Here is a little journal for those that are interested of my trip from MN to the “fiberglass campers” get together in Custer SD. The trip started on Sunday 5/21/06 for me. The trip has been great so far. So far only a few minor repairs were needed. My used trailer had what is called “bearing buddies” on it when I purchased it. Last time I had the bearing packed I asked to have them replaced but the repair shop didn’t have the proper dust cap to replace the bearing buddies. Well somewhere along this trip in either western MN or Eastern SD I through one of the bearing buddies. I managed to stop and find a story that had the appropriate dust cap and I replaced it and when I checked the other side, sure enough that one was missing as well. Needless to say I went back into the store to purchase another dust cap.
Pulling my
Scamp 13 with a 2000 Ford Crown Vic, I keep the vehicle at around 55 mph and in cruise control. I keep the OD off and I got a little over 17 mpg on the first tank of gas. As an experiment I left the OD on and maintained 55 mph and cruise control and got over 21 mpg on the 2nd tank. Going through the Black Hills, there was considerable downshifting so I don’t expect to maintain the 21+ mpg on my current tank.
Here is a little trivia…to pass the time of day while driving I started to keep track of the various campers I saw on the road, either going in the same direction as me in the opposite direction, and was amazed at all the big rigs on the road. For example during the first day of travel I noted the following type and number of campers:
Class A…42
5th Wheel….29
Class C…17
Travel Trailers…25
Tent Trailers…4
Class B…4
Pickup Campers…4
Casita Campers…1
Scamp Campers…0
Just goes to show the tremendous interest in camping regardless of the type of camper one owns.
Finally on the 2nd day I did see 1
Casita heading East and I managed to run into Terry and Judy Jones with their
Scamp 5er at the rest stop just outside of Rapid City. They too were heading to the Custer campout. They mentioned that they had camped the night before and met a couple with a 30 yr old Scamp at the campgrounds they were staying.
Finally after 650 miles I made it to the Beaver Lake Campgrounds. There are a total of 4
fiberglass campers. Two Casita, one from Dallas, TX (Jim and Verggie) and one from Omaha, NB (John active duty military man, and his wife Sandy and their son). And the two Scamps. Terry and Judy from Madison, WI, and myself from Rosemount MN.
Weather has been good, although the first night the temps dropped down into the mid 30’s…and yes I ran out of
propane that night …it was cool but only a minor inconvience until I got the tank filled again. Yesterday when I arrived at the campground, off came the flannel shirt as the temp was already in the 90’s. This morning there has been a few rain clouds and it rained pretty good but by mid day it has stopped and the temps are back into the high 50’s and is expected to get into the low to mid 60’s today. Perfect camping weather
All four campers families had some good conversations last night and today folks are heading off to various points of interest. As for myself, I am heading down the road to the South Dakota Wood Carvers Museum. I have some young relatives in the area so will also try and hook up with them as well.
Tomorrow I plan on heading a little Northwest through WY and eventually stop at Garryowen, MT. This is the location of Custer’s last stand at the battle of the Little Big Horn. Thanks it for now, I’ll add to this journal tomorrow…off for some site seeing