Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

So I am in the design stage of my galley, and have some awesome ideas about what I would like to do. But, some of those ideas depend on whether or not leaving your galley open is an acceptable thing to do. I will have a canopy cover over the galley area, so weather wont be a big concern. When it is time to bed down for the night do you leave the galley open, or close everything back up?
What about if you run to the store or leave your campsite for a bit... Do you close up your galley and lock it or what have you? Or do you leave it open for convenience sake?

Any input would be appreciated!
Neil

It depends.
Do you trust your fellow campers not to steal your beer?
Are there racoons or bears in the area?
Not fun to wake up to a bear rummaging through your tear drop.

I agree with Kirkman, it depends and it boils down to location location location, hazards etc.
Our refrigerator normally sits out under the rear tarp, in bear country it sits inside the car with power supplied by the solar panel on the tear.

We keep it open when we are at the campsite or close by. We close if going away not so much because of other campers but more because of critters. we do close it at night when we sleep.

This is one of the big reasons I decided to go with side wing tables instead something that folds out from the rear counter. That way I can pack stuff away and close the hatch for critter control and still have the tables out for whatever utility reason I might need, such as setting a lantern on or whatever. No need to totally break down in order to close the hatch. Also, having a wing table out either side or both will extend the counter space significantly without blocking any of the galley counter to do so. At least that is the plan.

I've been teardropping for ten years and would have to think long and hard to come up with a night where we weren't camped in bear country. On the other side of the camping world are those of us that occaisionlly spend a night in Walmart. One of those campsites/parking lots would bother me more –for a lot of things including an open hatch– than the movie, Night of the Grizzly.



I don't know what type of awning you are going to use. But when it comes to weather and hatches, I'd hate to have my hatch up in a nasty thunderstorm because of wind. One bad gust of wind could cause havoc with an open hatch.

I guess it just depends on your camping enviorment.

Tony

Well you all make good points, and it seems I have a bit to learn about camping in a teardrop

I don't think about bears because where I live in KY we might see one once every 10 years or so. Racoons, on the other hand....
I won't have to worry about anyone stealing my beer, as I don't drink beer. Now, if someone touches my bourbon on the other hand!

Looks like I need to keep closing up in mind when I finish my galley designs. I had thought about adding a wing table on one side, and now for sure I think I will be doing that. I was thinking of using rubbermaid fast track mounts to make the table easily and quickly removable.

Thanks for the input all!
Neil

... or this.
http://www.dyersonline.com/ap-products-table-support.html

KCStudly wrote:... or this.
http://www.dyersonline.com/ap-products-table-support.html

That seems even better. Could I put something like this on the bottom of the tabletop to keep it stable?
http://www.dyersonline.com/rv-designer- ... acket.html

I am assuming that the bracket you linked wont hold a tabletop up by itself?
Neil

I have experienced a "bear raid" before. Stole all our cooler food.
So I have learned my lesson and take precautions with our food when we are not at the camper or in bed.

TwoFeetShorter wrote:

KCStudly wrote:... or this.
http://www.dyersonline.com/ap-products-table-support.html

That seems even better. Could I put something like this on the bottom of the tabletop to keep it stable?
http://www.dyersonline.com/rv-designer- ... acket.html

I am assuming that the bracket you linked wont hold a tabletop up by itself?
Neil

Here is MtnDon's solution. And I have seen other similar in this forum.
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=63086&p=1126835&hilit=+Counter#p1126835

lrrowe wrote:

TwoFeetShorter wrote:

KCStudly wrote:... or this.
http://www.dyersonline.com/ap-products-table-support.html

That seems even better. Could I put something like this on the bottom of the tabletop to keep it stable?
http://www.dyersonline.com/rv-designer- ... acket.html

I am assuming that the bracket you linked wont hold a tabletop up by itself?
Neil

Here is MtnDon's solution. And I have seen other similar in this forum.
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=63086&p=1126835&hilit=+Counter#p1126835

Thank you! That gives me lots of ideas, and tells me i was thinking in the right direction.
Neil

TwoFeetShorter wrote:I am assuming that the bracket you linked wont hold a tabletop up by itself?
Neil

I plan on using a pair of wooden crutches (that I picked up at a yard sale, one for each table) clipped into a bracket at floor level. Hope to be able to fold the leg up into the underside of the table when not in use.

Some folks use crutches with the foot located on the ground, using the adjustable leg to level, but I figure setup will be easier and the tables will level automatically once the trailer is leveled with the foot braced back to the floor edge.

I close mine to keep animals and bugs out. When we camped up in the Adirondacks last year we heard scratching under the camper one night. I got out and thought it was a raccoon or a mouse in the wash tubs we keep under the camper. It was a skunk! He got trapped in the bucket under the camper and I had to use a pole to push it out so he could climb out. He hopped out and stood there with his tail in the air. I just froze until he left. I now put the tubs in the back of the truck. Food smells will draw the animals in. Don't give them access or extra incentive.

Happy camping.