Well over a year later I finally went on another camping trip in the CR-V thanks to my college friend (LM) of like mind who is also mini van camping.  We met up at the Free camping area Cypress Creek.  It was a bit difficult to locate but thankfully LM scouted out the entrance and I found it easily.  I prepared all day and set up my crates and my cargo hitch.  I used ties down straps to secure them so they didn’t shift during travel.

On my way to the site, about a 2.5 hour drive for me, I had a small crock pot with hamburger, spices, onion and peppers cooking with an inverter.  I stopped halfway and drained the fat and added canned tomatoes and black beans and by the time I arrived i had chili!  The little (3 quart) crock pot worked perfectly!  I saved the box and some of the packing material so I could set the pot in the box to secure it and keep  from melting anything in my car.

We set up her in the sun (albeit overcast) and me in the potential shade of an oak tree.  I put my SUV tent on the CR-V and set up my bed.  I didn’t use the magnets that I had purchased.

First time using my mattress. The collapsible water bottle was good however, it kept falling off the table.  I placed it on the cargo hitch and worked well. Taking a walk with the dogs, we got familiar with the property and found a swing! Kinda random, but fun.

Interestingly we saw quite a few armadillos. I thought they had more of a nocturnal nature.

Thanks to the use of LM’s butane/propane stove I heated my chili and added some fixin’s and she heated her meal and we enjoyed dinner around a campfire.  Of course we had to gather wood before we ate and started the fire very quickly with some paper I had brought with me.  It was great to catch up with my friend and hear how she converted her van and all she has learned from her camping adventures thus far.

I had a little a trouble settling down and the CR-V didn’t have as much room as I had hoped.  The mattress was comfortable but since I have not build out the back I was tilted downward and in combination with a sleeping bag that is slippery I was sliding down all night.  The sleeping bag is also difficult to turn over in or slide up.  Daisy was constantly jumping up thinking I was going to lay on her!  Also, remember the lack of magnets?  mosquitos found there way in the car… ouch!  After I fell asleep I slept well waking after the sun was up.  I used my sterno set up to heat water in the morning and that worked well.

Using the propane/butane stove we combined resources and egg scramble with ham, peppers and cheese.  Then, anticipating rain we packed up before we went for a hike.  We found the creek and a pond and yes, more armadillos.

Cypress Creek

Random fungus.

What I learned:

• I have too much stuff
• Organize my stuff
• I need to level out my sleeping space
• Use the magnets!
• Need to make curtains or some solution for window covering
• CR-V too small-consider buying a different vehicle before I invest too much more into this one