Hello from Ice Covered Indiana

[07rascal]

Just joined the board and also became a new owner of a teardrop. Picked up our 07 Rascal Little Guy yesterday from a dealer in Cleveland. We found the best deal on it over there and made the 8 hr round trip to get it. Our tow vehicle is a 2006 Ford Focus 4dr with an auto. Did a great job with the 460lb Rascal, got us about 28mpg on the way home with it, and honestly we did not really know it was behind us from a performance or handling aspect.

Anyway, we are looking forward to cruising the board and messages for all the great info that is out there to enable us to enjoy our TD to the utmost. We have done the rounds of starting off with a tent, then a popup, then a 24ft TT, then the back of our truck with a cap, then back to a tent (due to $3.50 gas). Now with the TD we hope to get the feel of the enclosed TT but the economy and convenience and mobility of tent camping.

Terry & Lisa & (Daisy - our Shih-tzu camping companion!)

[Mike C.]

Hi Terry, Lisa and Daisy,

Welcome to the forum. Glad you found a trailer that you like and I will bet you have a great time camping in it. Maybe we will see you at a future gathering. Anyway, when you get a chance post some pictures, so we can see what you have.

See you around.

[mikeschn]

Terry & Lisa,

What dealer in Cleveland did you work with?

Mike...

from a dealer in Cleveland.

[Rarin2go]

Good thing to pick it up Saturday because your weather is sure bad today.
Have fun when you can get out and go.

[prohandyman]

Terry & Lisa
Welcome to the forum from a fellow hoosier, You will fins lots of info here.
How's the weather in your part of the state? We just have rain in Greenwood
Dan & Laura

[Bill Fernandez]

Welcome have fun enjoy yourself.

[07rascal]

Terry & Lisa,

What dealer in Cleveland did you work with?

Mike...

from a dealer in Cleveland.

We bought it from Ambrose Inc. They are an auto leasing company that also deals in the Little Guys. Great bunch of guys to work with up to this point. They are located in Chesterland OH, just a few miles due east of Cleveland.

Thanks for all the welcomes.....on days like the last few, we wish we were also in Greenwood! We do a bit of camping every year in the Corydon area, and are looking forward to March and April when we can get back down, as its usually still to nasty up in the Fort that early.

T & L

[07rascal]

Terry & Lisa
Welcome to the forum from a fellow hoosier, You will fins lots of info here.
How's the weather in your part of the state? We just have rain in Greenwood
Dan & Laura

Dan & Laura,

Ice, ice, and more ice! Bit of a break today (Monday), but more in the offing tonight and into tomorrow. Snow we can handle, Ice.....forget it! I have already taken a full gainer in the driveway, and its only Dec......you may find us in your driveway with the Rascal before the 1st of the year if this crap keeps up!

T & L

[deputydogrick]

Terry, Lisa and of course daisy,
Have a lot of fun, post alot of pictures, and enjoy the forum. And Daisy bark woof bark bark.
Rick

[Benthosboy]

Hi diddly hi from the moderately chilly south coast of England. Another 10 degrees lower wouldn't bother me but then again, I am a Northerner

Did a great job with the 460lb Rascal, got us about 28mpg on the way home with it,

I thought all you folks had huge engines that did about 10 mpg

Martyn.

[07rascal]

Thanks for the welcome, Deputydogrick!......woof gggrrrrr woof...lick lick lick!!!

Daisy!!

I thought all you folks had huge engines that did about 10 mpg

Martyn.

Ahhhhh yes....the good ole american way.....ya see thats what we USED to have before the Focus and TD. Nice big V8 GMC that I bought when we were still paying $1.40 a gallon and yanking around a 25ft TT at exactly 9.5 mpg without a headwind and nice and flat roads!

Times and changed for this crew.....seems we can enjoy life and the scenery alot more when are eyes are looking out the windows instead of at the gas gauge. And of course we stand out with the TD pulled with our lil-bitty compact Ford. We had to tow it about 250 miles on the way home and got quite a bit of attention from passerbys.

I know that not only will this help the towing mileage, but once at our destination we will be sightseeing with just the car alone at 35-40. I think we may go the TDI route on our next purchase, try that way for the 40-50 range....sure wish we were as "evolved" here on the West side of the pond as you folks are in the availability of the small TDI's. Someday soon I hope!

Cheers, Terry and Lisa

[07rascal]

Hi Terry, Lisa and Daisy,

Anyway, when you get a chance post some pictures, so we can see what you have.

Did some work today on getting a simple 12v lighting system to the cabin and galley and put some pic's in our Album for reference. Seems to work well, the main goal was to keep the weight of a battery and hardware out of the TD. The 6v battery lights the unit came with left a lot to be desired!! This way our small power pack travels in the trunk and we just hook it up when we want lights at night! 120v power strip add is next to come!

Terry

[Jst83]

Welcome Terry and Lisa,
Glad to have you on board, you'll find all the info you need on here and some you didn't even know you needed.

Our state is really growing in Tear droppers, we've got some real good gatherings planned for 2008 so stay tuned.

And we've got a small gathjering forming in Brown County in Jan. If your up for testing the new tear out in the cold, Check out the gathering section.

[Mark72]

Welcome fellow Hoosiers! I'm glad to see someone towing with a focus.I'm aspiring to finish my first build so I can do an ultralight to go on long hauls with our focus. A couple of questions, where did you get your hitch for the focus and dose it have the standard engine or the z-tech (now standard)

Mark