Colorado

Boyd Lake State Park

October 30, 2017 by Monica Israels Leave a Comment

I bought my new motor home in Dallas on September 22nd, 2017, where I camped for a couple of nights Nyree, a friend who has moved there from Colorado. It was so nice to spend some time with her again. Then, I drove it to Amarillo to camp for a week and work. Then I brought it home. It was just as pretty as it was in the pictures. I named her Florence, the 2017 Fleetwood Flair 30P.

I had to take it camping, of course. I had a trip to Utah coming up in October, but it didn’t look like I’d be able to get the Jeep ready for towing in time (it was currently broken from the last trip, of course). I planned on driving the new RV to Moab without the Jeep and riding with a friend in his Jeep. Before that trip, I decided to camp at Boyd Lake State Park in Loveland, just an hour north of home.

October 7th, 2017

I drove Florence up to Loveland to get her set up, and then Karen drove up to hang out for the weekend. We cooked dinner and had a great time hanging out. The motor home has a queen-sized bed over the front seats in addition to my king-sized bed, and she stayed there. She said she was very comfortable. We walked around a little while, enjoying the sunshine and the views of the lake.

It was a good test of how the motor home would be during chillier nights, as it got down to 28 degrees. The propane heater worked perfectly. It was also the first time I didn’t have hookups other than electricity, and that worked fine.

Miriam showed up the next day and stayed that second night in the queen-sized bed. Karen was going to stay in her truck (she has it set up for camping) but it was too cold so she stayed in the motor home. She folded the couch down, about five feet in length. It wasn’t completely comfortable, but it was warm.

We played Mexican Train and had a great time dancing to disco outside under the stars.

October 27th, 2017

The Utah trip was great, though the Moab KOA wasn’t very exciting. It was a place to stay, and nothing more. If I had been in the popup trailer I would have been a bit unhappy, but the seclusion offered by the motor home made a huge difference. I was warm and happy.

And I decided to camp at Boyd Lake again. Site 58 is easily the best site (though there is a big handful of close seconds), and it was available. Site 57 next to it was also open, so I talked Mike into joining me (which wasn’t difficult). It was chilly, and wet snow gathered on the side of the motor home as I filled up the fresh water tank the first afternoon.

This was a great trip to Boyd Lake, too. We cooked and relaxed, and went for a walk along the lake. For lunch on the second day, we walked a few miles to a 3 Margaritas restaurant and had margaritas. We took a Lyft back, swinging by a gas station for firewood.

I knew I wouldn’t be camping again until the spring, and it was very depressing. It’s going to be a long winter.

Ouray KOA

September 14, 2017 by Monica Israels Leave a Comment

Sometimes, the light bulb that illuminates over your head when you realize something is so bright it’s blinding. This trip to Ouray was one of those times, for me. The campground was awesome, and I had a nice spot at the end of a row with open woods nearby. That was on a Thursday.

On Friday, the rest of the campground filled up. That’s when I realized how close the other sites were — especially my neighbor’s fire ring. They had a bonfire going that was very close to my popup, and they had a whole tribe of people with them. It was a party. We hung out at a friend’s site that was a bit farther away.

I started talking with some people in a big motor home, and they told me about how they started out tent camping, then moved to a truck camper, and then happily settled on their motor home. They seemed happy, and I started thinking again about how camping in a popup isn’t always great. There were bears in the area, and I couldn’t keep anything in my trailer. A hard-sided coach wouldn’t have an issue.

I made it out alive, and woke up the last morning after my other camping friend had already left (Niko was in a tent and he had an early appointment). The propane heater had been on all night, and there was condensation all over the inside of the canvas popup. I hadn’t left enough of the window unzipped. It was sunny, though, so I didn’t think it would take long to dry it out. I wiped it out with a towel as much as I could, and then turned fans on and unzipped windows.

I packed, and I was ready to go when it was still a little damp. So I waited it out. Finally, it was okay to pack it up and I folded it all together and went over to start the Jeep. It wouldn’t start. I had lights, but it wouldn’t turn over. My little jump starter wouldn’t start it, either.

The friendly people in the campground came out of the woodwork to help me. While they poked at the engine, I called State Farm to make a plan. My tow vehicle was dead, and I was in a campground past check-out time. Then, one of the men figured out that the battery disconnect wasn’t letting enough charge through to start the Jeep. He removed it, and the Jeep started right up. The very thing I put in the Jeep to save the battery was its demise.

I thanked everyone, and they were all so nice. But I had to be on my way. I was jealous of my neighbors in motor homes.

On I-70 on the trip back to Denver, a big truck was on its side and blocking all traffic coming the other way for many, many miles. People were hanging out all over, sitting on the medians. Then I noticed the motor homes, parked. People inside were probably watching TV, using their own bathrooms, and getting cold drinks out of refrigerators. I was jealous.

Then it started raining, and the Jeep hydroplaned for just a second or two coming down from Eisenhower Tunnel. It has always been a bit of a challenge to keep on the road, especially going downhill, and towing the trailer didn’t help. I needed to make a change.

I started shopping for a new motor home as soon as I was back and in one piece. I found one in Dallas and had it home by the end of the month. Jealousy, be gone! My life just changed for the better, and it’s going to be a fun ride.

Jumbo Campground

August 16, 2017 by Monica Israels Leave a Comment

Now this is the life! As we were pulling away at the end of a week on Grand Mesa, we already couldn’t wait to come back. The mesa is a huge expanse of trees and lakes above Grand Junction, and the scenery is so different and cool.

There are a lot of campgrounds, and the Jumbo Campground is the most developed. There were nice pit toilets (as nice as pit toilets can be), and everything was clean and perfect. We had a few different sites, and not all of them were perfect because of some rude neighbors. Still, it was a fantastic time.

We did almost all of the Jeep trails in the area, so it will be a few years before we see it again. We can’t wait for it!

High Country RV Park

October 18, 2016 by Monica Israels Leave a Comment

We wanted to explore Uncompahgre National Forest, and Naturita was right where we wanted to have home base. But it’s a small town, and there aren’t many options. High Country RV Park was our best bet.

It’s a vast, dry location with big spots. There is plenty of room between them. The owner is very helpful and nice, and they’re trying very hard to make it nice. There are full bathrooms with showers like you’re at someone’s house.

But it’s bare bones. Julie stayed in an old trailer that was offered as a rental, which was very rustic but it worked.

It was comical, how bad it was. We saw a deer in the trash across the road at the side of someone’s house. There was a church nearby with a big light that flashed off and on all night, and we made up a “Disco Jesus” song to it.

I would stay here again in a motor home or hard-sided trailer or camper, but in a popup it was too depressing.

Sylvan Lake State Park

September 13, 2016 by Monica Israels Leave a Comment

This is one of my favorite camping experiences so far. Sylvan Lake State Park is a few miles into the wilderness south of the town of Eagle, Colorado, featuring a gorgeous lake with mountains all around it. The campground is next to the lake, and my friends and I all found fantastic sites.

There is a path around the lake, and Matt and I walked around it one morning. It was awesome to see the sun coming up and warming the lake.

I spent one of the days kayaking around the lake after my friends headed for home. The water was ice cold, and it was so relaxing to sit in it, warm in the sun.

The wind blew pretty steadily in one direction, so I was able to paddle fiercely against the wind to cross it in one direction, and then gently paddle and drift back to the other side. I did it a few times, and it was great exercise half of the time. The other half was all about enjoying the scenery.

Lake George Cabins and RV Park

August 16, 2016 by Monica Israels Leave a Comment

We had Lake George on our To-Do List for many years, but when we were looking for places to camp it proved to be difficult. We wanted a centrally located park near gas stations, and options were limited. We ended up at the Lake George Cabins and RV Park next to the highway.

This wasn’t a great spot, and I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s basically a big parking lot, and at least half of the RVs have people living in them. They don’t move anymore, and there are many flat tires on old motor homes.

Julie was tent camping, and they had a field especially for them. In the night, she heard a thick burping noise and realized that the septic system is underneath the tent camping area. Gases were expelled nearby, though she could rarely smell them.

We didn’t stay there too often. It wasn’t a great place.

Buena Vista KOA

September 27, 2015 by Monica Israels Leave a Comment

I’ve had the pleasure of staying at the Buena Vista KOA a couple times. The first time, I was in a Kabin that overlooked the valley below. You had to walk around it to get to the door that faced away from the rest of the campsite, and the patio was there with a nice table and fire ring. Honestly, I’d stay there again if my only other option was a hotel. It’s the best Kabin I’ve seen.

This time, I was in the travel trailer and fairly new to camping with it. When I was setting it up, some people came over to check it out. The QuickSilver models from Livin’ Lite were fairly new, and there weren’t many in Colorado yet. It has such a good design, and people are naturally drawn to it. I had to pretend I knew what I was doing while doing a few things the wrong way.

I was hanging out with a friend and we had a great time at the campground. We even hung out with my neighbors again for cocktails one of the nights. It was one of the first times I realized how awesome campgrounds can be, because of the friendly people. It was definitely different than when I would camp in a tent.

My Jeep broke on the trail, of course, and it had to be towed to a shop north of town. That meant that I didn’t have a way home, so my friend took me back to Denver. I borrowed a truck to come back to Buena Vista to get the trailer the next day, and the following week I took a bus to Buena Vista to get the Jeep. It ended up being a pretty expensive trip, but worth every penny.

South Fork Campground

July 8, 2013 by Monica Israels Leave a Comment

Location: White River National Forest

We had a big group site at the end of the South Fork Campground, expecting lots of our friends to join us. In the end, we had only two vehicles. The site was pretty amazing, and I’d love to stay there again.

We were all tent camping, and it was very rustic. It was at the end of a long road that was already in the middle of nowhere, and we didn’t see anyone. It was quiet at night, and we slept like babies.

La Junta KOA

June 19, 2013 by Monica Israels Leave a Comment

The goal of the trip was a 4×4 tour of Picketwire Canyon. It ended up being a fantastic experience, guided in our own vehicles by professional guides. I would definitely recommend it.

I was tent camping, and the spot I was in was next to the playground and swarming with ants. The ground was thick with them. I was pretty careful going in and out of my tent and didn’t see too many ants inside, but it was a little creepy to be sleeping among so many of them. The one saving benefit was that the owners let me run an extension cord to the electrical outlet nearby, so I had electricity.

Ben and I camped next to each other and stayed up until sunrise, laughing by the campfire and telling stories. It was a great time, but not the best place to camp in a tent.

Fort Collins / Lakeside KOA

May 20, 2013 by Monica Israels Leave a Comment

I camped once before in 2002 with borrowed equipment, and it wasn’t the best experience. I waited until 2013 to try again, and I bought all of my own camping gear this time. This was my “practice trip” before heading out on a multi-day camping trip in Utah. I invited all of my friends, and I was lucky to have Karen, Mike, Julie, and a few other people join me for camping. A few even stopped by just for campfire chats and games.

It took me a long time to set everything up, even though I had practiced setting the tent up in my living room. It was definitely a huge collection of camping stuff, but when it was done I had the “Taj Mahal” of tents. I was going to be comfortable! I even had a refrigerator/cooler plugged in outside.

The tent spot where I camped was right next to the lake and my friends, and I would stay in that spot again. It was a KOA, so the amenities were nice. There was a path around the lake, and they rented paddle boats in fun shapes.