We are a vegan family consisting of a retired couple, Daniel and Kristin, and two plant-based dogs, Peter and Marcel. We have dreamt of this trip for a while and it is now reality! Yay! Below we share information on our camper and the modifications we’ve made to it, our tow vehicles, and the memberships and websites/apps we find helpful.
Camper
2021 Forest River Cherokee Wolf Pup 17JG
We decided to get a camper with bunk beds so we could convert them to storage. Some of the modifications we have done include:
- Added cube storage to front half of bunk beds near kitchen which serve as a pantry.
- Cut hole in bathroom wall to make a closet using back half of bunk beds and added a large mirror on closet door. This required the black tank vent to be re-routed.
- Cut a hole in bottom bunk in closet area for a laundry shoot.
- Removed small beverage refrigerator from outside “kitchen” area and built a shelf to hold our induction hot plate. This area also holds our oven.
- Removed headboard and replaced mattress with memory foam mattress.
Tips: We have found several things helpful for our camper.
- We use a pipe insulation cover (similar to a pool noodle) to hold the glass microwave plate in place during travel.
- We use a pipe insulation cover on our refrigerator door latch so the door doesn’t open during travel. Update: We found the refrigerator door would still open slightly while traveling so we made a wooden latch at a campground which had a wood shop. A pool noodle might work better too since it is bigger in diameter.
- We covered most of the lower inside part of our screen door with plexiglass so the dogs wouldn’t destroy the screen by scratching it.
Here’s a video of our camper modifications:
Tow Vehicle
2019 Tesla Model X
- The car comes standard with a towing package. It has a towing capacity of 4990 lbs.
- The car came with free Super Charging for life at Tesla chargers.
We are frequently asked how well the Tesla pulls the camper. It pulls it extremely well. Pulling a camper does shorten the range down to about 100 miles but this works out for us because someone (Marcel) needs a frequent potty break.
2024 Tesla Cybertruck Foundation Series
- The truck has a towing capacity of 11,000 lbs.
We ordered the Cybertruck in June 2024 and took delivery on September 5th. This is our new tow vehicle but we will still use the Model X to explore as we have free supercharging. We get a range of about 160 miles while pulling the camper. Same as the Model X, the Cybertruck pulls the camper extremely well. No problems with steep grades.
Apps, Websites and Memberships
This will be an ongoing process to find the best apps, websites and memberships for finding campsites and activities. We will update as we learn more.
- iOverlander app or website: So far this app has been useful in finding places to stay for a night. It is crowdsourced so it’s best to double check the info with a quick phone call. Free
- Thousand Trails: This is a membership which has different packages. We purchased a membership with the Trails Collection and 3 zones. It allows you to camp for free at their campgrounds. Our package allows us to camp continuously for 4 days campground to campground or camp for two weeks and take one week off before staying at their campgrounds again. If we stay at Thousand Trails campgrounds for two weeks every month, it will more than cover the cost of membership. $1029.90
Update: After the first year, we upgraded to the 4 year Journey membership which allows us to camp for 3 weeks without taking the week off in between campgrounds. $6800 total for four years
Use “490100192” as a referral code and you’ll get $55-155 off your membership. - Passport America: This membership gives us half off the regular camping fee at participating campgrounds. We got a Black Friday deal so it was a no brainer for us. $22
Udate: We did not renew this membership after the first year as it wasn’t all that useful. - Resort Parks International: This membership gives us a discount on camping at participating campgrounds. The nightly fee will vary from campground to campground but is generally around $10. Since Thousand Trails mostly has campgrounds on the coasts, we needed options for less expensive camping in central states. RPI is purchased through campgrounds (or is a part of your Thousand Trails membership) so Daniel called several and the prices ranged from $4000+ to the option we chose. We purchased our RPI through Big Buck Resort and Campground in Tennessee. $362.25
Update: We signed up for an additional 2 years. $240 - Bureau of Land Management: You can disperse camp on most BLM land for free for 14 days. After 14 days you must move to another site outside of a 25 mile radius of the first site. A map of BLM land is helpful. Note: Some areas may have “no camping” or “no overnight parking” signs. If so, don’t camp there.
- Good Sam Roadside Assistance: We’ve had three breakdowns; two of them have required a tow. We were fortunate to have Good Sam for the second tow as they covered $1000 to tow our car 180 miles.
- Happy Cow: Great website and app which lists vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants and stores all over the world. Free
- Atlas Obscura: This is the app we use to find the quirky and obscure things we see and do. Free
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Contact Happy Vegan Campers!
Happy Vegan Campers are traveling the country and building a passive house! Any suggestions on places we should visit or questions about our house? Love our recipes? We’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or send us an email:
happyvegancampers@gmail.com
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