So, my wife and I took the plunge and bought us a pull-behind travel trailer. This is very new to us, although we have camped many times in the past, both tent camping and with a popup camper, but never with a full-size self contained unit.
We will start with short local trips and then expand out. Our goal is when I retire (probably in 2024 or 2025) to take 3 months off and head across the USA and into Canada and even to Alaska and back. We should have enough experience by that time to just enjoy the ride, so to speak
We got a lightly used 2017 Keystone Bullet Premier 34BHPR. Here is a walk around video I did of the trailer. This will let us take out dogs with us (they get their own room, at least when it's just me and my wife), but plenty of room for others to join us over time.
Our maiden trip is locally this weekend to Big Lagoon State Park, which is about 20 minutes from our house.
We are excited!
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA
Thanks, Steve! I was amazed that although we don't really need it, the guy we bought it from put in three more TV's to supplement the one in the main room.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA
I'll that you will like that out side kitchen when you start grilling on a hot day. You will be able to do all of your cooking and grilling outside. I would love to have something like that here.
If you or any other of my forum friends are ever in this area please let me know so we can get together. We are only an 1.5 hours from Niagara Falls, an hour from Letchworth State Park that is simply beautiful in the fall and five minutes from Hamlin Beach State Park. Note that both state parks have camping facilities, as do many state parks. Once my wife gets better we can also drive to many areas in New York State.
I got banned from Weight Watchers for dropping a bag of M&Ms on the floor. It was the best game of Hungry Hippos I've ever seen!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Thanks Mario. That is ultimately one of the things we want to do...reconnect with folks we haven't seen in awhile without imposing a schedule on anyone, just for good fellowship, maybe a nice glass of wine, some music, and (as we jokingly call it at our house) a lot of simulated (stimulating) conversation.
I would definitely like to touch base with more forumites. So far, I've met Pat Marr and Matt Finley.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA
Looks like a well thought out purchase that fits into your retirement plan, John. I know you are going to enjoy it. I really thought I was going to hate being retire, but you couldn't put a gun to my head and make me go back to work.
Damn nice rig John. You're probably already aware of it but there are tons of Bluegrass and Americana festivals all around the country that are camper friendly.
Just load up your family, your instruments, bicycles, kayaks and canoes and you're bound to have memories that will last a lifetime.
We've done some camping with a 12' teardrop camper -- just enough to cook and sleep in. When the springs finally went, we gave it to a hunter who used it as his lodge.
Definitely not for long-haul camping like you are planning. For more than a weekend, a shower and toilet are a necessity!!!
Good luck with it, I hope you all (including the dogs) are overjoyed with it and have many happy experiences on the road.
Trevor, for now I'll be towing it with the 2016 Ford F-150 XLT 4-door crew cab we just bought for a very nice price, with a 5.0 Liter V-8 equipped with the towing package, the trailer brake assist, 4 wheel drive, trailer backup assist, extended 36 gallon gas tank (regular tank is 23 gallons), and a whole bunch of other very nice amenities that have nothing to do with towing.
So far, at least around town, it seems to pull the rig nicely. The real test will be when we get into hillier country.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA
So far, at least around town, it seems to pull the rig nicely. The real test will be when we get into hillier country.
Many years ago I was pulling a 12' teardrop trailer with a Ford V8 Econoline van. I was in the Saguaro National Monument and I stopped on a steep incline to photograph an usually shaped cactus.
When I went to go, the van wouldn't pull the trailer so I had to back down the hill and start over again.
Later I was going through San Francisco on a hill just as steep, in traffic, with a red traffic light on the top. There would be no way to back down in traffic, so I climbed as slowly as possible hoping the light would change before I had to stop. Fortunately it changed just in time.
Very nice. I think you'll like it. Also sounds like a cool plan for retirement.
Our family started with tent camping. We soon moved to a used popup camper and did that for a number of years. When the children came along, my wife didn't like having to carry the 2 girls to the public restrooms at the campgrounds. So we sold the popup and bought one of the Mallard brand RV campers. It was decked out with heat and air conditioning, a refrigerator/freezer (we could have ice and icecream), stove, microwave, bathroom with a shower/tub and hot water, bunkbeds for the girls, and a nice queen sized bed for us. Our outdoor kitchen is the grill. It's not been used much since the girls have grown up and left the home. I started to get it fixed up, cleaned out, check for water leaks, etc, to go camping this summer just passed but we ended up renting a house at the beach and never pulled the camper out. We mostly have used it to go to the lake at a local state park about an hour away.
A buddy has a small one and is retired. He and his wife are in colorado at this very moment on a several week trip. Perhaps when my wife retires next year, we will contemplate a similar venture.
Have fun out there in the woods. Nothing like setting around a campfire, enjoying a cold one with good friends, and watching the sun go down.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Bob - I will definitely find out; hopefully, it will be a positive experience.
We are planning a trip sometime (maybe next year) to the Florida Peninsula as well, as we've never been to that part of Florida. I'll let you know when that happens.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA
My word that looks very nice, I am sure you will enjoy every moment. Don’t think we could manage to tow that size around the UK country roads, lol Done a fair bit of camping in my time though, and enjoyed that. The closest I have been to that sort of luxury was when we rented a converted Narrow cannel boat for 2weeks , You might like a look at the 2, 15 min, videos I made on the trip. Have lots of fun and good luck. Mike
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
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Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
Playable RealTracks Set 4
RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
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