Boondocking/Stealth Camping in a Bronco II

[RobbieD]

I fell asleep under a tree while turkey hunting a few years ago and woke up with a chipmunk on my chest!

If it would have been a vulture, THEN you would have had a problem.

 

[bobbywalter]

Does sleeping in the front seats of a <name a brand> 1 ton count?

Yes

 

[Fast Eddie]

Stealth is perhaps not the correct word... but mine will sleep two without popping up the camper.

A single air mattress will fit in the back of my Ranger, my gf (currently wife) and I did sleep under the stars one night parked behind the chickenhouse in the back of my Ranger.

And then baby made 3

 

[Fast Eddie]

Yeah. It takes about 3 minutes to set up my tent and I have a 12v blower to fill my air mattress. No reason to fold myself into a pretzel to try to get some sleep. I’m old. I want comfort or else I’ll be old & GRUMPY.

And yet, no one would know for the better

 

[Fast Eddie]

Yup, tent and air mattress is way more comfy.

I’m actually at the point where I’d like to start looking for a small RV that I can tow my Choptop behind. Or build something like Matt had at the last TRS ride, straight Redneck toy hauler, 40’ 5th wheel with a slide in camper on the front, truggy, side by side and quad on the back. An actual bed to sleep in.

It isn't that small (33 ft) but if you're sure to get one with enough power and can tow it 4 down, you might think along these lines. Zoom in for the tow bar between the coach and the truck.

 

[BroncLander]

I have a 5th wheel that I could chop the kitchen and living space off of. Just keep the bedroom, bathroom and turn the closet into a kitchen and then have the back all flatdeck. This just popped into my head as a viable option if I just had a one ton tow rig. Hmmm

 

[Shran]

I have a 5th wheel that I could chop the kitchen and living space off of. Just keep the bedroom, bathroom and turn the closet into a kitchen and then have the back all flatdeck. This just popped into my head as a viable option if I just had a one ton tow rig. Hmmm

Trade 5th wheel off on an old school bus, shorten the bus part into living quarters and then build a flat deck on the back... crawler hauler!

 

[BroncLander]

Trade 5th wheel off on an old school bus, shorten the bus part into living quarters and then build a flat deck on the back... crawler hauler!

Actually that's not a bad idea. School busses are usually well maintained and auction off at a steal too. We're getting into Mad Max territory here. I'm going to need a big steel front cow catcher and maybe a flamethrower turret up top! And a full crew!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Kinda defeats the Stealth part of Stealth camping...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

It isn't that small (33 ft) but if you're sure to get one with enough power and can tow it 4 down, you might think along these lines. Zoom in for the tow bar between the coach and the truck.
View attachment 96292

That’s pretty much what I’m thinking, although ideally I’d be under 30’ for the RV and probably shoot for an aluminum auto hauler trailer. Be nice to have a bed, bath, and kitchen that you don’t really have to set up. And if you have a dog, you don’t have to have arguments with a hotel. Double rate if you have a dog and the dog can’t be over 50 lbs. Get outta here with that noise. I promise you that my 100# GSD will be better behaved than Karen’s 5# devil worshiping chinchilla...

 

[BroncLander]

That’s pretty much what I’m thinking, although ideally I’d be under 30’ for the RV and probably shoot for an aluminum auto hauler trailer. Be nice to have a bed, bath, and kitchen that you don’t really have to set up. And if you have a dog, you don’t have to have arguments with a hotel. Double rate if you have a dog and the dog can’t be over 50 lbs. Get outta here with that noise. I promise you that my 100# GSD will be better behaved than Karen’s 5# devil worshiping chinchilla...

Dogs get a bad rap. Unfairly. A few bad owners make all dogs catch a poor reputation out of fear. But I've been noticing a trend, especially in businesses with dog water bowls in banks, free dog cookies at the till in the beer store. I bring my dog in stores now and she's well behaved. She stays on leash and most places are happy to see her. She's really friendly unless I put her on alert

 

[superj]

Having been to Port Aransas a few times that is all relatable, the miles of cars on the beach all lined up is a bummer. My buddy's mom has a house there so that's where we stay.

30 minutes to the national forest here and you can camp just about anywhere with nobody around. It's nice.

i would love to be near a national forest. i like hiking way more than walking on the beach. if i lived near wooded areas and forests, i would probably actually camp and go back to liking it.

growing up on the ocean and dealing with skin cancer from surfing, its hard to enjoy the beach anymore.

 

[Fast Eddie]

That’s pretty much what I’m thinking, although ideally I’d be under 30’ for the RV and probably shoot for an aluminum auto hauler trailer. Be nice to have a bed, bath, and kitchen that you don’t really have to set up. And if you have a dog, you don’t have to have arguments with a hotel. Double rate if you have a dog and the dog can’t be over 50 lbs. Get outta here with that noise. I promise you that my 100# GSD will be better behaved than Karen’s 5# devil worshiping chinchilla...

I see how you snuck that in there LMAO!!!


Just watch your GVWR but you already know that. Not a huge problem unless you get in an accident, they get suspicious, and weigh everything. I've seen it happen.

You'll have to be near 30 if you want all those separate spaces. I could have went smaller but didn't want to break my bed out every night after I ate dinner. But that's just me. This has a separate bathroom and shower (not a wet bath) and a separate kitchen, dining and sitting area - though all are close together.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Kinda defeats the Stealth part of Stealth camping...

Yeah but ya gotta ask - who's gonna to be stupid enough to mess with him of he does it

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I see how you snuck that in there LMAO!!!


Just watch your GVWR but you already know that. Not a huge problem unless you get in an accident, they get suspicious, and weigh everything. I've seen it happen.

You'll have to be near 30 if you want all those separate spaces. I could have went smaller but didn't want to break my bed out every night after I ate dinner. But that's just me. This has a separate bathroom and shower (not a wet bath) and a separate kitchen, dining and sitting area - though all are close together.

Yeah, I figured. Most likely I’d use it to pull one of my B2s, and even though both are road legal, or will be, be nice to have it on a lightweight car hauler trailer with brakes. Between helping with stopping and meaning that if I break my toy I can just winch it on the trailer and head home, that would be ideal to me. If it could haul my green Ranger that would be even better, but that might be a lil big. I’m fine with hauling big, but I’d rather be legal than not in one of those moving billboards.