First Trip with the Ambassador

[Nette]

As promised in an earlier thread, I'm posting a few pics of our first trip with the Ambassador trailer. We went to Glen Maury campground in Buena Vista, VA. We've camped there before in a travel trailer and knew what to expect: plenty of shady sites, decent (if buggy) bathhouse, close to grocery store, and a good jumping-off point for riding. I carefully packed the trailer, just like I've been reading you should do--balanced and not too much weight on the tongue. Then...my husband came by and rearranged everything! But that's OK. If the driver is happy, I'm happy. Here's the rearranged set-up:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2471/3930265208_5cde1d23c2.jpg

We were pleasantly surprised at how much better the trailer pulled FULL rather than empty.

Here's a picture of our campsite:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2581/3930265546_ebe959885c.jpg

And here's a picture of the interior:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2501/3930265852_1b64579057.jpg

I'm going to make or buy some bed caddies to corral all that junk on either side of the "nightstand." I'm a little picky about being organized. :rolleyes:

I'm glad our first trip was a short one. It was a good learning experience for what we need and don't need. Might be wrong, but we decided to remove the spare tire from the "basement" and just take along a can of Fix-a-Flat. Also, we need a higher stool to get into the camper. The stool we had was fine for the backyard, but when we got on an actual site, and had to use the jacks to level everything up more, we ended up needing something taller. Also, decided to pack a small trowel to use for digging if we need to do more extensive leveling. Our new Coleman grill/stove combination worked GREAT, and the portable DVD player wasn't exactly overkill either. P^

Can't WAIT to go again! Thanks to everyone for the encouragement!

[bigTom]

Looking good! I'm guessing you have miles of smiles ahead of you....

[Nette]

Oh, no, Michigancamper--You're not gettin' it yet!

I need to restrain myself from ordering ACCESSORIES for it. This week I ordered a taller and bigger step stool to get into the camper:

http://i.walmartimages.com/i/mp/MP/10/00/02/46/MP10000246822_P255045_500X500.jpg

And then I also found this compact, one-mantle lantern from Coleman:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4143CN31N6L._SS500_.jpg

And since my husband was disappointed that I couldn't cook biscuits on the last camping trip:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513BWY23FCL._SS500_.jpg

I'm stopping now. Really, I am...

[G wizz]

Nettie:
Tell Larry (Michigancamper) he wouldn't like your camper ... The color would clash with the color of his bike. :D :D

G wizz

P.S.
We also use the Coleman lantern you just bought. Great little lattern, and gives off lots of light.
Just be sure to pack a bunch of extra mantles for it, as once they've been lit, they tend to fall apart easly while traveling.

[Capt_Gruuvy]

Nice. Very good looking set up.

I'd like to know how that little oven works too. I have seen those at the local surplus outlet and was thinking about getting one of them.

Nice pictures too. Thanks ! P^

[Nette]

...I'd like to know how that little oven works too. I have seen those at the local surplus outlet and was thinking about getting one of them. ...

Oh, man! That little oven works great! I tried it at home on the Coleman gas grill, and then tried it again this weekend on the Coleman camp stove while we were motocamping. Cooked perfect biscuits both times. I just now ordered a deeper 12" square pan to fit it so that I could cook some of my special dishes (ones that I would normally use a 9"X13" pan for) when we camp in our travel trailer next week. I'll prepare them at home ahead of time in the foil-lined pan and freeze them. Then when camping, can just pop 'em back in that same pan to thaw and bake in the Coleman oven. We have a gas oven in the travel trailer, but it always burns on the bottom and doesn't cook evenly. The Coleman oven works way better.

[G wizz]

Oh, man! That little oven works great! I tried it at home on the Coleman gas grill, and then tried it again this weekend on the Coleman camp stove while we were motocamping. Cooked perfect biscuits both times. I just now ordered a deeper 12" square pan to fit it so that I could cook some of my special dishes (ones that I would normally use a 9"X13" pan for) when we camp in our travel trailer next week. I'll prepare them at home ahead of time in the foil-lined pan and freeze them. Then when camping, can just pop 'em back in that same pan to thaw and bake in the Coleman oven. We have a gas oven in the travel trailer, but it always burns on the bottom and doesn't cook evenly. The Coleman oven works way better.

Special Dishes, Nette?
Would you care to share some of your "special dish" recipes with the rest of us hungry motocampers? :)

G wizz

[Nette]

"Special Dishes" are crowd-pleasers that I ususally do when we're camping in our travel trailer with a bunch of friends. Most are a little too complicated for motocamping (in my opinion, anyway). But here's a simple one that I could see doing, especially if you need to "wow" a hungry group with an appetizer:

Buffalo Chicken Dip - Modified for Motocamping

3 cooked chicken breasts (Maybe buy GRILLED from KFC?)
2 blocks cream cheese (16 oz)
1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce (Original, not Buffalo!)
3/4 cup bleu cheese salad dressing
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese (I like the Mexican blend)

Cut up the cream cheese into cubes and heat in a large pan on the campstove. I use my large cast iron skillet, but any pan large enough to hold everything should work. Shred or cut up the chicken into small pieces and add to the cream cheese. Add the Frank's Hot Sauce, and stir well. Heat until the cream cheese is gooey and sizzling. Stir in the bleu cheese dressing and shredded cheese. Serve hot with Scoops tortilla chips or crackers.

Don't eat too much or you'll regret it in the morning. (Figure it out!)

[G wizz]

"Special Dishes" are crowd-pleasers that I ususally do when we're camping in our travel trailer with a bunch of friends. Most are a little too complicated for motocamping (in my opinion, anyway). But here's a simple one that I could see doing, especially if you need to "wow" a hungry group with an appetizer:

Buffalo Chicken Dip - Modified for Motocamping

3 cooked chicken breasts (Maybe buy GRILLED from KFC?)
2 blocks cream cheese (16 oz)
1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce (Original, not Buffalo!)
3/4 cup bleu cheese salad dressing
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese (I like the Mexican blend)

Cut up the cream cheese into cubes and heat in a large pan on the campstove. I use my large cast iron skillet, but any pan large enough to hold everything should work. Shred or cut up the chicken into small pieces and add to the cream cheese. Add the Frank's Hot Sauce, and stir well. Heat until the cream cheese is gooey and sizzling. Stir in the bleu cheese dressing and shredded cheese. Serve hot with Scoops tortilla chips or crackers.

Don't eat too much or you'll regret it in the morning. (Figure it out!)

Nette:
This recipe sounds really tasty, not only for camping, but for at home too.
Matter of fact, I'm going to try it this next weekend, maybe with a couple of cold frosties P^
Got more ? ?
My wife isn't very creative, her idea of a great camping meal is a fried hamburg patty between a couple of slices of bread.

G wizz

[G wizz]

Nette:
Don't let Michigancamper try ta fool ya, He's not even gunna use his new camper till next summer :well

G wizz

[Nette]

Oh, I just saw this. Congratulations!!! And you got that "add-a-room" thing--nice! How much trouble was it to put up? I really think we'd enjoy that if we were staying in one place for a few nights.

One thing I'm doing differently the next time we take a trip is that I'm using an air mattress. My back still hasn't gotten straightened out from sleeping on that thin foam mattress when we went in September.

Something I'm trying to figure out right now, as we prepare to tuck in the Ambassador for the winter, is what to put in the space between the trailer and the top to keep mice out. I've heard horror stories of mice getting in popup campers and wreaking havoc with the tenting material. On the Ambassador, there's definitely enough room for a mouse to squeeze in there.

[G wizz]

Nette:
How to keep mice getting into your camper while in storage ...

Heres a remedy that's guarantied to keep the mice out of your camper all winter long.
Just before you close it up for the last time, grab one of these barn cats you've got runnin around the farm, and toss it into the camper, then quickly close the lid. P^

In reality, Nette, I've never had a problem with rodents getting into our camper, although I do store it in the barn, but we do have Mousers (cats) guarding it. (Have one that likes to sleep on top of the camper)
Just be sure you don't leave any food in it, and don't drape anything over the camper that hangs down for mice to climb up onto.
But ya, if you're concerned that that they might get in, and you don't wanna use my cat remedy, do as Larry suggested, and throw in a handfull of mothballs ... that should keep em' out...
Only problem with mothballs ... you know what it's gunna smell like the next time you go to use it ? :eek:
I haven't used mothballs, but I do spray the inside of our camper with 'Febreze' fabric freshner, when we're done using it. I don't know if that keeps the mice out or not, but at least it doesn't smell like an old pair of dirty sox when we go to open it back up ...

G wizz

[G wizz]

[QUOTE=Nette;24106]
One thing I'm doing differently the next time we take a trip is that I'm using an air mattress. My back still hasn't gotten straightened out from sleeping on that thin foam mattress when we went in September.

Nette:
In reguards to your aching back problem ... We had the sore back syndrome happen to us too, with the mattress that came in our camper.
What worked really well for us, was to buy one of those Memory Foam mattress topper pads, and use it on top of the foam mattress that came with the camper.
We bought the 1 1/2 in thick one, and between the combination of the two mattresses, I think we sleep better while camping, then when we do in our bed at home. :tent4:
We got ours off of E-bay, at a fraction of what they cost in a store, as they were listed as having "slight irregularitys" . I couldn't find any defect with ours when it arrived though ...

G wizz

[Nette]

Heres a remedy that's guarantied to keep the mice out of your camper all winter long.
Just before you close it up for the last time, grab one of these barn cats you've got runnin around the farm, and toss it into the camper, then quickly close the lid.

Well, ya know, we do have two or...thirty...barn cats runnin' around the dairy. We could spare one for the cause. I like that idea better than the mothballs. Can't tolerate the smell.

I was thinking about chinking the gap between the top and the trailer with something(?). Steel wool works great for chinking small holes, as mice can't eat thru it, but I don't know if you could get steel wool in rope-like lengths. Plus if the air was damp, wonder if it would put rust marks on the fiberglass. The trailer is under one of the barn sheds, but you're making me think I ought to remove the homemade cover that came with the trailer, since it does hang down a bit.

[G wizz]

Nette:
How about using some foam pipe insulation, the stuff that comes in different sizes to fit around and insulate pipe. It comes in, I think, six foot lenghts.
If you got the size that would fit snuggly in your campers gaps, and wrap aluminum foil around it first, I think that would keep the critters out.

G wizz

[Bob E.]

I've also heard that dryer sheets will keep out the mice. My dad's goldwing is always getting mice in the trunk building a nest. They even chewed the lever out that unlatches the helmet locks to get in. Well, he used mothballs one year and all his gear (rainsuits, towels, gloves, etc.) all smelled bad. Then I used it and threw a sweatshirt in there and from just a couple hours in there, my shirt was stinking even though I had removed the mothballs and all of the other stinky gear. Anyways, this year, a mouse got in there again and actually chewed the lining out of his helmet...luckily they are old helmets that need replacing anyways. So I stuck a couple dryer sheets in there and stuffed one in the little hole they made to get in. It's been a few weeks since and still no sign of mice. I keep checking periodically.

[Blues Traveler]

And since my husband was disappointed that I couldn't cook biscuits on the last camping trip:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513BWY23FCL._SS500_.jpg

I'm stopping now. Really, I am...

These coleman ovens are great! Great for making biscuits. Have'nt used it in sometime only because I don't have room for it on the bike. Although.......I do have a trailer in the works.

[mrprez]

Try this one:
http://www.backpackeroven.com/
Folds up nice and small.

[aysrav]

Try this one:
http://www.backpackeroven.com/
Folds up nice and small.

I don't bake, but that's cool!
David

[G wizz]

These coleman ovens are great! Great for making biscuits. Have'nt used it in sometime only because I don't have room for it on the bike. Although.......I do have a trailer in the works.

I wish they'd make one in this size out of aluminum, I consider the steel coleman oven to be a bit on the heavy side. All the light weight back-pack ovens I've seen are about half the size or smaller than the coleman ovens.

Blues Traveler ...
You're an excellent fabracator, how about you makeing us up some light weight collapsable camping ovens big enough to actually bake somthing in ??? :)

G wizz

[Blues Traveler]

I wish they'd make one in this size out of aluminum, I consider the steel coleman oven to be a bit on the heavy side. All the light weight back-pack ovens I've seen are about half the size or smaller than the coleman ovens.

Blues Traveler ...
You're an excellent fabracator, how about you makeing us up some light weight collapsable camping ovens big enough to actually bake somthing in ??? :)

G wizz

The old one from Coleman like mine is steel. But I believe the newer one's ( I could be wrong ) like the one in the picture posted by Nette is aluminum.

[G wizz]

The old one from Coleman like mine is steel. But I believe the newer one's ( I could be wrong ) like the one in the picture posted by Nette is aluminum.

Keith:
Yup, you could be wrong. They are steel, with an aluminized coating. I've already checked them out.
If they had changed, and made them from aluminum, I'd of had one by now.
So ... It looks like if you were to manufacture aluminum ones, you'd have a monopoly on the light weight oven market.

G wizz

[Blues Traveler]

Keith:
Yup, you could be wrong. They are steel, with an aluminized coating. I've already checked them out.
If they had changed, and made them from aluminum, I'd of had one by now.
So ... It looks like if you were to manufacture aluminum ones, you'd have a monopoly on the light weight oven market.

G wizz

I'll have to take a look at mine. Would not be hard to remake most of the parts and replace them on the Coleman oven. Might be wise though to retain a few of the parts that come into contact with the flame.

I have set it up before and its a perfect fit on my cooking platform. Have often thought it could be just a bit smaller and as you have pointed out made from aluminum for a savings in weight.