A Great Day in T@B Land

Long Story . . . 

• 6 years ago I sold my Ford conversion van that I had driven cross county a few times, camping at KOAs. Prior I had had 2 VW Westfalia campers and, and many tents in between. I gave up camping when I moved to the Deep South because it's miserable without air conditioning and screens.
• 3 years ago I saw a photo of a friend's sweet, gently used 2007 T@B. I thought: I want it.
• 2 years ago I sold my VW Rabbit and bought a Dodge Durango with a tow package.
• 1 year ago, I asked my friend if she was selling the T@B. She said she might.
• 6 weeks ago, I made a deal to buy the T@B. I joined this forum to get advice on getting a hitch. Someone said if I have a tow package I already have a hitch. I took off the panel in the bumper and there it was. Duh! I'm starting from square one.
• I met my friend halfway in Alabama to get the T@B. It was as creamy beautiful as I had hoped. The cushions looked like they'd never been sat on. But when she demonstrated the overhead fan, the lifter arm broke off. On the way home, the front window blew out. It was a crappy replacement that needed to be done right.
• 5 weeks ago, I got the title sorted out.
• 4 weeks ago, I took T@B to the auto glass place and found out I had the wrong window.
• 3 weeks ago, I took T@B to the auto glass place with the correct window ordered from Pleasant Valley. It got done right. I plugged the T@B into the house. AC blows COLD!
• 2 weeks ago, the T@B fell onto her tongue in my driveway when the tightening handle was apparently seized up and not actually tightened. It screwed up the front stabilizing jacks and freaked me out. I became a devotee of Richard Lewis (Dutchmen T@B guru).
• 1 week ago, I ordered a new jack with pneumatic tire, a new wedge for the jack, a new tightening handle, a big red handle for the jack, two new stabilizing jacks, and a new coupler lock and had them sent to the trailer (not RV) place in Pearl River, Louisiana. The trailer place had never seen such a nice little trailer. They couldn't believe the fancy tongue, the handbrake, the finishing underneath, the tires, and all the rest.
• Today, I picked up the trailer, shook the mechanic's hand for doing such a great job for only $116 labor, and drove it over to Dad's Camper Outlet where I ordered a MaxxAire 7000K to be installed. Driving it over to Dad's was the second time I had ever driven a trailer by myself. The women in the warranty department came down to pet my dog for about 15 minutes. They said they rarely if ever get warranty calls for the Little Guys because they are so well made.
• When I got home, I discovered the two Trimax wheel locks had been delivered, as well as the new awning with the red trim from Teardrop Shop.

The T@B is not fragile, nor poorly made. While the previous owner didn't use it much and kept it covered, she also didn't give it the futzing around it needs. Well, there's a new sheriff in town. I got a good enough deal on the purchase that I could recoup all my outlay if I sold it. Ain't happening.

I believe I will finally be camping in the TAB this coming Monday through Thursday, doing my work in the morning, walking my dog in the afternoon, campfires at night. I want to do it during the week when it's quiet at the campground so I can think and figure out what I'm doing. The jury is still out on keeping the big table. I will have to experience it for myself.

While I've yet to have the best experience in owning a T@B -- camping in it! -- I'm having such a good time taking care of her. I'm more in love every day.