After fives months in winter storage, it was time to get the Scamp out for the first outing of the year.  This was the weekend of April 1st.  Despite a forecast that was a little questionable, we traveled up to Pilot Knob State Park in Iowa.  We had sixty plus degree weather the first day and seventy degree the second.  It felt good to take a nap in the warm sun.  Although it was warm, I elected not to de-winterize it for this trip.  We managed by taking a cooler full of water and washing the dishes when we got home.  I didn't realize how much a simple sink would be missed over a couple of days.

It took us a few weeks, and a snow storm, but we finally made it out for our second trip the weekend of April 29th.  Although the grass looks green and the tress are beginning to bud out, it was still cool and windy.  It reached around 34 degrees Saturday night, but the heater worked well.  Also, a tip about the battery and electrical system.  Make sure that the power converter is plugged into 110 voltage when you are storing the trailer so the battery can charge.  Also, check your battery and clean the terminals at the beginning of every camping season.  It doesn't hurt to check the connections every so often as well.

Our third weekend out was to Pikes Peak State Park in MacGregor, Iowa.  We like this campground because of the view, the location, and the comfort.  Campsites are not too close together, and they are nicely leveled off for tent, RV, or trailer camping.   The nice thing about coming this time of the year, when the trees are not fully in bloom, is that you can see much more of the area.

I would like to point out the orange pads and chocks you see in the pictures.  These are interlocking devices used to help level and secure the trailer.  I purchased the chocks last year because they are designed to lock into the pads and prevent them from slipping.   We also use them beneath the legs of the trailer to help prevent them from sinking into the ground.

We spent Memorial Day weekend back along the Shell Rock River, our favorite place to camp.  One thing I have touched on before, but never really gone into detail is how we manage to camp in sites without electricity.  The Scamp uses an onboard marine battery for powering everything except for the refrigerator and the air conditioning unit.  When we use sites that do not have plug ins, we use propane to cool the refrigerator and do not use the air conditioning.  While this may work for a few days, there are times we camp for up to a week when we are not plugged in.

To help reduce the drain on the battery, I purchased two solar panels and connected them to the battery via a charge protection unit.   The first two pictures above show the two panels, and the third is where the battery is situated on the trailer's tongue.  The fourth picture is of the panels connection to the charge protection unit.  Both panels connect to the input, then the output wires go to the terminals on the battery.  I do not use the same terminals on the battery for power input as I do for power output.  I want to make sure that the power being generated by the panels goes directly to the battery to charge it, instead of being taken directly into the trailer's power system.  In the last picture, you will see the glowing red light on the charge protection unit.  This indicates that the power is going to the battery.  If the panels manage to charge the battery fully, then the power is cut to prevent over charging.

On a good sunny day, with direct power to both panels, I can get nearly 2.5 amps of charge to the battery.  But as the light diminishes, that amount of charge decreases.  I have completely charged the battery only once, using the solar panels, but that was in direct sunlight on a nearly cloudless day.  Normally, I won't get a complete charge of the battery; however, the solar charging system does reduce the amount of drain on the battery and extends the life of the charge.

There are a couple of things you want to keep in mind about this system.  To get the best charging results, you need to make sure the panels are pointed at the sun at all times.  I usually have to re-adjust the position of the panels every few hours.  Also, since I do store the panels in the trailer when not in use, it is best to use quick connect plugs to connect the panels to the charge protection unit.   It will ensure a good and secure connection every time.

If you have any questions about this design, or would like to know more about it, please feel free to contact me at Information@dampenedenthusiasts.com.

The first picture in this series is at the KOA in Estes Park, CO.  This campground sits at the foot of Rocky Mountain National Park.  It was also the first place that I was able to use the City Water hookup on our Scamp, and I have to admit that it was really a nice amenity.  The second picture is at the KOA in Moab, UT, and I was really impressed that they also had near full hookup for trailers and RVs.  I believe there were other sites that did have complete hookups, but most sites seemed to have at least both electric and water.  The third and fourth was at Mather Campground in Grand Canyon National Park.  We didn't have any hookups, but I didn't really miss them.  One thing I do like about this particular park is that they have a tram system that allows you to explore the park without having to drive.  The last picture is from Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado.  I was really surprised to see complete hookups, including sewer.  Unfortunately, my gray water tank hose did not reach.  So instead, I used the sewer hookup the last day and drained the tank before leaving.  It saved us a trip to the campground's dump station.

Yes, that really is snow in the background in June.  We drove from the KOA in Estes Park, CO to the Alpine Visitors' Center in Rock Mountain National Park.  Elevation was 12,000 feet and the car pulled it really well over the winding roads.  Even in the thinner atmosphere, it didn't seem to have many difficulties.  The last picture is at the visitors' center at the gate just outside the park.  On the way out of the mountains, I learned that increasing the brake pressure on the trailer brakes and using them as the primary slowing force really worked well to control the whole rig on the way down.

The one features I really enjoy with the trailer is the ability to pull over anywhere and use the trailer for getting a quick nap in, or, like in the pictures above, grabbing a bite to eat.

Of course, when you travel, you never know what you may run into.  I was inside, paying for the gas, and when I came back out, another Scamp had shown up next to ours.  That is the closest ours has been to another Scamp since it left the factory lot.

When we travel, we like to take notice of what other campers have come up with to make their trips a little easier.  So I can honestly say I was surprised to see someone pulling a larger camper with a four door sedan.  However, with the price of fuel, I can't blame anyone for trying to trim the cost of a trip.

July 4th plans changed at the last minute this year, due to the Minnesota Government shutdown, but thankfully, we were able to find another location for camping.  We were able to find a spot in one of the county campgrounds in Howard County, Iowa.  It was a nice campground that also allowed us to make use of our newest edition to our recreation equipment, the canoe.  In trips past, I always barrowed this particular canoe and trailer setup, but we had acquired ownership of it the week prior and were anxious to get out on the water.

Again, the design and function of the Scamp played a pivotal role to a successful trip this year.   We were not as fortunate enough to have good shade, but the gloss white paint of the camper helped to reflect the sun's rays, and the air conditioning unit managed to keep the trailer very comfortable, even with near ninety degree weather outside.  Also, this was the forth time that we were able to use the City Water hookup on the trailer.  I would encourage you to keep a hose on hand in the trailer just encase you find that you have an opportunity to utilize that feature.   The last thing I would like to mention is the grey water disposal.  While we have a tank to catch the gray water (waste water from sinks and showers, but not toilets), if you do not have one, I would encourage you to get a portable one for your trailer.  There are an increasing number of parks that are not allowing you to dump gray water along the edge of your site any more.  Portable tanks are becoming more of a necessity and can be found with most RV supplies in the stores.

We decided to head back to Pikes Peak in MacGregor, Iowa again over the weekend of July 22nd.  What I would like to point out in the photos above is the advantage of using a smaller camper.  In the first photo you will see the two campsites.  The one on the right, where we were camped, was a much more difficult site to back a trailer into.  There are two trees on either side at the entrance to the site, and a third a bit father back.  Larger camping units would find it very difficult to get a trailer backed into the site, especially if you arrive after dark.  With smaller trailers, you have far more room for maneuvering and even if you make an error in backing up, they are much more forgiving and you can correct rather easily.  This site was the second time I backed into it after dark and that third tree did not only give the trailer difficulty, but I had be very aware of it even after the trailer cleared it.

This series is of the campsite we had while on our fall camping trip to northern Wisconsin.   We stayed at Copper Falls State Park, and we got here just at the right time of year.  When we arrived, most everything was still green, by the time we left a week later, fall had truly taken hold.

This was still at Copper Falls State Park in Wisconsin, but it was another attempt at night shots of the Scamp.  The first one was taken as the last lights of day faded away, and it was almost completely dark.  I am really happy with the way the ground lights came out, and the glossy reflection off of the Scamp.  The last two were taken well after dark and I thought I would try one more time.  I love the ground lights in both pictures and I am really happy with the way the light reflects off of the bushes behind the trailer.  The last shot shows that better.

We finally got to Merrick State Park in Wisconsin the weekend of October 14th.  The sites we usually reserve had not been reservable for most of the summer due to high water along the Mississippi.  This time of year; however, the campground has quite a few available sites, so reserving a site was not necessary.

Wyalusing State Park in Wisconsin was another enjoyable trip.  This was the last weekend in October, and even though the pictures show a lot of overcast, the day before these pictures were taken was a gorgeous October day and the sky was as clear as I have ever seen it from this campground.  Although it was a bit foggy, I think you will still get a feel for the view from this campsite.

Sadly, there comes that time of year when camping must end and equipment stored for the winter.  Ideally, we would like to have a place to store the Scamp inside, so we could keep it out of the weather, but that is not a choice that we have.  The first two years we had the Scamp, it sat outside without protection.  While that works for a new camper for a few years, we were worried about damaging or accelerating the wear on the fiberglass finish.  So last year we ordered a cover for the Scamp.  It worked better than we had hoped.  The Scamp got a good wash and wax, then covered for the winter.  When we pulled the cover off in the spring, it was just as clean and dust free as when we stored it.  This is a good idea for all campers, even if you store them inside.  It helps to keep the sun, snow, rain, and dust from working at the weak points and finish, and will prolong the life of your camper.