geeked to be a new Burro owner + new to forum

[jen b]

Hi all, I discovered this brilliant site while reading and learning about small campers - what a super pile of information this place is! As of today, I've become the new owner of a 1980 13-foot Burro. I can't wait to start using it. I'm planning a camping trip to Newfoundland and Labrador next year, and as I enjoy doing wildlife photography, I also see a lot of weekend trips to Pennsylvania elk country and regional wildlife refuges in the near future.

I stepped into the fiberglass egg world in a weird sort of way: just a couple of weeks ago I finished a 465 mile walk across Pennsylvania (with a pack horse along) and two of my overnight hosts along the way put me up in their campers (one was the living quarters section of a big, nice horse trailer, and the other was a traditional stick-built longish sort of thing). Let me tell you, I'm 41 and had never slept in one! I was charmed and immediately started trying to figure out how to get some sort of RV/camper into my life.

The question of what I could tow with my Subaru Forester led me to the fiberglass eggs by way of T@bs and other ultralight models, and before my husband knew what happened, I'd made a deal on a Burro in Minnesota. Uh, I live in Philadelphia. Yeah, I'm that guy who bought a trailer without checking it out first. I'm guessing I can resell it quickly enough if I hate it. But I don't think I'll hate it.

I'll be collecting the Burro at some point in the next couple of weeks after I get a hitch installed on the car and all that jazz. It's tempting to head up there over the thanksgiving holiday, but I'm not super excited about coming home in holiday traffic on the PA Turnpike.

I've towed stuff plenty before, having had a couple of horse trailers and an old Suburban, but the whole camper-trailer world is totally new to me, so I might well be picking your brains here left and right about everything.

Here are photos of the lil' fella. The seller had put it up on craigslist just the other day, but some of you might have bumped into the ad. Anywhoodle, I'm looking forward to sprucing it up, camping, and reporting back.

[Emily R.]

Congrats!
Your my kinda girl....Jump in with two feet or don't jump in at all!
Have fun with your "new" trailer.
Emily

[Penney H. & Mike E.]

Congratulations and welcome to the world of eggs! Our 'first' was a 13' Burro, 1987, and we loved it, needing something larger for 'aging' bodies, we got our Escape spring of 09. The double walled construction of the Burro gives it a wonderful light, clean feeling. And it is so easy to maneuver into cozy camping spots.

The pictures of your Burro certainly look like it has been kept up and is in good shape. We had 'hidden' mold in ours, which we didn't discover until after we purchased it - in the cushions, the cupboards and between the walls where a leak around the vent had let water in (there was no forum then, no check list of things to look at, we were 'green', tenters just wanting to get off the ground). But I think our experience was the exception.....generally if a trailer looks like it has been cared for it has. Hopefully there is an 'opt' out clause if you get there and discover something, either that or you paid a good price and if it requires a little fix'n you'll feel okay making the investment. I would suggest when you get it home check all the seals and caulking and be sure it is tight, older trailers are more prone to leak due to dried out sealants.

You will love traveling and camping with your Burro, and watching heads turn! I always felt people would look at us, tallish folks, and wonder how we fit in our Burro!

Enjoy!

Penney

[JMS]

We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy ours!

Originally Posted by jen b

Hi all, I discovered this brilliant site while reading and learning about small campers - what a super pile of information this place is! As of today, I've become the new owner of a 1980 13-foot Burro. I can't wait to start using it. I'm planning a camping trip to Newfoundland and Labrador next year, and as I enjoy doing wildlife photography, I also see a lot of weekend trips to Pennsylvania elk country and regional wildlife refuges in the near future.

I stepped into the fiberglass egg world in a weird sort of way: just a couple of weeks ago I finished a 465 mile walk across Pennsylvania (with a pack horse along) and two of my overnight hosts along the way put me up in their campers (one was the living quarters section of a big, nice horse trailer, and the other was a traditional stick-built longish sort of thing). Let me tell you, I'm 41 and had never slept in one! I was charmed and immediately started trying to figure out how to get some sort of RV/camper into my life.

The question of what I could tow with my Subaru Forester led me to the fiberglass eggs by way of T@bs and other ultralight models, and before my husband knew what happened, I'd made a deal on a Burro in Minnesota. Uh, I live in Philadelphia. Yeah, I'm that guy who bought a trailer without checking it out first. I'm guessing I can resell it quickly enough if I hate it. But I don't think I'll hate it.

I'll be collecting the Burro at some point in the next couple of weeks after I get a hitch installed on the car and all that jazz. It's tempting to head up there over the thanksgiving holiday, but I'm not super excited about coming home in holiday traffic on the PA Turnpike.

I've towed stuff plenty before, having had a couple of horse trailers and an old Suburban, but the whole camper-trailer world is totally new to me, so I might well be picking your brains here left and right about everything.

Here are photos of the lil' fella. The seller had put it up on craigslist just the other day, but some of you might have bumped into the ad. Anywhoodle, I'm looking forward to sprucing it up, camping, and reporting back.

[Lizbeth]

Welcome and congratulations! Let the fun begin!

[jen b]

Thanks, gang! Penney, you hit it on the "great deal, don't mind putting some work into tweaking and fixing." I have a super handy dad who will help me make sure we're safe, waterproof, unstinky, and roadworthy.

But UGH, I won't be able to fetch the thing from MN for another 2 weeks. Killing me.

[Bill K]

If you are planning on coming back on the turnpikes be sure you have extra money as the tolls are high with a trailer on.

I avoid toll roads.

Bill K

Originally Posted by jen b

Thanks, gang! Penney, you hit it on the "great deal, don't mind putting some work into tweaking and fixing." I have a super handy dad who will help me make sure we're safe, waterproof, unstinky, and roadworthy.

But UGH, I won't be able to fetch the thing from MN for another 2 weeks. Killing me.

[Joe Z]

Jen B
We're only about 65 miles north of you in Reading Pa...... nice to see another Egg in this area as they are rare .Nice looking burro you found and good luck with it.
There's a state park north of you called French Creek State Park (near Birdsboro) which you may want to use for a shakedown cruise.... it's a really nice park with two large lakes.
Joe

[jen b]

Originally Posted by Joe Z

Jen B
We're only about 65 miles north of you in Reading Pa...... nice to see another Egg in this area as they are rare .Nice looking burro you found and good luck with it.
There's a state park north of you called French Creek State Park (near Birdsboro) which you may want to use for a shakedown cruise.... it's a really nice park with two large lakes.
Joe

Hi Joe Z! I'm familiar with French Creek, having done a bit of hiking on the Horseshoe Trail through there. That's a great idea, doing a shakedown trip there. Wharton State Forest in the NJ pine barrens also has some nice camping, just an hour away from here.

And while I have your attention, I am having a hard time finding the answer to this on the normally helpful Penndot website: what are the insurance and inspection rules for PA on trailers this size? I honestly cannot remember whether I had to get insurance for my horse trailers. I suspect not.

[Joe Z]

Originally Posted by jen b

Hi Joe Z! I'm familiar with French Creek, having done a bit of hiking on the Horseshoe Trail through there. That's a great idea, doing a shakedown trip there. Wharton State Forest in the NJ pine barrens also has some nice camping, just an hour away from here.
I used to live in the Pine barrens (Little Egg Harbor)and it is really a magical place to me..... I like Bass River state Park down there (no hookups but water spigots thruout).... If you want water and electric hookups i use Turkey Swamp county park in Jackson Nj and it is a really nice wooded place with large campsites
And while I have your attention, I am having a hard time finding the answer to this on the normally helpful Penndot website: what are the insurance and inspection rules for PA on trailers this size? I honestly cannot remember whether I had to get insurance for my horse trailers. I suspect not.
Any trailer 3000lbs or more must be inspected so my 16' trailer at 2400 lbs is not inspected and while you can get insurance for your trailer for damage to your trailer which i don't have..... but my insurance company (Motorists) told me that while i am towing it i am covered for liability only and that when i park it in my yard it is not covered by auto or homeowners insurance so i park it far away from any trees that may fall and damage it...... the problem i had with insuring a 1994 trailer was that by their records the trailer was only worth $2500 so i am just real careful. If you come up with anything better for insurance please pm me of any findings.

Joe
Subchapter G - Recreational, Semi- And Utility Trailers
G
175.130 INSPECTION PROCEDURE.
(a) External Inspection
An external inspection of a trailer over
3,000 pounds registered gross weight shall
be performed as follows:
(1) Verify the ownership and legality. For the
purpose of this subchapter, ownership
and legality shall be proven by a vehicle
registration card, certificate of title or
manufacturer’s statement of origin.


Go down tp page G-4 Inspection procedures for the 3000 lb rule

[David & Leslie]

Hi, Jenv - welcome to this egg-stra special website, and congrats on the 'new-to-you" Burro. Looks like you found a pretty neat trailer. Enjoy the process of making it truly your own, and we wish you safe journeys and many memories. L 'n D

[Bruce Thomas]

how long did it take you to walk 465 miles? welcome to the forum and camping ...Bruce

[jen b]

Joe, thank you!

Bruce, it was 33 days which included 3 full rest days.

[John Hunt]

Hello Jen, I had been looking at that burro everyday on craigslist, and am happy someone bought it so I can continue to be content with my scamp. That trailer looks to be in awesome shape, and the price was more than fair. I would call your long distance purchase a success, even if you ultimately find something that needs repair.

[Kevin K]

Hate to tell you, but, YOU are NOT a geek, if you own a fiberglass trailer.
You are JUST ANOTHER SMART BUYER.

By the way EVERYONE have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING

[Borden]

I'm planning a camping trip to Northwest Ontario and Winnipeg next year with our new boler, and also enjoy doing wildflower photography. (Have family in Newfoundland you will find it a real treat.) T@bs was to heavy at 3000lbs, so we purchased a 17' boler current weight with mods 2000lbs. We have a Corolla with dealer installed tow package, proportional trailer brakes and progressive trans cooler. More than you will need but the cooler is a good idea. What is the weight of a borro?

[Roger C H]

I well remember the excitement we experienced when we purchased our Trillium.

You may be surprised to know that, although Burros haven't been made for 10 years, there is still a website!

travel trailers-burro travel trailer manufacture anniversary models

Enjoy!

BTW: According to the website, Burros made a 17' and a 14', not a 13'. I am open to correction.

Roger C H

[jen b]

I've seen the website, and couldn't tell whether it was active or abandoned. But come to think of it, I guess I haven't noticed anybody talking about their brand-new Burro in the present tense. My impression is that the 14' and 17' were the more recent models, and everything I've seen about the older Burros confirms they were originally 13' campers.

I ran across an old Scientific American article from the early 80s about new-improved lightweight RVs and campers that featured a photo of a Burro. I'll have to track that down again.

[Wallo]

Originally Posted by jen b

I also see a lot of weekend trips to Pennsylvania elk country and regional wildlife refuges in the near future.


The question of what I could tow with my Subaru Forester led me to the fiberglass eggs by way of T@bs and other ultralight models, and before my husband knew what happened, I'd made a deal on a Burro in Minnesota. Anywhoodle, I'm looking forward to sprucing it up, camping, and reporting back.

Congratulations on your new addition!!! You should have no problem towing with a Forester. I have a 2009 Forester, and pull a 13' Scamp with no problem at all. Does the camper have electric brakes? If so, a brake controller would not be overkill.

Enjoy your visits to Elk County, I know St. Mary's well from growing up there. Route 322 across PA is a pretty, scenic drive.

Best wishes for many memorable travels.
Alice

[jen b]

Originally Posted by Wallo

Congratulations on your new addition!!! You should have no problem towing with a Forester. I have a 2009 Forester, and pull a 13' Scamp with no problem at all. Does the camper have electric brakes? If so, a brake controller would not be overkill.

Enjoy your visits to Elk County, I know St. Mary's well from growing up there. Route 322 across PA is a pretty, scenic drive.

Best wishes for many memorable travels.
Alice

Alice, thanks! St Mary's is an adorable town. I love the northern tier of PA.

The Burro does not have brakes right now, so my plan is, after I go and fetch it this weekend, to leave it with an RV sales/service place near my folks' house in Pittsburgh to install a new axle with brakes and to give all the wiring a look-see.

I'm hoping for manageable weather this weekend. I'm trundling over to Pittsburgh on Friday to pick up my dad and his truck, and then we're going to just blast on up to Minneapolis overnight, collect the camper Saturday morning, and then blast on back to Pittsburgh so I can catch a Megabus back to Philadelphia Sunday night in time to be at the office Monday morning. I feel tired already.