Teardrops Popular Everywhere

[Vedette]

Wow! I just checked out the first page of the Newbies section of the Forum.
Reads like a world map.
TDs seem to be increasing in popularity everywhere??
Good Roads
To Everyone who has just joined us.
Brian & Sandi

[Redneck Teepee]

Just last month an old buddy whom I rode dirt bikes with for years went to Plymouth Idaho to the "Big Nasty" hill climbs, I stopped by to see him, he was loading his truck and I asked where he was staying?, he replied in my tent, so I asked what a 60 year old man was doing sleeping on the ground like a dog for? He said it's all I got, motels are 40 miles out.

I told him to come get my tear and take it with him.....long story short, after the hill climbs he ended up staying an extra week to meet up with another old dirt biking pal who now lives in Oregon (and is now racing the "Old Timers" class circuit at 70 years young) in Boise. He spent the week at various points on the Snake River fishing and camping, he say's the teardrop is a people magnet, they all want to take pictures and look in it, he even had a gal who was with her boyfriend camping, who wanted to crawl in it to see how comfortable it was, he said she was just too damn'd purty to say no to.

He absolutely loves that teardrop and now wants to build one. Guess we got our work cut out for us now.

[Vedette]

I hate to get in a debate with Slow........But, Please don't reply to my posts unless you have something "Positive" to say!
Where are the Administrators? How much longer do we have to put up with this?
This is a wonderful Forum full of Positive people! Just Saying.
And for what it is worth? Over the past two years we have met hundreds of Teardrop campers(mostly Americans), and I can't say I have met even one that was hurting for money or crying poverty.
Better Roads Ahead
Brian & Sandi

[mobile camper]

Brian,

I agree with you, Since we got our teardrop and started going to outings everyone we met has been upbeat with life in general.

Steve G

[cherokeegeorge]

I hear you Brian, following slow's theory, everyone would be getting into tent camping.

[nevadatear]

Wow! I just checked out the first page of the Newbies section of the Forum.
Reads like a world map.
TDs seem to be increasing in popularity everywhere??
Good Roads
To Everyone who has just joined us.
Brian & Sandi

Brian, I would agree with you. Mike S. can probably tell us the stats! We joined back in 2009 and luck for us members, it has always had international members to expand our vision. However, it seems we are indeed seeing more and more members from above, below and across the pond! Welcome! I have met few folks who have chosen to live in their rigs, Staci Tamaki being the most recent notable exception. However, she did not build to live or move in her tiny trailer, but it was certainly a helpful part of her enormous life change, and her tiny trailer was, in part, both impetus and the method. Of course many folks build on a tight budget, and the great thing about tears is you can have a great trailer that fits in any budget, whether building or buying.

We don't camp together out of similar levels of economic condition, but because of can-do attitude and thinking slightly or hugely outside the box. You have to be a little bit off to be a teardropper! For example, just last month a group of us were camping at the glyphs, we see the rain coming in, and the group macguyvers tarps and tables and a teardrop galley and propane firepits to make a great place to gathering together, playing some games, talking and having our potluck. Yes, we would have gotten a little less wet in big rigs, but not had nearly as much fun in designing our shelter or huddling together in the rain, or watching the rainbows that we did. Its the positive attitudes and willingness to go for it (tu tu Thursday anyone?) that we love camping with.

But I digress. The point of this thread is the apparent increase in international members. It does seem like it and to that, I say again---Welcome aboard, whatever your reason for building.

[S. Heisley]

Back when I joined this forum, it was to give back to the people of a great forum that had given my mind the fodder that it needed to build a tiny travel trailer. I decided that it wouldn’t be right NOT to share my build, as I built it, as a way of giving back to an Internet community that had given so much to me. It’s interesting, how sharing works, though. The more I gave, the more I got.

What I found was a unique, can-do type of people who, for the most part, look “can’t” in the eye and say, “Yes, I can figure that out and do it!” ...And, they do! Others will say, “Here, try this.” or “Let me help you with that.” or, out-and-out give you something, expecting nothing in return.

The majority of the tnttt forum members are down to earth people who are kind, forgiving, and giving. They are people who laugh at the rain when they are camping and find a way to be happy anyway, later telling stories about the “Damp Gathering” or how they brought together all their shelters, tarps, and propane campfires to not only warm their bodies; but also, warm their souls with the good companionship and the memories of so many people and camp gatherings. Yes, they are a community, a type of family of sharing people, giving of their ideas, thoughts; their sweat and their laughter.

Like any family, we aren't perfect. We have our misfits, occasional spats, jealousies, and troubles; but, being the type of people that we are, we overcome all this. We gather around those who have been hurt and offer condolences. When we can, we calm people who offer negative views or fight for those who are being wronged; and, yes, if someone is too negative or hurts others too much, we ultimately shun them from the positive-thinking society that we have built. Once that is done, we settle back down to what we are about: sharing, caring, and thinking positively with our “Yes, you can” and “Welcome, friend” attitudes.

I, for one, want to say thank you to all of you who have sheltered or helped me when I needed it; and, yes, knocked me done a peg if I needed that; and, through it all, have warmed my heart and given me one of the best “families” that it has been my privilege to be a part of.

Yes, it is great to see that our community of teardrop and tiny travel trailer campers is growing, whether they build, refurbish, remodel, or buy brand new. With a forum of people who are so warm-hearted and caring, it was bound to happen! It just goes to show that good, caring, giving, and innovative people exist everywhere in the world. And, even if we can’t meet each person in the flesh, we still can touch each other electronically, sharing our thoughts and views, ultimately, bringing a little more happiness to the world.

2 cents worth? I guess I gave 50 cents worth...Hope you don't mind.

[lrrowe]

Sharon, where did you learn to express yourself so well?

[doug hodder]

its mostly the ecomy why the teardrops are growing in huge numbers.
slow

I call BS on this, you have absolutely no facts to back it, it's your myopic view of the world. Look that one up in your Funk and Wagnalls!

[danlott]

I see one almost everyday passing through my town, at least during camping season.

Dan

[alaska teardrop]

Wow! I just checked out the first page of the Newbies section of the Forum.
Reads like a world map.
TDs seem to be increasing in popularity everywhere??
Good Roads
To Everyone who has just joined us.
Brian & Sandi

Yes. And new members, no matter where they're from, often bring new fanciful ideas & culture.

[alaska teardrop]

brian thuis was happening in 2010 when I joined the forum. this really has been going on for several years and the ecomey in the usa the last 7 years did a lot to increase this popularity with people out of work and the high gas prices. but this is NOT new news! this has been going on for several years now!

there where in 2010 people back east that lost there jobs and could not find work traveling out west here living in a teardrop as they had lost there house to a foreclosed mortage and they built teardrops as homeless shelters and traveled out west here to find what little jobs in the usa that were left out west here as the job market back east was hit so bad!!!!!!!!!

people were trying to live in teardrops for finding a job. when I was out of work in 2010 there were over 200 people competing with me for one job and most of them were transits from back east out of work!!!!!!!!! I had licenseplates in my local job service office like a bunch of cars in yellowstone park!

lots of people are stil turning to teardrops to rv on the road or snow bird becuase of gas prices!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lots of people can build them for penneys compared to buying one and the ecomey is still so sucks no one hardly can get a loan to buy a modern rv so building a teardrop is the way to get a camper as you cant get a loan to buy one!!!!!!!!!!

when you can build one for a around 3 or 4 thousand or less than that 2000 and not have a bank loan yes. your going to teardrop especial with gas staying around 4 bucks a gallon!!!!!!!!

its mostly the ecomy why the teardrops are growing in huge numbers. but this is really nothing new its been going on fore several years now!

I hate to say it but when I was on the newbie secetion and I was new. it was already a road map! the craze though in canada and austraila and england is just really starting to take off and other countries america though has been at it for some time.

slow

"In the United States today, we have more than our share of nattering nabobs of negativism. They have formed their own 4-H club -- the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history."

Slowcowboy, The cost of fuel has gone way down. Maybe it's a good time to expand your universe.

[Esteban]

Gas Buddy wyominggasprices.com two year chart for Wyoming. Prices are down about $.20/gallon over the last two months.

[cherokeegeorge]

Here in so cal gas has gone from 4.39 to 3.63. Still to high but I believe that's down. Er, I mean oh hell, now I'm confused

[wincrasher]

I guess I don't understand the hostility toward Slow's comments.

It's quite obvious that many people have not saved enough for their retirements or even make as much money as they once did.

But being the can-do people we generally are, they are still finding a way to chase their dreams of travel.

Others just don't want to pour their resources into a monstrous RV for really no more enjoyment for the spending. I think I fall into this camp. I'm making more money than I ever have, but that doesn't mean I want to spend it on a big honkin' RV.

So I think the economy factor, or the money factor has alot to do with the popularity of teardrops - especially the commercially manufactured ones - they are much cheaper than any other kind of travel trailer. Plus virtually no maintenance and home storage.

I'm not so sure about whats going on with the home-builts. Cost savings may be more of a factor, but there are still lots of people that enjoy building things.

Either way, if you are doing it to save money, think it's just cool, or it's a fun, crafty hobby, who cares? Popularity is a good thing.