Trip report and TM upgrades successes

We just returned from a lengthy trip (5 nights) over Labor Day weekend. I thought I'd post a note about how we managed the length (both duration and distance – it is the longest we have driven and the longest we have stayed since we got the TM) and a review of the campground. So this will be a little lengthy but hopefully informative.

One Mile Campground - NFS, just NE of Almont, Colorado.
This campground is in the Gunnison Nat'l Forest, on the Taylor River, downstream from Taylor Reservoir. This is a prime fly fishing area as well as some rock climbing and many ATV trails up by the reservoir (a Ranger told us that a “lake” is naturally formed, a “reservoir” is man-made. The campground is shady and has 25 fairly flat sites with 30 amp electrical hookups, picnic tables, and lantern hangers at each site. There are water faucets (threaded) scattered along the main road so filling with water is easy – some are close enough to sites that a couple of hoses will let you fill up after you set up. The hosts here do a great job of keeping the campground clean – including the two “vault” toilets. However, there is no dump. The gray water dump noted in the NFS listing has been closed for years, according to the host. There are a couple of places in Gunnison and near Taylor Reservoir where you can dump. This was a beautiful place and we plan to go back next year. Most sites are reserve-able but reservations should be made 6 months in advance to guarantee a site. Most people tend to stay the maximum 14 days. I’ve posted a review at rvparkreviews.com.

5 days in TM, 400 mile round trip.
1. Distance/Tires
My big concern on this trip was whether my tires would last. They are the original tires (as best as I can tell – I need to find the date code) so I assume they are about 6 years old. So I’m on borrowed time based on most folks experience. But they held pressure the whole time and as best as I could tell did not get hot at all. I’ll get new tires before the first trip next spring, but didn’t want to spend the money now then put them in storage for 6 months.
2. Duration
We were concerned about staying 5 nights with no place to dump, so we tried to be conservative with our water. I actually filled the hot water heater before I left home, so when I filled my 40 gallon tank I wanted to see how it would last. I did charge the toilet out of that, and I actually added about 3 gallons the day before we left – to be sure I could shower that last night. We took 5 or 6 showers between us, washed dished a couple of times (used paper plates and plastic utensils most of the time) and did the normal hand washing, teeth brushing, and shaving. The morning we left, we were almost out of water because the water pump began making it vibrating noise indicating it was getting air as well as water from the tank. The toilet lasted well. It was a little over half full on the gauge. We only used it for liquid waste, using the campground toilets otherwise. No smells at all other than a little chemical smell when we opened the lid.
3. Upgrades
I’ll post elsewhere a picture of the shower upgrade – I basically copied one in this post by shrimpburrito –

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8299&highlight=shower

We found the same world map shower curtain that Dave used! It really gave us a bigger feel to the shower and made them much easier to take. I just used sticky Velcro to attaché the curtain and then cut it to fit around the TP holder and shortened it to fit in the tub. It worked great.
I also added a fridge thermometer to monitor the temps in the fridge. It worked well and showed that the fridge temp hovered in the low 40s with the freezer anywhere from -2 to 5 or 6.
4. Procedural changes
The other thing we did this time was travel with the fridge on 12v. I used my battery cutoff switch when we stopped for lunch. It worked great. We still took the ice chest to carry some drink in and we put the leftover cold stuff in it to bring them home.
I also discovered the bumper storage. I hadn’t used it thinking that I could not get it open with the rear shell down. But I discovered that it comes out very easily so I put all my 2x4 blocks and jack pads AND the heavy duty (from Harbor Freight) wheel chocks in there. Eliminated some of the stuff I normally carried in the back of the TV – I actually was able to use a smaller box for the TV box.
Needless to say, I think this was our best campout since we have had the TM. Of course it helped that we had a great boat ride INSIDE the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and a wonderful day touring the West Elk Sceenic Highway.
Sorry for the lengthy post, but this was a good trip with some major successes with the TM.
Alan