Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Lil Rocker's first real trip

Wife and I took our first trip with Lil Rocker in late April. He was well-mannered, cooperative, and we enjoyed having him along.

We left Little Rock late in the a.m. Thursday. A sign of things to come, we gave four people the nickel teardrop "tour" before we even got away from the pumps. (Lesson #1: If you don't enjoy meeting folks, don't buy a teardrop.)

By the time we got to Decatur, AL, we were plenty ready for bedtime. Pointe Mallard Park Campground there is publicly owned, and the City of Decatur has made it into quite an attraction: golf course, fishing and boating, ice park, water park, batting cages, etc. A bit crowded, but well-kept and clean, and in April, relatively quiet. Check it out at www.pointmallardpark.com/campground/index.shtml.

As in the rest of the South this year, Decatur got plenty of rain this spring, so the 'skeeters were a bit of a problem. But nothing Off couldn't handle. The temperature, though a bit warmer than we usually like for sleep, wasn't bad. Lil Rocker has no A/C, but we didn't need it. Our TD has AC outlets in the cabin, and with the side windows and the skylight open, a little AC-powered clip-on fan kept the air moving comfortably.

The next day, Friday, we visited my aunt and cousins, some of whom I hadn't seen since 1978. Then, we headed for Huntsville, only about 25 miles up the road, where we stopped at the U.S Space & Rocket Center. The traffic wasn't too bad, but we had to move along at a good pace. Lil Rocker gave us no problems, so we kept up well.

The center, though, really wasn't that great. I expected it to rival the National Aerospace Museum in Washington, DC, but it fell short considerably. Given the area's history in U.S. rocketry and space exploration, that really is unfortunate.

That night, we camped at Monte Sano State Park above Huntsville. The ranger who showed us to our campsite was very enthusiastic about how well-maintained and clean his park was. So we backed the Lil Rocker in. (Lesson #2: It's true that small trailers are harder to back than larger. So, TD novices just should expect to have a bit of trouble early on with backing up. But it gets easier quickly, I promise.)

We leveled, chocked and unloaded the Lil Rocker; then, last thing, I plugged into the AC power. There wasn't any.

For most teardroppers, that ain't no beeg thang. However, apnea means I need a C-PAP machine to get a good night's sleep, and it runs on electricity. So, when we found we had no power, we had to put everything away and moved over one space. (Lesson #3: Check out the hookups - power, water, etc. - before anything else; then, set up.)

Saturday, we continued east, stopping off to tour Cathedral Caverns State Park (http://www.alapark.com/CathedralCaverns), between Greater Woodville and Metropolitan Grant, AL. It's a relatively new state park, I believe, and its main attraction, the cave, is HUGE and very impressive -- lots of formations, large rooms and even a "stalagmite forest." Well worth the $10 per adult admission.

DeSoto State Park on Lookout Mountain at Fort Payne, AL, was our Saturday night stop. The ranger there noted with pride that the park had been renovated recently, and he just knew we would enjoy our stay. I'd laughingly mentioned our electricity experience the previous night. He'd just driven off, we'd barely backed into the newly graveled level site (with its brand new concrete slab-based hookups and nice roomy green spaces), and Wife had just unlatched her car door when the man in the adjacent RV welcomed us.

"Y'all got any power?? he asked. "Mine just quit."

Simultaneously, campers from across the road came to tell us that their electricity, too, had failed. They began asking questions, and we gave them the nickel TD "tour" of Lil Rocker. A couple minutes later, the ranger was back, apologizing all over himself for the power outage after having bragged on his park.

"No problem," we told him.

The seven or eight who'd gathered at our site finished their NTDT and left, and we set up as dusk settled. By this, the third night out, my main hope for our TD had materialized: I could now set it up in five-10 minutes. Beats the yellouttaahtent.

Incidentally, The power company did get things going again by midnight, just about the time my apnea was kicking in. So, I just fired up my C-Pap and went back to sleep.

We enjoyed DeSoto. A night-long cool breeze ensured we were well-rested when we rose Sunday morning. After breakfast, we took a 45-minute walk, then hit the road.

More on our Lil Rocker's maiden voyage later. Until then, if you see us on down the road, be sure to wave big.

And remember: Keep the rubber to the road and the shiny side up!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Replying to Susann

We recently got an inquiry from Susann about our Lil Rocker. She asked how we like our teardrop, what we would change or add to it, and if it's air conditioned.

"Just your basic kind of questions," she said. Thanks, Susann. We'll try to provide you some info.

First, just to letchall know, we got the taillights/brakes plug replaced (see previous posting), then had to get it done again before I got back home. Neither we nor the installer had recognized that the pigtail was too short.

So. Tip #1: Make sure you have the right amount of slack in your electrical pigtail, whether you buy a new or used teardrop. If not, have it replaced. Checking now may save you lotsa hassle later.

Okay, back to Susann. How do we like our Lil Rocker? We love it. A lot!

All Wife's initial fears re our comfort, etc. were dispelled during the one night we used it. (Remember, we picked it up in December in Maine, when only the hardcore camp.) Neither of us are small people, and we had plenty of room in the five-foot-wide queen-bed-sized cabin. I'd recommend a five-foot-wide trailer to any couple thinking of buying a new teardrop.

Ours is a 3-year-old Camp-Inn Model 550 with birch interior and cabinetry. It has interior lights, a moonroof, two doors, teardrop windows (like the rear windows of a '40 Ford coupe) on the front and curtains. It also has an aluminum skin, stainless steel fenders and running lights. The galley is equipped with a two-burner propane stove, a foldout side table, a stainless steel sink and plenty of counter and storage space. (Visit http://tinycamper.com/teardrop550classic.htm for more features.) As I noted previously, we are currently outfitting it to our needs.

Lil Rocker is not air conditioned, a point Wife and I discussed much. We are postponing our final decision on that option to a later date. (I contend that, since we love the Rockies and points west, we will not be camping in places that are so hot at night that we'll need AC.)

What would I change about the Lil Guy? It's a bit too early to tell, but I'd like to see the stove stored differently. To be used, it must be slid from the back left corner of the galley to the back center, out from under a cabinet. Maybe it could be stored beneath a center cabinet and slid forward. But we haven't used it yet, so the way it's currently designed may be best.

I probably will, however, have a rear bumper of some sort put onto the trailer. Camp-Inn offers one as an option, so that is an option....)

Tip #2: Susann, do a LOT of research before you decide to buy. Know what YOUR wants and needs are. A teardrop just ain't no RV. It's a step up from, a more convenient form of, tent camping.

We hope to see y'all somewhere along the road. If you pass us, wave big -- and keep the shiny side up and the rubber on the highway.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Just getting started...

We've brought our Lil Rocker home from Maine and showered him off. Now, the little fella's resting comfortably in our carport. (You'll notice I've already determined his gender and name. Hope The Wife doesn't mind.)

Thus far, Wife and I have spent only one night in the trailer, the second night we owned him. We would have slept inside the first night, but it was late in the afternoon when we got back on the road to Arkansas. We felt we really didn't have time to find a suitable campground. In the Northeast in mid-November, not many are open. So, we found an inexpensive motel.

The second night, we located a private campground that was open just off the Interstate in Western Pennsylvania, I think it was. Craig and Ardeene, the previous owners, had told us that condensation would be something we'd experience, just like in a tent. They suggested we bring along several towels to roll up and place between the windows and curtains to keep the condensation from dripping on us as we slept. Great tip, especially since the cold that night undoubtedly made the condensation worse. We were dry, but when we woke up the next morning, the walls and roof were quite wet. We hadn't vented the cabin properly -- at all, in fact -- and I'm sure that had contributed to the heavy dew inside. Rookie mistake. We'll learn.

Although cold, the day was sunny, so we opened Lil Rocker's windows slightly, and he dried out as we motored toward home. About halfway there, though, a very nice Amish couple in a black minivan signaled us that our lights/brake plug had come loose. Apparently, a variation in how the hitch was mounted on my vehicle, compared to Craig/Ardeene's, had caused the plug to pop out when I'd made a very sharp right turn at a service station or somewhere. But I hadn't realized it at the time.

Anyway, Craig and Ardeene, had told us that, as teardroppers, duck tape would quickly become our friend. They were right, of course, but didn't know that I have worshipped at the duck tape altar for many years, and had a new roll at the ready.

We signalled our thanks to the Amish couple and pulled off at the next exit. The pavement had ground off a good portion of the plug's case, but it still made good contact, and I was able to reconnect it. My trusty duck tape held it. During the return trip, I had to cut the tape off twice when we stopped for the night. If I hadn't disconnected the plug, Lil Rocker may have drained our car battery. An isolator will prevent that, but I'm not sure I want to spend the money and add another modification to our new Forester's electrical system. Pulling the plug just ain't that bothersome. Anybody have any thoughts?

Wife and I already are thinking hard about our spring trip, and beginning to outfit Lil Rocker to suit us. If you happen to pass us then, wave big -- and keep the rubber to the road and the shiny side up!