I bought my original teardrop trailer in 2007, a Little Guy Rascal, so my 75-year-old mother would have something to sleep in while accompanying me to the raucous, desert gathering. Yep, I took my mom to Burning Man and she loved it. However, I knew she couldn't sleep in a tent on the ground, so I started looking around for a tiny trailer that my Dodge Neon could tow. That brought me into the world of teardrop trailers.
After two years of camping in the Rascal, I knew I wanted something larger and with a full galley in the back. The Rascal was cute and light, but had no kitchen and only a full-size bed. So, about four months after purchasing the Sunflower, she took her first trip out to the Black Rock Desert of Northern Nevada.
My teardrop does really well out at Burning Man. She's been through several major dust storms with only a minimum amount of leakage into the bed area, and we've slept like babies when the desert night drops into the teens. The double doors also allow for some nice air flow during the day, so we can take a much needed nap after being out since 4 a.m.
Even at Burning Man, known for its crazy art, home made shelters and amazing RVs, the little, yellow teardrop still catches a lot of attention. I've had fellow Burners from all over the world come up to the trailer with squeals of delight.
Note: The other teardrop in the photo belongs to our neighbors. Stayed tuned for the story of their little trailer.
Photos by Christina Nellemann and Harry Thomas
Thinking about Burning Man on 2014 and was jazzed to see your entry about the event. Were you concerned about damage/vandalism to your teardrop? Guess there is much I don't know - but really want to experience it!!
ReplyDeleteHi NetDep. Good for you! Get your tickets as early as you can, they go on sale in January.
DeleteI personally can't even imagine a fellow Burner vandalizing another person's camp. It's just not done. There have been some past issues with art on the playa (the early burning of the Man in 2007 for example) but like campgrounds, there's an unspoken rule about respecting another Burner's camp. In fact, we never lock our doors while at Burning Man and one day I actually left the teardrop doors open with money and keys in plain site. No issues.
You do have to be concerned with the weather in the Black Rock Desert. The winds can get up to 100 miles an hour and that's where some damage can occur. I've seen someone's unsecured structure or tent go flying across the desert and smash into a car windshield. I try to cover up the Sunflower as much as possible with shade shelters to avoid that kind of mishap.
You will have an amazing time. There are a lot of teardrops out there!
Thanks for taking the time to reply -- are you going in 2014?? It looks like some folks and I from work might try to get vacation that week and try and make it.....lots to learn but your answer was helpful and appreciated!!
DeleteNo problem. Black Rock City is my second home. :0)
DeleteWe haven't made any concrete plans for 2014 yet, we will have to see what our time and finances are looking like. I don't see why not...we go every year.
Send me any questions you have. The best place to get tons of info is the burningman.com site. Go to the eplaya forum where tons of questions are posted on everything under the sun. Just a warning...the Burners on that site can be a little nuts. Don't take their answers too seriously.