I had a tent my sin and I went to Yosemite to enjoy since I was a single mother and we did not have a t.v. a Family drove from Florida with brand new Apache hard side pop up and sorta snubbed us in my military tent, and warnings NOT to have food in Camper or tent. After helping them get a fire going, we went back to our tent and had s'mores and drifted to that quiet, deep sleep we never got in Queens. After midnight, a large racket and screaming from their direction had I and my dog running bears off their camper and vehicle. I sent them all to our humble tent and my son,my dogs and I slept in my truck bed. Morning revealed a very damaged truck and camper. I made breakfast for everyone and sent kids off so we adults could talk. I dollied their truck all the way back to Florida and took the camper on a flat bed to a state trooper I had worked with to keep untill they or insurance could recover it. They got to camp with us and my tent suddenly worked for them, and my kid loved whipping them at board games! They later called to say insurance would replace the camper, and would I like the damaged one? I pointed out They ate my food and it was a lot of gas to get to Florida and back, so I negotiated a better price on the damaged camper. I took it home and found a donor with frame damage and put it all back together so essentially I had a brand new Apache,! I was very poor, so it opened the door to us going to several National Parks. Lots of feet and campfires, no Facebook! My son is now in military and 33. We have so many great "unplugged" memories! I still did not have s T.V. untill I married my now hubby 4 years ago, and my son doesn't now. My husband has been pretty poor all his life, and helps his mother with bills and groceries, so camping for them had been not even a tent, but tarps if lucky and a sleeping bag.. With great joy I introduced him to my 74 Apache affectionately known as the " dream catcher " and my 1974 Chevy heavy half ( my first vehicle) we call the "time machine". It is amazing how just how lucky we were just to go in a tent, and we could help a very well off family get home, and really see nature. Now, my husband of 4 years can share my wonder and joy of a
fiberglass camper and his 77 year old mom can too! Well, we spied a 67 model
fiberglass camper in a barn before Thanksgiving and stopped to see if it could be saved, let alone be bought. Yesterday the owner. Out of the blue, called and decided he would sell it now ,8 mnths later. We scrambled, got over there. Fixed the bearings, changed
tires and heavily negotiated. At over 100 degrees and I'm sweating because We were short what he wanted, and we were wanting to move it to our tiny bit of heaven so a guy my hubby worked with whom is on pitifully little disability could live in it and pay for groceries, not rent! We help him with groceries . Now, if he chooses, he can be here. Our house is about 300 sq feet, literally, so the 1964 Aalite basically is a new bedroom,
So Sunday, we brought the Aalite home and parked it next to the Dreamcatcher to start the cleaning and get everything running since it's over 50( like I don't know what being over 50 feels like!) So we are thankfully off for independence day tomorrow, and hopefully this beautiful old camper will be independence for our now freind! We will probably be eating beans for weeks to offset the camper, but dignity, especially with a little swag! , is PRICELESS! And anyway, who doesn't like beans ? I greatly look forward to any mentoring and advice as we bring this old girl to former glory. I am so excited we got the chance to do this for the old man, but I just know so many new memories will come of this!!! Both the Apache and my Chevy look like they have been part of one family, I hope as you celebrate this independence day that you are as blessed with so many starry skies, burnt weenies and campfire dreams... We are in Texas, so so many beautiful lakes with great weather year around to take these old things out. It almost seemed the Aalite sighed in relief when we got it home, and the Apache finally isn't single anymore! Have a great safe 4th and lots of s'mores! Thank-you ahead for any help, and let us know if there is some kind of get together for those of us who don't camp in 100 amp toyboxes. Free range possum