Five Generations of Ranching Northern Range Ranch Roping

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photo by Bill ReynoldsJohn Swift's 1964 alaskan on his classic 1981 Chevy Custom deluxeClassy Camping – the Alaskan Truck Camper8There are those who camp and then there are those thatCamP. most people fall into one of those two categories, unlessyou’re one who simply DoeSN’T camp. Camping has alwaysbeen subject to the elements – tents helped, but something betterevolved. When camper camping came along, it was with theadvent of the “slide-in” pick-up truck camper – a milestone ofconvenience that changed everything – for many. I don’t knowwhere the name “slide-in” came from, as I have yet to see anyone“slide” one of those big Conestoga wagons-without-wheels ontoa pick-up. I have seen them “drop” into a pick-up bed after whatseemed to be four or five days of hand cranking four separate jacksto lower said camper. I have also had the unpleasant opportunityto witness a “slide-off ” – when the camper owner gunned it andforgot to chain down his little mobile Ponderosa. Camper stylesover the years, it seems, change like hemlines, and, like hemlines,most of the changes are mostly cosmetic – the essence is the same– a big box that rides in the truck bed. For many of the campingpersuasion, change is an unnecessary and wasteful concept,especially for those who simply love the timeless execution of agreat singular idea. example? of course. The Buck folding hunter.The Coleman lantern. The twist-off beer top. They are all classicsof the genre that work perfectly. That description also fits the heroof our story, the classic alaskan Truck Camper.The alaskan Truck Camper is not the bulky profile of theaverage pick-up truck camper. The original alaskan Camper wasdesigned for those searching for protection from the elements,but wanted a low compact profile that made traveling easy andremote campsites accessible. That, my friends, is what an alaskanCamper is all about.alaskan Campers, Inc. builds, as they say, “The camperscamper, and it’s manufactured right here in Chehalis,Washington. It’s singular unique and timeless quality is that thealaskan Camper RV is the original ‘top up – top down’ design, ‘itraises – it lowers’ the top of the camper for safety and comfort.This is what a true pop-up, slide-in camper should be, a lowtraveling profile that is not compromised with wimpy, canvassidewalls. These campers do not compromise on quality ofmaterial or workmanship; it’s all about camping and truckcampers. and, as they say of a used alaskan, ‘If you find one forsale, our advice is, buy it.’”That is exactly what John Swift did. He found his alaskan(shown here on John’s 1981 Chevy Custom Deluxe) in a friend’sw w w. pa r a g o n f o u n d at i o n .o r g
photo courtesy Alaskan Campers, Inc.barn in Central California. “It’s a single owner,” John says with a grin, “and you can’t say that aboutmany things built in 1964. my friend’s dad owned it and when he passed away, the family covered itup in the barn.” It seems owners of alaskan campers seem to take great pride in just how old theircamper is. as the original “Pop-up, Slide-in truckcamper” for sale, the alaskan Camper was – and is –asimple yet dramatic breakaway from the bulky profile ofthe average pickup truck camper RV. Since the originalalaskan Campers, designed in 1953 for the purpose ofcamping along the alcan Highway, campers havesearched for a “slide-in” camper for sale that would“pop-up” and give them protection from the rain andcold; a camper that would travel rough terrain, belightweight and present the least wind resistance on theroad. The original designer, and owner of the company,R.D. Hall, wanted a camper for himself he could drivewith little wind resistance yet had all the things insidethe nelson's check out an alaskan on the set ofThe Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet in the 1960she would need for several week trips from his home inCalifornia to the Brooks Range in alaska. By 1958,Hall had so many requests for the campers, he startedbuilding them for the public and, by 1963, had five factories building alaskans in the u.S. Today,Don Wheat continues the production of Hall’s original idea with his company, alaskan Campers, Inc.according to the company’s web site, “We decided to continue building a slide-in truck camperthat campers wanted! The first unit was constructed so that the top, by an ingenious hydraulicsystem, could be raised and lowered. This allowed for full standing room in the interior when incamp, but, when on the road, the unit was snugged down with only a few inches of camper roofextending above the truck cab. The result was reduced wind resistance and increased gas mileage!‘ToP uP – ToP DoWN’ ‘it raises – it lowers’ not only is this a tremendous advantage for thealaskan Pick-up Truck Camper RV, but it typifies our whole design and quality philosophy, ‘fromthe top to the bottom, we will build the best.’” Today, the alaskan Camper is available for sale as acustom camper as well as the standard Ten Foot alaskan RV or the Standard eight Foot alaskan;and both feature the “Top up – Top Down” patented design. The design really is ingenious:1. While driving with the top lowered, there is less wind resistance. With less windresistance, fuel mileage is increased.2. The lower profile not only improves fuel mileage, but it also improves the handling andfeel while driving. By lowering the center of gravity, putting the weight of the campercloser to the road, the alaskan does not demonstrate the “rocking and rolling” motionof the conventional truck camper.3. The insulated “Solid Wall” design has the obvious benefit of a safer interior (no bears orintruders coming through canvas walls), a warmer interior in the winter with minimalheat loss and a cooler interior in the summer.4. The full raising top means you have a full height door which means you don’t have tostoop over to get inside the camper, as is the case with later pop-up designs. and it alsomeans you have large eye level glass windows, not plastic.5. When driving in windy conditions, the truck and slide-in camper is not pushed aroundas in a conventional truck and camper.Through the years, the system has received significant improvements. although many puristslove the hand-operated jack, an electric hydraulic pump was introduced in 1990 to improve the easeof raising the top. In 1994, stainless steel pistons were added, this reduced the possibility ofinadvertently bending the pistons. The size of the piston diameter was increased in 1999 to providemore lifting power. other than that, frankly, why mess with something that’s pretty close to perfect?To learn more about alaskan Truck Campers, visit one of their three web sites. Yes,three. www.alaskancamper.org – .com and .net. alaskancamper.org has mostly pictures.alaskancamper.com is the most complete and alaskancamper.net is for those who have littlepatience and just want the facts. a very nice PDF brochure sucks you right in.Current interiors of the alaskan truckCamper show that there's no need tochange something that works1964 interiorphotos courtesy Alaskan Campers, Inc.photo by Bill Reynolds9fa L L 2 0 0 9
Page 1: FALL 2009The Smith Family:Five Gene
Page 4 and 5: Fall 2009 Volume 5 No. 3William C.
Page 6 and 7: photo by Myron Beck4w w w. pa r a g
Page 8 and 9: 6photo by Myron Beckw w w. pa r a g
Page 12 and 13: Parkfield Cattle DriveVisit histori
Page 14 and 15: K Bar J LeatherJack Gully’s compa
Page 16 and 17: 14photo courtesy Al SheltonAl Shelt
Page 18 and 19: American SoldierQueensrycheRhino.co
Page 20 and 21: The West of David StoeckleinPhotogr
Page 22 and 23: 20Cowboy Ethics “Boot Camp” att
Page 24 and 25: anch headquartersA Ranching Family
Page 26 and 27: 24did those things for a couple yea
Page 28: A Special Thank You to our Sponsors
Page 31 and 32: Integrity, Humiliation, and HopeNea
Page 33 and 34: “Who’d of thought it would be s
Page 36 and 37: SAY IT OR PRINT IT—IT’S YOUR RI
Page 38 and 39: 36Freedom of speechand the military
Page 40 and 41: T H E C O W B O Y W A Y38Mark Bedor
Page 42 and 43: claiming it, my grand dad refused t
Page 45 and 46: called the Frying Pan Ranch and use
Page 47: Y O U R R I G H T Sis the “Scienc
Page 50 and 51: 48w w w. pa r a g o n f o u n d at
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THe lIVING WoRDSof the C oNSTITuTIo
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Ranch • LivingRanch LivingW I T H
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Ranch • LivingStart Conversations
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AN INTREPID SPIRITFive Generations
Page 69 and 70:
Boulder, population 1,500, supplies
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CUSTER AND MEMy TiMe aT U.S. Cavalr
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72photo by Diana VolkI was riding D
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Great getaways at dude ranches endo
Page 79 and 80:
Ellie parker, daughter of Montana h
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three-man team ropes and lays the c
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The South Dakota Stockgrowers Assoc
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photo courtesy Dave Powell Collecti
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photo courtesy High Noonmore than f
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photo by Cena Ewer - Image courtesy
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R E C O M M E N D E D R E A D I N G
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R A N G E W R I T I N GSome cowboy
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P A R A G O N F O U N D A T I O N M
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