[The Sod Father]

My first ever camping trip with my pop up was in the Spring of 2003. It was a bit of an adventure and a great learning experience. Since then, I have learned plenty and have mastered the art of backing up to the point where I actually received compliments from fellow campers on "getting it right the first time".

Here is a step by step list if stuff NOT to do with a pop up camper.

1) Take your time getting the camper packed so you can arrive at the camp ground when it is really dark.
2) Drive under 50mph on the PA Turnpike because you did not take the dealers advice and buy and anti-sway device. Make sure your camper slides all over the highway due to sway and the driving rain. It makes driving more challenging and adds to the excitement of your first trip. Seriously, white knuckles look cool!
3) Since this is your first trip, bring your two kids AND three hyperactive nephews - two of whom are ADD/HD poster children. Throw in a hyperactive 70lb puppy for added excitement.
4) Since you are new to trailering and backing up, do it about 50 billion times til you get the camper in just the right spot. Then unhook the camper. At this point, you are in the dark and in pouring rain.
5) Yell at the kids to stay out of the mud.
6) Hook up the camper to the truck becuase you forgot to level it side to side.
7) Unhook the now level camper. Level it front to back and pull out the power cord.
8) Remind yourself that darkness, water and electricity are a recipe for excitement. Hmmm... the cord it too short.
9) Hook up the camper and move it closer to the electrical box.
10) Level, once again, side to side and front to back. Unhook the camper and start to crank up the roof.
11) Crank down the roof and hook up the camper to the truck again. The door is on the wrong side and you are in the wrong campsite. You are also in the dark and in the rain.
12) Drive around the campground (can't turn around with this big ole box) and back up 50 billion times and FINALLY get the camper in the right spot, near the box with the door on the correct side. In the dark and in the rain.
13)Try to level the camper and realize that the level was on the roof when you drove around the campground in the dark and in the rain.
14)Thank the Good Lord that the level was STILL on the roof.
15) Now that the camper is finally set up, in the right place, level front and back and side to side, try to light the water heater. With matches. In the dark and in the rain.
16) Explain to your kids that the words daddy is yelling should not be repeated. Thank your brother in law for sharing his long stem lighter. Who, by the way, is in a tent and had his stuff set up hours ago.
17) After 30 minutes, remeber what the nice man at the RV store told you, "Ya gotta purge the gas line before you try to light the pilot - otherwise, you will be at it all day".
18) Observe the vein throbbing on your forehead as the kids run into the brand new camper, with muddy shoes and a wet, muddy dog.
19) Try to deploy the awning, only to realize that you need to stand on a 5 gal bucket to reach it becuase you forgot to unzip the bag when the roof was down.
20) Seriously contemplate the Holiday Inn and a refund on the camper that just ate up your bonus and you are making payments on for the next 5 years.
21) At 8:00 a.m. wake up to the sound of a babbling brook, your daughter snuggling next to you, birds chirping and NO RAIN. Eliminate step 20.