If I had a campground on a lake 5 minutes from my house I’d be there every weekend, work requirements or not 
I’m still trying to convince Marilyn that a large boats and campers are mutually exclusive. You can’t use both on the same weekend. I want to sell the boat, but she is reluctant.
Jon Radder said:
If I had a campground on a lake 5 minutes from my house I'd be there every weekend, work requirements or not :)I’m still trying to convince Marilyn that a large boats and campers are mutually exclusive. You can’t use both on the same weekend. I want to sell the boat, but she is reluctant.
Some serious kit bashing since the camper is 8 feet longer than the boat 
Jon Radder said:"We need a bigger boat!"
Some serious kit bashing since the camper is 8 feet longer than the boat :D
Congrats Ric on your 38th year and on your new camper. I am sure you will love the lifestyle. My wife (also will be 38 years as of Sept. 9th) and I did the boat thing too. Our sailboating took place on the Chesapeake Bay in the early '90s, and we only ran out of battery once, never had a leak thank goodness. Had to return to the marina under sail which was rather tricky since we had to go under a narrow drawbridge (did circles until it opened for us).
But we did take OUR honeymoon two months after our wedding (couldn’t get off of work if you can believe that) in a 17 ft. Wilderness travel trailer pulled by my 1970 Javelin SST 360, and went to the Great Smoky Mountains. Of all the good memories from that trip, one night after midnight a pack of wild dogs (? I’m guessing - never saw them - could have been coyotes or wolves?) came out of nowhere and surrounded our trailer - we were the only trailer left in the campground - they were going to close the next weekend. The animals barked and growled and snarled and kept pawing at the door and windows. I can tell you both of us were pretty scared and had no guns. After a half hour they ran off but we didn’t venture out until the next morning.
We enjoyed a lot of weekends in that little trailer (I’m blessed - wifey loves to cook to save money on vacations) and when our two kids were school age years later, we got another one (Shasta 18 ft) and took them all over the Mid Atlantic on weekend trips. I’d get a trailer today but I’m no longer willing to buy a tow vehicle or any vehicle that gets less than 30 mpg so I’m afraid our RV days are behind us.
So good luck and enjoy!
Hey Ric! Great campground down at the end of Marty’s road.
Craig
Thanks for the comments guys.
Jon? Don’t you live on a lake?
Ric Golding said:
Thanks for the comments guys.Jon? Don’t you live on a lake?
But there are no campgrounds on or near it and the local DEP will chase you out of all the good overnight spots along the un-developed shoreline.
Closest campground is about an hour North.
Hi Ric,
I was also married on 22nd. September but the year was 1962.
I can’t claim a nautical honeymoon but I did cross the deep and wide River Tamar At Plymouth separating the English Counties of Devon and Cornwall.
Enjoy your camper and be safe traveling in it.
Congrat on you purchase. I have been an avid camper since 1973 and still do camping. We have a34 ft fifth wheel and love it. I started out small and over the years have gotten bigger with more features. One thing is my wife loves it and we share the chores and I do love to cook. I also had both the boat and camper. Had a 26 cabin cruiser I use to tow all over from lake to lake in between using the camper. Then our lake here dropped during our 3 year drought and the boat just sat so finally sold it and then bang the rains came and lake back to full. I had my fun with it tho so it was time for it to go. We have a camp ground 5 miles from us also on the lake and that’s where I will be this week end. I know you will enjoy the new adventure. Later RJD
Ric, if your wife starts complaining that all this luxury camping is making you too soft, I think I have a solution:
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/mobile-creative-home-idea.jpg)
:lol: (edit*finally got it to load my pic )
Ric if your ever my way I have 9 acres. Plenty of space for a camper. Plus about 6 campgrounds within a 20minute drive from my house. Four being State Park/forest. We got a pop-up a few years ago. Works out great but I still miss backpacking
Thank you Shawn. You miss backpacking and yet, being a struggling cyclist, I’m kind of intrigued by the camper Vic posted the picture of. Although, I have rules on this cycling stuff, I don’t peddle if it is above 85 degrees and my wife says we don’t go if its under 50.
Just a simple update on this project. We have been in the possession of the camper since last Wednesday and since Thursday evening have spent the last 3 nights at the campground next to the marina. We will drag it home, tomorrow. Pretty much a shake down cruise with a list of “honey dues” and a list of things to be resolved by the dealer. Part of the reason for it being at the campground for the last 3 days was to resolve a parking problem at the house. This was resolved by relocating two large compost bins and bringing in and spreading 5 tons of gravel. Jan’s remark to this - “This camping stuff sure is relaxing”. We did loose the cat for awhile and an access panel had to be cut into one cabinet to resolve that situation. “Shadow” comes out of hiding and can move rather quickly when being chased by a jig saw blade.
Sounds great. I know all about the 'now we have to build a place to park it. I had to build a retaining wall and bring in a guy with an excavator to level off a spot and cover it with gravel.
I learned this weekend while camping in bachelor mode, how much Marilyn contributes to our trips, both in prep work / packing and in set-up / tear down. Took me over two hours to get out of the campground this morning
Ric did you make the show in Dalton the year we had it in Feb. I was camping just across the street when all that cold weather hit. Now that will make a man out of ya in a hurry. It was a challenge. Got another coming up in Nov in Charleston SC over Thanks Giving camping out and the camp ground furnishing all the Cooked Turkey all the campers need bring is the sides. Hope it stays warm but should be fun. Later RJD
RJ,
We made the Georgia trips to Perry, not in Dalton. I’d like to go again, but its too nice here in May to go south. The Turkey trip sounds like fun.
Are we ever going to see some pictures of this new toy? How did the trial runs go at the lake?? Are we having fun yet ???
If you haven’t seen it already, Robin Williams movie RV is a “must see” for all RV/Camper owners. Pay special attention to the scene where he is dumping the black tank. My friend claims he did the exact same thing
I can’t tell you why, but for some reason have not taken any pictures of it, yet. I’ll work on that.
The shake down cruises have gone well. We have now spent 6 nights in the camper at 2 different camp sites in the same campground 2.6 miles from our house. We plan to do our first big trip this coming Thursday. We are going across Missouri to a campground by our friends house in Kansas City. This was one of these carefully planned adventures where we were planning to meet about half way. The campground is 15 miles from his house and where they permanently keep their camper. Time became the concern as his wife retires 1 July and wanted to do nothing until after that and I wanted to get some road miles under our belt before we head for foreign lands in mid July.
I will say it is kind of fun doing changes, options and improvements to something that is air conditioned, stable and basically level and square. Quite a change for a simple boat jockey.
I think I spotted Rics new camper in town here!
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/Shortybear/April2010004.jpg)
