My vacation/business trip

This is the second year I've taken my camper for a business trip. Last year, I did the same trip, with a popup - and was happy I did so. This year, it's been even better.

Reasons why I camp on business:
1. I HATE hotel rooms. Who knows who has been there before? Also, you have to eat out all the time. This way, I can eat meals I want, not what a restaurant can supply.

2. The sounds of crickets and frogs is so much more soothing than honking cars and emergency vehicles. I don't find these city sounds conducive to a good nights sleep. I live on the outer edge of my town, so don't have that at home, and have lost the ability to filter them.

My conference is in Chicago, but I'm based at a great state park in Wisconsin, Richard Bong State Park. They have good facilities, and nice campsites. Also, Milwaukee is an old stomping grounds for me that is ~20-40 miles away (depending on where in Milwaukee you are going )

I have 8 days worth of clothes packed in a 21 inch carry on, as usual. The carry on fits on the counter next to the bed, giving me a good spot for my glasses, alarm clock, etc bedtime stuff.
I did set up my awning on this trip, and the awning lights I just got, but only have spent one night out there. I'm a bug magnet, and got >30 bites in about 90 minutes. I did get some citronella candles, and a bug deterrent wrist band - hopefully these will help. I haven't used them yet, because I want my current wounds to heal. It's hard to wear shoes when your feet and ankles are full of bites.

I have to say, setting up the TM is very easy. From the time I arrived to my site, backed in, and set up everything, it was a little less than an hour - which includes the awning lights which I've never dealt with before. And, I wasn't in a rush to I do any of it. I have to say, I did move up to a drill for the levelers after a fellow camper showed me how well this works. My canvas PUP would be at least an hour for the outside alone, sans awning. I have to take down my TM tomorrow to take it to a dealer to have some things fixed, so it will be interesting to see how much faster I can set it up a second time.

I do need to be in business dress for my conference, as well as nice dress for church x2. All of my clothes are sans ironing - hate that task. So, they pack nicely in the suitcase. I'll post later how the TM works with going to a conference at 5:30 am, and sometimes not coming back 'home' until after 7PM.

[B_and_D]

I would much rather sleep in our TM than in a motel room, it's usually so much quieter. Plus, not having to eat out. We can cook quality meals for a fraction of what it would cost us at a restaurant, plus the inconveince and disappointment of going out to eat. We like to cook our own food.

[countrygirl]

I just read on line tonight to set up a floor oscilating fan...and it will keep the mosquitos away.

I also read recently that they are coming out with an adhesive patch the size of a postage stamp that is good for one use. People will be able to purchase a pack of them.

We also love thermocells ...they really keep the mosquitos and gnats away.

Do you have to roll your awning up each evening? We left ours up one time and the wind kicked up. We were dry camping with friends and when we raced back they were trying to figure out how to roll up our wierd awning.

Congratulations on your business travel solution. Wish I had thought of it back when .... course, we're retired now .

One lesson about an awning that I learned the hard way -- NEVER leave or go to sleep with an open awning! Take it down.

Back when we had a box trailer with a much sturdier awning set-up, we dutifully set up the awning with tie downs and a dropped corner for easy water run-off. One night we decided to leave it up and went to bed for the night. A rain storm came, and the next morning our awning was broken down and hanging right across our door Neighbors had to assist in helping us to exit. Very costly to replace.

The TM awning, at least the one that we have, is not very strong.