Newbie in Utah

juliatmgllc

juliatmgllc

Newbie
Toodles is on order--550 Ultra. Very excited to retrieve her the end of October. Once I do, I might have something to contribute. But, thanks to all of you for the good information! I have made a PVC frame for the side-tent--and, I'm taking the solar panel wires with me to Necedah so I can be assured it will all be connected correctly. I bought a 30 ft cable, so if there is shade to be had, Toodles can use it and the panels can be in the sun. I found some cute little aluminum camping tables at WalMart that when half-way opened will made a very nice easel type device to support the solar panels. I'll send pictures, if any one is interested. But, snow will fly soon in Cache Valley--unless I go to red-rock country, Toodles will be cozy in the garage!
 
Great name, Julia - you're bound to have loads of fun. BTW, some of our 'loudest' members don't have their teardrops yet either - so no reason to worry on that score. :)
 
Yep, first trip will be taking the long way home if weather is good. Home long enough to rake leaves and hang Christmas lights. Then, on to California for Thanksgiving, and home via Tucson. Will hang out in Tucson until weather will permit a straight shot back home. Then, Toodles will probably stay in garage until the thaw.
 
Congrats! Cary mentioned you were picking yours up right before we are...I guess Tootles and Dottie are nest mates! Have a great trip. We are coming home via Utah, so if you have any suggestions, we would love to hear them. We are doing a stop in Moab for a couple of days, then up to SLC for a night before heading into Idaho.

Travel safe!
 
I'll bet Dottie is that 560 I see in the background in some of Toodles build picture. Congratulations! Moab should be really nice this time of year. Southern Utah has lots to see with Arches, Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Escalante, Zion, Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon, San Rafael Swell, etc. etc. My home is in Cache Valley which is also beautiful, but unless you're going to Preston or Montpelier, Idaho would be out of the way. I hope you have a wonderful trip--maybe we'll pass each other on the road! This evening I went off with a neighbor's flatbed trailer to practice backing! Hope it becomes much more second nature.
 
Mick'nSarah-- I see you folks are from Oregon, so will probably take I-84 into Idaho. And from your queries about undercoating are headed for the Pacific side of the Cascades. I have a daughter in Portland, so Toodles will be headed that way come Spring. What are some of your favorite Oregon camping areas?
Safe travels!
 
We haven't done much camping in the last few years (due to some health conditions, then we had a baby), plus this is our first trailer.  I will say a few spots we are are probably going to hit first are several sites along the coast and up to Lost Lake (up by Mt. Hood).  I have always liked Silver Falls down near Salem too (there is some nice hiking down there (I tent camped there years ago).  We did more backpacking previously, and so we were totally off the grid, so this is going to be all new for us, staying at actual campsites (we will go off grid some too). There is also Stub Stewart SP, which is pretty new, but very close to PDX. I think we are going to check that out at some point (http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_255.php).

On the trip home from picking up Dottie we are going to stop at John Day and camp.  I have never been there, and have always wanted to see it.  I think the fossils and what not will be interesting for my 3 year old. If you don't mind going slightly off the beaten path (aka I-84), I would highly recommend seeing the Wallowas/Joseph area. I have never camped (unless you count us pitching a tent at the airport, which was next to one of the cemeteries), but it is a truly amazing part of Oregon. They call it 'Little Switzerland'. I will definitely take the family back out there. We will also make a trip to Crater Lake at some point.

Have a great trip!
 
Thanks Sarah. My daughter is a Sarah too. I will forward on to her your thoughts on Oregon camping areas. Isn't this exciting! This too is my first experience with "fancy" campgrounds. My husband was a geologist/paleontologist so we pitched tents on the rocks and I grew up in the 1950s back-packing in the California Sierra's--way before most campgrounds were designed for anything other than tents. He always wanted to explore the John Day fossil area--although his specialty was in the Cambrian.
 
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