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Bryan Irons
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Bryan Irons
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Bryan Irons
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Bryan Irons
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Bryan Irons
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Bryan Irons
Story and photos by Bryan Irons
The days of grabbing a bucket of chicken and tossing few camping supplies into the back of the CJ and taking off for the weekend are long gone for me. That’s not to say I don’t yearn to get off the paved roads and spend a night under the stars, but with 2 kids, things have changed! A chance to hit the outdoors with the entire family in tow came up with a weekend in a Jayco Baja 10G folding trailer.
The Baja line appealed to me for its multi-use layout. Sitting higher off the ground then most trailers, and coming equipped with 15” wheels and mud terrain tires means we have the ability to tow the trailer behind our trail rig for those “off the beaten track” camping trips. Towing at highway speeds is also not a problem for the Baja 10G. Being a “toy hauler” means that there is a 63” long storage deck on the front of the unit with ramps that act as guard rails. Capable of carrying 1000 lbs on its own means a place for a quad, trail spares, or in my case, toys for the kids and firewood for the weekend. Perfect.
Setup once we got to our destination was relatively painless with a power top complete with remote control key fob. This is most handy when packing up to keep everything level and in order. Stabilizer jacks are manual crank style, but a cordless drill with the right size socked made the job a snap. Time to light the 3-way fridge and make sure the bevies are nice and cold while I get the kitchen set up. From there, break out the included BBQ that attaches to the side of the trailer, and connect the quick connect gas fittings. Time to relax.
After a day exploring the woods, and the obligatory campfire cook-off, it was time to clean the kids up and go to bed. An outdoor shower comes standard with the 10G along with a 30-gallon fresh water tank. The 5-gallon hot water tank is big enough to wash the grime off of a day’s play. This particular unit sleeps “up to 6”, but we’ll call it “4 and a little person” comfortably. On the cold nights, a gas furnace made sleeping in a tent on the ground seem like some weird torture technique.
The next day involved a 2-hour session of the kids chasing ground hogs around the camp site as well as some much needed R&R - for my wife and myself, not the ground hogs! With hot summer days approaching, multiple fans in the trailer and big screened windows meant keeping the inside temperatures tolerable during the day. The units are also pre-wired for rooftop AC units if you have access to 120V power where you camp. Some models can also be equipped with porti-potty and an indoor shower.
As the rains arrived, it was time to pack up and head home back to the daily grind. Taking the trailer on some slightly rougher roads home proved to be less nail biting then I had expected. The larger tire sidewall soaked up the bumps and the added height made me less concerned about hitting anything underneath the trailer.
Jayco’s years of experience building trailers to withstand miles of highway and dirt road alike is comforting when looking at spending your hard earned money on a new trailer.