We had the stay-at-home blues so we decided to do one last short getaway before our long trip across the country.
We wanted to double check all the systems in the Basecamp were functioning properly and get a feel for what it would be like in cooler temperatures. You’ll be happy to hear we didn’t forget any “housewares” but Jimmy did lack a warm jacket. We did okay though – the camper was able to stay very warm.
Most of Saturday was running errands and heading up to the San Francisco North/Petaluma KOA Campground. It is one of our favorites in the SF Bay Area. Located about an hour and a half from home, it’s far enough to “get away” into wine country but close enough we can get back if there is a need.
We got into the campground around sunset, nabbed some firewood, got unhitched, and hooked up to the amenities before heading out to grab some provisions for a campfire chili.
It proceeded to dip into the high 30s and we learned a few things:
- Scout, our pup, starts getting cold in the 40s (maybe low 50s). We need to get him a warm outdoor blanket, jacket or sweater, and booties before our longer cross-country trip.
- The Electric-only heater in the Basecamp can’t keep it warm enough for me to sleep (I’m from FL, don’t hate). We turned on the “Mix” setting, which combines electricity and propane and that did the trick!
- Scout does not want to leave the Basecamp for his morning walk when it is cold. Even if you have treats and/or his food bowl (filled). Even more reason for the aforementioned sweater or jacket with booties.
- Having a couple of the cheapie, fleece blankets with us for sitting outdoors would be nice.
We’ve come to the conclusion that Scout, our sweet Borador, is spoiled by our climate-controlled apartment. Although I like to think he just remembers being a stray last winter and is having none of it now. We also got him a cool zip line for the campsite. I had seen these types of contraptions in the wild and thought it would be a great solution for Scout. He likes to follow us around but we can’t always hold onto his leash and be able to function. You could easily make your own, but for simplicity, we bought RuffWear’s Knot-A-Hitch and it’s great. We even had some campsite neighbors ask about it. You can see it in some of our photos – it’s the red rope line that crosses through the camera’s field of vision.
Sunday during the fall are football days for our little family, so we set up a monitor outside and tested the “tailgate-ability” of the Basecamp. The power plug on the outside of the Basecamp worked well for this as we set up a computer, monitor, Bluetooth speaker situation and proceeded to watch an early (for Pacific time) game. We had a campfire, crackers, mimosas, and coffee (leftover from breakfast). It was a beautiful morning and even though our team lost, we enjoyed every minute of it. I would say the Basecamp would be great for tailgating. You can seat 5 (maybe sneak one more in there) with the lounge or dining seating up and the bed away…and being able to hook up an outdoor TV and outdoor grill is super convenient.
The second half of Sunday was a celebration of National Zinfandel Day at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards. We were able to sneak in for a tasting even though they were mostly booked. Not too much to say about that, other than their outdoor seating area is lovely, with great views. They specialize in Zinfandels but have many things to taste. I’d definitely recommend stopping by if you’re in the area. Since COVID is still a big thing, I’d call ahead next time – I think we got lucky.
