Successful weekend trip - many thanks to this forum

[DarkSkySeeker]

I just got back from a weekend at Liberty Glen campground west of Healdsburg, CA. The days were warm and the nights were star filled. This is basically why we camp - the star gazing - thus my username here: darkskyseeker.

Things that went well have been 'taught' to me here, and I am grateful:

• lubricated our slide gear tracks
• used plenty of water in the black tank
• reset my bluetooth by pulling the fuse
• unhitched easier by pulling forward slightly at the site
• paid a lot of attention to tire pressures before departure
• turned on propane only for use during the trip
• knew the route well, used turnouts that I knew about
• placed my generator far from the rig

Things I need to do better in the future:

• take less stuff
• plan for more time to load up and get ready
• bring bee traps
• be OK with bringing several kinds of of chairs

[DarkSkySeeker]

opnspaces wrote:
Sounds like a good trip. I'm familiar with and like the Healdsburg area. Did you have trouble with bees, or were they actually yellow jackets? I've dealt with Yellow Jackets in that part of the state and they can be a real pain in the rear.

Yes, the yellow jackets were out in force. I do this. In no time, you have a dish full of swimmers. The yellow jackets must lose a little altitude as they fly off the meat and wind up in the water. Add a little dish soap to the water and they will drown.

[DarkSkySeeker]

Johno02 wrote:
The more you ho, the more you will learn. Keep all of us up to date on what you learn. Posting helps others like yourself. And even all us old fa--- can still learn something occasionally.

A lot of RV learnings are subtle. I've had my trailer for coming up on 3 years, and feel somewhere between "new" and "experienced".

[opnspaces]

Sounds like a good trip. I'm familiar with and like the Healdsburg area. Did you have trouble with bees, or were they actually yellow jackets? I've dealt with Yellow Jackets in that part of the state and they can be a real pain in the rear.

I found over the years that the best way to control bees and yellow jackets is to keep a meticulously clean camp. No empty beer or soda cans on the ground. No food scraps on the ground. All trash cans covered or closed up inside a vehicle. The bees know where the campsites are and they will check them out first thing in the morning. If the scouts find anything, even a small scrap then it's game on and you will have pests all day. Even with a clean camp the occasional scout will come buzzing by your site to check things out from time to time so keep your hand or something over your beer while you're not drinking it.

[Johno02]

The more you ho, the more you will learn. Keep all of us up to date on what you learn. Posting helps others like yourself. And even all us old fa--- can still learn something occasionally.

[Ron3rd]

Good report. Only thing I do differently is I leave my propane on all the time while on a trip. Some do, some don't.

[Lwiddis]

“placed my generator far from the rig”

With an adequate solar system this step might be eliminated.