Trillium 4500 for a family of 7

[David Tilston]

Hi all,

My family of 7 have been travelling every summer for the last 4 years in a 97 Safari mini van. The kids are from 17 to 5.
Four years ago, when we started this, we drove from Calgary, Alberta to Manitoulin island in Ontario. After three days on the road, we arrived at my dad's lake front cottage. One of the older kids, after exploring for a bit says, "Daddy it's even better then the trip!". They travel well.
We were over loaded on the first trip, and it's even worse now. This year, after the second trip to Manitoulin, we decided to upgrade. We now have a Trillium 4500 and a Savanna travel van, (See the attached pictures from the kijiji ads).
The plan is to stop at convenient rest stops when we get tired, pack the five kids into the trailer to sleep, (one on the floor) and the wife and I sleep in the bed/back bench of the van. More or less zero setup, zero pack-up.
While camping is good. This was purchased to travel.

[Kevin K]

Reminds me when I was a kid. My dad had a 11' pickup camper on a 1962 Chev 3/4 ton truck and the 7 of us went to the west coast, in 1964. 3 sleeping above the cab in the camper, 2 on the dinette, 1 on the floor and 1 inside the truck cab. We had a blast. Kids ages 14,12,10,8 and 1 year old. THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

[Donna D.]

Kids are far more resilent than adults (sometimes) give them credit for. I understand everyone needs a place to sleep... but it (obviously) doesn't always need to be in a "bed."

Good for you David for making this work for you and the family The memories you're making are priceless.

Welcome to FiberglassRV BTW!!!!

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Kids are far more resilent than adults (sometimes) give them credit for. I understand everyone needs a place to sleep... but it (obviously) doesn't always need to be in a "bed."

Good for you David for making this work for you and the family The memories you're making are priceless.

Welcome to FiberglassRV BTW!!!!

The oldest is 17. We are not sure how much longer he will be coming with us. He can't see any reason stop ,(failure to launch?). Bear in mind that last year it was tents and a very crowed mini van. The next trip will be a luxury cruse by comparison.

[CindyL]

Spent a couple of days on a beach in Manitoulin Island year before last. Beautiful place. We had fun walking through the rocks and building our own Inuksuk out of the gravel.

CindyL

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

The oldest is 17. We are not sure how much longer he will be coming with us. He can't see any reason stop ,(failure to launch?).

Have you already sold the mini-van? It might be a launch-pad for him...

[kootenaigirl]

What a great set up for everyone. Your trillium looks in really good shape..

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

What a great set up for everyone. Your trillium looks in really good shape..

It is in awsom shape! It is so close to factory stock that when I put the Fantastic fan in, I almost felt like I was committing a minor crime.
If it had the orignal curtains, and all the white mac-tac had not peeled off of the plywood cabnets at either end. I would have had to find a collector to sell it to.
I have plans... So far, the fan, I have also removed the broken shore power cord and replaced it with a 15A power inlet fitting and 12/3 to the converter. Larger then required, but that's not a bad thing.
Inside has been mostly cleaning. The 17 year old had blowen it big time that week. Date with my wife Cirqu-de-solai (sp?) tickets... great plans... and then a call from home. Anyway, he did all the gross cleaning jobs, and there were lots of those. But a good scrub inside and out, and it looks amazing.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Frederick L. Simson

Have you already sold the mini-van? It might be a launch-pad for him...

No, we still have the mini-van, and school bus, (see pictures in previous post). It has seats for eight where the travel van only seats seven, (in amazing comfort) and mini works way better in a parking lot. I may be stuck with him.

[theresa p]

hey dave, sure like your style! i have many happy memories of camping as a kid when we slept sprawled in the back of the station wagon--the 3 girls--while my brothers slept across the front and back bench seats. mom and dad were outside under the stars.
my favourite part of your drive to manitoulin is rounding superior from about terrace bay down to the soo. bet that ol' superior water hasn't warmed up one degree since i was last there!!!! very similar to the frigid waters in the bay of fundy here.
happy camping!!

[David Tilston]

theresa p - Yes the road from Thunder Bay to the Soo is beautiful. This year we stayed at Sleeping Giant camp ground, and my wife insisted that we do a day at an amethyst mine. We came away from there even more over loaded. I want to stop at every rest stop and dip my feet in the cold water. After the numbness sets in, it is not so bad. But from the Ontario border on is very nice. There is a rest stop in Ontario maybe 100 to 150 km east of the border that we have hit 3 out of 4 time going past. Nice place. There are fingers of rock going out about 30m (100') into the little lake there.
My dad's place on Manitoulin is on lake Manitou. This is a deep spring fed lake that is usually very cold. This year, and I have a hard time believing the thermometer, the lake was 24 deg C, (75 F). The 14 year old twins were in the water more then out. One of them was under water more then on the surface.
Next year it is Green Point camp ground on Vancouver Island in early July.

[CindyL]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

theresa p - Yes the road from Thunder Bay to the Soo is beautiful. This year we stayed at Sleeping Giant camp ground, and my wife insisted that we do a day at an amethyst mine. We came away from there even more over loaded. I want to stop at every rest stop and dip my feet in the cold water. After the numbness sets in, it is not so bad. But from the Ontario border on is very nice. There is a rest stop in Ontario maybe 100 to 150 km east of the border that we have hit 3 out of 4 time going past. Nice place. There are fingers of rock going out about 30m (100') into the little lake there.
My dad's place on Manitoulin is on lake Manitou. This is a deep spring fed lake that is usually very cold. This year, and I have a hard time believing the thermometer, the lake was 24 deg C, (75 F). The 14 year old twins were in the water more then out. One of them was under water more then on the surface.
Next year it is Green Point camp ground on Vancouver Island in early July.

We circled that lake a lot when we were there. Interesting place. Fun riding the ferry as we were leaving. We had never taken a trailer on a ferry before.



CindyL

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by CindyL

We circled that lake a lot when we were there. Interesting place. Fun riding the ferry as we were leaving. We had never taken a trailer on a ferry before.
CindyL

The place that my dad lives in has been in the family for four generations, (the pictures are then and now). His place is the boat house in the older picture. It has been renovated a bit.

We took that ferry, the Chi-cheemaun many times as a kid. The boat that it replaced was a side loading boat. Getting on it was so hard that the crew of the ferry would drive all the vehicles on and off. A trailer would be hard.

[theresa p]

took lots of trips on the ChiCheemaun, too, as we lived near Owen Sound for about 7 years. this thread is sure bringing back some wonderful memories!!



and dave---have you checked out melissa's posting about a bunk set-up for her T@b?? it might be an idea to incorporate into your trillium so no one has to sleep on the floor.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by theresa p

and dave---have you checked out melissa's posting about a bunk set-up for her T@b?? it might be an idea to incorporate into your trillium so no one has to sleep on the floor.

Truth is I have two small kids 5 and 8, and one of the twins are quite small. I think I can put all three in the dinette bed, heads toward the back window. It sure seems large enough. The five year old seem very enthusiastic about sleeping under the table. He likes small spaces. I think we will be OK.

I did see the attached picture from a Trillium brochure. Not sure how the upper bed is supported, or how much weight it can carry. This option would let my little egg to sleep six. Half a dozen. I have never seen this option on any trailer for sale.

[CindyL]

A couple of Manitoulin Island pix.

CindyL