The Load Out

Jackson Browne, in his song of the same name, had "roadies" to pack up after the concert, we have Marlys...and me.

Next week, we are taking off on the inaugural truck camper trip. Marlys started loading it up today and cleaning it up, since it has sat since last October.

She quickly found out that it has less storage space then our old travel trailer. She even had the audacity to ask about putting HER items in the basement storage spaces...of course I said no, but we will see how long I can stay with that answer.

I also had time to mark the camper for the laser back up alignment system, that I read about on the Truck Camper Forum.

The loading of the camper on the truck probably seems pretty straightforward, but in fact with all things that seem simple it is not.

The object is to center the camper in the trailer bed, so that the weight distribution is somewhat equal on both sides.

Jim, from whom we bought the camper, had a pretty good method using a string and a couple of reference points in the truck bed. I will not remove the string from the truck and camper until I have validated the laser method, which if it works removes the string and requires the driver to only look out of the drivers side mirror to make the docking possible. Kinda like the shuttle docking with the space station.

The laser is mounted on the truck bed rail and while backing I only need to keep the light on the two lines in the pic to the right.

We will see how well I do. Using Jim's method I did it on my first try, in a rain.

One of the other things we accomplished this week was the replacement of the awning on the camper. It had been previously damaged, so we ordered a new one from Carefree Colorado via the AwningDepot.com.

This was a task we approached with a little trepidation, since I had images of a big gust of wind catching the awning in mid-install and destroying it.

I went to a few sources for instructions, but actually ended up using those that came with the replacement awning, word for word. This is one of those tasks where you should read the instructions BEFORE you start rather then mid-stream, when something is going wrong.

It took us right around an hour to remove and re-install the awning. I used the part number on the original one when ordering so it is an exact replacement.

It worked our well, just remember if you attempt this that there is a spring wound up inside the awning tube that has a little power to it. SO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS on releasing the tension and re-applying it.

I also got around to installing the gate leg table in the camper. There was only one snafu...it was three inches too tall. After some surgery in the shop it fit real nice.

BTW, yesterday when these pictures were taken it was close to 60 degrees up here and I was wearing shorts.

...Today I just got done calling to get the Associations roads plowed as we have 5" of an expected 12" of snow already on the ground.

I get to plow our road starting in about an hour.

Ahhh, springtime in Colorado.