Forestville/Mystery Caves State Park, MN

[BarbaraRose]

I had a great time on my trip! Great group of people, beautiful area, fun things to see and do. There were about 20 of us, plus 3 dogs and a few kids. The park was a lush, green forest with a river running thru it. Our camping area was up on a bluff. There is also a horse campground there so we saw some horses on some of the trails. The surrounding area is large rolling hills and farms surrounded by bluffs along the river. Very beautiful! Went into Lanesboro, an historic town and Amish community to shop and look around. Saw several Amish people and buggies and horses. Would go back and camp there someday. There are several campgrounds right on the river near town where you can kayak, and there is a Rails to Trails bike path that goes right thru town and along the river too. Also, took a tour of the Mystery Caves that go miles underground. Very cool!

The weather was perfect and only rained once, Saturday night late. No leaks in the camper. Had a couple guys help me put the awning up and it is pretty good sized. Got one woodtick, but didn't see many mosquitoes. Did hear several coyotes howling at night. One of the guys brought his Dutch oven, and baked a wonderful dark chocolate cherry upside-down cake! We all got a piece covered in whipped cream!

Here is a link to my photobucket page with pics: (note the RV's at the top of the waterfall)

http://s978.photobucket.com/user/bwibor ... t=9&page=1


The bad news is, I have decided the popup just isn't going to work for me. Altho it is cute and in great shape, it is a lot of physical work to get it set up and taken down, and I am really feeling it in my lower and middle back, especially from lifting the beds with my back to put in and remove the support bars. Can't afford to injure my back. It would be better to have two people to do the work together.

My Jeep also is a problem. The tail lights coming off the wire connection on the Jeep don't work, so I rigged up a couple of bike tail lights and taped them on the back, but those are probably not legal. I also can't hitch up the camper without taking off my spare tire and then have to put that in the back of the Jeep so I have it in case I need it.

So I am going to sell it and then just use my tent for camping again for awhile. Hopefully, I can sell my Jeep this fall and get a Grand Cherokee that I want, which can pull over 7000 lbs and doesn't have the spare on the back like the Liberty does. Then in the next year or so I can look for a small used hard-sided travel trailer.

I guess you just don't know until you try something, if it is the right thing or not.

[Rufflesgurl]

Barbie - Gorgeous pix - thanks for sharing. Glad you had a nice adventure. Liked your decorating in the popup. Do you think going out a few more times setup things might get easier for you?

Linda

[gypsyrose1126]

Barbie
Great pictures, I am going to have to check out that area! Sorry to hear that the camper isn't working for you, you were so excited when you bought it! But you are right, sometimes you have to try it out to see if it is the right one for you.

[grammynmaggie]

glad you had such a good time and as with anything you don't know until you try it ....

[havingfunnow]

So glad you're in a beautiful place and having a good time!

You're right -- you can't tell what's going to work until you try it. Good that you tried this setup! I hope a nice little hard-sided trailer comes along soon.

[gingerK]

Aw Barbie I'm sorry this little camper isn't working out for you. You were so excited and happy to get it. But everyone's different and you just don't know what works for a person til you actually try it. Those were excellent pictures!

[Acadianmom]

Sorry to hear that the pop up isn't going to work for you. I have watched people put them up and you really need more than 2 hands. I belong to a Yahoo group that started out as an A-liner group. Many women have bought them and even A-liners turned out to be a lot of work and too much for some women. I use to have a full size custom ford van that I camped in a few of times. The back seat made a bed and I brought a port-pottie along to use. I didn't have a kitchen or an ice box but I don't do much cooking when I camp anyway. The only problem is being in the South we need air conditioning.

Martha

[Redetotry]

Glad you had a good time Barbie but sorry the pop up didn't work out for you. I think we all learn as we go as to what works best for us. I know I wish I had twin beds and some counter space in mine as there is none.

[IrishIroamed]

What a nice looking area Barbie ~ thanks for sharing (especially the pups & horses )

Sorry to hear the camper isn't working out, if you can get the lights fixed, could you still use it (for a while) just not with the pop-outs (but still need the pop-up for headroom)? Yea - stupid question, but I've never been in a popup/out.

[BarbaraRose]

When the beds are "in" they take up the whole inside of the camper, so they have to be pulled out.

It mostly is little issues that add up, but the one big issue is the possibility of hurting my back. Other than that, I could probably deal with the little things until I got another tow vehicle. And it will be easier to find a buyer now, than waiting til the end of the summer.

[bikerchic777]

So sorry you're not happy with the pop up It really looks nice! Even hooking up a camper will be hard on the back. I know mine always feels it when I hook up, or unhook, a toad. RVing is definitely not for wimps!

Glad you did have some fun on your adventure I have been to Lanesboro and kayaked on the river and rode bikes on that trail. It was before I had an RV, so stayed at a B&B. I bought a T-shirt that says, "I wet my pants on the Root River". It was a cool place and I would love to revisit, someday. I answered an ad for workamping, there, but it was either volunteer or not enough pay.

Is that your dog? SO ADORABLE !!!

[Azusateach]

Barbie, any "pull-behind" trailer will be more work than a motorhome. It's the nature of the beast. You've got a hitch that could weigh upwards of 40#, weight distribution bars that are probably 10# apiece, the tongue jack that requires cranking (unless you spring for an electric one), and stabilizers that need to be cranked down (unless you use a cordless drill or get electric ones).

When I had my pop-up I learned to stand under the tent ends with my back on the underside of the bed and simply lift. Worked like a charm. I never used my arms to lift the beds to put the supports in.

I understand the mismatch with your Jeep. But I don't think getting a vehicle that can tow more will protect your back. You're still going to have all of the hitch equipment that will be required with a bigger trailer. Anything over about 16' will require weight distribution bars and a sway bar -- stuff that isn't light.

Hope I haven't popped your bubble too much.

Laura

[snowball]

looks like a great area so pretty!!!
I was wondering about the pup as well sure is a cutie
sheila

[IrishIroamed]

...any "pull-behind" trailer will be more work than a motorhome...
Laura

Now ya tell me!

[mitch5252]

Hitching and unhitching my little trailer is a bit of work, even with the new electric tongue jack. Each WD bar weighs 17# (yeah, yeah, I weighed em'...). Hitch head is about 45-50#. Like Laura said, you have to crank down the stabilizers, lay down and place the little blocks, and the list goes on. When I was hooking up for this trip, you can't imagine how many times I jumped in and out of the truck to get ball aligned with hitch - no exaggeration, probably 25 times. Ugh. I never plan to shower BEFORE I hook up...

add all that to pulling out sides, one of the reasons I didn't want a popup. Sorry this didn't work for you.