The Sunset Park Sunray 109 Sport! Why do we have 2 campers?
I retired in 2019 and while retirement is great, you know… not having to go to work everyday. It does get a little boring though, so in 2023 I started looking for affordable ways to travel. Since I lived alone at the time, on a fixed pension, I had to get creative if I wanted to travel and have adventures. So, what did I do? Of course, I bought a camper! I had to find a small camper within my budget that could be towed by my vehicle and one that would be easy for me to manage by myself. I looked at a lot of micros, minis and teardrops, but they all lacked the ability to go off-grid and off-terrain and they were unbelievably heavy.
I opted for a 2024 Sunset Park Sunray 109 Sport. It has an off-grid sport package, meaning it has off-grid tires, suspension, solar package, roof rack, awning and screen door. It does not have a grey or black tank which makes it lighter. It does have a water tank & propane water heater, propane heat & stove, and an air conditioner. It has a TV & cable connection too, but I’m not much of a TV girl, so I just used my Kindle.
The shower is located on the outside of the camper and so is the kitchen, perfect for off-grid. No toilet, but since my plan was to off-grid most of the time, I purchased a portable toilet and double tent with one side for the toilet and the other for the shower. As far as the grey water, the camper has a discharge connection from the kitchen sink that I drained to a 5 gallon bucket. If camping at a campground, I simply parked close to the bathroom/bath house, or I could use my Planet Fitness membership.
I loved this little camper, but obviously it was built for one person or a smaller couple. It was perfect for me and Solaris, my little watchdog. I used a waterproof blanket for her that allowed her on the sofa bed and I also took her doggy bed that fits perfectly next to the camper bed when it’s pulled out. The camper has a screen door, but I left it open most of the time so that she could go in and out freely whenever her fence was set up. Not all campgrounds allow it though, so that’s when I had to utilize the screen door. I talk a lot about the different tools we use with her but without them, she wouldn’t be able to travel or go anywhere. I’m trying to give her the best life I can with the tools available, and hopefully help anyone else with reactive or aggressive dogs. Traveling in a camper is an option! My girl loves camping about as much as I do though, and that makes it much more fun.
There was a rooftop tent and shower enclosure offered for my camper, but I don’t have a need for the tent bed and I opted for a less expensive shower tent setup. The camper is 12 ft from tongue to rear bumper, but the bed is only about 6ft in length, perfect for me since I’m 5’10”. There’s not a lot of storage space inside the camper, but there is a little in the kitchen area for dishes and small appliances. When traveling, I stored everything inside the camper since I didn’t have a truck and the cargo area of my vehicle was reserved for my pupper.
I bought a bunch of stuff to decorate and make it feel more homey and to create more organization and storage space. Overall, I love the little camper, but it just doesn’t make sense anymore since Jason & Bella came with a big ole Fifth Wheel! We use the Glamper now so I’m sure we’ll eventually sell it. But for now, it’s available if friends and family want to join us but don’t have their own camper.
Be sure to click the Photos link to check out how I decorated, organized and made an outside space for Solo. If you’re interested in any of the items, I’ve attached links below and on our Shop page.
See you at the campground,
Val
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