Featured Teardrop: Tiny Camper Company

If you are looking for a screaming deal on a teardrop trailer, check out the designs by Tiny Camper Company in Clermon, Florida. These handmade retro style trailers are not only custom built, but a few are on sale from the company's website.

Each teardrop trailer is handcrafted by carpenter Joe Tyquiengco and comes in three different styles. The Simple Sleeper Camper is 4x8 with a full bed, natural wood finish, lighting, and a basic shelf galley. The Simple Sleeper also has a wide range of upgraded features including AC, tongue storage bin and roof rack.

The 4x8 Scotty Replica has a flat back, a galley and plenty of headroom. The Square Back Camper is a simple square shape that is ready for customization. Each trailer is made with an all aluminum finish to give it a retro look. Joe is also working on a standy version of his retro design.

The campers range from only $2,500 to $3,400.

Photos by Tiny Camper Company

Friday Teardrop Photo

We had so much fun taking photos on our last trip to the Black Rock Desert, so a few more will make an appearance. The desert is so vast that even a vehicle and a tiny trailer can quickly disappear into it. You might be able to see the Sunflower in the distance near Old Razorback Mountain.

So few people go out there that the only vehicle tracks you can see are ours.

Five Great Podcasts for a Long Road Trip

While on a long road trip with the teardrop, we love to not only listen to music, but we really get into some podcasts. While we also listen to books, podcasts are great because they contain shorter interviews, bits of information or shows that tend to make the time just fly by. While these are not in any order, these five podcasts are some of my favorites.

The Astonishing Legends Podcast

Even if you are not into news of the weird, the storytelling of these interesting mysteries will get you hooked. While all the episodes are very good, "The Dyatlov Pass" and "Amelia Earheart Vanishes" episodes are exceptionally well done and really delve into the theories behind the stories. Produced by Scott Philbrook and Forrest Burgess, it's become one of my favorites.

Travel with Rick Steves Radio Program

Rick Steves has been bringing travel locations to life for decades and his podcast is one of the best travel podcasts around. He delves not only into travel tips and tricks, but also subjects like local politics, history, architecture and, of course, food.

The Survival Podcast

Experienced campers also have a real sense of self sufficiency. While we might not be out and out preppers, we love to feel that we can take care of ourselves and others if necessary. The Survival Podcast by Jack Spirko is not only about prepping for the bad times, but also how to live your best life. He covers everything from gardening and producing your own food to firearms, hiking, political issues and helpful tips. While Jack claims he's an anarchist, I think he just has a lot of common sense.

The Tim Ferriss Show

Most people know Tim Ferriss from his various books including "The 4-Hour Work Week", but his podcast has some really excellent interviews from top performers including Seth Godin, Edward Norton and Laird Hamilton. His interview with legendary music producer Rick Ruben in a sauna was classic.

GardenFork Radio

You wouldn't think that several guys chatting about gardening and cooking (and a zillion other things) would be interesting, but this delightful and fun show will get you hooked even if you are not interested in gardening. Eric of the GardenFork TV show on YouTube chats with various people about everything under the sun...and dogs.

Friday Teardrop Photo

This 2011 Little Guy Sport was recently purchased by Tricia and her husband. The trailer's maiden voyage was at the Thunder Ridge Campground near Woodland Park, CO. The couple strung LED lights in their teardrop galley with removable adhesive that doesn't seem to attract bugs. The side tent was also a trial run. The couple plan to take their new-to-them trailer up to Yellowstone National Park this summer.

Caravan's Teardrop Trailer Rentals are First in Portland, Ore.

There are more teardrop rental places popping up around the U.S. and one of them belongs to a tiny house hotel in Portland, Ore. Caravan - The Tiny House Hotel rents out a Little Guy T@G Max trailer and two T@G Max XL trailers named Rosie, Miles and Sunny.


The owners of Caravan - The Tiny House Hotel found out how awesome teardrops are on a trip across western Canada last summer.

"We looked for a teardrop trailer to rent in Portland and discovered that no such rentals existed in Oregon," Kol Peterson of Caravan said. "Eventually, we found one. And after 12 days of traveling with the rental trailer, we were sold! The comfy bed and galley kitchen convinced us that we needed to launch Portland's first teardrop trailer rental company. We already had a good way to manage the rental fleet through the tiny house hotel."

The trailers can be reserved through the Caravan website. If one of the trailers is not available at the time, you can go on a waiting list. Any type of vehicle can tow a T@G, but you will need a 2" ball hitch that can tow around 1,000 lb. and a 4-pin or a 7-pin connector for the trailer brake lights.

Rosie, Miles and Sunny have great amenities including AC and heat (shore power needed), 19 inch TV with DVD player and Bluetooth and CD player and AM/FM radio. Miles and Sunny are extra wide and long and have a full length moonroof above the bed that opens and has a shade and screen.
Other features included in the rentals are:

• Queen sized memory foam mattresses
• Soft pillows and luxury linens

• Plush blankets and colorful, warm comforters

• Double burner gas cook stove

• Pots, pans, knives and cookware

• Dishes and utensils

• Refrigerator

• Complimentary Fair-Trade and locally roasted coffee from Caravan Coffee Roasters

• Italian percolator-style coffee maker by Bialetti

• Organic olive oil, salt and pepper

• Cutting board

• Sponge, biodegradable soap, hand towels


Caravan also offers a few extras with their rentals including camping chairs, a folding table, tablecloth, battery-operated lantern
, maps and Oregon guidebooks and camping books.

Rosie rents for $80/night (two-night minimum) and is pet friendly. Miles rents for $90/night (two-night minimum) and is pet friendly and Sunny rents for $90/night (two-night minimum).

Photos by Caravan's Teardrop Trailer Rentals

Friday Teardrop Photo

This great retro teardrop setup is from Michael Knox of Knox Retro Campers. He builds several types of tears including a bright yellow standy. Keep an eye on Do It Yourself RV for a post on his fun Ailettear.

The Tearcuby Fits a Family of Four

Last year the Tiny Yellow Teardrop featured the teardrop by Eugenijus Jusas in Lithuania. His initial design has now expanded to include the Tearcuby, a teardrop trailer big enough for a family of four.

The tear (with its unique blue pattern on the exterior) is a 6x9 design. It comes it at 1,234 lb and has room in the bed for three people with a small bunk above the bed for a child.

Features include a water tank, sink, 8 gallon propane tank, 3-way refrigerator, slide out stove platform, and a wonderful panoramic skylight above the bed. The mattress is made in eight parts, so various seating options can be created. The bed also has 21 cubic feet of storage space under the mattress.

The interior includes lighting as well as sockets for laptop and mobile charging. An entertainment system can be installed by request.

Jusas is also planning on designing and selling an off-road version of his tinycamper.eu designs and all trailers can be ordered from his website. The Tearcuby is currently selling for €7150 (around $8,100).

“I am a maker and "employee" for this young company with big ambitions,” Jusas said. “ I want to grow a tiny camper owners community in the European Union just like in the USA.”

Friday Teardrop Photo

This teardrop trailer is currently for sale on Craigslist for $6,800. It's a 4x8 camper built in 2011 and available in Northern Nevada. I love that it has a child size bunk and a Route 66 theme.