My Airstream friends from the Long Long Honeymoon have a great video up about their six best hitching tips. These tips focus on their 25 foot Airstream Classic travel trailer, but their tips can benefit anyone who tows a camper. While most teardrop trailers under 1,500 lb. will not have brakes and won't need anti-sway bars, any way that you can be safer on the road will be appreciated.
The best thing about the video is hot and sexy intro.
Here are a few of my own tips for hitching up your teardrop trailer.
1. Stay focused
When hitching up your camper, pay close attention to what you are doing. Don't get distracted by partners, children, pets, neighbors, your phone or another task. Focus on getting the hitch coupler fully around the hitch ball and locked down. Make sure your chains are crossed and completely hooked and locked onto the hitch receiver. Double check your wiring connections, lights and signals.
2. Watch your weight
Because most teardrop trailers are on a single axle, any weight that is put too far towards the back can make the trailer fall backwards or tilt dangerously toward the rear. In addition, too much weight towards the front can make it more difficult to hitch up correctly. In fact, we will load our heaviest item (our ice chest) onto the front cargo rack after we are safely hitched up.
3. Double, triple and continuously check your connections
When you are towing, being a little OCD is a benefit. Every time we stop at a gas station, restaurant or campground, we check our electrical connections, the hitch ball and the chains. Sometimes we will each do our own check in case someone misses something. If you are a first time teardropper, having a written checklist with you is also very helpful.
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Friday Teardrop Photo
This photo of a handmade teardrop trailer in the desert is by Engineer_Allen. His 71-1/2" wide, 108" long, and 60" high trailer is featured on Instructables and his requirements and step-by-step building guide is available on the website.
Towing a teardrop trailer in the snow
There will probably come a point in your teardropping life when you have to tow in snowy conditions. We have towed the Sunflower in several blizzards and on icy and snow covered roads (she has a good set of tires) without any issues by following these few tips — tips you will be familiar with if you live in colder climates.
1. Slow down. This is a no-brainer. You and your vehicle (and the trailer) will be more responsive to traffic, accidents, ice and slick roads when you are driving 10-15 miles below the speed limit. Another tip is to avoid changing lanes. Stick to the slow lane.
2. Don't brake; downshift. Braking hard on slick roads can cause your car to skid. Instead, when you are coming to a stop, slow down and downshift to a lower gear and then brake lightly.
3. Take the backroads. While some secondary or backroads might not be plowed, they are also less congested. You will have the freedom to drive the speed you need to and less vehicles to deal with. In fact, some secondary roads are owned by counties rather than cities and actually get plowed first or more often.
4. If you begin to slide. Try to correct as soon as possible. The trailer will follow you, but because you are longer than a normal vehicle, the trailer could hit a median, a curb or another vehicle. On very slick roads, the trailer could jack knife. The good thing is that if you do jack knife the trailer, teardrops are so small they won't block as much traffic as a larger trailer. However, it is best to get off the road as soon as possible.
5. Park it until conditions improve. If the conditions are just too dangerous, pull over and get a hotel room (or camp) for the night. You might even need to unhitch the trailer and leave it somewhere until you can come back and retrieve it during calmer weather.
1. Slow down. This is a no-brainer. You and your vehicle (and the trailer) will be more responsive to traffic, accidents, ice and slick roads when you are driving 10-15 miles below the speed limit. Another tip is to avoid changing lanes. Stick to the slow lane.
2. Don't brake; downshift. Braking hard on slick roads can cause your car to skid. Instead, when you are coming to a stop, slow down and downshift to a lower gear and then brake lightly.
3. Take the backroads. While some secondary or backroads might not be plowed, they are also less congested. You will have the freedom to drive the speed you need to and less vehicles to deal with. In fact, some secondary roads are owned by counties rather than cities and actually get plowed first or more often.
4. If you begin to slide. Try to correct as soon as possible. The trailer will follow you, but because you are longer than a normal vehicle, the trailer could hit a median, a curb or another vehicle. On very slick roads, the trailer could jack knife. The good thing is that if you do jack knife the trailer, teardrops are so small they won't block as much traffic as a larger trailer. However, it is best to get off the road as soon as possible.
5. Park it until conditions improve. If the conditions are just too dangerous, pull over and get a hotel room (or camp) for the night. You might even need to unhitch the trailer and leave it somewhere until you can come back and retrieve it during calmer weather.
Why so many darn keys?
The Sunflower has two sets of keys on two sunflower themed key holders. That's a lot of keys! We always like to have two separate sets in case we lose one set which would be a slight disaster. This is because the various doors and functions on the trailer each have a key.
Here are the keys that we drag along with us on each camping trip:
1. Key for the two teardrop doors
2. Key for the galley door
3. Key for the coupler lock (which we always take with us to deter theft at the campsite)
4. Key for the trailer hitch lock (always use one of these when towing)
5. Two keys for the "bear proof" Yeti cooler lock
It's not the most streamlined way to go camping, but it seems like we have a lot of items that need to be locked up.
Here are the keys that we drag along with us on each camping trip:
1. Key for the two teardrop doors
2. Key for the galley door
3. Key for the coupler lock (which we always take with us to deter theft at the campsite)
4. Key for the trailer hitch lock (always use one of these when towing)
5. Two keys for the "bear proof" Yeti cooler lock
It's not the most streamlined way to go camping, but it seems like we have a lot of items that need to be locked up.
5 Things I've Learned from Camping in the Desert
I just got back from my ninth year at Burning Man. Each time I've gone, it's been in a teardrop trailer and I think I've learned a fair amount about camping in the inhospitable desert in a tiny trailer. If you are thinking of doing some desert camping (which is doable almost any time of year), these five tips might be helpful.
1. Elevate and line your ice chest
Keeping your ice chest elevated off the hot ground will keep your food colder. We also line our ice chest with Reflectix reflective insulation and freeze a few items (beer and soda cans, meat) to keep other food items cold.
2. Orient your trailer for optimal shade and breeze
It's easy to move a teardrop trailer around to take advantage of the sun's position in the sky as well as desert breezes. In addition, bring a shade structure to shade your living or sleeping space. However...
3. ...beware of freak weather
In the desert, I've seen freak thunderstorms, dust devils and sand storms. Make sure everything is staked and tied down and close up your teardrop doors and galley hatch when not in use.
4. Enjoy the mornings, evenings and nights
Mornings, evenings and nights in the desert are a delight. Take advantage of those times for exploring, hiking and cooking. Relax in the heat of the day.
5. Don't be afraid to get out there
Many people are intimidated by the desert and avoid it. There are some amazing places to camp in the middle of nowhere and most likely you will be the only camper around. Just be prepared with plenty of water, fuel, tools and other safety supplies.
1. Elevate and line your ice chest
Keeping your ice chest elevated off the hot ground will keep your food colder. We also line our ice chest with Reflectix reflective insulation and freeze a few items (beer and soda cans, meat) to keep other food items cold.
2. Orient your trailer for optimal shade and breeze
It's easy to move a teardrop trailer around to take advantage of the sun's position in the sky as well as desert breezes. In addition, bring a shade structure to shade your living or sleeping space. However...
3. ...beware of freak weather
In the desert, I've seen freak thunderstorms, dust devils and sand storms. Make sure everything is staked and tied down and close up your teardrop doors and galley hatch when not in use.
4. Enjoy the mornings, evenings and nights
Mornings, evenings and nights in the desert are a delight. Take advantage of those times for exploring, hiking and cooking. Relax in the heat of the day.
5. Don't be afraid to get out there
Many people are intimidated by the desert and avoid it. There are some amazing places to camp in the middle of nowhere and most likely you will be the only camper around. Just be prepared with plenty of water, fuel, tools and other safety supplies.
What makes a good teardrop campsite?
Last weekend we took another teardrop trip up to Sierra County for some hiking, and while our pretty campsite had some great shade and was quiet, the picnic table and fire pit were a good 50 yards from where we could park the trailer. We usually use the trailer galley as a pantry and prep area and a picnic table to cook our food. This particular configuration was not ideal and I got to thinking about what makes a good teardrop campsite.
What we look for in a good campsite
While you can't always find the perfect campsite, some of our best campsites have had these good qualities:
Privacy
It's wonderful to be able to put the trailer into a site that has plenty of privacy — preferably in the back part of the site.
Shade (or sun) and wind protection
Plenty of trees add to the privacy and provide shade. It's also nice to have a sunny spot if you are camping in an area that is more chilly. It's also nice to have a site with rocks or trees that offer protection from winds.
Site configuration
Being able to easily back up to a picnic table is ideal for us. We have also been able to manually maneuver the trailer so that the galley is close to a picnic table for easy cooking and eating. A pull-through spot is also nice to have, but those are usually reserved for larger trailers.
Great views
Who doesn't love a great view? It's the icing on top of the cake if you can open your teardrop doors and see a lake, river, canyon or snowed capped mountains.
Quiet or nature sounds
Having a quiet campground or site is wonderful. Add in the sound of a creek or river, birds or wind in the trees and you might have the perfect campsite.
What we like to avoid in a campsite:
We have had our fair share of not ideal campsites as well. These usually have the following bad qualities:
No privacy
Everyone knows these types of campsites: trailers nearly on top of each other, noise and very little space available to spread out.
Bad terrain
Some campgrounds have sites in bad terrain. The ground is rarely level, there are usually badly located rocks, roots or tree limbs that make the site a walking hazard at night.
Road noise
Sometimes having quick access to a road is nice, but a busy road right next to your sleeping head is not.
"Nazi" camp hosts
We are quiet, clean campers who respect nature and campgrounds. We don't really appreciate being harassed by campground hosts who watch our every move or want us out of the site by 9:00 a.m.
Urban camping
I would love to have access to more big cities while camping, but have yet to find a beautiful, quiet campsite nearby. Has any city thought of opening up a teardrop campground in an empty parking garage? I'd go...
What we look for in a good campsite
While you can't always find the perfect campsite, some of our best campsites have had these good qualities:
 |
| A wonderful campsite at Crater Lake National Park with a view of a canyon and a visit from a silver tip fox. |
Privacy
It's wonderful to be able to put the trailer into a site that has plenty of privacy — preferably in the back part of the site.
Shade (or sun) and wind protection
Plenty of trees add to the privacy and provide shade. It's also nice to have a sunny spot if you are camping in an area that is more chilly. It's also nice to have a site with rocks or trees that offer protection from winds.
Site configuration
Being able to easily back up to a picnic table is ideal for us. We have also been able to manually maneuver the trailer so that the galley is close to a picnic table for easy cooking and eating. A pull-through spot is also nice to have, but those are usually reserved for larger trailers.
Great views
Who doesn't love a great view? It's the icing on top of the cake if you can open your teardrop doors and see a lake, river, canyon or snowed capped mountains.
Quiet or nature sounds
Having a quiet campground or site is wonderful. Add in the sound of a creek or river, birds or wind in the trees and you might have the perfect campsite.
What we like to avoid in a campsite:
We have had our fair share of not ideal campsites as well. These usually have the following bad qualities:
 |
| A cramped and noisy campsite at a KOA in Idaho is not our favorite type of spot. |
No privacy
Everyone knows these types of campsites: trailers nearly on top of each other, noise and very little space available to spread out.
Bad terrain
Some campgrounds have sites in bad terrain. The ground is rarely level, there are usually badly located rocks, roots or tree limbs that make the site a walking hazard at night.
Road noise
Sometimes having quick access to a road is nice, but a busy road right next to your sleeping head is not.
"Nazi" camp hosts
We are quiet, clean campers who respect nature and campgrounds. We don't really appreciate being harassed by campground hosts who watch our every move or want us out of the site by 9:00 a.m.
Urban camping
I would love to have access to more big cities while camping, but have yet to find a beautiful, quiet campsite nearby. Has any city thought of opening up a teardrop campground in an empty parking garage? I'd go...
10 Clever Teardrop Ideas
Another reason to check out a teardrop trailer gathering is to get up close and personal with the many clever ideas that teardroppers think up. From interesting storage techniques to ingenious ways to use hardware, teardroppers need to think outside the big white box in order to have a comfortable (and creative) camping experience. In addition, sometimes these ideas are just plain fun.
These ideas include everything from outdoor tables that do double duty as storage, smart garbage bag, paper and cloth towel holders, pretty storage and door shelters, mason jar lighting, and (my personal favorite) a beaded curtain that separates the galley serving area from the bed area.
Teardrop Trailer Road Emergencies
No matter how much you prepare, there may be a time when you have to deal with a teardrop trailer emergency on the road. Emergencies can come in many forms and while it's a little easier to anticipate what might happen with a much smaller trailer, they still need to be planned for and dealt with.
I received a blog comment from ML on a roadside emergency that happened while towing a teardrop trailer. The teardrop fell off the hitch and ML was fortunate enough to get some help from the local Jiffy Lube. The employees used a jack and some wood scraps to lift the teardrop back up onto the tow vehicle hitch and ML was able to get back on the road. However, many other emergencies can be avoided or remedied by keeping a few things in mind and carrying a few extra items in your car.
Flat Tires
A flat tire while towing can be one of the most common road emergencies. Of course, you can get a flat on both the trailer and the tow vehicle so be prepared to deal with two different types of emergencies. First of all, remember to bring a spare for both the trailer and the vehicle and visually check them every few months. Also be sure to have a jack that can be used on both as well as a lug nut wrench.
When you get a flat tire or blowout on a trailer, you will be able to feel the extra drag and the trailer may begin to sway. When this happens, slightly accelerate to level out and then slowly drive your way to safety. Get as far off the road as possible. Most states require that you travel in the right hand lane when towing, so pulling over during an emergency should be easier. Many insurance companies require that you don't remove or repair the tire yourself, so having roadside assistance is as important as having a spare.
To avoid having a flat, regularly check the tire pressure in all your tires and replace them every few years. When driving, keep an eye out for road debris, check your side mirrors regularly and stay below the speed limit.
My friends at the Long Long Honeymoon have a detailed and well documented video on how they survived a blowout on their Airstream Classic trailer—on the side of busy highway.
Hitch Issues
If you are a new teardropper, it takes a while to get used to using a hitch. When I hitch up the Sunflower, I have to be fully focused on what I'm doing or I'll forget something.
When hitching, you want to make sure the trailer coupling is completely over the ball on the hitch, the tongue lock is completely down, the safety pin is engaged and locked through the tongue lock, the safety chains are connected to the vehicle hitch (crossed so they don't drag on the ground) and the wiring harness is fully connected with the wiring kit on the trailer. You then want to drive forward a few yards to check the hitch connection and also have a partner check your running lights, brake lights and turn signals. To avoid hitch issues, regularly check all hitch components and don't exceed the weight limit on your hitch.
Smoking Bearings
While on the road, you might see what looks like a smoking engine up ahead, but it turns out to be coming from a trailer. These are the trailer axle bearings burning out. A burned out axle can cause separation of a tire from the axle and a major road accident. Bearings prevent friction in the axle, but require regular greasing to reduce that friction. Machine shops recommend that you check the grease on the bearings every other year, but if you tow your trailer a lot, have them greased every year. Many RV or utility trailer manufacturers or sellers will perform this service.
Emergency Items
Here are a few items that you can carry in your tow vehicle or teardrop trailer that will help to put your mind at ease in case an emergency pops up.
Emergency Light Kit
We keep a 12-volt emergency tow light kit in our vehicle to use on the both the teardrop and our utility trailer. They cost around $30 and can be magnetic or attached via a harness.
Duct tape
Veteran and survival expert Mykal Hawke has said in the past, "Duct tape could save your life." It may also save your teardrop trailer...or your kayak.
Last year, we were coming back from kayaking at a lake in California. A thunderstorm was rolling in and the heavy mountain winds tore one of our kayaks and part of the kayak rack from the top of our Kia Sportage. The kayak went flying down the highway in a big, orange blur. Fortunately, our fellow teardrop friends were driving behind us and managed to slow down the minimal traffic and pull the kayak to the side of the road. We used our giant roll of duct tape to hold down the rack and get the kayak back to camp—with barely a scratch.
Having duct tape in your car at all times can help with minor repairs to broken or busted doors, windows, hatches, ice chests and other plastic or metal items.
Bungee cords
Our friends and owners of the Stargazers teardrop, were camping at Benton Hot Springs when a wind storm decided to show up. Their teardrop hatch had been left open and a strong gust of wind flipped it backwards across the roof and busted the hinge that runs along the top of the trailer. To get home (without the entire contents of their trailer falling all over the road) they duct taped and bungee corded the hatch down and drove extra slow.
Other items...
These small items don't take up much room, but can give you more peace of mind: extra hitch safety pins, road flares, flashlights, screwdrivers and wrenches, First Aid kit, two-way radios.
Photos by The Williams Family, ecustomhitch.com, How Stuff Works and Sears.
I received a blog comment from ML on a roadside emergency that happened while towing a teardrop trailer. The teardrop fell off the hitch and ML was fortunate enough to get some help from the local Jiffy Lube. The employees used a jack and some wood scraps to lift the teardrop back up onto the tow vehicle hitch and ML was able to get back on the road. However, many other emergencies can be avoided or remedied by keeping a few things in mind and carrying a few extra items in your car.
Flat Tires
A flat tire while towing can be one of the most common road emergencies. Of course, you can get a flat on both the trailer and the tow vehicle so be prepared to deal with two different types of emergencies. First of all, remember to bring a spare for both the trailer and the vehicle and visually check them every few months. Also be sure to have a jack that can be used on both as well as a lug nut wrench.
When you get a flat tire or blowout on a trailer, you will be able to feel the extra drag and the trailer may begin to sway. When this happens, slightly accelerate to level out and then slowly drive your way to safety. Get as far off the road as possible. Most states require that you travel in the right hand lane when towing, so pulling over during an emergency should be easier. Many insurance companies require that you don't remove or repair the tire yourself, so having roadside assistance is as important as having a spare.
To avoid having a flat, regularly check the tire pressure in all your tires and replace them every few years. When driving, keep an eye out for road debris, check your side mirrors regularly and stay below the speed limit.
My friends at the Long Long Honeymoon have a detailed and well documented video on how they survived a blowout on their Airstream Classic trailer—on the side of busy highway.
Hitch Issues
If you are a new teardropper, it takes a while to get used to using a hitch. When I hitch up the Sunflower, I have to be fully focused on what I'm doing or I'll forget something.
When hitching, you want to make sure the trailer coupling is completely over the ball on the hitch, the tongue lock is completely down, the safety pin is engaged and locked through the tongue lock, the safety chains are connected to the vehicle hitch (crossed so they don't drag on the ground) and the wiring harness is fully connected with the wiring kit on the trailer. You then want to drive forward a few yards to check the hitch connection and also have a partner check your running lights, brake lights and turn signals. To avoid hitch issues, regularly check all hitch components and don't exceed the weight limit on your hitch.
Smoking Bearings
While on the road, you might see what looks like a smoking engine up ahead, but it turns out to be coming from a trailer. These are the trailer axle bearings burning out. A burned out axle can cause separation of a tire from the axle and a major road accident. Bearings prevent friction in the axle, but require regular greasing to reduce that friction. Machine shops recommend that you check the grease on the bearings every other year, but if you tow your trailer a lot, have them greased every year. Many RV or utility trailer manufacturers or sellers will perform this service.
Emergency Items
Here are a few items that you can carry in your tow vehicle or teardrop trailer that will help to put your mind at ease in case an emergency pops up.
Emergency Light Kit
We keep a 12-volt emergency tow light kit in our vehicle to use on the both the teardrop and our utility trailer. They cost around $30 and can be magnetic or attached via a harness.
Duct tape
Veteran and survival expert Mykal Hawke has said in the past, "Duct tape could save your life." It may also save your teardrop trailer...or your kayak.
Last year, we were coming back from kayaking at a lake in California. A thunderstorm was rolling in and the heavy mountain winds tore one of our kayaks and part of the kayak rack from the top of our Kia Sportage. The kayak went flying down the highway in a big, orange blur. Fortunately, our fellow teardrop friends were driving behind us and managed to slow down the minimal traffic and pull the kayak to the side of the road. We used our giant roll of duct tape to hold down the rack and get the kayak back to camp—with barely a scratch.
Having duct tape in your car at all times can help with minor repairs to broken or busted doors, windows, hatches, ice chests and other plastic or metal items.
Bungee cords
Our friends and owners of the Stargazers teardrop, were camping at Benton Hot Springs when a wind storm decided to show up. Their teardrop hatch had been left open and a strong gust of wind flipped it backwards across the roof and busted the hinge that runs along the top of the trailer. To get home (without the entire contents of their trailer falling all over the road) they duct taped and bungee corded the hatch down and drove extra slow.
Other items...
These small items don't take up much room, but can give you more peace of mind: extra hitch safety pins, road flares, flashlights, screwdrivers and wrenches, First Aid kit, two-way radios.
Photos by The Williams Family, ecustomhitch.com, How Stuff Works and Sears.
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.
CampingRoadTrip
Memorial Day is coming up and the beloved three-day weekend is the official kickoff of the summer camping season. To plan out our summer teardrop camping trips (and some future trips), I've been playing around with the CampingRoadTrip website. This site lets you do refined or broad searches for campgrounds in your chosen city or area of the country.
The site is clean, uncluttered and easy to use. You can search for campgrounds by state, city or by campground name. You can also define your search to a specific mile radius of a city or town. The site also has a review area where you can add your personal review about a campground. The breakdown of each campground gives you the location, photos, basic descriptions, price and ratings. The detail page of each campground gives you everything including weather in the area, larger photos, reviews, electrical hookup details, and facility and service information.
The site is clean, uncluttered and easy to use. You can search for campgrounds by state, city or by campground name. You can also define your search to a specific mile radius of a city or town. The site also has a review area where you can add your personal review about a campground. The breakdown of each campground gives you the location, photos, basic descriptions, price and ratings. The detail page of each campground gives you everything including weather in the area, larger photos, reviews, electrical hookup details, and facility and service information.
The website also has a forum that has topics on everything related to camping including workamping, types of trailers (teardroppers need to represent!), things to see and do in various regions and the best road trips. CampingRoadTrip also includes tips and articles on attractions and events all over the country.
Teardrop Camping in Someone's Backyard
This weekend, my husband and I went down to Sonoma County, California to do some camping in the beautiful Cali weather and to visit with Kent Griswold of the Tiny House Blog. A friend of mine shares a large property in the small town of Sebastopol with some family and offered to let us camp in the backyard. The property has redwood trees, cool, funky artwork, chickens and goats and lots of flowers, grapevines and the plants that make up this lush area of coastal California. It's a perfect place to go camping.
There will be times in your teardropping life when you'll be camping in someone's backyard and it's a great way to visit an area for free. However, there are a few things you should take into consideration. My friend's family was very kind in letting us camp for a few days in their yard, so we changed up our camping style and schedule to accommodate that kindness.
Plan out your bathroom visits
Our hosts offered us the back bathroom of their home and we used it once or twice, but tried to utilize public bathrooms as much as possible so we wouldn't bother them or their two dogs.
Be water-wise
We did have access to the hose in the backyard to fill up our water container for drinking, cooking and dishes—which was great. However, if you're in a desert or drought area, try to keep your water use at a minimum or purchase water from a store.
Clean up after yourself
Don't leave a mess behind, even if you're going to be back to camp. During our everyday teardrop routines, it can look like a bomb went off in the teardrop and plates, pots, pans, food and clothes will be everywhere. Tidy up and put everything away (especially in a wind-prone area) and keep a clean camp.
Show your appreciation
You are most likely staying at your friend's home for free. Show your appreciation by inviting them to a teardrop trailer breakfast or dinner or offer to do some yard work. Since our hosts were working most of the weekend, we bought them a bottle of organic Mendocino county wine to relax with.
There will be times in your teardropping life when you'll be camping in someone's backyard and it's a great way to visit an area for free. However, there are a few things you should take into consideration. My friend's family was very kind in letting us camp for a few days in their yard, so we changed up our camping style and schedule to accommodate that kindness.
Plan out your bathroom visits
Our hosts offered us the back bathroom of their home and we used it once or twice, but tried to utilize public bathrooms as much as possible so we wouldn't bother them or their two dogs.
Be water-wise
We did have access to the hose in the backyard to fill up our water container for drinking, cooking and dishes—which was great. However, if you're in a desert or drought area, try to keep your water use at a minimum or purchase water from a store.
Clean up after yourself
Don't leave a mess behind, even if you're going to be back to camp. During our everyday teardrop routines, it can look like a bomb went off in the teardrop and plates, pots, pans, food and clothes will be everywhere. Tidy up and put everything away (especially in a wind-prone area) and keep a clean camp.
Show your appreciation
You are most likely staying at your friend's home for free. Show your appreciation by inviting them to a teardrop trailer breakfast or dinner or offer to do some yard work. Since our hosts were working most of the weekend, we bought them a bottle of organic Mendocino county wine to relax with.
How do you sleep in a teardrop trailer?
The main purpose of a teardrop trailer is to have a soft, warm, comfortable place to sleep while in the outdoors. This is the question we are asked the most: How well do you sleep in a teardrop trailer? When it comes to our own experience, the answer is: "Very well, but it takes some time."
What I mean is that sleeping in a teardrop trailer takes some practice. I don't sleep very well the first night out on a trip, but after a few nights, I'm sleeping like a baby. My husband is the same way. The first night we are getting used to being in a more cramped space, figuring out the number of blankets we need for the night temperatures, getting used to campground and nature noises and jockeying for our own space in the trailer.
We each have our own side of the bed. Since my husband is taller, he sleeps on the left hand side of the bed where his feet won't hit the 120V/12V plug that sits on wall down near my side of the bed. He also needs less blankets than I do and I need to have the window on my side cracked open. Once we have these little, picky issues figured out...we're fine for the rest of the trip.
If you want a good night's sleep in a teardrop trailer, practice for a few nights in your driveway or a nearby campground. It will take some time to get used to and you may need to make some adjustments to your typical way of sleeping. Also make sure you have what you need for comfort close by. For us, this means facial tissues, drinking water, eye drops and chapstick.
If you don't get a great night's sleep...teardrops are ideal for after lunch naps.
Photo courtesy of Oregon Trail'R
What I mean is that sleeping in a teardrop trailer takes some practice. I don't sleep very well the first night out on a trip, but after a few nights, I'm sleeping like a baby. My husband is the same way. The first night we are getting used to being in a more cramped space, figuring out the number of blankets we need for the night temperatures, getting used to campground and nature noises and jockeying for our own space in the trailer.
We each have our own side of the bed. Since my husband is taller, he sleeps on the left hand side of the bed where his feet won't hit the 120V/12V plug that sits on wall down near my side of the bed. He also needs less blankets than I do and I need to have the window on my side cracked open. Once we have these little, picky issues figured out...we're fine for the rest of the trip.
If you want a good night's sleep in a teardrop trailer, practice for a few nights in your driveway or a nearby campground. It will take some time to get used to and you may need to make some adjustments to your typical way of sleeping. Also make sure you have what you need for comfort close by. For us, this means facial tissues, drinking water, eye drops and chapstick.
If you don't get a great night's sleep...teardrops are ideal for after lunch naps.
Photo courtesy of Oregon Trail'R
How do you have sex in a teardrop trailer?
No one has ever asked us this question, but I know that some couples might be wondering about it. Can you keep your relationship or marriage hot and sexy while traveling around in a teardrop trailer? It's tricky, but can be done. I won't go into the personal details, but there are a few things to keep in mind if you want to get it on while on the road.
1. Keep your humor: Teardrop trailers are small and certain positions might not be possible. Experiment and just laugh it off if an elbow bangs into a wall or you knock your head on a shelf or the ceiling. It's also difficult to stop the "RV Rock". Keep your humor and hang up a sign that says "If this teardrop's rockin', don't come knockin'." Even better: the best teardrop sign I saw read, "If this teardrop's rockin' — run like hell it's an earthquake."
2. Keep it within reach: Certain romantic paraphernalia (condoms, toys, etc.) should be kept in a special (secret) place in the teardrop when the mood strikes. It's not romantic to jump out of the bed and run out to the car to grab the sexy literature.
3. Keep it quiet: Being in the wilderness can bring out the caveman or cave woman in every person, but keep nearby campers in mind and keep the noise down. They, and you, will be less embarrassed.
4. Keep the teardrop clutter free: The right moment can happen at any time and it's also not very romantic to have to shove out lawn chairs, extra blankets, pillows or the pets in order to make some room for the bump and grind. Keep your teardrop bed uncluttered and easily accessible.
5. Keep it clean: It's just easier to let personal hygiene go by the wayside when you are camping, but keeping yourself clean for your partner will not only make the camping trip a little more enjoyable but you might end up getting lucky.
1. Keep your humor: Teardrop trailers are small and certain positions might not be possible. Experiment and just laugh it off if an elbow bangs into a wall or you knock your head on a shelf or the ceiling. It's also difficult to stop the "RV Rock". Keep your humor and hang up a sign that says "If this teardrop's rockin', don't come knockin'." Even better: the best teardrop sign I saw read, "If this teardrop's rockin' — run like hell it's an earthquake."
2. Keep it within reach: Certain romantic paraphernalia (condoms, toys, etc.) should be kept in a special (secret) place in the teardrop when the mood strikes. It's not romantic to jump out of the bed and run out to the car to grab the sexy literature.
3. Keep it quiet: Being in the wilderness can bring out the caveman or cave woman in every person, but keep nearby campers in mind and keep the noise down. They, and you, will be less embarrassed.
4. Keep the teardrop clutter free: The right moment can happen at any time and it's also not very romantic to have to shove out lawn chairs, extra blankets, pillows or the pets in order to make some room for the bump and grind. Keep your teardrop bed uncluttered and easily accessible.
5. Keep it clean: It's just easier to let personal hygiene go by the wayside when you are camping, but keeping yourself clean for your partner will not only make the camping trip a little more enjoyable but you might end up getting lucky.
How do you keep the teardrop clean?
Spring begins tomorrow (already!) and thoughts of late spring and summer teardrop trips are on our mind. I'm planning on taking the cover off this weekend and getting the Sunflower cleaned up and geared up for her next trip. I already did a thorough cleaning of the trailer in the fall, but the trailer can get a little musty after a long winter.
I posted a spring cleaning video last year to show how I clean up the trailer, but people have asked us how we keep it clean when we are out camping. The outdoors is not the most sanitary of places. I'm kind of picky about keeping the trailer clean while out in the woods and chastise my husband when he tracks dirt and pine needles into our bed. So, here are a few things I do to ensure a clean camp.
Put down rugs
We have a few, small rugs that we put by each of the teardrop trailer doors. This is where we take off our shoes and wipe off our feet before getting into the teardrop trailer bed. You can also put a larger area rug in the galley area. We shake them out regularly.
Clean as you go
Don't leave behind a mess. Clean it up as soon as you make it. I'm always wiping down and cleaning down the trailer galley, the door frames and the rest of our camp. Not only does it make camp look nicer, but it keeps away critters.
Do regular "stuff" assessments
I keep a notepad in the teardrop trailer for jotting down notes, and some of those notes include hints on what items got in the way during the trip. We regularly assess the items we bring with us and get rid of them after a trip if we found out they got in our way or were extraneous.
Make the bed every day
Even though you are on vacation while teardropping, make your bed every day. Each morning I shake out our sheets and blankets and make the bed. This ensures that random clothing items and books don't end up lost in the bed and it removes detritus that we dragged in the night before. I also keep a smaller blanket around for throwing on top of our regular cover, and this is where we sit or lie down during the day. It gets removed at night along with any dirt and leaves.
I posted a spring cleaning video last year to show how I clean up the trailer, but people have asked us how we keep it clean when we are out camping. The outdoors is not the most sanitary of places. I'm kind of picky about keeping the trailer clean while out in the woods and chastise my husband when he tracks dirt and pine needles into our bed. So, here are a few things I do to ensure a clean camp.
Put down rugs
We have a few, small rugs that we put by each of the teardrop trailer doors. This is where we take off our shoes and wipe off our feet before getting into the teardrop trailer bed. You can also put a larger area rug in the galley area. We shake them out regularly.
Clean as you go
Don't leave behind a mess. Clean it up as soon as you make it. I'm always wiping down and cleaning down the trailer galley, the door frames and the rest of our camp. Not only does it make camp look nicer, but it keeps away critters.
Do regular "stuff" assessments
I keep a notepad in the teardrop trailer for jotting down notes, and some of those notes include hints on what items got in the way during the trip. We regularly assess the items we bring with us and get rid of them after a trip if we found out they got in our way or were extraneous.
Make the bed every day
Even though you are on vacation while teardropping, make your bed every day. Each morning I shake out our sheets and blankets and make the bed. This ensures that random clothing items and books don't end up lost in the bed and it removes detritus that we dragged in the night before. I also keep a smaller blanket around for throwing on top of our regular cover, and this is where we sit or lie down during the day. It gets removed at night along with any dirt and leaves.
Teardrop Camping in Grand Teton and Yellowstone
Several readers have requested a breakdown of our teardrop camping trip to Grand Teton and Yellowstone, so this post will include where we stayed and the various things we did on our latest camping trip.
We drove up to Grand Teton from our home in western Nevada through Elko and Wells and up into Twin Falls, Pocatello and Idaho Falls, Idaho. Our first night was a slight disaster as we found ourselves driving into the small town of Elko in the dark. We decided to spend the night with a few other RVs in the Wal-Mart parking lot, but my husband ended up waking up at about midnight complaining that it was too hot to sleep on the store's black asphalt. Because the nearest parks were in the mountains about 40 miles away, we decided to bite the bullet and get a hotel room for the night. It really irks me to get a room when we have a perfectly good teardrop trailer bed, but when you don't have air conditioning...it's a necessary evil.
The next day was filled with driving through the wheat, corn and potato fields of Idaho. We spent the next night at the Snake River RV Resort in Idaho Falls — just a few miles shy of Grand Teton. We don't normally like to camp in these types of RV resorts, but it was actually really nice to have a clean place for the night with showers, laundry and a pancake breakfast in the morning.
The next day, we drove through the beautiful mountains just south of Grand Teton (nearly running into a large female moose on the road) and down into the the cute and bustling town of Jackson, Wyoming. We had been planning on staying at the Gros Ventre Campground since they don't require reservations and we were able to snag a spot about an hour before the weekend campers started coming in. The entire weekend we were at Gros Ventre (pronounced Grow Vont) the larger spots were all taken, but the place never filled up — even in mid-August.
When our friends arrived at the nearby Jackson Hole Airport, we had dinner at the Snake River Brewery and planned out what we were going to do. That evening we caught a ride on the free Jackson Hole tram to the top of the mountain and watched the sunset.
The next day, we found out that Grand Teton is a strange park for driving around in. We ended up driving around a large part of the park without even paying for the entrance fee ($25 per car for both Grand Teton and Yellowstone). For the next few days we explored the area around Gros Ventre, saw moose, pronghorn, bison and some fantastic cloud formations. We went for a great hike to Hidden Falls and woke up VERY early in the morning to watch the Perseid meteor shower over the south shore of Jenny Lake. As far as a national park goes, Grand Teton is nearly empty. Most people drive right through on their way to Yellowstone, but this area has turned out to be one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to.
After a few nights in Grand Teton, we went on one last shopping trip in Jackson and headed up to Yellowstone. The traffic and the construction on the Roosevelt Scenic byway was very busy and it took us at least three hours to make it to our campsite at Madison on the west side of the park. After our beautiful and green campsite in Grand Teton, I was disappointed with our spot at Madison. Madison is really just a glorified parking lot. There is a nice creek and mountain behind the campground, but the place is jammed full of RVs, trailers and tents. The food and bear rules in the park and the campground are strict. We even received a warning about our Dutch oven and had to pack it away in the car. However, the teardrop did get a fair bit of traffic during our time there. I gave a few tours and even one of the camp hosts came over to look at it.
Yellowstone is so huge and there is no way you can see the entire thing. Every morning we packed up our friends' rental car with everything we would need for the day and took off. We visited the geothermal pools of the Norris Basin and Biscuit Basin, saw Old Faithful erupt at 7:00 in the morning, had a breakfast buffet at the beautiful Old Faithful Inn, hiked to Mystic Falls and the hot pools around it, visited the Grand Canyon on a rainy day, hiked down Uncle Tom's Trail, and visited the Canyon Village area and the strange Mammoth Hot Springs.
Our best day had to be our trip to Lamar Valley. We woke up at about 4 a.m. to get onto the road before other travelers and ran straight into a pack of female elk. The day just got better from there. We saw a female moose and her calf in a small pond, many herds of bison in the fields and on the road, a wolf who decided to stand on a hill and howl woefully at us and a large grizzly bear named Scarface. We never even made it to Yellowstone Lake or the far east side of the park. This guarantees that we will have to go back.
On our way back home, we stayed at a KOA in Twin Falls Idaho (again for hot showers) and visited Shoshone Falls, the Niagara Falls of the West.
Photos by Andres Leon Photography, Nelly Leon and Christina Nellemann
We drove up to Grand Teton from our home in western Nevada through Elko and Wells and up into Twin Falls, Pocatello and Idaho Falls, Idaho. Our first night was a slight disaster as we found ourselves driving into the small town of Elko in the dark. We decided to spend the night with a few other RVs in the Wal-Mart parking lot, but my husband ended up waking up at about midnight complaining that it was too hot to sleep on the store's black asphalt. Because the nearest parks were in the mountains about 40 miles away, we decided to bite the bullet and get a hotel room for the night. It really irks me to get a room when we have a perfectly good teardrop trailer bed, but when you don't have air conditioning...it's a necessary evil.
The next day was filled with driving through the wheat, corn and potato fields of Idaho. We spent the next night at the Snake River RV Resort in Idaho Falls — just a few miles shy of Grand Teton. We don't normally like to camp in these types of RV resorts, but it was actually really nice to have a clean place for the night with showers, laundry and a pancake breakfast in the morning.
The next day, we drove through the beautiful mountains just south of Grand Teton (nearly running into a large female moose on the road) and down into the the cute and bustling town of Jackson, Wyoming. We had been planning on staying at the Gros Ventre Campground since they don't require reservations and we were able to snag a spot about an hour before the weekend campers started coming in. The entire weekend we were at Gros Ventre (pronounced Grow Vont) the larger spots were all taken, but the place never filled up — even in mid-August.
When our friends arrived at the nearby Jackson Hole Airport, we had dinner at the Snake River Brewery and planned out what we were going to do. That evening we caught a ride on the free Jackson Hole tram to the top of the mountain and watched the sunset.
After a few nights in Grand Teton, we went on one last shopping trip in Jackson and headed up to Yellowstone. The traffic and the construction on the Roosevelt Scenic byway was very busy and it took us at least three hours to make it to our campsite at Madison on the west side of the park. After our beautiful and green campsite in Grand Teton, I was disappointed with our spot at Madison. Madison is really just a glorified parking lot. There is a nice creek and mountain behind the campground, but the place is jammed full of RVs, trailers and tents. The food and bear rules in the park and the campground are strict. We even received a warning about our Dutch oven and had to pack it away in the car. However, the teardrop did get a fair bit of traffic during our time there. I gave a few tours and even one of the camp hosts came over to look at it.
On our way back home, we stayed at a KOA in Twin Falls Idaho (again for hot showers) and visited Shoshone Falls, the Niagara Falls of the West.
Photos by Andres Leon Photography, Nelly Leon and Christina Nellemann
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