TX Renaissance Festival 2023

[dbhosttexas]

Long story short, I am a widower, my late wife and I LOVED camping the TX Renaissance Festival, and now that I have the Sportsmobile, I was able to do so in more comfort and honestly privacy than previously possible...



I arrived and set up Thursday afternoon.

The good. The 12v / Solar worked absolutely flawlessly. And I mean flawlessly. I may have overbuilt the 12v system. Now that the Lifepo4 is in, and the lead acid / battery isolator is out, Starcool seems to be working again now that I do not need it because it is so danged cold...

The fridge did what it was supposed to do.

The new Seaflow portable toilet kept me from having to use the big plastic poo boxes... Or even leave my van at all.

The Joolca Ensuite Awning kept everthing protected, and close to the side of the van.

The Coleman Classic 2 burner stove did it's thing with its usual efficiency. Boiled water fast, simmered after some fiddling which is typical, and didn't go through but maybe 1/4 of a pound of fuel.

The penthouse roof / bunk allowed me sufficient space to stash the solar panels where they are protected for transport. I think I can eke the kick stands in there as well. standing height / walk around room was awesome. Definately worth every penny for that penthouse roof!

My Ozark Trail 15" smokeless fire pit, not quite a Solo Stove copy as this one collapses and packs up MUCH smaller than a similar size Solo Stove. but it worked better than I could have hoped. I had it far enough away to not burn myself or the van down, but close enough I was enjoying the heat quite well...

The bad.

The bed is rather uncomfortable. I woke up every morning with a serious back ache. I have a 3" Memory foam mattress pad coming that should fix this problem.

I forgot my pillows. The only ones available were the throw pillows that came on the dinette. Very uncomfortable and keep my head at least 8" away from the van wall making me sleep on an angle. Withoug the pillow I have more than enough room. Remember to throw the Therm A Rest camp pillow in the camper before next trip dummy!

The tip out rear windows and tip out sliding door window have no sort of bug screens, and the Ren Fest campground had abundant flies this year. No problem just bring out and turn on the Thermacell. Couldn't find the fuel for the Thermacell... Ended up using Citronella candles which worked okay, found the fuel for the Thermacell as I was packing up. Found a proper permanent home for the Thermacell and leaving it there.

Not having the onboard water system restored meant I relied on AquaTainers and a water pump, but my new water pump was defective and left me using gravity for my water system. No showers. Dang...

I brought flannel sheet set, as well as a couple of fleece sleeping bags. Should be good down to 50 deg F. Well we got down to 52, and I had apparently forgotten to close the sliding door window. Was a bit chilly, not bad, but definately know I need to bring a big sleeping bag next time...

The ugly. I bought a Joolca water pump back in April, I tested the heater using my garden hose, it never occurred to me to test / verify the pump, and sure enough my pump was defective. It would simply never prime no matter what we did with it... Good thing is it is still under warranty.

Alternator amp light on the van came on and stayed on. Alternator test shows no problem. I know the issue is the signal wire from the back of the alternator has a bad connector. my mechanic is trying to source one up without resorting to a bone yard... The alternator is working and the gauge is showing the proper voltage / battery staying charged including driving home 2+ hours. It is just the idiot light on the dash is offended. Hopefully they will get that fixed soon.

And to top it off. I forgot to bring a chair of any sort. And I have a stack of camp chairs.

[BroncoHauler]

You're getting out and using your rig, that's what's important, and I'm very sorry for your loss.


Herb

[dbhosttexas]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

You're getting out and using your rig, that's what's important, and I'm very sorry for your loss.


Herb

I have had to explain this to a few folks. Just because we can no longer do the things we wanted to do together in body, doesn't mean she's not being brought along for the trip, if in no other way than in memory... I do the things we wanted to do for her now...

On a campground note. We went from a nice, wide open spacious field to having people pitching tents close enough to hear me fart in the van. What a weekend!

Getting ready for the next one!

[Twoxentrix]

I believe we hit every TX Ren Fest between 1980 through 2000 dbhosttexas -
Always brought home a commemorative mug as a trophy...last 20 have been the Maryland Ren Fest. They certainly are entertaining in so many ways!

[86Scotty]

Glad your first trip out was a hit. You'll always forget something but I bet you'll be much more ready for the next one.

Van looks good.

[dbhosttexas]

Originally Posted by Twoxentrix

I believe we hit every TX Ren Fest between 1980 through 2000 dbhosttexas -
Always brought home a commemorative mug as a trophy...last 20 have been the Maryland Ren Fest. They certainly are entertaining in so many ways!

I don't bring home anything so durable although I was looking at the wooden turned mugs this time. I typically come home with some jerky, some mead, and when my wife was alive she liked to get those floral hair things. No idea what they are called... Sort of like a floral crown... She loved hats and hair decorations...

I sort of felt funny being in my mid 50s thinking this is a younger persons thing, when the young couple set up their tent behind me, I thought yep, younguns... Then the couple in had to be their 70s pulled their trailer in behind me and set up I didn't feel so bad...

[dbhosttexas]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

Glad your first trip out was a hit. You'll always forget something but I bet you'll be much more ready for the next one.

Van looks good.

My plan is, and you know how all plans go, but the idea here is to get the load in sorted and leave it except the perishables, then I should just swing by the grocery store on the way out of town...

[marret]

Glad you made the trip and can a carry along your late wife’s memory.

Looks like a nice set up.

I have been using a topper these days as well and keep a regular house pillow in the van along with a couple camping inflatables.

Hopefully the Joolca work properly with a new pump.

As others, something may be forgotten.

I keep a couple REI folding chairs in the van.

Hope the idiot light is resolved easily. My last trip had some issues to resolve, actually several trips have.


I have learned what works best for me is to keep the van ready to go with all gear, “living” items and supplies except clothes, consumables, toiletries, etc. This meant buying things just for the van. Having to put this and that in the van before departure means something will get forgotten.

[dbhosttexas]

Originally Posted by marret

Glad you made the trip and can a carry along your late wife’s memory.

Looks like a nice set up.

I have been using a topper these days as well and keep a regular house pillow in the van along with a couple camping inflatables.

Hopefully the Joolca work properly with a new pump.

As others, something may be forgotten.

I keep a couple REI folding chairs in the van.

Hope the idiot light is resolved easily. My last trip had some issues to resolve, actually several trips have.


I have learned what works best for me is to keep the van ready to go with all gear, “living” items and supplies except clothes, consumables, toiletries, etc. This meant buying things just for the van. Having to put this and that in the van before departure means something will get forgotten.

I am heavy enough weight capacity in a chair is a concern. Most cheap camp chairs only support a little over 200lbs. Which would be perfect if I was still in my early 20s... Not so much now. I have a heavy Duty Quick Chair (by Quick Shade) that is pretty much bomb proof I keep in my Pathfinder. I just forgot to move it over. I also have one of those VERY compactible knock down chairs that backpackers use, but a version that allegedly supports my weight and another heavy person... That is in the shed and that really is the one I should stash in the van...

I tested the Joolca out on faucet water and it works wonderfully. Their pumps have a bit of a reputation for a weak spot in their product lineup. I should have tested. I have a Seaflow 3GPM which is the top of the ratings as far as using with the Joolca, or a Camplux 5L or anything I am likely to use... The joolca allows me to turn the flow down so that is a good thing, but anyway, just need to provide a 12v power feed for it and test. The water jugs stay in the van for now so all I need to do is set up the pump, plug everything in, hook up water, hook up gas, and plug in the power and then flip on the faucet... And pray it works.

About to talk to the shop. Not super worried other than big red warning light that disagrees with authoritative gauge... OBD1 vehicle so no worries about that throwing a CEL... I have a list of issues they need to iron out after the first of the year, minor foibles I want fixed on this 30 year old van, by then 31 years old...

While they work on the mechanics, I will start in on building the new counter tops and cabinet doors. Counter tops will be Pecan / Walnut butcher block. Doors will be pine tongue and groove rails & stiles with pine beadboard inset panels. I am going for a specific look here... Think old fashioned hunting cabin.

The plan to keep the van ready except expensibles is what I am trying to get to. Once it goes in, stays in unless it is getting replenished like fuels, breaks and needs replaced, or needs laundered. I am planning on keeping at least 4 days change of clothes in the closet and my foul weather gear in there as well... The idea is to just stop by the grocery store on the way out, fill up the fridge and pantry and go...

[Steve Hunt]

Originally Posted by dbhosttexas

The plan to keep the van ready except expensibles is what I am trying to get to. Once it goes in, stays in unless it is getting replenished like fuels, breaks and needs replaced, or needs laundered. I am planning on keeping at least 4 days change of clothes in the closet and my foul weather gear in there as well... The idea is to just stop by the grocery store on the way out, fill up the fridge and pantry and go...

We certainly have lots of things that go in and stay in but there are some things i just don't want/need on the day trips or when the van is just our luxury at a local running or MTB event like a limb hand saw, 100' extension cord, impact driver, outdoor shower tent thing etc etc ....so what i do is a free standing 4-shelf rack dedicated to ONLY van stuff in the corner of the garage then I just go over to it and scan each shelf for the unique items for any given trip and load those items in. Works for me or at least it works 97.6% of the time, I always forget something.