How do you shower?

One of the questions I get about teardrop camping is how we bathe or shower when our tiny trailer doesn't have a bathroom. Even though I love to camp and don't mind the dirt and grime that comes with it, I am extremely picky about keeping clean while camping. I have to have a nightly shower before going to bed and after a day of hiking, kayaking or exploring. My husband is totally the opposite, he thinks that you should stink while camping, so I have had to battle him when it comes to our individual camp shower needs.

Sometimes we will camp at a campground that has hot showers. These can be either free or fee showers. Campgrounds in drought prone states like California, Utah, Nevada and Arizona will charge a dollar or two for a 3-5 minute shower. States with plenty of water like Oregon and Washington usually have free hot showers.

When we are boondock camping we usually bring along a pop-up shower tent. The particular tent we have is simple and does not have a floor, so I purchased a plastic water heater tank catch pan to use as a floor. I also built a small platform out of 2x2 redwood to stand on while bathing.

Our first few attempts at using a solar camp shower failed miserably because either the water would not heat up in time to take a hot shower or it cooled off too fast at night. The typical solar showers are also really heavy when filled up and nearly impossible to lift over your head to a branch or a hook on a car roof rack so you can take a shower. However, my camping girlfriend and I have come up with our own solution. We just heat up a small pot of water on the fire or the stove, grab a cup and take it into the shower tent. We then just dip the cup into the pot and dump the warm water over our heads. It feels fantastic and we have more control over how much water gets used, which is necessary when camping in a place with limited water.

Another solution (but not available in all areas) is to utilize local hot springs. We camp quite a bit in the Eastern Sierras which has hot springs dotted all around the area. We lounge around in a hot spring for an hour or so and then wash off with some soap and a bottle of water. Also, if you don't mind a cold bath in the middle of the summer, you can always jump into a lake or river to wash off, just be sure to use biodegradable soap and shampoo.

Who has visited your teardrop?

Teardrop trailers seem to attract wildlife. During one of our camping trips, we were visited by a flock of chukar and a doe and her two fawns...all in one day. Maybe it's because of its low profile or quick access to food, but some teardrops seem to be popular with campground residents.

I could not resist posting this photo from some of my favorite teardroppers: Dave and Kathy of CampADK.

Teardrop Trailer Boondocking

Many times when we go camping with our friends (who also own a teardrop trailer), we will boondock. Boondocking is essentially free camping on public land. It's also called dispersed camping, and there are various places around the U.S. where you can set up camp for the night with a minimal amount of amenities. Boondocking with a teardrop trailer is just as easy as with a larger RV, and maybe even more so because a small teardrop tucked away in the woods or in the desert does not have as high a profile as a larger RV and can be less conspicuous.

You can boondock on BLM land or National Forest property, and some people even boondock in the parking lot of Wal-Mart or a local truck stop. There are discussions among campers whether or not parking lot camping is really boondocking, and the word tends to refer only to free camping on public land.

Depending on the area and terrain, boondocking areas will have specifically designated areas for camping, vehicles and campfires and some sites may not even allow any kind of open flame. Boondocking spots normally don't have hookups, sewer, showers or water, but sometimes they have basic pit toilets. Many boondocking areas have a time limit of several weeks.

You can find boondocking areas on these two websites: Free Campsites.net and Boondocking.org.

Boondocking tips:

Bring your own water or a water filter

Several places where we like to boondock have a nearby creek or river where we will fill up canteens just for washing dishes or ourselves. This water should not be used for cooking or drinking unless it has been filtered or boiled. It's best to bring several five gallon tanks of your own drinking water.


Stay safe

Camp with people you know and trust. Boondocking is not necessarily dangerous, but since there is no camp host and some boondocking areas are away from populated areas, it's best to not camp alone. 


Re-use campfire areas

If you are boondocking and happen to run across a spot where someone once had a campfire, use the same area rather than creating a new area to burn. Depending on where you're camping, many boondocking areas have plenty of downed wood.

Use Dry ice

If you plan on boondocking for a week or more, use dry ice instead of regular ice. Your food will stay colder longer and you won't have to travel a long distance to re-stock your ice supply. Here are some tips on how to use dry ice.

Friday Teardrop Photo

 

Taken at Convict Lake, California

Featured Teardrop: Nest Egg Trailers

Several people have asked me if a teardrop trailer can be towed by a Prius or other hybrid car. There was never anything on the market (except the Little Guy Rascal), but these new lightweight teardrops may be just what hybrid drivers are looking for. The Nest Egg Trailers are super lightweight, weighing in at a dry weight of only 700 pounds.

Nest Eggs are made of 100 percent composite materials and do not contain any wood. They are 100 percent waterproof and if they get dirty on the inside, you can just hose them out. They contain a queen size bed, a galley with a sink and a roll-out work surface, a 9 gallon fresh water tank and a 9 gallon waste water tank, a smart built-in ice chest, double skylights and interior cabinets.

The basic model costs $8,995 and additional options include carpet, a shower tent, a mattress, heating and air conditioning, a power pack and USB and 110 volt plugs.

A Magazine Just for Teardrops

A free electronic magazine just for teardrops will be arriving in February 2013.  The Cool Tears and Tiny Campers magazine is a bi-monthly publication that will be delivered to your email box and is dedicated primarily to teardrop trailers and other small and ultralight campers.

One goal of the magazine is to break down the vast amounts of information on the web into a few interesting stories presented in a familiar graphic magazine format. The magazine will also feature quality manufacturers, custom builders, and do-it-yourselfers and teardrop trailer parts and supplies.

Are Teardrop Trailers Romantic?

The first teardrop trailers in the 1940s and 1950s were popular with honeymooning couples. The comfortable bed, tiny space and lack of electronic diversions do work very well in conjunction with a romantic getaway.

When my husband and I teardrop camp, it is sweet and romantic to curl up together, pop open his iPad and watch a show or a movie in the dark. We also snuggle up and read together. However, it's not always cuddling and kissing. If we are having a bad day or an argument, there is nowhere else to get away from each other at night. We don't have a large RV with a living room or a bedroom where we can fume for a few hours. This forces us to either resolve our issue or not to have one at all.

I met a guy at a teardrop rally a few years ago who had just finished refurbishing his vintage teardrop trailer. This was his first time out and he had brought along his girlfriend. Unfortunately, the teardrop was four feet wide and only had one door. I have a feeling she slept on the side without a door because the next day this previously affectionate couple were not speaking to each other.

If you are thinking of building or purchasing a teardrop trailer and you are a couple, really take into consideration the size and layout of your bed area. Having a bit more room, his and hers closets, hooks and storage areas and doors on both sides of the teardrop can make or break a camping trip and a relationship.

Photo by Christina Nellemann. Illustration by teardropplans.blogspot.com.