We are already transitioning into fall. The seasonal shift announces itself in the cool nights and chilly, damp mornings that set in after the August full moon. The edges between each season are predictable, comforting times. Fall migration begins with flocks of smallish birds heading southeast. The garden fades. Round bales of hay rest quietly in the fields.

I wake up in Half Moon to another beautiful late August morning in North Dakota. I linger, drinking coffee outside and absorbing the beauty that strengthens me for another week. Camping is my saving grace. Okay, shake a leg Tango. Time to pop down the camper and head home to work. My dog does not like the loud sounds from the packing up process, and he finds a resting spot under a tree.

Fold, pack, organize, wipe surfaces in the camper, swing the kitchen down into travel position, release the bunk end frames. Fold up dinette table, place set back cushions on top and solar panel on top of them. Cover panel with sleeping bag. Slide entry door up and secure to ceiling. Outside, slide in bunk ends. Snag on the fabric walls, pull back, arrange folds, spray tracks with Liquid Wrench.

Time to press the switch that automatically pulls down the camper ceiling. Nothing. No grrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnndddd sound that accompanies the pop up camper popping down. I try the switch again. Nothing. This happens a few times before because the camper battery is low (I plug  into van when that happens). However, I am now connected to an electrical box, and the blue light at the connection tells me power is flowing.

Try again. Nothing. Walk around drinking coffee and thinking about this. Ahhh, a solution.

The camper came with a “tire iron” thingy to manually lower the camper top. I dig in the storage compartment and find that darn thing. I find the hole where I am to insert the thingy. The bolt won’t move. Nothing. Try again.Silly Jane, get out the manual. Oops. I took the manual inside the house last winter and left it there.

Dig out one of my many flashlights so I can peer into the hole. Dead batteries in that one and several others. Think, think. I don’t have cell phone service here and the campground is vacant. Clearly I will need to solve this problem by myself. A challenge. Okay. Two approaches: find out how the manual system works and then check out the switch system.

I lie down on the ground and peer into the underside of the trailer tongue. I trace the corrugated tubes that hold all the wires. I see where wires go to the switch and a small motor. I find the cable that lowers the thing. Interesting. I cannot see much more because of a plastic cover that protects the system. Time to remove the cover and get a closer look. Oh and check the switch, maybe it started working on its own. Nope.

I dig out my tool bag and slide back under.

Storage compartment and tool bag. I used my cell phone for this photo. It was a beautiful, bright morning, but the sky looks black!

Bolts, not screws hold the cover in place. A friend had suggested that I add a set of nut drivers to my tools, which I realized would be just the right tool, right now. However, none fit this particular bolt. Darn.

After manually loosening the cover with a wrench, I inspect the entire popping down mechanism. I do not have any idea still about the manual system, so I turn my attention to the switch. I try it a few more times. Nothing. I flick it quickly a few more times. Nope.

Plastic cover on ground to the left, tools, etc. Switch in on the hump, facing out. The hole for manually lowering camper is on the other side.

I just look, not really sure what I am seeing. I tighten the connections between the wires and switches with a tiny Phillips screwdriver from a wimpy set. Some of the electrical tape is loose, so I unwrap and re-wrap the wires with some green electrical tape I find in my tool bag. Where did that come from, I wonder.

Wimpy screw driver set that must be replaced.

I press the switch and hear the gggrrrriiiinnndddd. Oh joy. I begin to put the plastic cover back into place and it is super slow going using a wrench. Ouch, knuckles bleed. For some reason I decide that the nut driver set must have more than four pieces. I dig in the storage again and YES–two more nut drivers. One fits. I secure the cover.

Complete set of six nut drivers. The blue handled one fits.

The pop-up pops down and I hitch it to the van.

Coming down!!

Off we go, arriving home a bit later than planned. I back the camper into the garage and pop it back up because I notice some dew on the canvas while breaking down camp earlier. I try the switch. Nothing. Try again and it works. Sporadically. Oh well. I am happy to be home and all is well.

Next: I begin to wonder: should I trade in the pop-up for something sturdier? A real bathroom and shower would be icing on the cake. How long will that decision take? When I originally decided to buy a camper, I spent 5 months pondering my options. Five months is a good time frame now with winter coming. What to do? What would I buy? Or not?