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Old 08-15-2013, 10:34 AM   #1
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Keeping a journal

While at Lake Of The Pines near Jefferson TX two weekends ago we went downtown (with friends) to 5Ds Cattle Company steak house. We had reservations and arrived a little early. There were many quaint little stores all around the restaurant so we browsed while waiting.

I came across a really pretty hardback journal, roses with a jeweled cross on the cover. Shazayum! I thought of keeping a journal of all our trips, with the camp site numbers included, as well as camp site numbers we'd prefer if we returned. Or, if we didn't enjoy that trip/camp ground and don't wish to return. I'll include friends who camped with us, and friends we made while there.

I've got to back up and fill in the previous trips, but I intend to be vigilant about this...I'll put old fashioned pen to paper and log every trip we take, near or far. It already has a place of honor on the kitchen table of our RV.

Any of you do this?
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Old 08-15-2013, 10:40 AM   #2
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I'm a geek, therefore I keep a spreadsheet of all of our trips. I started last year and continued it this year (my main years RVing). I keep it on Google Drive so that I can update it from my laptop, smart phone and iPad. I keep a separate spreadsheet for each year.

Here are the columns that I record:
  • Arrival Date
  • Departure Date
  • Campground
  • Site #
  • Site Notes
  • Who went (in my immediate family)
  • Camped with (friends/extended family)
  • Camper stored before/left from
  • Camper stored after
  • Miles towed to campground (1,553.9)
  • Miles towed on return (921.0)
  • Notes [Total miles towed: 2474.9]
  • # Nights (40)
  • Cost ($990.00) / night ($24.75)
  • # Nights Planned (60) / night ($16.50)

The cost is for the trips that I've gone on. I also enter our future nights that we plan, so I can calculate the # Nights Planned + the final cost/night.

Because I'm a Thousand Trails member, I do include my yearly fee for that in the costs.

I do not include fuel costs, I'd rather not know! (Though, I do record them into another app- Gas Cubby.)
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Old 08-15-2013, 01:03 PM   #3
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I actually journal every day. I use a small (5*8) week at a glance. One side of a day's entry is something I gleaned from my Bible study the other side, events of the day or other random ponderings. Been doing it for probably 25 years.
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Old 08-15-2013, 01:24 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ependydad View Post
I'm a geek, therefore I keep a spreadsheet of all of our trips. I started last year and continued it this year (my main years RVing). I keep it on Google Drive so that I can update it from my laptop, smart phone and iPad. I keep a separate spreadsheet for each year.

Here are the columns that I record:
  • Arrival Date
  • Departure Date
  • Campground
  • Site #
  • Site Notes
  • Who went (in my immediate family)
  • Camped with (friends/extended family)
  • Camper stored before/left from
  • Camper stored after
  • Miles towed to campground (1,553.9)
  • Miles towed on return (921.0)
  • Notes [Total miles towed: 2474.9]
  • # Nights (40)
  • Cost ($990.00) / night ($24.75)
  • # Nights Planned (60) / night ($16.50)

The cost is for the trips that I've gone on. I also enter our future nights that we plan, so I can calculate the # Nights Planned + the final cost/night.

Because I'm a Thousand Trails member, I do include my yearly fee for that in the costs.

I do not include fuel costs, I'd rather not know! (Though, I do record them into another app- Gas Cubby.)
Like you, I keep a record (or Log or Journal) of some of the same things - all maintenance records and manuals of all appliances in the FW, a record of miles the FW is pulled by date left the storage facility or CG and next arrival date and miles pulled ( I use the TV odometer reading for beginning and ending mileage).

Unlike you - I don't keep a record of the cost of fuel and other expenses, but there is certainly nothing wrong with doing so.

We keep the manuals in a box in the FW and a record of maintenance and mileage in a little binder in the TV.
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Old 08-15-2013, 01:31 PM   #5
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Ahh, yes- I also keep a record of maintenance of the TV in a spreadsheet. But not of the camper. All of my camper manuals live in a cabinet. I've referred to them occasionally- usually when something is going wrong. (For instance, when our toilet was leaking at the beginning of the season, I was able to determine it was the water valve AND that I hadn't properly winterized the toilet.)
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Old 08-15-2013, 01:38 PM   #6
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(chuckle) Mine is more along the lines of an experience and memories diary. I can understand why you guys want to get all technical with it, and DH may well do that. Mine won't go into those details. I'll leave that to him.

BTW B47, it's me...your buddy HERmit...I've morphed yet again!
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Old 08-15-2013, 01:51 PM   #7
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Absolutely!

I use the Camping Journal: RV Log Book by Terry Taylor. It tracks just about anything I can think of. Not so much TV maintenance but anything to do with the site, weather, mileage, comments, etc. Its in a nice spiral bound book so it stays flat when using it. Pretty inexpensive for about $15-16. She used to have it at her site rvgoddess.com but I got it from Amazon. And yes, mine is pretty much on the dining table at all times.
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Old 08-15-2013, 01:55 PM   #8
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I started a journal when I got my TT a few months ago. My grandparents do it for thier Camper and their hunting camp. Just for memories, people, places, weather, what we did, what we ate, etc I never really thought I was the type to enjoy it or even care but i started reading about trips that my grandparents took 50 years ago and it's pretty darn cool.

Of course, I have only used 3 pages so far in mine. It's handwritten so far but I may have to switch. My handwriting is awful.

Also, have a separate service log for both the TT and TV
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Old 08-15-2013, 02:01 PM   #9
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Bryan,

DH used to work in the furniture and furnishing industry. During that time he brought home so many nice "accent pieces" one of which was a set of round rubber wood trays, about an inch and a half in depth, 3 different sizes and with rubber feet on the bottom.with nice retro wine advertisements in the bottom of 'em.

I keep the medium sized one on the dining table in the RV. It stays put during travel and is perfect to keep keys in, spare change in (the man has to empty his pockets every night) our iphones, etc. My journal sits in that tray with everything else.

The large one sits on our dresser at home for the same application.

The only time the one in the RV has danced off was when we went thru the "mine field" called I-20 West, on the approach to Bossier City, LA.
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Give me 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around:
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F250 Super Duty 2013 Tuxedo Black "Biff"
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Old 08-16-2013, 08:43 AM   #10
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I don't do a Journal, but we buy a small refrigerator magnet at every place we camp. I have them lined up, in order, on the range hood. Eventually, I will fill it up and I'll need to find another place.

You wouldn't believe how many 'arguments' this has ended between me and the wife, over where we went (and when)

Tim
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Old 08-16-2013, 08:55 AM   #11
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Last school year, I was working on a school project with my son. We had to dress it up some and needed basically some scrapbooking stuff. Our local Michaels and Hobby Lobby had several camping/travel related scrapbooking things...that you may want to add on your journal pages.



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Old 08-16-2013, 04:20 PM   #12
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In 2004, when we bought our first MINI Cooper, we were given a "motoring journal" as part of our new car package. We never really used it for the Cooper, but have been using it since 2005 to log our motorhome trips. We log mileage, campsite locations, oil changes, etc. It has been very useful to help jog our memories about when we last visited places, etc.

I have thought about doing some of this with online/phone apps, etc. but the pen and paper are always right there and easy to use. :-)
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Old 08-16-2013, 04:50 PM   #13
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Always meant to do this, and never got around to it.
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Old 08-16-2013, 04:59 PM   #14
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wmtire, We used those items on our camp site sign....a golf bag for his hobby, of course. We used camping items, sleeping bags, lantern, etc. but I didn't see the RVs!
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Give me 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around:
Flagstaff 5er 2014 8528 IKWS, Platinum Package, Regency Interior "Buffy"
F250 Super Duty 2013 Tuxedo Black "Biff"
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Old 08-16-2013, 05:01 PM   #15
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PS, wmtire, whatcha doin' hangin' out here during work hours?

hidin' out in the office gettin' your forum fix? /snork
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If age is a state of mind, and I've lost my mind, I'm AGELESS, right?
Give me 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around:
Flagstaff 5er 2014 8528 IKWS, Platinum Package, Regency Interior "Buffy"
F250 Super Duty 2013 Tuxedo Black "Biff"
Days camped 2014: 30
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Old 08-16-2013, 09:23 PM   #16
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I have written in a journal the first night of each campground visit since 1992 when we purchased our first pop-up. Includes date, campground, site, number of days, animals/people with us or expected to visit, and thoughts of the day. I frequently read through the entries on subsequent trips and am reminded of the wonderful experiences over the years. Also chuckle over the 'sitting in the truck eating cheese curd with the dog, waiting for the torrential rains to let up so I can pop the camper' comments.
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Old 08-16-2013, 09:34 PM   #17
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Quote:
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I have written in a journal the first night of each campground visit since 1992 when we purchased our first pop-up. Includes date, campground, site, number of days, animals/people with us or expected to visit, and thoughts of the day. I frequently read through the entries on subsequent trips and am reminded of the wonderful experiences over the years. Also chuckle over the 'sitting in the truck eating cheese curd with the dog, waiting for the torrential rains to let up so I can pop the camper' comments.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

Example: On our last trip (Lake of the Pines in TX) we were sittin outside with friends who camped with us...over at their RV, when we heard and felt a WHUMP...percussion explosion....looked across the lake, even got out a pair of binoculars...it looked like someone was fueling up a skidoo, let gasoline get on the hot exhaust and UP IT WENT!

Now that's a way to ruin a perfect camping weekend.

Just small memories like that. Reading back through it brings back the memories.
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If age is a state of mind, and I've lost my mind, I'm AGELESS, right?
Give me 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around:
Flagstaff 5er 2014 8528 IKWS, Platinum Package, Regency Interior "Buffy"
F250 Super Duty 2013 Tuxedo Black "Biff"
Days camped 2014: 30
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Old 08-16-2013, 09:39 PM   #18
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Too funny! I've kept a journal since we started in our Pop-up in 1998! Several campers since then but I always keep the current journal in the TV. Always a great reference manual for routes, tolls, funny stories, etc! We also pick up small magnets for the range hood best traditions EVER!
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Old 08-16-2013, 09:45 PM   #19
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Oh yes..from day one when we bought our first camper Dec 31, 2009. After almost 400 nights camping, over 40,000 miles towing and visiting 37 states it's interesting to look back at places we have been, sights we have seen, friends we camped with, notes on what we liked or didn't like about each CG and the area plus what it cost per night, along with dates, times departed-arrived and routes driven and the cost of fuel.
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Old 08-16-2013, 09:57 PM   #20
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I don't wanna keep up with fuel cost. It's supposed to be pleasant memories!

If my kids wind up with our journals, I wonder what they'll think.

My youngest was the first to find out we bought the RV...I predicted what he'd say...I was right;

You leavin it to me in your will?

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If age is a state of mind, and I've lost my mind, I'm AGELESS, right?
Give me 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around:
Flagstaff 5er 2014 8528 IKWS, Platinum Package, Regency Interior "Buffy"
F250 Super Duty 2013 Tuxedo Black "Biff"
Days camped 2014: 30
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