Little Guy 6'-wide teardrop

[hiker chick]

is there space for a propane tank between the jack and your tong box?

Sure, if you had a way to mount it. I walk through there.

You might also fit one on the side of the tongue box. Don't have my teardrop with me so can't measure.

[Oasis Maker]

I gotta just say it hiker chick... but you got balls (or a good zoom) taking this picture if Mama was as close as she seemed to you.

National Geographic awaits you.

Scott

[hiker chick]

More critically, I wasn't the slowest person there.

[hiker chick]

Just did some math. A friend went up with us and stayed in the Lodge while Gidget and I camped in the teardrop.

Her lodge room was $25 a night just for the pup. My friend only slept and showered in her room. She spent the rest of the time in my campsite or walking around with me and Gidg.

Her lodging cost for 3 nights = $500

My lodging cost for 3 nights = $ 63 (includes three $1 showers)


We both saved money by cooking in my campsite and not eating any meals in the restaurants.

I've camped about 80 nights in my teardrop since October 2007.

Would have cost over $11,000 more over those 80 nights to stay in one of the park's lodges. With Gidget.

A private cabin outside of the park would have been at least an additional $10,000 on top of that $11,000.

Prior to teardropping we often stayed in cabins. I certainly never would have stayed in cabins 80 nights during that time, because of the expense. But camping is affordable and the teardrop makes weekend camping much more doable and comfortable.

The teardrop enables us to camp much more often. That's priceless.

[Oasis Maker]

Wow! Those numbers don't lie Hiker Chick... ahh.. errr... think I could borrow a hundred bucks from ya? I certainly know you're good for it.

Scott

[hiker chick]

Wow! Those numbers don't lie Hiker Chick... ahh.. errr... think I could borrow a hundred bucks from ya? I certainly know you're good for it.

Scott

LOL -- don't recall saying I was pocketing the difference. These rationalizations pave the way for further shopping.

I meant to say: economic stimulus.

[hiker chick]

Achieved camping nirvana this past week during a 5-night outing. Fantastic weather, mostly great camping neighbors in a small 19-site campground that is one of three in the complex and the only one on the lake (Douthat State Park near Clifton Forge Virginia - 20 miles from the WV border off I-64).

Douthat is 1400-foot elevation as compared to our usual 3700-foot elevation spot in Shenandoah NP. And the week started out toasty (90s during the day, 60s at night) so three Coleman tent fans came in handy (remarkably efficient things). Then the weather progressively cooled and by Friday morning at 5:30a when we got up it was 45-degrees in the teardrop -- perfection.

Our campsite was on the water, quite large and nearly entirely shaded during the day. A friend stayed in a cabin with her two Samoyeds so I had the benefit of that in addition to the campsite. The teardrop carried extra gear as this trip was all about paddling with pups:

[hiker chick]

Gidget loves the boat in or out of the water and even ate breakfast in it, after I remembered to put a dollop of yogurt on top:

[hiker chick]

Douthat Lake is 50 acres and no power boats are allowed so it's very relaxing for paddlers and fishing.

[hiker chick]

The 6 month old pup learned the hard way, a couple of times, about getting too close to the edge. She's invented a new sport: boat-joring.

12 hours after getting home from this trip she won Best in Breed in a dog show.

[hiker chick]

Odds & ends. Can't go wrong with a beautiful crisp morning, a good book, hot coffee and woman's best friend: her pup. This memory sustains me this week back in DC, where it's forecast to top out today at 103 degrees.

[deceiver]

My but that looks an ideal time. Looks as if you left the rest of the world behind for a few days.

[hiker chick]

My but that looks an ideal time. Looks as if you left the rest of the world behind for a few days.

Indeed -- no cell signal, no TV. They reportedly now have Wi-Fi at the lakeside restaurant but I never tried it (though I did bring my laptop for photo downloads).

Didn't want any e-mails to mar the mood.

We kept paddling, the world kept spinning.

[deceiver]

Same here. When we take long term trips.. a week or more. The laptop becomes a photo repository and I use it to update the blog for the relatives. But beyond that, emergencies are for the cell phone. The laptop gets a rest. Oh.. in the tear it does play a movie or two late at night.

[Shadow Catcher]

OK gotta ask is there a person on the other end of the leash? Lots of picture of dog no picture of dogs person!