Folding Mattress for Sprinter Front Seats

The mattress fits across the 2 front seats. A 1/2 inch plywood is used for the mattress support with a 2-inch high density foam topping for comfort. The bed is 61-inches long and 24-inches wide unfolded. When folded, it measures about 30.5-inches long x 24-inches wide. It's perfect for a child or short adult. I store it behind the driver seat when not in use. If you need a longer bed, try this DIY aisle bed: Click here

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Aisle Bed in Roadtrek Agile

RT Agile rear convertible seat/king size bed can comfortably sleep 2 adults. With our two small kids, there is no way we all fit on the rear bed. The bed can fit three the most, 2 adults and a small child should be fine. When camping, I always ended up sleeping on the floor using a camping self- inflatable mattress. It's okay, but the floor gets really cold during winter or cold season camping, not to mention cleaning the floor thoroughly before laying your mattress or you end up with a dirty blanket and pillow in the morning.

The only available space you can put a 2nd bed/mattress is on the galley floor or on top of the 2 front seats. I believe Sportsmobile does make a foldaway mattress accross the sprinter 2 front seats. I did make one myself, try this link Click here. The problem with the front seats bed is the limited 62 inches length, this is okay for a child. To sleep an adult, a longer bed is needed. The galley floor has limited space, so off-the-shelf cot/ camping bed obviously will not fit.

I used our old folding table frame as a bed support. The frame is made of high strength steel and can hold an adult weight without a problem. The bed can be folded when not in use and can be stored behind the drivers seat.

The finished bed.

 

Most Compact and Lightweight Portable Camp Chair

I've been looking for a compact camp chair that we can use during camping trips. The old full-sized folding chairs we have were bulky, heavy and took up a lot of space in the RV. After doing some extensive research online, I finally found this...the "Alite Mantis " chair. I have tried many compact chairs at our local stores, but none of them is more compact, comfortable, and lightweight as the "Alite Mantis". This chair is so small when folded and tucked inside it's carrying pouch; it is just a little taller but less in diameter than a 2 liter soda bottle. Chair sets up easily using a strong aluminum hub and pole system similar to the design found in many lightweight tents. The seat and poles seem to be very well constructed and very durable. Needless to say, this chair rocks!

Some things to consider: Chair sits low to the ground and might be a problem to some people getting out of the chair especially to someone with back problems, but I find it to be very comfortable with a relaxed position. Price point, it is more expensive than other compact chairs on the market, but you pay for the quality, construction, and design of this chair.

Here are the specs:

Unfolded:     (H x W x D) 29 x 21 x 22 inches

Folded:        (Diameter x L) 5 x 17.5 inches

Seat height:   8 inches

Weight capacity: 250 lbs.

Seat material: Ripstop nylon

Frame construction: Aluminum

Weight: 2 lbs.

It's a lot cheaper if you get it from Amazon. Here is the link: Alite Mantis Chair

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Image from Alite website.

Crystal Cove State Park Lower Moro Campground

It's California's newest State Park campground, it's set on a terraced hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Below the campground is a day use area with beach access, just a short, but steep, walk from your campsite. Only free-standing tents are allowed, ground stakes use is prohibited. Campfires are not allowed. Another big drawback of the campsite is the traffic noise from PCH.

Campsite reservation through reserveamerica website.
GPS coordinates:33.564432,-117.822254 (opens google maps)
Activities: camping, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, surfing, swimming, scuba diving, surf fishing (not sure if it's allowed here but I've seen a lot of people doing it).
FEES: RV sites with hook-ups= $75/night, drycamps=$50/night plus $8 reservation fee

Campground Map

Bathroom Light Switch Modification

The bathroom light fixture has a built-in switch into it. The light switch is covered with rubber to prevent water getting in, small kids find it difficult to push the switch on/off. It's also mounted close to ceiling making it hard for them to safely reach it.

To solve the problem , I installed a pull chain switch. It's a pretty simple project; first, I removed the light fixture assembly from the wall (held by 4 screws). Unplug the light fixture from the coach wiring by pulling the bullet connectors apart. I then made a hole that is big enough for the pull chain switch mounting base to pass through to the side of the light fixture body. Installed the new switch, then rewired the black wire (+) to the new switch bypassing the old one. Put the whole thing back, and problem solved. Now, I can also easily turn the lights on when I need too while doing my business, no more reaching for that darn switch!

I also replaced the light bulb to an LED bulb from Home Depot, it's energy efficient and puts up  more light than the original bulb. Here is the link: Philips Accent LED 3-Watt. It provides cool bright light at 100 lumens (@ 4000K color temp) which is more than enough light for the bathroom. Of course, you can get one cheaper and has more lumens from Ebay, but not at this color temp range.The picture below doesn't do justice, it's a lot brighter than that.

New light switch installed