Wanted to go home early !!

[Lil'Darlin1972]

<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">This is the first weekend in two seasons when I was ready to give it up and go home. We were only 2 hours away but I was outnumbered so we stuck it out.

The trip started off with a pit stop 5 minutes from home because one of the dogs threw up in the motorhome. We found a big parking lot, pulled in and pulled out the Spot Bot to clean it up.

We arrived at the campground about 2 hours later than planned due to the sick dog and construction. We went to an ROD resort and had reserved a full hook up. They were all taken when we got there though so we had to settle for a partial hook up. My mom and stepdad got there before us and found a couple of sites in the back. Sites were narrow and not much grass at all. Only paved roads were near the entrance, the rest were all dirt. With the 3 kids/2 dogs we prefer grassy, open sites than woodsy/sandy ones. Just easier to keep clean. There were only a handful of grassy sites at that campground and naturally they were all taken.

So as we are setting up it starts to rain and continues ALL NIGHT. We had to CARRY the dogs across the muddy roads and into a little patch of grass to do their business. Then we had to towel dry them off.

We woke up the next morning and our site was completely flooded. We couldn't even step off the stairs without being ankle deep in water. YUCK. We decided to move to another site and it took about 2 hours to get everything unhooked and moved over. My mom and stepdad had to also take down their add a room and screen tent. The guys had to make 3 trips back and forth before they got all of the outside stuff back over. Everything was muddy and soaked.

Finally about 2:00 that afternoon the sun came out and we relaxed. Then it started raining again. It ended up raining 3 of the 4 days we were there.

The dogs both had stomach problems (mental note NOT to give them anything but bottled water from now on). They both had the runs and weren't always able to hold it until we took them out. We put the Spot Bot to good use. When we did take them out, there was nowhere decent to take them. Just a weedy/sandy strip that was on the other side of the muddy road. So we spent most of the time drying/cleaning up/taking out both of the dogs.

When I woke up on Saturday to a disgusting mess in the crate and more rain coming down, I wanted to cry. I suggested packing it up and calling it quits. Everyone else wanted to stick it out though so we stayed.

There were moments when it was nice and I did have fun...but I was very happy to pull back into our driveway.

Anyone else ever have weekends like that ?? </span>

[Lil'Darlin1972]

<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">This is the first weekend in two seasons when I was ready to give it up and go home. We were only 2 hours away but I was outnumbered so we stuck it out.

The trip started off with a pit stop 5 minutes from home because one of the dogs threw up in the motorhome. We found a big parking lot, pulled in and pulled out the Spot Bot to clean it up.

We arrived at the campground about 2 hours later than planned due to the sick dog and construction. We went to an ROD resort and had reserved a full hook up. They were all taken when we got there though so we had to settle for a partial hook up. My mom and stepdad got there before us and found a couple of sites in the back. Sites were narrow and not much grass at all. Only paved roads were near the entrance, the rest were all dirt. With the 3 kids/2 dogs we prefer grassy, open sites than woodsy/sandy ones. Just easier to keep clean. There were only a handful of grassy sites at that campground and naturally they were all taken.

So as we are setting up it starts to rain and continues ALL NIGHT. We had to CARRY the dogs across the muddy roads and into a little patch of grass to do their business. Then we had to towel dry them off.

We woke up the next morning and our site was completely flooded. We couldn't even step off the stairs without being ankle deep in water. YUCK. We decided to move to another site and it took about 2 hours to get everything unhooked and moved over. My mom and stepdad had to also take down their add a room and screen tent. The guys had to make 3 trips back and forth before they got all of the outside stuff back over. Everything was muddy and soaked.

Finally about 2:00 that afternoon the sun came out and we relaxed. Then it started raining again. It ended up raining 3 of the 4 days we were there.

The dogs both had stomach problems (mental note NOT to give them anything but bottled water from now on). They both had the runs and weren't always able to hold it until we took them out. We put the Spot Bot to good use. When we did take them out, there was nowhere decent to take them. Just a weedy/sandy strip that was on the other side of the muddy road. So we spent most of the time drying/cleaning up/taking out both of the dogs.

When I woke up on Saturday to a disgusting mess in the crate and more rain coming down, I wanted to cry. I suggested packing it up and calling it quits. Everyone else wanted to stick it out though so we stayed.

There were moments when it was nice and I did have fun...but I was very happy to pull back into our driveway.

Anyone else ever have weekends like that ?? </span>

[historyljc]

Nope, never had quite that much fun.

Do have a cat who gets motion sickness. Also, he does not like if we go anywhere and DW drives the car and is not in coach while it's moving. He'll make a real stink out it.

We buy the spring or distilled water in the gallon jugs at the grocery. That's what we use for coffee, cats & cooking. Cuts down on the problems you mentioned. BJ is an addict for the H2O peach flavored bottled water. I usually just drink the store brand bottle water or float a little coke on Maker's Mark. The last is real good for dusty campgrounds. Works well in wet ones also. Very versatile beverage.

I'm unfamiliar with ROD campgrounds. Unless there were absolutely no other options available and I was bone tired and couldn't drive another mile, I would not stay in a campground that used the old "bait and switch", reserve one site, then it's not available when you get there. Where possible, I try to get a specific site number when making reservations. That makes it more difficult for them to do.

You may not believe now, but you'll laugh about this in years to come. Somebody will say, "you remember that awful weekend ..."

On the brighter side. The next one has got to better, doesn't it?

[CAUTION GONNA FLY]

YES I HAVE BUTTTT My very first trip in my class c started off bad.I pulled over for my friend to re ignite his fridge and when i stopped my engine was on FIRE. It had a plug wire on the headers ...replaced the wires and soldierd on..had a great trip. I must say at one point just after the fire i was waiting on cousin Ediie from family vacation movies to come pulling up and ask me if i needed help..LOL

[SeeTheUSA]

Wow - makes me want to go adopt some four-legged creature! Hard to ignore all that fun.

[Frankie]

The first time my wife and family had our very first trailer out camping was in a brand new park in NH. I was just learning about rving and still had a lot to learn about our new bunkhouse trailer.I brought a great little pitbull into my new relationship and family and we are one big happy family at this point.After setting up fri night ,the boys 4 and 6 were playing with my dog Angel and feeding her snacks ,like most kids will.I had asked them to stop because she was on a strict diet because of stomach problems.I got a look from those 2 kids,one I would be familiar with the rest of my life , they sneaked some chips and cookies her way ,then we spent the night at the fire and went to bed.Being so new to this camping thing,every noise became a "what the heck was that" type situation,so when I was awoken at 5am by the sound of a pulsating water gushing noise I became suspicious and jumped out of bed to investigate,fully prepared to have to do some plumbing work when the God awful smell hit me, followed by "Mom whats that smell?".Yup,Angel had an accident and not your ordinary run of the mill type accident.Kids bailed with thier sleeping bags and finished sleeping outside,Karen said your dog your deal.I had to take the kitchen base cabinet apart to finish cleaning all the doggie sickness.We still talk about the 5am plumbing fix on our first camper.

[diandtom]

We travel with a large 16+ lb.Maine Coon cat,traveling didn't use to bother her,but it does now! We were up in Me.last Sept.just left a campground and nowhere to pull over and even though we travel with a litter box she had a very loose bm.Then the smell was so bad it even got to her and she then threw up. Of course you can't just pull one of these rigs over just anywhere.Thankfully we have a large tarp on the back seat with her cat bed and she has a harness and is teetered in. But she got it on her,her bed,the harness,sides of the litter box.etc. We now always give her a tranquilizer even if it will be a short trip from one campground to another,didn't take long for us to learn our lesson.

[RedneckExpress]

Haven't had any of those,..... yet. We have a new 3 month old Miniature Schnauzer who loves to ride in vehicles. He hasn't been house broken yet, so for now he stays with the Mum in law (Which he loves because he has both another dog close to his size and three cats who loves to play with him).

We figure sometime next year, we'll probably get our turn.

You know, though, after the first couple of bowel problems, I would have probably tied them up outside under the awning for the evenings so that the only place they made their messes was on the grass. Granted, I can understand that this wouldn't have worked in the first campsite since it flooded.

[historyljc]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">We now always give her a tranquilizer </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
We've tried this. All we get is a drunk cat, who can't walk a straight line, singing off key.

[Lorna]

We always expected it to rain when we went camping. We also brought water from home for our pets. I have run into bad water in a campground. I think my antique cat picked up a parasite that weakened her and hastened her death. The water made us all sick (we were full-timing at that time). Since then, I keep dual water filters on our water supply. Even with "good" water I will only drink filtered stuff. A move of 100 miles is enough to mess me up with the water.

You need to keep a first aid kit for your pets. Ask your vet for what to keep in it.

[GraciesMom]

I had weeks like that when I was on the Oregon coast and northern California coast. I understand TOTALLY what you were going through. Made me rethink having dogs on the road with me! Good advice about bottled water . . .

[bsavage]

Well, yes, yes we have had trips like that. As we travel with 4 dogs (and we still sometimes make the mistake of giving in to their pleading little faces for table scraps)... combined with different water, well, I've learned to keep pepto-bismol tablets and peanut butter on board at all times. Smash the pepto bismol tablet into fine dust between two spoons,dip a peanut buttered finger into it and give it to the dogs... stops up just about anything. Repeat as necessary. Also, spot shot is my friend, as is my carpet cleaner. We carry a big jug of bottled water which I use for the dogs now. Oh, and try 4 dogs in the mud on your wedding day in Napa Valley! It's best to pack a sense of humor!

p.s. I also find that a nice Merlot helps the situation!

Brenda, of...