Our first time!!

[Pamela H]

Well, here we go...we leave tomorrow. We got new tires...and as of 11:47 pm...we still need one window finished...the foam done...the inner trim on the roof vent completed...the upholstery done...the stove...the a/c...ac power...lights...think we bit off more than we can chew? The window is underway, and worse comes to worse, we have a thin piece of wood cut to install if this doesn't work. The inner trim requires some contemplation. The upholstery, I think I will wrap the foam in sheets, and hopefully no one will one a tour. The stove is gone, and we are doing an outdoor kitchen. Got the single burner high output camp chef...so it claims 1 gal of water to boil in 3 min!! Plus we have a grill insert and the griddle insert. A/C...I have a larger portable that i can feed a 4" hose out the window...it will take up floor room, but I can keep it in the suburban if it isn't needed. The ac...well, if it doesn't work inside...an extension cord and power strip...and we have solar lanterns.

Think we will get kicked out of the park? I hope not.

Pam

[Orlen Wolf]

Pam

Where are you heading to camp? Are you going to stay in WY? I'm heading to Torrington on Friday to visit some relatives. Maybe we will pass on one of the numerous WY highways.

[Pamela H]

Pam

Where are you heading to camp? Are you going to stay in WY? I'm heading to Torrington on Friday to visit some relatives. Maybe we will pass on one of the numerous WY highways.

We are in South Dakota for the weekend, Rapid city area. If you are up this way...we are in Hart ranch, and I have access to another site for a guest for $17 per night full service. No one comes out of their trailers to cook...play...sit outside... Granted...its been a long time since I have been in an RV...but still!! We got one of those camp chef propane campfires...and it works great! Lots of people have almost fell over themselves staring at our trailer. It is a baby, around elephants! There is one scamp owner in the park, however, but they are staying in their bigger trailer.

Pam

[Pamela H]

Well, we have returned, and what a trip we had! We bought those magnetic lights because our lights weren't working. Well, they lasted 26 miles, and one vibrated off. $50 down the drain. We didn't arrive until after midnight, and set up camp quickly, and called it quits. The Ranch was great...they had a late reservation set for us. Security stopped us two minutes into the campground. They wanted to make sure we knew our lights weren't working... . The next morning, we set up the rest of the camp, with little problems with our burro. Everything had vibrated off the couch in the front...pad, wood compartment doors...and the door sagged during transport. Thank God for a skinny son, or it would have been a night in the suburban!! We decided that we need to work more on storage as well.

We got alot of lookers. One person admitted that it was the smallest trailer they had ever seen, however, yesterday afternoon, we took a stroll into the storage area and saw two casitas and one scamp. The campground has alot of people that spend alot of time there. As a member, you can spend 21 days in the main area, and 9 days in the "meadowlands.", making you a permanent resident. I think we had parked in the resident area, as there were no "campers." I mean, we were surrounded by rvs/campers, but no one came out at night...no campfires, no cooking outside. Perhaps we need to find the party area!!

We broke out our camp chef stuff, which was a new experience for us. We got the high output single burner, the single grill, and the griddle. All I can say is WOW!!! high heat, fast, and the best burgers that we ever had. Commercial cooking at camping prices. Hot...fast...made incredible bacon and hamburgers.

We also got the camp chef propane campfire, and it burned great. Drew alot of attention, but no one joined us. Excellent marshmallows/smores, by the way...I saw the comment that someone said about not knowing how to build a fire...those propane fires are incredibly easy, although I think that we need to play with the placement of the ceramic logs.

The kids had a great time with all the activities, and the temp was hotter than what seemed to be anywhere in the country this weekend. Yesterday, we were dealing with temps of 100, dallas was supposedly 97, and florida 88. We forgot an air conditioner, so did alot of sweating, however, the nights were nice.

Well...we survived, had a great time, broke in the burro, and even got some rain last night and this morning. There was some leakage at the windows, but far less then if they were still broken!!

We are ready to do it again!!

Pam

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Pamela,
Good report! Glad you enjoyed yourselves, as you've observed, many people seem to use the opportunity to be "couch potatoes" even when they have new, interesting surroundings. Probably like the people who don't know the next door neighbors they've been living with for 3 or more years. How much more fun to make new friends from different backgrounds!
Enjoy the educational experiences,
Kurt & Ann K.

[Adrian W]

Pam, you wrote, "...the smallest trailer they had ever seen". What size is your Burro?

We spent a week down by Custer at Bismarck Lake Campground (Nat'l Forest). Very nice area, campground, people were out and about, campfires, some huge RVs down to tents. $19 per night but no showers, pit toilets. But there was a Custer State Park accross the way with showers and flush toilets we had stayed in the past. Stockade South Campground – Open May 16 through September 4 Full facilities - $18.00 All sites first come first serve with 20 RV sites. Their is a reserve Stockake North Campgound there as well. Price? Do not remember, but seems it was the same. They have some with electric hook-up now as well, I believe. I was able to use my Senior Pass at Bismarch Lake, this being the first year I have one. Nice.

The Tempertures ("we were dealing with temps of 100") may have kept people inside with their ACs. In June, when we were there it was cool, cold at times with rain now and again. Very nice camping weather, in a trailer at least. Maybe even a propane campfire was too much in the current temps for them as well. However, without an invite, I would not have joined a campfire no matter what the temps. Unless lost, wet and/or freezing of course. ha!

[Pamela H]

Pam, you wrote, "...the smallest trailer they had ever seen". What size is your Burro?

We have a 13' burro...we ended up keeping the beds down all weekend, came to the conclusion that we would rather eat outside, until the rain hit Sunday night...then it was a late, very casual supper around the microwave, ala minute type mac and cheese which was brought for emergencies such as torrential downpours... It did cool off at night...and our site was at the end of one of the streets, very visible, and very out in the open. We weren't hidden in a nest of larger trailers, so we got alot of attention.

Surprisingly, I think we were in a group of workkampers, I didn't hear alot of A/C's running, it was pretty quiet. I wish we had worked out that little detail in ours, we got pretty hot inside during the day. However, nights were very nice and cool, perfect for a campfire. And, by the way...anyone is always welcome to share a marshmallow!! (don't know about the chocolate bars....it depends upon how many are left...)

Hart ranch is really nice, the bathrooms are great, and activities are wonderful. Members pay $2 per night, for up to 21 nights a month, and then $10 per night for the rest of the month. You do have to move to a different site after 21 days. I did see a scamp and a casita in storage, and did talk to the scamp owner. I think what really stood out on our size was our location. Had we been in the middle somewhere, it wouldn't have been quite so obvious. But that's okay...they didn't tell us that we couldn't bring our little burro back...so I guess small works.

If anyone is interested, they do allow rallys, and the rates are low. They are available prior to Memorial day, or after Labor day, full facilities on most sites. We could set up a SD rally rather easily. The pool is closed after the 14th, though...(of Sept) Any

Pam