WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT CAMPING?

When we decided to set out on the road for this six month adventure it was a brand new idea and a brand new lifestyle. Erik had done some true camping many years ago; I call 'true' camping the kind you do in a tent with no amenities at your disposal and braving the elements. Rain, sleet, cold, you're out in it. I believe he even upgraded at one point to a pop up tent trailer. My understanding of a pop up tent trailer is that it's a step up from a traditional tent because you don''t get completely drenched during a thunder storm. Back then he loved that environment and didn't mind the pop up or the getting wet part. In his youth he had even camped outside with nothing other than a sleeping bag, eating beans out of a can.This he did on purpose.

My experience of camping was very limited -  once - in a tent. It lasted two nights, probably the two longest nights of my life. Traipsing through the woods with toilet paper under my arm to look for a likely 'spot' does not rank high on my list of things I would love to do again. I don't travel well without a hair dryer and I do enjoy a shower every day, preferably one with hot water. I also like something a bit more secure than a bit of tarp between me and any wild animals who may wander in my direction.

Neither of us had ever traveled for an extended length of time carrying our home around with us. We really didn't know what to expect; possibly we had no expectations. We knew we had the right ingredients to make this an enjoyable trip. First and foremost, we really really like each other. May sound trite or maybe even obvious to those who know us but it's not. Planning to be in close confines with someone day in and day out for six months is not for those who find their spouse's daily habits grind on their nerves. If it makes you crazy when he/she leaves the toilet seat up/down imagine how irritating that little habit will be after a few months of togetherness. As a couple we certainly pass the first hurdle.

The second hurdle? What the hell do you do all day long? We have now been on the road for close to two months. The first little while we spent a couple of nights here and there so it was easy to fill the days.

On the days when we were traveling to the next destination we were in the truck singing and talking about where we were going and checking on Gladys Garmin to make sure she knew where we were going. We had a paper and pencil in the truck so we could jot down things as they occurred to us. Stopping to give the doggies a break a couple of times and then again for lunch, which we could have in the Fifth-wheel, rounded out the day.

The days when we were stationary we explored the area we were in, planned our meals, took the dogs for walks, I worked on this blog and took pictures and we relaxed. We were getting used to setting up the Fifth-wheel upon arrival at a destination and getting used to taking down the Fifth-wheel upon departure. So for the first little while we were busy. We had fun learning to make really good meals in a small space. When I say small space, it's not miniscule - but can be confining when you put two large dogs into the mix.

This now takes us to the question What Have We Learned About Camping or What Important Information Can We Pass On To You Should You Want to Travel in a Fifth-wheel

1. AN ACCURATE LIST of what needs to be done when you arrive at your destination and what needs to be done when you leave your destination is essential.

2.  MAKE SURE THAT what should be shut is shut and what should be opened is opened. We inadvertently forgot
to open the vent for the fan over the stove and blew a heat sensor while making dinner. No real harm was done but Erik had to phone around for a place that could sell us the part that blew. We do now shut the vent when we are moving and we open the vent when we are stationary. This little tidbit was not on the list - it is now.

3.  ONCE YOU HAVE backed your Fifth-wheel into your spot at the campsite DO NOT unhitch your truck and settle your Fifth-wheel into place until you have made sure your electrical outlet, your water hose and your sewage pipe reach. Removing your blocks, your boards, retracting the Fifth-wheel's legs and hitching the Fifth-wheel back onto the truck in order to move it a couple of feet can be a real drag. Yup, we did it ONCE.

4.  DO NOT STORE anything edible in the storage compartment no matter how well you think it is sealed. Dog food will attract big huge hairy mice. Enough said about that.

5.  ALWAYS PULL YOUR awning in should there be strong winds and/or heavy rain.

6.  WHEN LOOKING FOR campsites to stay in make sure they are rated at least an 8.5 out of 10 across the board. We do this and have no desire to tempt fate by lowering our standard.

7.  AS BEAUTIFUL AS it may seem, you really don't want to be on a site right on the beach. Sand can get everywhere and is difficult to get rid of. Besides, you pay a premium for those sites and huddling inside during a windstorm is probably not a lot of fun. We are currently in a campground that is a two minute walk to the beach on the other side of a road and it's just perfect.

8.  KNOW YOUR VEHICLE and know your Fifth-wheel. Pulling several tons behind you is something that should be taken seriously.

9.  GLASS SHOULD NOT be a part of what you bring on board. It may seem like a smooth ride when you are up front but a glass martini set can break - it doesn't have to do much other than tip over.

10. FIND YOURSELF SOME boxes that wine bottles come in with the dividers and use them to store glass when traveling.

11. TAKE YOUR TIME. With everything. Don't rush your set up or take down of your Fifth-wheel. Don't drive more than four or five hours a day when traveling from one spot to the next.

12. TAKE CELL PHONES. We brought one cell phone from home with a plan for unlimited texts and phone calls anywhere in the US or Canada. We now realize that both cell phones would have been even better to get in touch with each other.

These twelve points apply if you are pulling a trailer behind you, have a Fifth-wheel like ours or choose to travel in a motor home.

Some of the important information that we can impart to others who decide to take the leap of faith and travel for extended periods of time? It's fun. It really is fun. You can meet as many or as few people as you wish. We enjoy the day to day relaxed lifestyle that we are currently living. We have been in St Augustine for about six weeks, the longest stay in one place so far and I must say that both of us are happy to move on in five days time to a brand new destination. The next month we will be going into uncharted territory; places neither of us has been to before and we find that pretty exciting. We've been to St Augustine before (twice) and all the places in between before but our next stop, Carrabelle Beach, on the west coast of Fl. is new. After that, as we head west through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and New Mexico it will be the first time for either of us to see those States. It's something to anticipate and savour and enjoy.

Compared with traveling by car and staying in hotels or inns or even bed and breakfasts this is way better. You feel at home, even in a new environment. It's nice to go out sight-seeing for the day and be able to come home and put your feet up with a martini/manhattan and then make some dinner in your own kitchen. Eating out in restaurants can get costly after a while and even boring. Home cooked is the best.

There's plenty to see out there and you can opt to go from one place to the other via Highways or you can choose country roads.

I would certainly recommend it as a great way to see new places while taking your time doing . I know that we aren't even half way through this trip yet but I have a feeling we will both feel the same right up to the end.