TWEEDLE DEE AND TWEEDLE DUMB GO CAMPING

Camping

11 Likes, 1 Comments - Cindy Maddera (@elephant_soap) on Instagram: "Camping"

We took the Cabbage to Hannibal MO over the weekend and the first thing she said as we pulled into the campground was "Do we get a house like all those other people?" She was referring to the giant travel trailers that surrounded us in the campground. I think she still harbors some disappointment that we didn't swing for the four bedroom camper with a fireplace and wifi, the kind of camper that costs more than my house. We set up camp reasonably well considering we had arrived after dark and opted to only hook up the electricity for the night. We'd hook up the rest of the things in the morning when we could see what we were doing. 

The next morning started out with pee all over the camper floor because the waste container had shifted during the drive. Then Josephine got in trouble for barking. One of the neighbors complained to the camp host. These were the same neighbors who's dog barked constantly inside their camper all day. Next, we drove out to the Mark Twain birthplace, which is on Mark Twain Lake. We realized very quickly that we should have stayed at this state park instead of the over priced tourist trap campground we were staying in. After learning all about Mark Twain, we loaded up to head back to Hannibal for lunch, but Michael wanted to take a different way back so we could see the lake dam. We did not find the dam and ended up lost on gravel roads and dead ends. Finally we made it back to Hannibal, found a dog friendly place for lunch, and waited for over an hour for a grilled cheese sandwich. 

Michael and I just watched the slow meltdown of the Cabbage. At one point, she got so fed up and said "I'm going to go see what's taking so long." She got up and marched herself inside, but came out soon enough because she lost her nerve. It was now almost 4 o'clock. The kid was starving. After telling the Cabbage all day long that we would not go to McDonald's, we walked out of the restaurant and went to McDonald's. Everything was great after that. We had campfires and smores. Josephine learned to curb her barking. The Cabbage made some camping friends to play with. I ate the biggest ball of cotton candy I have ever seen in my whole life. The Cabbage ordered a grilled cheese sandwich with baked beans, the same thing she ordered the day before, at a new place and she got it within ten minutes. She told our waitress "This is the same thing I ordered yesterday at the other place and I NEVER GOT IT!" We climbed two hundred and forty something steps to see a fake lighthouse that had been built as a Mark Twain memorial. I conned the Cabbage into "whitewashing" a fence and Michael and I were momentarily mesmerized by what turned out to be a christmas light. 

We are getting the hang of setting up and breaking down the camper. We have learned something new on both camping experiences. I suspect that by the end of the summer, we'll be old hats at all of it and may even find that missing set of camper keys in the process. Oh yeah...we've misplaced some keys, but at least we remembered to actually latch the trailer to the hitch this time!

JAYCO-PEECOTRAIN

First trip came with many unknowns and mishaps. No heat on the first night. No sleep on the first night. But tonight we have heat and full bellies and full hearts. Tonight we sleep.

15 Likes, 4 Comments - Cindy Maddera (@elephant_soap) on Instagram: "First trip came with many unknowns and mishaps. No heat on the first night. No sleep on the first..."

We've been trying to come up with a name for our popup. The day we drove it home, Michael asked me what we should name it. I couldn't come up with anything off the top of my head. As I looked at the side mirror of the truck, watching the reflection of the trailer bouncing along behind us, I said "Jayco Peecotrain." Micheal said "What?" and I replied "Jayco Peecotrain." We both found this funny, but did not agree that this would be the permanent name for the trailer. Except we haven't come up with anything else, so I'm calling it Jayco Peecotrain for now and here is an account of it's maiden voyage to exotic Joplin MO.

Most state campgrounds are still closed to full hook-up campers, which is why we ended up at the Joplin KOA. It was a fine campground for what it was. It sits right off the interstate and is more of a stop for the night kind of place than it is a hang out for a few days and enjoy nature kind of place. Our camper ended up parked right next to a privacy fence for a big-rig truck repair place and on the other side of that was the interstate. There was an area of woods with a walking trail that Josephine and I would walk in the mornings that was nice, but we did not have a campfire ring. The Cabbage made herself a cold smore on the first night, which would not be the only cold thing about that night because Michael could not get our furnace to kick on. Sometime around three o'clock in the morning, I piled all of the blankets onto one bed and convinced Michael to crawl in. The Cabbage was fine as long she remained wrapped in her blankets like a burrito, but Michael and I did not get very much sleep. 

He spent the the next morning on the phone with technical support, troubleshooting the furnace. We had almost reached the decision that we would have to pack everything up and go home when I pressed a small piece of metal inside the thermostat and the blower for the furnace kicked on. The on/off switch was faulty, but we were able to repair it on our own. This was great because my Mom had driven in to spend time with us and I would have hated for her to come all that way for nothing. We all went had a nice lunch before visiting the George Washington Carver National Monument (which I have so much more to say about later). We had a nice day and then everyone slept (mostly everyone) warm and snug. I say everyone mostly slept because the wind kept blowing stuff outside our camper like the door and the awning, making a banging sound. I would wake up thinking that either someone was trying to come into the camper or the camper was collapsing. Neither of those things were true. 

Despite the freezing time and the lack of sleep, I think we all had a nice time. It was the Cabbage's first camping trip and she said that her favorite thing about the trip was eating a cold smore. So there ya go. Michael and I learned a whole lot of things about the camper. We determined that cooking outside is the way to go because of counter space and how there isn't any inside. Once the camper is closed up, there is no way to get inside to the tiny fridge. We will always need to carry a small ice chest. Our setup time was pretty good. Michael ran into a snag with turning on the gas, but that was easily figured out. I learned the sweaty hard way that installing the door is a two person job. It took us a lot longer to break camp then we thought it should. The new rule is that breakfast on the last day should be something cold that doesn't require dishes. This way we can pack up kitchen stuff the night before and water and gas can be disconnected first thing in the morning. We are also amazed that we didn't lose the camper on the way home seeing how neither one of us actually latched the trailer hitch down onto the ball on the truck hitch. One good bump and it would have been bye bye trailer. 

On the second day, after getting the heat to work and eating dinner, Michael asked "So, are we keeping it?" I looked at our little camper with the sky turning purple and pink behind it and said "I think so. I think so." We've already booked a campground for Memorial Day weekend in Hannibal MO. It will be the kickoff for our summer of camping.