Hello from Wisc

D

DavidnDiane

Newbie
Hi everyone,

We joined the ranks of proud CI owners on 11/11/11. We picked up our 550 Ultra on that much anticipated Friday after ordering in June. Camping has been something we "used to do". In our younger years we were tent campers, including a couple of wilderness canoe trips in Quetico. Family life and friends led us to years of one week vacations spent in the Wisconsin northwoods in various rented cabins on a lake. Other priorities took over and we haven't been able to get away for quite a few years.

With retirement on the horizon next year, we wanted to get back to camping and seeing the country. The thought of sleeping on the ground was not inviting. Though I was reluctant, Diane thought of looking into a small camper. We had never towed anything before, so it was a step in another direction. She recalled seeing a CI at the Walworth County Fair (a big and long-established county fair) some years ago. I had no recollection, but eventually after doing online research we came across the CI website, made an appointment with Cary to tour the factory at our first opportunity and placed our order on the spot.

So after the long wait for pickup, we now have a long winter's wait until we can enjoy our CI. Not having camped in a long time we will almost be starting from scratch, so we appreciate the great amount of information available on the forum. In some way, we hope to return the favor...
 
Welcome to the forum David and Diane! I'm sure you'll find the people on the forum to be quite helpful and very friendly. Good luck with your new teardrop.
 
CONGRATULATIONS! Your story sounds so much like ours. Yes, you'll have a great winter making plans for your first trip. Will be anxious to read your posts and happy to help with whatever advice/feedback we can provide.
 
Welcome to the forum. This site has lots of great information just takes awhile to read it all. If you have the furnace how about some short overnight test trips? Snow hasn't started flying in Wisconsin yet :)
 
David & Diane,

How exciting! Now Elkhorn has the honor of having 2 Camp-Inns within its city boundaries! I'm sure you will run into (if you haven't already) Deb & Bob, proud owners of #299, a 2008 550 Ultra. They are also here on the forum.

Happy Camping!

:cool:
 
Good for you, DavenDiane.

Let the fun begin!!!!!!!!!!! Don't let the cold weather hold you back...it's warmer down south. Get in and get going! We had rain and wind storms on our first three days out and it was no problem-except we couldn't cook in the gale force winds. Oh well. But the rain was nothing, in fact it was fun. Just ask Jenn-she likes thunder storms (and so do I).

Jim hadn't pulled a trailer before we picked up our 550 and it turned out to be a breeze. Who'da thought? He had to keep checking the rear view mirror to make sure it was still there. Trippy guy.

So enjoy. And tell us all about your adventures!
Welcome to the family.

Jim and Sue
 
Hi David and Diane! Welcome to a wonderful forum and a great group of people. My husband Bob and I are also in Elkhorn, as Betsey mentioned. We'd love to see your new CI and we'd be pleased to show you ours! We're in the phonebook, but I will IM you with our address and phone. Deb
 
Thanks for all your words of welcome. You guys are quick! We are sort of treating our CI as our "cabin on wheels", so I guess it is okay that we have some time to "furnish" it...
 
Welcome! The hardest part about towing a Camp-Inn is not forgetting that it's back there - and as long as you drive don't drive aggressively you shouldn't have a problem even then.

Feel free to ask all the questions you need to while you are getting going (and after too...)
 
Towing the CI on the trip home was not too bad. It gives a little tug when you first start and makes a few clunks here and there, but once you get going, no big deal. Have to get used to slower acceleration and give yourself plenty of room. I was mostly watching the mpg slowly going down, but it did level out after a while. Not too much of a drop. I did get a little experience towing a small (14') fishing boat about a month or so before picking up the CI, so that helped. The boat does not weigh much, though, and there is much more visibility. They were also short trips. Tried backing the CI into the garage when we did get home, but I was tired. I got lazy, unhitched the CI, and pushed it into the garage. Easy to push around.

Would eventually like to try winter camping once we get a little experience. We did give the furnace a little test run. Took a little "catnap" parked in the driveway one cool night(high 30s, I think). The furnace put out plenty of heat in a short amount of time. An early pit stop brought us to the comforts of the house, however, and that was that...Got a taste of being in the cold, though, so there's hope.
David
 
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