What I've Learned So Far

ericnliz

Every day of the week!

Ratkity

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot! *sings* - Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell

ericnliz

Ratkity, thanks for the correction!

Ratkity

I wasn't correcting... I wuz singing!!! LOUDLY... like "echo in da shower" loud. Muhahahahahahaha

ericnliz

  

jkjenn

Part 6 (Post Vacation)


1. Setting up and tearing down is 2x as fast with a second person. Obvious, but if you always do it alone and all of the sudden have a second sets of hands to help, it rocks.

2.  When planning to camp at a fairgrounds campground, find out when the fair is held. It has all worked out OK, but the Boulder County Fair is going on right now. I had a moment of panic when I approached the grounds and saw the amusements.

3.  All of the parks have been really packed this summer - more than I have seen them in the past. However, there can always be cool things to be found away from the main attractions that can make your visit more enjoyable. Getting up early is a must. We escaped the heat and crowds at Zion by driving up to Kolob Terrace. The temps were 20-30 degrees cooler. We had Old Fall River Road almost to ourselves for a long time last night. Kodachrome Basin is a nice campground to get away from the mobs at Bryce. The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is much more tolerable in the summer than the South Rim - both with crowds and temperatures. There is more to Moab than Arches.

4. People have no issues passing you when they shouldn't. Double yellow lines are meaningless.

5.  Take a nap when you are tired. You will make fewer mistakes.

Nomad

3) They were really busy this spring also. Moab was a zoo. Everywhere twice as busy as last fall.
4) Have experienced that. Thought for sure there was going to be a head-on just south of Lake Havasu City - Close by inches.
5) Take naps anyway, they're always good :-) 

Verna

Sunny knows the meaning of "Nap Attack"!

Cyclonic

jkjenn said:

Part 6 (Post Vacation)

2.  When planning to camp at a fairgrounds campground, find out when the fair is held. It has all worked out OK, but the Boulder County Fair is going on right now. I had a moment of panic when I approached the grounds and saw the amusements.

Panic?  Something ain't right with you

jkjenn

Cyclonic said:

jkjenn said:

Part 6 (Post Vacation)

2.  When planning to camp at a fairgrounds campground, find out when the fair is held. It has all worked out OK, but the Boulder County Fair is going on right now. I had a moment of panic when I approached the grounds and saw the amusements.

Panic?  Something ain't right with you

Yeah, "panic" was not really it - more like disappointment.

Verna

It would be panic for me. After being around so few people for 3 months, I prefer to keep it that way. Let's see... if a female a hermit or hermitress??

Cyclonic

jkjenn said:

Cyclonic said:

Panic?  Something ain't right with you

Yeah, "panic" was not really it - more like disappointment.

I would only be disappointed if they didn't have a good Zipper or KMG Fireball, but then again, I am wired a bit different.

Nomad

Hermitress sounds a little risqué Verna :-)
Know what you mean by being around fewer people - I describe myself now as a "socialized hermit"

ericnliz

PXL, Now that one needs an explanation! Socialized? 
Verna, it's ok to be a LITTLE risque once in a while.

Verna

@ericnliz, I can be a bit risqué, but I just wanna have fun!  I don't like drama and I steer away from that.  I don't like crowds, but I do go to woodworking, fishing, camping and hunting shows at the fairgrounds, and I attend camping gatherings. Please do not try to take me clothes shopping-that's what the Internet is for! Although I buy my Adidas shoes at an Outlet mall 25 miles from home--I must try those on first. 

I'm just picky about the groups I'm in. I've been known to quietly disappear........If my T@B disappears with me, it was too crowded for me . 

ericnliz

Verna, Agree with all the above! Moved back here from California because of the over crowding [and high taxes!] Can't say as I blame you for bring picky about groups, me too! Been known to disappear a time or two myself, didn't like the company, and/ or just too plain crowded!

Tommy

Verna said:

@ericnliz, I can be a bit risqué, but I just wanna have fun!  I don't like drama and I steer away from that.  I don't like crowds, but I do go to woodworking, fishing, camping and hunting shows at the fairgrounds, and I attend camping gatherings. Please do not try to take me clothes shopping-that's what the Internet is for! Although I buy my Adidas shoes at an Outlet mall 25 miles from home--I must try those on first. 

I'm just picky about the groups I'm in. I've been known to quietly disappear........If my T@B disappears with me, it was too crowded for me . 

My wife and I are the same way haha. I used to think I was a "socialized hermit"  to use PX's phrase - but after meeting Eva I realized it wasn't just me and there were others like me. 

On our recent trip to Utah we were hungry and double-dog tired of driving - it was early evening so after passing through Ely NV we drove 7 miles off the highway to check out Cave Lake state park. We pulled in the campground and it was wall to wall people. We took a look at the last two remaining camp sites, took one look at each other and quietly headed back towards the highway. I think we drove another two hours, crossed into Utah and found a wonderful dirt road to perfectly nowhere. Nothing against people - we just don't want to be around them most of the time if we can help it.

RZRBUG

@Tommy ..."a wonderful dirt road to perfectly nowhere..."  

Verna

Let's see, I just got back from a necessary trip to Wally World (imagine me thumbing my lips and my eyes rolling...), a marvelous sporting goods store and a small shop with only the shop owner and his wife. I mentioned these in the reverse order that I preferred going into. 

RZRBUG

Not wanting to hijack Jenn's insightful thread, BUT there is something I've learned I'd like to share.  This country is jam-packed with clueless motor vehicle operators, and I encounter most of them on every trip.  Just sayin'.

ericnliz

RZRBUG, Ditto, inconsiderate would even be a better word, perhaps self-centered!

Verna

And, Larry, the idiots who give me an obscene gesture when I honk as they drift in my lane while they are texting ...GRRRRRR!  She didn't have the guts to look at me when we pulled up at the next traffic light, and her phone was no where in my sight. 

ericnliz

Verna, there seem to be a LOT of those too! I dreaded the day they let anyone use cell phones in cars. After all, you ARE supposed to be driving and paying attention, right?

jkjenn

I have encountered more bad drivers on this trip than all of the previous ones combined.

jkjenn

Part 5: Final Part

I am back in Ohio and ready to conclude this thread. I already miss Colorado, but work and a bad ankle pushed me to return.

1. Being prepared makes it easier to adjust, as needed. I sort of knew this, but it was strongly confirmed on the trip.
2. Rocky now feels like the T@b is home. He was always so relieved when I put him inside after moving sites or when we over-knighted at Walmart.
3. The only thing I really missed was cable TV and my hair dryer. I can see where a Dish Tailgater might be in the future if I do it, again. I probably could have used more data to stream video, as I did not come close to my cap, but I was not sure how it would work out.
4. I figured out some more stuff I won't bring next year.
5. You can't get a server under the age of 25 to wait on you in the Front Range without them being high. The result is a poor customer experience.
6. 14 days is a really nice length to stay at one spot.
7. I took my backing up skills to the next level. Not quite a ninja, yet, though.
8. After using my hair dryer, again with hook ups, it was hard to go without.  I can also see a generator in the future. I can live without it if I have to, but a generator would also be a nice back up if traveling and insufficient time to charge with solar before end of light for the day.
9. I survived without Amazon. I had serious concerns.
10. The time flew by. Working during the day kept me very busy. Next year I will be more strategic about scheduling rest.
11. I need to improve my lung capacity. I had done a tremendous amount of exercise to prep, but I noticed it was my lung capacity that made things rough. This makes sense as my lungs were pretty compromised by second hand smoke growing up, and I have had repetitive bronchitis and pneumonia into adulthood.
12. My ankle will likely need some physical therapy. I sprained it a few weeks ago on a hike. I took care of it, right away and was easing back into using it on hikes. I over-did-it as I started vacation and made it worse on a rocky hike. It was not the same after that. I have had repetitive ankle injuries since I was 13 years old, from sports. I have had physical therapy before, but I need it again. I realized while hiking to False Kiva, at Canyonlands, that I needed to do something about it. Sigh. Being mortal is rough business.
13. My technology worked! Internet, solar, battery monitor - it all made life work for me while I was out there. My boss did not know I was on Colorado and asked me when I was leaving for Colorado. I told him I had been there for 2 weeks. Score!
14. My TV took a beating. I will get it detailed and some minor things fixed over the next few months.
15. I was able to overnight at Walmart 2 nights on the return trip, thanks to the Fantastic Fan. I had been concerned it would be too hot and humid. The weather was not too bad and the fan helped. Side note: I am able to drive with the vent open with the Fantastic Fan vent cover. The directions indicated you could, but I had heard horror stories about it causing the vent cover to break off - not the case with the extra Ultra Breeze cover. This made the T@b a lot cooler when stopping for the day.

Nomad

4) Before you know it, you'll be a minimalist like me :-)
6) Yep, did more of that this last year - First year was a week or less - Nice to fully deploy and leave it.
8) Gen is nice but not something I want to mess with on an overnight. Too much hassel to unload to just do a quick charge. Instead, I'll just stay hooked and charge from the TV for a bit and then play it mizerly.
14) Yep. Have to completely unload and do a number on it when I find a good campground and car wash close by.

Tabaz

Jenn - I noticed Amazon, Walmart, etc. all sell 12V hair dryers.  Wouldn't that work plugged into your TV for a few minutes each day?

jkjenn

OutbackAZ said:

Jenn - I noticed Amazon, Walmart, etc. all sell 12V hair dryers.  Wouldn't that work plugged into your TV for a few minutes each day?

The 12v dryers are lame, at best. They blow a very little cold air. Not great for styling your hair, unfortunately. That being said, they are better than nothing, but you want to use your vehicle or an auxiliary power source as they draw a lot of power.

Nomad

Oh it's so nice to be bald - A quick buff and I'm good to go :-)

ericnliz

PXL, Does that mean you have a 12V buffer?