Going out for our shakedown trip this weekend

Nomad · May 2015

Sink/Water - Did you turn on the water pump? (only necessary if using the internal tank)

bgualtieri · May 2015

No but we are on the park water hook up. We just didn't realize that the faucet handle lever moves up and down for cold and hot and left and right for off and on. Just loser error. That's why it's a shakedown trip. We need the shaking!

Nomad · May 2015

Ahhhh - Mine just has the traditional old two twister valve faucet.

Rad · May 2015

bgualtieri said:

We are all set up, had a great lunch and are enjoying a nap. We had some challenges getting the hitch off the ball -- that cover thing not only lifts, but it slides back! The other challenge was getting water from the sink -- good grief, we were just losers figuring out how to operate the faucet

Guess what, you will have even more first time stories it is really part of the fun. Relax and enjoy the learning curve.

bgualtieri · May 2015

Perfect closing to a wonderful day

Nomad · May 2015

Cool

bgualtieri · May 2015

Ok. I'm really sorry for the giant picture. I've figured out how to make them smaller.

We had a wonderful time. Amazing, really. In the desert heat (it hit 100° yesterday) we would have been really miserable in our former tent. Instead, we had a relaxing nap in cool AC and by the evening when that spectacular sunset fell, and it was in the 80s, and we throughly enjoyed it. I was pleasently surprised at the very nice audio and TV - wouldn't have thought we needed it, but it was nice. Overnight the fantastic fan kept us comfortable with the window screens. We felt very safe, snug and cozy. It was great to enjoy my coffee and breakfast in my pjs, without having to go out. Closing camp was not the work that packing up a tent requires - I just putzed and had more coffe, and read the news and putzed a little more, then we hitched up and left.

Small drawbacks: we are not tall (less than 5'6") and fit on the bed both wheel to wheel and end to end. But it was odd to run into the wall. With the table up neither of us could move without warning the other, or toes got smashed. I can see why people take the table out - we put it outside in the morning and that was much better. The radio dial was bright but in the morning we found the dimmer setting... Oh well. Figured out how to empty the grey water at the dump station, too chicken to do black water yet so didn't use the commode. The learning curve on hitching, unhitching and chocking and leveling the wheels was a challenge in the hot sun, but we didl figure it out.

key learning - use the shower for a closet - but put cooking, kitchen things up there. Putting them in bins under the seats in the back didn't work. Actually I think I got all the dishes and so forth in the teeny kitchen cabinets - mostly under the sink. Pillows and bedding in the schloset (the new word for shower/closet I hear) and duffle of clothes could go there too. Important key learning - we lucked out. In the desert heat, point the kitchen end to the west. The sleeping end was nice and cool - again, we lucked into that one.

I truly love my T@b, even after many years of tent camping. I think I'm going to get the best of both. Sleep in comfort while still spending most of the time outdoors. Cutting the work more than in half, but keeping the best parts.

thank you all for the encouragement, and maybe we'll see you on the road some time!

Nomad · May 2015

Yep - The shower makes a great closet. Just need to be able to easily move the stuff out.

LJHans · May 2015

We picked up our Sofitel last Thursday and camped one night on the weekend. I think we experienced every possible hiccup-except the hitch on, hitch off! Who knew there was supposed to be a light on the electric hook up to show juice

hatbox · May 2015

Picked up ours in Phoenix last week and took it straight up to Lake Powell, Az for a break in. Never even knew our battery fuse was blown since we had been on shore power the whole time since picking up. Figured that out after we got home after camping and tried to turn on a light with no power supply. Went out yesterday and bought 30 amp fuses which light up when they blow, since we could barely make out the fuse wire was severed. That seemed to do the trick, and we learned that you hear a fan come on when the battery is charging...(good to know.) We had not heard that fan run since bringing it home from the dealer, so must have had a low battery (6.7) since purchase.
As for the weekend, it was a lovely learning experience. We did discover that we accidentally had the heat on along with the hot water, which cancelled out the air conditioner, but got that sorted by bedtime, and sleeping in the t@b is like being in a womb...wonderful. But... the table simply must go, post haste, and we will make slats.
As for Wahweap campground, it was just luxe. The sites are terraced, so views of the lake and sky are wonderful, and kayaking from the beach up the road was sublime, with the sandstone cliff formations outlining the blue lake. The view of the sunrise and sunset from our Hatbox was an unforgettable treat on our maiden voyage. We are so excited planning future trips in our little t@b.

Lisa and Tim, cottonwood, az
2015 T@b max s Sofitel the "Hatbox", tv: 2013 subaru outback

Rad · May 2015

I love Lake Powell. I have spent my share of days all over that place in houseboats, ski boats, jet skis and kayaks....what a place.

Have any pics? I have never camped there.

Nomad · May 2015

Glad your voyage went (basically) well.
Stayed one night at Wahweap and then up the road at the beach - that's where I ended up in a huge sandstorm - so strong it sandblasted (frosted) one side of my solar lights. Marble Canyon just south is a great area also - no hookups though and the campground is old and needs some tender loving care but the area is nice.

hatbox · May 2015

Rad, yes, it was perfect. I heard the wind is less brutal in May Than April, as Pxated attests. We had a couple 20 minute squalls--one on the lake, one at suppertime, but the hatbox put on her chinstrap and did not budge. Have pics, but have not mastered attaching and shrinking files yet on the forum. Working on that, though. Oop, here's the view at sunset from f14 site.

Rad · May 2015

hatbox said:

Rad, yes, it was perfect. ..............

I will be on the lake in a houseboat for 8 days in July....only problem, it is July 2016! Sometimes you have to plan waaaaaaaaay in advance when the entire extended family will be going.

Great pic, thanks

bgualtieri · May 2015

Patti -- yeah, we had expected to go in and out of the bins during the stay but it was more inconvenient than I expected. As I had said earlier, the T@b is small enough that even with two smallish adults, we had to switch around to get to things. That doesn't work for meal prep, so we will store other things under the seats.

bgualtieri · May 2015

Shakedown II coming up this weekend. We are implementing key learnings from before, going a little farther on the road (90 miles vs 30), and planning to practice backing up. Thank you all for the encouragement and tips!

Rad · May 2015

bgualtieri said:

Patti -- yeah, we had expected to go in and out of the bins during the stay but it was more inconvenient than I expected. As I had said earlier, the T@b is small enough that even with two smallish adults, we had to switch around to get to things. That doesn't work for meal prep, so we will store other things under the seats.

Even with the indoor kitchen I do almost all prep and cooking outside in most weather. Even rain has not been a problem for cooking outside under the awning.

When we are both inside, the general rule for us is one person at a time doing something. We keep nothing we really need during the day under or behind the seats. It makes for way to much moving stuff around to get things from under the seats with two people in the rig.

You will find a system that works for you two. It is part of the fun in the trips, there is always another idea we come up with on how we want to do this or that.

Nomad · May 2015

I've had so much wind the Visor hasn't been deployed in 3-weeks. And rain, so most food prep has been inside. You really have to get everything organized to do food prep/cooking inside - Especially if you've removed the table.

bgualtieri · May 2015

We did the (very small - only one day) cooking inside last time for our first outing. This time we plan to do cook outside on a little butane stove. Inside worked pretty well though it heated up the interior (it was >95° out that first weekend in May in the PHX area). But again, I've done mostly tent camping before so outside cooking isn't new.

Nomad · May 2015

One of my big problems has been the wind, keeps blowing out the outdoor cook flame no matter where/how I position it.
Indoor cooking heat - Yes, that's a problem. Sets off the fire alarm all the time unless I can run the ceiling fan. But that fan takes too much juice when boondocking. I cover the alarm with a Tupperware bowl to keep it from going off when cooking.

Rad · May 2015

PXLated said:

One of my big problems has been the wind, keeps blowing out the outdoor cook flame no matter where/how I position it.
Indoor cooking heat - Yes, that's a problem. Sets off the fire alarm all the time unless I can run the ceiling fan. But that fan takes too much juice when boondocking. I cover the alarm with a Tupperware bowl to keep it from going off when cooking.

I'm bad, I just took out the battery.

Cyclonic · May 2015

bgualtieri said:

I truly love my T@b, even after many years of tent camping. I think I'm going to get the best of both. Sleep in comfort while still spending most of the time outdoors. Cutting the work more than in half, but keeping the best parts.

I could not agree more with this last part. It is way we got and love our T@Bpole.

Nomad · May 2015

Rad - That's a solution also - Not sure my insurance company would like that solution though - Do they read these forums?

USWildflowers · May 2015

I take the smoke alarm off the wall when I start cooking and don't want to run the fan. I put it near an open window, and reinstall when I'm thru cooking. Started doing that when it went off three times while cooking breakfast between 06:00 and 06:15 in a crowded campground.

Nomad · May 2015

Gonna have to try that - sure is annoying. Seems way too sensitive.

bgualtieri · May 2015

Well, we are out on Shakedown The Sequel. Wow. This is so much fun. Grabbed our clothes and food and hitched up and went. No air conditioning needed this weekend at Catalina State Park in AZ, and Michelle, there are plenty of mesquite trees and lots of shade (for AZ). More than at Lost Dutchman. This may be my new favorite.

Hitching and unhitching went smooth as buttah, and this time we used the fridge as a cooler on the way, then electric on shore power here. We had been told that putting the Norcold on propane would get it colder faster, but I think it might be colder this way.

Life is good!

Verna · May 2015

bgualtieri said:

Well, we are out on Shakedown The Sequel. Wow. This is so much fun. Grabbed our clothes and food and hitched up and went. No air conditioning needed this weekend at Catalina State Park in AZ, and Michelle, there are plenty of mesquite trees and lots of shade (for AZ). More than at Lost Dutchman. This may be my new favorite.

Hitching and unhitching went smooth as buttah, and this time we used the fridge as a cooler on the way, then electric on shore power here. We had been told that putting the Norcold on propane would get it colder faster, but I think it might be colder this way.

Life is good!

Isn't it amazing that you're so close to a WalMart and other shopping, but you're also in a remote state park at Catalina State Park. If you haven't been to Biosphere, I highly recommend it. It's just a bit north of Catalina.

And, at Catalina, there is a program every full moon by a couple who have a lot of knowledge about the skies.

mickietucs · May 2015

That is great bgualtieri! Glad you like it and there's a bit of shade. And it is nice if one needs supplies the shopping area is just outside the park. This weekend has been quite nice so far (with the rain that stopped yesterday morning). I'll definitely be camping there this fall. Since you're this far you might want to try going further south to Patagonia SP or Parker Canyon. I've already made a reservation for Patagonia for Oct.

mickietucs · May 2015

Also meant to say that Catalina has wonderful wildflowers during the season (~mid March).

bgualtieri · May 2015

Thanks for the tips, Mickietucs. We will probably be coming to Catalina regularly. Flowers at Lost Dutchman are beautiful that time of year too. The desert in bloom is spectacular.

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Going out for our shakedown trip this weekend

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