It seemed like forever since we were last at Coates RV checking out their camping trailers, but finally Tuesday – May 7th arrived and we were able to go pick up the camper we would be calling home while in the woods (campground).
Our new camper!
The big kids are busy at school wrapping up the end of the year, so Ryan and I drove out to Hugo together leaving them to their school day. Plus, once you purchase a camper from Coates RV they do a final walk through with you to make sure you understand how everything works.
I always get a kick out of a visit to Coates RV. They have a bunch of fun campers to explore while you are there waiting for any type of service being done on your wheels. I really like all the animals being displayed in the front lobby. I am not a hunter (I am more of a gather) but I still like looking at the different kinds of creatures they have scattered around.
The service department at Coates RV was fantastic! Our guy Brett had been put in charge of inspecting our camper. He told us everything he did to ensure our family’s safety. Brett walked through the whole trailer. Step by step he explained how each button worked and how to hook up the hoses for when we are camping. It was a ton of information! I was amazed by all the details of owning a camper.
I felt great knowing he was the one who worked on our camper and he was also the guy showing us how to use our camper. Although we got a used camper the employee staff made us feel just as important as someone who might spend 40,000 on one of their campers. I walked away from the inspection feeling confident and if we hit a crossroad Brett gave us his card to call him anytime. That is A+ service in my option.
Handing Over the Keys
Our trip back home gave Ryan a great chance to practice driving the trailer and working with a brake controller. It didn’t take long for him to warm up to the change. I was pleased to see the kids looks on their faces when we pulled up to our house. The two older kids haven’t had a chance to see the camper with their own eyes yet. Keegan (our 13 year old son) was pumped to take it out camping for the weekend. Jadis (our 6 year old daughter) wanted to skip the next two days of school and leave right then and there.
No, you can’t skip school to go camping!
At least let me get it packed up and then we will see…
We received permission to park our camping trailer in front of our house for a few days until we left for the campground. In our city you can’t have it parked in front of your home for more than 6 hours at a time. I needed way more time than that to fill it up for our trip. The neighbors didn’t seem to mind at all, in fact many of them stopped by to take a gander inside the camper. A few of them enjoy camping as a family, too.
Once we calmed down from all the adrenaline we headed into the house for a good nights sleep. The next morning I was going to start operation fill the camper.
Ready to Camp!
Check out what we packed including a list of what we missed here (will add link).
Happy Camping, Kelly
- About the Author
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Hey there, I’m Ryan, the face behind Beyond The Tent.
With decades of camping experiences, my journey into the wilderness began on the rustic trails of a farm in southern Minnesota, where my childhood was filled with explorations and camping by a picturesque river.
My family’s adventures across the United States, from the majestic Colorado mountains to the serene national parks and the pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Northern Minnesota have given me a broad perspective. With each journey, whether in state parks or private encampments, and through the homely comfort of our camping trailers, we’ve amassed a trove of stories, experiences, and invaluable camping wisdom.