Home from our Maiden Voyage!

[Deb in MN]

Well, we did FINALLY manage to get out the door and went with our little Scamp to Jay Cooke State Park here in Minnesota! WOW what a BEAUTIFUL river there! We hiked a LOT and just sat and enjoyed that river a lot also. The campgrounds were lovely.

I am SO happy I lined my curtains with that Mylar stuff! I lined them with it for the UV protection factor- but it turns out to be a great light blocking at night factor, too. Living in a very rural area- I'm always blown away when we camp at just how many LIGHTS people will string up and leave on all night when they camp! hahaha I am used to total darkness, so I need those blocking curtains.

The Scamp worked out just super! Husband slept just fine on the little "sofa side" of the Scamp.

We experienced the infamous condensation overnight, too! It wasn't TOO bad- but boy it got really chilly outside at night and we did get condensation on the windows for sure.

We discovered that the trailer BOUNCES like CRAZY on anything but a nicely paved road. Anything NOT in the cabinets went bouncing around. Two of the curtains were knocked right off the hangers and even the seat cushions had bounced around. Do you think this is just "the nature of the beast" ? Or do we seriously need to get the axle looked at???

We discovered our Door wouldn't stay shut either when in transit! We bungee corded it and that was good to go then. I'm going to look into a newer and better latch most likely- one made for boats.

We LOVE the thermo electric cooler we bought instead of replacing the Scamp's icebox! SO nice to not have to deal with ice. We put in a gallon milk jug that we froze before to help the cooler stay real cold, and boy it did the trick. There was still plenty of ice in that milk jug when we got home today- that how nice and cold it stayed, even tho we didn't leave it plugged in the whole time- only a few hours a day.

We kept the cooler in the car- and I used the icebox to put the pots and pans in.

We decided we would love to put in shelves in the little closet, and have a basket as a clothes drawer for each of us- it would work out perfect for us.

I LOVE having a porta potty in the camper with me. no more stumbling around half asleep to the facilities. yippee.

So this was a successful first trip with the little Egg.

I STILL have to test out all the caulking with the hose or if it rains. Otherwise, so far so good!!!

[jaye580]

Congrats on the maiden voyage! I can't wait to have one myself in the newest addition!

In the past I too have experienced alot of bouncing- my Casita was far worse than the Scamp, but in each of them stuff had to be secured down fairly well. I actually put twist ties on the ends of the curtain rods to keep them in place and just got in the habit of leaving NOTHING out, or planning to pick it up when I got where I was going!!

[Bob Cupp]

It's good to hear that you had such a good time.

I also had a terrible case of the bounces when I purchased my Love Bug. After I replaced the axle, it stopped bouncing. My old axle was totally siezed, I am glad that I didn't crakc my EGG when I towed it from West Virginia back to Wisconsin.

I live about 5 miles from the nearest street light so I also like total darkness. I have been to state parks where you have to turn all of your outside lights off at 10:00. I love it.

Keep enjoying your camper.

[jack maloney]

Excessive bounce can be an axle problem, a tongue weight problem, or a tow vehicle suspension problem. If your TV has been around for a while, you might want to check its rear shocks, too.

[Suz]

... could be an axle problem, but also could be the nature of the beast. Rough roads, pot holes and rail road tracks will get you if you don't take it easy. Although I am really cautious and have learned how to pack and how NOT to attack some of these roads, every once in a while I'll hit something and can just about tell you what will have moved. But then I still get surprised like thinking it was a smooth ride and find cushions askew or hit a bump and have nothing move. You'll learn how to secure most of the items the more you do it. I use a couple of tension curtain rods on some to keep a couple of places secure when I travel.

Even after I replaced my axle there were still times that things will move. The things that hang or in cupboards are secured so they won't move.

[Gigi]

Yay! I logged on today just to hear more about the maiden voyage!!!

It sounds like it was very successful! Just the thing to get away from the kiddies and such!

I need to get up north to see an older aunt and cousin. Jay Cooke may be just the ticket.


So, Deb, is there anything you would have done differently?

[Deb in MN]

OH yes Gigi- the one thing I'll do next time is remember SPOONS! hahaha So I can eat my yogurt! It was hard to eat it with a fork, . AND I totally forgot my toiletry tote bag, too, for the public showers. Gonna put those IN the camper right away now!

I really do want shelves and baskets in the closet, too- that would really be the solution for us for the clothing. This time we did the usual throw our clothes into a laundry basket, the dirty things go into a big pillowcloth.

Other than that- it worked out just fine. We travel light, so there isn't much gear to drag along with us- it all fits into the storage in the teeny Scamp just fine!

Oh the one thing I didn't bring this time is the larger pot and dish soap to do dishes... I'm going to do another post on this subject! What do people about dirty pots and pans?