For people who are allergic, asthmatic and/or chemically sensitive, travel can be difficult. It took us several years into our health journey to come to the realization that RVing with allergies is very possible – not to mention extremely enjoyable – in a truck camper.
Humble Beginnings
When I was a little girl, my Nan and Pop had an old truck camper that was hoisted and secured to the back of their red Ford with chain tie downs. It had all the basics for a short fishing excursion: a bed, small stove, dinette and a little bit of storage for all the bare essentials.
They would drive to their favourite trout pond and set up camp. We visited during the day and took turns riding on the Argo. As fun as it was for my childhood self, I never thought that I would be enjoying the same simple pleasures and conveniences as an adult. Until I became food and chemically sensitive, that is.
Challenges With Traditional Travel
Kris and I travelled a lot at the beginning of our relationship – slowly ticking the places we dreamed of visiting off our bucket list. But as my health declined, it was becoming harder and harder to venture outside our bubble. The food sensitivities were one thing… we had become experts at packing pre-made meals for a prolonged road trip.
But as my environmental allergies and sensitivities worsened and began triggering asthmatic episodes, it was difficult finding safe hotel rooms. It even proved challenging staying in the homes of our friends and family as many people use air fresheners and heavily fragranced laundry products that I just can’t be around.
Selecting a Camper
We thought, if only we had a camper that we travel with so that we could be safe and comfortable without giving up on adventuring and our family visits. So, I started researching truck campers. They are a lot different now than the model my Nan and Pop owned back in the 1980’s.
I stumbled across Truck Camper Magazine in my web search. This site was instrumental in helping us pick a model that met our needs and most importantly, paired with our ¾ ton truck. We finally connected with Happy Camping RV in upstate New York and made the three day drive to pick it up.
Our Lance 825 camper was the perfect fit for us. This hard, non-slide unit offered all of the necessities as well as surprising creature comforts. Stove, sink, fridge with freezer, microwave, dinette, bed, storage, air conditioning, tv and dvd player. And the best feature of all – a bathroom including a toilet and shower!
Road Trips
We are truly able to camp just about anywhere. And that is important to us. We live in a very isolated area in northern Canada where the only road connecting us to civilization is about seven hours of twisty gravel with no towns or amenities.
Since our son came along, we need to take more frequent stops. We can pull over whenever we are tired and have a nap, brew a tea or make a meal. (And, of course, to use the bathroom because who loves peeing on the side of the road?)
Eating on the Road
The truck camper kitchen has everything necessary to make a good meal on the road. We love cooking whole foods and eating healthily when we travel.We just pack our staple groceries from home and buy fresh local produce in the places we visit.
Having a kitchen in the camper means we don’t have to worry about eating at restaurants and risk getting sick from hidden ingredients or cross-contamination. This is extremely important now given our son’s food allergies.
Boondocking
Because the camper battery is connected to the truck battery, we recharge as we drive. We have fresh, grey and black water tanks so we do not need campsite hookups. And that’s a good thing considering that campfires are a big part of campsite culture and the smoke from those fires can trigger my MCS / asthma.
Having the truck camper means we can boondock in the most scenic locales. Our favourite spots are typically next to a river or on a beach. There’s nothing like letting the sound of waves lull you to sleep. Pretty much anywhere a truck can drive is where we can camp.
Urban Adventure
We are not limited to rural areas either, we have taken the truck camper into bustling cities. And because the camper is contained on the back of our truck, we rarely have trouble finding parking. Truck camping during the COVID pandemic has been a godsend when businesses had restrictions and many bathrooms were closed at public venues.
We don’t have to worry about imposing on friends and family when we visit. We just need a small flat place to park. At the end of a long day, we say goodnight and crawl into our own comfy bed. Did I mention that we fit a king-sized memory foam mattress in our bunk? It’s heavenly. And although our dinette folds down to make an extra bed for our little guy, he prefers to sleep between mom and dad.
Someday we may upgrade to a class b rig but for right now, we’re hard core truck camper enthusiasts. I have a feeling that my Nan and Pop would approve.
