Breaking Camp

I am curious to know how much time Trailmanor owners spend breaking camp. My wife and I, generally speaking, enjoy our 2005 Trailmanor 3124 KS, but what we are finding is the time we spend preparing to leave and breaking camp is starting to wear on us.

While at camp and getting ready to break camp, we notice that those with 5th wheels and standard travel trailers start a significant time after we start and are generally finished and heading down the road in minutes.

It seems to take us hours to break camp. Now, I will admit that we are not fully engaged in breaking camp during the time but we do feel that it does take a lot of effort.

Going through the check list to make sure everything is properly stowed; pulling off the walls everything that was hung - cabinets and other items, putting everything away that we have to make the camping experience enjoyable seems to take quiet a bit of effort.

The actual closing the camper and hooking up is short comparatively speaking to the rest of the process.

It has gotten to the point that we are seariously given consideration to moving up to a 5th wheel.

We are reluctant to take the camper on a long trip as the time spent opening/closing - i.e. setting up camp and breaking camp is too long for our likes.

Perhpas others on this forum may provide some ideas as to how we may make this process move along with less effort.

Thanks

[Kidkraz]

Wow, I average about an hour or so to break camp. Now saying that, I don't have a great amount set up with in the camper or around my site. I too don't try to rush breaking camp either. I had a pup for years and breaking things down too a bit longer and I realized that keeping things simple and starting to assemble things the evening before does help the next morning.

[Bill]

I can't be of any direct help, except to say the obvious. Figure out what operations are taking the longest, and find a way to shorten or eliminate them. Some people go to great lengths to make their camper homey when they arrive. They hang pictures, open the awning, string up lights, put out a Welcome sign, set up a grill, and so forth. All these things are nice, but they take time to put away. Incidentally, aside from a few interior decorations, all these things would take time in a fifth-wheel, too.

I can tell you that when my wife and I are on the road, and are not feeling hurried, our morning ritual takes about 90 minutes, from the moment our toes touch the floor to the moment we drive out the campground entrance. This includes showering, dressing, making the bed neatly, making coffee, making breakfast, eating breakfast while we watch the news, washing the breakfast dishes, walking the dog a bit, putting everything away, closing the camper, and hooking up.

If we know we will be in a hurry in the morning, we can shorten this to 30 minutes. We don't unhitch the night before. We have a microwave breakfast on paper plates. One of us skips the shower. We don't unpack anything (kid's pictures, etc) that will need to be repacked. Awning stays closed, no welcome mat.

You get the idea. Planning is essential if time is important. And practice will help a lot. Aside from folding the TM and hooking up to the tow vehicle, there isn't much that would go faster in a 5th wheel. Either way, you still have to disconnect and put away the utility connections, for example. I suppose that the fifth wheel people can leave dirty dishes in the sink and wet towels on the floor, which helps them a bit.

Bill

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted by JVMaxwell

I am curious to know how much time Trailmanor owners spend breaking camp. My wife and I, generally speaking, enjoy our 2005 Trailmanor 3124 KS, but what we are finding is the time we spend preparing to leave and breaking camp is starting to wear on us.

While at camp and getting ready to break camp, we notice that those with 5th wheels and standard travel trailers start a significant time after we start and are generally finished and heading down the road in minutes.

It seems to take us hours to break camp. Now, I will admit that we are not fully engaged in breaking camp during the time but we do feel that it does take a lot of effort.

Going through the check list to make sure everything is properly stowed; pulling off the walls everything that was hung - cabinets and other items, putting everything away that we have to make the camping experience enjoyable seems to take quiet a bit of effort.

The actual closing the camper and hooking up is short comparatively speaking to the rest of the process.

It has gotten to the point that we are seriously given consideration to moving up to a 5th wheel.

We are reluctant to take the camper on a long trip as the time spent opening/closing - i.e. setting up camp and breaking camp is too long for our likes.

Perhpas others on this forum may provide some ideas as to how we may make this process move along with less effort.

Thanks

You have struck a vital chord in my mission here....that is to speed things up. I agree, it does take a bit longer to pack up.
You might go and look at my website http://www.trickmytrailmano.com as this IS the central theme on what it is all about. I have done things to help speed up the process of getting away. Like you, I also have a 3124KS. What I like the most is the fuel economy I get. You won't get that with a 5th wheel. So if you can afford it then go for it. You'll need a much bigger tow vehicle with a bigger engine or a diesel (which will cost more to operate).
So if I were you, here's what I would do. Before we turn in at night we start putting things away that we got out during our stay so that in the morning that's something we will not have to do. All the things that we got out of our truck are ready to go back in as well. We try to get organized the night before the departure. Close down the vent if you're not using them. Unplug and store the television and other appliances. Close all the curtains. Store all the food away along with whatever cooking utensils and if you're cooking your own breakfast have only what you need for preparing that out and ready to go. Paper plates are a must here. You don't want to spend a lot of time washing dishes before you head out. After breakfast I get the garbage ready to go and set it out the door. Have your clothes sorted out and ready to put on in the morning as well. Our dirty clothes hamper is in the cabinet under the bed.
So in the morning I get up, do my business and put my clothes on. We have breakfast and straighten up our remaining mess. Next we fold up the flaps together and while I start putting the different systems away outside, my wife loads the truck. By then we are ready to close things down and lock er up. The last thing to do is hook up the WDH and trailer wires and we're ready to roll!
Now I wouldn't put anything up on the walls accept the cabinets and maybe a shower caddy or two (that's what we have in the bathroom...they are the over the shower door type that we hang on the wall between the kitchen and the bathroom...see website).
The idea is to take out and put away as little as one can. I understand this and have shaved about 30-45 minutes off our getaway time. Now some of this stuff that I have done was pretty easy and some a lot more involved. Basically I took all the different systems that one uses to run a house/trailer and streamlined the process while keeping all of the safeguards in place. The water, electrical, stabilizing, waste and the other systems I tackled one at a time, thinking "what can I do to make this faster".
If you go and read thru my entire website you'll see where I am coming from. It's all explained in there and too much to relate here. I hope this helps. If I can be of any assistance (other than financial) please don't hesitate to drop me a line.
The moderator, Bill is a wonderful source of information. I hold him in the highest regards and think of him as the wise sage on this site.
TC

[ShrimpBurrito]

Our experience time wise is about the same as Bill's.

I think something that would really help a newbie is to develop and follow and setup/take down list. That way you can simply go down the list and you don't have to think about what to do next, and think more about what you haven't done yet. If there are 2 of you camping, you can make a his and hers list so you can divide and conquer, if that helps. Eventually, you'll probably get so proficient that you won't need the list.

We find that gathering things to get ready the night before is helpful. That means reorganizing the back of the car so that it doesn't look like a disaster and can readily accept things to pack, putting away dishes and such, packing the grill and outside stove, etc. That way the morning can be focused on the basics.

If it's taking you "hours", as in anywhere near 3-4 hours, there's lots of room for improvement. If that's the case, why don't you tell us in some detail what your procedure is like and maybe we can help make it more efficient.

Dave

[scrubjaysnest]

Our time is similar to Bill's about 90 mins from starting breakfast to pulling out of the camp site. We put the grill, chairs, and awning up the night before. For an over night stop it is less. The places we go you don't see a 5th wheel. Over the years we have found it doesn't make a lot of difference in the time to make or break camp. The motor home a little more, the TT a little less, and the pup about the same.

[Lesherp]

At one point I was thinking setting up the TM took a lot of time. I began watching people with other setups pulling in and setting up. I realized that there was not that much more we were doing than them. It just takes some time to set up and get a rig ready to go again. Granted there is a little more with a TM. DW takes care of the inside and I do the outside; generally we are both done about the same time.

As several have mentioned the key to a quick start is in the day before. When you use something think about if you will need it again, if not put it away. Definatly pack the evening before and pack everything you can. For overnight stays if at all possible I don’t unhook (90% of the time).

[LoveToCamp]

Hmmm. Comparing apples and oranges, even if you compare to other TM owners. As mentioned, 5vers and full TTs can leave lots of stuff inside, if they park at their house, or can unload at home. So can I, or you. Or, not. So, the time to get ready to leave can be cut short if they do some of it at home.

Remove breakfast and leisure time, and we can be gone half an hour after we start to get ready. But, I leave food in the 'fridge, and deal with it at home (we park next to our house, so I can get in and out of it whenever I want).

What is there to do to get ready to leave? I assume grill, chairs, and door mat are already stowed, as anyone would have to do that, and it can be done the night before. Breakfast is done (some may not eat before leaving) and cleaned up. Start the clock:

Get clothing into the car, and get the cat in the car (DW's job); pull plug on air mattresses; empty gray tank; open low-point drains for faucets and water heater (we boondock, so not done in a campground); collapse bathroom; collapse dining table; take cabinet off wall; open all flaps;move chest of drawers onto slide; move carpet out of way of slide; stow steps; collapse shells; hook up to TV; remove chocks; open fresh tank low-point drain; do walk-around; leave. Stop the clock. About half an hour, if the DW stays in the car with the cat. Longer if she is out walking around, getting in my way.

Only compare time it takes to get a TM ready to the time it takes for a 5ver, doing the same steps. 5ver won't have to remove cabinet from wall, deflate air mattress, put chest of drawers onto slide, get carpet out of the way of the slide, collapse table, open flaps, or collapse and latch shells. Those items take about 6 or 7 minutes. To me, that is the only additional time it takes for a TM. The rest is done by all. 5ver and TT still have to empty gray tank and black tank - I have to take the cassette out of my TM when I get home, when I feel like it (I let it slosh all the way home to dissolve everything). All other time is just you being you, doing your routine. It would take almost as long in any rig you have, not just a TM, in my opinion.

Don't compare your time to others, as you don't know what they do to prep, or what they do when they get home. They may take 2 hours at home, while you may be completely done when you leave camp. If you ditch your TM, only do so after comparing what you do in your TM that you think you won't have to do in a different trailer. Most things are the same - it just depends on when you do them. Thousands of dollars to save 6 or 7 minutes? Is it worth it?

[tentcamper]

If we do not have breakfast or have to clean up around the camper. Just need to put up the awning, put away chairs, etc. Its about 45 minutes and we are on the road.

Our normal is about 90 minutes from starting breakfast, cleaning up, tearing down, hooking up and pulling out.

Hello and thanks for all the responses. Yes, my wife likes to make the little camper feel like a nice cozy home away from home; we have a digital picture frame, and another wall hanging. There are a number of bathroom items; toothbrush holders, soap dishes and the like that all take time sorting through and stowing. We have 2 cabinets, microwave, TV and portable ice maker which all need to be stowed. On the outside, we have a nice screen room (almost a necessity in Florida), folding chairs and grill. All take time. But what I see from being around and friends with other RVers, is that unlike those, we need to be sure to stow ours on the floor of the camper.

The Trailmanor has not the room in exterior access storage areas for the screen room and folding chairs, grill and other items. I could pack them in the TV but that would require me to pack them away somewhere when we arrive home.

With the interior, 5th wheels need not pull cabinets off the wall; TVs are usually permanently set and other items are a bit easier to handle.

I agree that with "all" RVs there are things that similarly need to be done but from my experience, with the Trailmanor these take on a more effort.

Please do not get me wrong, we both enjoy our Trailmanor and I fully agree that if we were to simplify our camping - i.e. do away with some of the "fluff", time to breaking camp would not be so time consuming.

I also will admit, that usually neither of us are very excited about breaking camp. For breaking camp means that we will be heading back to the day-to-day life.

We usually find ourselves staying up the last night of camp enjoying a campfire and kicking back a couple of cold drinks. I am sure this does not help.

Again thanks for all the great responses.