Monday, December 25, 2006

My First Camper




After many weeks of searching for the right camper, reading countless reviews, posting questions to camping forums, and visiting dealers across the state, I decided that a T@B microlite trailer would be the best match and might even fit in my garage for storage (more on that later). The T@B campers are small, retro-style trailers that can be pulled by small SUVs and many cars, and it was within the published towing capacity for my Jeep Wrangler.

Unable to locate the floorplan/price I wanted at a dealer near me, I found a salesman in Iowa who was happy to order one new. Conveniently, the dealership was located near my parents home, so I placed the order, and a few weeks later I picked it up over the Christmas holiday.

I got lucky, and I was able to tow it back to Colorado between major snowstorms, stopping overnight in a dark, abandoned campground off the interstate in central Nebraska. So, my first night camping was a little spooky, and I learned that running the heater and refrigerator all night long will drain the battery quickly. Otherwise, no major issues.

I made it home fine the next day and found a storage facility off the Boulder turnpike. There it sat until warmer and drier weather prevailed.