Whatever it takes

You can't always get what you want (sing it with me!) but if you try sometimes...

2012-01-27T21:48:00.000-05:00

I'm back obsessing about camping. I am reading the rv.net board. I am spending an inordinate amount of time on the Camping World website. And I am looking on and off for a new tow vehicle, probably a 2500 Suburban.

One thing I've done this year that I hope to repeat in the future is that I've been planning ahead more.

I booked our first campsite of the year for Memorial Day weekend, although we do hope to camp sooner than that. South Higgins Lake again, which is one of our favorite spots to visit. It's far enough that it feels like we made it "Up North," but not so far that it took us half the weekend to get there.

We're also planning a two-week trip to the Grand Canyon, with the trailer. I've got it all plotted out, with each stop scoped out, including which campground we should stay in. I spent some significant time on rvparkreviews.com and it sounds like I found some winners.

All I need to do now is actually ask for the time off from work. Minor detail.

I did start a little stash of things I've picked up for the trailer. Here are a couple of my favorites:

https://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/water-tank-filler-with-shut-off-valve/4674

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/product/water-hose-entry-elbows/1532

Also got some cords to go around our hoses; cup hooks so we can hang some of our rods in the storage bin; and small plastic boxes to help organize our cupboards.

I also started a list of things we want to have Camping World install or do to the trailer before we pick it up, so that we don't have to spend four hours looking at trailers (gee, it's just torture!) while they work on ours:

* De-winterize
* Install vent covers in the bathroom and kitchen: http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/product/maxxair-ii-vent-covers/7047
* Install Oxygenics shower head; per rv.net poster, make sure it has a shutoff valve
* Install furnace and fridge vent screens
* Install gauges for the two propane tanks: http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/gaswatch-propane-level-gauge/55643
* Install curved shower curtain rod: http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/product/extend-a-shower-expanding-shower-rods/7591
* Fix bottom panel of screen door, which popped out last summer.
* Ask about greasing the hitch ball; someone suggested i cut a plastic cup down, put grease in it, and turn it up-side-down on the ball to grease it; or are there covers for the hitch ball?
* wash the outside of the trailer

It's the end of January. First camping trip last year was the first weekend of May. Should we try to beat that???

My curent obsession: Health

2011-12-28T22:01:00.001-05:00

What's taken camping's place this winter when I can't go camping in Michigan? A health kick.
It started with a return to tae kwon do. I'm officially training for my black belt. In order to build some muscle - and after reading a ton of online reviews - picked up Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred DVD. Wowza.
Unfortunately, I overdid it with my bum shoulder and had to take a few breaks.
But I was soon back in the exercise saddle and have learned to keep away from things like planks and pushups. I just substitute some other exercises during those spots in the DVD and I've been able to keep it up so far with no re-injuries.
Because I was getting a little tired of the same routine, I did s'more research online and ordered Jillian's Ripped in 30. I like it even better than 30 Day Shred, even if I had a hard time keeping track of the similar titles at the beginning.
I like Ripped better mostly because Jillian spends a bit more time explaining moves. She also seems to switch them out more often than with Shred. And, more importantly, my knees don't hurt as much. I'm not sure if it's because I've built the appropriate muscles, but they just don't. They do still bother me, but it's a more tolerable, annoying pain. Before, I was having to take Aleve almost every day. Not so with Ripped.
As part of the current obsession, I'm also trying to eat a bit better. I'm not talking about all-organic, free-range chicken eating. But I am back to following the Eating for Life philosophy. Part of the Ripped plan includes a very nicely developed menu. Not one I can realistically follow, but I am trying some of the products Jillian recommends.
This week, it's PopChips and So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage.
First, PopChips: Where have you been all my life? Crunchy, tasty and abundant. I bought the bigger bag with three generous servings. Ate them as a snack with mango salsa. It's my new favorite snack. Jillian recommends eating the chips with cottage cheese, which I don't like. Need to find a protein I can eat with the chips, which are all natural and don't have any fat, but have about 20 grams of carbs.
Now on to the "coconut milk beverage." I'm still not ready to rate this product. What I can say is that it doesn't smell like almost anything, the consistency is similar to that of skim milk and it does have a bit of a coconut taste, but it's not strong at all. I used it instead of skim milk to make another favorite: a Yoplait Yogurt frozen smoothie, which I also doctor up with protein powder and Splenda. I couldn't tell the difference at all and may continue to use it instead of milk if I can find other uses for it. Stay tuned!

Say it ain't so

2011-10-14T19:24:00.000-04:00

They say all good things must come to an end and all that jazz. We're currently on our last camping trip of the season. Just DH and me. It's quiet. There are about 10 other sites with a plethora of domiciles – from a pop up that's seen better days to a gigantic, make your eyes pop out of your head gorgeous RV.

It's also cold. When we got to our campground just after lunchtime, it was 44 degrees. Feeling very blessed to have a very comfortable – and very warm – trailer with a functioning gas furnace in addition to my 20-below sleeping bag. And wool socks. And fleece jammies.

Looking back on the summer, we gave the trailer a workout. A cursory review of our on-board journal tells of s'mores eaten, bug spray cans exhausted and lots and lots of firewood burned. There's the first trip of the season when we found that our hybrid travel trailer bunk had a very serious leak. And the Upper Peninsula trip when DD11 ran across a girl she befriended the year before at the same campground. Then there are all the notes of even better campsites to be explored next year.

Looking back at the past month, I can't believe we didn't try harder to get out here. I got a new job. DH the teacher and all three kids went back to school. We got lazy.

I promise to do better next fall.

In the meantime, we're weatherizing the unit tomorrow. Emptying everything out over the next few days. And finding a spot for storage.

May all the memories we made this summer come tumbling out when we pick her back up next spring. And may there be no leaks or rodent infestations.

P-I-Z-Z-A

2011-08-20T18:15:00.000-04:00

There's camping and then there's "camping." With camping, we partake of the full experience. We bring the canoe, go fishing, have a glowing fire and roast marshmallows for s'mores. Yeah, we bring our laptops and other toys, but the focus is on the lake, taking long walks and and sometimes sightseeing.
This weekend, we partook of "camping." We drove to South Haven where we'd planned a beach day followed by a quick dinner and icecream. Storms, including so much water that there's now a pool of mud just outside our door instead meant a day inside, "relaxing." Our youngest and I made it to the tie-dye T-shirt activity, the swing set and a long walk with the dogs before the heavens opened up.
With a sea of mud outside our door and soaked fire wood, we instead ordered pizza from the camp store (we're at a KOA) and picked up the movie RV for later. Was that our plan? Not even close. Are we having fun yet? You betcha. We're together, we're fed and we're dry. What else can we ask for? Oh. Ice cream! Got some in the freezer, some waffle bowls and even some Magic Shell. Life. Is. Good.

Are we there yet?

2011-08-13T23:09:00.000-04:00

We've spent so much time in the trailer this summer that when we got home a couple of weeks ago from the Upper Peninsula trip, I tried to step on the front of the toilet to flush it. Now with two weekends in a row at our stick house, I'm having a bad case of camping withdrawal.
Spent about an hour this afternoon looking for campsites at a Michigan state park, but our favorites within a couple of hours of our house are booked solid. We could have tried something else, but I didn't have enough time to do proper research and just don't feel like taking a chance.
So...I booked us at the Covert/South Haven KOA for next weekend. We spent a few days there already this summer and found it to be a nice spot to relax while being close enough to Saugatuck to make the drive for some shopping, dinner and the prerequisite ice cream shop stop.
If you've not made the trip, please add it to your list. Saugatuck is very much a resort town with gorgeous views, high-end stores and, of course, a highly rated beach (Oval Beach). For fantastic pizza, check out Marro's Italian Restaurant; for a restaurant with a view, excellent service and good food, try the Mermaid Bar and Grille, which came recommended from friends who live in nearby Douglas.
If you're like us and just want to spend a few hours in town, work off your meal by taking a stroll on the boardwalk on the Kalamazoo Harbor, keeping your eyes peeled for interesting boat names and gleaming yachts. Or take a stroll to the seemingly endless amount of jewelry shops and boutiques.
If you've got more time, there's plenty to do. There's an 18-hole golf course nearby, designed by Arnold Palmer. Lots of boat and fishing tours. And sand dunes to be climbed.
But it's the arts that are probably the biggest draw. We've not visited, but there are theaters, art galleries and even a film festival.
In the end, the weekend is more likely to involve walks around the campground, potentially some swimming, definitely some swinging in the (albeit rather small) swing set, and my favorite: s'mores!

Our favorite Michigan state park

2011-08-01T21:53:00.001-04:00

Just got back from a week at our favorite Michigan state park, Muskallonge Lake, near Newberry in the beautiful Upper Peninsula. We picked it at random last summer for a trip up north and just fell in love with it, so planned another week-long visit in late July.
The trip from Lansing takes about six hours, straight up through 127 to the bridge, then up to the metropolis of Newberry. In its defense, it does have a McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Subway. Thankfully, the park is about another 30 minutes out, right across from Lake Superior.
We booked a site online near, but not on the lake. A tip: There are several sites that can't be booked online. Some of them are among the best sites in the park. We spent the night at our site, which was perfect for our 35-foot trailer, but moved to an even better site right on the beach the following afternoon when it became available.
The time it took us to break camp and set up again was well worth it for the view alone. A bonus: we could spend the whole morning on Muskallonge Lake, playing in the sand and swimming, and still be within a few feet from our camper. We'd break for lunch, then head over to Lake Superior for the afternoon. If you've not been to a Great Lake, let me tell you that this is almost like looking out on the ocean. We had clear, blue skies all week and the water looked gorgeous. Another tip: Rocks called agates wash up on shore and we all spent time walking the shoreline looking for gems. I don't think we found any actual agates, but we did find some really interesting rocks, including some with stripes or spots ranging in color from gray-blue to orange to some that looked like dalmatians with black spots.
As with all of the state campgrounds we've visited, this one had a picnic table and fire pit.
The bathrooms were clean and the showers had tons of hot water with good water pressure.
Because this campground is a bit more remote than others (cell is spotty, as is the GPS), the best tip of all is to check out the Deer Park General Store just a couple of miles south of the campground. What a find it is! Super clean and organized with just about anything you absolutely need when camping, including toiletries, bread, milk, ice cream, lures, fishing poles and such. A bonus is their selection of books, including some by Michigan authors. The store owner recommended a series by Joseph Heywood about a Department of Natural Resources conservation officers. Nice read, especially on vacation in the area he writes about in "Ice Hunter."
Our campsite neighbors rented a boat from them for the day and seemed really happy with the service. There's also a laundromat on-site.
I've saved the best tip for last. If you're fortunate enough to travel to the area, check out Perch Lake, about three miles south of the general store. There's a rustic campground there and a boat launch. We caught some nice fish there last year, fishing from our canoe, although we only made it there a couple of times this trip because it was so windy. Store owner recommended night crawlers. We stuck with lures and did just fine.
We saw bald eagles, including a youngster while at Perch Lake last year; this time around, we saw two flying at the same time around Muskallonge Lake.
We unfortunately had some car trouble during this trip, but I'm happy to report that the Chrysler dealer, Newberry Motors was great. Even got an oil change, which they do in about 10-15 minutes total.
If you're looking for a relaxing, truly beautiful spot to camp in Michigan, consider Muskallonge Lake. No matter the distance, you'll be glad you made the drive.

Work-camping

2011-07-23T10:39:00.000-04:00

That curly haired woman driving out of Sleepy Hollow in a suit and heels last week? Yeah, that was me. Why?
Our family was visiting from Texas in their own trailer, so we got back-to-back spots and spent the week together. I just got back from a vacation and am, ahem, heading into another one soon so I went back and forth. Here are some lessons learned:
* Think through what you will wear each day, including jewelry and shoes. I chose to wear the same jewelry and shoes almost every day. Simple pieces anyway, so unlikely anyone noticed. I brought two pair of work shoes.
* Think travel clothes. I brought suits on hangers, but made sure the rest of my clothes were no-iron. On Friday, I wore jeans with a black cardigan over a white cotton-knit blouse.
* Use a travel toiletry kit that you can hang. Most camp showers have hooks. If you shower in your trailer, you can still hang up the kit on behind-the-door hooks.
* Don't forget the hair dryer or flat iron. I used my diffuser (glorified hair dryer for curly hair) in the campground bathroom after my shower. Unsure if it would have worked in the trailer itself.
* Bring flip-flops to wear in the shower. Four words: Campground shower floors = cooties.
* Remember that even if it feels like you're on vacation, you still have to get up early in the morning. Don't stay up all night telling stories by the campfire.
* If you typically pack lunches and are so inclined to continue, bring your gear to the campground. If you're like me, plan on buying it and plan accordingly.
* Camp close to home. I was able to run home from work over lunch to pick up additional supplies mid-week; and could have certainly done the same from the campground without it being a big inconvenience. Plus, I made it in to work on time and was home in time for dinner each night.
* Speaking of dinner, camp with family from Texas. Mom will have dinner ready when you get home from work.

Did You Hear the One About the Camping Family Who Went On a Cruise?

2011-07-11T18:42:00.000-04:00

One day post-cruise vacation and I'm itching to go camping. The cruise was great, don't get me wrong. What's not to like? Awesome food, great service and someone who came to clean our cabin twice a day. And the ports...I truly love the ocean, so it was a dream being able to sit on a balcony and see blue forever.
Thanks to camping, we did really well on the packing front, so we could fit enough clothes for five people in three suitcases (yeah, I know you could probably do it in one or two) and stored it in the notoriously small cabin with lots of room to spare.
Also thanks to camping, we knew to bring those small niceties, like detergent to wash a few things in the sink and small sizes of every toiletry known to man. Plus, the travel to and from the ship was a piece of cake, because the kids are all used to driving for many hours to get to our favorite camping spots.
What did I miss from our camping trips? Sitting around the fire, roasting marshmallows for s'mores. Sitting down to read for long stretches, instead of walking around from on activity to another. And the solitude. Other than our balcony, we were constantly surrounded by other -- albeit incredibly friendly and seemingly nice -- families.
Would I cruise again? You betcha. DH and I are considering an adults-only trip over spring break. But I will be in my glory in the next few days when we go camping with family near our home. Happy camping!

We're Ba-ack!

2011-06-26T18:23:00.000-04:00

We made it! Trip from Michigan to New Jersey through Gettysburg pulling the trailer was very much worth it.
Only hiccup was driving on 31 through the mountains. Wowza! Would have been a bit stressful without the trailer; with the trailer, it was downright scary.
That said, the Gettysburg Campground rocks. We met the owner when we first arrived and he took the time to show my husband around the campground to make sure we got the site that would best meet our needs. That said, we stuck with our original reservation and didn't regret it for a second.
We were on site 209 and I can tell you that it was worth the extra few dollars to be right on the creek. The kids spent quite a bit of time throwing pebbles and even tried a bit of fishing, but didn't catch a thing.
Loved hearing the sound of the rushing water and the view at the campfire.
We saw, but did not hear our neighbors. Everyone we encountered was friendly and several people stopped to say hello when we went on walks.
The grounds were clean and well-cared for. The bathrooms are old, but it was obvious that they were cleaned regularly. There was plenty of hot water. Only wish is that the shower I used had a shower head. Minor in the big picture, I know.
What made up for it? The best fire we've had all season. Their fire wood was super dry and nicely split.
Once in New Jersey, we stayed at another awesome campground called Mahlon Dickerson. For just $20 a night, we had electric and water hookups, and hot, clean campground showers.
Other than the multiple "beware of bear" signs that made us pause, we were thrilled with the site. It was paved, wooded and gorgeous. Bring your bug spray.
Though we spent little time at the site because we were visiting family just 15 minutes away, we would definitely recommend this campground.
Yes, we spent lots on gas, but not as much as we'd calculated because it was about almost 50 cents cheaper than expected. And it sure was nice to be able to use our own, clean bathroom when we stopped for potty breaks. In the end, if we make the trip in the next couple of years, we're bringing the rig.

Throwing Math Out the Window

2011-06-14T22:48:00.000-04:00

With gas around $3.70 a gallon, towing our ridiculously large travel trailer to New Jersey from Michigan -- with a detour through Gettysburg -- may not immediately sound like a mathematically sound equation.
But we're doing just that for an upcoming trip. No hotel creature comforts for us. Just good ole campsites, campfires and continuous family togetherness.
Yes, the anal-retentive woman in me took out the calculator to figure out costs. We checked out www.tripadvisor.com to find a quality hotel in Gettysburg (even made reservations) and our kind in-laws offered to let us stay with them in New Jersey for a mini-family reunion they're hosting.
And then we started thinking...Wouldn't it be nice to sleep in our own beds? Wouldn't it be great to not have to unpack all our clothes and other gear? Wouldn't it be fantastic to have our own space to retreat to at night?
The answer was yes, yes and heck, yes.
So we've spent the past few days planning routes, stocking up the trailer and getting our we're-going-to-have-fun-on-this-trip-even-if-it-kills-us attitudes on.
We're booked at the Gettysburg Campground after reading reviews on www.rv.net. Their customer service on the phone was fantastic, too.
In New Jersey, we'll be at a local campground, also found through online reviews.
In the end, if we really do "eat in" by cooking in the trailer, we'll spent a bit more on the trip, but will have many of the comforts of home, sans having to mow the lawn.
Would you give up cash for comfort?

Good Sam Just Wasn't That Great

2011-06-11T20:32:00.002-04:00

Newbie RV owners, we dutifully signed up for a #GoodSam membership. The junk mail started arriving almost immediately. OK, I glanced at it and immediately tossed it. No big deal.
Signed up for the website, which looked promising with the campground search capability and trip planning options.
Except that when we went to use it today to plan an upcoming trip, the thing wouldn't work. First, the map showing the area I selected showed up on top of the campground results from my search. Basically, I couldn't see the list of campgrounds I had searched for. Could be their website doesn't run on Google Chrome. Tried Explorer. No go.
The Good Sam campgrounds showed up...but they were almost four hours away from the town we're visiting.
Called Good Sam. Friendly customer rep tried to help, but took what seemed forever and couldn't even find the town I was asking about despite several attempts. He seemed befuddled.
So I cancelled my membership. This was exactly the type of request I needed help with: a good campground that can accommodate our trailer in a town we're unfamiliar with.
Instead, turned to the free www.rvparkreviews.com. Within minutes, had several campgrounds to choose from, listed by distance from our preferred address. First one sounded fantastic, so we read the reviews, which were very positive. Called, made reservations with a very friendly campground manager and was done in about 15 minutes.
Moral of the story: Businesses who charge for a service should keep in mind that the same information is freely available elsewhere online. What I needed was good service. Something Good Sam couldn't provide.
Have you had any good -- or bad -- experiences with Good Sam? Share them here. And do tell me if you think I should re-consider my decision.

Techie Toys

2011-06-07T22:56:00.000-04:00

To tech nor not to tech?
Camping's typically associated with nature: Swimming. Biking. Fishing.
We do all those things. We also like to listen for critters, spot bald eagles and get new material for fish tales.
But along with the bathing suits, helmets and lures we also bring laptops. A tablet. An iPod Touch. And a few (I'm not admitting how many) cell phones.
Our camping gear includes a surge protector. And we use our tablet as a wi-fi hotspot.
Am I apologizing? No. Am I opening myself up to ridicule? You betcha.
We're early adopters and truly enjoy being plugged in. We could probably outfit the Geek Squad.
Why shouldn't we bring our techie toys with us on vacation? DH and the kids play games with and against each other. I check up on my favorite board comments (rv.net), other blogs and download books for my Kindle.
Way I see it, we're doing things other people do (play games, interact with other campers and read); we're just doing it in a different way.
Mostly, we're looking for balance and spending quality family time. So what if ours comes with batteries, power cords and surge protectors?

Packing Priorities

2011-06-05T09:06:00.002-04:00

It used to take me...way too long to pack our trailer before heading out for a trip. Often, I'd even wait until the last minute and stay up 'til all hours. Not a good way to start a trip.
Now, I start as early as the day we're packing up to leave our campsite. Here's how I tackle this chore:

*Before we leave our campsite, I start a grocery list for the next trip. Anything we've polished off or used up goes on the list.

*When we're done packing up, I wipe down the unit, especially the kitchen and bathroom. I sweep and put in a new bag when we take out the trash.

*We stick a laundry basket in the shower and just carry it all in to or laundry room when we get home. There, the laundry fairy takes over.

*When we do laundry, we put it all back in the trailer. We have linens, towels, washcloths, fleece jackets and other items that we only use in the trailer.

*Because we have a limited menu when camping, I add some of those items to the grocery list I started during our trip.

*I pick up all our list items when I grocery shop on Monday or Tuesday. Anything that doesn't need to be refrigerated goes straight in the trailer when I get home from the store. Sometimes, I set them aside near the door in a plastic bin until I can load it all in the trailer.

*Two nights before our trip, I load all our clothes and miscellaneous items. And by miscellaneous, I mean any shoes that were taken in the house, toys I know DS4 wants to bring. The list gets shorter as I buy things specifically for the trailer, such as pillows.

*The night before we leave, I stick pop cans and Gatorade in the fridge. I plug in the travel trailer so I can run the fridge/freezer. I go through my master list so we don't forget things like medicine, extra water for cooking and everyone's clothes.

*The day of is still a bit of a scramble. We need to work on this one. We put the canoe on the truck, stick the bikes in the truck bed, fill the fresh water tank, fill up with gas, throw all the cold food in the fridge/freezer, hook up the trailer and basically run around like crazy people. Right now, the process takes almost an hour. This needs some serious paring down.

We've discovered a campground (Sleepy Hollow) just 30 minutes from our house. Camping there is easy and affords us a more leisurely time getting ready to go. But when we camp 2 or four hours away and I get home from work at 5:30, it's not so much fun.

I'll let you know if I find ways to shorten the time it takes to load the trailer. Do you have any you can share?

Nuggets of what passes as wisdom

2011-05-31T23:07:00.001-04:00

Some recent lessons learned I want to share before I forget:
*Yeah, we got a sewer hose when we bought our new trailer, but it's only 10 feet long. Doesn't really cut it for much. If I'd thought it through, I woulda asked for the longer one. Especially after taking an unexpectedly long trip this weekend to pick one up.
*Which brings me to a reminder that GPS or smart-phone applications don't always work in the types of places we like to camp. Better to use the good ole fashioned Mapquest or talk to a "local" for directions.
*What did work (at least until we forgot to recharge them) were a pair of walkie talkies. DH and I drove two cars this weekend and they helped us keep in touch, whether it was to agree on bathroom breaks or keeping each other awake by sharing deep, meaningful thoughts.
*When in doubt, ask. Asking our campground neighbors whether we really needed the 90-degree attachment to dump at our full hook-up site would have saved me a 40-minute trip (each way) into the Traverse City Walmart. I didn't ask until I went through the trouble, only to find out I didn't need the thing for a one-time dump; only if I wanted to leave the hose hooked up the whole time we were at the site.
*I'm still finding uses for the Command adhesive hooks and small storage containers. Wishing they made more in different sizes.

Saving Private ... Campground Trip

2011-05-30T22:59:00.001-04:00

There's a lot to be said for private campgrounds. They're more expensive, yes, but they also have more amenities and the grounds are truly lovely. After spending the weekend at Lake Leelanau RV Park, I can see the appeal. That said, private campgrounds are just not our thing.
First, the pluses: When we first drove in, after 10 o'clock at night, we were greeted by a staffer who not only drove us to site 191 right on the water, but also helped us unhook and used his tractor to pull our trailer into the site because it's at an odd angle and it was too dark to see properly.
We hooked up to shore power and -- yippee! -- water. We dumped just before we left, mostly because we're so used to conserving water that we didn't need to use the sewer hook-up during our stay.
The weather wasn't great, but we did spend some time walking around the campground with the doggies. Everything was well cared for and the other folks staying there were very friendly. There is a small swimming area and a pretty big play structure for the kids. And were there ever kids. Lots of them, running around and riding their bikes.
Another nice-to-have was the docks right in the campground. I'm not sure if anyone can use them and it rained too much for us to put our canoe on the water. Lake was probably too big for our canoe, anyway.
Other pluses: The showers were clean the water was hot. There was a Saturday night ice cream sundae bar for just $2 for adults and $1 for kids. And the staff were helpful each time we interacted with them.
Now, the downsides: The camp sites are small and we felt like we were packed like sardines. There are few trees and there is absolutely no privacy. We could easily hear our neighbors' conversations. If we'd not been right on the water, I would have not enjoyed our stay nearly as much.
Nitpicky, yes, but their wood pile is right in the open and the wood was all wet. It was very difficult to build a fire, one of our favorite things to do while camping.
And the most awkward, yet difficult thing to pinpoint is that there were so many people who spend the season at the park that it felt like we were camping in someone's backyard.
I'm not saying we'd never stay at a private campground, but the experience reinforced why we enjoy state campgrounds so much.

30 Minutes, A World Away

2011-05-24T19:57:00.000-04:00

We spent the weekend at Sleepy Hollow State Park, just a 30-minute drive north of where we live. We'd heard good things about the park, including posts on www.tripadvisor.com, but were a bit nervous about it.
Boy were we surprised. The sites are pretty wooded and relatively private. We were at a site which backs up to the trail to the lake. Lake Ovid's a bit of a walk away, and we missed having a view of the lake. But it was so nice to drive such a short distance to find this nice oasis.
We saw several people fishing off a dock by the beach area; we'll certainly bring our poles and our canoe next time we visit.
We really felt the difference between our previous hybrid travel trailer and the new "Santa Vaca a.k.a. the Beast." Lots more room and we found that we weren't on top of each other.
Even the doggies noticed the difference and seemed much more at ease instead of spending most of their time in their crate.
The play structure looked relatively new and the grounds were very clean. DS4 and DD11 played there quite a bit. We kept wishing we'd brought our bikes because the grounds are so inviting.
Pay close attention to the reservation system's notes on the length of power cord to bring for each site; some of them say 75 feet. We did have to use our extension cord, but had no problems.
There were lots of mosquitoes, but it has been raining a lot this spring and we were prepared. We liked that the site was easy to get into and had a nice paved pad four our trailer. Good, easy site to back into. Thank goodness, since that's become a bit of a worry for us.
On Saturday, DS4 and I took a bit of a side trip to Uncle John's Cider Mill for donuts, apple bread, cherry turnovers and chocolate muffins. Didn't realize it was a 30-minute drive until we were already in the car, but boy was it worth it.
All in all, would definitely recommend the park and we plan to be back throughout the summer.

Who'd have thunk?

2011-05-17T19:32:00.001-04:00

We may have already owned two trailers, but I still consider us relative newbies. That's part of the reason I started blogging: so that I can share what we learn as we go.

That said, there are a few things we've learned that I wish I'd known about right away. Here's a short list:

* Make sure you research what your particular vehicle can tow, not just a vehicle just like it. Our Durango's numbers supposedly matched our hybrid travel trailer (HTT), but in reality, it wasn't up to the task because it didn't have a tow package. Putting a hitch on the thing cost several hundred dollars. We sold our other vehicle and bought a used pick up that we are happily using to tow our trailer and to carry our canoe. Would have rather not gone through all that. There are dozens of people on www.rv.net who have made it their life's work to do this research. Lots of people will weigh in if you want to post a question there.
* When picking up your new TT, you'll want to sanitize the fresh-water tank before first use. Your TT manual will have instructions that involve chlorine and water, draining, and adding baking soda and water, then draining again. I'm not including measurements here because TTs have different size tanks and I don't want to cause any mishaps involving chlorine.
* Camping World, Walmart and many other stores (I think we bought one at Home Depot) sell water hoses. They're typically blue or blue and white to differentiate them from other garden hoses at home. Wish we'd bought two the first time out to reach our water spigot to fill our water tanks before each trip.
* Same goes for an extension cord for the TT's power. We had unusually hot weather in Michigan's Upper Peninsula for a few days last summer and couldn't use our air conditioner because we couldn't reach the power source. Spent some time driving around trying to find the right type of extension cord only to have the temperatures drop the next day.
* Before using the oven or the heater in the unit, run them for about 10 minutes with all the windows open. They'll stink up the place and make the smoke detector go off, so you'll have to air the unit out. Easier than on a day you're camping. And it's very ccccoooold. And you have three kids with you. Not that this has ever happened to me or anything...
* Speaking of smoke detectors, sometimes the TTs are sitting on a lot for a while before they're sold, so just go ahead and replace all the smoke detector batteries when you first take possession. Unless you're sure they've just done so. We had one go out on us one night when we were camping and it kept chirping and chirping. Since we didn't have an extra battery (we do now!), we had to take the thing out and pray we didn't have any problems.
*You'll spend lots of money the first season you own your trailer. By the second season, not so much since you've already picked up a lot of what you'll need. Unless, of course, you go to the RV lot to "look" and instead "buy."

Grubs and berries

2011-05-15T09:11:00.000-04:00

I'm not, shall we say, a foodie. But thankfully neither is my family.
So our camping shopping list is full of easy and quick meals. Healthy? Not so much, but we are on vacation, after all.
What do we eat? Not grubs and berries for sure. BUt if I'm spending more than just a few minutes making it, we're not eating it.
Here is our typical list:

BREAKFAST
Muffins from an add-milk mix. I use paper liners for almost-no-cleanup.
Cereal bars
Donuts we've picked up at Uncle John's Cider Mill on the way to wherever we're going
PopTarts
Pancakes from a mix
Cinnamon or banana bread I've baked before getting on the road
Whole wheat toast with peanut butter
And last, but most important, coffee. I'm a coffee snob, but I refuse to bother with a coffee maker in the trailer. So I bring along instant Nescafe Clasico, which I store in a Ball plastic container previously used for making freezer jam. Heat up my milk, add a tablespoon of cafe and top off with a bit of Splenda. I also store my Splenda packets in a Ball container.

LUNCH
PB&Js, of course
Other types of sandwiches, including grilled cheese
Pringles chips, since they're less likely to get crushed.
Pretzels
Chips and salsa
Containers of washed and cut-up fruit, such as grapes, apples and pineapple
If we are going to be gone for a week, I'll pick up a small vegetable tray. I try, I try.

DINNER
Pizza pockets we can nuke in the microwave
Soup or Dinty Moore and rolls (I bake them in the muffin tins)
Spaghetti with sauce and rolls
Easy mac with Spam

SNACKS
Granola bars
Microwave popcorn
Chocolate pudding that comes in individual containers
Cheese cubes
Gogurt
Cheese crackers like Cheeze Its or Goldfish

There are plenty of websites dedicated to campground cooking. I've perused them and gotten some ideas. But, in the end, cooking is the last thing on my mind when we're out. My family loves me enough to look past it.
Well, it helps that I threaten to send them out looking for grubs and berries if they complain about what I serve them...

Tips for Newbies

2011-05-10T22:11:00.000-04:00

Now on our second travel trailer (TT), we are by no means experienced RV campers. But since we've spent the past year making mistakes, I figured I would share what I learned:
*Got a set of battery-powered puck LED lights with sticky backs for each of the shelves in the kitchen pantry. That way, I can easily see what I'm looking for, especially since I'm a little vertically challenged. Cost: about $3 for three at Rite Aid.
*Someone on the www.rv.net board suggested we use an electric space heater in the TT when we're at a campsite with electric hookup. That saves propane.
*It was a surprise to me, so I'm sharing here: I found a bunch of the white wire and plastic organizers, as well as tons of the Command-brand hooks and shelves at Lowe's. Also saw bunches of the Command-brand shelves and hooks at Jo-Ann's. You can even use your 40 percent off coupons at Jo-Ann's.
*The fancy plastic hangers they sell at Camping World that won't fall off the rod? They work.
*We use a cloth shelving unit that hangs from the closet rod for unmentionables, socks, T-shirts and jammies. Basically, anything we can't or don't want to hang up.
*If you're really new to RVing, you'll need some pressure treated scrap wood blocks or fancy plastic ones to put under the TT's hitch when you get to your camping site to help make it level.
*DH downloaded a Droid app that makes his phone serve as a level. He puts it on a table inside the trailer when we're leveling at the site and I yell out which side he needs to put up or down. It's not perfect, but close enough.
*We love the metal towel and paper towel rods we got at CW that hang from the outside of the kitchen cabinets.
*We use plastic place mats to sit on at the campground picnic tables.
*First time out, try to get a pull-through site if you can. Unless you've really practiced backing in at home or in an empty parking lot.
*Find multiple uses for everything you bring. Our larger plastic storage bins also serve as impromptu tables or to wash out bathing suits or a stained T-shirt, for example.
*Get over being embarrassed about being a newbie and either get help from other campers or accept it when offered. (We just now can laugh at our first attempt at unhooking. Not pretty. But some wonderful ladies across the way came and helped us.)
*That owner's manual? Yeah, read it. It had all of the information we should have had BEFORE we decided whether our vehicle-at-the-time could pull our HTT. It also has a lot of definitions of terminology we wish we'd known about before.
*Buy the chocks before your first trip. We bought just two but really needed four and had to make a special trip back to the dealer. One set goes in front of the TT tires; the other behind so that the unit won't move.
*We found out the day we picked up our HTT that we were supposed to sanitize the water tanks before fist use. It ended up being a nightmare mostly because we didn't know what we were doing (by the way, you'll want your TT to be on level ground when doing...just about anything, such as filling and draining your water tanks. Our driveway is at an incline = not good for filling water tanks). We survived but would rather not do THAT again.
*Know that you won't forever be running to the store for something you forgot to buy or didn't know you'd need. You shouldn't need a second job to stock up your trailer past your third trip or so. And as with anything else, prioritize. We consider the floor matt outside the trailer a must-have. The pink flamingo lights for the awning? Not-so-much.
*Check all nooks and crannies before opening or closing a slide. Ours wasn't working, only to realize a bike helmet had fallen into an unfortunate spot. Oops.
*The first time I had to empty the tanks at the dump station was nerve wracking. In the end? Not a big deal whatsoever. It takes just 10 or 15 minutest total. Don't freak out about it. Disposable gloves are a must and I now store a pair of water shoes I change into before I start the process in the "bumper" where I also store the hose I use to dump.
*The shower? Yeah, built for a toddler. Still using the campground (CG) showers. But great to have in a pinch (I hope).
*Make sure that if your black tank isn't pretty full that you fill it with more water before you dump. Many of those systems are built so that they work best if your tank is full.
*The foamy, grippy shelf liners actually work. Who'd have thunk?
*The oven is an amazing little contraption. Tiny as it is, I baked muffins from a mix (add milk or water) and frozen diller rolls. Huge hit.
*The plastic jars with lids used for freezer jam make awesome containers for anything we don't want to spill while traveling, even liquids.
*Bring more food than you thought you'd need. Oh, wait. That's just for parents of teen-age boys. Jeesh. About that second job...

Santa vaca, it's a beast!

2011-05-09T22:35:00.001-04:00

So, we drove with the hybrid travel trailer to South Higgins Lake State Park on Friday after work with three kids. Opened the back bunk end...and found it soaked through. Saw some mold around the edges, too. Yuck.
Camping World on Saturday said they'd fix it, under warranty, including getting us a new mattress. Apparently, there was a defect on the door. It shifted in one spot, folded over and allowed water to come into the unit.
While they were doing some other work (de-winterizing and installing an air vent), we went "looking" at other trailers on the lot. And by "looking," I mean buying.
Traded in the HTT for a 2011 Passport Ultra Lite with a bunk room with four bunks. Plenty of room for the kids, their friends, the dogs and their crate (the dogs', not the kids').
Had a great experience at CW. We didn't decide on the TT until about 2 p.m. and they still got it prepped and ready for us by 5. Kids helped us move every. single. item. from the HTT to the TT.
Their staff, especially Ron in the service department, were awesome. Even took the time to show us around the TT and answer the inevitable gazillion questions I always seem to have.
Priority #1? How to work the heater. Good thing, because it was chilly that night. Unfortunately, we forgot that you have to burn off the stinky off of the brand-new furnace, so we had to run it for a couple of hours with the windows wide open before the stench went away. It was well worth it because I was toasty warm (it helps that I sleep inside a mummy sleeping bag).
Sunday morning was much more relaxing after a day of shopping, walking around an RV lot and then organizing all of our stuff in the new TT. Did get a surprise visit from the ranger. We had overpaid for our first night by a whole $3 and he was dropping off some change. Said that had we been gone, he'd have mailed it. Wow, that's a state employee for you. Honest, helpful and responsible.
Although the campground was mostly torn up because they're fixing it up, the trip was well worth it. It's beautiful up there and there were only three or four other families camping there this weekend.
Oh, and why "santa vaca"? New trailer is so long that all we could say as we drove back home was, holy cow, that thing's a beast.
Hope to return later in the summer to see the fruits of all that work.
Happy camping!

Modest Mods

2011-05-05T22:40:00.001-04:00

Because I am not at all handy, I've been making very small modifications, or "mods," to our hybrid travel trailer lovingly nicknamed Beluga.
I actually spent most of my winter looking online for any mods I could do myself. The list was relatively short because of my lack of skills, but I still spent some time in the past couple of weeks trying out a few things:
*Command brand adhesives are perfect for RVs. I installed a small key holder. Currently using it to hang our sunglasses using Croakies as well as our keychains.
*They also have what they call "organizers," which are small clear plastic bins. Installed one inside a kitchen cabinet to hold small things like twist ties, Splenda packets and zip-top bags; another one in another bin for plastic bags for our doggie doo.
*Installed a "recharging station" next to the front door near an outlet so I can always find my cell phone and, oh, yeah, charge it.
*Put some hooks inside our closet walls to hang coats/raincoats. We used hangers last year and by "use" I mean everyone threw their coats in the closet and I hung them up when I couldn't stand it any longer. Over and over.
I should note that I had some trouble hanging the organizers and broke one of the pieces used to hang the plastic bins. I called the company and got a replacement part. It took almost a week, but I wasn't in a rush, so it was OK.
Next, I'm eyeing their cord clips which are meant to help you keep your cords nice and neat. Depending on how big they are, I may get some for the storage bins where we store our fishing gear, hoses and extension cords.
Check out www.command.com for more ideas.
If you've used these products, let me know how since its apparently newbie proof.

My current obsession: Camping

2011-05-04T22:39:00.000-04:00

I tend to go through stages when I have slight, shall we say, obsessions. Currently, it involves all things camping. And by camping, I mean in our hybrid travel trailer, or HTT.
Nicknamed Beluga because of the noises it makes when we're making turns, it currently sits in our driveway, begging to go out this weekend. Who am I to say no?
We're making the trek to Camping World to have the pink stuff (antifreeze) drained out after the seemingly unending winter anyway, so we are packing some foodstuffs and clothes and making a weekend of it.
As I was readying Beluga for the weekend, I was glad I'd taken the time to make a list of things we typically take with us. I've made different categories, such as kitchen, food (including a subcategory for cold food) and bathroom.
Anal retentive? You betcha. Convenient? Oh, yeah.
Of all things, I almost forgot to pack our lighter. Considering that s'mores are on my top-three things I love about camping, I would have been a very cold and hungry person come Friday night.
I got the idea for a lot of the items on the list from the www.rv.net forums. They actually have one specifically for HTTs.
Because I typically bring my laptop on trips, I saved the lists on my desktop. That way, when we thing of something new to add to the list, I can quickly pull it up and, voila, do it right then and there.
Two things I added just tonight: cotton balls and petroleum jelly. I read on the forums that they make for good fire starters. We'll try them out this weekend and I'll report on how it goes. Quick tip: I use the plastic freezer jam plastic containers with lids for storing smaller items that I don't want to get wet. Stuck my cotton balls in one just in case. Did I mention I love my s'mores?

Surprises, even 10 years later

2010-05-31T21:36:00.000-04:00

T was diagnosed with a bilateral (both ears) hearing loss just before he turned 3. Ten years later, I still find myself wondering whether his behavior is a "deaf thing" or a "T thing."

Does he choose to play his Xbox instead of riding his bike to a family friend's house because it's easier to hear inside the house, or because he really likes the games? Does he not say "hello" back to students in the hallways at school because he doesn't hear them or because he doesn't know what the appropriate response is? Is he ignoring the girls who seem to follow him around school because he can't hear what they're saying or because he's just not interested in girls yet?

In doing research to advocate for his IEP recently, I came across a goldmine: Mainstreaming the Student Who is Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing. It's 67 pages, so I can't expect all of T's teachers to read the whole thing. I still haven't finished it myself.

But I have spent significant time scanning it and reading pieces of it, and I have to say that the people who wrote it certainly live my life. Or they're reading my mail.

Here's one particular gem: "Hearing loss can have a major effect on a D/HH child’s behavior and self-esteem... "A reduced ability to communicate may interfere with development of age appropriate social skills (they may appear “out of it,” be socially immature, and miss important social cues)."

At 13, T is by no means childish. He certainly understands and can follow complex conversations. He does extremely well in school, with accommodations. But I find that he doesn't always respond appropriately in social settings.

Mostly, I've long thought of it as a "T thing." I thought of him as shy. And sometimes, yes, a bit young for his age.

But I'm having to rethink my initial thoughts in this area. He's missed the social cues his friends have grown up with. According to "Mainstreaming the Student Who is Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing," deaf and hard-of-hearing kids may miss as much as 90 percent of what's going on around them. That's because they may not hear the conversations going on around them.

When he was in younger grades, that would mean T wouldn't have heard where all the other boys were meeting up after lunch to play tag, for example. Today, it could be the typical banter and flirting between young teens.

Now that I know, what do do about it? For now, I'll read on. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

2010-05-29T21:39:00.000-04:00

Got a kid with special needs who's succeeding in school? Then you'll want to hone up on the difference between a 504 plan and an IEP (individualized education plan).

Our oldest, T (age 13), is a mainstreamed A student. He loves band, participates during class and sits with the same group of friends every day at lunch. He also has a moderate-to-severe hearing loss in both ears and wears hearing aids.

Every three years, the school district determines whether he qualifies for any special services. In previous years, he got speech and language support, preferential seating so he can see his teacher and read his/her lips, and a personal FM system that pipes the teacher's voice right into his hearing aids. Pretty standard fare for a kid with his type of hearing loss. Let's just say that if he's asleep and not wearing his hearing aids, there's no way he'd hear someone knocking on the front door...or yelling at him to wake up in the morning (not that anyone has ever tried that. Nope. Not at all.).

Just last week, we met with his teacher consultant, which does the evaluation and makes sure the services are provided. Instead of the IEP we've had since T started school, she was recommending a 504, which she explained would ensure all accommodations were met.

Hmmmm....If it's pretty much the same, why switch, right? After doing research on reputable sites such as Hands & Voices, we learned:
· 504s do list accommodations and schools are supposed to follow them. In reality, teachers read 504s at the beginning of the school year and will mostly follow them. But there's no one checking. With an IEP, there's a lot more oversight, including in our case, a teacher consultant with specific training for children with hearing loss.
· 504s may call for a personal FM system, but there's typically no school audiologist to check on the equipment to make sure it's working and, just as importantly, that it's meeting the child's needs. With an IEP, an audiologist hired by the ISD typically provides audiological services and monitors students' hearing needs.
· In a nutshell: 504 ensures accommodations; an IEP does that plus it ensures services are provided (because the student has a disability that is having an impact on educational performance).

We called for a follow-up meeting with the district's special education director, a general education teacher and the school principal. We argued that our son needs the personal FM system because he can't hear the teacher nor the students around him properly.

Our strongest argument was actually that he needs to work on his advocacy skills. He'd not let us – nor his teachers, audiologist or teacher consultant – know that his FM system wasn't working. Instead, he stopped wearing it. And because he couldn't hear the teacher, took a zero on a test. Hello?

We got some pushback originally, but we felt strongly that T's not ready to drop the supports that come with the IEP. The research paid off. But so did our attitude that we would not back down until we got what our son needed.

I suspect cash-strapped schools may be looking at 504s as a way to reduce their costs while still meeting children's special needs. A teacher consultant who works part time can't be expected to still tend to a full load of students. And yet, they are expected to do just that. They are stretched way too thin.

I'm sure 504s have their place. I just don't see that place with the school walls. Children need caring, qualified adults looking out for them, not just equipment that may or may not be working properly.

I'm glad that our district still listened to reason and put our son's needs first.

Consider yourself warned. You can start reading up on 504s and IEPs here:
· www.handsandvoices.org/articles/education/law/auto_elig.html
· www.nldline.com/iep_vs_504.htm
· www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.index.htm

8 years and counting

2008-03-17T21:41:00.001-04:00

Two of my three kids come with batteries. They also each wear $5,000 worth of the latest digital hearing-aid technology.

And, yet, we can't always communicate with them.

There were the times when I cheerfully chatted with our then-5- (or 6- or 7- or 10-!) year-old in the car, only to figure out belatedly that he'd turned off his hearing aids. That's not even counting the times when my words were a bit more, well, ahem, less kind. (Who wouldn't want to tune out crazy mom, right?)

Or the times when I've told them a whole story only to find my son missed half of it because I kept sipping my drink at dinner and he couldn't read my lips. Duh!

The challenges are multiplied with my insistence (gasp!) that he and his two siblings also learn Spanish. And now American Sign Language.

To add to the, ahem, interesting dynamics, my parents are moving in with us to our midwest home -- from Puerto Rico. My mom's voice in particular seems to escape the hearing aids' range. She also forgets to tap my son to catch his attention or to shake him instead of quietly trying to wake him in in the morning.

We'll figure it out. Just like we figured out that we've got to keep our sense of humor to survive parenting -- whether the kids come with expensive hardware or not.