Our TV taping (LONG!)

[Tracy and David]

Hi, everyone!

Sorry we've been MIA for several months, but life is just so incredibly full with all the kids activities that we haven't been able to even THINK about doing any camping, and it's just too depressing to come here and read about everyone's trips and not be able to take any of our own!  

We did manage a trip out to Randsburg to go dirt biking over Thanksgiving and to do a "dry" run of "Dry camping" to prepare for our tv shoot at Red Rock Canyon this weekend.  It was SO much fun and a lot easier than I had envisioned.  (It helped that a friend brought a small generator!)

Anyway, we were supposed to do Day 1 of our TV shoot today, but it's supposed to rain, so we're going to go ahead and film the camping stuff out at Red Rock tomorrow and Sunday, then come back and pretend we're packing up to go on Monday!  Ah, the magic of television!

Dee, I read your account of your trip.  Anything we should know before we go?  

They've been very accomodating of our schedule.  We had been supposed to go 3 weeks ago, but they had a scheduling problem so they picked this weekend, but Alison has choir rehearsals both Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon, (Her choir is going to sing at the Dorothy Chandler in the big Christmas Eve concert that they broadcast on KCET) so they're going to get very creative in their filming.  

The crew will go out ahead of us on Saturday morning and get all set up and film the "background stuff" and wait for us to get there at 3:00.  Then they'll tape the "in camp" projects of waterproofing our canvas and checking our propane lines, etc.  They'll aslo film us touring the visitor's center and listening to the speech by the Park Ranger.

Sunday they'll do more "in camp" stuff and pretend we're just setting up to film the kids doing all their jobs (one of the segments is about  "Owner's tips" and ours was getting your kids to help with setting up and taking down) so we get to pretend our kids are always very cooperative and work at their assigned jobs without any whining, complaing or fighting (YIKES!).

Then they'll do a segment where Alison and I make Old Moose's peach cobbler (here's where I plan to try to get in the plug for PUT) and Erik and David are supposedly off exploring the rocks.  After that, I have to leave to take Alison back for rehearsal and they'll film Erik & David on their hike and hooking up and driving away.

On Monday, theyll come to our house and film the "big" project.  It was supposed to be installing solar panels on the trailer, but I think they decided it was going to be too expensive (they said it was too complicated!) so they went with replacing our hot water heater, which has always been temperamental.

It's going to be a very full weekend!  I just hope all the rain gets going and done today and we have a dry time Saturday and Sunday.  So far we haven't seen a drop!

I'll come back and let you know how it went after it's all done.


We miss everyone, but we hope to get in some trips with y'all this Spring!

Many blessings,

[oldmoose]

It sure sounds like creative filming. Have a great time and hope it stays dry. Got to love the "happy kids" aspect.
Moose

[Chez Way]

Have a great time, Tracy.  I'm looking forward to hearing how it goes and seeing you and your family on television.  

I'll be watching the part about the kids helping out for tips of our own. Our way of handling it is to pop in a movie at Darksiders RV!

[OC Campers]

I am looking forward to hearing all about the taping.
 
I couldn't believe it when you said that you had gone to Randsburg. Randy and his family have dirtbiked out in this area since he was a teenager. We used to dry camp out there (pre popup days) 2 or 3 times a year until Randy's mom and step-dad moved away. We loved going into town and getting a beer at the White House Saloon and checking out the little antique/junk shops in town. Such a small world. If you blink you would miss this little town.
 
In fact our family is getting back into dirt bikie riding.  We should hopefully be all set with shiny new/used bikes by March.  We are even thinking of selling the popup and getting a popup/toy hauler or maybe the hybrid version with the deck on front.   We want to go to an RV show and check them out before we do anything.  
 
 
Jacqui

[Dee4j]

just have fun....tell Brent (producer) Jeff (camera man) Becky (sound Tech) Laurie (PA) and Gary (RV DR.) I said hi and check their e-mail I sent them the link to the Grand Canyon Pics.....I wish I was doing it again...

Tell them:  "Dee was going to give us the Zucchini to bring along, but it couldn't handle another trip"


I know you don't get it but they will

take lots of pics and let us know how it was when you get back

[Tracy and David]

Well, I didn't think it would take me this long to get back here and post our experiences, but here it is!

We met the crew out there on Friday afternoon late and had to film backing in and popping halfway up about 3 times so they could do it with 2 different cameras and several different angles, including close-ups of everyone doing their jobs. (Dee:  I mentioned the Zucchini and they all about fell on the ground laughing!  They all said to say HI!)

By then it was dark they filmed us roasting marshmallows around the campfire.  We got to experience the "magic" of TV when the fire, due to the hastiness of everything, kept going out, so Brent, the producer, kept spraying lighter fluid on it to make the flames shoot up!  YUM!

After a late-night (after hours) visit to the visitor's center, where we listened to the ranger give a talk and looked at the exhibits, we were on our own for the evening.  That was the best part!  Since there was no electricity, we couldn't watch any dvd's or anything, so we sat and played cards and had dinner in peace and quiet and really had a wonderful time.  I can't remember ever having such a distraction-free time camping.  No friends along to play with, nothing with a screen to watch, not even a radio to listen to.  Just the incredible stars to look at and family to have fun with!

The next day was a whirlwind as they filmed us "hiking" (we never went more than 100 feet from the campsite!),  me learning  how to check the propane tanks for leaks because "next summer I'm going to take the kids out by mylself (like when H*** freezes over!), and I want us to be safe,"  and Alison and I making Moose's Peach Cobbler.  I tried several times to give Moose credit for the cobbler, but Brent kept "suggesting" different lines, until he finally said, "let's just leave the "Moose" part off, and call it "Easy Camp Cobbler."  Boo...

After that Alison and I had to head back for her rehearsal, so they filmed David and Erik firing off the potato cannon.  They really had a blast with that one!  They filmed a shot of Gary, the host, lying on the ground with a potato in his mouth, but they think the network won't let it by, so you'll just have to trust that it was funny!

Monday they were on our doorstep at 7:30am and we filmed a lot of different stuff. It was very educational seeing how they do things.  Everything has to be filmed 3 or 4 times, exactly the same way so they can do it with different cameras and get close-ups of everything.  The kids got kind of bored after awhile, but I thought it was interesting.  We all kept having to change clothes so it looked like a different day or whatever.  I honestly wore 7 different outfits!  You would have though we had camped for a week!

We finally wrapped up at around 8:30 Monday night.  We had ordered a bunch of pizzas, so everyone hung aound and ate pizza and chatted for an hour or so.  We were fascinated listening to Jeff & Becky (camera operator & sound tech) tell about their experiences filming the San Diego fires.  They were REALLY great folks.  I

[oldmoose]

Glad it went well. One reason I like dry camping is we either end up at a campfire or play games in the trailer, usually with the furnace on. Have a Merry Christmas. I'll be working on my Wood Badge course recruiting participants. If either of you want to go through Wood Badge March 24-26 and April 6-8, let me know.

 
Moose

[griffsmom]

Since there was no electricity, we couldn't watch any dvd's or anything, so we sat and played cards and had dinner in peace and quiet and really had a wonderful time. I can't remember ever having such a distraction-free time camping. No friends along to play with, nothing with a screen to watch, not even a radio to listen to. Just the incredible stars to look at and family to have fun with!

Better not let David talk to Dave then.  My guess is that something having to do with a Honda generator might just happen to come up during conversation...
 
Your pictures are great and it sounds like you had a wonderful time.  I think we should try to arrange viewing rallies when all these shows air!!

[GrizzlyTaco]

When will this air, we are really interested. Thanks, .......Ed C.

[Dee4j]

When will this air, we are really interested. Thanks, .......Ed C.

We filmed at the Grand Canyon in Oct. I was told not until June

[6Quigs]

Here's a photo we took

[OC Campers]

Kevin where was your show done?  What camping skill did you perfect?  I can't wait till this series comes out.  So many of our friends are **stars**.

Jacqui

[Tracy and David]

Here's a photo we took

Hey, I missed hearing about this!  Give all the details!  Wasn't it fun?  Weren't all the gang so very great to deal with?   Do you have more pix?  Enquiring minds want to know!

[Dee4j]

Here's a photo we took

hey...where are the details???  do tell.... :p

[griffsmom]

Does anyone involved with the show have any new info on when it will be airing?  Also, did they send you videos of your show?  if so, we should all get together at someone's house and have an exclusive premiere showing and party for our "celebrities!"