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| Black River Falls was a popular destination for the camper this year. Thanks to Brian for the picture. |
The last renter of the season is out with the Dutchmen for a little fall foliage viewing. It's 29 degrees and I don't know how she does it even with a working furnace (although the battery won't last that long) and my donation of a Buddy Heater. Me? Frankly, I prefer the warm comfort of my bed with, perhaps, a faithful dog for extra heat.
It was a really great season. Again this summer I met terrific people.
Nineteen rentals was a new record. Almost every weekend was booked with the exception -- oddly enough -- of Labor Day weekend. And for the most part the weather cooperated too. The reviews submitted by campers were gratifying to read (See them here)
The Dutchmen is perfect for those weekend getaways, which is important because if you read the Facebook group associated with Outdoorsy RV owners, you'll be constantly told that just renting for a couple of days is too much work and not worth it.
Ah, the joys of being retired! It's fun puttering around the hangar and although cleaning can get a little tedious after you've done it 100 or so times, I enjoy hearing of the camping experiences of the people I meet. By and large, everyone seemed to have had a great time.
When the camper comes back, it's time to get started on its off-season regimen.
This winter, I hope to paint much of the interior; out with the '90s faux wood and in with combination of grays and blues, I think.
A panel of the new tent needs to come down and be sent back to Wisconsin for repair, the result of an attempt to retrieve a child's belongings without raising the roof all the way. That's a pricey fix although I didn't assess the actual cost. His heart was in the right place.
I also have to figure out what to do about the sink and faucet and whether it's worth it. Most people didn't seem to use the water tank or the faucet, which I had to remove because it leaked too much. They seemed to prefer the blue 7-gallong jug. So far, it's been impossible to find a replacement faucet, which has to be low profile (otherwise it hits the roof when it comes down) and pump action.
And even though most people didn't use the awning, I'll probably install a new one in the offseason. The old one looks pretty beaten up.
And, of course, there's the usual maintenance like replacing wheel bearings etc.
It'll give me something to do at the hangar. The airplane-building project is stalled because of the delay (chip shortage) in getting the avionics package delivered. Ordered it in May. It's almost November and still no sign of it. And what with a killer frost overnight wiping out the gardens, it's going to be up to the Dutchman to keep me out of trouble until spring.
The tentative plan is to open the 2022 camper season on May 1. I hope to see you then.
Bob
