In 2014, Charlie and Jeannie Coushaine said their two-year truck camping plan might last five. Twelve years later, their adventures are still going—and going, and going. They’ve been to Alaska, Baja Mexico, Nova Scotia, and beyond. What keeps the Coushaines going? There’s a video for that.
A few years ago, Charlie and Jeannie made a big decision. Despite considerable research to find an RV they liked better, they couldn’t find anything they liked more than their 2012 Chalet truck camper. Over the years, they’ve modded their camper far beyond the capabilities and features of a stock unit, not to mention most of what’s on the market today.
So they opted to keep their beloved camper, get a more capable truck, and keep on truck camping. Speaking from experience, there’s something to be said for finding your perfect camper and keeping it for as long as possible.
As for their new truck, Charlie and Jeannie went extreme with a Ford F-550, a pickup bed, and a LiquidSpring suspension system. The story behind their truck build, and their experienced truck and camper perspectives make this a highly recommended read.
Let’s check out the adventures the Coushaines have been on since their interview, “Truck Campers Can Fly”. Here’s Charlie and Jeannie Coushaine’s Reader Spotlight.
Back in 2014, you were traveling in a Ford F-350 with a Chalet DS116RB. You’re still in your Chalet, but now it’s on an F-550 with a LiquidSpring suspension. Why did you change trucks?
After ten years of traveling with the 2001 Ford F-350 all over the country, and putting 140,000 miles on the odometer, our truck had over 200,000 miles on it.
My wife and I discussed how much longer we planned to travel and the answer was another ten years. With this in mind, we decided our old F-350 wouldn’t last that long and we needed a new truck. Knowing our Chalet was heavy, including carrying a 155cc scooter on the front hitch, we decided to get the most payload ability available.
Their 155cc scooter on the front of their Chalet and Ford rig
We found a company in Denver that specializes in taking a Ford F-550, adding a standard stretched bed, adding LiquidSpring suspension, and adding anything else you may want in your heavy-duty truck. Our Ford F-550 has a GVWR of 19,500 pounds and 10,300 pounds of payload, which is perfect for being weight legal.
In 2014, Alaska was on your bucket list. Since then, you’ve made the trip. What was it like to finally take your truck camper to Alaska, and what stands out most from the experience?
Alaska was a great experience. We traveled up to Alaska as part of a thirty-four day Alaskan caravan with twenty other campers. We traveled from British Columbia, through the Yukon, through Tok, and all the way down to Homer.
The most exciting thing was seeing all the glaciers. They were seemingly everywhere. When I asked our tour leader if I could film them using my drone, he laughed. He said, “In Alaska people do what they want, so go ahead and fly!”
Since your interview, you’ve also taken your truck camper to Baja, Mexico. What did you discover about truck camping in Baja that surprised you?
The Baja tour was similar to Alaska in that we took a guided caravan with seven other truck camper friends. The thirty-day trip had us camping almost half the trip on secluded beaches. Although the beach camping was great, the drive through the rolling hills and mountains was spectacular. The scenery was beautiful and the land almost all untouched by humans.
I have a funny story about truck camping friends. On one secluded beach in Baja, it was pretty crowded. Since it was first-come, first-serve, the beach camping spots were pretty full. Our tour leader took us the far end of the beach where he expected us to spread out amongst the sand dunes. Much to his surprise, four of us pulled into one spot forming a circle. He was very surprised and said he had never seen anything like that before.
In 2014, we featured your drone videos made with a DJI Phantom and GoPro, and you told us your goal was to film the country as you traveled. Today, you’re sharing your travels through your YouTube channel. How has your approach to documenting your adventures changed over the years?
Back in 2012, flying my DJI Phantom drone was still legal and acceptable in most places. However, things have changed over the years. In the early days I flew my drone everywhere I could. I flew through the St. Louis Arch and above and around cruise ships and included this footage as part of my YouTube channel.
Now drones are banned at almost all scenic places including national parks and state parks, so I have changed to filming my experiences using a handheld gimbal camera. My latest handheld gimbal camera is the Insta360. It’s great for going to museums, scenic hikes, and really anywhere. If you visit my YouTube channel you can see all the great videos of Alaska and Baja, and many more wonderful places we’ve visited.
Chalet DS116 and Ford F550 with LiquidSpring suspension in Cheticamp, Nova Scotia
More than a decade after your interview, you’re still traveling in a truck camper rig. Did you ever imagine back when you bought your Chalet that the adventure would turn into this?
Traveling in our truck camper has been a great experience. We not only are able to travel anywhere in the country, but it has also allowed us to visit our kids in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Having a relatively short rig allows for driveway surfing and extended stays with our kids.
We have been to many RV shows and have looked over many truck campers and Class C rigs looking for what’s next as we age and the stairs become more daunting. Much to our surprise, none have been better than our current truck camper for layout or tank sizes, so we have stayed with what we have and love.
Jetty Park campground in Florida with Disney Ship passing by
What’s next on your bucket list?
Since we retired in 2013, we have tried to balance truck camping trips with cruises. We have alternated yearly taking overseas cruises or bus tours in Europe and the Caribbean.
Our next big truck camping adventure is to travel Route 66, beginning to end, experiencing all of its wonders. Our next big overseas cruise is to Australia and New Zealand for a month or more. We are currently up in Canada traveling with friends all over Nova Scotia and having a great time.
Charlie and Jeannie Coushaine’s Rig
2022 Ford F-550
2012 Chalet DS116RB
