Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Avion truck campers

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Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: rastaman33609 on 03/12/17 12:21pm

67avion wrote:

I'm sitting at a campsite at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in the bottom of Arizona and next to California. I have in my hand a Canebrake Beer from Cajun Country. We're having crawfish ettouffe tonight and it's 89 degrees in the shade.

As usual we had our challenges. The hot water heater sprang a leak. The passenger side tie down failed, tearing out of rotted wood and leaving a Torklift Fastgun on the side of the road somewhere.

But I genuinely feel blessed. Wherever we go there are smiles from the RV folk. They like the fact that a 50 year old camper is on the road. And we enjoy the comfort of our Avion.

Life is good.

Man you are awfully close to Texas, (Terlingua, big bend area) [emoticon]

We are hoping to be there early april for a couple weeks...swing by.
Sorry to hear about the problems,
BTW have you ever camped at Squaw Lake,,,,real nice place, I bet it is very close to where you are.

cheers

Posted By: SilverPompadour on 03/13/17 07:37am

I know how you feel 67, I just wrapped up a long month in the desert southwest. Got home just in time for the blizzard.

13 states, 7000+ miles, windsurfing, rock climbing, hiking, biking, stargazing, hot springs, beer drinking and general boondocking. Im already planning to go back next winter.

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Lake Mohave Sunrise

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UT Hwy 163 looking south over Monument Valley

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Mexican Hat Rock UT

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The Silver Pompadour resting proudly at Muley Point, it's pilgrimage complete. What a place, similar to Toroweap but much easier to get to. There was a bit of traffic ahead of me on Muley Point Rd but everyone was fooled by the faux Muley Point overlook, allowing me to overtake and grab the prime real estate at the end of the road.

FYI Should you find yourself at Muley point, when you arrive at the first overlook, the road continues on off to the right. This takes you to the tip of the point where the road ends. Where I am parked was almost perfectly level.

Timelapse Sunset from Muley Point My imitation gopro doesn't do colors well.

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I took the long way through Colorado. Four corners to Durango, up to Montrose and across to Canon City on 50. Beautiful but long and winding. Despite the snow, it was much warmer there at 10,000ft than it is here in PA at 1300ft.

Aside from an intermittent speedometer and cracked leaf spring hanger from repeated trips on BLM dirt roads, the trip went exceptionally smooth.

Have fun out there 67.

1968 Avion C-11
1993 Dodge D250 LE Cummins

Posted By: rastaman33609 on 03/13/17 10:41am

Silver....You should get an award, for not only the speed in which you got your rig ready, but also not wasting any time getting out there and enjoying the hell out of it. I envy you...Its been a 18 months and I have yet to get my C10 loaded on the truck to figure out the 'tie downs', much less take it for a trip..And its not for lack of wanting to.
Great pics...

cheers

Rasta

Posted By: SilverPompadour on 03/13/17 12:05pm

Thanks but no award necessary. I feel extremely lucky to have been able to venture west again so soon and in such luxury.
On the topic of C10's, there is a C10 unoffically for sale on Buffalo Dr, just north of Blue Diamond on the west side of Vegas. Looks fairly original, minimal oxidation and although I could not inspect throughly, the wings and floor seemed very solid. I did not discuss price but they seemed to know what they have.

Posted By: garryk6 on 03/13/17 04:11pm

Great Trip Report!! I was going to try to load up the C-10 last Friday, but with my daughters Basket Ball games, it was dark when we got home... THe kids are on spring break this week, and with no ferry's running ... ARGHH!! I am hoping to get the camper loaded up today so that I can take the kids out at least one night and go four-wheeling with the ATV's. We will see... Keep the pics coming!! IT looks much warmer there than the 20-35F here with 20 to45 mph winds... [emoticon]

Garry K
Wife + 4 kids
Retired Military Family.... Alway's on the move....
2002 F350 CCSB 5.4 6spd 4x4 in AK
1966 Avion C-10 Truck Camper

Posted By: SilverPompadour on 03/13/17 07:01pm

Thanks. Yeah, much warmer there. It was 8F and blowing 20 when I backed into my snow covered driveway after the long trip. Here's a few more pics for show and tell.
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Petroglyphs at Keykole Canyon

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Sidney and Silver at Coral Pink Sand Dunes UT

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Arizona Hot Springs Lake Mead NRA

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Gaurdrails? We don't need no stinkin' guardrails!
US 550 Near Silverton CO

Does the Engel MT45 sound about right? Pricy little bugger.
Im thinking one large 300W panel should easily fit between my roof vents with no additional height gain. Any advise or issues regarding roof mounted solar and snow/ice aside from the danger of water intrusion?

Posted By: garryk6 on 03/13/17 08:11pm

I don't have solar yet but my little Engle will last over a week on a single group 27 wet cell deep cycle without any charging. It really is a miser.

I just scored a Honda EU2000i generator for $600. Used ones here go for $900 or more and. New ones are over $1200 here in Kodiak. They were asking $700 and when I tested it it started up but shut down in about a minute. Did this three times each time the low oil pressure light came on. Got it for $600 thinking it an easy fix. Turns out if the oil is too cold the oil pressure won't build up correctly and it will shut down. So it left the generator in the house overnight and it started first pull and ran smooth as silk and powered the boondocker transformer, the furnace running the engle running and the lights and microwave. So we can now boondock in style until we get solar set up.
Keep on camping!!
Garry

Posted By: SilverPompadour on 03/14/17 06:23am

The 1-2amps an hour draw is my big attraction to the Engel. I currently have 2 group 27s but figure if I had more capacity, I'd use it. Laptop, music box, telescope EQ drive, all the **** I should just leave at home.
We sell the Honda Generator line where I work, they are the bee's knee's in everything but initial purchase price. The boss powers his 34' motorhome, AC and all from an EU2000 cause the onboard Onan is just too loud. It sounds like you scored big time on your purchase Garry. Ill have to check but 0-40W oil might work well for you if you'd prefer to leave the unit outside at night. Our units are filled with 5-20W or 5-30W when new.

Posted By: 67avion on 03/14/17 11:37am

Went through Mexico on the way to a once in a lifetime desert flower bloom in Anza Borrego. Turns out that it IS a record bloom but there are as many people as flowers. Dozens of truck campers. We love it but we've had enough. Rolling north to Salton Sea, Indio and Joshua tree. Publish pix when we return to our snowbound home. Silver, you rock.

Posted By: garryk6 on 03/14/17 02:06pm

My son and daughter-in-law live in 29 Palms, and they stopped last weekend at the Salton Sea, as it has water in it for the first time in many many years. They are saying how green their spring is so far! But I fear for a record fire season down there with all the vegetation growth...
Have fun! And get lots of pictures!

Garry

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