It's A Tonneau, You Know

Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas everyone!  Splish got her Christmas present today . . . a tonneau cover. Now Momma Sharon can put things in Splish's bed and they will stay safe and dry.  Cousin Rob did the installation this morning and everyone (Rob, Trisha, & Levi) finally got to meet my big white camping partner.

We are really, really lucky to have Cousin Rob; someone who can fix anything, install anything, and discuss anything related to camping. After about 30 minutes of work and a teenie bit of help from Momma Sharon here and there, the cover was on and Splish was looking quite stylish!   

Time To Open The Christmas Box

Cuz Rob Swept Out Splish's Bed First

Locating All The Tonneau Parts

The Rails Go On First & Easily

Next Comes The Cover Itself

It Will Rest Against The Cab For Full Access

Finished & Beautiful

Quality Truck Stuff Made By BakFlip

Splish Showing Off Her New Tonneau Cover!

After lunch at a new Mexican restaurant in Landis, my camper Mom hugged everyone's necks and headed back home.  She and Splish sang along to the Christmas songs on SiriusXM and had a great drive.  

Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas to my buddy Splish!  I wonder what I'll be getting…tee hee.  Until I get to open my present, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love & Making Splish Happy"

Pouring Over 2000+ Photos

Howdy folks!  It's a wet, cold Monday here in the Carolina foothills.  You know what these kinds of days are good for?  Going back through the 2000+ photos that Momma Sharon took while on the recent Coastal Caravan!  I'm pretty sure I've told you that she likes to make books about our travels together.  Instead of all those snapshots sitting on a CD tucked away in a drawer, we can look at a book with them featured and read my Stories too.

Off and on today, my Camper Mom has been on the computer creating a big ole book of our adventures on the coast with our Beach Peeps. Here's a sneak preview of that book . . . 

If you look closely, you might see yourself in one of the photos!!  Since the weatherman is saying it's going to rain two more days and we won't see the sun until Thursday, I predict great progress will be made on our book.

Until it's time for another Story, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love, & 2000+ Photos"

Dutch Oven Madness Strikes Again

Hey everyone . . . I hope you have had a wonderful long Thanksgiving weekend!  It was pretty quiet around these parts.  Reason #1 - I don't have a whole lot of family here.  It's just Momma Sharon, Aunt Becky, Miss Wendy, and Uncle Roger.  Reason #2 - nobody did any cooking because they all went out to eat.

Speaking of cooking, Momma Sharon got to open an early Christmas present last evening!  It was a Lodge 10-inch camp Dutch oven and boy was she excited.  You see, she suffers from Dutch Oven Madness.  I think that condition is related to OCD - Obsessive Camping Disorder.  They seem to go hand in hand in my humble opinion.

The latest CDO Award concocted by Chef Bill is the Test Kitchen Award.  In order to earn that award, Momma Sharon and her Cooking Peeps have to test 5 different recipes in their Dutch ovens.  But instead of cooking outside using coals, they have to cook inside using a conventional oven.  It will give our folks an opportunity to test out some dishes that they want to cook during the upcoming 2016 camping season.

Here's what transpired with that early Christmas present . . . 

A big, heavy box arrived this past week from Amazon . . . I wonder what's inside?

Oh joy!  Oh boy!  It's a Lodge 10-inch camp Dutch oven & carrying tote

Mom's cast iron trivet fits perfectly inside 

So does a 3 1/2 pound chicken stuffed with celery, carrots, & onions

Rubbed with olive oil, then seasoned & it goes in the oven for 90 minutes

It was falling off the bones as my Camper Mom pulled it out to let it rest for 10 minutes

There's no need to fear the CDO roasted chicken any more!  It's time to eat this bird!

Now that Momma Sharon has successfully kitchen tested the chicken and broken in her new 10-inch CDO at the same time, I predict there will be some birds being cooked in a campground next year.

Enjoy your Sunday everyone and until I have another Story to share, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love, & Dutch Oven Madness"

Meet Splish

Sunday greetings from a very happy camper and Camper Mom!  Why all the happiness?  We have a new addition to our camping family. Meet Splish . . . 

Splish is a 2016 GMC Canyon SLT . . . Summit White with a Cocoa/Dune interior.  She's a beauty!! She has a crew cab, a short box, and is 4-wheel drive.

Momma Sharon has looked at trucks with a wistful eye for years. When she bought Pilot way back in 2009, she thought about how nice it would be to have a truck that I could follow around, but she went with another SUV instead.  Since mid-summer, she has researched trucks and narrowed down the search to Chevy and GMC models.

She has consulted Cousin Rob, as well as other Camper Peeps like Bill, Deb, and Mary.  They are all truck owners and shared their stories and experiences with her.  While she was up in North Adams, MA visiting with T@B friends at the New England Rally this past September, she had a long chat with Bob, a retired GM employee who offered her one of his GM Family First discounts!  

Since then, she did even more research, went for a couple test drives, and ultimately found the Canyon she wanted down at Liberty Buick GMC in Matthews.  It took a full week of dickering and dancing, but a deal was reached and she picked up Splish on the way home from the beach yesterday.

One of the many features that she loves is a step built into the bumper so she can get up into the bed. The bed has a sprayed in liner, an option she wanted.  We will be able to get all our CDO gear, plus bicycles into the back now!!

The interior is stunning and has all kinds of techie bells and whistles that she's thrilled about.

You might be curious about the Canyon's name, Splish.  Well, we can thank Aunt Becky for that.  She said, "Wouldn't it be cool to name the truck Splish.  You know, Splish Splash."  I have to agree.  We are going to make a beautiful pair!  And Splish has a towing capacity of 7,000 pounds!!!  She's not going to even know I'm back there . . . LOL.

We've got to consult Cousin Rob about a tonneau cover for Splish's box. He has one on Levi the Truck and has offered to install one for us.  Plus that means he will get to meet her in person before our first camping trip of 2016 in March.

Thanks for stopping by today to hear my Story about Splish.  I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving holiday and until we chat again, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love & Following A Beautiful White Truck Named Splish!"

Hap-Hap-Happy Caravan Campers

Mornin' folks!  We've had some damp weather around these parts and I'm pretty sure that Momma Sharon, Aunt Becky, and my pups are in for a wet day at the beach.  Looking back at our Caravan, thank goodness we only had a couple wet days while we were at the coast!  

In lieu of a Story today, I'll just give you a peek into another Photo Album of mine from 14 days with my Trailer Peeps.  

Daisy always has the cutest camping decor

Momma Sharon standing in the road again...this time she was directing my Peeps into parking spots

Too bad I don't have any room for this hella-cool coffee sign

This feisty blue crab wasn't happy on the James Island pier

One of THE most popular activities for our Camper Moms & Dads was bike riding

Keep Tybee Island funky!!

Good morning from Huntington Beach State Park

I followed Pilot and this car magnet mile after mile on our Travel Days

Tangerine & Lucy, my neighbors at River's End

Don't fall asleep when you are sunbathing!!

Arrrgggghhhhh...ahoy there mateys

We saw lots and lots of wildlife at Huntington Beach State Park

The #1 favorite dish on the Coastal Caravan...Shrimp & Grits

Up in lights on James Island

Daisy's sign sums it up...we were all happy campers on the CCII

Tomorrow I hope to have a Story about a potential campground for NEXT year's Coastal Caravan.  Momma Sharon and Aunt Becky will be on a scouting trip to Carolina Beach!!  Until then, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love & Caravan Camping"

Caravan Snaps Of This & That

If I told you I had a Story for you today, that would be stretching the truth a bit.  What I have to share falls better under the title of Photo Album.  Momma Sharon loves to poke her camera in the faces of her Beach Peeps, but I like the photos she takes of pups, decorations, signs, me (tee hee) and MY friends.  So with no further ado, here are some of my favorite snapshots from the CCII.

Check out this funky shot of us all ready to leave James Island County Park

I really dig this Tybee turtle made out of beer bottle caps!

I love Crystal & Kobe even if they are Cheeseheads

Tucker is a handsome camping dog

Relaxation, island-style

Momma's friend Mary believes life is all about the dash in between

The folks at River's End Campground gave Momma Sharon the perfect coffee cup

This little fellow wanted to join our caravan too

Duncan on the left and Teddy on the right love the AirT@B Life

Oh look . . . a shop is named for me on Jekyll Island!!

Aunt Becky decorated me for Halloween with a little ghostie

October is a little early for Christmas decorations, but I love this live oak tree at night

Ahh . . . beach time . . . you got that right

Four very cool pendant lights @ the Life Is Good store

Life Is definitely Good on the Coastal Caravan with my Trailer Peeps

Momma Sharon scored some coolio decals for our Dutch oven bucket

My buddy from Florida has a stylish decal on the back window

Caravan life is my kind of life!!

I hope you enjoyed my Photo Album full of caravan snaps of this and that.  Until I see you again, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love & Caravan Snaps"