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Old 10-19-2009, 06:34 PM   #1
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HOW MUCH DO YOU USE YOUR SMB?

I'm sitting here watching the abysmal weather outside my window (freezing rain and snow in what should be Indian summer in the Northern Rockies), and completing my trip logs for the past two seasons this year.

Mrs. Ed in Montana, myself and our two labradogs have done 130 nights in our Sportsmobile since we picked it up new in Fresno three years and three weeks ago. That's an average of 40 nights a year for a total of just over 29,000 miles.

We don't use the Sporty around town and reserve it for weekends and major trips. I have concentrated on trying to take two to three two-week long expeditions each year to great wild places, plus a lot of two and three day weekends. So far we have hit Northwest Montana, Washington State, the Oregon Coast, several trips to the Mojave Desert and this year to the Colorado Plateau (viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3659).

How much have you used your SMB?

Please mention the following:
Number of years of use.
Nights camped out per year in SMB and total camp nights.
Miles driven so far.

Thanks!

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Old 10-19-2009, 07:29 PM   #2
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Re: HOW MUCH DO YOU USE YOUR SMB?

This topic was inspired by meeting new SMB owner Heather in Tucson, who had just bought her used SMB in March of this year, and proceeded to camp full time for seven months in it. That's several months more than we have in three years!

I was immediately envious of her. But I should add a fourth item to this list, as to whether you are retired or not. I would have a gazillion months in the sporty if I didn't still have to work for three years, ten months, fifteen days, two minutes and several more seconds until retirement.

Number of years of use: 3 years, 3 weeks
Nights camped out per year in SMB and total camp nights: 40 nights per year/130 nights total
Miles driven so far: 29,300 miles
Retired?: Sadly no.
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Mohawk Royalex Solo 14 foot canoe (light white-water)
Mad River Kevlar Explorer 17 foot canoe (flat water)
Dagger Royalex Legend 16 foot canoe (white-water)
Maravia New Wave 13.5 foot raft (fishing and white-water)
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Old 10-19-2009, 08:16 PM   #3
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Re: HOW MUCH DO YOU USE YOUR SMB?

Number of years of use: 1 Year and 3 mos.
Nights camped out per year in SMB and total camp nights: Don't know, never counted, but I know we don't use ours enough!
Miles driven so far: 11,000 miles
Retired?: A long way to go. By the time my wife and I retire, we should have our 3rd SMB.

Ray
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Old 10-19-2009, 08:23 PM   #4
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Re: HOW MUCH DO YOU USE YOUR SMB?

You know Ray, that's my concern too; do I use the Sporty enough? Oh we use it enough during the Spring, Summer and Fall, but we are cabineers in the Winter. I slept in the Sporty at -5 degrees F a year ago in February, and it was just too dang cold even with the propane furnace coming on intermittently.

I would use it more in the Winter if I had the vacation time to go south more often.
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Mohawk Royalex Solo 14 foot canoe (light white-water)
Mad River Kevlar Explorer 17 foot canoe (flat water)
Dagger Royalex Legend 16 foot canoe (white-water)
Maravia New Wave 13.5 foot raft (fishing and white-water)
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Old 10-19-2009, 08:44 PM   #5
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Re: HOW MUCH DO YOU USE YOUR SMB?

Number of years of use: 7 months!
Nights camped out per year in SMB and total camp nights: 38 so far
Miles driven so far: 12,000
Retired?: nope, 16 more years to go
Not a daily driver either, just goofing around on trip after trip.
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Old 10-19-2009, 08:54 PM   #6
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Re: HOW MUCH DO YOU USE YOUR SMB?

Great thread Ed.

Number of years of use: 15 months and 3 days
Nights camped out per year in SMB and total camp nights: 145 nights total
Miles driven so far: 44,800 miles
Retired?: No, but trying to act like it

Another response could be something along the lines of "What does your Sportsmobile mean to you?" For us, it means that we have the freedom to explore places that most folks wouldn't take their car. Add to that, we can stay right there and enjoy some of (IMHO) the best parts of the day; sunrise mornings, sunset evenings and moon / star lit nights.

One of the best investments we have made...it has changed our lives.
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Old 10-19-2009, 09:22 PM   #7
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Re: HOW MUCH DO YOU USE YOUR SMB?

Good point Blackeye. Retirement does need some practice , but I think you are getting enough with 145 nights out in less than a year and a half!

Our Sporty is what I call our tenth tent. I started out in the early 1970s with a plastic tube tent ($5 bucks!) and graduated to several types of mountaineering tents (REI, Early Winters) and then moved on to light backpacking dome tents and heavier dome tents for river running (Sierra Designs and North Face).

In 2002 we went on to a small Coleman pop-up camper with canvas sides (our ninth tent), but I couldn't stand dragging and backing a trailer. So in 2006 after three years of research we got our tenth tent, the Sporty. True our SMB costs more than our house did in 1991, but our house isn't 4WD.
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Old 10-19-2009, 09:30 PM   #8
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Re: HOW MUCH DO YOU USE YOUR SMB?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackeye
Great thread Ed.
This is a terrible thread Ed. (Now I am really depressed.)

Number of years of use. 20 months

Nights camped out per year in SMB and total camp nights. I don't keep track but certainly not enough! You guys have far more time than I do. Im envious!

Miles driven so far: 19,000

Retired: Ha! We will be practicing for years to come.

The SMB experience: Priceless
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Old 10-19-2009, 10:16 PM   #9
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Re: HOW MUCH DO YOU USE YOUR SMB?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackeye
Great thread Ed.

Number of years of use: 15 months and 3 days
Nights camped out per year in SMB and total camp nights: 145 nights total
Miles driven so far: 44,800 miles
Retired?: No, but trying to act like it


Are you sure you're not retired? Wow, am I jealous. All those miles and nights in the SMB in less than a year and a half!


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Old 10-19-2009, 10:51 PM   #10
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Re: HOW MUCH DO YOU USE YOUR SMB?

Bought our first SMB in 02 when I retired the first time. Drove around the tip of Baja three times. Many surf trips up and down the coast. Camped all over California and attended two rallies. So, I’d say 60 trips in four years and about 60k miles.
Sold the 02 and ordered a 06, both RB50’s.

Went back to work and have been on eight trips with the 06 in the last three years. Take it to work four days a week and have breakfast, lunch and stress management in it each day. Weekends go to the beaches and hunt for waves. This week will be our first trip in a while. Although close to home, we will spend three days up the coast below Half Moon Bay.

I can hardly wait to retire again and wear it out.
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