We have finally arrived! Over the past several weeks we completed all that needed to be repaired, added, and spruced up on our camper. My final part was to make some curtains–so we have some privacy at night–and make a cushion–so Super Rockstar and I can have a wee bit more sleeping surface.
Here’s how it all turned out:
Super Rockstar’s part was to get the mechanics (heater, propane, interior lights, battery, etc) all inspected and properly working and also to get new tires–since the old ones looked like they were on were about one rotation away from spontaneous combustion. We discovered that a friend of ours happens to specialize in RV repair. He was able to come over and help Super Rockstar test all the systems, fixed a plug-in thingy that makes the outside lights work and charges the battery while we drive, and showed him how to repair the gas leaks. We learned lots of new terminology including “pipe dope” (don’t worry–it’s totally legal) and”propane regulator”.
Our last frontier was to get the title transferred and the registration complete. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy going to the DMV–always one of my favorite things to do. Right up there on my list with listening to screaming children and splinters stuck underneath my fingernails. But, thankfully, it’s all done.
And we’re off!
We decided to go back to our “roots” for our boys’ first camping trip. Way back in 1994 Super Rockstar and I got married in the sweet little town of Westcliffe, Colorado. My family had spent many years camping just outside of this town at Alvarado Campgrounds every Labor Day weekend. Our honeymoon was spent in these mountains and we were ecstatic to get “our” camping spot.
I was pleasantly surprised to see my little “Niles and Frasier” jump right into the camping life:
We set up camp,
They played in the creek and got dirty,
We told stories and made S’mores around the camp fire
and we went for a beautiful hike and even found a geo cache.
It was a blast!
Being our maiden voyage we did discover a few things that need to be tweaked a bit on the camper. We found out the heater doesn’t work very well running off the battery (we got a mite chilly in the 32 degree nights), but over all we are just thrilled with the outcome.
This project has been a tremendous challenge and has been very rewarding. I am so excited about the memories we will make, the adventures we will have and the stories we will tell for years to come. Thank you Koch’s, Duran’s and Godwin’s for helping us figure out the parts we couldn’t do ourselves, and to our neighbors and friends and you, my readers, who have patiently listened to our excitement over our Camper Fixer Upper.