justbecause
perpetually lost
swimming with leaches builds character. I think they were added to the water at the Scout Camp.
Boomer the Quadravan 4x4 Camper
- Thread starter spencyg
- Start date
A bite to eat, and then it was time to hit the AT, hoping to link up with the Gulf Hagas trails before the girls were totally worn out.
We did about 3 miles total, and the end had maybe a bit more tears from the little ladies than we all wanted, but so it goes. They did a great job overall and we did make it to the Gulf Hagas connector before calling it a day.
The woods were VERY busy on this particular day, as we easily passed 20 other parties.
Upon return back to camp, we settled in for some resting and dinner.
The next morning was a bit of a blur for whatever reason. We got out of the woods without any issues and when asked where we had camped by the attendant at the gate we exited KIW from, he couldn't believe that the van had been at Hays Brook the night before.
Him: Where'd ya stay?
Me: Hays Brook
Him: Hays broo....huh?
Me: Yeah, it was a little tight but we got in and out fine
Him: I can't believe that. I won't even take our service truck down there
Me: (I can tell)
Him: Yeah...I hike in from Gulf Hagas every time I need to do anything at Hays Brook
Me: ....
The plan after leaving KIW was to hopefully get an open spot at Lilly Bay State Park on Moosehead lake, but a call ahead suggested all sites were taken, but that they did have a few non-reservation sites which can be had by chance. The only other option was to enter the North Maine Woods via Kokadjo, but that was going to add many hours of driving and the little ladies were likely going to protest...a lot.
Luckily we arrived just in time to get a gorgeous spot right on the lake. We stopped just long enough to have lunch and wait out a thunderstorm, then headed in search of a crashed B52.
SG
We did about 3 miles total, and the end had maybe a bit more tears from the little ladies than we all wanted, but so it goes. They did a great job overall and we did make it to the Gulf Hagas connector before calling it a day.
The woods were VERY busy on this particular day, as we easily passed 20 other parties.
Upon return back to camp, we settled in for some resting and dinner.
The next morning was a bit of a blur for whatever reason. We got out of the woods without any issues and when asked where we had camped by the attendant at the gate we exited KIW from, he couldn't believe that the van had been at Hays Brook the night before.
Him: Where'd ya stay?
Me: Hays Brook
Him: Hays broo....huh?
Me: Yeah, it was a little tight but we got in and out fine
Him: I can't believe that. I won't even take our service truck down there
Me: (I can tell)
Him: Yeah...I hike in from Gulf Hagas every time I need to do anything at Hays Brook
Me: ....
The plan after leaving KIW was to hopefully get an open spot at Lilly Bay State Park on Moosehead lake, but a call ahead suggested all sites were taken, but that they did have a few non-reservation sites which can be had by chance. The only other option was to enter the North Maine Woods via Kokadjo, but that was going to add many hours of driving and the little ladies were likely going to protest...a lot.
Luckily we arrived just in time to get a gorgeous spot right on the lake. We stopped just long enough to have lunch and wait out a thunderstorm, then headed in search of a crashed B52.
SG
The B52 site is admittedly a bit more touristy than I like. It has signage all along the nicely maintained dirt road making sure that all who want to find it won't end up another casualty of deep woods stupidity.
The entrance to the site is covered in signage...I think we're here.
Immediately upon entering there is debris scattered on the ground and in the trees.
You actually have to be kind of careful, as the trail has shards of metal sticking right out of the path. At first I was a little taken aback by how intense the debris field was.
But then I read a sign.
Now, the crash did happen and people did die. But to have the whole site basically scoured by government officials, then have it "all" returned years later is both odd, and completely takes away from what I thought this site was.
After understanding the reality of the situation, things started to seem odd. Like parts of airplanes conveniently perched in a 15 year old tree.
And every single piece of debris had an american flag stabbed through the middle of it. I dunno....it all seemed contrived.
There was some cool wreckage though, but it is clear that they only replaced a fraction of what debris was removed so many years before, and who even knows whether the debris they brought back was from the actual B52...or from a B52 at all.
I still appreciate good welds...even in a plane crash site in the middle of the woods.
After we'd had our fill of that, we headed back to the lake where the afternoon was filled with swimming, fishing, and general tomfoolery.
Games and drawing up at the picnic table, dinner, smores and sleep.
The following day was the long drive home which of course wasn't full of well rested, good smelling cheerful children like you might otherwise hope...but who can blame them. The woods will wear you out, no matter how much fun you've had.
That wraps up the summer fun for 2015. We'll be at VOR in a few weeks and hope to meet some of you folks there. Then comes DRAM3....
Stay tuned.
SG + Family.
The entrance to the site is covered in signage...I think we're here.
Immediately upon entering there is debris scattered on the ground and in the trees.
You actually have to be kind of careful, as the trail has shards of metal sticking right out of the path. At first I was a little taken aback by how intense the debris field was.
But then I read a sign.
Now, the crash did happen and people did die. But to have the whole site basically scoured by government officials, then have it "all" returned years later is both odd, and completely takes away from what I thought this site was.
After understanding the reality of the situation, things started to seem odd. Like parts of airplanes conveniently perched in a 15 year old tree.
And every single piece of debris had an american flag stabbed through the middle of it. I dunno....it all seemed contrived.
There was some cool wreckage though, but it is clear that they only replaced a fraction of what debris was removed so many years before, and who even knows whether the debris they brought back was from the actual B52...or from a B52 at all.
I still appreciate good welds...even in a plane crash site in the middle of the woods.
After we'd had our fill of that, we headed back to the lake where the afternoon was filled with swimming, fishing, and general tomfoolery.
Games and drawing up at the picnic table, dinner, smores and sleep.
The following day was the long drive home which of course wasn't full of well rested, good smelling cheerful children like you might otherwise hope...but who can blame them. The woods will wear you out, no matter how much fun you've had.
That wraps up the summer fun for 2015. We'll be at VOR in a few weeks and hope to meet some of you folks there. Then comes DRAM3....
Stay tuned.
SG + Family.
guidolyons
Addicted to Gear Oil
Thanks for sharing your adVANtures SG, great pics and good stories. :beer:
Herbie
Rendezvous Conspirator
The only bad thing about the Boomer thread is seeing all the places your "big" van fits. I feel like I made my life unnecessarily hard by over-optimizing into my smaller van package, all in the name of agility and being able to "go more places". If I were starting a build these days, I'd be all about the battleship-sized vans. The interior would be SO much easier to fit everything I wanted into it. ;-)
wanderer-rrorc
Explorer
Awsome trip!!!
justbecause
perpetually lost
have you ever put Boomer on the scale? Or do you have a rough idea how much over stock you are?
Have the retreads given you any issues?
Have the retreads given you any issues?
I actually weighed Boomer this spring for the first time. Full of fuel but not water and not packed with any "extra" gear or personal belongings, Boomer weighed in at around 8600lbs. The door tag GVWR is 9000lbs, but each axle is rated to a collective conservative loading of 10450lbs. I figure with the family on board, full of water and belongings and ready for a trip, I'm probably around 9500lbs rolling down the road. I'd love to be lighter, but my current laden weight doesn't bother me at all.
As for the retreads, they have never caused me any problems and I have probably 5000 miles of pavement and well over 1000 miles of dirt and rock logged on this set. That being said, the change of ownership at TW has apparently been devastating to their quality control and I won't be buying another set when the time comes. I'll likely go with a new set of BFG A/T's since the tread really works well for my application.
SG
As for the retreads, they have never caused me any problems and I have probably 5000 miles of pavement and well over 1000 miles of dirt and rock logged on this set. That being said, the change of ownership at TW has apparently been devastating to their quality control and I won't be buying another set when the time comes. I'll likely go with a new set of BFG A/T's since the tread really works well for my application.
SG
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Mwilliamshs
Explorer
I'd say 8,600lbs for your rig is pretty darn good. My 89 E-150 of equal length but with a Sportsmobile PH top, 4.9L 6-cylinder, ~10 gallons of gas in the tank, 1/4" plywood wall paneling, fiberglass insulation behind that, bare steel floor, only the two front-most seats, and little else inside (random phone charger, jumper cables, etc) weighed 5,000 at the scrap metal yard a couple weeks ago. 3,500lbs for the front axle, transfer case, diesel, raised roof and full camper interior is pretty darn good IMO. Not to mention the FF rear axle, larger tires, big bumpers, winch(es), etc. I bet with comparable hardware your camper bits alone are just around 1,500. That's my hope, to be fully outfitted similarly for camping but without the offroad goodies and close to 6,500lbs.
What are your heavyweights? besides bumpers, winch(es), big tires.
3-way fridge if I recall? How many batteries and what sizes?
Working overnight and feeding my curiousity...
This thread says a NA 6.9 weighs 1291 lbs with all accessories but the alternator and since we're both going to 3G's I'd say that's the perfect comparison scenario.
My 4.9 weighs roughly 600 lbs. That's a 600-700 lb savings. We have the same C6 trans.
What are your heavyweights? besides bumpers, winch(es), big tires.
3-way fridge if I recall? How many batteries and what sizes?
Working overnight and feeding my curiousity...
This thread says a NA 6.9 weighs 1291 lbs with all accessories but the alternator and since we're both going to 3G's I'd say that's the perfect comparison scenario.
My 4.9 weighs roughly 600 lbs. That's a 600-700 lb savings. We have the same C6 trans.
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TheBoondocker
New member
Mine weights in at 8380# 4200 frt 4180 rear 22 gal fuel in rear tank 16 gal fuel in frt tank and 24 gal water and 2 of us up frt nothing for clothes or food
Mwilliamshs
Explorer
Boondocker, thanks for sharing!!!
It appears your van and Boomer share some important similarities. Diesel, 4wd, etc. What axles do you have? I believe you and SpencyG have the same fuel tank capacities and both state your weights were "full of fuel" so that's 38 * 8 = about 304 lbs right there. Your E4OD outweighs a C6 by about 50 lbs.
Got a thread?
Where's your water tank located? Maybe just behind the driver's seat under a jackknife couch? That 24 gallons is 192 lbs in itself. Boomer didn't have any water on board when weighed I believe.
I'm assuming that weight's with empty gray and black holding tanks?
Can you give us an idea of your floor plan? That f/r balance makes me think your rearend is a bathroom which is mostly empty air and plastic appliances.
What're your heavy-weight items?
Still running the 3 way fridge indicated by the vents on your exterior? A single-door ~3 cu.ft model of that vintage goes about 75 lbs. I think you should have the Dometic 2401.
What batteries?
I'd say the difference in your van and SpencyG's could be made up in his hefty bumpers and rear box alone if all other components and contents were identical but obviously they're not.
Correcting your weight to his (minus E4OD 50lbs, 192 lbs water) he's at 8,600 and you're at 8,138, call it 8,150 so that's 450 lbs. Sorry if this boring but it's interesting to me as I have a more stringent weight to meet being in an E150 vs y'alls' 350s.
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