Hello old friends, back on the forum.

[cairnterrier]

[div]Hello to all we met at the rally last spring at Table Rock, to Sean, Fast Eddie and Kool Karen, to Leslie, to Shovelhead, and Bill and his lovely wife, and others, to KYBrowns who arrived a day late, but we got to meet.   Loved your trip notes about Florida, will stay at the park you noted north of Atlanta this summer hopefully. 


We were out 79 nights last season, starting with this rally then almost to Thanksgiving.  Our beautiful Brodee was with us on all but the last three nights.  In last October we swung thru Virginia at James River SP, then to Holliday Lake SP, then to Philpott Lake. He started drifting away from us at the lake and barely made it home. We bid him farewell a few days later on November 9th. Hugely missed, a great, great dog and a huge long life at 16 years and a month. 


We now have Reilly RedSky, who has yet to go camping .  We have spent many lazy afternoons though taking naps in the CL 14dbs just for practice.


See him here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OhJe53L7qA


I read a bit of the current postings, and have these notes:

---I have an oil filled heater on order, a mini version of the 1500 watt that is so popular.  It is 750 watts, 15 lbs,  and we have good hopes for this.  We could never get the fan forced ceramic heaters to keep a decent temp level, it was either 55 or 75 when it was very cold outside. Thermostats must be crappy in these cheapies. 

---We have completed our second full winter using a Gold Line cover, and it is looking great. I made a PVC "frame" for the top of the camper, like a skeleton of an umbrealla, and put it on the camplite roof.  I use the pool noodles [oversized colorful pipe insulation ] around the pvc to keep it off the roof, and also used some upside down milkcrates, also with these noodles, to keep the cover off the camplite.  The cover goes on next, and  then a big waterproof tarp.  The tarp hangs down 12" on all sides, and sheds the water and snow, the frame and milkcrates, keep the cover and the tarp from touching the camplite, and it stays warm and dry.  Air circulates all around the CL, you can even raise the roof vents about half way, before the touch the tarp.   I used a full size oil filled heater inside all winter, keeping the temp around 40s to 50s.  On dry days, I'll pop open a side and put a big electric fan in there to stir it up and keep everything totally dry.  I'm a bit OCD. 


-- We keep most all our supplies in big plastic tubs with lids, and all of this sits on a dedicated shelf in the basement.  We can pack in a hour or so, and the tubs can sit outside in the rain at camp if you wish, and two or three big tubs on top of each other makes a good table.  We still are very minimalist campers, low weight. 


---DANG IT, I just de-winterized my CL and checked all the systems. This after our warmest Feb on record and the driest March on record.  NOW IT gets freezing cold.  My CL full of water !!!! ARRRGGG!!  Drives me crazy.  I guess I will recover it and use my outdoor sensing unit to my weather station and try to monitor the temperature under the camper.  I'll keep the inside at 70, and will put a heater under it if necessary.  With the Gold Line cover that goes all the way to the ground, it might be OK under the camper.  WE are talking mid 20s one night at the end of this week.   Lesson learned: Check the weather reports before planning that first spring trip.  Geezz. 


-- had a great season last year, but would like to make one improvement, in the area of humidity removal.  I just cannot sleep in moderate temps when the humidity is thru the roof, and sheets are moist, and it is too cool for A/C or to hot for heaters.    Any recommendations?  I will post a question on this.


Glad to be back, hope all has a great and safe season.  ron & Anita and Reilly RedSky


 




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[catmanriff]

nice! good doggie

I've been experimenting with the heavy duty plastic tubs from Lowes.

79 nights! wow, that's awesome. I'm hoping for about 14 in all of 2016

[leslie]

Hi Ron and Anita! Happy to hear from you! Sorry to hear about Brodee, though.

Sounds like you are giving your Camplite a workout. Happy trails!

[sandyu]

Good to hear from you again. That's a good looking little dog you have. Sounds like your having a lot of fun. I'm jealous. Got to run I'm at work.