maiden voyage-old popup and family new to camping go to see the mouse

[cruiserpop]

well, there and back again.
went to see the mouse. memories made, and stories to tell...
started fri 4/2, four hours late loading the camper...in a cold rain, recovering from bronchitis. get everyone and everything loaded, set out in noon traffic. made it about a mile down the road when i had to slam on the brakes to avoid runninhg a red light. well, as any experienced camper will tell you, things will go wrong, at the worst possible  moment. i apply the gas at the green light-the tv goes, the camper stays. now, not only am i the traffic jam, i'm the object of ridicule from my own family. we re-hook the load in a matter of min utes, but my wife, who has apprehentions before we started, is near panic. the rest of the trip is spent with one eye on me, one eye on the camper over her shoulder.
already several hours late, i strike a deal. knowing her dread of trying to open up a camper for the first time as a family, in the cold, rani and dark, i trade a night's stay in a hotel for distance-smart move on my part.
  next day, sunny and warmer, we make the koa ft summit near orlando without incident, except for a desire to kill the kids. my folks, in the 32ft class-a were waiting for us there, with support, help and large acaholoc drinks. get the camper set up for the first time, and shure enough, the furnace refuses to light. mummy bags took care of the first night without incident, and we never needed them the rest of the trip. my dad let me borrow a cerramic heater that did a marvelous job keeping off the chill.
  we saw tha mouse. three days, seaworld, magic kingdom,epcot mgm and animal kingdom-the last three in one day. my only thought was the the wife and kids were trying to kill me for the inshurance money, and were trying to  make it look like exsaution. dang near got the job done too...

[Tim5055]

On every trip it seems there are little bumps along the way.  It's part of camping.  On our third trip out with the "brand new" pop up we ripped off the back bumper.  :rolleyes:   You lear to live wtih these things.

I'm glad you had a great time.  I would be interested in a full write up of the Ft Summit KOA.  I would love to add the information to my Fort Wilderness Web Page.  Folks are always looking for options when they can't get a reservation.

[tlhdoc]

Glad you had a good trip after the beginning you had.

[jstaddwtr]

This sounds like you had a great time.  All I can affirm is each time you go out it gets easier, really....    Of course then you make other mistakes that you never made before, but it does get easier.  I really think it takes short and long trips to get the hang of it.  Everybody has got to have a job and it works.

[Gone-Camping]

I'm glad everything worked out ok, but like you said...it's always something!

I'm kind of curious though, what caused the trailer to come off???

[cruiserpop]

I'm glad everything worked out ok, but like you said...it's always something!

I'm kind of curious though, what caused the trailer to come off???

The bail on the trailer hitch has a spring-loaded hook to keep it in place. Seated the ball into the socket, but when I put the bail down, i didn't get the hook to catch all the way.We stated out on local roads during noon rush hour traffic-jammed on the brakes for a 55mph mph to  dead stop at a too-quick traffic light. The bail let go, the trailer jumped the ball, and the rest is history.