Help me pack - 10 day adventure

[kate8888]

We are fairly new Scamp owners. We purchased a 2010 13' Scamp and have taken it out to camp about 3 times for weekend adventures and

We are headed out after Christmas for a 10 day long trip from North Georgia to Key West and back. I am trying to figure out the most efficient way to pack for a trip this long since we've never been gone more than 2 nights. I would love some advice on how best to organize and pack our tow vehicle (Tahoe) and Scamp. I've searched Pinterest for ideas but not much turns up. Show me or tell me your packing secrets!

[rgrugg]

No matter how long I’m going to be away if it’s more than a few days I take clothes for 8 days including being away all winter. I take food for 3-4 days.

[Eddie Longest]

First/ last travel day you will need to wear/carry layered winter clothes and shoes. I put those clothes in an empty gym bag and store them in the car after the first day for use on the return trip. It can get cold above Orlando. Once below I-4 (Orlando) expect 60-80f days and 40-60's at night in Dec. Make sure you bring a rain jacket even though it hasn't rained but once in the last month. Once the weather drops below 60F locals consider this winter weather and the women wear their winter boots. You can tell the snowbirds since they are still wearing shorts when the temp. drops into the 40's.
With the S-13 we stowed our clothes in soft bags in the car and only took your next days outfit into the trailer the night before. We use Micro fiber towels camping towels. It takes a while to get use to them. They are compact, dry fast and some are treated so they won't sour.
Fill your windshield washer fluid before leaving home. It's hard to find winter windshield washer fluid down here if returning to colder weather.

Hope this helps.

Eddie

[Tammie]

Lucky you!
Bob's advice sounds good to me- about a week's worth of clothes because there's always a little laundry I'd like to do, and a few days' food until we can shop locally at our destination- always fun and interesting.

Every February, we travel about 600 miles south to Ormond Beach, FL for a week or more. Our rig is similar to yours, a 15 ft ParkLiner and a GMC Yukon, twin to your Tahoe. Since the ParkLiner is always packed with "household" items like bedding, dishes, pots & pans, we limit what we add to just what Bob suggested- our clothes put into the cabinets, and a cooler of food, to be transferred into the fridge after arrival.

The Yukon is better suited for bigger, heavier things like our pop-up canopy, folding chairs, outdoor kitchen table, and two medium size heavy-duty plastic boxes. We used to use one big box, but found two smaller ones were easier to handle and better to sort different things. One holds a small grill, charcoal and all the related tools that can get pretty messy. The other box is for other outdoor tools, keeping the back of the car (aka storage shed) more organized. Also useful is a set of clear plastic drawers for flash lights, candles, bugspray, etc.
Since our cars are similar, you might be interested to know that we keep the middle row of seats up and fairly empty. With the rear cargo area full of camping, fishing and kayaking gear, it's nice to have the middle seats open to throw jackets, groceries, or the occasional passenger in.

Eddie has great advice about the temperature changes! Too many times, I'm still in flipflops when we return home to the frigid North (Alabama)
Also, be sure you have more antifreeze ready when you get home. No fun searching for some at midnight on that last leg of the trip. Ask me how I know...

Enjoy your trip to the Keys!

[thrifty bill]

Remember there are Walmarts everywhere! So don't sweat forgetting something.

Generally we take one week's worth of clothes on our long trips and count on doing laundry. Figure layers as Key West weather is going to be a lot warmer than Atlanta this time of year.

[sharon_b]

Don’t overthink it, don’t over-pack. Use the KISS theory. You’ll be surprised how much you can do with less. Bring things that have multi uses. I know it’s not environmentally correct but bring disposable stuff like plates & silverware - you’re there to make memories not waste time doing dishes. Prepare meals as much as you can before you go so mealtime is fast & easy. But make sure they are tasty! Nothing like being in the middle of nowhere & being hungry. Buy a big bag of jerky or trail mix & portion it into snack packs so you can grab-n-go without toting or smashing the whole thing. Most of all, have fun!

[sharon_b]

Don’t overthink it, don’t over-pack. Use the KISS theory. You’ll be surprised how much you can do with less. Bring things that have multi uses. I know it’s not environmentally correct but bring disposable stuff like plates & silverware - you’re there to make memories not waste time doing dishes. Prepare meals as much as you can before you go so mealtime is fast & easy. But make sure they are tasty! Nothing like being in the middle of nowhere & being hungry. Buy a big bag of jerky or trail mix & portion it into snack packs so you can grab-n-go without toting or smashing the whole thing. Most of all, have fun!

[Jon in AZ]

We like keeping the trailer uncluttered. One thing that has worked well for us (with four people in a 13' Scamp) is storing clothes in the tow vehicle. Each person has their own duffle. Take just what you need for the night into the trailer.

A bonus is you always have extra clothes in the car if an emergency or sudden change of weather catches you away from camp on a day outing.

We have pared our cookware down to three items: a medium stock pot, a large non-stick skillet, and a percolator (minus the insides) for heating water. For us cooking from scratch is one of the pleasures of camping, including a lot of grilling on our trusty Weber Little Joe. We freeze the meat ahead and cook as it thaws. Leftover grilled meats and veggies from dinner, chopped and sautéed with eggs and wrapped in a tortilla, makes a quick and satisfying breakfast the next morning.

We always carry a few quick, non-perishable meals- spicy ramen, canned ravioli, boxed mac&cheese- for days when we arrive in camp late and/or tired.

[kate8888]

Thank you all! Such a wealth of information here. We will be traveling as a family of 4, 2 kids + 2 adults.

I struggle with what to pack where. We typically pack clothes in the Scamp and food in the Tahoe - but I can see how it makes more sense to do the opposite. I don't plan to buy too much food since we will be stopping along the way. It's a 10 day trip, but we are not spending more than 2 nights in any one location so I want to pack in a way that is easy to set up and pack up. Going for easy, functional and minimal.

Also - we currently do not travel with a pop-up shelter as most of our campsites here in N. Georgia are plenty shaded. I think it's a good idea to pack one for this trip. Any thoughts on models? The tailgate kind seem heavy and hard for 2 people to set up. I am leaning towards one of the Clam models or a Kelty Shade Maker.

Any of you ever consider installing shelves for long road trips? We hope to make this an annual outing so I like the idea of something that is easy to put in, then disassemble and store in between trips.
I have no interest in making a camp kitchen - looking at the shelving only.

[Tammie]

Hi Kate,
The Clam is realllly long when folded up for travel! I’m not sure it will fit easily in the back of the Tahoe with the kids in the middle seat. We have to fold down the single seat in our Yukon to carry it.
If you can, stop by “Robert is Here” in Homestead on your way to the Keys. Amazing selection of tropical fruits, and pretty good milkshakes too!
Enjoy the trip!
Tammie

[mary and bob]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is; do you have campsites reserved for the whole trip. It's difficult to get reservations in southern Florida and the Keys during the winter months. State park reservations have to be made way ahead, 11 months ahead is the reservation window. Private campgrounds are expensive. Have a great trip.

[kate8888]

@maryandbog, Yes! I do have all our campsites mapped out and reserved for the whole trip . . . except one night and only b/c Long Pine Key Campground doesn't take reservations.

Just for the fun of it, here is our itinerary

Day 1: Drive to Chassahowitzka River Campground in Homosassa, FL
Day 2: See the manatees at Three Sisters Spring
Day 3: Scenic drive towards the Everglades to Long Pine Key Campground in Homestead, FL
Day 4: Hike around the park and then drive to Leo's Campground on Key West
Day 5: Sight see in Key West
Day 6: Leisurely drive out of the Keys and camp on a private site in Pembroke, FL
Day 7: Drive to Jonathan Dickenson State Park in Jupiter, FL and see the Loggerhead Turtle Center
Day 8: Drive to Orlando and abandon the Scamp for a hotel
Day 9: Harry Potter World!
Day 10: Drive home sweet home.

@Tammie, good to know about the Clam! We are staying in Homestead one night so we will definitely check out Robert is Here. I would love any other suggestions if you have about places to see in the area or anywhere along our route. It's a whirlwind trip for sure.

[Tammie]

The Coral Castle is near Homestead- mysterious and memorable, like a modern-day Stonehenge. The entrance fee is a little spendy, but check out their website.

[thrifty bill]

I only take a free standing shelter when I am spending several days in one spot. Otherwise, I find them bulky to haul around. And a good awning can serve a similar purpose, not quite as good, but when attached to the trailer, its easy!

One day in Key West is not enough, make plans to go back again! We like to rent bikes in Key West. The island is flat and compact, so you can easily cover the entire island by bicycle.

[Paul and Jo]

Hi, Congrats on the long trip. Here are a few things we do. We freeze a case or more of 16oz bottled water. Put some in the fridge to help it stay cold while traveling (our 12volt doesn't keep it cold enough), the rest goes in the cooler in the tow vehicle, along with snacks.I also freeze juice in plastic jugs. I plan meals and post my list in the cupboard.When I'm tired and hungry I don't have to think about what to make.We try not to eat out too often, only for special meals (frugal). Chile, Spaghetti, and stew are easily frozen ahead of time. French bread works good for us, makes sandwiches and can pan fry for different tasting toast. We take peanut butter, tuna packets, summer sausage and cheese for quick and easy lunch with vegies. Paper plates are good! Canned chicken makes a decent enough meal mixed into a dry pack of rice a roni or pasta mix. Light weight and non-perishable. Also a pack or two of dry soup mix for those rainy days. I crack eggs into a tupperware, 3 per container for us. Leftover chile on scrambled eggs, yum! Plan to be flexible,things don't always go as planned.We each pick one thing that's really important we want to do/see, the rest is bonus.You can't do it all in one trip.Plan on doing laundry once, bring your own detergent, do this on a "down" day Plan a down day!Keep a journal, the kids will treasure it when they're older. Also helps to keep notes of what does and doesn't work for you. Excited for you! Family trips are the best memories of my life. Have fun, and don't forget to love on each other. Blessings!

[steve dunham]

For a short trip of only 10 days I wouldn’t be too concerned
Our trailer is always loaded except for fresh foods and water
One thing to remember is if you forget something you can always buy it on the
road .