Hope I haven't commited a cardinal sin..

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Hope I haven't commited a cardinal sin..

Postby Frosty03 » Sat Jan 09, 2010 11:54 am

Hi all,

Been lurking here and at camp cook for quite a bit. Long time (many moons) tent camper, getting :roll: (gotten) to that middle age where a bit more comfort/convenience is in order.

(BTW, I am a cast iron nut and love to cook outside in them as much as possible. My collection threatens to collapse my storage shed.) :D

Thought about the pop up, but let that pass. Many reasons, but just too much trouble is where I'll leave that one.

The Teardrop I found about by looking here and there. Problem is, there are really none in my area to hang out with. But I have been thinking about one a LOT for the past year.

Found about Camp Inn, nice and very well built. Love the aluminum. The price is a bit scary though. However, I have kept the dream alive.

Thought about building one, but my schedule won't allow and besides, I work 6 days a week during the summer and have a 5 year old son who takes up the rest of my time.

So, I kind of kept the dream alive and have been looking for a gently used one.

Fast forward to about six weeks ago.

I have a good customer that has a very nice Airstream 25' Safari LS parked in his yard. He is a senior and it has been getting harder for him to get around. I mentioned to him and his wife that if they ever thought about selling it, would be interested.

Lo an behold, he offered it to me. I though about it, and since the timing was not right, I politely wrote him a letter explaining that I just could not at this time.

Two weeks later, he approaches me again telling me he would like to see someone like myself get it as I would really enjoy it the most. He offered me another deal, this time with terms. I told him I would get back to him.

Two weeks ago, I was back over there again, he takes me inside, sits me down at his table and offered the travel trailer to me for the unheard of sum of $12,000 and he would do terms with no interest. The gent looks at me and said, " I am gonna make you an offer you can't refuse."

With that offer, I didn't refuse. Its a bit larger than what I was first looking for, but it's the LS version of the Safari line, which is lightweight first and foremost. SO, my 1500 series Chevy pickup will pull it.

I have been in some campgrounds with the Airstream snobs, some are snooty, some are extremely nice. I will never consider myself to be some kind of elitist or whatnot, but its such a nice trailer and the deal I could not let go. So, yesterday, we signed the papers. Its mine.

So, wondering where the line was to be able to hang with the regular campers as that is really whan I've always considered myself. To go from a Tent for umpteen years to this is just a major adjustment.

The real issue here is though, I am still thinking about a small teardrop still for those closer to home jaunts and lightweight getaways.
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Postby caseydog » Sat Jan 09, 2010 12:09 pm

Welcome. I was an avid tent camper into my mid forties. I even backpacked into my late thirties. I got a teardrop for the same reason you mentioned -- sleeping on the ground was losing it's appeal with my aging body.

You probably would have loved a teardrop, and you can still get one down the road, but it sounds like you got a great deal.

As for hanging with us teardroppers, that is more a matter of attitude than camper size. If you park among us, turn on the AC and stay inside all day, like a lot of RV owners do, then you will be looked upon as camping frauds by the rest of us.

If, however, your Airstream is a place to sleep, cook and use the bathroom, and you spend the rest of the time outdoors with the rest of us, then you will find yourself a bunch of new teardropping friends.

You will see the term "teardrop time" on this forum. That is a state of mind one enters when the trailer gets hooked to the tow vehicle. Adopt the mindset of "teardrop time," and what your camper looks like is not all that important, IMO.

Of course you should be warned of a couple things. 1. You will be subjected to some friendly teasing about your big RV (but, at least its not a fifth-wheel), and 2. You will eventually own a teardrop. Yes, we will convert you. :yes:

CD
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Postby JJKC » Sat Jan 09, 2010 12:17 pm

Like your answer 7grand that's pretty much it in a nut shell :applause:
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Postby BillandMarijo » Sat Jan 09, 2010 12:27 pm

Ahhh.....an Airstream. I always wanted one. So nice you sure are lucky to have gotten such a great deal.
:applause: Enjoy,
Marijo and Bill
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Postby Frosty03 » Sat Jan 09, 2010 6:13 pm

caseydog wrote:Welcome. I was an avid tent camper into my mid forties. I even backpacked into my late thirties. I got a teardrop for the same reason you mentioned -- sleeping on the ground was losing it's appeal with my aging body.

You probably would have loved a teardrop, and you can still get one down the road, but it sounds like you got a great deal.

As for hanging with us teardroppers, that is more a matter of attitude than camper size. If you park among us, turn on the AC and stay inside all day, like a lot of RV owners do, then you will be looked upon as camping frauds by the rest of us.

If, however, your Airstream is a place to sleep, cook and use the bathroom, and you spend the rest of the time outdoors with the rest of us, then you will find yourself a bunch of new teardropping friends.

You will see the term "teardrop time" on this forum. That is a state of mind one enters when the trailer gets hooked to the tow vehicle. Adopt the mindset of "teardrop time," and what your camper looks like is not all that important, IMO.

Of course you should be warned of a couple things. 1. You will be subjected to some friendly teasing about your big RV (but, at least its not a fifth-wheel), and 2. You will eventually own a teardrop. Yes, we will convert you. :yes:

CD


Well put. I've always kinda disassociated myself with that aforementioned mindset of arriving to a rv site, putting on the ac, turning on the tv and drawing the curtains. Not my thing as its just not healthy.

When I'm caming, I smell like smoke, cook my meals outside (Ya CAN cook inside these things!) and something about cast iron gets me going. It will be a refuge for foul weather for sure, but the reason I camp is being outdoors. Campfire is a must, cooking an apple crisp and inviting the neighbors over for dessert is something I regularly do.

However, if the weather turns foul, I can see me going inside where its warm and cozy and ride out the storm.

SO good to see that the teardroppers and not cliqueish and look down on other types of camping.

I might now have what's considered an RV, but I am not an RVer...I am a camper as I always have been and always will be. Maybe its just somthing about walking outside with the moon shining at night and taking in the scenery while you take a whiz beside a nice tree.

Yeah some of my most favorite memories were loading the camping equipment into the canoe and paddling down a nice river for a few days. Camping out on the riverbanks and just enjoying the quiet time.

I will not sell my tents for that reason, but I will have to load a bit more gear when I canoe camp as I need some more padding for the bedding. But might be more inclined to find a good campsite, make a base camp and do day trips in the canoe these days.

I will pull this gem with my 1996 chevy work truck with the ladder racks. I will leave my ladders at home and put the canoe there instead. Funny, the cart will look better than the horse.
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Postby Corwin C » Sat Jan 09, 2010 9:38 pm

Taking an opportunity like this to spend more quality time with family and friends is never a sin :applause:
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