It Lightninged. It Thundered. It Hailed.

It lightninged. It thundered. It hailed. Motorcycles, ATVs, 4-wheelers ran night and day around the campground. The carbon monoxide alarm went off whenever I turned on the furnace.... "Quiet" is not a word I would use to describe the first trip in my new T@B camper.

The irony is that the campground name was "Peaceful Valley" - more like "Noisy, Loud, Annoying Valley", in my opinion. Even so, I consider myself lucky to have found this campsite so close to Boulder/Denver on the Friday of the Labor Day Holiday.

I had set out early Friday morning with crossed fingers, hoping I'd be able to find a camp site close to home. I'd normally have reserved a site, especially during a busy holiday weekend, but having just acquired the trailer the night before and anxious to test it out, I decided to take my chances and hope I could find an opening. The first campground I arrived at was filled up by 9:30 a.m., even though half the sites were first come first serve. I asked the campground host if they knew of any other campgrounds that might have an opening, and in a tone that indicated I was an idiot for even trying, the campground host said I'd be lucky to find anything so late in the game.

This was discouraging, but I ventured on anyway to the next campground at Peaceful Valley, CO, this time with fingers *and* toes crossed (that's not easy to do). Beginning to doubt I would be able to find anything, I headed straight to the campground hosts' RV when I arrived, not even bothering to check for empty sites on the way. The campground host said they were filled up too. Rats! Arrrgh. Heavy Sigh.

However, just as I was about to give up, the host's wife stepped out and announced there had been a cancellation, and I could have that site. Woo-Hoo! - albeit it was a spot next to the campground entrance and a lot of traffic. Beggars can't be choosers though.

I had stayed at this campground the year before, but in a much more secluded spot that was quiet and serene next to a babbling stream. I was expecting the same this year, but as it turned out, this campground was very popular with the motorbike crowd (somehow I missed that last year). Every other RV seemed to have a trailer in tow filled with 4-wheelers, ATVs, and motorcycles. They might as well have been riding chainsaws and lawnmowers - the noise was almost non-stop, starting before 8 a.m. and lasting well past dark. The campground hosts, who had been so helpful in finding me a spot to camp, suddenly seemed annoyingly oblivious. So, when a storm approached, I was beyond happy and took guilty pleasure in watching the disappointed ATVers abandon their noisy motorcycles and 4-wheelers and scurry inside to get out of the weather. It seems "Peaceful Valley" only lives up to its name when it rains.

I sat back, sipped some hot tea, and reveled in the hypnotic and relaxing pitter-patter of rain on the roof. This intoxicating lullaby soon gave way to stronger pops and thumps when the lovely drizzle turned into an all out downpour and hail storm. The hail beat down harder and harder, and louder and louder. I've never sat inside of a snare drum before, but I can't imagine it would sound much different than what I was experiencing. It rained and hailed for a good half hour, and it wasn't long before my scenic campsite turned into a muddy swamp. Once the storm died down, I waded outside into the muck to survey any damage and the hail that had piled up. Fortunately, the T@B was no worse for the wear.

In spite of the storm, the 4-wheeler noise, and the less than peaceful environment, it ended up being a fun weekend. The highlight was a Saturday hike up to Chasm Lake. This is a 4.2 mile hike (one-way) through heavily wooded pine forest, beyond tree line, and up to the lake at 11,760 feet. The lake is formed in the bowl of the steep cliffs of Long's Peak that rise dramatically on the western edge of the shoreline that is surrounded by boulders, some the size of buses. The lake was very tranquil this day, and towering Long's Peak reflected in the still water. Small birds, marmots, and picas played at water's edge. Clouds floated over head.

It was just beautiful. And Quiet.

If you go:

Peaceful Valley Campground is located 24 miles south of Estes Park, Colorado. Campsites are well spaced with groomed pads, fire pits, picnic tables, and grills. Camping fees are $17/night (2009). The nearest showers ($3) and small grocery are 12 miles away at Meeker Lodge. Water is available at a hand pump on site and vault toilets are located nearby. Alternatively, Camp Dick is another campground option that is located just 1 mile west of Peaceful Valley and also offers similar sites and amenities. The nearest full sized grocery store is located 18 miles south in Nederland, CO.

The Chasm Lake Hike begins at the Longs Peak Trailhead, about 15 miles north of Peaceful Valley. This is a strenuous hike that climbs 2,360 feet at altitude. Be sure to take plenty of water and snacks. Early afternoon thunderstorms are a common occurrence, so start your hike very early and plan for at least 4-5 hours or more round trip from the trail head.

It has finally arrived!

Today I picked up my T@B camper from the dealership just in time for the long Labor Day weekend. It was purchased from Century RV in Longmont, CO - about 15 miles from home. We did the walk through and everything checked out, but as we drove off, my friend who was following me noticed that one of the tail lights was not working. Arrgh! So we turned around and headed back to the dealership. Good news was that it was just a loose connection on the plug, which was easily and quickly fixed.

Looking forward to the rest of the weekend and planning to head to the mountains tomorrow. Now, the challenge will be finding a campsite at this late date, right before a major holiday weekend....

T@B on its way

Just got news from the dealer that the T@B I ordered is "offline" (finished), and waiting for a driver to ship it out to Colorado. Woo-hoo! They expect it to arrive within a week....

USB Tuner

So the question came up in the T@B Yahoo Groups forum about options for a TV set up. I recommend using a USB TV tuner attached to a laptop. This gives you the most flexibility and you end up with a TV, DVD player, Radio, and computer all wrapped into one. The configuration I use is a Macbook Pro laptop connected to an EyeTV Hybrid digital tuner. As a test I connected this to a generic rabbit ears antenna to see if I could get digital TV reception. I was able to get 20+ channels, although some came in better than others. The USB tuner can alternatively be hooked up to a regular cable TV connection if you happen to be staying at an RV resort that offers that amenity.

Coming Full Circle

I took the plunge (again) and have just this evening put in an order for my second T@B trailer. The first was purchased in Dec 2006, sold in Oct. 2007, and this one will be a new 2010. So after two and a half years, I've come full circle, and I'll be a T@B owner again in about 6 weeks when it arrives from the factory.

Last time I had the TQ floor plan and really enjoyed that layout, but this time I am going with the L-shaped configuration in order to gain a little more storage space, although the bed will be a little smaller. The trailer I ordered should look like the pictures here including the addition of the front window. With such a tiny trailer, I figure the more windows the better.

Sure looking forward to getting out and trailer camping in a T@B again!

Bidding Farewell

It was a wonderful season of camping in the T@B. It is such a fun little camper that is easy to tow, and once you get it to your campsite, you can even maneuver it by hand and position it so that you get the very best views. The bed size is more than ample, and the trailer includes camping luxuries like a 2-burner stove, air conditioner, heater, and kitchen sink, not to mention a fair amount of storage space - not bad for a tiny trailer.

Nevertheless, and with many mixed feelings, I decided to sell the T@B and upgrade to a larger trailer with a few more accessories and camping conveniences. So, I posted an ad on Craigslist, and I was able to sell it quickly to a couple from Arizona. We met halfway in Albuquerque, and as luck would have it, the time we chose to finalize the transaction was the same weekend as the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. I've never seen so many hot air balloons - it was really a fantastic sight.

Of course, I was very sorry to see the T@B go, but I was also looking forward to its replacement. I've always admired the Airstream trailers with their sleek, modern design, and shiny exteriors. As it turned out I was able to find a gently used Airstream Bambi trailer a few months later . You can see a blog of my many Airstream camping adventures here (coming soon).

Over Trail Ridge Road

Stillwater Campground near Grand Lake, CO, was our destination once again. I love coming back to this area because there are so many things to do including hiking, boating, fishing, shopping, and even bowling when the weather turns rainy, and it is all set in a quaint little mountain town on the side of a picturesque lake.

One afternoon I hiked to the crest of a mountain where a Forest Service watchtower stands for spotting forest fires in the area. This vantage point offered sweeping views of Grand Valley, a birds eye view of Grand Lake, and a panoramic perspective of the the Rocky Mountains.

These camping weekends always go by too fast. So, I decided to extend it slightly and take the long, scenic way home. I towed the camper through Rocky Mountain National Park and over Trail Ridge Road, which is the highest (12,183 ft.) continuously paved highway in the United States. I was really pleased at how easily I was able to tow the T@B up this relatively steep and winding highway. The T@B has turned out to be a great little camper that is easy to tow and maneuver even up and over high mountain passes - all without sacrificing camping luxuries like a large bed, kitchen, heater, and A/C.