Some wonderful camping details can be seen on this teardrop from the Vintage Camper Trailers Facebook page. Pink flamingos AND an Italian espresso maker.
Showing posts with label rally. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rally. Show all posts
Friday Teardrop Photo
Some wonderful camping details can be seen on this teardrop from the Vintage Camper Trailers Facebook page. Pink flamingos AND an Italian espresso maker.
Five Tips for Your First Teardrop Gathering
If you're seeking out your own teardrop trailer, or are a new teardrop owner, sooner or later you will go to a teardrop gathering. Teardrop gatherings are held all over the U.S. and abroad and are places for teardrop lovers, owners, soon-to-be owners or curious folks to check out the tiny trailers, chat with new friends and eat lots of Dutch oven cuisine.
Gatherings are great places to see other trailers, meet other teardroppers and even camp in places you may never go to on your own. Above, you will see a photo taken at a small gathering on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. Most people will never get a chance to camp in such a unique location unless they are part of a gathering. So, if you are heading out for your first teardrop meetup, keep these five things in mind:
1. Clean up and put out some information on your trailer
At least one or two days of the gathering is dedicated to "Show & Tell". This is where you clean up your trailer, put out your best linens and the great grill you found on Craigslist and tell the story of your teardrop to anyone who drops by. If you are not around to tell the story, have a flyer or some printed cards in the open galley that tell your visitors where the trailer came from, the date, the weight, the size and any other tidbits of info they will find interesting.
2. Be prepared to chat...a lot
Most conversations at a gathering will revolve around teardrops, tiny trailers, camping and gear. Be prepared to talk to a lot of folks about those subjects. If you don't feel like chatting, close up your trailer and hide out inside.
3. Bring food to share
Most gatherings will include a potluck or Dutch oven dinner night. Bring snacks, a good Dutch oven or skillet recipe and unique beers or wine to share with your fellow gatherers. Some gatherings will even have a group cooking area.
4. Bring good shoes, your camera and take notes
A gathering is your chance to get tons of information for your own teardrop trips. Visit dozens to hundreds of trailers with a good pair of shoes, a sun hat if it's hot, your camera and a notebook. Don't be afraid to take lots of photos of interesting details or designs and file your notes away for when you return home.
5. Explore the local area
Get away from the gathering for a day or half a day to visit the local area. Is there a cool beach nearby? A ghost town or hot springs? Or maybe like Treasure Island, you can take a quick jaunt into The City. Tell other teardroppers what you find and tell your friends back home what they missed.
Gatherings are great places to see other trailers, meet other teardroppers and even camp in places you may never go to on your own. Above, you will see a photo taken at a small gathering on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. Most people will never get a chance to camp in such a unique location unless they are part of a gathering. So, if you are heading out for your first teardrop meetup, keep these five things in mind:
1. Clean up and put out some information on your trailer
At least one or two days of the gathering is dedicated to "Show & Tell". This is where you clean up your trailer, put out your best linens and the great grill you found on Craigslist and tell the story of your teardrop to anyone who drops by. If you are not around to tell the story, have a flyer or some printed cards in the open galley that tell your visitors where the trailer came from, the date, the weight, the size and any other tidbits of info they will find interesting.
2. Be prepared to chat...a lot
Most conversations at a gathering will revolve around teardrops, tiny trailers, camping and gear. Be prepared to talk to a lot of folks about those subjects. If you don't feel like chatting, close up your trailer and hide out inside.
3. Bring food to share
Most gatherings will include a potluck or Dutch oven dinner night. Bring snacks, a good Dutch oven or skillet recipe and unique beers or wine to share with your fellow gatherers. Some gatherings will even have a group cooking area.
4. Bring good shoes, your camera and take notes
A gathering is your chance to get tons of information for your own teardrop trips. Visit dozens to hundreds of trailers with a good pair of shoes, a sun hat if it's hot, your camera and a notebook. Don't be afraid to take lots of photos of interesting details or designs and file your notes away for when you return home.
5. Explore the local area
Get away from the gathering for a day or half a day to visit the local area. Is there a cool beach nearby? A ghost town or hot springs? Or maybe like Treasure Island, you can take a quick jaunt into The City. Tell other teardroppers what you find and tell your friends back home what they missed.
Tall Trees & Tiny Trailers: International Redwood Gathering
Photos by Christina Nellemann
Off to IRG I Go
In a few days I'll be heading off to the Fifth International Redwood Gathering. The IRG is held every other year in Pamplin Grove in Humboldt County, California—land of the majestic redwood trees. The IRG might be one of the largest gatherings of teardrop trailers in the West and seems to get larger very time it's held.
The gathering is put on by Dean and Joanie of the Outdoor Cast Iron Cooking YouTube channel and there are sure to be many great cooks in the vicinity. I'm in danger of gaining a few pounds on the trip. I will also be chatting with several teardroppers including Stacey Tamaki and her Glampette.
Photo by Redwood Hikes
The gathering is put on by Dean and Joanie of the Outdoor Cast Iron Cooking YouTube channel and there are sure to be many great cooks in the vicinity. I'm in danger of gaining a few pounds on the trip. I will also be chatting with several teardroppers including Stacey Tamaki and her Glampette.
Photo by Redwood Hikes
Photos from the Treasure Island Teardrop Gathering
While in the Bay Area, I was able to pop into the Treasure Island teardrop gathering during the Treasure Island Flea Market. Several people I knew were there including Debby and Randy with Monstro (who won the People's Choice Award), Steve with his Tortuga and Stacie Tamaki with her new Glampette.
A limited number of teardrops were allowed to park in this grassy area near the Bliss Dance statue and enjoy the amazing view of San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate. Next year, I'm there!
A limited number of teardrops were allowed to park in this grassy area near the Bliss Dance statue and enjoy the amazing view of San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate. Next year, I'm there!
Why Go to a Teardrop Trailer Gathering?
I purchased my first teardrop trailer, a Little Guy Rascal, about a year before going to any teardrop rally or gathering. During my first gathering (the Dam Gathering in Northern California) I met the nicest people you will find anywhere and came to the conclusion that teardroppers are nice because they sleep and eat very well at their various gatherings.
So, if you have a teardrop trailer, or are thinking of buying or building a teardrop trailer, should you go to a gathering? Here are the five reasons why I think it's one of the best things you can go for your teardropping life:
1. Teardrop gatherings are one of the best places to get ideas for your own trailer. It's great to be able to peruse the Web and pull up ideas, but seeing everything in action is the best way to decide what you might want to build or buy. Gatherings are also a great place to see what types of camping gear people bring in their teardrops.
2. FOOD! Nearly every teardrop gathering has one or two potlucks and many of those potlucks are Dutch oven potlucks. I gain at least three pounds at every gathering.
3. You feel like a star. Teardrop gatherings attract a lot of other non-teardroppers. Fellow campground dwellers walk around, peruse the trailers and gush over the cuteness. Soak it up.
4. You find out about new places to go camping. My husband and I were thrilled to learn that Unionville, Nevada is one of the prettiest places in the state. We found this out because of the Twain n' Tears Gathering, organized by TNTTT member nevadatear.
5. The people. Even though you go to gatherings to look at teardrops, you can't help but pick up a couple of friends along the way.
Photo of the IRG by Roy Crisman/Flickr
So, if you have a teardrop trailer, or are thinking of buying or building a teardrop trailer, should you go to a gathering? Here are the five reasons why I think it's one of the best things you can go for your teardropping life:
1. Teardrop gatherings are one of the best places to get ideas for your own trailer. It's great to be able to peruse the Web and pull up ideas, but seeing everything in action is the best way to decide what you might want to build or buy. Gatherings are also a great place to see what types of camping gear people bring in their teardrops.
2. FOOD! Nearly every teardrop gathering has one or two potlucks and many of those potlucks are Dutch oven potlucks. I gain at least three pounds at every gathering.
3. You feel like a star. Teardrop gatherings attract a lot of other non-teardroppers. Fellow campground dwellers walk around, peruse the trailers and gush over the cuteness. Soak it up.
4. You find out about new places to go camping. My husband and I were thrilled to learn that Unionville, Nevada is one of the prettiest places in the state. We found this out because of the Twain n' Tears Gathering, organized by TNTTT member nevadatear.
5. The people. Even though you go to gatherings to look at teardrops, you can't help but pick up a couple of friends along the way.
Photo of the IRG by Roy Crisman/Flickr
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