So today we left for Colorado. It was 5:15 AM when we were finally on the road. It was a good ride. I drove the first 5.5 hours. Terra took over for a good 3 and I finished out at a full 12 hours in the car. We made it all the way to Colorado Springs. We did not have any plans for Thursday and Friday night. So just playing it by ear.
We ended up at Garden of the Gods campground (GotGc) in Manitou Springs. We plan to hit Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, and Seven Falls Thursday. But not sure where we are staying Thursday night.
But the real story is what happened when we finally settled on a place to stay. We get to GotGc and upgrade to an RV lot. More room for this big ass tent we have. Terra picked it up on clearance a few years ago. Last year we set it up in the yard. Big tent. 3 rooms to it and I could stand in the middle without stooping. I was pretty excited to finally use the tent.
So after 12 hours in the car everyone is a little cranky as expected. At our lot we start unloading. Terra and I jump on the tent right away. We spread it out and so far so good. Then we realize something is wrong. Every last tent poll is apart. There must be 50 or more pole pieces with every single elastic cord that usually holds the polls together broken. There are long poles, short ones, thick ones, thin ones. with poles spread out we are trying to group them together. Some double metal ended, some single ended, some with no metal ends at all.
We put two polls together pretty quick from all the parts. We had to thread the elastic cord through the polls and tie off the ends. We spent over an hour trying different poll combinations with no luck. We only needed to have 4 polls in the end. People were walking by smiling at us. One old lady asked if she could help. But in the end no matter what combination we tried it wouldn’t work. Let’s just say tension was high.
I was pissed, yelling at the kids, terra was yelling at me. Not yelling that anyone could hear but you get the idea. 12 hours in the car and this was the last thing we needed on the first day of the trip.
I ended up calling the office and told them the deal. We found a cabin a lot over. Full kitchen, shower, flat screen with cable. Sleeps 7. Not roughing it by any means but perfect for draining all the bad tent voodoo from our bodies.
I have no idea what happened to the polls. How could everyone be broken like that? We were so discouraged with the tent we gave it away to an old couple that said there son could use it. I guess he had 5 kids.
Right now I am sitting on the porch enjoying the cool mountain air. We have a full day tomorrow so off to sleep soon. Looking forward to getting some family video shot.
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Hopefully you are laughing this morning, becuase I had to laugh as I read it. Enjoy the mountains.
Yes, it was all good Tom. The cabin made everyone forget about it.