Begin camping season! Usually we start our camping season in April, but because of unforeseen circumstances, we could not start until Memorial Weekend. The RV dealership did not finish the warranty work and winterizing, leading to nearly $2,000 in damages. Every single faucet (kitchen, bathroom, shower), toilet seal and the water heater had issues. We were lucky to bring it to Pleasureland RV in St. Cloud (MN). They fixed all the issues caused by not winterizing and more. And because we put up a fight, the other dealer paid them for the damages because of their negligence in not winterizing.
I needed this past weekend away, put my feet up and relax with a cocktail or a beer and enjoy some friends. Something that I could not do for a while. We've had a hell of a winter, and I've been holed up getting The Gangster's Daughter off and running. It has all been worth it. Or it will be when I get the proof in my hand this weekend.
Camping has become increasingly popular since the start of COVID-19. Reservations are hard to get. Especially if you like state parks like we do. I don't blame people for it. Camping is a wonderful way to spend some time outside. I admit I'm pampered with our camper, but I wasn't always this way.
I started camping when I was sixteen, a long, long, very long time ago, when my first actual boyfriend, Brian, and his family introduced me to camping. Tent camping at its finest. His mom taught me how to make cheesy potatoes and we had the best times. We camped for many years, from AJ Acres in Clearwater (MN) to Brainerd International Speedway (MN) for the Muscle Car Shootout to Nisswa (MN). I believe we did Pequot Lakes one year. We camped with his brothers and their wives, with friends, and we camped every chance we could get. And those were memories I will take with me forever.
Camping extended into my first marriage, although not as much. We did camp at BIR a few different times, but not much other than that. In 2015, Joe and I began camping in the back of his pickup truck. From that moment, I vowed I was getting a camper. And wouldn't you know… the following spring, we bought our first travel. We upgraded to the top-of-the-line travel trailer last year, and I think we're set for a while.
We don't have any reservations so far and Chad Strege in Luck, WI, is our only option for camping. We have several weekends that are already booked with family activities, and my first book's release is also affecting our event schedule. With all that being said, I can't complain.
Camping is the best time, whether you're in a tent or in a camper. Sit around the campfire with a cocktail or a smore, with your significant other and/or your kids, and enjoy life. You won't regret it. Unless you don't like bugs, bears, and you're afraid of the dark.