First Time Out - Rob and Cindy Lambert

[Scopegeek]

Just wanted to share our experience on our first time out with our used 3124KB TM. We purchased our 2004 TM from a family in Albuquerque. Our inaugural outing was a 10-day trip that first included 3 days at Yosemite National Park. We stayed at Touleme Meadows Campground inside the east entrance. This campground sits at 8,900 feet where the temp at night reached 25 degrees at the end of September. This campground had no hookups, so we really got break-in everything except the air conditioner. The TM was quite comfortable.

Our next stop was 3 days at Cathedral Gorge State Park near Panaca, NV for a Star Party with the Las Vegas Astronomical Society. The facilities at this State Park are quite exceptional even without campsite hookups. The toilets and showers are the cleanest and most well maintained I've seen anywhere.

Our final stop was 3 days at Zion National Park where we had shore power, but no city water or sewer. Without sewer, 3 days is about the right length of stay at any one site, since we need to dump the toilet after about three days.

This trip was the longest my wife and I have ever been camping. She had given up tent camping years ago. Motivation for purchasing the TM was the distance from hotels to dark sky sites for my astronomy. Since Cindy can't normally hang past 11 p.m., I usually have to take her back to a hotel, which are often at least 30 minutes away. This time she just crossed the road to the campground and crawled between the sheets in our TM and I got to continue my late night observation of the night sky. We were both quite happy. I think the TM is here to stay.

We plan to take the TM out to the Valley of Fire in November and December for more Star Parties, and then to Death Valley in January for our annaul Furance Creek Star Party.

See our attached photos of our deployed TM and our TM in towing configuration behind our 2004 SportTrac.

Happy New Owners,

Rob and Cindy Lambert
North Las Vegas, NV

[B_and_D]

Wow, it sounds like you just took to the TM like ducks to water! We love having ours for dry-camping; it's so much better than a tent. It's great to hear from new TM owners who are enjoying their TM's.

We had hoped for a trip to Death Valley in January, but our daughter decided to take a winter session class at the local college here and we don't want to leave her here alone. We visited Death Valley three years ago, loved everything about it except for the air quality, especially at night. I always thought that since it was so far below sea level, it would make for great star gazing. It was so hazy that we could see very few stars. Did we just happen to visit at a bad time?

Keep us posted on your TM adventures!

Dee

[NW Native]

Sounds like you had an awesome first time out! Reminds us of times when we lived in Las Vegas and camped at Zion in our tent trailer. It's one of our favorite places. Also traveled several times on day trips to Death Valley and were awestruck by the scenery there. Felt like we were on another planet. Thanks for sharing.

[Bill]

Oh, my! Zion? Yosemite? Cathedral Gorge? Valley of Fire? Add Bryce, and you've described a large part of our dream trips! We just love it out there.

Star gazers are wonderful people. On one Friday afternoon, we went to a campground out in the desert, and got set up by about 3PM. As the afternoon progressed, about 20 other rigs drifted in around us and began setting up telescopes, some of them quite large. By 6 PM, as it was getting dark, many of them had nice big campfires going - but we had forgotten to bring any wood! Oh, no! Feeling envious, we approached one group which seemed to have a big stash, and sheepishly asked if we could buy a small amount of firewood. There were some quiet looks exchanged among them, and they told us we could have firewood for free if we would agree to douse the fire at 8PM. Confused for a moment, we suddenly realized that firelight makes observation harder, duh! We agreed, everyone was happy, and they proceeded to give us hot cocoa and a two-hour tour of their telescopes, explaining all the different kinds and how they worked, and letting us look through them at various features in the sky. We had such a good time with them that we never even got around to lighting a campfire! Next morning they all rolled out so early we couldn't even return the firewood.

Mighty nice folks.

Bill

[rickst29]

And that's a surprise for being so close to a big city full of Casinos. I can go North on 395 (out of Reno) up a ways past CA-49... then turn East on some dirt track (there are many alternative). After you get over the first ridge, it's REAL dark if you've got (A) hills blocking both CA to the West (and the towns/ranches along the highway) plus (B) hills to the South blocking out the the big Reno/Sparks Casino lights madness to the South. :D

[rickst29]

Including the back-road crawl time, it's more like two hours. Even getting to the neighborhood is more like a full hour.

[James Knutson]

Well since this is a thread about first time use of their TM, I'll tell you a little about our first trip. We just purchased a TM3124KS. I've been looking for this unit for well over 8 month's. We had visited the dealer last year about this time. He showed us three or four models. They were not our first choice. We asked about the 3124KS and he stated that they only order these larger units, they don't usually keep them in stock.

So here I was in late October browsing the web and decided to check the local and only Trailmanor dealer in Southern California. I looked at their used vehicle section and low and behold their it was a TM 3124KS.

I sent him an e-mail. No reply for several days. Finally, Saturday arrives and I talk my wife into going with me to see this particular trailer down in Anahiem California -- outskirts of LA.

We get their and really like the unit. Bought it and 10 days later take delivery. It's a 2005 in really good shape.

Our first trip was this past week-end (November 3, 4, and 5) down at the beach near Camp Pendelton. What a lovely time we had. Tried out everyting. One night it got cold enough we had to run the heater for 10 minutes...stayed nice and toasty. The next day it got hot enough and without any wind to cool I had to run the air for 20 to 30 minutes.

We cooked in it. Used the facilities. Everything worked great. We were very comfortable the whole time. I think we made the right :)

[Doug W.]

I believe you will be very happy with that trailer, James. The wife wanted the 2720SL. I wanted at least the 3023. We happened on to a good used 3124KS also. We decided it was a good comprimise. The wife got the living room she wanted. I got the heavier axle and additional storage I wanted. We love the king bed. We sleep with our heads towards the tongue of the trailer. When nature calls in the middle of the night, we do not wake the other crawling over them to get to the bathroom. The bed was just a big bonus.

[Scopegeek]

Bill - Glad you had a great time with the scopegeeks. I can say that 'cause that's my email handle on Google mail. We love sharing our scopes with folks, especially those that have never seen the sights. I've only been doing astronomy just over a year and I've loved every minute of it. Cindy and I did make a day trip from Zion up to Bryce to complete one of your dream trips. Forgot to mention the Bryce run. We really had a great time. Gotta make it to Cedar Breaks, Arches, and the other NPs in Utah.

B and D - I think you just got a bad night in Death Valley. Cindy and I were there this past January. The first night was initially a little cloudy, but cleared about 7:30 for some great viewing. You are looking through more atmosphere being almost 200 feet below sea level, but our group has experienced more clear nights there in January than cloudy ones. Our Furnace Creek Star Party is scheduled for Jan 19 and 20. Stayed in the Resort last January, but will stay in the TM this year. Looking forward to it again this year.

Check out the LVAS website at www.lvastronomy.com for our Star Parties. Would love to meet some TM owners at our outings. Have only seen one TM while we've been out so far. It was a 90's something model with the older paint scheme. Looked like it was in really great shape though.

If you're ever in Vegas check for one of our Red Rock Star Parties that are open to the public.

Rob and Cindy
2004 3124KB w/ WDH
2004 V6 SportTrac 4x4

[James Knutson]

Thanks for the reply Doug W. Yes, we will enjoy it. BTW, I've been reviewing the posts on this thread and have seen that several others are into astronomy. I am also a visual astronomer. Have been one since I was 15 years old. I've bought a small scope to carry in my TM3124KS. So, on those clear cloudless night skies I can enjoy GOD's wonderment. Unfortunately, on our first outing we did not enjoy clear skies until the final day when the weather cleared up along the cost.

Jim and Nancy

2005 3124KS
2001 V6 Xterra

[Carol Hagy]

I loved reading all about your camping trips out to these National Parks. I have a 2619 TM and live in Maryland. I hope one day to go out west and do some camping but in the meantime my camping buddy and I are planning a trip out west in June 2008. We plan to fly into Las Vegas, rent a car and drive to Zion then to Grand Canyon and back to Las Vegas. We're only planning a week so we don't have much time. Hope to be back several times to since there's SOOOO much to see and would love to camp and see the stars. What a wonder!!!! Can't wait.
:)