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 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB 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 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB 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.
Waitress "How did you find your steak sir"?
Me "I just looked next to the potatoes and there it was"!
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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 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB 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.
Wow, John. What a sensational unit. Very impressive everywhere.
I really like the lightweight composite panel construction.
What vehicle will you tow it with?
A fantastic investment. You will enjoy it for sure.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA
Hey, I don't think you'll have too many problems at all, John.
That's a really nice rig. It's a big trailer but that vehicle will do it justice, no doubt.
Do give us an update on its maiden voyage. Everything looks very impressive.
Trevor
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB 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
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 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®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: 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.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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