Recap of the CRA2015 (with lots of photos)

[deleted]

For the curious I just posted a blog recap of the Crossroads of America gathering from this past week in Spencer, Indiana.

https://tinygami.wordpress.com/2015/07/29/recap-of-the-tearjerkers-cra2015-tiny-trailer-rally/

All of the thumbnail images can be viewed full sized in the post at the above link.

Thanks again to Kurt and all of the Chapter Directors and volunteers who made the event so great.

Had a great time meeting a lot of people from this and the Tearjerkers' forums and lots of nice people who don't actively participate on either forum. Came home very inspired to make even more improvements to The Glampette The first of which is to acquire a portable ice making machine. LOL

[Zipline65]

Stacy,
We have been considering an ice making machine. Were they in use at CRA? I was so sorry to have missed it.
Liz

[deleted]

I didn't see a single ice maker there Liz but I'd eyed them before and had always thought if I ever brought an appliance along it would be my first choice. We saw LOTS of AC units and little fridges, quite a few fans, and a few toaster ovens. I even saw an electric popcorn popper If you have the space to bring them along and enjoy them why not? But my appliance and device list would most likely begin and end with the ice maker and a fan.

The only downside I can see of having an ice maker would have been then I wouldn't have needed to get into my car with air conditioning to buy ice or walk around in the air conditioned grocery store

Try to make the next CRA Liz. It was a lot of fun!

[S. Heisley]

You did a beautiful and very thorough job of your review, Stacie. Thank you!

[glenpinpat]

THere were a few ice machines. One of the organizers had one running.

[deleted]

Ah, wish I'd seen one on one of the trailer tours I was given glenpinpat. Would have liked to have been able to talk to people who own them for a real life review and see how they work though I suppose there's probably a Youtube video for that

[cheri832]

Stacy,
Probably off topic but I have one of the portable ice makers. They are wonderful. Plug it in, add a couple quarts of water to the hopper and it works. The water pumps into a small trough, coolant filled tubes lower into the water and small bullets of ice freeze around the tubes. Then excess water drains back into the reservoir, the tubes heat until the ice falls off, it's scooped into a basket, and the process repeats , taking about ten minutes each batch. Auto shut off for low water and too full ice. It's the perfect camping accessory. I take mine every trip.
Sorry for the hi-jack.

[deleted]

Not a hi-jack at all! I really appreciate your review of the ice maker Cheri. I don't have room in my trailer for one but do have room in my car. I wish I knew in time to have got one for the rally. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time, but felt wilted and withered through most of it. Kind of felt like a wimp but what can you do? The West Coast where I lived had no humidity and MI has only had a couple of days of noticeable humidity in the past year since I arrived. Thanks again for commenting.

[Eileen k.]

Stacie , enjoyed your cra article very much. I have a trailer without the
kitchen in the back. Been going back and forth about a mini fridge purchase.
Then, you mentioned campers having ice makers...interesting. Why do
they prefer ice makers? Thanks, Eileen

[deleted]

Eileen speaking only for myself I like that the ice machines are ready to go and produce ice far more quickly than it takes for a fridge to cool down or re-cool from not being plugged in during transit. If you're going to be in one location for several days or a long period of time and are able to plug the fridge in and keep it plugged in it makes a lot of sense to have one. But I'm more transitory and spend a night here and a night there so the fridge wouldn't work as well for me.