Get ready to feel the sun on your brow, push the sand with your feet,
and listen to the waves crash to the cries of seagulls. We’re
following Mr. Bling to the beach, and beyond.
It’s time to blow Mr. Bling’s cover. Yes, Mr. Bling is none other than Mike Layton, one of the nicest guys we’ve had the pleasure of meeting through the magazine. He may also be one of the most passionate people on earth about having a super clean and shiny truck and camper. Let’s just say there’s a reason why he’s known far and wide as Mr. Bling. For this story, we discover how Mike became Mr. Bling, and where his love for truck camping on the beach was born.
TCM: How did you get into truck camping?
Mike: I started going to the beach with my parents. They had a truck camper in the 1970’s. I was actually on the beach camping when I heard that Elvis Presley died. I was probably about 5 years old.
My wife, Natalie, used to be a beach day-tripper. She’s from Berlin, Maryland and wasn’t very fond of being on the sand for three days straight. So, we bought a 1983 Chevrolet truck from a friend and a little eight and a half foot hard-side camper. I completely re-did that camper.
TCM: What did you change?
Mike: I put in a new black tank and fixed up the inside. Overall, I had $900 dollars tied up in the camper and $1,200 dollars in the truck. After getting the camper together, we were rolling to the beach.
TCM: When was that?
Mike: Approximately six years ago. That’s when Natalie fell in love with camping and realized how nice it was. Not even a year later, we upgraded to a 1982 Sunline truck camper. But, soon after, started running out of room with our two girls. So, we decided to venture into new campers. We bought a 2004 Arctic Fox 1150. After I bought the Arctic Fox, I realized that the camper was way too heavy for the Chevy, so we bought another truck. Then the motor blew on that truck, so now we have a 2005 Ford F-350. We traded in Natalie’s 2004 Durango for the 2005 Ford F-350.
TCM: What modifications have you personally made to your rig?
Mike: I have made all of the modifications myself. The truck I bought is an XL, which is a cheaper version. So, I decided to do some modifications to it. I replaced the headlights and front grill to make them chrome with chrome inserts.
On the camper, every screw has been replaced with stainless screws because of the salt from the ocean. I’ve also made the brackets on the camper and the truck stainless steel, so they won’t rust. I like things shiny.
I’ve gotten new clear-coated aluminum Mickey Thompson wheels and tires. I’ve had to do that a couple of times because of the corrosion from the beach. I also made my own custom tie-downs and turnbuckles. There’s also a front cooler rack on the front of the truck and a back deck that attaches to the back of the camper that I’ve made.
TCM: How did you learn how to fabricate your own tie-downs and make your own cooler rack?
Mike: From being a mechanic and a welder fabricator. On the inside of the camper, I’ve put in slide-out shelves in the big closet by the refrigerator, made my screen door handle stainless steel, and replaced some of the switches because of the salt air.
One thing I always do is wash the truck once we get home from the beach. I wash the inside fenders, frames, and the back of the wheels by hand. I also spray the drive-train. Sometimes I even wash and rinse it off before we go down to the beach. Sitting here all week the truck camper is out in the elements, so I like to keep it clean.
TCM: How did you decide to get an Arctic Fox?
Mike: My money is spent where it is going to get me the most for the money. I looked into everything and I felt the Arctic Fox gave us the most room. I really think it is the best camper I could get for the money.
TCM: Where did you get the name, Mr. Bling? And who named you?
Mike: I believe it was Jimmy Johnson who came up with the name, Mr. Bling. He was talking me into joining RV.net. He said, “Mr. Bling fits you”. Everything on my rig is all aluminum and stainless. And it’s polished so it all shines. That’s where he got Mr. Bling. The name just kind of stuck with everyone. At the Mid-Atlantic Rally we were all wearing name tags that RV.net provided. Everyone saw the rig and I together and were calling me Mr. Bling.
TCM: We’ve heard that you’ve won numerous awards for your truck and camper. Tell us about them.
Mike: In 2006, I won the Best Rig in the 1998 and newer category at the Camporee at the beach. There were approximately 300 to 350 rigs out there. Not all of the campers were in my category but, with twenty judges or so, that was pretty cool.
In 2007, I won the first annual three-foot trophy in New Church, Virginia at a firehouse. They had a truck and camper rig contest. Unfortunately, I did not get to back to Camporee in 2007 to defend my title because I was working with Mike Olesnivich trying to get into NASCAR.
Then, in 2008, I went back to the Camporee and won best in category, won the second annual New Church, Virginia firehouse truck camper contest, the Mid-Atlantic rally trophy, and had my photo in the Truck Camper Magazine calendar. What a year!
TCM: Yes, your July 2009 calendar photo is coming up in just a few days. Other than Assateague, where else do you go with your truck camper?
Mike: On Halloween we go to a campground. My girls, Selena and Brianna, enjoy trick or treating there. If you’ve never done that, especially with kids, it’s really nice. You don’t have to go house to house, you just go camper to camper. It’s great for the girls because they can go down two rows of campers and have their bags full. Plus, there’s so much going on like hayrides, haunted houses, and who has got the scariest site.
We’ve been to Okracoke Island in North Carolina. It’s in the Outer Banks. We can’t camp on the beach there, but they’ve got a campground. There’s also an annual event in North Carolina at Freeman Park that we go to. That runs on Memorial Day weekend. That’s also beach camping, but a lot different from Assateague.
Two years ago we went to Tennessee to Pigeon Forge and Dollywood. We went horseback riding and to see some comedy shows. We were there for a week. We’ll also come up your way to Hershey Park for some camping.
TCM: What do your daughters about camping?
Mike: Selena and Brianna thoroughly enjoy going down to the beach. When we start back camping, after winter, it’s like a reunion because they haven’t seen their friends in awhile. I grew up on the beach camping and I wanted them to experience it. I actually gave them the option of playing sports on the weekends or camping, and they chose going to the beach. They really like swimming in the ocean, playing in the sand, and being with their friends.
TCM: That’s awesome. We should all be so lucky as kids. If we were to drive out on the beach this weekend, what would the likelihood be that there would be other truck campers there?
Mike: Pretty much from April all the way through November, there are going to be truck campers there on the beach. On a rainy weekend people will hold back from going, but there still might be fifty campers in the bullpen when night falls.
TCM: What do you do once you’re on the beach?
Mike: Typically, we go out on the beach Friday night. We get dinner, build us a bon fire, and set-up a movie for the kids. We’ll roast marshmallows, have bonfire talks, and sometimes I’ll be playing guitar with my father. On Saturday mornings, we’ll start with our coffee and breakfast. Then, we’ll say, “What part of the beach we are going to go fishing on today?” The kids have fun in the sand. Horseshoes are also a big thing for us. I have them in my truck and we play all the time. In fact, at the AMSA Camporee, we have a Horseshoe tournament.
TCM: What is the AMSA?
Mike: The AMSA is the Assateague Mobile Sportsfisherman Association. It’s primarily truck campers who are involved, but you don’t have to be a truck camper to be a part of it. Ninety percent of us are truck campers. And there are people who participate from all over the place, like my friend Mike is in North Carolina.
AMSA started when some fisherman got together in the mid-sixties. Right now, our goal is to keep beach open for younger members and to help preserve beach. We have beach clean-ups where trucks drive down the beach twice a year to pick up trash on our thirteen miles of beach.
August 9th weekend AMSA has a big Camporee. AMSA actually purchases a permit from the Federal Park Service for the Camporee. Normally only 146 vehicles are allowed, but for that weekend, over 300 vehicles get together.
TCM: That sounds amazing. I really hope to see that someday, but there are some issues with our Rickson duallies and the beach that we need to figure
out first. Since you’re an expert on beach camping, could you tell us the basics for another article?
Mike: I would love to. Where should we start…
For our second story with Mike Layton, Beach Camping 101, he is going to teach us all how to camp on the beach. If you’ve ever wondered how to air down tires, what equipment you should have in your truck, how to drive on the beach and not get stuck, or about the restrictions on the beach, stay tuned.
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