Carriage Cameo 5th Wheel

The camping at Confluence State Park has come to a close and we made the long, difficult trip of one mile to our driveway.  I was dreading the trip.  There is a tight turn into the parking area.  It was tight with the tent trailer and with a 31 foot 5th wheel and it was going to be an adventure.

I asked a friend with a 5th wheel to help guide me into the spot.  I did not want to try it with Susie.  Divorce is expensive.  Well, 45 minutes after arriving at home it was parked more or less. 

What we did learn from our camping trip was that most everything on trailer worked.  We did learn how to hook-up and disconnect and most important how to dump!  We are still unsure of a few things, but I finally did find the TV amplifier and both TV's work.

We are providing plenty of business to the local RV dealer.  All Seasons RV.  We had everything, but everytime we go down we find we need something else or this would work better.  It is handy having them less than a mile away.

They did tow the 5th wheel to their business and raised the axles to get the minimum six inch clearance between the bed rails and the bottom on the 5th wheel.  It sure looks like a small gap.  I still have the option of doing an axle flip to get an additional 5 inches.  We will go with the six inches for now and see how it works this winter.   It sits almost 13 feet high and that does get my attention every time I look at the trailer.

We are pleased with the layout of the trailer as it is fully accessible with both slides in.  Look out Wal-Mart here we come!

We took out the two recliners in the rear.   I replaced my chair with my precious LaFuma recliner.  I also bought a 4X2 foot table for use as a computer table and fly tying desk.   There could be a nice view out the back and there is good light for the fly tying.

Susie replaced her recliner kicking and screaming with a chair and footstool from IKEA.  The good thing is everything fits nicely in the space with the slides pulled in.  Susie's chair is even available for sitting in that position.  My LaFuma is accessible, but a little more difficult. 

Hmm, do we really need a couch?  Looks like the perfect spot for a LaFuma.  The dinning table has a nice extension.

On the outside we were pleased to discover a hand fill water inlet for the fresh water tank.  The Cameo seemed to be more oriented towards full hook-ups rather boondocking.  That 31 foot length will make it interesting on some of our backroads.  And that 13 foot height will give me a new perspective on tree height.  Hmm, when I was cruising timber the first log was always 16 feet high.   Why shouldn't the Forest Service clear ALL branches to one log height??  We will skip discussion of campground barriers for now.

The kitchen has plenty of room and is totally accessible.  It does have a nifty little extension to the cabinet.  The freezer and fridge is huge.  It is as big as the one at our cabin.  There is plenty of storage.

The freshwater tank carries 70 gallons including the hot water heater.  The black and gray tanks are only 55 gallons, but after the tent trailer that should be no problem.

The truck and trailer combination is 48 feet long.  This compares to 37 feet for the tent trailer and truck.

Those eleven feet sure do make a difference!  There is a nice closet in the bedroom that will fit our solar panel.  Someday we will get that up on the roof, but for now it will have to be taken and put away each time.  It is a 125 watt panel, which should keep our batteries charged since they will be used primarily for the furnace fan and lights.

Well the plan is to move the 5th wheel to Eugene in about two weeks.  After pheasant opener and those annual doctors appointments.  I have scheduled my five year appointment so that it coincides with the pumping of the septic systems.  It is easier to remember them.  My mother had colon cancer so I highly recommend the five year plan.

Hopefully parking it in Eugene will protect it from freezing weather and will allow us to avoid snowy roads when we leave Wenatchee in late December or early January.  Any advise on storage locations will be greatly appreciated.

We plan on still getting as far back as possible. Here is how we are going to do it.  Complete link is here: Backroads Information Blog Summary.  Go to the bottom on the post, for the complete series. 

Here is the link to that all important LaFuma Recliner.  Don't leave home without it.