My wife and I signe dup under "Nick and Tammie" some months back. SInce then, I seemed to post more than her, so I got my own ID. Under the previous screen name, we introduced ourselves, but I don't think I ever did so here. So, without further ado....

Hello, guys! Nick here. I live in Michigan and work at General Motors as an Automotive Body Structures Design Engineer. Our triplet info follows each one of my posts, so I won't repeat that here.

Some of you might see already that I like to kid around. As for other likes, my wife and I love NASCAR races and we attend the Michigan one quite often. We also hold tickets to Bristol's Spring race, but have yet to go. Yea, yea, I know most of you don't like NASCAR... I gathered that from some other threads. But, hey, I'm near Detroit... with the Lions and the Tigers sucking and the Wings too expensive tickets being harder to get than winning thelotto, what else have I got? LOL

We have a travel trailer and love to use it. Hopefully, we will get to use it more next year. people say we're nuts for camping with triplets, but I can't wait to do it!! Heck, I have three Labradors now who have been camping with us for years. I'm just a glutton for punishment I guess.

Since the kids were born, about the only extracurricular activity I do is online racing over the internet.

I post on another board very often. If any of you ever want somewhere to browse, register for www.rpmwarrior.com and have a look.

Thanks for the laughs!!!

Surviving husband to Tammie who passed in March of 2009.
Now married to Nina.
Father of Samantha Nicole, Kayla Shea , and Dominic Paul born on 10/14/02
Step-father to Kristina Nicole born on 09/24/85
Grandfather to Riley Faith born on 5/13/06
Come and see

Good to have ya pal.
I like your boys name of Dominic Paul, and I am his inverse ...Paul Dominic

Paul
Ashlyn, Alexander, Abigail
12-27-02, 34w4d

Paul
Ashlyn, Alexander, Abigail
12-27-02, 34w4d

Paul Dominic, now that's pretty cool! LOL. Actually, My son is the 2nd. SO, Paul Dominic, meet another Dominic Paul! People just have always called me Nick.

Thanks for the welcome!

Surviving husband to Tammie who passed in March of 2009.
Now married to Nina.
Father of Samantha Nicole, Kayla Shea , and Dominic Paul born on 10/14/02
Step-father to Kristina Nicole born on 09/24/85
Grandfather to Riley Faith born on 5/13/06
Come and see

Nick,

Nice to meet you and welcome aboard. Kidding around in here is not only acceptable it is encouraged!

We also love to camp. I have a small pop up and a huge tent. We actually use the tent more since having the trips because the pop up is too small for all the portable cribs. We have taken the trips out once in the trailer and four times in the tent. We are planning to use the trailer over labor day this year (way too hot here to camp in the tent) so hopefully we will figure a way to stuff them all in. I've been thinking about moving up to one of those newer style travel trailers that has a trailer body but beds that fold out of the ends like a pop-up (DW says she must have canvas over her or it is not camping!). What kind of rig do you have?

Regards,

John

http://webpages.charter.net/jnkspencer/index.htm

FUllQ, we, like you, had a tent, then a pop-up. After using the pop-up for about five years, we outgrew it (my wife, myself, teenager, three labradors and a parrot).

We got us a 30' Mallard travel trailer a few years ago. We have enough room now LOL!! There is even enough room for the triplets.. I think....

I really like those newer style travel trailers that you mentioned. You have a compact package to tow, yet all the sleeping room you need without biting the bullet on buying something huge. if you would like some good info and opinions on those or any other camping trailers, I urge to to check out www.rv.net and then click on "forums".

Surviving husband to Tammie who passed in March of 2009.
Now married to Nina.
Father of Samantha Nicole, Kayla Shea , and Dominic Paul born on 10/14/02
Step-father to Kristina Nicole born on 09/24/85
Grandfather to Riley Faith born on 5/13/06
Come and see

Nick,
Thanks for the tip. I have looked at one of those models. I was very impressed by the roominess of it. Since the beds fold out from the walls, they don't take up floor space. Consequently you get full body width for floor space and other stuff. I saw one floor plan recently that had a fold out on each end and another on the side near the back. It would accomodate eight (which is what we need now).

Well maybe someday...

Regards,

John

http://webpages.charter.net/jnkspencer/index.htm

Thanks for posting the rv link.

We are thinking about a trailer. We have usually camped with our triplets (our only kids) in our 86 VW Westfalia but we will outgrow it soon - when the kids can't all fit on the bottom bunk.

I don't think I want a tent trailer because we want to camp during the winter. The ski place we go to allows rv's to park overnight for next to nothing, with power hookup.

How did you settle on a Mallard? Did you look at Airstreams? My wife wants one and I've been checking them out on Ebay.

Chuck
gbg 1997
b 2008

"How did you settle on a Mallard? Did you look at Airstreams? My wife wants one and I've been checking them out on Ebay."

We went to a camper and RV show very early in the season one time (January). We were looking to see what was out there and what we would have to pay. We came across this one and liked the show price, plus they threw in a 5 year warranty and the hitch stuff.

We didn't need any real expensive options. We just wanted the biggest "box" we could find that had A/C and the usual essentials.
Mallard is considered an "entry level" travel trailer, but it has everything that more expensive ones have. It's just that we open curtains with our hand instead of pulling a string, our hot water tank runs on gas only and not electric... stuff like that. It still has a toilet, shower, microwave, stove, AM/FM stereo/CD player....

I would be very careful about an Airstream. They are great trailers and their shape supposedly lends itself to more stable towing. However, ask some questions on that site I mentioned about the pros and cons of an Airstream. There are many valid ones on both sides.

Example, think about the storage space that you lose because of it's shape. Your upper cabinetry is substantially encroached upon by the roof-to-sidewall arc.

Once again, ask TONS of questions before you buy. My #1 piece of advice is DO NOT let the trailer dealer sell you something that your vehicle won't pull comfortably. That happens all the time. You don't want to be at the limits of your tow vehicle.

I'd love to answer any other questions you have. I did this blindly and paid for it in some ways. I try to lend my experience to others.

Surviving husband to Tammie who passed in March of 2009.
Now married to Nina.
Father of Samantha Nicole, Kayla Shea , and Dominic Paul born on 10/14/02
Step-father to Kristina Nicole born on 09/24/85
Grandfather to Riley Faith born on 5/13/06
Come and see

Sounds like you made a good choice.

The Airstreams seem to be durable. Heck, with what this triplet thing has cost me, and will cost me, the vacation trailer may end up becoming our retirement home. Parked in the desert somewhere, with me spending all day throwing beer cans out the door to shoot at. Send the dw into town once in a while for more ammo, suds and all of our new free Medicare prescriptions.

Maybe I'll open the Triplet Dad Trailer Park for all of us sorry broke old sob's.

Chuck
gbg 1997
b 2008