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Friday Teardrop Photo
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Teardrop Trailer Summer Cocktails
Camping is more fun with alcohol. Most of the time my husband and I like to enjoy a few beers or wine with our teardrop dinner, but every summer we get a hankerin' for some summer cocktails mixed in the back of the teardrop galley. Most teardrops don't have a lot of storage space, so unless you have a mobile bar from Neiman Marcus, your cocktails will have to be simple.
These are some of our favorite cocktails that require very few ingredients. Each are made with just one bottle of spirits, one mixer, some ice and a garnish—teardrop style.
2 ounces of peach nectar (Kerns is good)
Chilled sparkling wine or sparkling cider
Serve in a plastic wine or champagne glass
1 cup Jose Cuervo silver tequila
1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey or agave syrup
1 part vodka
2 parts orange juice
Top with orange wedge or rosemary sprig
2 ounces club soda
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons sugar
limes
Place some lime juice, sugar and mint in a bowl and smash the mixture up with a wooden spoon. Add rum and club soda and stir. Top with a wedge of lime or a sprig of pine needles.
These are some of our favorite cocktails that require very few ingredients. Each are made with just one bottle of spirits, one mixer, some ice and a garnish—teardrop style.
Backwoods Bellini
This is a nice cocktail for breakfast or brunch and can be made with or without alcohol. Top it with a piece of peach or a strawberry.2 ounces of peach nectar (Kerns is good)
Chilled sparkling wine or sparkling cider
Serve in a plastic wine or champagne glass
Tear-itas
Margaritas are a basic summer drink while camping. You can get a premixed bottle, but they tend to have too much sugar and additives so pack your own bottle of Cuervo. Use limes (they travel well) for garnish. Salt is optional.1 cup Jose Cuervo silver tequila
1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey or agave syrup
"Where the heck is the..." Screwdriver
Orange juice is not just for breakfast. This basic drink is perfect after a long day of doing nothing.1 part vodka
2 parts orange juice
Top with orange wedge or rosemary sprig
Mountain Mojito
2 ounces light rum2 ounces club soda
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons sugar
limes
Place some lime juice, sugar and mint in a bowl and smash the mixture up with a wooden spoon. Add rum and club soda and stir. Top with a wedge of lime or a sprig of pine needles.
"Do you sleep in that thing?" Cocktail
This is the cocktail to serve to anyone who asks this question. It will give them a whole other idea about teardrops and teardroppers. Add a lemon twist for garnish.
1 1/2 ounce berry vodka (ThreeOlives makes one)
¾ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce chilled sparkling wine
Mix the ingredients with ice and serve (without ice) in a plastic martini glass
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Friday Teardrop Photo
This photo is from the Hilltech Ind. Facebook page. This teardrop manufacturing company in Anchorage, Alaska is owned and operated by a husband and wife team, and they build rugged, custom teardrops for Alaska adventures. I may have to check them out when I head up there next week. :-)
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On Vacation
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Cool Tears and Tiny Trailers, May-June 2015
The latest issue of Cool Tears and Tiny Trailers is now available online and in print. This issue has a new editor as well as two artists' turquoise handmade teardrop and how to design a teardrop using SketchUp.
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Friday Teardrop Photo
This photo is not of a teardrop trailer, but of our car packed up for a typical teardrop camping trip. We like to keep the teardrop bed free of dirty camping items like chairs and tables, so we travel with them in the back of the car.
I also like to have items tightly packed and organized so they don't fly around while en route. Here we have our folding table, two Alps folding chairs, a 10x10 E-Z Up shelter, a five gallon container of water (desert camping), a small outdoor rug and our "tool box" which holds bungee cords and straps, a small hatchet/hammer combo, metal stakes and some hand wipes.
Everything is a little dusty from past camping trips.
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Nevada Teardrop Camping: Unionville Gathering
Last week I took off for the middle of the Nevada desert with the Stargazers to attend the Twain and Tears teardrop gathering in the tiny hamlet of Unionville. It was hot, but the area had just received several inches of rain, turning the desert into a green paradise.
Unionville currently has about 20 residents and was the site of a mining boom between 1863 and 1870 and had over 1,500 residents. For a short time Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, tried his luck here. Canyon springs and rushing creeks make this area of the desert lush and full of wildlife. During this trip we saw antelope, wild donkeys, deer, marmots and chukar.
We chatted and ate with other teardroppers, went fossil hunting in the foothills, explored the rugged and muddy backroads, and hiked the canyons around the former mining towns that used to dominate the absolute middle of the middle of nowhere.
Unionville currently has about 20 residents and was the site of a mining boom between 1863 and 1870 and had over 1,500 residents. For a short time Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, tried his luck here. Canyon springs and rushing creeks make this area of the desert lush and full of wildlife. During this trip we saw antelope, wild donkeys, deer, marmots and chukar.
Photos by Christina Nellemann
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Friday Teardrop Photo
This was the teardrop last weekend with her E-Z UP shelter and her two new wind walls. It's nice to have the walls to enclose the cooking and galley area. Just like a cozy room.
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Featured Teardrop: DewDropN
William Warren is a reader of the Tiny Yellow Teardrop blog and sent me some photos of his wonderful build: the DewDropN. During his build, he lurked on a few websites while trying to decide what he wanted to build. He worked on and off for about a year on his trailer and still considers it a work in progresss. He purchased all of his trim, hinges and latches from Grant Whipp of Li'l Bear Tag Alongs.
"There were some frustrations and I stumbled along at times but whenever I hit a problem I would stop and think about it or just sleep on it and do some more research and boom there would be the answer," William said. "Sleeping on a problem is actually very good life advice I think."
Bedding for the Tear has been a journey too.
"We tried 4 inch pads and an air bed which was more comfortable than the pads but it did eventually let us down one night," he added. "So, I finally found a memory foam mattress that fits and it is awesome!"
Photos courtesy of William Warren
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Friday Teardrop Photo
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The Sunflower's New Sink Setup
After going to my most recent teardrop trailer gathering, I realized we needed to come up with a different sink setup. The Sunflower does not have a built in sink, but we do use a few portable plastic sinks to do dishes, wash hands and faces, etc. However, whenever we want hot or just warm water, we have to constantly be heating up water on our Coleman stove.
A friend of mine had the brilliant idea to use an air or vacuum pot. It's one of those hot beverage dispensers you see at convenience stores or cafés. They are also used to keep coffee and tea hot at special events. She fills the dispenser with hot water in the morning and has hot to warm water all day long that is dispensed into a plastic sink pan for washing. Brilliant! Why didn't I think of this?
However, I had to have my air pot match the bright, yellow Sunflower. I found a vintage Japanese Peacock brand vacuum dispenser on eBay and snapped it up for less than $10. Not only is it yellow and orange striped, but it has TWO dispensers so I can dispense either two hot or hot/cold or even cold/cold water when I want. To make it even more streamlined, I put the pot with the sinks on a small collapsible table that can also hold our five gallon Aquatainer. This system will most likely be used the most when we don't have access to a picnic table.
We still use our folding table and the galley for cooking and food prep, but having a separate area for "water" will be handy when camping.
A friend of mine had the brilliant idea to use an air or vacuum pot. It's one of those hot beverage dispensers you see at convenience stores or cafés. They are also used to keep coffee and tea hot at special events. She fills the dispenser with hot water in the morning and has hot to warm water all day long that is dispensed into a plastic sink pan for washing. Brilliant! Why didn't I think of this?
However, I had to have my air pot match the bright, yellow Sunflower. I found a vintage Japanese Peacock brand vacuum dispenser on eBay and snapped it up for less than $10. Not only is it yellow and orange striped, but it has TWO dispensers so I can dispense either two hot or hot/cold or even cold/cold water when I want. To make it even more streamlined, I put the pot with the sinks on a small collapsible table that can also hold our five gallon Aquatainer. This system will most likely be used the most when we don't have access to a picnic table.
We still use our folding table and the galley for cooking and food prep, but having a separate area for "water" will be handy when camping.
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Friday Teardrop Photo
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4th of July Teardrop Trailer and Kayak Trip
Our area tends to be a little crazy during 4th of July, but surprisingly, we were able to snag a campsite at an area we have not explored very much: the Lakes Basin of Sierra County in California. It's only about two hours from our house, but full of US Forest Service campgrounds, lakes for kayaking, hiking trails and some really tall pine trees.
We spent a few days with our Stargazers friends hiking, kayaking and hanging around the fire. Even with the California drought, we did get a few bouts of heavy rain from some passing rainstorms. The Sunflower is very waterproof, so our bed stayed nice and dry.
This area has a few towns that cater to Pacific Crest Trail backpackers, so it was fun to see their mail stops, a "Free Stuff Pile" at a local store, and hike on parts of the PCT ourselves.
We spent a few days with our Stargazers friends hiking, kayaking and hanging around the fire. Even with the California drought, we did get a few bouts of heavy rain from some passing rainstorms. The Sunflower is very waterproof, so our bed stayed nice and dry.
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Friday Teardrop Photo
This Little Guy T@G teardrop trailer was recently purchased by photographer Mandy Lea Earnshaw. I'm looking forward to future camping shots from her because her photos are stunning.
The T@G is a hybrid between the T@B trailer and a classic teardrop. These stylish little campers have a queen size bed, tons of storage, AC and a full galley.
Photo by Mandy Lea Earnshaw
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Roadtrippers Profile Pages
I've written about the fun Roadtrippers website and app before, but now the travel planning site has updated profile pages where you can search for, save and edit the places you want to take your teardrop trailer.
After you've filled in your profile with specific locations, hotels, attractions, restaurants and outdoor recreation sites, you can share it on any social media site and embed it on a website. You can also print your itinerary before a road trip. The profiles are searchable on the Roadtrippers site and you can leave reviews of each location you visit.
Teardrop Trailer Trips | My Collection itinerary on Roadtrippers.com!
After you've filled in your profile with specific locations, hotels, attractions, restaurants and outdoor recreation sites, you can share it on any social media site and embed it on a website. You can also print your itinerary before a road trip. The profiles are searchable on the Roadtrippers site and you can leave reviews of each location you visit.
Teardrop Trailer Trips | My Collection itinerary on Roadtrippers.com!
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Friday Teardrop Photo
This Friday's photo is actually a commercial featuring an awesome Ural motorcycle with sidecar AND teardrop trailer setup. You gotta love those Geico commercials ... and ZZ Top.
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Teardrops as Cheap Hotel Rooms
This summer we have gone to a few special dinners or events up at Lake Tahoe. While Tahoe is close to us, some of these events go into the evening and include wine and cocktails or physical activities that make us too tired to drive the 1 1/2 hours home.
We could book a hotel room, but during the busy summer season at the lake, this could cost us around $150 a night. A camping spot for the teardrop only runs between $25 and $40. A heckuva deal!
So what do you have to know about using your trailer as a cheap hotel room? Nothing much, but I find these tips have helped other campers who want to have fun in their own local area without paying out the nose.
Photo: I took the Sunflower to the Wanderlust festival as a place to take a nap during the day.
We could book a hotel room, but during the busy summer season at the lake, this could cost us around $150 a night. A camping spot for the teardrop only runs between $25 and $40. A heckuva deal!
So what do you have to know about using your trailer as a cheap hotel room? Nothing much, but I find these tips have helped other campers who want to have fun in their own local area without paying out the nose.
- Get your campsite early. As soon as we find out about each event, we book a nearby campsite. You can also look around for a nearby Walmart that allows camping or even a friend's driveway
- We sometimes don't bring food. Just for these quick nights out, we won't even bring our cooler and will instead have dinner at our event and a quick breakfast at a local diner.
- Make sure it's worth it. If your special event is less than an hour from your home and you won't be imbibing, then leave the trailer at home. The cost of a campsite or the gas for towing may make your mobile overnight accommodations too pricey.
Photo: I took the Sunflower to the Wanderlust festival as a place to take a nap during the day.
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Friday Teardrop Photo
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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:
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A wonderful campsite at Crater 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:
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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...
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Friday Teardrop Photo
This is just a photo of our teardrop trailer's new vacuum pot hot water setup that I wrote about a few weeks ago. I had to mention it because it works so darn well! We fill up each of the containers with hot water in the morning and it stays hot for at least 9 to 12 hours. We use the hot water for washing dishes and for washing our hands after a long day on the trail. Each container can wash a load of dishes and then we fill it up again for the next morning.
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