Camping How

Question:

Having just gotten back from a trip, I have a big suitcase filled to the brim with clothes.  It’s sitting in the bedroom, unzipped but closed. Open it to put away some stuff, and what do I find?  Oscar nestled comfortably in my clothes.  I take it she’s not claustrophobic. Damn cat! DH tells me that she used my fleece robe as a bed while I was gone. — monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

Response:

Having just gotten back from a trip, I have a big suitcase filled to the brim with clothes.  It’s sitting in the bedroom, unzipped but closed. Open it to put away some stuff, and what do I find?  Oscar nestled comfortably in my clothes.  I take it she’s not claustrophobic. Damn cat! DH tells me that she used my fleece robe as a bed while I was gone.

LOL!  Persia has gotten over her fear of suitcases (as long as I don’t fuss about putting stuff IN it).  The other night the temps were nice and cool. I woke up early in the morning to hear Persia parting the vertical blinds on the patio door.  I sat up in bed and she was perched on top of my horizontal suitcase, sticking her head through the slatted blinds to catch a glimpse of the early birds on the patio.  I just smiled and went back to sleep. Jill

Response:

Having just gotten back from a trip, I have a big suitcase filled to the brim with clothes.  It’s sitting in the bedroom, unzipped but closed. Open it to put away some stuff, and what do I find?  Oscar nestled comfortably in my clothes.  I take it she’s not claustrophobic.

That is really cute!

Response:

Having just gotten back from a trip, I have a big suitcase filled to the brim with clothes.  It’s sitting in the bedroom, unzipped but closed. Open it to put away some stuff, and what do I find?  Oscar nestled comfortably in my clothes.

Of course!  ;) Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Response:

Having just gotten back from a trip, I have a big suitcase filled to the brim with clothes.  It’s sitting in the bedroom, unzipped but closed. Open it to put away some stuff, and what do I find?  Oscar nestled comfortably in my clothes.  I take it she’s not claustrophobic. Damn cat! DH tells me that she used my fleece robe as a bed while I was gone.

Her way of keeping you close to her even if you are not there.  That’s love.   MLB

Response:

Having just gotten back from a trip, I have a big suitcase filled to the brim with clothes.  It’s sitting in the bedroom, unzipped but closed. Open it to put away some stuff, and what do I find?  Oscar nestled comfortably in my clothes.  I take it she’s not claustrophobic. Damn cat! DH tells me that she used my fleece robe as a bed while I was gone. — monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

You should have called him Spot. Out, Out damned Spot.

Response:

I opene d the closet yesterday because I swore I heard a bitty.  No bitties in sight, but I hear purring.  Suddenly the suitcase (which is stored on its side, on a bar fridge, under a pile of camping gear) parts and a furry Kumani head looks out. Bitty LOooooves when Mommy and MomDad pack for a trip!  And now it seems they don’t even wait for us to get the suitcases and duffel bags out ebfore they try to sleep in them! –Fil

Response:

On 2005-06-15, Bill Stock penned: You should have called him Spot. Out, Out damned Spot.

Yup, that’s what I was thinking of =) Oscar’s a girl, though. — monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

Response:

On 2005-06-15, Enfilade penned: I opene d the closet yesterday because I swore I heard a bitty.  No bitties in sight, but I hear purring.  Suddenly the suitcase (which is stored on its side, on a bar fridge, under a pile of camping gear) parts and a furry Kumani head looks out. Bitty LOooooves when Mommy and MomDad pack for a trip!  And now it seems they don’t even wait for us to get the suitcases and duffel bags out ebfore they try to sleep in them!

Too true. Oscar *loves* closets and luggage.  Anything she’s not supposed to be in, really. — monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

Response:

Question:

I have travelled extensively and haven’t had any problems, except leaving one of the hoses in a hotel in Northern China and having leaking humidifier chamber leaking into the CPAP.. I have a Sullivan 5 cpap, a F&P HC100 heated humidifier, and a Resmed full face mask. Since going on the Cpap in 1990  I have travelled to Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Changmai, China, England, Italy, Ireland, USA and Canada. The only precautions I took was to ensure I had a good set of conversions plugs, to plug into the mains outlets at the various hotels, and used a shoulder bag to carry all the gear so I could take it into the cabin when I flew. The Sullivan CPAP auto senses the mains voltage so it operates on any voltage from 100 to 250 volts – this is essential when travelling. My advice would be –  have a auto voltage sensing CPAP, checkout the type of plugs used in the countries you are visiting, and always take a new humidifier chamber ( it shouldn’t leak). Final comment a heated Humidifier like the F&P HC100 will work on both 100 and 230volts, even it there is no change over switch. Hope this is of some help Don

Response:

>Final comment a heated Humidifier like the F&P HC100 will work on both 100 >and 230volts, even it there is no change over switch. >Hope this is of some help >Don

That’s interesting, Don.  This is the first time I have heard this.  Do you have to adjust the temperature setting to compensate? Terry

Response:

OOPS! This only applies if the HC100 is setup for 230 volts, then it will work on 110 volts.  If the unit is set for 110 volts DON’T use it on 230 volts. The unit is made to be switchable between 110 and 230 volts.  The units are designed in New Zealand and sold set for 230 volts and have no switch.  I would assume the models sold in the US would have the switch. Sorrow about that. Don

Response:

<stevestan…@juno.com> wrote in message

news:1106534206.926524.188300@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com… > I’ve checked out the Goodknight on the web and the price is right. Does > anyone use a passover humidifier with it? I’m wondering if I really > would save much space with the machine, hunidifier and hose, over my > Remstar. In other words would there be a significant space /weight gain > for the investment? And how many of youu actually one for travel and > one for home? Thanks.

I do. I keep the Goodnight in my travel bag and my Sullivan VI on my headboard. The Sullivan’s a bit quieter and has an auto-start, so that’s my preferred machine.  The Goodnight is small and light so if preferred for travel.  The main thing, though, is that I’ve got a spare.  If one of them conks out, I’ve still got the other one. Paul R

Response:

<stevestan…@juno.com> wrote in message

news:1106534206.926524.188300@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com… > I’ve checked out the Goodknight on the web and the price is right. Does > anyone use a passover humidifier with it? I’m wondering if I really > would save much space with the machine, hunidifier and hose, over my > Remstar. In other words would there be a significant space /weight gain > for the investment? And how many of youu actually one for travel and > one for home? Thanks.

I use my 420 with a passover humidifier sometimes at home – it’s the only humidifier I have. For travel (and all but the coldest days at home) I don’t use any humidifier and feel no need for one. I don’t use any other machine except my old Remstar at our summer camp about 10 nights a year. The 420 is great – lightweight, quiet, problem free so far (about 16 months).

Response:

"Ada Prill" <apr…@rochesterperiodrr.com> wrote in message

news:M8jJd.168648$AL5.131082@twister.nyroc.rr.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> <stevestan…@juno.com> wrote in message > news:1106534206.926524.188300@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com… >> I’ve checked out the Goodknight on the web and the price is right. Does >> anyone use a passover humidifier with it? I’m wondering if I really >> would save much space with the machine, hunidifier and hose, over my >> Remstar. In other words would there be a significant space /weight gain >> for the investment? And how many of youu actually one for travel and >> one for home? Thanks. > I use my 420 with a passover humidifier sometimes at home – it’s the only > humidifier I have. For travel (and all but the coldest days at home) I > don’t use any humidifier and feel no need for one. I don’t use any other > machine except my old Remstar at our summer camp about 10 nights a year. > The 420 is great – lightweight, quiet, problem free so far (about 16 > months).

I find more need for the humidifier in hotels than I do at home.  Hotel rooms tend to be DRY. I haven’t yet gotten a second humidifier; I take my F&P with me.  It’s a 120VAC unit so in Europe I only took the container and the plastic base-pad. Paul R

Response:

I’ve checked out the Goodknight on the web and the price is right. Does anyone use a passover humidifier with it? I’m wondering if I really would save much space with the machine, hunidifier and hose, over my Remstar. In other words would there be a significant space /weight gain for the investment? And how many of youu actually one for travel and one for home? Thanks. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Tlbliss wrote: > >> I backpacked with a 420 just for trial > >> purposes last month.  Entire rig (with a battery good for one night and > >mask > >> and hoses) was just under 10 lbs. > >Your pressure? > >Which battery? (size) > All details are in the posting I made in December.  For your convenience I have > copied and pasted it below. > Terry > I took my cpap backpacking this weekend, and, as promised a few weeks ago, I > will report the results. > Brief Summary: > I bought a Rally Boost It Jump Start Battery ($30 at K-Mart), and backpacked it > this weekend to power my cpap.  The new jump start battery is half the capacity > (8 amp-hours) and size/weight (7.25 lbs)  compared to my other (17 amp-hour, 16 > lbs) jump start battery.  The half size battery successfully powered my > Puritan-Bennett GoodKnight 420G cpap for 8-9 hours.  The entire rig, including > battery, cpap, DC cord, hose, and mask (plus a tupperware box to protect the > mask) weighed slightly less than 10 lbs.  This is doable, if you are willing to > carry that much extra weight, which I am willing to do "sometimes." > Details (long) > I have used cpap for 7 years now, including more than 5 years with jump start > batteries, while camping with the Boy Scouts.  In the past, I used a 6 lb > Sullivan V blower, which requried an inverter to run on DC.  The larger 17 amp > hour jump start batteries (typically $60-70) would power it for 6-8 hours. > This rig weighed something like 25 pounds, which made it inconvenient for car > camping but unthinkable for backpacking, canoeing, and so on.  A second battery > for a second night raised the weight to 41 lbs.  The humidifier added several > more pounds. > More recently, I replaced the blower with a Puritan-Bennett GoodKnight 420G, a > very light (less than 2 lbs) blower that accepts 12 volts DC directly.  This > eliminated a lot of blower weight, and the weight of the inverter, and made a > single 17 amp-hr jump start battery last 24-26 hours.  My blower is set for > 10.5 cm water.  Mask is a Mirage (the original model, not the Ultra mirage). > Hose has a quilted insulation cover to reduce rain-out.  Mask also has a > quilted cover. > Based on the much longer battery life with the new blower, I bought a new Rally > Boost It 8 amp-hr jump start battery, Model 7399, for $30 at the local K-Mart. > This battery is about half the capacity and size and weight and price of the > larger ones I have previously used.  Overall dimensions are 8" wide by 3.25" > thick by 7.5" high.  I charged it for 24 hours prior to first use at home, then > ran it overnight.  It was still going strong after 8.5 hours, but it kicked out > within the next hour while I was taking my son to school (I left it blowing to > dry out the moisture).  I recharged for 24 hours before the backpacking trip. > I packed the battery in a urethane coated nylon draw top stuff sack for > protection (from moisture, metal items shorting across the clamps, etc) and > packed my mask in my standard tupperware carrying box.  The hose and blower > were packed in my spare clothing bag in the backpack.  My pack weighed about 40 > lbs (including food and water) without the cpap and battery, so it weighed > about 50 lbs with the cpap rig.  Most serious backpackers pare their backpack > load down to 35 lbs or 40 at most.  I have mostly older equipment that is not > super-light by today’s standards.  However, a 50 lb backpack is not unheard of > on longer backpacking trips. A climber might carry 65-80 lbs in an expedition, > but typically the extra weight would be ferried in to near the top by sherpas. > I have served as a human pack mule on some caving and cave diving trips in the > past; staging of supplies by non-summiting support people is common on such > trips to avoid super-heavy packs  for the summit crew. > The trip was 0.9 miles in the dark to the top of Springer Mountain, the > beginning of the Appalachian Trail, in North Georgia, elevation about 3500 > feet.  Pack felt good.  We were night hiking, and the extreme humidity at near > freezing temperatures made the air foggy, so progress was somewhat slowed due > to poor visibility.  Set up camp at the meadow closest to the start of the AT, > and slept peacefully for 8 hours with a howling wind blowing all night.  I used > a single wall tent, which "breathed" air all night due to strong winds, snow, > and sleet.  Outside temperature was 33 at bedtime and reached a low of 31 > overnight; temperature inside the tent got as low as 36 F.  Had about 0.5" > accumulation of snow in the morning. > Reason for details on the weather is to discuss humidifier details. I found > out very quickly 7 years ago that I must use a heated humidifier, year round, > when sleeping indoors.  After just a few nights without it, I was sneezing 200 > times a day, and my nose was raw.  Heated humidifier completely solved this > problem, but I must use it year round.  If I forget to turn on the heating > element, even for one night, I am congested and sneezing the next day, > regardless of the time of year.  In the Atlanta area, we air condition all > summer when it is hot and humid, so the interior humidity is low.  In the > winter, it is drier anyway, so I use the heated humidifier year round when > sleeping indoors.  When camping in the summer, I use an unheated passover > humidifier.  Even though the passover humidifier adds less moisture, I can get > by with it when I sleep outdoors since the air is humid in the summer.  I have > done this for as much as 6 consecutive nights at summer camp many years now. > In the fall and winter, I also use the passover humidifier for camping, and > have had little trouble with dry nose issues.  As an experiment, I once set up > my tent on the deck at home and used my heated humidifier in 32 F weather. > Within an hour, I was drowning in condensate.  This led me to believe I can get > by without a humidifier most of the time outdoors.  On this trip, I elected not > to carry the passover humidifier, and I was fine. > Next morning, one of the kids fainted due to lack of food and water intake I > suppose, so we rested her and revived her with hot food and drink, then > redstributed her gear among us. I packed out at least 55 lbs. but it rode well, > so I was fine. > Since returning home, I have opened the case of the jump start battery and > removed the large battery clamps and cables.  This reduced the battery weight > by 13 oz to only 6 lb 7 ounces.  Total weight of the rig is now just over 9 > lbs.  I could add a second battery for a second night for a total of 15.5 lbs. > I certainly consider the rig useable for longer term canoe trips.  I am > presently contemplating an 8 day canoe trip in Quetico this summer. I could > cover the 6 nights on the trail with 35 lbs worth of batteries and cpap gear. > This may require an extra dry bag, but it would be worth it. > In the past, I have simply left the cpap home when backpacking.  I try to avoid > driving other people’s kids when driving after a night without cpap. This > eliminates the need to do that.

Response:

>> I backpacked with a 420 just for trial >> purposes last month.  Entire rig (with a battery good for one night and >mask >> and hoses) was just under 10 lbs. >Your pressure? >Which battery? (size)

All details are in the posting I made in December.  For your convenience I have copied and pasted it below. Terry I took my cpap backpacking this weekend, and, as promised a few weeks ago, I will report the results.   Brief Summary: I bought a Rally Boost It Jump Start Battery ($30 at K-Mart), and backpacked it this weekend to power my cpap.  The new jump start battery is half the capacity (8 amp-hours) and size/weight (7.25 lbs)  compared to my other (17 amp-hour, 16 lbs) jump start battery.  The half size battery successfully powered my Puritan-Bennett GoodKnight 420G cpap for 8-9 hours.  The entire rig, including battery, cpap, DC cord, hose, and mask (plus a tupperware box to protect the mask) weighed slightly less than 10 lbs.  This is doable, if you are willing to carry that much extra weight, which I am willing to do "sometimes." Details (long) I have used cpap for 7 years now, including more than 5 years with jump start batteries, while camping with the Boy Scouts.  In the past, I used a 6 lb Sullivan V blower, which requried an inverter to run on DC.  The larger 17 amp hour jump start batteries (typically $60-70) would power it for 6-8 hours. This rig weighed something like 25 pounds, which made it inconvenient for car camping but unthinkable for backpacking, canoeing, and so on.  A second battery for a second night raised the weight to 41 lbs.  The humidifier added several more pounds. More recently, I replaced the blower with a Puritan-Bennett GoodKnight 420G, a very light (less than 2 lbs) blower that accepts 12 volts DC directly.  This eliminated a lot of blower weight, and the weight of the inverter, and made a single 17 amp-hr jump start battery last 24-26 hours.  My blower is set for 10.5 cm water.  Mask is a Mirage (the original model, not the Ultra mirage). Hose has a quilted insulation cover to reduce rain-out.  Mask also has a quilted cover.   Based on the much longer battery life with the new blower, I bought a new Rally Boost It 8 amp-hr jump start battery, Model 7399, for $30 at the local K-Mart. This battery is about half the capacity and size and weight and price of the larger ones I have previously used.  Overall dimensions are 8" wide by 3.25" thick by 7.5" high.  I charged it for 24 hours prior to first use at home, then ran it overnight.  It was still going strong after 8.5 hours, but it kicked out within the next hour while I was taking my son to school (I left it blowing to dry out the moisture).  I recharged for 24 hours before the backpacking trip.   I packed the battery in a urethane coated nylon draw top stuff sack for protection (from moisture, metal items shorting across the clamps, etc) and packed my mask in my standard tupperware carrying box.  The hose and blower were packed in my spare clothing bag in the backpack.  My pack weighed about 40 lbs (including food and water) without the cpap and battery, so it weighed about 50 lbs with the cpap rig.  Most serious backpackers pare their backpack load down to 35 lbs or 40 at most.  I have mostly older equipment that is not super-light by today’s standards.  However, a 50 lb backpack is not unheard of on longer backpacking trips. A climber might carry 65-80 lbs in an expedition, but typically the extra weight would be ferried in to near the top by sherpas. I have served as a human pack mule on some caving and cave diving trips in the past; staging of supplies by non-summiting support people is common on such trips to avoid super-heavy packs  for the summit crew.   The trip was 0.9 miles in the dark to the top of Springer Mountain, the beginning of the Appalachian Trail, in North Georgia, elevation about 3500 feet.  Pack felt good.  We were night hiking, and the extreme humidity at near freezing temperatures made the air foggy, so progress was somewhat slowed due to poor visibility.  Set up camp at the meadow closest to the start  of the AT, and slept peacefully for 8 hours with a howling wind blowing all night.  I used a single wall tent, which "breathed" air all night due to strong winds, snow, and sleet.  Outside temperature was 33 at bedtime and reached a low of 31 overnight; temperature inside the tent got as low as 36 F.  Had about 0.5" accumulation of snow in the morning.   Reason for details on the weather is to discuss humidifier details.  I found out very quickly 7 years ago that I must use a heated humidifier, year round, when sleeping indoors.  After just a few nights without it, I was sneezing 200 times a day, and my nose was raw.  Heated humidifier completely solved this problem, but I must use it year round.  If I forget to turn on the heating element, even for one night, I am congested and sneezing the next day, regardless of the time of year.  In the Atlanta area, we air condition all summer when it is hot and humid, so the interior humidity is low.  In the winter, it is drier anyway, so I use the heated humidifier year round when sleeping indoors.  When camping in the summer, I use an unheated passover humidifier.  Even though the passover humidifier adds less moisture, I can get by with it when I sleep outdoors since the air is humid in the summer.  I have done this for as much as 6 consecutive nights at summer camp many years now. In the fall and winter, I also use the passover humidifier for camping, and have had little trouble with dry nose issues.  As an experiment, I once set up my tent on the deck at home and used my heated humidifier in 32 F weather. Within an hour, I was drowning in condensate.  This led me to believe I can get by without a humidifier most of the time outdoors.  On this trip, I elected not to carry the passover humidifier, and I was fine. Next morning, one of the kids fainted due to lack of food and water intake I suppose, so we rested her and revived her with hot food and drink, then redstributed her gear among us. I packed out at least 55 lbs. but it rode well, so I was fine.   Since returning home, I have opened the case of the jump start battery and removed the large battery clamps and cables.  This reduced the battery weight by 13 oz to only 6 lb 7 ounces.  Total weight of the rig is now just over 9 lbs.  I could add a second battery for a second night for a total of 15.5 lbs. I certainly consider the rig useable for longer term canoe trips.  I am presently contemplating an 8 day canoe trip in Quetico this summer.  I could cover the 6 nights on the trail with 35 lbs worth of batteries and cpap gear. This may require an extra dry bag, but it would be worth it.   In the past, I have simply left the cpap home when backpacking.  I try to avoid driving other people’s kids when driving after a night without cpap.  This eliminates the need to do that.  

Response:

>Does anyone have a small version of a cpap they travel with. I know >Goodnight makes a small one. My Remstar seems large when it’s all >packed up. I like to travel light. Also I’m used to c-flex and not sure >about haveing a one pressure machine. I used to backpack with one pack >thru Europe but it looks like those days are over.

As far as I know, the GoodKnight 420 series is the smallest.  It is available in a variable pressure version.  I backpacked with a 420 just for trial purposes last month.  Entire rig (with a battery good for one night and mask and hoses) was just under 10 lbs. Terry

Response:

Tlbliss wrote: > I backpacked with a 420 just for trial > purposes last month.  Entire rig (with a battery good for one night and mask > and hoses) was just under 10 lbs.

Your pressure? Which battery? (size)

Response:

Does anyone have a small version of a cpap they travel with. I know Goodnight makes a small one. My Remstar seems large when it’s all packed up. I like to travel light. Also I’m used to c-flex and not sure about haveing a one pressure machine. I used to backpack with one pack thru Europe but it looks like those days are over.Also I choke when I fall asleep in a chair or recliner and can’t imagine a long plane trip overnight. I’d love to hear from some travels and how they have handled these issues. Thanks. This group has been a real gift to this newbiesince I found it six months ago after my sleep study.

Response:

I haven’t used it outside the U.S. yet, but I love the GoodKnight 420 for domestic travel, which I do a lot of. No more hoisting an enormous, heavy, Remstar into the overhead rack! (The 420 fits under the seat in front of me.) I use it at home as well, as the noise level is much lower – my husband moved back into our bedroom when I got the 420. I still have the Remstar as an emergency backup and for use at our summer camp, so I don’t have to pack the CPAP up every time we go back and forth. I’ve had the 420 about 15 months and am 100% happy with it. Ada <stevestan…@juno.com> wrote in message

news:1106017222.319008.96050@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Does anyone have a small version of a cpap they travel with. I know > Goodnight makes a small one. My Remstar seems large when it’s all > packed up. I like to travel light. Also I’m used to c-flex and not sure > about haveing a one pressure machine. I used to backpack with one pack > thru Europe but it looks like those days are over.Also I choke when I > fall asleep in a chair or recliner and can’t imagine a long plane trip > overnight. I’d love to hear from some travels and how they have handled > these issues. Thanks. This group has been a real gift to this > newbiesince I found it six months ago after my sleep study.

Response:

Question:

I took my cpap backpacking ths weekend, and, as promised a few weeks ago, I will report the results.   Brief Summary: I bought a Rally Boost It Jump Start Battery ($30 at K-Mart), and backpacked it this weekend to power my cpap.  The new jump start battery is half the capacity (8 amp-hours) and size/weight (7.25 lbs)  compared to my other (17 amp-hour, 16 lbs) jump start battery.  The half size battery successfully powered my Puritan-Bennett GoodKnight 420G cpap for 8-9 hours.  The entire rig, including battery, cpap, DC cord, hose, and mask (plus a tupperware box to protect the mask) weighed slightly less than 10 lbs.  This is doable, if you are willing to carry that much extra weight, which I am willing to do "sometimes." Details (long) I have used cpap for 7 years now, including more than 5 years with jump start batteries, while camping with the Boy Scouts.  In the past, I used a 6 lb Sullivan V blower, which requried an inverter to run on DC.  The larger 17 amp hour jump start batteries (typically $60-70) would power it for 6-8 hours. This rig weighed something like 25 pounds, which made it inconvenient for car camping but unthinkable for backpacking, canoeing, and so on.  A second battery for a second night raised the weight to 41 lbs.  The humidifier added several more pounds. More recently, I replaced the blower with a Puritan-Bennett GoodKnight 420G, a very light (less than 2 lbs) blower that accepts 12 volts DC directly.  This eliminated a lot of blower weight, and the weight of the inverter, and made a single 17 amp-hr jump start battery last 24-26 hours.  My blower is set for 10.5 cm water.  Mask is a Mirage (the original model, not the Ultra mirage). Hose has a quilted insulation cover to reduce rain-out.  Mask also has a quilted cover.   Based on the much longer battery life with the new blower, I bought a new Rally Boost It 8 amp-hr jump start battery, Model 7399, for $30 at the local K-Mart. This battery is about half the capacity and size and weight and price of the larger ones I have previously used.  Overall dimensions are 8" wide by 3.25" thick by 7.5" high.  I charged it for 24 hours prior to first use at home, then ran it overnight.  It was still going strong after 8.5 hours, but it kicked out within the next hour while I was taking my son to school (I left it blowing to dry out the moisture).  I recharged for 24 hours before the backpacking trip.   I packed the battery in a urethane coated nylon draw top stuff sack for protection (from moisture, metal items shorting across the clamps, etc) and packed my mask in my standard tupperware carrying box.  The hose and blower were packed in my spare clothing bag in the backpack.  My pack weighed about 40 lbs (including food and water) without the cpap and battery, so it weighed about 50 lbs with the cpap rig.  Most serious backpackers pare their backpack load down to 35 lbs or 40 at most.  I have mostly older equipment that is not super-light by today’s standards.  However, a 50 lb backpack is not unheard of on longer backpacking trips. A climber might carry 65-80 lbs in an expedition, but typically the extra weight would be ferried in to near the top by sherpas. I have served as a human pack mule on some caving and cave diving trips in the past; staging of supplies by non-summiting support people is common on such trips to avoid super-heavy packs  for the summit crew.   The trip was 0.9 miles in the dark to the top of Springer Mountain, the beginning of the Appalachian Trail, in North Georgia, elevation about 3500 feet.  Pack felt good.  We were night hiking, and the extreme humidity at near freezing temperatures made the air foggy, so progress was somewhat slowed due to poor visibility.  Set up camp at the meadow closest to the start  of the AT, and slept peacefully for 8 hours with a howling wind blowing all night.  I used a single wall tent, which "breathed" air all night due to strong winds, snow, and sleet.  Outside temperature was 33 at bedtime and reached a low of 31 overnight; temperature inside the tent got as low as 36 F.  Had about 0.5" accumulation of snow in the morning.   Reason for details on the weather is to discuss humidifier details.  I found out very quickly 7 years ago that I must use a heated humidifier, year round, when sleeping indoors.  After just a few nights without it, I was sneezing 200 times a day, and my nose was raw.  Heated humidifier completely solved this problem, but I must use it year round.  If I forget to turn on the heating element, even for one night, I am congested and sneezing the next day, regardless of the time of year.  In the Atlanta area, we air condition all summer when it is hot and humid, so the interior humidity is low.  In the winter, it is drier anyway, so I use the heated humidifier year round when sleeping indoors.  When camping in the summer, I use an unheated passover humidifier.  Even though the passover humidifier adds less moisture, I can get by with it when I sleep outdoors since the air is humid in the summer.  I have done this for as much as 6 consecutive nights at summer camp many years now. In the fall and winter, I also use the passover humidifier for camping, and have had little trouble with dry nose issues.  As an experiment, I once set up my tent on the deck at home and used my heated humidifier in 32 F weather. Within an hour, I was drowning in condensate.  This led me to believe I can get by without a humidifier most of the time outdoors.  On this trip, I elected not to carry the passover humidifier, and I was fine. Next morning, one of the kids fainted due to lack of food and water intake I suppose, so we rested her and revived her with hot food and drink, then redstributed her gear among us. I packed out at least 55 lbs. but it rode well, so I was fine.   Since returning home, I have opened the case of the jump start battery and removed the large battery clamps and cables.  This reduced the battery weight by 13 oz to only 6 lb 7 ounces.  Total weight of the rig is now just over 9 lbs.  I could add a second battery for a second night for a total of 15.5 lbs. I certainly consder the rig useable for  longer term canoe trips.  I am presently contemplating an 8 day canoe trip in Quetico this summer.  I could cover the 6 nights on the trail with 35 lbs worth of batteries and cpap gear. This may require an extra dry bag, but it would be worth it.   In the past, I have simply left the cpap home when backpacking.  I try to avoid driving other people’s kids when driving after a night without cpap.  This eliminates the need to do that.   Terry

Response:

I’m in Queensland and we are also concerned about continuity of electricity supply.  I’ve invested in a jump start unit which has a little fluorescent light and a small compressor as well as 12V DC and 240V AC outputs.  It allows for a supplementary larger battery to be connected, and the trickle charger supplied will keep both the internal and external batteries topped up. My next step if we get more or longer outages will be to get a bigger battery (or two). There have also been recent advertisements in automotive stores for small two-stroke generators with 12v/240v outputs (for $199) which would charge the bigger batteries quickly enough to allow me to use the 420E and heated hose every night so long as I can still get petrol! After that I guess I’m stuffed!

Response:

As a fellow outdoorsman I’m very greatful and thankful for this information.  I will use it I assure you.  Let me know when you get up to the Va Blue Ridge for some backpacking or paddling.  

Response:

>As a fellow outdoorsman I’m very greatful and thankful for this >information.  I will use it I assure you.  Let me know when you get up to >the Va Blue Ridge for some backpacking or paddling.  

Thanks, I’ll do that. Terry

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->> This is exactly the question I asked before. I guess I get to ask it of >> someone who does this sort of thing. >> Seeing you go backpacking etc, isn’t it cheaper, more reliable and better >> for you just to have a trach instead of the CPAP? No need to carry all that >> equipment, no chance of busting expensive electrical stuff or losing it. No >> worries about the power going out etc. >> What do you think? >Camping while trach’d is a whole other barrel of laffs. It’s a whole lot >easier than toting a xPAP, humidifiers, batteries, etc. No worry about >extra battery for extra nights or solar rechargers. Huge upside to being >trach’d and wanting to go camping. My minimal trach kit weighs about >5lbs and is put together for cabin or car camping, NOT wilderness. Add a >portable suction unit, nebulizers, sterile water, saline, and you’re up >to 10lbs again, and possibly more depending on how well your insurance >covers portable (lightweight) equipment if at all. >Pack straps pull at the trach ties, pulling the trach, causing bleeding, >irritation and overall high annoyance factor. Even best straps will pull >at the neckband. Changing dressings, neckbands, trach, all need to be >packed in and out- as BIOHAZARD MEDICAL WASTE, OOPS- another stuff sack >to put in the bear bag Lots of sterile water for cleaning, etc- 1 litre >per day is a minimum, plus saline bullets or atomizers/nebulizer, >portable suction machine. Now keep most of this sterile and clean, dry, >sealed, accessible in emergency, training a hiking partner in emergency >procedures- Can you trust them to… be able to suction you at 3500′ in >the dark? Change a trach tube in the middle of nowhere by the light of a >fire? know how to perform CPR with a trach? >Forget that trip to Quetico. Canoes and trachs DO NOT MIX. No ENT in his >right mind will give the OK for a trach’d patient to be in or on water >in anything like a canoe or kayak. It can take as little as 60 seconds >for the lungs to fill with water with a trach. From what I understand, >it’s not a pleasant way to go. That said- I have been n a canoe since >being trach’d, and the stress of worrying about dumping was way more >than the enjoyment of being on the water. >Trach is not always an answer to the camping with xPAP question. It >sounds like Tlbliss has some excellent solutions that work, and it’s >less than 1/2 a duluth pack worth of extra crap for Quetico- and if he >gets a solar recharger can maybe cut out 1 of those spare batteries too. >Vic >Trached 11/02

Thanks for saying almost everything I would have said and more, Vic, but with the authority of a trach owner.  I have no interest in a trach as I love the water and will not give up scuba, white water rafting and canoeing.   As far as cost goes, my GoodKnight 420G was paid for by insurance (I did not buy it just for camping), and even if bought new without insurance over the internet it is only about $450.  The mask, hose, and battery don’t total $200, but I only paid for the battery.  I don’t think I could get a trach with insurance for that kind of money, but I absolutely don’t want one.  It is not the right solution for me, as definitively shown by Vic above.  A trach may be the cat’s meow for others but not for me, not now anyway.   As far as the solar charger goes, that is my next goal, but I am not optimistic.  The jump start batteries take over 12 hours to mostly recharge (16-24 hours for a full recharge) and that is from house current.  I suspect a solar charger would be less efficient, even if the sun is out.  I’ll report on this when (and only when) I have real data.   Terry

Response:

"Nev" <nh…@lycos.com> wrote in message

news:1103091594.751780.52940@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’m in Queensland and we are also concerned about continuity of > electricity supply.  I’ve invested in a jump start unit which has a > little fluorescent light and a small compressor as well as 12V DC and > 240V AC outputs.  It allows for a supplementary larger battery to be > connected, and the trickle charger supplied will keep both the internal > and external batteries topped up. > My next step if we get more or longer outages will be to get a bigger > battery (or two). > There have also been recent advertisements in automotive stores for > small two-stroke generators with 12v/240v outputs (for $199) which > would charge the bigger batteries quickly enough to allow me to use the > 420E and heated hose every night so long as I can still get petrol! > After that I guess I’m stuffed!

There’s always SOLAR power! (yes, that’s a joke on SO many levels! )

Response:

"Quick" <quick7135-n…@NOSPAMyahoo.com> wrote in message

news:1103063527.831631@sj-nntpcache-5… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> T-winkle wrote: >> "VRadin" <vra…@NOSPAMameritech.net> wrote in message >>> Camping while trach’d is a whole other barrel of laffs. It’s a whole >>> lot >> Thanks for all the info on that. I have been trying to find out why >> people are so worried about spending ONE NIGHT without their *PAPs >> and if so worried, why not go trach. Well, you pointed out why for >> backpackers/campers that may not be a good thing. >> However, it may become a thing to be considered seriously here in the >> state of NSW, Australia within a few years. Apparently the rise of >> cheap air conditioners for homes has put such a strain on electricity >> supply as our whole country is hot about 9 months of the year and >> cool for 3 that the electricity grid in this state is thought to have >> about 2 years before it cant cope, > [snip] >> So, it is looking increasingly like a trach will be a safer option >> unless they do something serious, in Govt, about our electricity >> needs within 2 years. > No. still go with the deep cycle battery. > If you really must get a surgical procedure have gills installed > so you can swim off your island to one of the continents and > civilization.

Oh you mean America where the terrorists are more likely to target or France where you cant wear what you want in public?

Response:

In article <LZmvd.299$Fb3.8…@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au>, beca…@filters.dont.work says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> "Tlbliss" <tlbl…@aol.com> wrote in message > news:20041213113622.12394.00002116@mb-m28.aol.com… > >I took my cpap backpacking ths weekend, and, as promised a few weeks ago, I > > will report the results. > SNIPPED. > This is exactly the question I asked before. I guess I get to ask it of > someone who does this sort of thing. > Seeing you go backpacking etc, isn’t it cheaper, more reliable and better > for you just to have a trach instead of the CPAP? No need to carry all that > equipment, no chance of busting expensive electrical stuff or losing it. No > worries about the power going out etc. > What do you think?

Camping while trach’d is a whole other barrel of laffs. It’s a whole lot easier than toting a xPAP, humidifiers, batteries, etc. No worry about extra battery for extra nights or solar rechargers. Huge upside to being trach’d and wanting to go camping. My minimal trach kit weighs about 5lbs and is put together for cabin or car camping, NOT wilderness. Add a portable suction unit, nebulizers, sterile water, saline, and you’re up to 10lbs again, and possibly more depending on how well your insurance covers portable (lightweight) equipment if at all. Pack straps pull at the trach ties, pulling the trach, causing bleeding, irritation and overall high annoyance factor. Even best straps will pull at the neckband. Changing dressings, neckbands, trach, all need to be packed in and out- as BIOHAZARD MEDICAL WASTE, OOPS- another stuff sack to put in the bear bag Lots of sterile water for cleaning, etc- 1 litre per day is a minimum, plus saline bullets or atomizers/nebulizer, portable suction machine. Now keep most of this sterile and clean, dry, sealed, accessible in emergency, training a hiking partner in emergency procedures- Can you trust them to… be able to suction you at 3500′ in the dark? Change a trach tube in the middle of nowhere by the light of a fire? know how to perform CPR with a trach? Forget that trip to Quetico. Canoes and trachs DO NOT MIX. No ENT in his right mind will give the OK for a trach’d patient to be in or on water in anything like a canoe or kayak. It can take as little as 60 seconds for the lungs to fill with water with a trach. From what I understand, it’s not a pleasant way to go. That said- I have been n a canoe since being trach’d, and the stress of worrying about dumping was way more than the enjoyment of being on the water. Trach is not always an answer to the camping with xPAP question. It sounds like Tlbliss has some excellent solutions that work, and it’s less than 1/2 a duluth pack worth of extra crap for Quetico- and if he gets a solar recharger can maybe cut out 1 of those spare batteries too. Vic Trached 11/02

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -T-winkle wrote: > "VRadin" <vra…@NOSPAMameritech.net> wrote in message >> Camping while trach’d is a whole other barrel of laffs. It’s a whole >> lot > Thanks for all the info on that. I have been trying to find out why > people are so worried about spending ONE NIGHT without their *PAPs > and if so worried, why not go trach. Well, you pointed out why for > backpackers/campers that may not be a good thing. > However, it may become a thing to be considered seriously here in the > state of NSW, Australia within a few years. Apparently the rise of > cheap air conditioners for homes has put such a strain on electricity > supply as our whole country is hot about 9 months of the year and > cool for 3 that the electricity grid in this state is thought to have > about 2 years before it cant cope, [snip] > So, it is looking increasingly like a trach will be a safer option > unless they do something serious, in Govt, about our electricity > needs within 2 years.

No. still go with the deep cycle battery. If you really must get a surgical procedure have gills installed so you can swim off your island to one of the continents and civilization. -Quick

Response:

Tlbliss wrote: > I bought a Rally Boost It Jump Start Battery ($30 at K-Mart), and backpacked it > this weekend to power my cpap.  The new jump start battery is half the capacity > (8 amp-hours) and size/weight (7.25 lbs)  compared to my other (17 amp-hour, 16 > lbs) jump start battery.  The half size battery successfully powered my > Puritan-Bennett GoodKnight 420G cpap for 8-9 hours.  ….  My blower is set for > 10.5 cm water.

Exceedingly useful post. Thanks for the information.

Response:

"VRadin" <vra…@NOSPAMameritech.net> wrote in message > Camping while trach’d is a whole other barrel of laffs. It’s a whole lot

Thanks for all the info on that. I have been trying to find out why people are so worried about spending ONE NIGHT without their *PAPs and if so worried, why not go trach. Well, you pointed out why for backpackers/campers that may not be a good thing. However, it may become a thing to be considered seriously here in the state of NSW, Australia within a few years. Apparently the rise of cheap air conditioners for homes has put such a strain on electricity supply as our whole country is hot about 9 months of the year and cool for 3 that the electricity grid in this state is thought to have about 2 years before it cant cope, at best. In other states of Australia, they already cant cope. If we don’t build new electrical generation sites in all states, we are going to suffer brownouts at best and as has been said by elected officials on TV, we will be facing complete Summers where we will have day on, day off electricity. Now add to that the normal breakdowns that happen and we could go more than one whole day without electricity. As our electrical generation has always been from fossil fuel burning of some sort and the Kyoto protocol, though not signed by us looks inevitable, we are in a quandary. Wind power generators aren’t worth the effort excepting for possibly farmers. Solar power doesn’t give enough now either. We are having a wave power station go online within the next year off the east coast and that will help of course and be in accord with the Kyoto protocols. So, it is looking increasingly like a trach will be a safer option unless they do something serious, in Govt, about our electricity needs within 2 years.

Response:

"Tlbliss" <tlbl…@aol.com> wrote in message

news:20041213113622.12394.00002116@mb-m28.aol.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I took my cpap backpacking ths weekend, and, as promised a few weeks ago, I > will report the results. > Brief Summary: > I bought a Rally Boost It Jump Start Battery ($30 at K-Mart), and > backpacked it > this weekend to power my cpap.  The new jump start battery is half the > capacity > (8 amp-hours) and size/weight (7.25 lbs)  compared to my other (17 > amp-hour, 16 > lbs) jump start battery.  The half size battery successfully powered my > Puritan-Bennett GoodKnight 420G cpap for 8-9 hours.  The entire rig, > including > battery, cpap, DC cord, hose, and mask (plus a tupperware box to protect > the > mask) weighed slightly less than 10 lbs.  This is doable, if you are > willing to > carry that much extra weight, which I am willing to do "sometimes."

SNIPPED. This is exactly the question I asked before. I guess I get to ask it of someone who does this sort of thing. Seeing you go backpacking etc, isn’t it cheaper, more reliable and better for you just to have a trach instead of the CPAP? No need to carry all that equipment, no chance of busting expensive electrical stuff or losing it. No worries about the power going out etc. What do you think?

Response:

Question:

I’m going camping this week, leaving Monday and getting back Thursday.  The compulsive perfectionist side of me has taken hold; I’ve planned my menus, pre-weighed (to the eighth of an ounce) and packaged my portions, and feel like I’ll be in control.  Probably way OVER control, but there you have it. It is taking some effort but I’m not bringing my bathroom scale or my food scale!  I am, however, bringing my sphygmomanometer just because I need to monitor my blood pressure. I may actually lose weight on this camping trip.  That would be quite a nice change!  I plan to do a lot of hiking, including climbing up to a bluff where my parent’s ashes are buried.  Its been awhile since I’ve visited.

here’s a quick camping story. In 2002 when I was 232 or thereabouts I was invited hiking up in the Sierra backcountry. It was fun, but the trailhead was at 7000′ and the hike to the lake was 3000′ up a steep valley, with a lot of really high steps, in the blazing midday sun. Carrying 30lbs of gear. I soldiered through it, but made sure I stopped a lot to catch my breath and otherwise not become a medical emergency for my compatriots, who were all 50+ lbs lighter than me and in better shape. coming back into town I was kinda bummed that I had only lost a pound or two over the three-day trip. Seemed I had burned a lot more calories, but maybe the massive dinners we ate on the road masked the loss. Carrying my 2 x 2.5 gallon water jugs full of water (8.3lbs/gallon = 40+ lbs = the weight I have lost since then), I find it amazing I could even do that hike as well as I did — 40lbs of deadweight is a heavy load. Heywood 232/192/182

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m going camping this week, leaving Monday and getting back Thursday. The compulsive perfectionist side of me has taken hold; I’ve planned my menus, pre-weighed (to the eighth of an ounce) and packaged my portions, and feel like I’ll be in control.  Probably way OVER control, but there you have it. It is taking some effort but I’m not bringing my bathroom scale or my food scale!  I am, however, bringing my sphygmomanometer just because I need to monitor my blood pressure. I may actually lose weight on this camping trip.  That would be quite a nice change!  I plan to do a lot of hiking, including climbing up to a bluff where my parent’s ashes are buried.  Its been awhile since I’ve visited. — Dewolla Stepon 268/198.7/199 – Phase 1 199/198.7/175 – Phase 2 154 at age 28 285 at age 53

Have a great trip and enjoy the hiking.  Back when I was getting off of HMR and transitioning to regular foods, I had to do a lot of travel for work and I used to have *all* of my meals planned, premeasured, and packed.  It’s a habit I’ve gone back to, even when leaving the house for the day because it was so successful at the time. Jenn

Response:

I’m going camping this week, leaving Monday and getting back Thursday.  The compulsive perfectionist side of me has taken hold; I’ve planned my menus, pre-weighed (to the eighth of an ounce) and packaged my portions, and feel like I’ll be in control.  Probably way OVER control, but there you have it. It is taking some effort but I’m not bringing my bathroom scale or my food scale!  I am, however, bringing my sphygmomanometer just because I need to monitor my blood pressure. I may actually lose weight on this camping trip.  That would be quite a nice change!  I plan to do a lot of hiking, including climbing up to a bluff where my parent’s ashes are buried.  Its been awhile since I’ve visited.

Have a good trip, Dewolla.  I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if you do lose weight. Chris

Response:

Have a great trip Dewolla.  Looking forward to hearing from you here when you get back. janice – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m going camping this week, leaving Monday and getting back Thursday.  The compulsive perfectionist side of me has taken hold; I’ve planned my menus, pre-weighed (to the eighth of an ounce) and packaged my portions, and feel like I’ll be in control.  Probably way OVER control, but there you have it. It is taking some effort but I’m not bringing my bathroom scale or my food scale!  I am, however, bringing my sphygmomanometer just because I need to monitor my blood pressure. I may actually lose weight on this camping trip.  That would be quite a nice change!  I plan to do a lot of hiking, including climbing up to a bluff where my parent’s ashes are buried.  Its been awhile since I’ve visited.

Response:

I’m going camping this week, leaving Monday and getting back Thursday.  The compulsive perfectionist side of me has taken hold; I’ve planned my menus, pre-weighed (to the eighth of an ounce) and packaged my portions, and feel like I’ll be in control.  Probably way OVER control, but there you have it. It is taking some effort but I’m not bringing my bathroom scale or my food scale!  I am, however, bringing my sphygmomanometer just because I need to monitor my blood pressure. I may actually lose weight on this camping trip.  That would be quite a nice change!  I plan to do a lot of hiking, including climbing up to a bluff where my parent’s ashes are buried.  Its been awhile since I’ve visited. — Dewolla Stepon 268/198.7/199 – Phase 1 199/198.7/175 – Phase 2 154 at age 28 285 at age 53

Response:

Have a good time camping.  Sounds like you certainly have everything under control and wouldn’t be surprised to see a weight loss after the trip. Beverly

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m going camping this week, leaving Monday and getting back Thursday. The compulsive perfectionist side of me has taken hold; I’ve planned my menus, pre-weighed (to the eighth of an ounce) and packaged my portions, and feel like I’ll be in control.  Probably way OVER control, but there you have it. It is taking some effort but I’m not bringing my bathroom scale or my food scale!  I am, however, bringing my sphygmomanometer just because I need to monitor my blood pressure. I may actually lose weight on this camping trip.  That would be quite a nice change!  I plan to do a lot of hiking, including climbing up to a bluff where my parent’s ashes are buried.  Its been awhile since I’ve visited. — Dewolla Stepon 268/198.7/199 – Phase 1 199/198.7/175 – Phase 2 154 at age 28 285 at age 53

Response:

Question:

Re: The Big Grill.  Could you transport it to our campsite, or would we have to move the party to the grill?  :-) Do they allow cars or tractors to mingle with the airplanes in the north 40? If so, yes, I can move it to you.

If Jay parks where he did last year, I will be accessible from the Hilton parking lot.

Response:

Do they allow cars or tractors to mingle with the airplanes in the north

40? Well, yes and no.  Montblack managed to simply drive out on the field last year, either through bluff or luck.  (I think he was wearing a "volunteer" t-shirt that gave him carte blanche pretty much everywhere — even though it was from another fly-in!) Usually the answer is no, however Do you want me to plan on it, or wait a bit?

Well, I don’t see how we can go wrong with too many grills?    Why not plan on it? Thanks! — Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination"

Response:

Re: The Big Grill.  Could you transport it to our campsite, or would we have to move the party to the grill?  :-) Do they allow cars or tractors to mingle with the airplanes in the north 40? If so, yes, I can move it to you. If Jay parks where he did last year, I will be accessible from the Hilton parking lot.

Uhh, sorry, I didn’t follow that.  What does your accessibility have to do with the equation, and what does your accessibility from the Hilton have to do with the moving of non airplanes around the north 40? — Jim in NC — Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

Response:

If Jay parks where he did last year, I will be accessible from the Hilton parking lot. Uhh, sorry, I didn’t follow that.

Well, the idea is a good one, but in practice it’s quite unlikely. Last year we were parked right near the edge of the grounds, by the Hilton. It was easy to park a car in their lot (or a pull-behind grill) and come right up to our campsite. Unfortunately, where you end up camping is dictated mostly by sheer luck and chance.  If you arrive early, you camp close.  If you arrive in the middle, you camp far away.  If you arrive late, you MIGHT camp close OR far away… So, the odds of getting parked near the Hilton again are not very good. — Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination"

Response:

Do they allow cars or tractors to mingle with the airplanes in the north 40? Well, yes and no.  Montblack managed to simply drive out on the field last year, either through bluff or luck.  (I think he was wearing a "volunteer" t-shirt that gave him carte blanche pretty much everywhere — even though it was from another fly-in!) Usually the answer is no, however

Well, I am in luck.  I have the orang vest and orange floppy hat that I wear when I am working point on the taxiways, so THAT might do it. Do you want me to plan on it, or wait a bit? Well, I don’t see how we can go wrong with too many grills?    Why not plan on it? Thanks! — Jay Honeck

 Uhh, I don’t think you understand the magnitude of this grill.  I can cook enough burgers to feed a "hundred" people in about an hour.  I will plan on bringing it, but IF it can get in, no other people need to mess with bringing theirs. — Jim in NC — Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

Response:

How will us RAP’s and ilk find each other’s location, since no one knows where they will be until they land? Is there a message board in the north 40?  Will anyone have internet connections while there for the week, and what will the addresses be? Questions, questions.  I’m starting into planning mode.  I missed last year, due to surgery, and am really looking forward to it. If anyone is interested, I will be in the Aviation Explorers camp, which is between the CAP camp, and the warbird RV and camping site. I plan on roughing it <gthis year, and taking my work van, with a quick, air conditioned, RV conversion, as soon as I get all of our group’s gear out of it.  I might be bringing a tow-behind, 100 burger grill for the Explorer Base to use, and I might be able to free it up for an evening, if anyone (Jay) is interested. — Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

Response:

How will us RAP’s and ilk find each other’s location, since no one knows where they will be until they land?

We are once again planning a "rec.aviation" party at our campsite in the North 40.  The inaugural event, held last year at OSH, was well-attended and everyone had a great time!    Admission is a six-pack of good beer! (See pix of this event at http://alexisparkinn.com/rogue’s_gallery_i_-_p.htm#OSHKOSH   You’ve got to scroll down past the OTHER Oshkosh party, a pool party  which will be held this year on July 25th…  :-) In order to find someone in the North 40, all you need is either their name, or their tail number (the tail number is more reliable).   Go to the good EAA folks at the camper check-in tent (at the entrance to the North 40), and give them the information.  They will tell you the precise row number and campsite of the person you are trying to find! Re: The Big Grill.  Could you transport it to our campsite, or would we have to move the party to the grill?  :-) Montblack is (was?) planning on bringing grills, but he seems to be AWOL from the groups for the last couple of months…so we may need other options? — Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination"

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is there a message board in the north 40?  Will anyone have internet connections while there for the week, and what will the addresses be? Questions, questions.  I’m starting into planning mode.  I missed last year, due to surgery, and am really looking forward to it. If anyone is interested, I will be in the Aviation Explorers camp, which is between the CAP camp, and the warbird RV and camping site. I plan on roughing it <gthis year, and taking my work van, with a quick, air conditioned, RV conversion, as soon as I get all of our group’s gear out of it.  I might be bringing a tow-behind, 100 burger grill for the Explorer Base to use, and I might be able to free it up for an evening, if anyone (Jay) is interested. — Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

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Figured it was on your "to do" list as things get closer.  I thought it worked out great last year. — Jack Allison PP-ASEL "When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return"  - Leonardo Da Vinci

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In order to find someone in the North 40, all you need is either their name, or their tail number (the tail number is more reliable).   Go to the good EAA folks at the camper check-in tent (at the entrance to the North 40), and give them the information.  They will tell you the precise row number and campsite of the person you are trying to find!

Great.  I didn’t know that. Re: The Big Grill.  Could you transport it to our campsite, or would we have to move the party to the grill?  :-)

Do they allow cars or tractors to mingle with the airplanes in the north 40? If so, yes, I can move it to you. Montblack is (was?) planning on bringing grills, but he seems to be AWOL from the groups for the last couple of months…so we may need other options? — Jay Honeck

Do you want me to plan on it, or wait a bit? — Jim in NC — Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

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What’s the "Piper Parade"?

Last year a group of Piper folk decided that the Bo’s shouldn’t have all the fun and organized a flight into OSH for the show. Not doing it this year — awful lot of effort (thank you Stan!) with LOA with FAA and OSH and everything else. I believe 30 or so aircraft participated. And then there were those (like me) that took a 747…(and didn’t get flooded in the storm…) No fly-in this year but for a number of years, it’s been either meet at the tail of the big airplane or at one of the vendor’s booths (First Pryority Bank) if they are at the show.

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Jay – might I suggest a "sign-in" thread like last year where everyone replies w/ tail numbers, planned camping (or <gasp dorm) location, etc? Seemed to be quite useful last year.

Yep.  We’ll have to do that, as we get a bit closer.  I think people are still making plans at this stage — Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination"

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The Piper Parade has traditionally met at High Noon

What’s the "Piper Parade"? — Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination"

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The Piper Parade has traditionally met at High Noon under the tail of the largest aircraft being displayed. Couple years ago it was the 747. Forgot what it was last year. Advantage — really easy to find the airplane!

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Another suggestion…Gail and I are doing two forums again this year…noon on Thursday and 10 am on Friday in forums tent #5 (Aviation Shopper tent). How about after the forums at the entrance to the tent?  That is a date, time, and place certain and we wouldn’t have to be dicking around finding each other on a radio channel.

I agree we should all meet at Jim’s forum.   We can exchange information on the location of our campsite at that stage.  (The party is after the afternoon airshow…probably on Thursday, but we’re still debating the best day at this stage.  Any consensus here?) However, I know how hard it is to actually get to a spot at OSH at a specific time — especially in the morning.   There is so much to see, and the grounds are so huge, that sometimes you aim for 10 AM, and hit 11 AM. So, for those who don’t make Jim’s forum, go to the campground registration tent after the airshow, and give ‘em my tail number, N56993.  They’ll direct you from there. Is there an FRS channel that is less likely to be congested than another?

We used these radios successfully a few years ago, before they became ubiquitous.   Last year we couldn’t find a frequency that wasn’t jammed. — Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination"

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Two years ago I went up to the registration booth on the north 40 and asked for registered campers locations by first and last name. Of the folks (from here) that I intended to meet, I had the pleasure of meeting Jay Honeck and his wife (and the kids but they were heading for bed).. If you are trying to meet up with folks you can put the heads up now on here, with your tail number and or proper name and people will be able to find you. Dave Houston, TX – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – How will us RAP’s and ilk find each other’s location, since no one knows where they will be until they land? Is there a message board in the north 40?  Will anyone have internet connections while there for the week, and what will the addresses be? Questions, questions.  I’m starting into planning mode.  I missed last year, due to surgery, and am really looking forward to it. If anyone is interested, I will be in the Aviation Explorers camp, which is between the CAP camp, and the warbird RV and camping site. I plan on roughing it <gthis year, and taking my work van, with a quick, air conditioned, RV conversion, as soon as I get all of our group’s gear out of it.  I might be bringing a tow-behind, 100 burger grill for the Explorer Base to use, and I might be able to free it up for an evening, if anyone (Jay) is interested. — Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

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Many years ago there was an informal "meet at the tower at noon" crowd.  That crowd thinned out, but it may be time to start it up again.  I’m sure those bringing cars would have lots of friends (and a few drinks for sure) if they met up with flying folks to go out to dinner at a real restaurant! Margy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I won’t be there, but just a suggestion.  How about everyone bring FRS radios and agree to monitor one frequency?  That would make it pretty easy to find everyone, at any time, even if the frequency was congested (probably likely). — Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways) I don’t have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love America How will us RAP’s and ilk find each other’s location, since no one knows where they will be until they land? We are once again planning a "rec.aviation" party at our campsite in the North 40.  The inaugural event, held last year at OSH, was well-attended and everyone had a great time!    Admission is a six-pack of good beer! (See pix of this event at http://alexisparkinn.com/rogue’s_gallery_i_-_p.htm#OSHKOSH   You’ve got to scroll down past the OTHER Oshkosh party, a pool party  which will be held this year on July 25th…  :-) In order to find someone in the North 40, all you need is either their name, or their tail number (the tail number is more reliable).   Go to the good EAA folks at the camper check-in tent (at the entrance to the North 40), and give them the information.  They will tell you the precise row number and campsite of the person you are trying to find! Re: The Big Grill.  Could you transport it to our campsite, or would we have to move the party to the grill?  :-) Montblack is (was?) planning on bringing grills, but he seems to be AWOL from the groups for the last couple of months…so we may need other options? — Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" Is there a message board in the north 40?  Will anyone have internet connections while there for the week, and what will the addresses be? Questions, questions.  I’m starting into planning mode.  I missed last year, due to surgery, and am really looking forward to it. If anyone is interested, I will be in the Aviation Explorers camp, which is between the CAP camp, and the warbird RV and camping site. I plan on roughing it <gthis year, and taking my work van, with a quick, air conditioned, RV conversion, as soon as I get all of our group’s gear out of it.  I might be bringing a tow-behind, 100 burger grill for the Explorer Base to use, and I might be able to free it up for an evening, if anyone (Jay) is interested. — Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

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I won’t be there, but just a suggestion.  How about everyone bring FRS radios and agree to monitor one frequency?  That would make it pretty easy to find everyone, at any time, even if the frequency was congested (probably likely). — Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways) I don’t have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love America

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – How will us RAP’s and ilk find each other’s location, since no one knows where they will be until they land? We are once again planning a "rec.aviation" party at our campsite in the North 40.  The inaugural event, held last year at OSH, was well-attended and everyone had a great time!    Admission is a six-pack of good beer! (See pix of this event at http://alexisparkinn.com/rogue’s_gallery_i_-_p.htm#OSHKOSH   You’ve got to scroll down past the OTHER Oshkosh party, a pool party  which will be held this year on July 25th…  :-) In order to find someone in the North 40, all you need is either their name, or their tail number (the tail number is more reliable).   Go to the good EAA folks at the camper check-in tent (at the entrance to the North 40), and give them the information.  They will tell you the precise row number and campsite of the person you are trying to find! Re: The Big Grill.  Could you transport it to our campsite, or would we have to move the party to the grill?  :-) Montblack is (was?) planning on bringing grills, but he seems to be AWOL from the groups for the last couple of months…so we may need other options? — Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" Is there a message board in the north 40?  Will anyone have internet connections while there for the week, and what will the addresses be? Questions, questions.  I’m starting into planning mode.  I missed last year, due to surgery, and am really looking forward to it. If anyone is interested, I will be in the Aviation Explorers camp, which is between the CAP camp, and the warbird RV and camping site. I plan on roughing it <gthis year, and taking my work van, with a quick, air conditioned, RV conversion, as soon as I get all of our group’s gear out of it.  I might be bringing a tow-behind, 100 burger grill for the Explorer Base to use, and I might be able to free it up for an evening, if anyone (Jay) is interested. — Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

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Jay – might I suggest a "sign-in" thread like last year where everyone replies w/ tail numbers, planned camping (or <gasp dorm) location, etc? Seemed to be quite useful last year. — Jack Allison PP-ASEL "When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return"  - Leonardo Da Vinci

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Another suggestion…Gail and I are doing two forums again this year…noon on Thursday and 10 am on Friday in forums tent #5 (Aviation Shopper tent).  How about after the forums at the entrance to the tent?  That is a date, time, and place certain and we wouldn’t have to be dicking around finding each other on a radio channel. Or both.  Is there an FRS channel that is less likely to be congested than another? Jim shared these priceless pearls of wisdom: -I won’t be there, but just a suggestion.  How about everyone bring FRS -radios and agree to monitor one frequency?  That would make it pretty easy -to find everyone, at any time, even if the frequency was congested (probably -likely). Jim Weir    (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup) VP Eng RST   Pres. Cyberchapter   EAA Tech. Counselor

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Question:

then all the power supplies for a minidisc, mobile phone, digicam etc. If someone could find a way of combining all these power suplies I’m sure that would be a kilogram of weight gone straight away!

If they have the round little connectors, you probably can get a single switchable-output, multi-tailed power supply for all of them. The trick is finding one with a high enough current rating for your most power-hungry device. Something like this may do the trick if nothing exceeds 1 amp: http://www.dcacpowerinverters.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&k… miguel

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – then all the power supplies for a minidisc, mobile phone, digicam etc. If someone could find a way of combining all these power suplies I’m sure that would be a kilogram of weight gone straight away! If they have the round little connectors, you probably can get a single switchable-output, multi-tailed power supply for all of them. The trick is finding one with a high enough current rating for your most power-hungry device. Something like this may do the trick if nothing exceeds 1 amp: http://www.dcacpowerinverters.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&k… miguel

If you switch the polarity or voltage wrong you could damage the product. I bought one of those thing (heavy and not switching supply, so you need a transformer for 120/240 in addition) and the quality was very bad- I had to repair it to get one of the outputs to work. It would be nice if someone made a really high quality light SMPS unit that was reasonably priced (maybe $40-50), it could be used to replace broken or lost adapters for high end goods. I picked up a very nice little 4-hour universal switching power supply quad AA NiMH charger in Taipei that is VERY light and the plug folds into the body. That takes care of the CD/MP3 player, flashlight and Digicam. My Ericsson cell phone has a universal switching supply charger that is tiny and weighs next to nothing and has its own light Euro plug adapter (and allows the phone to charge simultaneously with other devices). If I’m lugging the notebook computer around, the switching supply charger is light enough by comparison it doesn’t matter. 8-(  I have so far resisted carrying a PDA, but that may change. Best regards, Spehro Pefhany — "it’s the network…"                          "The Journey is the reward" Embedded software/hardware/analog  Info for designers:  http://www.speff.com

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And please don’t tell that a longer trips requires larger packs. My opinion is that two weeks is sort of a limit. If the trip takes two weeks or four months there’s no difference when you are packing. Opinions? Depends if you are shifting climates during your trip.

last year we did a cruise YVR to ANC, then two weeks of camping and motorcycle riding in Alaska and the Yukon.  Talk about dressing for different occasions we had big back packs Cheers

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And please don’t tell that a longer trips requires larger packs. My opinion is that two weeks is sort of a limit. If the trip takes two weeks or four months there’s no difference when you are packing. Opinions?

Longer trips don’t require larger packs.  More varied trips do.  The more different things that you do in more varied climates, the bigger the pack you need. If you are just going to the beach, then you hardly need to pack at all, no matter how long the trip. But if you are going to scuba diving, climbing mountains, camping, and doing serious photography in the same trip, then you are going to be carrying quite a lot. I think on my next trip that includes diving, I will bring my own booties.  I hate the carry more stuff but I’m sick of gear that doesn’t fit. — Photos and travelogues from Africa and Southeast Asia: http://www.exile.org

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And please don’t tell that a longer trips requires larger packs. My opinion is that two weeks is sort of a limit. If the trip takes two weeks or four months there’s no difference when you are packing. Opinions? Longer trips don’t require larger packs.  More varied trips do.  The more different things that you do in more varied climates, the bigger the pack you need. If you are just going to the beach, then you hardly need to pack at all, no matter how long the trip.

several years ago pre 9/11 I traveled to Hawaii from Australia to just veg out on a beach for 4 days, all i had was hand baggage with a towel and a pair of board shorts the customs officer got very nasty demanding to know why my stay was so short and why i didn’t even have a change of underwear.  I think he was just having a "kill haole day". I’m from Hawaii of European background, hate to think how i would have been treated if i had been a non US citizen traveling under the same circumstances Aloha

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – And please don’t tell that a longer trips requires larger packs. My opinion is that two weeks is sort of a limit. If the trip takes two weeks or four months there’s no difference when you are packing. Opinions? Longer trips don’t require larger packs.  More varied trips do.  The more different things that you do in more varied climates, the bigger the pack you need. If you are just going to the beach, then you hardly need to pack at all, no matter how long the trip. several years ago pre 9/11 I traveled to Hawaii from Australia to just veg out on a beach for 4 days, all i had was hand baggage with a towel and a pair of board shorts the customs officer got very nasty demanding to know why my stay was so short and why i didn’t even have a change of underwear.  I think he was just having a "kill haole day". I’m from Hawaii of European background, hate to think how i would have been treated if i had been a non US citizen traveling under the same circumstances Aloha

"Kill Haole day"? That sounds like a festival worth avoiding (at least for some of us). Best regards, Spehro Pefhany — "it’s the network…"                          "The Journey is the reward" Embedded software/hardware/analog  Info for designers:  http://www.speff.com

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How do you plan to keep your own films in good condition? You are traveling in hot countries for several months, anyway. What about asking a friend to send some fresh film to you to some poste restante? Would that solve the problem? – matti

Matti, I know, it’s not easy keeping them cool… would love a small frige but that would just make my pack even bigger! I just do what I can to keep them out of the sun, can’t afford to stay in aircon rooms so I sometimes wrap a damp towel around the bags I carry them in so the fan helps keep them cool-ish. AndI get them developed as soon as I can in one of the pro-labs in Bangkok (IQ Labs on Silom Road). Not that I’ve ever noticed any problems with colour-shift or anything, but then again I’m not a pro… As for the post restante, I’m not sure how much parcels are subject to x-ray? Still, in Singapore in a couple of weeks and can stock up with fresh film there!

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Anyone remember the Packing List Guy on the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree, who started a 2-year+ discussion thread with his incredibly extended packing list??? I think his name was David but I’m not sure. Anyone remember? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -There’s one thing that I haven’t understood during the last ten years. Why on earth do people carry huge backpack while travelling (or should I say budget travelling)? When we go for a few months trip with my wife we usually have one medium size pack (like about 60 liters) and one day pack (maybe 30 liters). That’s more than enough for both of us. And I’m travelling with a woman Would someone tell me me what do you have on those huge packs. Quite a common sight is a couple with two huge packs (maybe 90 liters) and two full day packs. What do you carry there? I’m just curious… And please don’t tell that a longer trips requires larger packs. My opinion is that two weeks is sort of a limit. If the trip takes two weeks or four months there’s no difference when you are packing. Opinions?

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I have about 40 rolls of Fuji Provia, 30 rolls of Velvia, and 15 or so rolls of Ilford XP2 Super Black & White. There are a couple of places in Bangkok where I know I can get fresh, refridgerated slide film, but I’ve found the supply of Velvia to be inconsistant, especially for

How do you plan to keep your own films in good condition? You are traveling in hot countries for several months, anyway. What about asking a friend to send some fresh film to you to some poste restante? Would that solve the problem? – matti — * +8613588105960        * * Hangzhou, China       *

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In my experience the Japanese backpackers I’ve met normally have far more stuff than any other race of people, their packs are normally biggger than they are! singaporians carry a LOT of chewing gum when they travel

And got whipped on Bukit Street. You pervert have hit your head on something edgy.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There’s one thing that I haven’t understood during the last ten years. Why on earth do people carry huge backpack while travelling (or should I say budget travelling)? When we go for a few months trip with my wife we usually have one medium size pack (like about 60 liters) and one day pack (maybe 30 liters). That’s more than enough for both of us. And I’m travelling with a woman I see these people (and not just backpackers) who look like have packed all of their worldly belongings and just don’t understand why. Would someone tell me me what do you have on those huge packs. Quite a common sight is a couple with two huge packs (maybe 90 liters) and two full day packs. What do you carry there? I’m just curious… I try not to go over 15kg but this trip (for a year and a half) I have – Clothes (couple of pair of long trousers, 4 t-shirts and shorts) Toiletries, admin stuff (tickets etc) and a sleeping bag. The main part of my 2 stuffed bags is 2 SLR camera bodies, 4 lenses, large tripod, filters, cleaning kits, 80-100 rolls of film, digicam, light meter…. then all the power supplies for a minidisc, mobile phone, digicam etc. If someone could find a way of combining all these power suplies I’m sure that would be a kilogram of weight gone straight away! In my experience the Japanese backpackers I’ve met normally have far more stuff than any other race of people, their packs are normally biggger than they are!

Just wondered…. Do you use extra special film of some kind?  Malaysian and Thai prices are a lot less than UK.( if thats where you travel to, of course) I usually carry 6 or so spare rolls and just buy to top up Jan

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In my experience the Japanese backpackers I’ve met normally have far more stuff than any other race of people, their packs are normally biggger than they are!

singaporians carry a LOT of chewing gum when they travel

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I try not to go over 15kg but this trip (for a year and a half) I have – Clothes (couple of pair of long trousers, 4 t-shirts and shorts) Toiletries, admin stuff (tickets etc) and a sleeping bag. The main part of my 2 stuffed bags is 2 SLR camera bodies, 4 lenses, large tripod, filters, cleaning kits, 80-100 rolls of film, digicam, light meter…. then all the power supplies for a minidisc, mobile phone, digicam etc. If someone could find a way of combining all these power suplies I’m sure that would be a kilogram of weight gone straight away! Just wondered…. Do you use extra special film of some kind?  Malaysian and Thai prices are a lot less than UK.( if thats where you travel to, of course) I usually carry 6 or so spare rolls and just buy to top up Jan

Jan, I have about 40 rolls of Fuji Provia, 30 rolls of Velvia, and 15 or so rolls of Ilford XP2 Super Black & White. There are a couple of places in Bangkok where I know I can get fresh, refridgerated slide film, but I’ve found the supply of Velvia to be inconsistant, especially for Velvia 50 (not so much the new 100F) Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos were impossible….And I haven’t been able to find the Ilford film anywhere…. I also found that buying over the net from one of the off-shore based companies like 7dayshop.com meant the prices were almost exactly the same as in Bangkok, and I was lucky that my girlfriend came out to visit me just as I was running out of film earlier this year and could restock me! If you know of a good, reliable place to buy film in KL and Singapore that would be great, I was thinking of stocking up before going to Australia next month. Thanks, Phil

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There’s one thing that I haven’t understood during the last ten years. Why on earth do people carry huge backpack while travelling (or should I say budget travelling)?

I usually carry a *lot* of photography equipment with me. — Alfred Molon http://www.molon.de/Galleries.htm – Photos from Myanmar, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Nepal, Egypt, Austria, Budapest and Portugal

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In addition to the other items mentioned … footwear tends to take up a lot of space. In the worst case I need sneakers for everyday wear, hiking boots for serious hiking, decent shoes for really nice restaurants (I don’t care much about style but I love great food, which sometimes requires dressing up), and some sort of sandals for the beach. Often I can omit some of these or at least cache them somewhere, but sometimes they all end up on my back (or feet) at the same time. And I haven’t even mentioned ski boots! Bruce

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And please don’t tell that a longer trips requires larger packs. My opinion is that two weeks is sort of a limit. If the trip takes two weeks or four months there’s no difference when you are packing. Opinions?

Depends if you are shifting climates during your trip.

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There’s one thing that I haven’t understood during the last ten years. Why on earth do people carry huge backpack while travelling (or should I say budget travelling)? When we go for a few months trip with my wife we usually have one medium size pack (like about 60 liters) and one day pack (maybe 30 liters). That’s more than enough for both of us. And I’m travelling with a woman

I travel regularly, often gone for 2-3 months at a time. I usually travel with one carry-on and a briefcase type bag. I see these people (and not just backpackers) who look like have packed all of their worldly belongings and just don’t understand why. 5 changes of clothes, and a spare set of shoes. Toiletries, camera, etc. All will fit in a single carry on. Would someone tell me me what do you have on those huge packs. Quite a common sight is a couple with two huge packs (maybe 90 liters) and two full day packs. What do you carry there? I’m just curious… And please don’t tell that a longer trips requires larger packs. My opinion is that two weeks is sort of a limit. If the trip takes two weeks or four months there’s no difference when you are packing. Opinions?

Agreed. Do laundry more often.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There’s one thing that I haven’t understood during the last ten years. Why on earth do people carry huge backpack while travelling (or should I say budget travelling)? When we go for a few months trip with my wife we usually have one medium size pack (like about 60 liters) and one day pack (maybe 30 liters). That’s more than enough for both of us. And I’m travelling with a woman I see these people (and not just backpackers) who look like have packed all of their worldly belongings and just don’t understand why. Would someone tell me me what do you have on those huge packs. Quite a common sight is a couple with two huge packs (maybe 90 liters) and two full day packs. What do you carry there? I’m just curious…

I try not to go over 15kg but this trip (for a year and a half) I have – Clothes (couple of pair of long trousers, 4 t-shirts and shorts) Toiletries, admin stuff (tickets etc) and a sleeping bag. The main part of my 2 stuffed bags is 2 SLR camera bodies, 4 lenses, large tripod, filters, cleaning kits, 80-100 rolls of film, digicam, light meter…. then all the power supplies for a minidisc, mobile phone, digicam etc. If someone could find a way of combining all these power suplies I’m sure that would be a kilogram of weight gone straight away! In my experience the Japanese backpackers I’ve met normally have far more stuff than any other race of people, their packs are normally biggger than they are!

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Lots of books – when you don’t read English, it can be problematic to rely on book exchange options during your trip. And if not a laptop, at least a sun collector to recharge the batteries in the digicam. Some not totally informal dress so you don’t feel ashamed when you visit one of the fancier places. Medicine and other emergency stuff. Large mosquito net to comfortably fit over a double bed.  etc. BTW, I find weight more important than volume. We never carry more than 15 kg per person. — Sebastian – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – sleeping materials (bag, tent, mattress), cooking gear + food, climbing gear, diving gear, souvenirs, TV set, laptop, the concise lonely planet collection, makeup, … just my guesses (i never carry more than 65 litres) There’s one thing that I haven’t understood during the last ten years. Why on earth do people carry huge backpack while travelling (or should I say budget travelling)? When we go for a few months trip with my wife we usually have one medium size pack (like about 60 liters) and one day pack (maybe 30 liters). That’s more than enough for both of us. And I’m travelling with a woman Would someone tell me me what do you have on those huge packs. Quite a common sight is a couple with two huge packs (maybe 90 liters) and two full day packs. What do you carry there? I’m just curious… And please don’t tell that a longer trips requires larger packs. My opinion is that two weeks is sort of a limit. If the trip takes two weeks or four months there’s no difference when you are packing. Opinions?

Response:

There’s one thing that I haven’t understood during the last ten years. Why on earth do people carry huge backpack while travelling (or should I say budget travelling)? When we go for a few months trip with my wife we usually have one medium size pack (like about 60 liters) and one day pack (maybe 30 liters). That’s more than enough for both of us. And I’m travelling with a woman Would someone tell me me what do you have on those huge packs. Quite a common sight is a couple with two huge packs (maybe 90 liters) and two full day packs. What do you carry there? I’m just curious… And please don’t tell that a longer trips requires larger packs. My opinion is that two weeks is sort of a limit. If the trip takes two weeks or four months there’s no difference when you are packing. Opinions?

Response:

sleeping materials (bag, tent, mattress), cooking gear + food, climbing gear, diving gear, souvenirs, TV set, laptop, the concise lonely planet collection, makeup, … just my guesses (i never carry more than 65 litres)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There’s one thing that I haven’t understood during the last ten years. Why on earth do people carry huge backpack while travelling (or should I say budget travelling)? When we go for a few months trip with my wife we usually have one medium size pack (like about 60 liters) and one day pack (maybe 30 liters). That’s more than enough for both of us. And I’m travelling with a woman Would someone tell me me what do you have on those huge packs. Quite a common sight is a couple with two huge packs (maybe 90 liters) and two full day packs. What do you carry there? I’m just curious… And please don’t tell that a longer trips requires larger packs. My opinion is that two weeks is sort of a limit. If the trip takes two weeks or four months there’s no difference when you are packing. Opinions?

Response:

Question:

FWIW, here’s my personal packing list: Shoes 1 suitable for walking over rough terrain 1 lightweight for the city

I would also recommend a pair of thongs in the shoe wear department. Only an extra 200 – 210gm. – hhh

Response:

raisors etc.. leave them at home, nothing more authentic than getting the job done in a local barber shop.

It may be authentic, but it also puts your at risk from HIV.  Not to be recommended.

Response:

hmm.. good point! Ben

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – raisors etc.. leave them at home, nothing more authentic than getting the job done in a local barber shop. It may be authentic, but it also puts your at risk from HIV.  Not to be recommended.

Response:

[..] If it were me I would only pack the following: one T-shirt or blouse one pair of pants one set of underwear one towel travel-size toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap

I agree – as less as possible, but I would additionally bring a small torch (the new ones woth this LEDs instead of bulbs are really great) and a book (to exchange it when read..) .. i’d do it without the towel – you can get one everywhere Manfred

Response:

take old clothes for about 1 week, also take hand-wash powder. you’ll be able to dump the old stuff as you buy souvenir T-shirts, shirts, shoes.. locally. socks i only take for the flights in and out (you often get extra pairs on the plane) Find out if ur likely to get hit by the monsoons.. you may want to take some raingear raisors etc.. leave them at home, nothing more authentic than getting the job done in a local barber shop. I’ve done all my travels (CA, NZ, IN, HO) with a 60 litre backpack, often carrying camping gear (tent, stove, sleeping bag, food, etc..) as well you prob. can attach much on the bag’s outside. Basically, if you have a 60L bag, it will be full. if you have a 70L bag it will also be full.. any size of bag, people will always stuff it to the max. Ben

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – im going to india, thailand, and oz i have a 65 litre ruck sack, but i need to know what to take with me. hope u can help.

Response:

I once travelled with no luggage at all. Only the clothes on me, passport and credit card. Believe me, you would want to carry as little as possible. Not unless you plan on camping in the wilderness. You can plan on buying what you need along the way. Clothes in Thailand are dirt cheap, and it is a great way of going local, by wearing local clothes ! Also you should wash your clothes so there is no need to carry too much. If it were me I would only pack the following: one T-shirt or blouse one pair of pants one set of underwear one towel travel-size toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap You would want to leave most of your rucksack empty for all your shopping! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – mike thanks for that that is wicked. do u think a 65 litre rucksack will be enough

Response:

I once travelled with no luggage at all. Only the clothes on me, passport and credit card. Believe me, you would want to carry as little as possible. Not unless you plan on camping in the wilderness. You can plan on buying what you need along the way. Clothes in Thailand are dirt cheap, and it is a great way of going local, by wearing local clothes ! Also you should wash your clothes so there is no need to carry too much. If it were me I would only pack the following: one T-shirt or blouse one pair of pants one set of underwear

The problem is that you need to wear something while you are washing or drying your other clothes! But since underwear and socks get especially grungy, I bring more (usually four), in case I have to go a few days without showering! — Peacenik

Response:

mike thanks for that that is wicked. do u think a 65 litre rucksack will be enough

Response:

mike thanks for that that is wicked. do u think a 65 litre rucksack will be enough

More than enough! 45 litres is about right for me. When you have to stuff your rucksack into the overhead storage of buses in India, you’ll be glad of its being light and slim.  The alternative is to sit with it on your lap for endless hours – not good.

Response:

im going to india, thailand, and oz i have a 65 litre ruck sack, but i need to know what to take with me. hope u can help.

Response:

FWIW, here’s my personal packing list: Clothing         5 shirts                 3 long-sleeved (including 1 or more suitable for classy restaurants)                 2 short-sleeved         4 T-shirts (optional – worn under shirts to soak up the perspiration)         5 pairs underpants         5 pairs socks         2 long trousers (1 lightweight, 1 more formal)         Belt         Shorts         Swimming trunks         Shoes                 1 suitable for walking over rough terrain                 1 lightweight for the city         3 Hankies         Towel Miscellaneous         Friend/family ‘phone/address                     Travel wash         Camera         Cable/lock (probably not required since we’re not now  doing any overnight bus trips)         Pens         Envelopes         Water Toiletries         Deodorant         Toothpaste + brush         Dental floss         Comb         Nail file         Scissors         Razor + foam         Sun block Financial         Passport         Credit cards         Travellers Cheques         Cash         Photocopy of passport         Copy of TC numbers         Details of plane ticket         Bank account & credit card details/contact info         Insurance certificate Other Items         Lonely Planet guidebook         Copy of hotel bookings         Medical kit         Aspirin         Imodium         Toilet paper         Mosquito repellent (DEET)         Torch         Bottle opener – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -im going to india, thailand, and oz i have a 65 litre ruck sack, but i need to know what to take with me. hope u can help.

Response:

Question:

|  I suspect  results would be similar for identical drive trains in | other 2500 trucks like the Silverado and Suburban. I think your results would translate over to an 8.1L Suburban, but not to a Silverado. The Silverado 2500 is only available with the 6.0L gas engine. The Silverado 2500HD with 8.1L (or Duramax diesel) uses the Allison transmission. 73, de Hans, K0HB — 2003 Silverado 2500HD LT DuraMax/Allison 2004 Prairie Schooner 34-FBR Platinum Edition 5th wheel 1997 Smoker 161-ProMag walleye boat http://home.earthlink.net/~k0hb

Response:

This may seem long, but of interest to tow vehicle enthusiasts. I suspect results would be similar for identical drive trains in other 2500 trucks like the Silverado and Suburban. 3500’s with the 8.1 use Allison trans. Took delivery two weeks ago, 5 miles on the odometer, just five weeks after putting in the order. Needing 500 miles before towing we hit the road shortly thereafter for a jaunt through dogwood country in East Texas over to Louisiana – some rolling hills, state roads, and easy driving. My wife hit a jackpot on the quarter slots at Coushatta, $162, so paid for the trip, including 1st complete gas fillup, $55, and an overnight in Beaumont. adjustable camping mirror and all the amenities. Got a call to bring him in for a recall, "30 minutes just to check if your vehicle’s affected." Thought I might as well before our camping trip instead of after. I waited for an hour and then got the news that it was. "Recall #04019 TRANSMISSION LOSS OF INTERNAL LUBRICATION

Question:

Can anyone provide any insight into converting an old popup camper into a utility trailer,  I hope to do so. thanks Mike

Response:

Can anyone provide any insight into converting an old popup camper into a utility trailer,  I hope to do so.

  It shouldn’t to too hard, just remove everything that isn’t needed. There is also a popup group where you might also ask alt.rv.pop-up-trailers — Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read RV and Camping FAQ can be found at http://kendaco.telebyte.com/rlindber/RV

Response:

Can anyone provide any insight into converting an old popup camper into a utility trailer,  I hope to do so.   It shouldn’t to too hard, just remove everything that isn’t needed. There is also a popup group where you might also ask alt.rv.pop-up-trailers

I wuz gonna tell ‘im to just take off everything that doesn’t look like a utility trailer.  grin  You did it better cheers bob

Response:

Can anyone provide any insight into converting an old popup camper into a utility trailer,  I hope to do so.

My brother-in-law and two of my neighbors have done that very thing. They all started by removing the canvas and related hardware, removing the propane tanks and battery and gutting the box. One neighbor simply left it like that and uses the original door to load small stuff but has to lift large items over the top of the box, while the other neighbor cut an opening in the back of the box to make loading big stuff easier but wound up with poorly supported sidewalls whose strength would be questionable if a heavy item fell against them. Brother-in-law, on the other hand, stripped his right down to the frame and built a new "stake" type trailer to fit the frame with a solid floor and removable sides that slip into brackets around the perimeter. One thing I would be concerned with is the load rating of the axle(s) and tires and the possibility of severely overloading them. — CJ

Response:

(rendcorp) writes: Can anyone provide any insight into converting an old popup camper into a utility trailer,  I hope to do so. thanks Mike

It’s unlikely that the frame is sturdy enough to haul much. I once had an old Apache tent trailer with all of the canvas gone. The whole trailer didn’t weigh over 200#, but it was surprisingly sturdy. The top was the size of a double bed matress with a 3" lip around it, and each side had two access doors covering 2 compartments. The compartment dividers supported the top nicely. I used it as a "camping" trailer when I was tent camping, just left most of my camping gear inside the compartments, and strapped my cooler and chairs on top. When in camp, I would set the tongue on a block of wood and use the top of the trailer as a cook table, keeping my grill and Coleman stove nicely out of the way and off the picnic table, yet close to all the stuff inside the trailer compartments. The point of all this rambling is that it made a great camping trailer, but wasn’t sturdy enough to carry much else. I certainly wouldn’t have tried filling the compartments and top with fire wood. Lon

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Question:

<< I’ll make you a deal: You go to google find his exact statement – in context – and if it says what you claim, I’ll cheerfuly apologize.  If not, you owe me – and other readers – an apology.

I’ll save him the trouble. Here it is: I would like to see your source of information showing any gas engine going "several hundered thousand" miles without a rebuild. Working as a mechanic for 40 years, 25 of them for a national truck leasing company, I have yet to see a gas engine, American made, go past 150k miles without a rebuild, or in need of a rebuild. Will it run that far, sure. Is it not burning oil, smoking, pouring fuel past the worn rings, delivering poor fuel economy, and less power, ,,,

no. GB in NC And now for the elephant…. watch so you don’t get wet feet!  LOL DSteiner

Response:

RE: Re: Chevy G20 + towing – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Maybe I’m missing something. What I want to know is how big (weight wise) of a camper I can pull.  I am looking at some 24 footers. – We just bought a 1990 Chevy G20 conversion van with a 350 motor and 4 speed auto trans.  Does anyone know how much I can tow with it?  It did not come with a hitch, I will be putting one on and then we want to buy a travel trailer for camping William PS I DID try GMC and they told be 2000 lbs with 200 hitch weight. I figure they must have mixed up the VIN# since this is a 3/4 tone van with a 350 motor. heck my windstar can tow 1800.

- I would guess that you will be lucky to be able to tow a small popup trailer. If GMC says it can tow 2000 lbs with a 200 lb hitch weight, why do you doubt them?  As a conversion van it is already heavier than a "normal" van, so you have lost capacity to begin with.  From what I have seen discussed in this newsgroup in the past, a conversion van may well be pushing the maximum it can haul before you even get in it, it can’t pull *anything* more. – – Origin: The Wild Wild West * 503-623-0185

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -RE: Re: Chevy G20 + towing Maybe I’m missing something. What I want to know is how big (weight wise) of a camper I can pull.  I am looking at some 24 footers. – We just bought a 1990 Chevy G20 conversion van with a 350 motor and 4 speed auto trans.  Does anyone know how much I can tow with it?  It did not come with a hitch, I will be putting one on and then we want to buy a travel trailer for camping William PS I DID try GMC and they told be 2000 lbs with 200 hitch weight. I figure they must have mixed up the VIN# since this is a 3/4 tone van with a 350 motor. heck my windstar can tow 1800. – I would guess that you will be lucky to be able to tow a small popup trailer. If GMC says it can tow 2000 lbs with a 200 lb hitch weight, why do you doubt them?  As a conversion van it is already heavier than a "normal" van, so you have lost capacity to begin with.  From what I have seen discussed in this newsgroup in the past, a conversion van may well be pushing the maximum it can haul before you even get in it, it can’t pull *anything* more.

My G20 Owners Manual says 5600lbs gross weight for the van and 6000lbs trailer weight. Lynn

Response:

mark: My gut instinct says you could probably tow 4-5000 lbs (loaded) adequately . . . Having owned a nearly identical vehicle to the one Searfoss is asking about, I am quite sure it cannot safely and dependably tow more than a ton without serious consequences.

Of course, you snipped the entire rest of my message, which pointed out that my gut feeling, and your claim that he cannot possibly tow more than 2000 lbs are both meaningless without actually weighing the van. I’m wondering how you possibly know that it is nearly identical? — Chris Bryant http://bryantrv.com

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Again: He said in part: My gut instinct says you could probably tow 4-5000 lbs (loaded) adequately . . . Me: Having owned a nearly identical vehicle to the one Searfoss is asking about, I am quite sure it cannot safely and dependably tow more than a ton without serious consequences. CB: Of course, you snipped the entire rest of my message My sincere apology for trying to avoid useless copying of text that is irrelevant to my point.  In the future, I will try harder to ignore your divinely-inspired gut feelings.

My point was that quoting the passage out of context made it sound like I was giving different advice than I did. As for "divinely-inspired gut feeling", it comes from both having towed nearly 1/2 million miles- part of that with a Chevy G20 van, and having quite a number of customers who who use similar vans to tow. But.. bottom line is he needs to have it weighed (and something I left out-find out the weight of the trailer, as "a 24′ trailer" is likewise meaningless- they can range from sub 3000 lbs to over 5000 lbs, empty.) — Chris Bryant http://bryantrv.com

Response:

That’s if you could understand what he was claiming as he [GB] straddles the fence.

I have to laugh every time I see my name taken in vain here as someone who allegedly straddles the fence. I don’t know of a single discussion that I’ve participated in on this NG in which I didn’t take a clear position. Can you perhaps enlighten me as to where you got that? GB in NC

Response:

<< My point was that quoting the passage out of context made it sound like I was giving different advice than I did. Chris he did the same for me.  I wished I would have kept a copy of each of my posts but didn’t and he did an excellent job of quote and snip to justify his agenda.  Too bad I was slow in realizing that I was in a pissing contest with an elephant.  Just ignore him before you get all wet with pee. DSteiner

Response:

<flamage snipped And IMO you’re both jerks.

IMO — based on about 16 years on Usenet — people who call names are 1) far and away the single most disruptive influence on forums, and 2) far more in the minority than they (the name-callers) realize To those to whom this is a foreign concept, try a 30-day experiment*: killfile everyone who stoops to name-calling, but no one else — and see how remarkably the landscape changes.   — John Miller My email address: domain, n4vu.com; username, jsm *those who are here for the entertainment value need not participate

Response:

<< Chris he did the same for me.  I wished I would have kept a copy of each of my posts but didn’t and he did an excellent job of quote and snip to justify his agenda.  Too bad I was slow in realizing that I was in a pissing contest with an elephant.  Just ignore him before you get all wet with pee.

I don’t keep records of everything people write either, but you are being grossly unfair.  When you make statements that are both accurate and inaccurate and get challenged only on the part that’s wrong, it’s nothing more than a cheap shot to whine about it. Will,  I don’t hate your guts and often agree with you.  There have been times that I have strongly disagreed but then watching others and thinking it thru I change my mind and end up agreeing with you.  But when Mark commented that there weren’t any gas American made cars with over 150k that weren’t smoking oil etc… don’t have his original quote, I attempted to call him on it since I have driven some.  GD said his didn’t with 180k+ and Lon if I remember said he followed GB and GB was telling the truth.  When you acted like a Gore liberal and quoted and snipped stuff out of context I finally caught on you wanted a pissing contest.  Sorry, I don’t do pissing contests with elephants so I have now written my last on this and will smile when I drive my vehicles past the impossible and you can go on doing your merry thing.  OK??  In the last two years I have towed my trailer to Manheim and Ephrata 10 times so if you want to discuss this farther we will do it in person to keep it more civil and maybe settle up some misunderstanding? DSteiner

Response:

I think you’d be surprised at how many right turns GB makes <vbg. HD in FL

I bet it isn’t as many as he would claim. <g Lon

Response:

(Lon would never have followed me home. There are three left turns to get to my house, and he would have balked at the first one. <g) GB in NC Heck, I wouldn’t even make 3 right turns because I know that it equals a left turn. <g

It’s 3 lefts to get there and 3 rights to return. Your screwed either way no matter which way you lean.

Response:

I’ll make you a deal: You go to google find his exact statement – in context – and if it says what you claim, I’ll cheerfuly apologize.  If not, you owe me – and other readers – an apology.

I’ll save him the trouble. Here it is: I would like to see your source of information showing any gas engine going "several hundered thousand" miles without a rebuild. Working as a mechanic for 40 years, 25 of them for a national truck leasing company, I have yet to see a gas engine, American made, go past 150k miles without a rebuild, or in need of a rebuild. Will it run that far, sure. Is it not burning oil, smoking, pouring fuel past the worn rings, delivering poor fuel economy, and less power, ,,, no.

GB in NC

Response:

Filter me first. Frankly, I don’t care if you choose to ignore good advice just because I happen to call a moron that which it is.

Nah — I don’t filter anybody.  I’m just sayin…name-calling is the single most disruptive (not to mention totally unnecessary) behavior on online forums.  It reflects more on the caller than the callee, suggesting that they can’t come up with a cogent argument, so they have to stick out their tongue and go "nyah, nyah."   — John Miller My email address: domain, n4vu.com; username, jsm I’ve been on this lonely road so long, Does anybody know where it goes, I remember last time the signs pointed home, A month ago.                 -Carpenters, "Road Ode"

Response:

… GB said his didn’t with 180k+ and Lon if I remember said he followed GB and GB was telling the truth.

Before Lon reads this and gets upset at the "accusation," let me say that it was actually Jon, not Lon, who followed me. (Lon would never have followed me home. There are three left turns to get to my house, and he would have balked at the first one. <g) GB in NC

Response:

(Lon would never have followed me home. There are three left turns to get to my house, and he would have balked at the first one. <g) GB in NC

Heck, I wouldn’t even make 3 right turns because I know that it equals a left turn. <g Lon

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – (Lon would never have followed me home. There are three left turns to get to my house, and he would have balked at the first one. <g) GB in NC Heck, I wouldn’t even make 3 right turns because I know that it equals a left turn. <g Lon

I think you’d be surprised at how many right turns GB makes <vbg. HD in FL

Response:

*those who are here for the entertainment value need not participate

Without all of them, there would be nobody hanging around to answer the questions of those who come for answers to real questions. I stopped coming here for information (for the most part) many years ago. To me, it’s _all_ about entertainment. That, and visiting with my friends, which is the best entertainment of all. Lon

Response:

IMO — based on about 16 years on Usenet — people who call names are 1) far and away the single most disruptive influence on forums, and

Only to those looking for an excuse to ignore the reason for the name. 2) far more in the minority than they (the name-callers) realize

So? To those to whom this is a foreign concept, try a 30-day experiment*: killfile everyone who stoops to name-calling, but no one else — and see how remarkably the landscape changes.  

Filter me first. Frankly, I don’t care if you choose to ignore good advice just because I happen to call a moron that which it is. — John Miller

Lon VanOstran, who is quite apt to call you an idiot when you act like one.

Response:

Maybe I’m missing something. What I want to know is how big (weight wise) of a camper I can pull.  I am looking at some 24 footers.

The "tow rating" is largely meaningless- even moreso with a conversion van, as GM has no idea how much weight the converter has added, so- you need to try to track down the GCWR of the van, then have the van weighed and subtract the weight from the GCWR. This will give you the absolute max. trailer weight. My gut instinct says you could probably tow 4-5000 lbs (loaded) adequately, but you really need to weight the van, as my gut isn’t going to be driving it <g. — Chris Bryant http://bryantrv.com

Response:

Maybe I’m missing something. What I want to know is how big (weight wise) of a camper I can pull.  I am looking at some 24 footers.

snipped What your missing is the rest of the story. You need to know; 1-What rear end ratio 2-Tow package or no package 3-Rating for axle ratio you have 4-What’s required for tow package if you don’t have it 5-What tow rating you have if you have tow package 6-What GCVW rating you have now 7-What GCVW rating you get with tow package added And you need to add every piece of the tow package to get the maximum GCVW rating for your axle ration. HD in FL

Response:

Maybe I’m missing something. What I want to know is how big (weight wise) of a camper I can pull.  I am looking at some 24 footers.

Somewhere in your van’s literature it tell you the GCVWR. Probably around 14,000# or so. Then you have to subtract the weight of the van, full of gas, the passengers, the dog and everything you plan to carry in the trailer. The number you have left is what the trailer can weigh. Hunter   http://members.aol.com/airstm2268/roadtrip2003.htm My rig: http://members.aol.com/airstm2268/excella.htm "You only get to choose what you read, not what I write."

Response:

We just bought a 1990 Chevy G20 conversion van with a 350 motor and 4 speed auto trans.  Does anyone know how much I can tow with it?  It did not come with a hitch, I will be putting one on and then we want to buy a travel trailer for camping William PS I DID try GMC and they told be 2000 lbs with 200 hitch weight. I figure they must have mixed up the VIN# since this is a 3/4 tone van with a 350 motor. heck my windstar can tow 1800.

Response:

We just bought a 1990 Chevy G20 conversion van with a 350 motor and 4 speed auto trans.  Does anyone know how much I can tow with it?  It did not come with a hitch, I will be putting one on and then we want to buy a travel trailer for camping William PS I DID try GMC and they told be 2000 lbs with 200 hitch weight. I figure they must have mixed up the VIN# since this is a 3/4 tone van with a 350 motor. heck my windstar can tow 1800.

It depends on what gear you want to keep it in. <G As you will soon learn from the knowledgeable posters to this NG, there are a number of factors that will affect how much you can tow. If GMC said 2000 lbs I wouldn’t try to tow more than 1500 lbs. What axle ratio does it have? Does it have an auxiliary transmission cooler? Heavy duty alternator and battery? "Towing package"? Max

Response:

We just bought a 1990 Chevy G20 conversion van with a 350 motor and 4 speed auto trans.  Does anyone know how much I can tow with it?  It did not come with a hitch, I will be putting one on and then we want to buy a travel trailer for camping William PS I DID try GMC and they told be 2000 lbs with 200 hitch weight. I figure they must have mixed up the VIN# since this is a 3/4 tone van with a 350 motor. heck my windstar can tow 1800.

William, I happen to have a 1990 Chevy Truck book and the std GVW trailer rating for the G20 with 350 V-8, Auto is 6,600 lbs. The 350 (pre-Vortec) is only rated @195 hp though so I’d shy away from anything over 5,000 lbs, or stay out of the mountains. The HD trailering pkg included heavy-duty radiator w/add’l transmission cooling. Marv

Response:

Maybe I’m missing something. What I want to know is how big (weight wise) of a camper I can pull.  I am looking at some 24 footers.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We just bought a 1990 Chevy G20 conversion van with a 350 motor and 4 speed auto trans.  Does anyone know how much I can tow with it?  It did not come with a hitch, I will be putting one on and then we want to buy a travel trailer for camping William PS I DID try GMC and they told be 2000 lbs with 200 hitch weight. I figure they must have mixed up the VIN# since this is a 3/4 tone van with a 350 motor. heck my windstar can tow 1800.

Response: