The time finally came for our inaugural trip that has been much anticipated. We were undecided on where we wanted to go and finally made the decision for,
Mogollan Rim, the day before we left. Ultimately we thought some place not too far off the grid and somewhere the terrain was more predictable with the trailer. Shawn is awesome pulling it but he wanted to make sure wherever we went was trailer friendly.
We left Wednesday mid morning after loading the trailer. It was a bit hectic this first trip as we stocked the trailer with things such as dishes, spices, towels, blankets, sweaters, toiletries, well you get the point. This way our next trip all we need to pack is clothes and food.
After searching for 30 minutes for the girls' favorite dolls we were on our way.
Since our first trip did not have RV hook ups, Shawn did some research and found a fresh water source to fill our tank. We were surprised it was free. We thought it would make more sense to fill our tank closer to our destination to keep the trailer lighter and save some gas. We filled up and were back on the road. We noticed water leaking but didn't think too much about it. After losing about 10 gallons on the way to our campsite we discovered there is a separate cap you can purchase that was apparently missing (oops). By the end of our trip we did run out of water, though we had plenty in water jugs, so we learned a lot! Owning a trailer is a learning experience for sure. We also discovered that we need to upgrade our toilet to one that is standard size and more efficient. Fortunately they're not very expensive.
Once we arrived to the camp area we were on the hunt for the perfect spot. We found it to be very popular. We spotted some ahhhmmazing spots near the rim, like no joke 10 feet from your campfire was the edge. So awesome but not kid friendly. Shawn and I hope to go back kid-less to experience those spots first hand. We knew we were nearing the end and I found the perfect spot. We loved it and talked about how much we lucked out several times during our stay.
It took about 20 minutes to get our site all set up. I anticipate as we become a RV connoisseur family it will take even less time.
We enjoyed playing games, lots of exploring, talks by the fire, snuggles, watching the squirrels throw pine cones to the ground, sightings of blue jays, scavenger hunts, s'mores and watching the hours pass by.
Most mornings were slow and we snuggled in bed.
Reece LOVED her bath in the sink.
Ava sprained her ankle (wink, wink) and needed her walking sticks for crutches.
The girls and I started a tradition to find flowers at each trip.
While owning a trailer is a big responsibility it made for a much more enjoyable experience. Nap time, bedtime, cooking, heater at night, bathroom visits in the middle of the night are just a few reasons why I could not be happier with our investment. Having a fridge/freezer was awesome too! Reece struggled a bit with naps at first, partly due to two molars breaking through during our trip. Poor baby! After the second day our routine was much more fluid and everyone was happier.
We went on walks daily. Adisyn used her imagination for a stick cell phone. I laughed to myself in silence during the conversations she had. Ava wanted to collect every rock, stick, and pine cone she could find. She wanted to take half the forest home. Seriously. I finally had to draw the line at some point. As soon as we got home she wanted to decorate the backyard with her findings. Reece was happy as can be. Shawn, well I haven't seen a smile like that on his face in a long time. Abby LOVED exploring and chasing the squirrels. I was ecstatic to slow down and unplug from reality. We were all truly at our happy place and we CAN NOT wait for our next destination.
Before we left we made sure to hit some of the viewpoints. There is even a paved path along the rim with benches throughout. We loved this spot and everything it has to offer and definitely plan to return sometime. Maybe over the summer sometime and hit up the lake.
This trip was exactly what we needed. Unplugged, connected, present, and loving each memory we shared together.
