallon plastic barrel.  Have the automatic chargers for the batteries hooked right next to them.  Each one has a battery level indicator inside, so I can just switch from battery to battery.

My low tech sink is a shelf that holds one of those blue water jugs from Walmart, with a big funnel under the shelf to catch the water hooked to a hose that runs to a second blue water jug for the waste.  Can't get much simplier than that.

I traveled with a 16' Ponderosa stock trailer and tent before that.  That trailer sure is nicer than a tent when the rain comes.

That's the spirit!  I often ponder how complicated we make things and the effect of that. 

Someone is coming to second inspect my fancy Four Star rig, and if it sells then I'll be browsing around at all the wonderful, creative and comfortable ways to live "off the grid" out there.

Less hassle - more saddle time.

Happy trails,

   Eleanor

Your system is very much like the one I plan to install.  I have a Honda 2000 generator, a Coleman Hot Water on Demand with alll accesories, and will have a large water storage tank and deep cycle marine batteries for 12 v service.

Can you tell me pretty specifically how you have the batteries set up and what pieces of equipment I need to do that?  You charge the batteries with the generator? or the truck's system?

I would then like to add 110 too, but just getting these batteries connected so that the 12 v stuff willl work will be a major accomplishment.

The batteries were installed when I bought the trailer, but can tell you how they are set up.

Right under the gooseneck, tight against the trailer, an aluminum "shelf" was welded in place the whole width of the trailer.  Then each battery has a custom welded aluminum box to hold it in place.  There are then 2 pieces of "L" shaped tread plate that covers the front and top of the batteries and bolts to the aluminum shelf on the bottom.  It totally covers the batteries, remove them is how you get to the batteries.

The two battery charges are mounted about 1' in front of the shelf, towards the hitch.  They are bolted to the inside "A" frame metal I beam that goes to the hitch.  Each charger will charge 2 batteries, with automatic shutoff.  They are 110 volt charges, with a cord connecting the two and ending at the hitch.  I plug the one cord in, and all four batteries charge.  Each battery shuts the charge off automatically when done charging.  They can be charged with the generator or  plugged into the outlet.  There is heavy 12 volt wires that run from the charger to each battery inside of a garden hose.  Each battery has a 4 bolt and wingnut posts.  They (batteries) came with one positive and negative nut and bolt, and one post.  There is then adapters that turn the post to a wingnut and bolt.

Coming off the other battery bolts, there is a hole drilled behind the batteries through the trailer right in the corner under the gooseneck.  The 12 volt wires are enclosed in a garden hose and caulked around the hole.  2 of the batteries have a 10 amp car inline fuse, and 2 batteries have a 15 amp car fuse, just in case.  The wires come in the trailer, run up to the ceiling, over the door, and are mounted right below the ceiling on the wall between DR and horse area.  Each one has a cigarette lighter outlet.  Also connected to the outlet is a battery charge level indicator also screwed to the wall.

All of my 12 volt accessories, water pump, fan, lights, etc. have a cigarette plug connected to them.  I just plug them into an outlet.  When that outlet runs out of charge I move to the next one.

I also have a heavy duty extension cord that runs from the hitch to the inside of the trailer with an outlet strip.  My air conditioner cord also runs to the hitch.  It works great with a generator.  I leave the generator in the back of the truck, and plug everything into it.  I have a 3000 generator.  But I can run my 110 fridge, AC, microwave etc. on the generator, or plug it into an electrical campsite and run everything with electric, except my lights and water pump always work on 12 volt.

Sorry long winded.  Hope it explains it.  Whoever did the work did a great job.  I know it sounds like wires running all over, but they run together and are neat and zip stripped together inside hose that acts like conduit. 

That's a great description - very easy to follow.

Thank you!!

How long do your batteries last with the 12v frig?  Is it the type that they sell in Walmart with the coolers?  The coleman one? 

I have to 2nd morning star (the original patties not the maple syrup ones) are super and I'm not a vegetarian by any one's definition.

lol Retento lol.  The sausage is great!  Better than most meat - based sausages.  The hamburgers are good too.  I did have the misfortune of having a vegetarian version of a Polish sausage of the grill once, and that's a whole 'nuther story.  lol

Bells, I accidentally bought some maple syrup ones once and, well I don't like sweet in my savory and I thought they were awful!

I have to smile when I hear maple sausage.  My aunt is known for being a great cook and once when making biscuits and gravy, she accidently put in powdered sugar instead of corn starch.  When it wasn't thickening she finally figured out what she did and said don't tell Uncle Jim. She told everyone it was sweet because of the maple sausage in it and everyone believed her. 

lololol  

How long do your batteries last with the 12v frig?  Is it the type that they sell in Walmart with the coolers?  The coleman one? 

I just saw your question, boy has this one taken off, and the sausage thing now is great!!!!!

Anyways, no it's not like a Walmart one. It's an actual one they use for RV's, long haul truckers, dorms, boats, etc. The longest I have camped with it plugged in was three days, then figured I should just give the battery some more juice for a short charge, with my little quiet honda generator, charged the battery which works independantly from my truck, and was good to go till I left the next day. I keep cheese, lunch meat, conditments, stuff like that in it. Stuff I don't want to get wet, and even sealed with whatever the stuff will get wet in an ice box. Drinks just go in my ice box (cooler, ice chest.)

Be VERY careful with dry ice in an enclosed area.  My BIL almost bought the farm after getting into a vehicle closed up with coolers of dry ice overnight.  Block ice works well.

Maybe low tech/simple is an antidote for the world we live in.  The glitz and glamour, air conditioned indoor arena, run run run world.  At 52 I have seen the progression from folks camping in the truck seat or tent,  and riding all weekend with baths in the neighboring streams, to massive trailers just dripping with luxuries and HUGE trucks to pull them...  If it isn't the expense, its the stress of driving that rig in a rainstorm or over a mountain pass, and then there is the carbon footprint.  A riding pal said it best - pretty soon we are just going to install a hitch on our house and haul it along for the weekend..

Anyway, back to the future for some of us...

My favorite low tech conveniences are truck bed tent,  mr. buddy heater, horse trailer mounted shower bag/portable sink (plan now to feed it water from newly ordered roof mounted water tank) and cook stove.  Clothes and gear go in plastic bins for  easy to move in and out and stay dry.  And, of course,  a porta potty that is comprised of a 5 gallon bucket lined with trash bag  with a custom toilet seat http://www.cabelas.com/p-0009518.shtml and some shavings and lime from the barn.  OK,  there,  have now shared my red neck side... 

Some tips - line a cardboard box with heavy plastic/freeze and there's my block ice for the trip. A bit hotter/longer trip?  Try a bigger box.    Longer trip with electric - take along the dorm fridge its light and easy to move and plug in.   Slides right into the truck.  Please share any ideas for a light easy to move LARGE sink as I could use one of those.

Last weekend I was camping at a well known horse camp.  My 2 horse DR Sundowner next to a huge living quarter trailer with a new "semi" to pull the trailer.  As I was getting back from a full day of riding on a perfect day, the couple proudly showed me their rig.  I was very impressed, it had everything.  The couple were extremely nice people.  At the end of the conversation they asked me about the horse trails.  They had been camping there for three days and had not ridden except around the campground.  They had two horses and one was a mare that was too moody from her cycle, so had decided they wouldn't ride much.

Different strokes for different folks.  Some people enjoy the horse riding part, some the luxurious rigs, a few enjoy both.

 thank you for this one, I loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've slowly "decked" out my Featherlite 3-horse slant, with a 4-ft shortwall.  Had electricity added, insulated and panelled about 4 years ago.  Added an awning the next year.  This year I had a 5,000 btu window air conditioner mounted high enough up so that it back end doesn't interfer with a horse in the first stall.  I'm lovin' every minute camping in it.

Ain't it funny how we never eat breakfast at home in the a.m. but we always do camping. I'm the same way.

I started off borrowing a home made 4H steel trailer from a friend. My 1st trailer that I owned was a 3H with small DR.  Then I made the plunge into a 3H GN that also had a DR. I spent a lot of nights at CTR rides in that GN.  After 5 years of that I bought a 3H with a weekend package. No gas, No fridge, but it did have a simple bathroom.

Since I have 5 daughters, I thought maybe I'd keep their interest if I provided some creature comforts. So I bought a 4H with a 9' LQ.  It was nice. I really enjoyed the fridge and furnace.  But it really didn't get any more attention from my wife, who only joined us once.  she is not into camping or riding.  So after a couple of years, I decided that was a waste of my money. I keep tearing off holding tanks while traveling Forest Service roads.  So I sold that trailer and bought a 4H GN with a small DR.  It is easier to get down rough roads that the bigger LQ.  I can sleep in the GN for short trips and everything stays dry.  If my daughters come, We put a tent for them. Gives them some privacy, and I don't have to listen to the talk all night.

Now understand, I never camp at a Rodeo or Fairground. Everything we do is into remote forest or desert areas.  I never need any A/C But I frequently appreciate some heat.  I'm too nervous to use anykind of combustable heat in the trailer like a propane heater. So we just use quality sleeping bags.

I bring a Colman Stove, Dutch Ovens, I usually carry a generator in the back of the truck and keep a George Foreman type of small grill. With it I can quickly cook a chicken breast, hamburger, pork chop or piece of salmon. On the stove I cook bacon, eggs, pancakes, hash browns etc for breakfast. Lunch is usually on the mountain. Either sandwiches or often, jerky, apples, nuts, granola bars etc.

I bring one or two ice chest to keep perishibles in.  Any meat I bring, I freeze before it goes in the cooler. That way it keeps longer. sometimes I will freeze a second gallon of  Milk or a jug of Orange juice, Which I will use after the 1st jug is gone.

Having done a lot of River Rafting on western rapids. I've learned to live out of an ice chest for up to a week. The trick is to NOT OPEN it. So everything for Day 1-2 and maybe 3 goes in Cooler 1, everything for Days 3-4-5 goes in  cooler 2.  Tape the lid shut and don't open it until you absolutely have to get into it.

I like to have a bath everyday. So I heat up a pan of water in the morning on the colman stove or over the fire pit.  Once warm, I dumps some water over my head. Shampoo my hair, shave, sponge bath the rest of me.  Warmer weather I do it in the morning when I first get up. In October durning Elk and Deer hunts when it's 10*, I may wait for mid day.

Speaking of Fall hunts. We pack in and set up a Wall tent.  In it we sleep on cots, have a cyclinder wood burning stove for heat.  Since we are packing in, we do not bring in coolers or any perishible foods.  So we eat more of canned stews, chili, stuff like that. I like the Bear Canyon  powdered soups especially the Brocholli Cheese. You bring a a quart or two of water to a boil. (If we are taking the water out of the stream, we boil it a little longer to kill any germs) Add the powder, Let it thicken and serve. We pack in some bread bowls and it makes a great supper.  We bring in a lot of hard rolls or potato rolls. Even if they get smashed in the horses packs, they are still good to dip in the soup.

Wow!  For me from the kinda  civilized East Coast, that sounds GREAT.  Have a friend in New Mexico who rides and hunts/camps/outfits and reminds me so much of how he does it.  Sounds beautiful, rugged, real.  Many thanks for sharing that.  FIVE daughters that's a LOT of hauling  even if you leave the horses at home!  Good thing your wife doesn't want to come ~~

Like the idea about sealing up a cooler or so.  I have those thick insulated packs from people sending steaks -- could easily use them with stuff for later in the trip.

E

LOL Painted Horse, you value being clean more than I. lol  A cold outdoor shower in the *Everglades* is about my limit! lol

Yours was an interesting post - sometime you'll lhave to share your favorite Utah trails/horse camping areas.  For many years, our Spring backpacking trip was to Grand Gulch, not too far from Lake Powell.  It was pretty remote and primitive way back when.  The last time we went, it wasn't so remote anymore, but "progress" happens.

Well two of the daughters have moved to California, so they rarely ever ride any more. And never have time for a weekend camp out.  One daughters off to college, and she has brought home her room mates a couple of times for rides. And they have enjoyed a weekend  of camping when their jobs and schools allow the time. Usually once a summer.  My two youngest are still in high school.  And they do like to come with me. But they are getting more involved in school and jobs, so they have not been able to come as often and it 's become more of an afternoon ride for them vs a weekend.

Hence, I'm back to the simple trailer. No need to pay for creature comforts for the women in my life, when they don't come and stay over night.

When we float white water rivers. We often take 3-5 rafts. Each raft gets one cooler. Each cooler has a days worth of food for the group. Freeze as much of the food as possible before putting it in the cooler and tape them shut. We open each cooler as we go through the trip. We are still eating steaks and having ice cream on day four of the trip. Now horses can't carry as much stuff as we do on a white water raft. ( not unless you bring several pack horses per person) So we have to pack a little lighter.

We still bring in real food on pack trips vs the freeze dried stuff that back packers take. We bring  onions, some potatos and carrots and some canned chicken to make some chicken stew with. The hard vegetables and canned meat are pretty hard to smash in a pannier. I pack my eggs in a tupperware bowl full of grain. I get the eggs and the horses get the grain.