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5100 Mile Round Trip-KY to AZ and Back, Late August 2018

willbingham1willbingham1 Member Posts: 63
in Camping & Travel

For those of you who have not had the opportunity, this is my third trip in a row to the western states but my first with the 2017 (late year production--have outside shower) TAG in tow. I have a great interest in Anasazi Native American sites as well as the Navajo Native Americans and the natural wonders of the west. My TV is a 2018 Honda CRV with small 1.5 turbo engine and CVT transmission. It was a sweet pull out and back with an average of 19 miles per gallon for trip, with a normal 30 miles per gallon highway on the TV when not towing. I camped at Huntsville, AL at Monte Sano State Park (attending Ham Radio convention), on the road at KOA's near Oklahoma City, and then for 4 days in Gallup, NM, at USA commercial camp ground, then to Homolovi State Park near Winslow, AZ, on to Showlow, AZ at Fool Hallow State Park, and then to Apache Junction at Lost Dutchman State Park. On return I stayed nightly first again in Gallup at USA Camp Ground, KOA's to follow in Amarillo, TX, and finally in Little Rock, AR. I did do a little Mountain Biking, as Monte Sano in Huntsville had many trails, Gallup was running over with trails, some riding at Showlow, and then Lost Dutchman had a great trail (but do it early, early in the AM or the heat will eat you up-got to 104 F while there!). Anyway, the TAG trailer with much prep was an excellent one person experience. I have some limits on tongue weight due to 150 pd limit on hitch on the standard CRV Honda 1 1/4" hitch, but there were no issues and trailer pulled splendidly throughout the 3 week camping experience (never a sway in even the windy of conditions traveling across OK and TX panhandle) .

I have done small mods to trailer prior and they included plumbed sink drain for side exit, added inside fold down 12x24" side table under passenger side window, added "Mandy" closet behind TV, shelves below Jensen sound panel and fuse panel, hinged bottom storage compartment doors and added prop sticks, added paper towel holder, added towel holding handles on under sink cabinet doors, knife magnet, metal backsplash behind propane stove, used a small toaster oven on the galley top right (much beloved for toast and baking!), tube in tongue box to hold stabilizer crank, and now have reorganized under sink with storage compartments including slide-out silverware drawer, etc. to keep all the dishes and pots and pans organized and extra towels, soap, and cloths arranged and in place during transit. I also made a small wind shield around stove burners but will need to increase height to affect any wind displacement. It would be nice to see side curtains like on some other tear drop trailers to shield galley when open. PS, I also checked and greased the bearings prior to leaving--important but easily done!

I used along the way two kinds of awnings, but prefer the fold out metal framed canopy when able to set up in camp site. I will have to work on the other Hasika awning used primarily for car hatchbacks because the supports polls supplied are wimpy and the guy "strings" are absolutely useless in even the slightest wind. I have, since returning, wired for the 100 watt solar panel by placing solar controller under and inside lid of front tongue storage compartment by placing in small food storage clear container around non-weather resistant controller and mounting with a combination of 3M Red auto double-sided auto adhesive tape to lid. This tape works wonderfully well if surface cleaned first with alcohol and then applied. Mounted to back of 1/4" luan panel holding food storage container and controller, and then applied with tape to lid without screws so as to not penetrate storage lid. Solar Panel charges well the battery in decent sunlight and is easy to hook up and place facing sun as needed. It is the very thin 100 watt Dokio folding dual panel from Amazon and cloth carrying case. Very light weight but I did change out wires for #12 wires using what are called Power Poll Connectors and the proper plugs for the solar Zamp connector on tongue storage compartment. Make wire connection to batter Zamp as short as possible to insure solar controller reading volts/amps properly.

For this trip I carried my Mountain bike on the TV carrier using a Yakama Frontloader mount, but had to reverse mount due to rear overhang(when mounted front facing) affecting hatch opening. I have the Jacket Bike Carrier for trailer but will be getting friend to weld a plate just behind the hitch tongue jack because when the Jacket is mounted on tongue jack location it interferes with hatch opening on my TV when trailer connected to my TV. The slightly more rearward location for Jacket Bike Carrier on this modified metal plate will clear the tongue jack/TV hatch opening and the lid opening on tongue storage compartment when done and will strengthen "A" frame of trailer.

In summary, taking a long trip for 3 weeks was just a pleasure with the TAG and the CRV combo. And all the people I meet along the way and the experiences of riding trails and hiking and sight seeing (exploring) and just hanging out in the many park locations was just a splendid experience for this 68 year old. And I will be on the camping trail soon again, but maybe not as long--but who knows, I may see you next year in the Northwest on another long but enjoyable TAG experience. I will post camping shots when I figure out how to downsize and post. So much for the my computer skills! What a great country we live in, folks! By the way, everywhere I went or stopped along the way, people keep coming up to me to see the trailer and ask questions, etc. It was a source of pleasure to give them the little tour and share the joy of camping in this little tear-drop trailer among the gigantic travel trailers of the world. Bill

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