Glad to hear your optimism Rusty! Hope your cold is mostly a memory now! I think I got the camping bug from my folks too. Dad was FAA and Mom an RN so they criss-crossed the US 8 times during his contract site visits implementing systems to enhance air travel safety. When they lived in NJ Buddy Holly was one of my dad's friends. He told me that celebrities were different in those days. For example, when he was a 15-year-old on the Boardwalk selling hot dogs across from Ed McMahon and his umbrella-covered Chop-O-Matic display, Danny Kaye would come waking out on breaks from The Steel Pier in Atlantic City and shake hands with everybody. Those were different times indeed! I once asked my mom why we always lived in our 30-foot trailer (which also carried her rock collection and my swingset) all over the country instead of renting apartments. My mom said that in those days apartments were about all pretty seedy affairs, full of roaches and decrepit and not worth the trouble to burn down, so we bought the trailer. Thank God they did, otherwise I'd probably miss a lot of fun travel and now have something good to share my own kids. 2009 will be a good year of camping, even though I'm into my 6-month of unemployment as a chemist, we still do get out with friends, this fall my youngest daughter and I to Ocotillo Wells in the desert and two weeks ago to the Glamis Imperial San Dunes. My new Optima 12-volt power system is working out great, I never run out of juice and can power plenty of LED lights and music. I can't wait until warmer weather so we can get out under the pines soon too, the ABATE rally in Lake Elsinore City Campground every Mother's Day comes to mind.

To: TPLife: Yes, the motels back when we were travelling, were mostly second rate. And, being on lower than missle class income, we figured the camping would be better for us, so we got the trailers.
I'd trade the motor home for a nice tent trailer, but haven't gotten any offers yet.
I think i have shaken the cold. Hopefully, although, last Sunday evening, on the way home from a restaurant, the timing belt on my truck broke, and left me stranded 3 miles from home--too far to walk, so i had to get it towed home. My mechanic friend will work on it Thursday and fix it. Didn't do my health any good, though. I told my wife i'm going to Florida to visit our relatives and get back to being well again! I told her to rent a car and we'd drive on down, but she's having a breathing problem, so thats out! Too many cigarettes in years past! ( "OH, they aren't hurting me!")Oh, yeah??
So, have fun camping! Maybe i'll get out, too.
Rusty J.