PTParaD TRs and Shenanigans

[Part-Time Paradise]

At elevation, I don't think summer ever really starts. Here are the monthly averages for Yellowstone:

April 46° / 19°
May 53° / 28°
June 63° / 34°
July 73° / 39°
August 71° / 37°
September 62° / 31°

My friend in Laramie was cross country skiing above 10000' in August this year IIRC.

We'll be there end of June through mid-July 2022. I have to work around school and when my job typically slows a few weeks before and after the 4th. Probably not optimal with crowds, but it's the time we can go.

 

[team bradfield]

Labor day weekend, driving to Utah we hit a blizzard on I-80 outside of Rawlins Wy. We only do summer months in the mountains

 

[jbrostek]

As I've mentioned in other threads, I have a severe RV Trip Wizard habit. Upgrading from a 30' TT to a 41' 5er has forced me to relook a lot of places I want to go.

I'm planning on Yellowstone and Tetons for Summer 22 as well. Is there the beginnings of a DISMeet in Wyoming in Summer 22?

We just signed up for that for this year, it already helped us find two new campgrounds to use/check out.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Oh yes.

Loaded up most of the food and bikes. Just need to pack up the undies in the morning.

Pulling out tomorrow after lunch for a nice relaxing 4 nights at Watkins Woolen Mill SP.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Annnnnnd we're camping!


The CG is empty. There is us and a couple 5 sites down. Going to be a nice quiet night.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

All's quiet on the western front. This campground holds about 95 sites. All but 30 are closed for the winter. Out of all that I have 3 neighbors total. It's a little cool, 33 right now, but a nice quiet night.

I went for a stroll around 6:30 and enjoyed the clear night. Saturn and Jupiter are on top of each other in the sky. I also saw a shooting star and watched a satellite fly by too. I felt bad for the suckers that stayed in the rig while I went for a walk. I told the kids what I saw and got a satisfactory, "awwwwww. We should've come". DW didn't budge from her blanket and spot in front of the electric fireplace.

Hope you all are enjoying the evening wherever you are.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Woke up to a brisk 27° this morning. I got moving and got the Blackstone warmed up. I made pancakes and bacon for the clan while everyone but DS, who doesn't understand the concept of sleeping in yet, stayed all snuggled up on the cold morning.

Morning calm. I enjoy the still of the morning. Only sound is the geese on the lake and some neighbor's pans rattling down the loop.


Nothing special, but a nice treat on a cold morning.

I need to do a little bike maintenance when it warms up a bit and we're going to go on a ride around the lake.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Yesterday was a nice quiet day. We did a little RV maintenance and played some cards. When it warmed up we threw the frisbee and football around. After dinner, I started a fire for s'mores.

Nice sunset looking towards the lake

Today is starting off slow too. I made french toast and sausage for breakfast. We played some more card games and now we're working on lunch. We're probably going to ride the lake loop soon.

I'm excited for dinner. Chicken thighs, rice, and veggies. Speaking of which, I need to get the chicken marinading.

 

[Teamubr]

That looks great.

Just curious, did younwinterize already? And do you just de-winterize and re do it? We are going to be in the teens at night over by me this week. I thought you would be similar.

j

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

That looks great.

Just curious, did younwinterize already? And do you just de-winterize and re do it? We are going to be in the teens at night over by me this week. I thought you would be similar.

I'm not a "pink stuff" kinda guy. I got for the air compressor route, specifically because we use it so much. I pretty much blow the lines out after every trip where I know the rig is going to sit awhile. In the colder months I'm much more deliberate. It's done me well for 3 years and 2 different rigs.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

So far I've cooked every meal outside on the Blackstone. At lunch today the wind was moving pretty good and the sun hadn't hit my propane tank yet. Since the propane tank was chilly, it wasn't pushing as much pressure so the flames were flickering and the wind gets in between the cooking surface and the flames. I like the Blackstone, but my chief complaint that you can't be a kite enthusiast and a Blackstone user at the same time.

After schlepping everything back inside to cook it on the stove we had a quick lunch of quesadillas and grilled cheese. After letting that sink in a bit we hit the trail.

The trail is about 4.5 miles long. It's has a few hills, but it's a pretty easy ride.


It's a nice ride. We have made this loop probably 10 or so times in 3 visits to the park.





It was a tough camera shot, but a doe and her yearling trotted across the trail in front of us.

Now we're back at the rig catching our breath and I'm sure the kids are plotting the next card game we're playing.

The chicken is marinading for tonight. Hopefully the blackstone cooperates.

 

[PaHunter]

Little tip on the blackstone, if it is windy, you can you aluminum foil, and fold over the top of the griddle. I have folded it over the top to about the middle of the base, you can use black clip binders to weigh it down if need be. I keep a roll of cheap dollar store foil in the camper for this.

 

[tigger92662]

I made pancakes

What's in them there pancakes, blueberries or chocolate chips?

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Little tip on the blackstone, if it is windy, you can you aluminum foil, and fold over the top of the griddle. I have folded it over the top to about the middle of the base, you can use black clip binders to weigh it down if need be. I keep a roll of cheap dollar store foil in the camper for this.

Such a simple, but perfect solution. I was begging for a piece of sheet metal or something much more complicated.

I cooked dinner tonight and the flames were much higher as the propane tank was in the sun most of the afternoon. My dad was a HVAC man and I remember being on jobs with him when I was a kid. If the freon bottle was a little low or it was a cold morning we'd use a plumbers torch on the side to raise the temp (and therefore the presssure) in the bottle to speed things up. I didn't bring my torch, but that was a possibility in my mind too

What's in them there pancakes, blueberries or chocolate chips?

Who puts healthy stuff in pancakes??? Chocolate chips all the way.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

A quiet evening...for the most part.

After the bike ride we played some games and kicked around the soccer ball. We got dinner going and it was pretty great. Chicken thighs, fried potatoes and onions, and some mixed veggies (broccoli, squash, zucchini, carrots, and spinach).

DW took an action shot of the weirdo grilling outside, in a campground, in December while wearing shorts


finished product. The skin got a little toasty, but all the fat underneath rendered and when we took the skin off, it was quite tasty


The sunset was nice again.

After dinner, DW was doing the dishes. I heard that horrible sound...the water pump pitch changed and wouldn't stop running. Out of water. Crap.

We were planning to go see Christmas lights in town, but instead we're heading down to the dump station where the only frost free hydrant in the CG resides. 30 minute round trip and the lights are out. We're going to get ice cream instead.

Ah RVlife. Not always glamour, but the kids were excited that we stuck it out. They wanted to stay instead of just packing it in.

 

[tigger92662]

DW took an action shot of the weirdo grilling outside, in a campground, in December while wearing shorts

I'm with ya buddy

 

[Teamubr]

DW took an action shot of the weirdo grilling outside, in a campground, in December while wearing shorts

I've always been worried about having an outside kitchen. I just knew some random weirdo would walk up (in shorts) and start making me dinner...

Looks like you had a nice weekend.

j

 

[tigger92662]

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

View attachment 545554

Once you pop, you can't stop

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

My time at the in-laws' gives a lot of time to enjoy without much responsibilities. So I've worked on our WDW trip for this summer. I'll keep filling it in as I go, but I wanted to share my neurosis for planning. Though I put a lot of work into it, we don't stick hard to the plan. If weather or something else changes, we're ready to throw it in the trash and keep moving.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tnz30_zsU8GtVzC62rTBFBzdPNkwCIETuTBvhsutsLI/edit?usp=sharing

I make a sheet like this for every RV trip we take, this one is a bit more over the top for WDW. DW makes the grocery list off of it and I usually print a copy and stick it to the RV fridge so the kids can keep tabs on the trip.

Maybe I'm crazy, but that seems to be the norm and not the exception around this place!