Where's Ready to Travel?

[JustDave]

I read in the most recent TDR Issue 71 that a new tab called Ready to Travel will be added to the website. Any idea when this will happen? I'd like to read Bill Swails' Alaskan adventure article. I'm in the initial planning stages of an Alaskan trip and thought this article would be very helpful. I tried to locate it in the digital archives but they don't go back to issue 31. Please point me to the correct location if I've overlooked it. Thanks.

JustDave

 

[Grizzly]

I can't answer your question on the TDR issue, but if you're interested in making a trip to Alaska there are a number of threads posted here. The best one is called, "Alaska trip in a cab-over-camper", which has 177 post. Do a search under that title. It's worth reading. I've been there twice. Feel free to ask me any questions you want.



george

 

[JustDave]

George,

Thanks for the help. I look forward to reading the thread you mentioned. I'm sure it will provide interesting insight.

Here's a little more information about my trip objective. I'm trying a minimalist approach to my travel and trying to determine my camper requirements. I'm on a tight budget for both the camper and travel and want to learn as much from others experiences as possible.

I have been a low cost traveler for a long time. I'm an avid backpacker (even at my age ) with a very comfortable and safe kit for a wide variety of backcountry conditions. My approach isn't for everyone but works for me. My travel objective is to visit the National Parks I haven't seen yet, Yellowstone, Glacier and Denali.

So far, I've looked at an extreme range of campers from a topper to a self contained pop up. Both have pros and cons and I'm trying to read as much about each as possible, hence my inquiry. I sure do like the pop up but it comes with a price in both first and travel cost. I also like the topper because it incorporates my backpacking kit and I have my travel supplies and hygiene worked out. I'll mostly be boon-docking and want to be comfortable and keep my good fuel economy without the wear and tear from additional weight.

I'm hoping these articles/threads will help sway my decision one way or another. Thanks again for the help.



JustDave

 

[ENafziger]

Hey!

Wow, first, I'm in complete envy! My wife and I took our honeymoon to Alaska in July of last year, and I'm ready to go back again!

I'll post just a few quick thoughts, and then let you ask more detailed questions that might pertain to you situation better.

First, I wanted to go minimalistic as well. This left me looking at a pop-up rack mount type tent. After looking awhile, I decided maybe a slide-in unit would be nice, so we'd have a place to cook meals and shower. However, since my truck is a short bed, the slide-in camper selections were fewer; this, coupled with the fact that the entire bed space would be taken up, pushed me toward looking at travel trailers. A requirement on my part was making sure I had room to take along plenty of tools, additional fuel capacity, and spare tires.

Thus started my search for travel trailers. One thing led to another, and I ended up getting a new 2011 Sabre 31' bumper pull. To make things concise, here's some observations. Pulling a 31' TT from a bumper with a SRW vehicle is alot of work, even with extensive modifications to the truck. In some regards, I wish I'd have gotten a trailer around the 20' length, both for better fuel mileage, and ease of towing. I also would've spent more time talking to guys here and elsewhere for advice before buying anything!!

That being said, our journey consisted of 10,325 miles. We started in Knoxville, TN, crossed over into Canada in North Dakota, meandered up through Laird Hot Springs, Dawson City, crossed the Yukon River on a ferry, and took Top of the World Hwy through Chicken, Tok, etc. We went through Fairbanks, down through Denali, Anchorage, and then headed out on the Kenai Peninsula. We stopped at Seward, Soldotna, and Homer. The journey back brought us through Jasper and Banff Canada (highly recommended), down through Montana, Yellowstone National Park, and the Grand Tetons.

I think we only paid to park 6 times during the 26 days we were gone.

We spent $3840 on fuel, $550 on food, $180 on camping and dump fees, and not much else.

I made an additional 80 - 90 gallon fuel tank that sat in the bed, and it helped tremendously. We took alot of the off-the-beaten-path routes, and having the extra fuel capacity kept us from paying over $6/gallon several times!!!

All that being said, fuel is (of course) going to be your biggest expense. If you travel as budget friendly as possible, this will likely be 80% of your cost or more. We averaged about 9 mpg, and weighed in at 20,300 lbs plus or minus depending on how much fuel, etc we had at the time.

We never had a blowout on the truck or trailer. One of the trailer tires developed an "egg" in the sidewall that I noticed before it blew.

We travelled over 500 miles of gravel/dirt/offroad that required 4x4.

To do it all over again, I would have gotten a much smaller travel trailer. I would have taken twice the time off. If you don't have at least 6 weeks, it's almost not worth going. The exhaust brake and air system I installed was a definite plus, as well as the extra fuel tank. The Carli suspension helped tremendously as well. I almost completely wore out a set of Toyo A/T 285/75 tires on this one trip! Pulling 20k pounds up/down grades really takes its toll.

Here's a quick pic of our setup:

#ad


--Eric

 

[Grizzly]

JustDave,



Our first trip was in 1995 with my brand new 1995 Dodge/Cummins, dually, 4WD, 5 speed standard and my 1988, 27' Holiday Rambler Alumilite 5th wheel. In 1995 the Alaskan Highway (Alcan Hwy) was rough with many miles of frost heaves, construction and gravel. That did a number on my 5er axles and tires. By the time it was all said and done after 11K miles round trip, I had both axles and all 5 5er tires replaced. It was however a great trip and it took all of 2 months.



The second trip was in 2006 with our new 05 Dodge/Cummins, dually, 4WD, 6 speed standard and my 98 Lance truck camper. I bought the camper, which was 11"-3", totally self contained complete with an onboard 3. 4KW generator, microwave and all the bell and whistles, except for an AC. I bought the camper to go to where it gets cold, not hot. I also bought the slide-in truck camper after my first trip because it didn't have axles and tires. The camper goes where the truck goes. With that size camper you do need a 3500 dually. We had no issues with the truck or the camper, except with some minor refrigerator problems. Well to make a long story short, after spending 2 months in an 11' x 8' space plus the overhead bed, my wife and I got a little claustrophobic. Another great trip however.



We sold the Lance camper and purchased a 27' Arctic Fox 5th wheel with 2 slideouts, an onboard 5. 5 KW generator and all the bells and whistle. This time with a AC because it came standard equipped. We hope to make another trip soon. We won't get as good of mileage, but it may keep us from getting claustrophobic. The Alcan Hwy on our 06 trip was much improved with far less frost heaves and less gravel. We did however take some side trips with all gravel roads. We, like ENafziger drove to Dawson City in the Yukon Territory and crossed the Mighty Yukon River by ferry.



There is no perfect solution as to truck and RV. All of them have issues. My suggestion JustDave is get a self contained truck camper that your 2500 can handle safely. If you have a short bed get one no larger than an 8'. If you have a long bed get a 9'. The biggest mistake people make is that they put too heavy of a camper on their trucks. Great campers to consider are NorthernLite, Arctic Fox, Lance Lite and a few other 4 star rated. Look for a good used truck camper. There should be some good bargain now that the cost of diesel is high. Don't get a truck camper with a slide out or an on-board generator, they add too much weight. You don't have to take enough food and fuel to last you 2 months. There are plenty of placed to purchase supplies. Spend the nights in pull outs as much as you can. While in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Soldatna you can stay at Fred Meyers. Buy your supplies at Fred Meyers, get a coupon card to purchase diesel at a lower price. Wal-Mart is not allowing overnight stays in Alaska any longer. Use major credit cards to purchase fuel and supplied while traveling through Canada. You get the best rate of exchange that way.



I hope this helps some, george

 

[JustDave]

Eric,

I'm the one who's envious! What a great trip you had and a wonderful way to spend your honeymoon. Your truck/trailer combination looks terrific. Mine is much more humble but hopefully will provide the same safe, comfortable, and reliable experience that you had. My trip sounds very much like yours and you brought up some very good points that I'm currently pondering.



The things I'm wrestling with are value and convenience. The topper represents the minimalist approach but it's still not inexpensive. I'm estimating $7,000 for an ARE mid high topper with rear door retrofitted with a Propex heater, photovoltaics, 12v Engel refrigerator, AGM house batteries, Thetford porta potty, water storage, and so on. I already have my bedding and "kitchen" in my backpacking kit. The pop up I like is the Northstar 850 SC. This will be in the $19-20,000 range.



I'm trying to reconcile the $12-13,000 difference. Is it really worth it for stand up head room and a little more "living" convenience and less "traveling" convenience?



I have been looking at the used market via Ebay and Craigs List but haven't found anything close by. Slide in truck campers just aren't that popular in the southeast which makes it difficult to look at something. Too much money on the line for the leap of faith that is far from home. I have found much less expensive new pop up campers that would significantly narrow this price gap but none of them suitable for cold weather according to their manufacturers.



I couldn't agree more about the lack of storage space in a truck camper. I'll add a significantly smaller bath as well. I have considered a travel trailer and will go back and look at them again based on your experience. I tow quite a bit with my truck and am very experienced with heavy loads. The first modification I did to my truck was add a retractable goose neck ball in the bed. I currently have a 14,000 lb. capacity goose neck dump that I use. I don't have an exhaust brake but rely on my electric trailer brakes and controller.



This entire exercise could be a moot point if my wife decides to join me! There is simply no way she'll travel in a topper. I'm sure she would prefer the travel trailer with the pop up somewhere in the middle. We're also at an age where comfort and convenience are important. We're still very active but understand the need for a good rest! It took me many years to fine tune my backpacking gear to find that balance.



My travel budget agrees with your experience, fuel cost will be the big ticket item. The topper would surely have the best economy due to it's lowest combined weight and very little difference to frontal area. My truck still gets 22 mpg on average (hand calculated) and I'd like to retain as much of that as possible. In fact, that's the reason for the pop up versus a hard side, smaller frontal area.



Thanks very much for your comments. They were very helpful and gave me something else to consider.



JustDave

 

[MarkMcDaniel]

Just Dave,
As a fellow backpacker, aspiring overlander, and amateur Cummins enthusiast, I'll offer an alternative scenario of going sort of light and suggesting a slide-in pop-up camper. Yep, they're a lot smaller than a trailer (empty, my camper weights <600lbs). They're also a massive upgrade from sleeping under a standard truck topper. I've got an '06 2500 short bed 4x4 with a "shell model" Four Wheel Camper much like the one in the cover shot of #31. It contains a queen sized bed and that's about it. Inside there is 6'6" of overhead clearance when it's set up, and only sticks up about a foot above the cab of the truck when secured for travel. I cook and eat outside and spend as much time as possible out of the vehicle. It's pretty much just a place to rest and store gear. Not the most convenient, but then again, anyone used to backpacking will revel in relative comfort. Check out Wander the West forum for a treasure trove of technical info, as well as trip info. There is even a pretty good classified section where used campers show up on occasion. There are a few other brands too, so plenty of options. The pie in the sky might be those new ones that are a modular fit to the flatbed they come with.

see you in the mountains.

ps - I'm also eagerly awaiting the reprint of the Alaska article from TDR31!

 

[JustDave]

George,
Yes, your replies are very helpful! Thank you very much. Earlier today, I thoroughly enjoyed reading through your "Alaska trip in a cab over camper" thread. Sounds like you prepared well and had a great trip. My trip should be quite similar.

The pop up that has my interest right now is the Northstar 850SC. It seems to match up to my truck quite well. It's narrow (7' wide), low profile, with minimal rear overhang on a long bed truck. It weighs less than 1700 lbs. dry w/o options. My estimate has it about 2500 lbs. ready to travel with full water, propane, and supplies.

I really like all the camper manufacturers you mentioned but each is either over my budget (the 850SC would be a stretch also) or weight limits. My truck weighs 6300 lbs with a GVWR of 8800 lbs. Hence the 850SC camper puts me right at my manufacturer limits. I run the Toyo Open Country A/T load range E tires. My suspension is currently stock but could retrofit if sway or squat is a problem. This is the best match for a 4 season capable camper I could find assuming the camper weights from the manufacturers website are accurate.

You bring up a good point about claustrophobia. It's not a problem for me alone but could be if my wife decides to join me. I'm far more tolerant of confined spaces than she. In fact she can't believe I'm comfortable in my minimalist backpacking shelters.

Thanks again for all the help and recommendations. I'm going to re-read your earlier thread to glean as much information as possible. All comments are welcome.

JustDave

 

[bheiting]

Shortly after I purchased my 2007 2500 QC short bed I bought a Four Wheel Camper slide in. It has a welded aluminum frame and is of the pop up variety. It's light weight and very durable. Has little wind resistance and weighs about 1200 lbs loaded. It's cozy, but after tent camping for years, I'm not complaining. I don't like the idea of pulling a trailer on a long trip, and the capability to go off road is always a plus. We took a trip across Canada in 2008 when diesel was $6. 50/gal. up there. Sometimes less is more. It's at times like that when 18mpg looks awfully good. I added PacBrake air bags and a sway bar. So far no problems with truck or camper. The demand for used Four Wheel campers is high so they maintain their value very well.
I agree with Mark McDaniel about the Wander the West forum. Lots of good suggestions and modification ideas. Happy Trails.

 

[JustDave]

Mark,
Greetings fellow backpacker! Thanks for the info about FWC. I have talked to them on the phone. I really like their camper line but was told their manual roof lift won't allow a roof top air conditioner on the Keystone model with a bathroom. I would really like to have a/c as an option if I decide to purchase a pop up. The southeast is just too hot and humid in the summer to be without.

The Granby model without a bathroom does have a wall mount a/c option and it would be functionally equivalent to a modified topper but with stand up headroom. The only downside is cost plus delivery to the east coast. The weight sure is right with FWC though.

My topper cost estimate also includes a roof top a/c unit. I'll have to modify the topper myself but that's not a problem. Obviously I wouldn't have a full bath in a topper but would have a Porta Potty and rely on the NoRinse products for hygiene. This is still the cheapest way to go but I'm still not sure it's my best choice. Ah the dilemma!

Also, thanks for the Wander the West link. I'll definitely check it out. I haven't spent any time there but have spent quite a bit of time on Expedition Portal. I've been intrigued with many of the builds, toppers, pop ups, vans, etc. This is probably the site that got me thinking about a topper application. There seems to be quite a following for a topper called Flippac. This doesn't suit my needs but there sure are some very interesting builds.

No doubt I'm trying to satisfy an Alaskan trip with this "camper". However, it will be used as base camp during later travels as well. As you mentioned, gear storage, relaxation, weatherproof shelter, safety, comfort, etc. are all part of the need. And my lightweight backpacking approach/philosophy is surely a big part of my camper solution.

Thanks again for the info. It's very much appreciated.

JustDave

 

[JustDave]

bheiting,
I definitely agree, less is more. I just filled up today and diesel was $3. 89/gallon here in Georgia. And it looks like it's only going to get worse. Definitely an incentive to be as efficient as possible.

I completely agree that FWC hold their value and are very difficult to find used. In fact, next to impossible here in the east. No doubt their quality and durability are very well known from which their their excellent reputation was earned.

Having a safe, comfortable, convenient place to crawl into at the end of the day (or week on the trail) is what I'm trying find or build. The result has to have value and reliability for the long haul to be successful.

Thanks for you input. It's much appreciated.

JustDave

 

[ENafziger]

I'll share some more thoughts when I have more time, but a couple more things to consider.

If your wife is going, you will DEFINATELY appreciate the room a travel trailer has to offer. The privelage of getting to pull over whereever/whenever and take a hot shower, cook dinner while listening to music, relaxing in the living room a little while enjoying the view, and then retiring for the night in a queen size bed is wonderful!

That being said, if it were just me by myself, I likely wouldn't have gone that route.

One major consideration may be the amount of time that you have. For us, the trip was hurried, and being able to pull over anywhere and shower/cook/nap/sleep/etc really helped us be able to cover as many miles as we could in a day. We never had to try to make it somewhere, have reservations, stop in a town with food, etc. A night or two sleeping in the bed of a truck isn't bad, and I've done it many times. After a few weeks, having a real bed makes alot of difference!

If you pull ANY type of trailer, I'd recommend a HEAVY set of mudflaps for the truck, and possibly trailer as well. A bug screen for the grill of the truck will do wonders for helping keep the radiator clean as well.

Since our camper was so long, I made a 6" lift for it before we left. If I hadn't done this, there would have been many places we simply could not have gone without dragging the back end of the trailer badly... yet another good argument for going with a shorter camper!

I too had pulled many trailers before heading out on this trip. I made ALOT of upgrades in preparation for the trip to my '06. These included Carli's 2. 65 kit with full leaves, LT Carli airbags, on-board air, exhaust brake, twin turbos, PTO cooler on the trans, gauges (oil temp, EGT, front diff temp, rear diff temp, oil pressure, rail pressure, fuel pressure, primary boost, secondary boost, voltmeter, etc) brake controller, borgeson steering shaft, Carli ball joints upper and lower, '08 steering upgrade, Redhead steering gearbox, DSSS, upper and lower Carli steering stabilizers, Carli sway bar, KORE control arms, custom mud flaps, Lightforce 240 HID lights, Bodygaurd bumpers, Lazarsmith traction bars, all synthetic fluids, 2 micron fuel filtration (and took spare filters), fresh cleaner and oil for air filter (you WILL need this, or a spare filter), Helix 2 cam to spool better at higher elevations, Southbend 3250 clutch, Class V hitch, weight distributing hitch with sway control, MagHytec covers front and rear, Dynatrac manual hub conversion with Dynaloc hubs, centramatic wheel balancers, cross and side toolboxes for gear (re-inforced with steel angle), Toyo load E tires, etc, etc.

I might have gone a little overboard on the pre-trip upgrades, but there's not anything I wish I hadn't done!!!

--Eric

 

[Grizzly]

JustDave,



The three most important things to take on a round trip to Alaska are:

1, The latest copy of the Milepost

2. AAA card

3, Two good flashlights



Of course there are many more things to take such as clothing for four seasons, GPS, cell phone, tools, oil and supplies for the truck, extra shoes, rain gear, Deepwood Off, camera, binoculars and I'm sure you'll think of other things.



george

 

[JustDave]

Eric,

I definitely agree that the trailer offers far more room and convenience when stopped. And it appears that travel trailers are less expensive for a similar specification. However, they're also heavier which could lower fuel economy and add more wear and tear to the truck.



Speaking of which, I have had transmission problems from all the heavy towing I've done in the past. I've replaced the 5th gear nut twice but haven't replaced the shaft yet. My reasoning was that I'd do it when I needed a new clutch.



I'm glad you brought up all your truck modifications because I'll be doing some prior to my trip. You really improved your truck and I hope to do the same to mine. It's time for the new clutch (South Bend dual disc) and I'm going to install an upgraded NV4500 along with it. It's also time for new shocks (probably Bilsteins this time) and probably rod ends and ball joints.



I've already addressed the usual culprits for the 2nd generation, 12v, trucks. I've tabbed my dowel pin and installed a new front seal, rebuilt the alternator, replaced the vacuum pump, new radiator, Borgeson steering shaft with the Rock Solid Ram Steering bushing, new fuel sending unit, yellow top Optimas, and so on. I run all synthetic lubricants throughout and perform routine changes more frequently than recommended. It only uses about a quart of oil about every 3,000 miles. Not too bad for 212,000 miles. It drives great, tracks straight, is very comfortable and reliable, and gets good fuel mileage.



At a minimum, I'll probably take a Genos boonie box along with an abbreviated assortment of tools. I have looked at the mud flaps in the Genos catalog. They look like a good addition.



If cost was not a concern and it was only me, my preference right now would be the pop up due to traveling convenience and stealth boon docking capabilities. But cost is a concern so the topper becomes a serious consideration. Maybe I'll be able to find a good used pop up somewhere at a price I can afford. However, this could easily change if my wife decides she wants to come along.



Thanks again for all the tips. They are very helpful.



JustDave

 

[JustDave]

George,
Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely get the 2011 Milepost edition. My neighbor was stationed in Alaska and recommended it as well. My son gave me a copy of Fodor's Alaska travel guide for Christmas. It has some very good tips in it that gave me a head start in my planning until the newest Milepost arrives at my local bookstore.

A AAA card is a great suggestion as well as other travel cards. I'll be taking my usual backpacking clothing along with some more dressy clothes. I can cover quite a temperature extreme and still be comfortable no matter the weather. My backpacking kit also contains lighting, water purification, first aid, sleep system, and so on.

Once I get all the equipment sorted out, then I have to decide when to go. I'd rather avoid the crowds so right now I'm considering late spring or early fall. Do you have a preference for either one? I definitely want to avoid mosquito season! I'm flexible and planning for 6-8 weeks travel duration.

This trip was supposed to happen this year until our daughter announced her engagement over the holidays. I didn't realize it cost so much to be father of the bride! Jeez. So I've delayed it till 2012. This gives me more time to plan, finalize equipment, and make a nearby shakedown run or two.

Thanks again.

JustDave

 

[Grizzly]

JustDave,

Both of our trips to Alaska started the last week of July and ended the last week of September. The reasons for that time frame are;

1, Less mosquitos.
2, Many travelers with children are leaving Alaska to get back for school.
3, Less overall tourists.
4, Less rain and snow melt runoff.
5, More grizzlies, which is one of the best viewing and picture taking attractions for us, as my user name implies. We love bears.
6, When leaving Alaska in early September you can find the best bargains on souvenir shopping. That's the only time we buy souvenirs.
7. Driving back to the lower 48, you run into the most spectacular fall colors.

That time frame will have less whales for viewing as they migrate south for the summer. We did see some however.

For us, 8 weeks is a minimum because there is so much to see and do. Spending time in Glacier NP, Yellowstone NP and Banff NP in BC are a must. So is Lake Louise and Jasper NP in BC. We would spend more time if my wife would only retire. She still has about two years to go. I am retired.

On our last trip we came back by way of the Cassier Hwy and spent time in Hyder, AK, which is on the most southern tip of Alaska. We saw many grizzlies and black bears as well as other wild life.

One word about purchasing a Pop-Up RV, if it has canvas sides, is that bears can and do rip through them. They are not allowed in the Fishing Bridge Campsite in Yellowstone and some other NP's. You can check it out by going to the National Parks web sites.

george

 

[ENafziger]

One word about purchasing a Pop-Up RV, if it has canvas sides, is that bears can and do rip through them. They are not allowed in the Fishing Bridge Campsite in Yellowstone and some other NP's. You can check it out by going to the National Parks web sites.

Great point George! ... and one that I meant to bring up. "Softside" camping is not allowed in many areas, and is just not smart in many others. That is one of the points that took me from a Maggiolino pop-up to a 31' TT.


--Eric

 

[Grizzly]

Great point George! ... and one that I meant to bring up. "Softside" camping is not allowed in many areas, and is just not smart in many others. That is one of the points that took me from a Maggiolino pop-up to a 31' TT.





--Eric

I suppose if a bear wanted to get into a hard sided trailer, he could bust in, but I feel better knowing that the racket he'd make busting through a hard wall trailer will awaken me so I have time to do something. On the other hand if all the bear has to do to get into a canvas sided trailer is just scratch it with their powerful claws, that doesn't give you any time to react. I read about bears mauling people sleeping in tents every summer.



george

 

[JustDave]

George,
Thanks. My preference is for a fall trip for the reasons you mentioned. I also think the 8 week duration is best for me too because it lets me investigate areas without feeling rushed.

Here are several more questions;
1. Did you find enough dump stations and fresh water sources?
2. Did you find convenient grocery stores, Wal-Marts, etc. for provisions?
3. Did you find convenient laundries in the smaller towns?
4. Did you have any travel restrictions (height, length, weight) on ferry boats?

My thinking is to travel for 4-5 days at a time then stop for provisions, laundry, relaxation, etc. Of course I'd like the stops to coincide with site seeing if possible. But many times in my past travels, the site seeing was significantly away from any services. I'd like to stop somewhat frequently to keep my travel weight to a minimum and also let me look around the surrounding areas. Some of my best travel experiences have been in areas that are not known as a "destination". Also, I think some of the larger truck stops have all these services and I'd use them but I'd rather experience the local ambience if convenient.

Thanks again.

JustDave

 

[JustDave]

George and Eric,
I had read that pop ups are restricted at Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone. I'm not sure why but it's their rule apparently. If it is a bear problem, then you'd think anyone walking around the campground would be at risk.

My backpacking has taken me into areas that have large predators, bears, cats, etc. I'm ever vigilant and never quite sure what's around the next bend or what's walking through my campsite at night. It's definitely prudent to provide as much of a barrier possible between you and a predator as possible. However, the bears I've seen wouldn't care if it was a soft or hard wall. They're coming in if they smell a snack or feel threatened.

I think an easy solution to this issue is to keep the top down when sleeping. Northstar told me their interior is very usable when the top is in travel position, 4-5' of headroom. I could easily sleep on the dinette then raise the top in the morning when I need stand up head room. I actually like this because I can really be stealth boon docking when in other, possibly more populous areas. Interestingly, some of the other pop up manufacturers don't have a user friendly interior when the top is down. Obviously, this wouldn't be a problem with the topper.

This discussion brings up another about personal protection. I plan on taking bear spray but nothing else. I'm not planning on any hunting so I'll be leaving the firearms at home. I have traveled with my long guns during my shotgunning days but that was a long time ago and I'm sure the permitting and licensing have changed. Not to mention getting them in and out of Canada. Did either of you take a firearm and did you have any problems with the border crossings?

Thanks again.

JustDave