RE: Hello, introduce yourself here!

[labontefan]

 PJay
Hello!
 
 I ve been AWOL for awhile but it s time to get back into things here at PUT!
 
 I m a huge NASCAR fan, and most of the boards I post on are at racing websites. " labontefan"  means my two favorite drivers are Bobby and Terry Labonte.
 
 I ve been going to NASCAR races since 1985. These days, I usually make it to both races at Bristol, Martinsville, and Charlotte. Until a few years ago, I had always gone to the races as a " day trip"  or stayed in a motel. In 1997, a friend and I decided to give camping at the tracks a try. The first trip was with all borrowed equipment (tent, sleeping bags, air mattress, etc.). It poured down the rain all Saturday night and Sunday, the race was postponed till Monday, some of our clothes got wet...and we had a blast!! So I started investing in some camping equipment, and we started tent camping at the tracks on a regular basis. I usually camp with one or more other female friends. We re kind of unique in the campgrounds around the tracks. You don t see too many groups of women camping together!
 
 Last fall, I started thinking that I was getting just a bit too old to sleep in a tent. So I checked out a local Coleman dealer (after doing some research online). They had a great deal on a new 2002 Coleman Utah, and I really liked the features and the floor plan, so I decided it had to come home with me!
 
 So far, we ve taken three racing/camping trips in the Utah, and enjoy it more each time.
 
 I just bought a brand new TV--2003 Dodge Durango, so I m expecting the next trip to be even easier. The next trip is our " big"  vacation of the year...Charlotte for the Winston and the 600! That means we ll be camping for about 10 days. We ve done this for about three years now. I always enjoy the trip, but am really looking forward to some quality time with my new Utah!
 
 As for personal info, I live in the mountains of southwestern Virginia (just about an hour from Bristol Motor Speedway). There s just me and my dog (who is a little old to start learning about camping---she stays in the kennel), and several friends that usually travel and camp with me.

[Steve-o-bud]

 PJay
Hi. We re back... after a bit of a hiatus, we couldn t resist. Our old name was HollyGator, now we re just going by Steve-o-bud.
 
 Towards the end of last year, we bought a 2000 Bayside from our dear freinds, who sold it to us for the same amount that the dealer was going to pay them on trade-in for a new mega travel trailer. Needless to say, it was a offer too good to turn down.
 
 Our previous PU was a  77 Jayco, with 8 foot box. We sold it to a nice couple from Orange County, we hope that they enjoy it. We are enjoing the Bayside quite a bit... it was a little bigger then what I would have purchased if we went brand new, but I really do like the extra space. I was concerned that my tow vehicle wouldn t do well pulling it, since it is a bit under powered. However, so far it has done OK, and is very stable, unless we fill the 20 gallon tank[].
 
 We are big race fans, and love to camp, and we are involved quite a bit with the YMCA Guides/Princess program, formerly known as Indian Guides/Indian Princesses.
 
 Oh Well. Enough for now. Feels good to be back!
 
 

[slowpez]

 labontefan
Can t believe we not introduced ourselves as yet.  DH is retired AF and currently waiting to retire from his second career.  I m a nurse who is no longer working.  We bought our PU last August and just love it.  We have always liked to travel and spent many vacations at various NP around the country and now plan on doing the same in our little tent on wheels.  This is our first experience with camping.  We have three grown and gone kids (the youngest is tagging along on next week s trip however).  DH plays golf, we are both avid readers, and I like to do decorative painting.  We do a lot of hiking also.  Haven t run into any board members on our travels as yet but am keeping my out for SCPreacher and Gamecockfan since they seem to be the only locals on the board.

[TG1956]

 fivegonefishing
Hi gang. I m TG1956 because my friends call me " TG"  and I was born in 1956. DW, DS, DD and I all love to camp and have tent camped for many years. We have borrowed pop-ups from time to time and have thoroughly enjoyed them, so we are hoping to jump in this summer. I have my eye on a 2003 Starcraft 2407 (any feedback?). We re really looking forward to the camping adventures!!
 
 My TV is a 2002 Dakota Quad Cab with a 5.9L engine and tow package, so shouldn t have any problems pulling.

[KeithS]

 fivegonefishing
DW-41
 DS-6
 Me-52
 Tow vehicle-2002 Subaru Outback Sport
 Pop up- 2002 Coleman Sedona.
 
 We live in Enfield, NY, just west of Ithaca, NY in the finger lakes region of south central NY. I spent 15 years in and around the Adirondacks (Potsdam and Plattsburgh) so I have decades of backpacking experience.
 
 DW is a therapeutic recreation specialist in a mental health clinic in a supermaximum security prison.
 I m a director of a special program at a 4 year public college in central NY.
 
 I ve been involved in photography for about 40 years and used to write for a touring motorcycle magazine. Love to hear from folks. If you have any questions on camping in NY, feel free to email me.

[PopupSgt]

 labontefan
Howdy Gang,
 I was in the Navy for 10 years got out for 4 years then went into the AF reserves, now I m activated for the war efforts so picked a snazzy handle[].  My wife is originally from PA & me from Texas we met in Scotland when we both were in the Navy together[8D].  
 We just bought our first popup trailer & don t pick it up until the weekend so still have to get experience with the popup.  We have tent camped for years but the DW is sick of sleeping on the ground and the rained out nights with the muddy ground plus the kids don t help when it s nasty outside[: (].  So figured what the heck if we re going to buy one for our large family better get the biggest[].  

[GDSLTS]

 labontefan
Our handle is our initials - DH & DW. We met 27 years ago on a Sierra Club mountaineering course and were married 6 weeks later. We backpacked for 20+ years, tent/car camped for 4 years and this is our 2nd year of popuping. We just sold our 2001 SeaPine and plan to purchase a new one in the next couple of months. WE CAN CAMP YEAR ROUND IN SoCal, but it can be tough to find a good site unless you reserve a couple months in advance. I envy many of the isolated, large campsites I see from back east. I can usually see 3 or 4 other campers from our site. But at least it is a way to relax, have real time for conversation, hike, read. The popup provides us comfort, air, space, visibility, contact with nature and isolation when we need it. We, on occassion, go camping with friends with class A, B & C rigs. I ll take a popup anyday. Our latest addition is the purchase of two kayaks. Now, we go kayaking before breakfast, hiking mid-day or afternoon and then go kayaking just before dinner or late at night during a full moon. It doesn t get any better than that.

[thomas]

 labontefan
Hi ALL, We are new at this game so if things don t seem to be in the proper order. oh well!!.  I m TOM, my wife is MARY. We just purchased a VIKING 2465ST and so far its only been set up in the back yard due to scheduling conflict with a new Grandson that didn t know he was supposed to be on time, but he was worth the wait.  We will get out soon and enjoy some of this Central Texas HEAT. We are towing with a Grand Caravan with 3.8 engine, so far no problems but if anyone has any experiences with that combination, let me know.
                                                                          Plug Nickel and the Gold Nugget

[George]

 labontefan
Hi!  After already getting all the help from you folks we finally joined " officially" .  
 
 I m George... DW is Kristen, DS is John and DD is Casey(beagle).  We re completly new to this having just purchased a Coleman Taos to be towed by our Jeep Wrangler.  I ve been camping on and off since Scouts, we ve done it as a family a few years ago in tents and recently as DS has entered Boy Scouts.  
 
 We live in Monmouth county, NJ (near Sandy Hook) where I m a Chemist.  My other hobby is amateur astronomy.  We re members of the New Jersey Astronomical Association ( www.njaa.org ).  
 
 I look forward to getting to know you folks (and hopefully seeing a few of ya out on the road.
 
 -George

[Big Dog]

 PJay
I am new to this group and am still not up on all the terminology but really enjoy the site. My wife and I have three children, a 12 YO daughter and 10 YO twin boys. I have tent camped all my life, we have been camping as a family for about 7 years. We usually have a caravan of anywhere from 3-5 family?s on our trips. We went ?only looking? at PU?s right before fathers day and my DW decided she liked one so much it would be my fathers day gift!  
 
 We generally camp in MD, VA, PA, and WV but will undoubtedly expand the range now!  Last weekend was the maiden voyage to Lancaster Pa., next weekend we are off to Gettysburg.
 Hope to see some of the group around!