I Bought a Truck Camper Sight Unseen from Another State

In the Market for a Truck Camper? Are You Considering Another State?

After looking for my next camping tiny home (recreational vehicle), I found the perfect one. One problem, I live in Southern California. It was located in Wyoming. We picked it up in Utah, they met us halfway.

Sounds like the makings of a fun road trip except for we were on a very limited timeline. We had the weekend to get there and back. My husband was with his new job one month at the time. It's asking a lot to take three days off. 

Now onto the camper. You don't see them too often at least not around here in So Cal. It's a Travel Lite Super Lite 770-RSL.

This camper is one of the smallest and lightest truck campers in its class. Even though our truck is large, that is also the problem. It's too heavy so I need a light camper that way I can get a small trailer to bring all the extra stuff that won't fit in the camper. 

The camper we bought was located in Wyoming. I couldn't drive to Wyoming and back in one weekend so we paid a little extra to have the camper shipped Utah where we would eventually pick it up from. 

As you can see from the floorplan, this is a very close quarters, take only what you need to survive type of camper. Storage is limited. You learn to adapt. 

The great thing about a truck camper is, at least in California, no registration is required. We can get in the truck and be on the road ready to camp wherever we want. We fit in any parking space and don't have to pay oversize vehicle fees at the beach. 

TLRV 770-rsl

It does have some perks, it's always nice to be able to rinse off after a sandy day at the beach, or a dusty hike. Best of all, this camper has a tankless water heater which means on demand hot water anytime we want it.

Nice decals too! It's different from most other ones out there. 

It holds a 20-gallon propane tank. Nothing like the 60 gallons our old set-up held (two 20-lb tanks) but it's enough and easy to refill. The current set up lasts forever. We can power the fridge and water heater. 

We're lucky enough to have a sink and stove, no oven, but I don't plan on cooking anything more than boiling water or using the microwave. Nothing beats cooking outdoors. 

The picture to the right shows the camper before they placed the microwave over the kitchenette. We took the microwave out and now have a little more storage. 

She really is a gem. Going everywhere is fun. Heck, getting groceries is fun. I use the truck as a daily driver since I don't drive every day.

The table is free-standing, which means you can move it around and even use it outside. The top is made out of Corian. So is the kitchen counter. 

This lends to a fresh and clean interior. A nice change from the old style brown-colored interiors.

Let's not forget the bathroom. Flush pedal toilet. The wet bath style bathroom. Better than nothing. You can pee in your tiny house or you can pee in a restroom at the beach or gas station. I choose the first option.

My husband says, "it's like peeing in a closet". For him, the restroom is for emergency situations, for me, it's convenient. 

We did buy a portable 28-gallon waste holding tank. We get about 3 fill-ups before we have to dump it as well. 

No regrets. Truck camper life is great. So far, the battery is the only thing that's needed to be replaced and the "platform" they built for us was just a pallet. I wouldn't recommend the dealership I went to.  The platform was a rip-off.

F150 Transmission Failure - Towing Too Heavy

As faithful dog parents our trip to Washington began months before we actually hit the road. We follow the rule of "if our dogs aren't welcome, we ain't going!" We weren't going to fly or board them for one entire month. We did the next best thing. We planned a camping trip around the drive up to see my husband's gramma. 

We packed up the trailer and the truck full of everything a dog parent would need for one month. All was perfect. We drove up the 5 freeway and rested in a quaint town called Los Banos, CA. 

Back on the road, no stopping until we reached

Senior dog. 

Redding CA, except of course pee brakes. One of us, had the runs. Little old man. How do you say no to this face. I never could. Rest in peace my love.

Here is where it gets sticky. You don't realize how ill equipped you are until it's too late. Driving the 5 fwy from Redding to Oregon is very mountainy. Many different elevations and our F150 was struggling. 

We had to pull over passing Whiskeytown Lake to let the truck cool off before we got to our Campground at Lewiston Valley. Which by the way I highly recommend a stay here, very laid back and chill. 40 gallons times eight pounds each gallon equals hundreds of pounds of extra weight for an up hill drive with a small engine ecoboost or not.  

It was a very wonderful two weeks at our next campground on Trinity Lake. No troubles with the truck anymore, but we did have a choice to make. Go back the way we came or continue straight up through the mountain road, Hwy 3 and hope for the best. 

Neither of us had been that way before, we asked a few people and they were no help. We did the most logical thing and went back how we came, at least this time, we emptied the fresh water tank and were at more of a descent until we passed Redding.

From here on out, both of us clutching our seats but staying quiet as to not scare one another. 102° outside, we can't us the A/C, windows down and hot air blowing at us.  The transmission oil temperature kept creeping up. There is nowhere to pull over at times. We prayed for a safe place to pull over.  We found one, and again we pulled over in Weed, California because well, it's a fun little place. 

We managed to slowly drive into Oregon. We decided to find a campground in Ashland, Or. We knew we couldn't go on like this. Either we had to cut the trip or buy a new truck. We didn't want to disappoint gramma, so we went to went to Crater Lake Ford in Medford, trailer in tow. 

The transmission was shot. There wasn't too many options with the truck shortage going on around the country but we found a 2019 F250 Superduty Diesel truck. Wow this thing roared. It was clean, it was beautiful and it was ours! Meant to haul a house. It was a scorching day, 102°, thanks to the very sweet salesmen who helped us move all our stuff from our old truck to the new one. 

Ah what a relief, air conditioning! And, per my husband, it was as if we weren't towing anything behind us. He could not feel the trailer behind us in this truck. What a difference. Smooth sailing from here to Grammas in Washinton. But not before stopping at the Rogue River for a few days to catch our breath and just relax for a moment. Also, one of us had to work.

Happy Camper! Dog enjoying air conditioning.

Let this be a cautionary tale, it's one thing to tow around the city. But really think twice before you buy a camper and make sure your truck can handle it. We encountered more than one 8% grade out there. I really cringe when I see an SUV towing a full-size camper trailer. And don't get me started on the Ford Lightning... Not gonna cut it folks. Better to have it and not need it in this case.            

Help! I'm Allergic to my Dog!

What Do You Do When You Discover a Pet Allergy After You Brought in A New Pet?

In my case, a new puppy. But my symptoms didn't begin until a year or so after bringing him home. 

It didn't add up at first. 

I remember in March of 2022 I developed a cold that turned into a sinus infection that was later diagnosed as bronchitis. My symptoms mostly resolved with a dose of prednisone and an Advair inhaler. The sinus infection never left. 

From June until the end of December was great! I can deal with a chronic sinus infection compared to the non-stop coughing and congestion. But now, the cough is back. It started off at night a little here and there, then nightly. Now again, all day and night. NOTHING HELPS! I managed to find some cough syrup with Codeine, and it has helped but I'm all out and the doctor won't give me anymore.

Because of the cost of healthcare these days, I am putting off gong to an ENT.  My doctor suggested an allergy test, B-I-N-G-O! Highly allergic to Dogs, cats, cow milk and egg whites. Specifically, my puppy, a cattle dog/papillon mix. 

So, I was given some Zyrtec 10 mg, a rescue inhaler, and some Tessalon pearls for the cough. Such a cough that I would not wish it on my worst enemy! I'm talking pee your pants and vomit bad! The pearls don't work btw. 

Just to be sure, I am investing in a few additional items that God allowing, I will be able to replace any potential dependence on any prescription. 

Causes of Pet Dander

Duh, easy answer is animals. If the animal has fur or feathers, it sheds dander. I've had hypo-allergenic dogs in the past and they didn't cause a stir. Some dogs just have a stronger proteins in their skin.

What is Pet Dander?

Pet dander is animal skin flakes. Tiny, microscopic flakes that float around the air. It is not necessarily the hair that causes allergies. It is the dander. 

Why Are Some People More Allergic Than Others?

Everyone's immunity is different. I was sick with a cold and subsequent sinus infection (chronic). My immunity was low at the time, I wonder if I invited the pet allergy in and it just took over my system? 

Different dogs emit different dander. Being exposed to dogs over time can increase your allergic reactions. The likelihood of exposure at a time of lowered immunity can possibly take a bigger toll on one's immunity.

Is There A Cure?

No. Pet dander allergies are not curable. The most effective thing someone can do is keep their living areas clean and take over the counter medications like Zyrtec or Claritin. 

The experts say to:

• wash your dog once a week.
• vacuum at least every other day with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter. 
• air purifiers can help keep dander from flying all over the place.
• wash your hands often.

What Are Some of the Symptoms?

In my case, it is a chronic sinus infection. Coughing, itchy throat, congestion and wheezing. Other side effects are:

• swollen nasal passages
• shortness of breath
• hives
• asthma
• cough
• sinus infection
• sneezing

How Do I Keep My Allergies at Bay?

In doing my own research, I discovered a couple items on Amazon that I think can be helpful or at least help your allergy symptoms. 

• Allergena Pet Dander Drops. This is a homeopathic remedy made from animal antigens and some additional herbal ingredients to help for drainage. You are basically ingesting the allergens and creating a natural immunity to them. The directions say to take 10-15 drops three times a day.  It is too soon to tell but, well worth the price if it helps tame my cough. $19.99

• Pet Hair Remover Roller. This on the lower price of the spectrum compared to similar items. Works great in the car. My puppy sheds a lot. Every time i get in the car my allergies act up. after a good vacuuming and rolling, I feel better getting into the car, allergies are a bit less noticeable. $11.99
• Allergy Asthma Clean Allergen Mineral Spray. Just add water, shake and spray. This stuff immobilizes the protein in pet dander, killing it immediately. I use mainly in the bedroom. The majority of my allergies happen at night when I lay down. I start wheezing and coughing like crazy. I notice coughing less during the night. Mainly at the time I law down and wake up with a couple spells during the night but much less than before. $18.99. This can be bought at some Whole Foods stores as well, if you don't have an Amazon account.

• Nasal Guard Airborne Particle Blocker. It's a tiny little tube for $9.95 but, if it works... I can't actually say it works great. I dab it on and go in for a cuddle but still cough and wheeze. I will use the rest, but I am not that convinced.  You dab a tiny amount on your finger. Work it in with your thumb and dab around and under your nose. Should create a barrier for 6-8 hours. I think it makes my nose run. 

            I cuddled my boys without any product and I started coughing right afterwards. I applied the                 product and went in for a cuddle, I think it worked. No coughing! But my nose is running.

•  A VacLife Hand Held Vacuum. $35.99, this thing is amazing. Both my dogs shed a lot. My puppy creates dust bunnies at double the rate as my other dog. In order to keep a cleaner environment, having this little guy handy is a must! I see dust bunnies, I attack! I had virtually no problem sucking up the dog hairs in my car using the brush attachment.

• Febreeze Pet Odor Eliminator Spray.  This is something I had laying around anyways. I think it works great considering the cost comparison to the mineral spray above. In fact, I even have the Wal-Mart brand. It doesn't claim to get rid of pet dander, but I think it works just the same.  I spray the living room everyday. 

These are some of the things to look out for. Zyrtec alone didn't help me. It reduced my symptoms of not being able to breathe out of my nose and everything else by like maybe 20%. There are some over the counter remedies that I hope start kicking in so I can have my cuddle time back!

I made a commitment to my boys. Rex, my puppy is here to stay. That is why I am going out of my way to accommodate my baby. 

UPDATE: I used half of my Advair. The symptoms resolved but come back about every six months. I take a couple weeks work of Advair and Zyrtec, the symptoms go away for a while. This is the best way to reduce my allergy cough. 

Last week I my cough came back with a cold and I am currently going through treatment with Advair and occasional rescue inhaler. I expect I should be good to go in a week or so. Just need to get rid of this phlegm.

.