Jean and Uff Da Inn Maiden voyage

Hello,

One of my interests is geocaching. This weekend is a major event near Mt. Vernon, Illinois at Rend Lake.

Uff Da Inn and I traveled about 10 hours thru the long state of Illinois to arrive late Thursday night. Pulled straignt into the choosen campsite, plugged electricity in, turned on the Pelonis electric heater and the heated mattress pad. Straightened up the bed and waited for my caching buddy to show up. He arrived after my "home" was set for the night. Greeted each other and crashed, me in the Uff Da Inn, and buddy in the back of his truck bed and topper.

Friday up and going around 7 am. First order of business was finding the water, filling up the fresh water tank, and then practicing backing up. Thank goodness for my friends endless patience teaching me. Once in place, then up went the Northern Breeze.

Lesson #1: Set up Northern Breeze, the back CI under. We drapped the awning over the tear, the put in poles. Worked, but not recommended process.

Friend cooked breakfast. We both fumbled around trying to find galley items. After breakfast, washed dishes and took off for a days caching in the rain.

Caching buddy is totally impressed with the CI stove!!!!

Cached in the rain all day Friday. Returned home to make chili and heat bread in the dutch oven. Crashed into my nice warm Uff Da Inn way too late. First I had to string a clothes line to dry jacket, wet pants, and set hiking boots into "shoe container" so they could dry overnight.

Saturday: up at 7 am. Hard struggle from my nice warm bed. days weather: cold, wet, and icky. So far has sleet, thunder, freezing rain, rain/snow and snow.

I gave up caching around 3:30 pm after bone cold, pants wet upto knees, hands cold, and snowing. There is not reason that I need to be out in this icky weather.

Took a long hot shower, put on dry clothes. Hung wet pants and coats in tear drop, cranked up electric heater.

So hear I sit at 5:30 pm trying to cook myself to warm up. Thanks goodness for the wonderful teardrop. Wet clothes hanging every where, nice warm and dry place, Dog curled up nest to me.

My caching friend called to say he finally gave up. He is wet, bone cold. Plans on a long hot shower.

He cooks breakfast and I ccok supper. Well, I decided I am not cooking supper, mostly because I don't want to sit under the Northern Breeze freezing!!!

Have to admit, the warm dry tear is nice, but I would much rather be at home right now.

Pictures will be coming, tear tucked under Northern Breeze, and maybe showing some snow.

Jean

Jean

 

Great story can't wait to see the pictures.

 

Great story.
I have been on several wet hunt trips in tents and now the TD. I heard a friend sum it up very well. Of the miserable conditions he told me "I have enjoyed all this I can stand."
I have had good luck using a Buddy Heater in the Northern Breeze. I have the hose that allows me to use the propane on the TD. I can take a chill off the air.
Steve

 

One thing if for sure you have a good story to tell - I am chivering just reading it - but spring is on its way!

 

Whoa, I'd rather face much colder weather than deal with sleet and freezing rain.

 

Forgot to take a photo of the snow and teardrop tucked under the Northern Breeze.

Sunday weather was a great improvement: bright blue skies, snow all melted, cook air.

Jean

 

Jean,
Our maiden voyages couldn't have been different, but both were fun I'm sure! We went from 85 degree Air Conditioning to high 40's and using the heater to take the chill out of the air one night. Hot sunshine and no shade with high wind for me and cold, wet and nasty, snow and sleet for you. And the CI took care of us both!

 

Jean,

I'll bet the weather made the CI-CO seem quite balmy! lol