Can you imagine a rockstar drummer of an American band that sold over 45 million records, off-roading with his young son?
This is the story of one of our Phoenix Pop Up owners, Poison’s Drummer, Rikki Rockett, off-the-grid in a Ford Raptor and Phoenix Custom Camper rig
We gave Truck Camper Magazine the contact for Rikki Rockett, the drummer from Poison, so that they could write a lifestyle piece for their online magazine. We’d like to share with you some of our favorite segments of the interview and some great photos they published, they called Rikki: A rock star who pushes the limits of overland travel and adventure in a truck camper. We think he’s cool too!
Rikki got a Phoenix Custom Camper on his Ford Raptor to get him places he felt his Jeep Rubicon and Airstream couldn’t. And just camping on a tent wasn’t enough, since his most important goal was to invest quality time in his son, and take him places that would help him fall in love with the outdoors and follow his dad’s example in choosing an active and positive lifestyle. That’s not what most of us would imagine a super rockstar drummer would be doing during the weekends! Nothin’ But A Good Time, would be a great way to say it, Poison said it first. So read this great story of how a father teaches important life lessons to his son, by sharing their love for camping and the wilderness!
Here are our favorite parts of the interview with Rikki about his Phoenix Pop Up Rockett Raptor:
Truck Camper Magazine (TCM): How is it that the drummer from Poison decided he wanted a truck camper?
Rikki: It’s really simple. I’m an Airstream enthusiast. I’ve had three of them. I even bought a larger model because my wife was uncomfortable in the smaller Airstreams I prefer. Even with the larger trailer, she still didn’t want to go camping.
That’s when I realized it would just be me and my son going camping. I thought, “If it’s just the two of us, there has to be a better way to do it”. Besides, I can’t pull an Airstream trailer into the wilderness and that’s where I want to go.
Initially, I looked for an off-road trailer. I love Sportsmobile vans, but I didn’t want an all-in-one vehicle. With a truck camper, I can take the camper off and still have my truck. I can go on an off-road weekend adventure, and still drive the kids to school on Monday. It’s the perfect solution for what I want to do.
TCM: How did you choose to build your rig around a Ford Raptor?
Rikki: I was coming from the Rockett Rubicon Jeep by Poison Spyder Customs. I loved the Jeep, but I don’t like to just play for the day and go home. I want to stay, explore, and absorb. I tried tent camping, but that didn’t cut it.
After the Rockett Rubicon, I couldn’t get a run-of-the-mill truck and be excited. If I was giving up the Jeep and Airstream, I wanted something really cool. I wanted something that would destroy. I fell in love with the Ford Raptor.
I wasn’t going to mod the Raptor when I first got it. Ford ran the Baja 500 with a stock Raptor and it came out fine. Then I took the Raptor off-road, went up a ditch, and bent the rear bumper into the truck body. The stock bumper had to go. Addicted Desert Designs came up with a really cool rear bumper. From there, I kept customizing. As you know, one thing leads to another.
TCM: It certainly does. How did you connect with Phoenix Campers?
Rikki: When I searched for companies that built campers for Ford Raptors, Phoenix came up. I emailed them and told them what I was up to. Cari Rowe from Phoenix Campers said they would love to do it, so we started the process.
The Ford Raptor and Phoenix Camper rig is the way to go. For the type of person I am, and what I want to do, this literally makes more sense than any other type of RV. I can still haul my motorcycle or pull a trailer. I can go by myself, or take my son. This rig gives me so many options.
Take a look at the Phoenix Pop Up Camper Specs for Rikki’s Rockett Raptor
Truck Make and Model:
2013 Ford Raptor, SVT, four door, gas engine, four wheel drive
Camper Make and Model:
2013 Phoenix Custom Camper
Tie-downs/Turnbuckles:
Phoenix tie-down system
Camper Suspension System: Firestone Ride-Rite Rear Airbags, Nitto 35×12.50R17 Trail Grappler tires, Moto Metal M0909 Skull wheels
Gear: Magnaflow Exhaust, Addictive Desert Design Front and Rear Bumpers, Airaid cold air intake, Auto Anything accessories, Hypertech max energy power tuner, Katzkin headrest covers, Odyssey batteries, One11ink full body wrap, Rigid off-road LED lights, Romik side step bars, Rosen headrest DVD system, Rotopax off-road fluid storage, Spyderlights LED tail lights, Sway-A-Way off-road shocks, TRex metal mesh grille, Whistler radar detector, power inverter, and tire pressure monitor system, Tiger 800 XC motorcycle
Design Your Camper Your Way
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This is us, the Rowe’s with Rikki and his son, but this could be you with your custom camper from Phoenix Pop Up!
