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View Full Version : At 3:00 yesterday, I lost my mind



Buckrub
02-15-2013, 09:54 PM
Actually, I lost it at 3:00 today too, cause I was in the Hospital ER waiting room about to shoot some ethnically-challenged and highly insulting janitor slash waiting room attendant, for not turning down Maury Popovich or whatever his name is, with their screaming idiots on TV. But that's another story.

At 3:00 yesterday, Valentine's Day, I was on the 'net, trying to PM this guy that I'm trying to buy this rifle from.............and there is this camper that pops back up. It's been on their Trading Post several times, and it gets sold......then somehow it's back on, lack of funds, etc.

Long standing story that y'all don't know...........we've been married 43 years this May 30. For 42.9 of those years, I've gotten an earful about "buying a camper". She has memories of being a little girl, and going camping. She doesn't remember all the work her Mama did, just the fun part of being outdoors as a little girl. I tell her Holiday Inn is cheaper, but she doesn't get it. Numbers don't phase her, or mean much, unless they're in a recipe, and not even that lately. I tell her about the high cost of buying one, storing one, insuring one, what type of expensive vehicle it takes to pull it, fuel costs, $20+ per night to 'camp', all that. It's been a running battle for over 40 years.

Truth is, I can NOT afford a big one. So I kept seeing this one. It wasn't expensive, and it's not expensive to insure ($104 a year, I was at the State Farm office when the wife called me about Mother's wreck). It fits on a regular 2" ball and is just simply the only way I could afford to 'camp' the way she wants. So I called this guy, and he's in Ft. Smith........but he has five guys coming Friday and Saturday to see it. I showed the pictures to the wife, and she was excited. I called him back and made an offer, and we went last night to get it. Got home late, backed it into driveway, and then the 'events of the day' hit me today.

We got the walkthrough on how to do it, and it will take an hour or so to store it, or set it up........but it's not too bad. A/C, heat, water, small little cookstove (like a coleman sorta), nice beds....like a big old tent with lots of metal parts and a solid floor and roof.

Need to install an electric brake controller on the truck......prolly $130 or so, and I think I can install. Other than that, just need to find a place to go camping. Paid so little that if we don't use it, or don't like it, should be able to sell out for close to initial investment.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk131/Buck7088/Camper1_zpsa3e033f9.jpg

Big Skyz
02-15-2013, 10:09 PM
Ya done good. That's more my idea of bare minimum camping these days. I prefer campin in the following order: My home, hotel, cabin, motor home, camp trailer, pop up camp trailer, and then only when absolutely necessary and unavoidable tent or lean to.

Thumper
02-16-2013, 12:33 AM
Well ... ummmm .... I was all ready with the congrats and all that stuff 'til I got to THIS part!


Need to install an electric brake controller on the truck......prolly $130 or so, and I think I can install.

Why do I predict a "Buckrub Disaster" story in the making? :eek:

BarryBobPosthole
02-16-2013, 01:19 AM
I had one of those for years and I'll bet I've spent close to a year's worth of nights in it. Well, maybe half a year. They're great units. Just remember to pack stuff you really need where you can get to it. That's my only beef. They pull good too.
You won't even know that's back there.

And I have a story about forgeting mine was behind me once.
BKB

jb
02-16-2013, 09:08 AM
Looks in great shape, for just you and mama it's going to be fun. Haul it behind her Tahoe or your PU souldn't make any difference.
We have some great camp grounds up here, you know the way,and could limit fishing to small lakes.:lmao , we could become Good Sam campmates.
I've seen a lot of those where they throw a small alum. boat on the top, nice setup for camping.

Chicken Dinner
02-16-2013, 11:17 AM
Nice!

Niner
02-16-2013, 11:47 AM
Y'all still have a lot of leaves on the trees for February.

Buckrub
02-16-2013, 12:59 PM
Don't know when that picture was taken. Probably last year. The guy bought it used from a friend of his, who bought it new. They started having kids and only used this thing twice. It's in unreal shape to be 13 years old. It hasn't been used much.

Posthole, I could tell it was back there a bit more than my boat..........but it did fine. Gas mileage is the same as if I was pulling boat. I'm sure it ways a lot more than boat, of course. And I already thought of the packing where you can get to it. It does have big, huge, outside storage. Look under the front slide out/bed, and behind that ice chest.....it already has all the poles, and cranks, and all that in there, and still has a ton of empty storage. But I imagine that 90% of this usage will be closeby........and I envision Mama pulling my boat and me pulling this.....we only have 43,043,978 places to camp within 100 miles of here.

JB, thanks. I might do that. You're the first person that ever met me that asked me to come back within 100 miles of you! Man, you must be a tough old bird. :beer And I wouldn't mind finding some more salmon............I'll pay.......but only on a day that's calm. We hit way too many stumps that day!!

LW
02-16-2013, 02:36 PM
I dont know what your boat is but I bet it isnt much lighter than the camper. Your truck may be prewired for a brake controller. Mine came built in. It should be easily handled by somebody of your mechanical prowess.

Thumper
02-16-2013, 07:33 PM
It should be easily handled by somebody of your mechanical prowess.

Maybe .... IF the only tools needed are a screwdriver and a VERY large hammer! :D

Buckrub
02-16-2013, 11:15 PM
Actually, Youtube comes in handy in such cases. Looks easy. Not anything I have to worry about right now, though.

TeeDub
02-17-2013, 09:41 PM
Smart move Bucky! You'll get lots of enjoyment out of that rig......... and probably a little on the side too!

It always amazes me to see what extremes a man will go to for a little nooky!

Buckrub
02-17-2013, 10:48 PM
Oh bite me, smarta$$.

(P.S....I"ll go to a LOT more extremes than that, but DO NOT TELL HER OR I WILL SHOOT YOU). And if I ever take this thing to JB's, it'll prove I lost my mind. But do NOT look for me to drag it 6,000 miles to see your bald haid. Geez.......)

P.S.S. If it wasn't so far, that's a trip I'd love to take. Stop and see Gus and Bwana and Big Sky and go see you and Johnboy, and come back through Vegas and leave all my twelve dollars of life savings....but can you imagine what the gas costs would be for such a trip?? Wowzers.

hotshot
02-18-2013, 12:35 AM
My wife's family had a camper similar to that one. Her mom spent lots of time cooking in one of those. The trade off- air conditioning. Anne's parents would lock the kids outside and sit in the air conditioning. They'd camp for weeks at a time in a state park close to home. Her dad worked second shift at Zoellner Piston, yes the original owner of the Detroit Pistons...... When they were still in the ABA and Fot Wayne.
Glad ya got something for the misses. Now make sure she "earns" her camping trips!!!!!!! IFYOUKNOWWHATIMEANANDITHINKYOUDO!

Bwana
02-19-2013, 11:54 AM
Looks like you are in for a boatload of adventure with that fancy looking rig Bucky. Have fun!