Wish Me Luck! May Have Found My Teardrop! *Update Time*

[Kharn]

about the wheels and tires Look at the distance from the inside and check the distance once you have turned the tire around. my friend went with their wheel on backwards because it gave 1/2 inch of extra room on the trailer side. Just a thought. When one of these little tires GO often the whole tire plus rim goes. That is why places sell them together. check the clearance on the inside and if it is better backwards you can get the tire remounted. looks like you are ready to camp!!! Congratulations on your find!!!!

Mary C.

And check the pressure often, the stiff sidewalls mean a visual check is worthless.
My HF tires looked perfectly fine, but they were at 15 and 20 PSI when I measured them, they're supposed to be much closer to 80.

[shootr]

We hit the road Friday night for a quick 1.5 hour trip north to the Payson, AZ area to inaugurate "The Escape Pod"!

Our first spot was found in the dark after the first few places I had marked were already taken, so after a bumpy few miles we parked and slept on our heads (couldn't level out that grade!).


After some pancakes we locked it up and walked a bit - came across a much better (flatter) place, again with no one around, so we went back, grabbed the trailer and parked there for the rest of the weekend.




Sunday morning was clear and cool with a spectacular sunrise greeting us before we packed up to head home - but not before checking out the spots we had to pass up before.


We can see why they were taken - fantastic area!



So now we're home, all unpacked, and waiting for the sun to go down a little before giving her a bath and putting her to bed.

On the technical side of things:
With generous use of the battery - lights, fan, various chargers for electronic devices - the battery went from 65% capacity when we left to 75% capacity when we got home - with no charging in between. Beats me but the voltage would go up overnight when most things were off and I'm guessing new battery's getting broken in do funny things like that.

The hubs were cool to the touch after the drive up, and again coming home. Everything is still tight and solid - no nail or screw pops or delaminations or other failures I worried about once finally hitting the highways and trails.

Have a big list of little things to make future trips better: cup holders inside, bungee gear holders on a couple of the shelves, new reading lights that don't adjust enough to stay out of your eyes and don't hang so low as to bang your head on each and every time, purpose-built leveling blocks, some kind of shoe holder to keep them secure at night but easy to get too, etc.

We are indeed "happy campers"!

[shootr]

Not Air Force, but have always had a thing for the Goblin since seeing it at a museum as a kid. Vendor even put the tail # as our wedding date. Nice touch I think.

[Vedette]

Thanks for posting the Pictures!
You are lucky to be so close to areas that look like that this time of year!
Wish were there to join you, as our leaves are falling off the trees and we are making ready for winter to set in.
Just one recommendation, that I am sure you have already discovered.......No Matter what time of night you arrive, "Take the time to level your rig!"(with your heads up slightly) Sleeping will be so much more comfortable!
Same thing with your camp stove!!!
Enjoy!
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[shootr]

Well if favors work out we'll get trip #2 in weekend after next.

It was high 80's yesterday watching my ASU Sun Devils kick some Irish booty but by then, the north country should be 30's-60's - just right for us!




Among other things - new 2" mattress topper to try out, along with remembering leveler foot plates/blocks, better campfire tools, cord to hook the music player to the stereo for tunes, etc.

The planning has begun!

[Vedette]

Is that the best seat you could get?
With all those empty ones......couldn't you have moved down about 50 rows?
Sorry, we had to stay home and rake leaves, before the massive cold front starts moving in tomorrow.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi
PS
Maybe next winter we will spend the winter camping in your area.

[deleted]

Congrats on your trailer and love the pictures of your trip! Gorgeous location to be in.

[shootr]

Too busy of a summer, and with no AC, even the high country is in the 90's so not too much action with the teardrop. We did get up to Show Low for a couple nights in June and though warm, it was nice to get the Escape Pod on the road.

Prepping for a short 1-nighter next weekend for the missus' birthday. Her daughter and boyfriend are meeting us up there so it'll be a fun little outing. Each trip we try to learn something new, so this time it's bringing the kayak since we're right next to the lake.

Got a new kayak dolly last Christmas to make rolling it around easier, and this week got a Thule roof rack for the cab of the truck. I was worried about how to get it up there with out scratching up the paint, and good old YouTube to the rescue - this gal posted a video where she takes the dolly, flips it upside down on the hood so the wheels are up and the foam pads are on the paint, then just rolls the boat right up and onto the roof. Genius.






Next I made some tie down anchor points with some scrap conveyor belting from work and grommets - that will hold the front of the boat just fine. They screw down using fender bolts under the hood, then you just flip them up when they're needed, and leave under when not.





Tomorrow I'll to a trial loading and strapping so there's no surprises next weekend.

[shootr]

Did a rehearsal loading so I could drive around and fix any problems.



Worked like a charm!





Picked up some thicker rope for the bow and stern ropes and will replace the thinner ones. Otherwise - LET'S GO TEARDROPPIN'!!!

[shootr]

Fools Hollow Lake, AZ - wonderful!!!







Lot's a great things to see:

[noseoil]

Nice pictures & closeups! Looks like a nice trip to get out of the heat for a bit, but the nice weather's just a month away now, finally. When I started the build (at this point it's the never-ending build) my wife said she wouldn't go without air conditioning. I grumbled a bit & it's a PITA to figure out, but I'm glad we will have it when I get finished. Tucson's a little cooler than Phoenix, but not a lot. This summer it's been pretty hot in general & having shade & a cool place for a nap will be worth the trouble.

Is there a way you can figure out to put a small AC unit in the galley, or be able to make an opening so you can extend the season a little? Just wondering.... It would mean a lot if you could. Think of the possibilities! Death Valley in the summer would be a great trip, Bonneville in August is great, but it's a bit warm to watch the racing without a cool place to sleep.

[shootr]

If our schedules ever allow more time in it, I'll probably get a quiet generator. Already have a small window a/c unit doing nothing, so first blush would be an adapter to run a couple ducts to cutouts in the side.

Currently, we just as soon use altitude as the cooling factor!

Been checking on your build from time to time. Really nice work!

[shootr]

Woohoo!

Just booked a couple nights at Fool Hollow for the end of the month - still should be wonderful weather and this time just camping, hiking, birding, and maybe some antique hunting in Show Low.

Twice in a month? Who'd a thunk it???

[rebapuck]

I love the old school look of your Escape Pod.

[shootr]

Wow, has it been an entire year???

Life gets in the way - remodel a master bath, remodel the kitchen, etc., etc...

Anywho, cleaning up the Escape Pod for a nice 4 day weekend next week at Fool Hollow again - and man we can't wait! Got three shiny new tires just to be safe, battery tender worked well and the deep cycle seems just fine and ready. Tail lights were wonky last time, so putting on new ones and new wiring this weekend. Just sitting around, a little hiking, lot's of photography and reading - and a little fireside cooking.

Weather will be perfect - 75/45 and no rain in the forecast so far. So, don't mean to gloat, but it's been so long and I'm so ready I just had to share.