Christmas camping at Naola, VA

[FordTruck]

We've been having our own little adventures here in VA. We (+ cat and dog) loaded up the Airstream on Christmas eve morning and traveled to Lynchburg. The closest campground that is open all year is about 30 miles away. We got here and set up very easily. Then went to spend Christmas eve with extended family. On Christmas day, we went to her sister's house to open presents and have a big meal with all the usual stuff. When we got back to the campground late that afternoon, there was no electricity. No electricity = heat only via battery power. Had to hook up the truck to the RV so that we would have electricity. Truck idled for 4 hours until the power came back on. Apparently a branch/tree had fallen across some power lines. The power outage affected 104 home/locations and the campground just happened to be one of the 104.
THEN, this morning, we wake up and the RV is down to about 48f as we had run out of propane for heat in the early morning hours. BBBBBBBBBrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Outside temp was about 19f. Had to take the propane tanks to a place where I got them re-filled and then drove back (45 miles round trip) and reinstalled them. We now have heat.

HUGE LESSON LEARNED:

If you have a generator (and we do have a Honda 3000is), take it with you, even if you don't think you're going to need it.

By the way, 2010 has been a year of camping weather extremes for us. In the summer, we went to Lake Anna VA and camped at the state park there. It was 106f. Who knew we could have these extremes here in VA?

[Soyboy]

Sorry for your hassles. Glad things worked out. I agree with the generator suggestion. I always take mine even on trips with elec hookups. It's easy to throw in the back of the truck "just in case" ( have have a cap/topper over teh bed. I have run short of propane in the past, now I try to keep a closer eye on things, esp. during heating season. BTW, I carry a portable elec. heater in the trailer. Much of the time that is all I need to heat the trailer unless it is really cold. In any event it's a nice backup and it fits up on the closet shelf out of th way when not in use.

As to the photos: looks beautiful in the woods.

Have a great time and a happy new year.

[alclad]

hey fordtruck!...

never to old to learn something. almost met you at beacon hill- they sold that life is good shirt in intercourse.(i now have that shirt too) sorry to have missed you that day.

and hey to soyboy!... we did meet at the delaware inlet seashore park.



don & karen

[Roadrunner]

Now that's something I've thought about doing...camping over Christmas up North. It looks so peaceful there. Preparing for cold would be a good idea. Thanks for the pictures.

Bob

[Skater]

For the second year in a row, we camped in Harrisburg, PA over Christmas. Winter camping has its own challenges (our biggest was that the furnace would sometimes fail to light - and once that happens, we're sunk because it won't try again after the first few seconds), but on Christmas day, I loved it and wouldn't have it any other way. Of course, I had taken the backup heat - a little electric heater that does a bang-up job in the B190 - so the furnace thing was annoying but not a trip killer. We do have a generator aboard, but if the power went out I'm not sure what the campground would say about us using it.

We had a couple other minor issues, but nothing major.

Of course, when we got home and finished unloading, I swung right into winterizing it again, and had some trouble because the city water connection (more precisely, I think it was the check valve in it) had frozen. Ended up having to use some RV antifreeze to thaw it before I could go back to using my air compressor to finish the job... all while snow flurries fell around me. Part of me wishes we could keep it warm enough to avoid having to winterize, but I dread that energy bill.

[Soyboy]

Alclad: Hope you guys are doing well. FYI :we plan on being back at Delaware Seashore over the 4th of July in 2011. We will be on the same row as before but on the end towards the bay (site 299). In any event, I'm sure we will cross paths again at some point. Have a great new year (that includes everyone on the forum for that matter!).