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Finally got out of the backyard

ajs777

ajs777

Novice
Our first excursion away from home was quite the adventure. We were attending a seminar in Norfolk Virginia over Valentines day. The hotel wanting to take advantage of the 125 attendees and other romantics wanting a room raised their standard rated from $109 a night to $139. But they were kind enough to extend we older folk a special senior/AARP rate of $159. So we started looking for local campgrounds, we have nice shinny new trailer, why not use it. Our first choice was First Landing SP in Virginia Beach. We had checked it last summer when we were in the area. Nice place, right on the beach, great amenities and just a half hour from Norfolk... unfortunately their season starts March 1st. So, onto plan-B, lucky for us Virginia Beach KOA isn't far from plan-A and they're open year round... but this one was booked sight unseen.

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Overall, not a bad place and I'm sure in season it would be a little more picturesque. But hey what do you want in the middle of winter on the east coast... hell they had snow the day before we checked in. But I'll take no leaves on the trees and a 50° day if the snow is gone.

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On the way to KOA we passed the Naval Air Station. As you can see by the contrails the flyboys were all over the place. Being an aviation enthusiast, it was exciting to see all the activity so close to the highway. Then I realized, we were within a mile of the campsite.

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I knew we were in for an interesting stay when the KOA host asked if had stayed there before. When I said no, she just look at us with one of those smiles and proudly stated "we are home to the most active F-18 Squadron on the east coast"… this I believe. We live about 125 miles away on a lake that has a dam at each end that they use for target practice several times a month.

Notice the tree tops just above the side tent, that's the final approach to the runway and they're just above 500' and directly overhead. Now imagine six F-18's practicing touch and goes until 11 PM. Oh what a night!!!

But I wouldn't trade that experience for anything, especially knowing they were practicing so we can sleep at night… sort of ironic isn't it?
 
thanks for the pics. Our 2nd time out with our tear the Blue Angels were practiceing for a show the next day. We had the show free sitting by our tear. Hope your next time out is warm and sunny but now you have a practice run and your side tent looks like you did a great job of setting up.
 
Second what Pat said about your side tent. We're hoping to get some volunteers to guide us through our first-time set-up of the side tent when we meet up with the group at the PNW campout at Mossyrock.
 
I see you have the rain fly on the side tent and I notice you have the rear strap going to the rear of the fender. Do you find that this keeps the rainfly taut enough.

I don't know if there are any instructions given when you buy this as an add on to the side tent as we picked ours up when we picked up the trailer and Cary had only just got them in.

I throw mine over the trailer but cant seem to get a good hold there and have not tried going to the rear fender.
 
That was such a great story about your first excursion and learning experience I can't stop some babble from our experiences. You learned a very important lesson. KOA's are like McD's in that you know what to expect. They have a corporate policy that requires them to be located next to an interstate highway with 18 wheelers going 90+ all night long, a military facility with jets or helicopters, or a busy railroad with multiple sets of tracks and two crossings which require horn blowing.

They are however normally in the right place for one nighters when traveling between destinations or when a specific location is desired without other choices, like New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Clean, good service, hot showers and well kept, if small, sites. A tear always gets the open spot of choice.

Hilditch
 
aj & michelle-

I'm so glad that you were able to find an open campground, and follow through with your plans to officially inaugurate your 550! I didn't even consider the jet noise from the base when I was recommending campgrounds. Although we are less than 10 miles from Oceana, we are just not in their flight pattern. It took a camping trip to Holliday Lake to get the full brunt of, around here what we call, "the sound of freedom"! We were sitting by the campfire on a quiet November evening when we were suddenly "buzzed" by a couple of low flying fighter jets. They made several passes directly over our campsite. We found out from the park ranger, the next day, that our own local Oceana jets frequently use Holliday Lake for practice bombing runs! Who knew?!! The experience was deafening, yet impressive, to say the least!!

Happy camping! jamie
 
Pat_W said:
thanks for the pics. …your side tent looks like you did a great job of setting up.
Click to expand...

Pat,
Thanks for noticing. We've practiced putting it up a few times in the backyard. I didn't want to look like a newbie when we got to camp, but it still takes us a little time to get it fine tuned. I think using the pvc floor frame is a big help.

Barry,
I've used the rain fly a couple of times, seems like our outings get rained on often. Attaching it to the fender has worked out so far, even in some moderate wind. It doesn't really work trying to go over the trailer. I think it would require different hooks, more squared off like the tent. The velcro strips wrapped around the tent straps hold it in place over the tent's roof flap. It does balloon a little depending on wind direction, but I would just clip the edge and guy it down to the pegs if necessary. Looking at the picture after you mentioned it, I'm wondering if going straight down to the front of the fender would make any difference. I hate looking at straps and lines going in ten different directions.
 
Ooh!!! The sound of Freedom!!! Have to make this a destination this summer....we're anxiously awaiting ours, no date yet. Hopefully lateapril or very early may. How rugged is the side tent? I'm trying to figure out how to keep a 50 pound dog happy in/around ours at night.
 
Sweeney said:
Ooh!!! The sound of Freedom!!! Have to make this a destination this summer....we're anxiously awaiting ours, no date yet. Hopefully lateapril or very early may. How rugged is the side tent? I'm trying to figure out how to keep a 50 pound dog happy in/around ours at night.
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Sweeny,

The wait will be over before you know it.

As for the side tent… I guess that will depend on your dog. Our dog is closer to 60 lbs. but pretty passive. Last weekend after we returned from Virginia Beach we set up camp in the backyard again. This was specifically to introduce Duke to the confines of the trailer and side tent. During the day Michelle would take him over to the trailer and let him jump in and out or just sit in it with both doors open so he knew he had a way out if he got antsy. He seemed to be OK with it, maybe a little skeptical but he dealt with it. Later we introduced him to the side tent. His first reaction was to head for the door but once he realized it was zipped closed he just sat and waited to see what was next. MIchelle settled in first then called him into the cabin, I sat in the tent side doorway until he got comfortable. He jumped in and out a couple of times then finally settled in. I closed the door and we all snuggled in for our first overnight together. I'm sure he would have been comfortable in the tent, but it was pretty cool out and Duke is used to being in a warm house… he can thank Michelle for that, but that's another story.

Sorry about the long winded answer to "how rugged is it?" and I probably didn't really answer your question. It's roomy and rugged enough for Duke, but I bet if he really wanted out he wouldn't have a problem.

Room wise… we all seemed to have been comfortable enough. I'll let you know how it all progresses under real camping conditions with other dogs and...
 
We found that our lab could push the zips on the mesh doors open if left in there at night so we found her wandering around the campground.

A shoelace works perfectly to tie the three zips together with a quick release bow. She did however paw at the mesh and made some rips which we had to patch
 
Barry & Annie said:
We found that our lab could push the zips on the mesh doors open if left in there at night so we found her wandering around the campground.

A shoelace works perfectly to tie the three zips together with a quick release bow. She did however paw at the mesh and made some rips which we had to patch
Click to expand...

I'll have to keep the shoe lace in mind. Duke has unzipped his soft crate in the past so I'm sure given the opportunity he'll try unzipping the tent.
 
You know those tents that have a small pass-thru tube for sticking a pair of shoes outside at night? My brother's large German shepherd somehow wriggled through that and got out last summer. Not sure how she did it, because my head doesn't even fit in that tube.
 
Barry & Annie said:
We found that our lab could push the zips on the mesh doors open if left in there at night so we found her wandering around the campground.

A shoelace works perfectly to tie the three zips together with a quick release bow. She did however paw at the mesh and made some rips which we had to patch
Click to expand...

HA! Our little Indiana would probably just sit next to the door and cry all night, he's not much of an adventurer. This is good to hear.

The waiting for delivery is MURDER!!! At least we know when....
 
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