First trip with the Spyder as a Toad

[Eviltwin]

Wife and I just got back from a 7 day trip in the camper using the Spyder as our "Toad" or towed vehicle. We went north from the Norfolk VA area up to a park in the Northern Neck, Belle Isle State Park. We stayed there for the weekend and then headed north up to a park in PA near Gettysburg, Griffin Pinchot State park. We used the park as our home base and drove to nearby Lancaster for a couple of days and one day headed down to tour Gettysburg.

This was the first trip of the year, so I was a bit nervous that our camper, a Class C would behave itself, especially as I had to make some last minute repairs a month earlier that caused us to skip a short weekend trip that would have been this years shakedown trip. It was also the first time towing the new trailer with the bike aboard. We traveled a bit in it last year, but only with some bicycles on the back. Without some type of separate motorized transportation, you are kinda stuck wherever you set up the camper.

Likewise, the bike also did well. This was not the first time my wife and I have rode it together, but this was the first time we have used it for travel. We did get some rain, but managed to avoid the downpours. We toured the battlefields at Gettysburg and looked for covered bridges around Lancaster. Ate some nice meals and had a ball tooling around the backroads of PA.

A few pix from the trip:

 

[mhoecker]

Glad it went so well! We just bought a Spyder and will take it along on trips as well. Congrats on a successful launch!

 

[TEWKS]

Nice setup you have, looks like an extremely relaxing way to travel! :thumbup:

Pat

 

[Bob Denman]

:congrats:

...And you even had the coolest "Golf Cart" in the RV Park! :2thumbs:

We did the same thing over Memorial Day weekend...

 

[Eviltwin]

:congrats:

...And you even had the coolest "Golf Cart" in the RV Park! :2thumbs:

We did the same thing over Memorial Day weekend...

View attachment 162785View attachment 162786

VERY COOL. :bowdown: How do you like that class C toyhauler? The one thing about towing with a coach is trying to avoid at all costs any type of backing up.

 

[Bob Denman]

Thanks!
When we decided to buy a motorhome: we were originally looking at getting a Class C on a Ford Transit chassis. (About 24 feet in length). We then planned on getting a high-quality trailer (IronHorse), and tow the Spyder behind us.
Then we started looking at what the overall length of the combo would be: just about 39 feet! :yikes:
I was speaking with an industry rep from Thor Motor Coach. He suggested looking at their toyhaulers…
Our Outlaw is just under 31 feet long, and we can fit in any of the National and State parks with it. :thumbup:

...And the Missus can even drive it...

But it IS a tight fit in the garage! :shocked:

 

[TEWKS]

Nice setup Bob! :thumbup: The other one you mentioned, was it a Winnebago Fuse? I looked and liked but not ready at this time. Soon. I was going to get a vanity-plate for it. "SHORT"

How's the living accommodations in your rig? Can two sleep on the road without folding tables or such?

Thanks.

Pat

 

[Bob Denman]

It was actually a Thor Compass: The 23 TB! :thumbup:
We really liked it; but just decided that a shorter OAL would be preferable...

https://www.thormotorcoach.com/compass/


The living accommodations are actually pretty darn nice! The Outlaw (29-H) came very nicely-equipped.
Automatic leveling system
All LED lighting
Convection Microwave, and three burner cooktop
Tankless hot water system
side-view and backup cameras
3 televisions (One of them outside!), and a Blu-Ray player
1000 watt inverter, and dual House batteries

The downiside: it doesn't have a Master Bedroom! So we sleep in the convertible ouch! It's actually pretty easy to adapt to, and we're completely happy with the choice that we made.

 

[TEWKS]

Sounds great, thanks for the info! :thumbup:

Pat

 

[Bob Denman]

One more thing...
When the subject matter turns to "Toads": it's bet to be prepared with the proper image! :bowdown:

 

[Trbayth]

Did you buy new or used Bob?

It was actually a Thor Compass: The 23 TB! :thumbup:
We really liked it; but just decided that a shorter OAL would be preferable...

https://www.thormotorcoach.com/compass/


The living accommodations are actually pretty darn nice! The Outlaw (29-H) came very nicely-equipped.
Automatic leveling system
All LED lighting
Convection Microwave, and three burner cooktop
Tankless hot water system
side-view and backup cameras
3 televisions (One of them outside!), and a Blu-Ray player
1000 watt inverter, and dual House batteries

The downiside: it doesn't have a Master Bedroom! So we sleep in the convertible ouch! It's actually pretty easy to adapt to, and we're completely happy with the choice that we made.

 

[TEWKS]

One more thing...
When the subject matter turns to "Toads": it's bet to be prepared with the proper image! :bowdown:

View attachment 162796

Or...



Pat

 

[Bob Denman]

:thumbup:

 

[PrairieSpyder]

It was actually a Thor Compass: The 23 TB! :thumbup:
We really liked it; but just decided that a shorter OAL would be preferable...

https://www.thormotorcoach.com/compass/


The living accommodations are actually pretty darn nice! The Outlaw (29-H) came very nicely-equipped.
Automatic leveling system
All LED lighting
Convection Microwave, and three burner cooktop
Tankless hot water system
side-view and backup cameras
3 televisions (One of them outside!), and a Blu-Ray player
1000 watt inverter, and dual House batteries

The downiside: it doesn't have a Master Bedroom! So we sleep in the convertible ouch! It's actually pretty easy to adapt to, and we're completely happy with the choice that we made.

It's either the couch or climbing to the bed above the cockpit every night. That's one reason I went with towing my Spyder. I lived in a studio apartment - sleeping on a hide-a-bed - in college and vow I'll not do it again.

 

[jaherbst]

:congrats:

...And you even had the coolest "Golf Cart" in the RV Park! :2thumbs:

We did the same thing over Memorial Day weekend...

View attachment 162785View attachment 162786

Looking good there Bob!

Jack

 

[sylvester]

Great you guys had a great time i did it about 40 years ago but didn't have such a nice setup:clap:

 

[Bob Denman]

It's either the couch or climbing to the bed above the cockpit every night. That's one reason I went with towing my Spyder. I lived in a studio apartment - sleeping on a hide-a-bed - in college and vow I'll not do it again.

There is a bed in the garage...just no guarantee that the bike won't be in there!
Truthfully: the couch is more than comfortable enough! :thumbup:

Looking good there Bob!

Jack

Thanks! But I still drool; when looking at the big DP rigs... :bowdown:

 

[Dmetcalf]

Her is our set up.

 

[Bob Denman]

What a gorgeous site!! :bowdown: :clap: :2thumbs: :firstplace:

 

[Eviltwin]

Her is our set up.

Sweet. Is that a platform on the back of the trailer that you carry the bike on?