Nothing worse than a blog that starts relatively strong, then poops out......my apologies!

I have created a mental list of things that I need to do before going out again......

MEGA problem was the fact that every time I moved the floor creaked.....some You Tubers had little platforms that they slept on.....not being a very handy kind of gal, I am thinking that some bricks around the edges and a piece of plywood on those might solve the ALL NIGHT noise situation.....when I did sleep, I think it was rather soundly - I just have no idea how long I actually snoozed.....again.....thinking the creaking needs to be worked on.

I'm not sure what I did wrong, but my back seat/ front seat meeting gap wasn't flush....I had a slight raised area and had to decide " do I sleep with head elevated or feet elevated?"  After starting with my head up, I quickly decided that I'd do better with my feet slightly up.....being a side sleeper helped because part of the time I was curled up.....

  

The back of the FIT has a couple of compartments that worked well for flashlight, keys and phone.....I'm not even 100% sure how I set off my panic button ( yeah....the one that never worked until the inaugural trip) but that needs to be figured out..

I didn't fire up the campstove that first morning.....I'd woken everyone or some of my fellow campers at 5 am, stumbled to the "modern bathhouse" blind as I'd forgotten my glasses and by the time I got back to home base it was sprinkling.....decided to cut my losses, pack up the stuff I'd left outside and head to Cracker Barrel for a WAY better cup of coffee that I would have made.....and be dry

Hahahahahaha....for a first time out alone ever- not bad.

Got to the campsite and honestly it was me and the rest of the RV show- no problem they just ignored me.....set up the back of the Fit and thought “now what?”  Wandered around a little bit and was honestly surprised at the lack of chattiness of my neighbors- course I live in Oklahoma where we talk to total strangers as a matter of course....Midwest? Or specifically Walnut Woods?  Not as much....I did chat for a sec to a lady and her yappy dog so not a total loss....
I’d planned ahead re: lighting so popped my little battery lights in the walls of the car and found my big flashlight “just in case.”
Have made a mental list of goods and bads and the biggest “bad” is the fact that EVERY time I moved the floor surface creaked....good things included the hoot owls and the rest of their bird buddies going nuts all night and early this am.....car temp was fine and I felt safe.
I felt horrible when my car fob panic button went off ( first time) and I couldn’t shut it off....So much for the good neighbor award 😬
The start of rain at 5:30 inspired me to load everything in the car and get moving...that and I didn’t want to be growled at for the mornings earlier wake up call.....
Now to figure out where I can brush my teeth.....
All in all I give the evening a C- .......the floor situation HASs to be solved

Ahhhh best laid plans...... didn’t pack the car last night because I didn’t want to run the risk of someone peeking in car windows and breaking in (sad fact there are some little shits that keep breaking into cars parked in driveways)

No biggie- up at six- coffee and the rain started and hasn’t stopped.....there is probably a subtle message from God in this “you can’t check into campground till 4 idiot....what’s the rush....check your stuff again”

So.....hanging around WAITING for a break in the weather.....

T minus 24 more or less and the pieces are falling in place.....electronic do dads? ✅.

 Linens- comforter? ✅ Backpacking mattress pad extra wide for extra comfort? ✅

Last time I camped I slept on an air mattress with mixed results.....might have been the guy behind the tent mainlining something that kept me from sleeping well.....

ANYWAY....blew my Klymit backpacking pad up, laid it down on the hardwood floor and for the amount of time I was on it- all was well....of course the proof is in the pudding- tomorrow night alone....in the DARK in Iowa 😳

Easy to blow up and as importantly easy to deflate and get back in bag- - now it’s a case of hurry up and wait....

I’d share a pic but my phone doesn’t have the G backup “thing” and I can’t just bring a picture over....,oh well

Vidmom @ Instagram

GULP.......

Reserved camping spot in Iowa as well as Minnesota for inaugural trip......this makes it quite a bit more real.....going through my list and trying to keep "stuff" at a minimum, but actually having a spot for the night makes me wonder what I might miss if I get there and don't have my  X Y Z.....and THAT is why they call it "Live and Learn"

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00175#information

https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/walnut-woods-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=IA&parkId=610133


Now I'm REALLY getting excited.....cannot live without coffee in the am and now I'll be able to have my morning cup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3D0_mWbLBA

WHAT?  Easy for older people to use?....pffft.........

What better way to spend a lazy holiday Monday than dithering over which sleeping pad to get for the inaugural Fit frolic?

Of course there are a gazillion choices and I ended up picking a 30” wide pad as opposed to the 23” model.....thanks old age- you win 😬

The Klymit Luxe whatever is a backpackers sleeping pad as opposed to the memory foam mattress topper- it’s lighter- squishes into nothing so will take up less room....I sleep like crap so hopefully this will do the trick!

Well....it's easier to blog if you remember your PASSWORD.....duh....

Anyway.....off to Laura Land aka Pepin Wisconsin next weekend so thought "Self.....you need to try out your camping idea and see if it's legit or just head craziness"

That said, I have purchased an Igloo cooler.....I think it's a bit big and I didn't pack it correctly on last weekends jaunt to Kansas City so.....semi fail.....I'll do better this next time.....or return it and try again.

Went to Home Depot and wandered the aisles thinking about my sleeping arrangements....

alot of campers have plywood platforms, frames etc....I am NOT a builder and so am wondering if a folding table laid flat might serve the same purpose.....added bonus of an actual table to use when I reach my camping spot....

.https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lifetime-4-ft-Almond-Fold-In-Half-One-Hand-Adjustable-Height-Table-80726/305551875

This calls for a precise ( hahahahahah) measurement of the back of the car to see if it will actually work.....A 4 ft table stretched out will obviously miss the 1 ft 9"'s of me that needs support.....sooooo support the head and neck or the leg and feet?  And of course - what to support them with etc......Alot of thinking to be done before next Thursday if this is actually going to happen.

Maybe this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_Usqf7aNxg

Fun thing was at HD ( I think my new stomping grounds for awhile ) They have a 1 ft light that charges from your USB port and actually turns off......the solar idea is nifty but quite frankly some of them don't turn off and I have to have some darkness to actually SLEEP...... this isn't it, but it's an option

https://www.amazon.com/LED-Interior-Lighting-4000-4500K-48X2835SMD/dp/B0733RQDXL?tag=camforfoo-20

So......before it gets too ungodly hot....out to do some measuring and "cyphering"

No time like the present

Hi

I have been wanting to travel across the country since I read a story in National Geographic about a guy that walked across America.....think his name was Peter and I totally related.....granted he was 20 something - I was probably 10 or so and it just wasn't practical.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122781.A_Walk_Across_America

Fast forward through life and I am staring 60 in the face.  If I don't do it now or around now, I'll be too old to climb in the back of my new Honda Fit......sooooooo

Here we go!