You have got to be kidding me...

Yes, it's official: when my sister and I counted up the weekends in December wherein she'd reserved campsites we came up with 4 out of 5. The reason? She wasn't counting the Monday, 12/24, reservation at Ft Desoto which she made so we could spend the afternoon there and sip hot chocolate as the sun goes down- and then return to our B&B accomodations for the night.

No, I am not kidding.

Open for business

The Covered Wagon gets it's first visitor this weekend! On our shakedown cruise (overnight stay at a state park near my sister's house) we'd had campsite visitors. A long-time family friend and two of her children came by to "oooh" and "aaah" appropriately. :) This weekend my sister has one night at that same campground "just because" and her most frequent camping buddy will be joining her. These two normally camp in tents and even hike in to places- including up a GA mountain to a "green" hotel which can only be reached by trails. Not your garden variety girls (nor your garden variety girls roadtrip, either). We're kind of excited to get someone else's take on the C.W. since it's everything we expected and twice as comfortable, actually. Hopefully, we're not ruining a good thing and all the luxury won't lure them from their more strenuous and, frankly, impressive goals. Being a bad influence is a good thing (wink-wink) but I'm impressed by what they've gone through to enjoy some one-of-a-kind experiences in the past.

Mama, Tug and I plan to join them for a few hours around the campfire but then bug out and let them have a quiet night. Cross your fingers for less buggy weather! LOL

Insanity

My sister'd been dying for Mama and me to go camping with her again so when we got the Covered Wagon she started making online campsite reservations like a mad woman. Well, I didn't want to ask my sister if she'd hit a month yet with 4 weekends of campground reservations- in fact, I jokingly told her that if it happened I didn't want to know! So what does she do? Starts counting on her fingers and then goes for a calendar. Yes, December has 4 weekends of reservations!! Why not 5, you ask? Because that lone holdout is the weekend leading into Christmas and we have reservations at a B&B which accepts dogs...

Success

Well, the first "real" trip was a success- we all relaxed and enjoyed ourselves immensely. During our "shakedown" overnight trip a gentleman camping across the road from our site had lent us a rubber mallet for getting the pins into the struts which support the foldouts. My sister'd already bought one of her own by this trip. I think it took just about 20 minutes to put the Covered Wagon up once we started but I know in came down and was ready-to-roll in under ten! (Try that with a large tent and three mattresses- ha!)

We'd left some stuff stored in the benches and under the sink from the first trip and put a few more things this time. My sister figures by the end of our next trip in early December (this time to the Atlantic) we'll have it properly organized and outfitted. :)

We did discover it will be possible to take all we need in the bed of my truck! Great thing for the times my sister can brave an itty, bitty back seat with a "lick monster" terrier. I'm getting a tow hitch put on my truck so we'll be able to use either vehicle. That'll make things easier for my sister since now she has to bear the brunt of the pressure of towing. Sometimes one just doesn't feel like slaying dragons or fighting major interstate traffic pulling a big wind-buffetted C.W. behind you...Options are always good. We're new to towing things (Mama's done it before and simply declines to discuss the subject) so it's a lot of focus and energy.

It was plenty warm inside without breaking out the space heater and that canvas top really keeps the wind out. We all slept snugly (Tug in his crate this trip- we brought a different one from last time and it fit the space better). I think we'll be okay even in winter time (which, in FL, is a few weeks in Jan, Feb & March- not necessarily consecutive weeks, either). I'm more committed than ever to never go in spring, summer or early fall. My bug bites may heal in time for Thanksgiving, if I'm lucky. Something about my body chemistry makes me irresitible to insects who bite. My cup runneth over...

We ate well, of course, and used up most of the perishables we brought. Lots of snack food made it back home which is surprising but we were stuffed from real food which is great. I never even broke into my stash of Cheerios (a popcorn or potato chip replacement when I'm trying to behave). The first night was sandwiches (pb&j, pimento cheese and blt) and iced tea. We like to have dinner ready when we arrive as it's less stress. Breakfast the next morning was an appetizer course of muffins I'd baked the night before we left. Then we had brunch of scrambled eggs, bacon for Mama & me, and some more muffins.
Dinner was turkey burgers for Mama & me while my sister grilled her soy sausages. We had fresh roasted corn on the cob (it's incredibly good that way- even the slightly burned parts taste great) and roasted onions & green peppers for the burgers/sausages. While we ate dinner we cooked some extra onions/peppers and baked potatoes in the dying coals for the next morning's breakfast of scrambled eggs and potatoes O'Brien. Totally killer! We eat twice a day when camping because we do cook real food. It takes some extra time but tastes better and so we cut out one meal. We take good snacks with us for the munchies (dried fruit, mixed nuts and yogurt). Yeah, I'm all about the food!